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Tartan tat on Princes Street


Sherlock

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These two tat shops on the west end of Princes Street, between HMV and Currys, really get on my double & quits?

 

A bloody embaressment to our city. Time the council did something... make them to move to the South Bridge or Leith Walk.

 

Or at least force them to move their speakers inside their shops, turn their music down and ban them from hanging their cheap crap outside the shops.

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Gigolo-Aunt

They are a bit of an eye (and ear) sore.

 

Must make a few bob of the tourists, would not think it would be cheap to have a shop on Princess Street.

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These two tat shops on the west end of Princes Street, between HMV and Currys, really get on my double & quits?

 

A bloody embaressment to our city. Time the council did something... make them to move to the South Bridge or Leith Walk.

 

Or at least force them to move their speakers inside their shops, turn their music down and ban them from hanging their cheap crap outside the shops.

 

They're pretty much everywhere you go now. The one just off St Andrew's is particularly annoying. Surly those environmental wardens (who once made us turn our music down) should be acting on this. The staff must have to wear noise cancelling earphones to work in there.

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Dr. Bapswent
These two tat shops on the west end of Princes Street, between HMV and Currys, really get on my double & quits?

 

A bloody embaressment to our city. Time the council did something... make them to move to the South Bridge or Leith Walk.

 

Or at least force them to move their speakers inside their shops, turn their music down and ban them from hanging their cheap crap outside the shops.

 

Totally agree.

 

I have to walk the gauntlet of tat as I have to get the bus there on the way home, and its a total embarrassment to be anywhere near them.

 

They are parasites that feed of a desire to buy into anything 'Scottish'.

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Totally agree.

 

I have to walk the gauntlet of tat as I have to get the bus there on the way home, and its a total embarrassment to be anywhere near them.

 

They are parasites that feed of a desire to buy into anything 'Scottish'.

When it comes down to it, isn't that the core objective of any business? In this case it's merely a sort of contorted supply and demand, and in a city full of tourists, they're merely pandering to what they want. It's just unfortunate the idea of Scottishness is epitomised by the tat on show, though.

 

FWIW, I agree with all the posts above, but it seems like this image is here to stay and, as a result, so are the shops.

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Dr. Bapswent
When it comes down to it, isn't that the core objective of any business? In this case it's merely a sort of contorted supply and demand, and in a city full of tourists, they're merely pandering to what they want. It's just unfortunate the idea of Scottishness is epitomised by the tat on show, though.

 

FWIW, I agree with all the posts above, but it seems like this image is here to stay and, as a result, so are the shops.

 

 

A kilt....a real kilt is a Scottish garment.

 

 

A towel, or fabric skirt, painted with tartan stripes is not.

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...They are parasites that feed of a desire to buy into anything 'Scottish'.

 

Any shop selling a 'kilt' towel deserves a molotov cocktail through the window.

 

Alongwith anywhere selling 'see-you-jimmy' hats.

 

Direct Action.

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A kilt....a real kilt is a Scottish garment.

 

 

A towel, or fabric skirt, painted with tartan stripes is not.

True. If it sells, though, you can't blame the folk.

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Any shop selling a 'kilt' towel deserves a molotov cocktail through the window.

 

I find the kilt towels quite funny.

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Dr. Bapswent
True. If it sells, though, you can't blame the folk.

 

I wonder how 'Scottish' the owners and employees are....

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Only a Game

The city has a ten year plan to make the city centre much more classy and cosmopolitan, by dividing the 4 or 5 main blocks up into themed "quarters"

 

Business rates will be put out of reach for the more tacky traders, such as the shops mentioned in the OP, with massive discounts offered for traders that fit the "profile" of any particular quarter.

 

Princes Street will be entirely pedestrianised apart from the trams.The focus will be more on good quality food and beverage outlets as opposed to low end retail.

 

Thats what they SAY they will be doing at any rate.

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coppercrutch
These two tat shops on the west end of Princes Street, between HMV and Currys, really get on my double & quits?

 

A bloody embaressment to our city. Time the council did something... make them to move to the South Bridge or Leith Walk.

 

Or at least force them to move their speakers inside their shops, turn their music down and ban them from hanging their cheap crap outside the shops.

 

I think these boys own some shops up there too.:rolleyes:

 

Someone told me recently all these shops are owned by well know Asian businessmen from the City. If that is the case then they must be doing a decent trade. These boys don't tend to lose money....;)

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blondejamtart
True. If it sells, though, you can't blame the folk.

 

That's the thing though, isn't it - it might not be to your taste or mine, but there is obviously a demand for it. It is a pity though, that the "tartan tat" is the image that so many tourists have of our country, when there is so much more to offer. However, is it much different from some of the tourist tat which Scots bring back home from their holidays overseas?

I hate tat and tend to avoid it with a passion - but no matter where you go, at their airport for your flight home, you see loads of folk with all the tackiest tat imaginable!

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I think these boys own some shops up there too.:rolleyes:

 

Someone told me recently all these shops are owned by well know Asian businessmen from the City. If that is the case then they must be doing a decent trade. These boys don't tend to lose money....;)

 

Maybe the mis-placed Maybury bullet was all about tat and not a drugs debt as was reported. ;)

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The shop is a disgrace. They are the SNP of Scottish shops

 

total embarrassment

 

I know the owners work hard and i'm all for them starting an empire (as long as they play to the rules) but the owners are not even Scottish!

 

and before people start the "racist card" nonsense I have nothing against them just the way they try to turn our image into something cheap,tacky and shoddy!

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Chad Sexington

Isn't it that ancient Scottish clan the Gold Brothers who own all these shops? :rolleyes:

 

They have their place I suppose, but not in Princess Street.

 

There are far too many of them as well. The council should put a cap on the amount of tat emporiums there are.

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but the owners are not even Scottish!

 

 

By what parameter? As far as I know it is one of the branches of the Singh family. And a lot of them went to the same school as me and were 2nd or 3rd generation Leith.

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jamboinglasgow
The city has a ten year plan to make the city centre much more classy and cosmopolitan, by dividing the 4 or 5 main blocks up into themed "quarters"

 

Business rates will be put out of reach for the more tacky traders, such as the shops mentioned in the OP, with massive discounts offered for traders that fit the "profile" of any particular quarter.

 

Princes Street will be entirely pedestrianised apart from the trams.The focus will be more on good quality food and beverage outlets as opposed to low end retail.

 

Thats what they SAY they will be doing at any rate.

 

 

lets hope they succed as Princes street should be amazing for retail. With the view it has it should attract the best shops but sadly in the 60's they allowed to change the buildings losing its image. George street should be the aim to copy. The street is more classy and better looking.

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The shop is a disgrace. They are the SNP of Scottish shops

 

total embarrassment

 

I know the owners work hard and i'm all for them starting an empire (as long as they play to the rules) but the owners are not even Scottish!

 

and before people start the "racist card" nonsense I have nothing against them just the way they try to turn our image into something cheap,tacky and shoddy!

 

It's the manufacturers that are "turning our image into something cheap, tacky and shoddy" not the retailers.

 

If you really want a culprit for the cheap, tacky bit go along Princes Street a bit and opposite Jenners there is a huge monument to the man largely responsible.

 

Oh, and how do you know for sure that the owners of the shops were or were not born in this country?

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By what parameter? As far as I know it is one of the branches of the Singh family. And a lot of them went to the same school as me and were 2nd or 3rd generation Leith.

 

Jeez...

 

That means they're barely human never mind Scottish.

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It's the manufacturers that are "turning our image into something cheap, tacky and shoddy" not the retailers.

 

If you really want a culprit for the cheap, tacky bit go along Princes Street a bit and opposite Jenners there is a huge monument to the man largely responsible.

 

Oh, and how do you know for sure that the owners of the shops were or were not born in this country?

 

Oh boris save me your self righteous Bull ****!

 

It is an Asian family selling absolute shoddy goods and cheap immitations of quality goods.

 

I respect them as they work hard, I admire their work ethic, I admire how they are succesful but this is not Ingliston market!!

 

It is Scotland's main throroughfare and not the bleedin Barras

 

they are making Princes Street look very very schemey indeed

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Jeez...

 

That means they're barely human never mind Scottish.

 

they do sell 6 fingered gloves now you mention it ;)

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Amazing how people get so wound up about a street they don't even know the name of. :wacko:

 

:)

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Oh boris save me your self righteous Bull ****!

 

It is an Asian family selling absolute shoddy goods and cheap immitations of quality goods.

 

I respect them as they work hard, I admire their work ethic, I admire how they are succesful but this is not Ingliston market!!

 

It is Scotland's main throroughfare and not the bleedin Barras

 

they are making Princes Street look very very schemey indeed

 

I have no time for these shops, however they are obviously catering for a certain market and profitting well from that.

 

It isn't just these shops that make Princes Street look schemey. Our resident schemies seem to fill that role quite well too!

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I have no time for these shops, however they are obviously catering for a certain market and profitting well from that.

 

It isn't just these shops that make Princes Street look schemey. Our resident schemies seem to fill that role quite well too!

 

I agree that there is a market for it but it it makes something beautiful very ugly

 

Also anyone seen those cheap 'genuine' Italian leather shops in town!!!

 

Honestly it's like bleedin Blackpool nowadays

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Professor.Arturo

Tartan tat right enough. Advertising full kilt outfit for ?75! :rofl:

 

Go up to Davisons kilts at Bruntsfield, find out how much a genuine kilt outfit costs.....its a damn site more than 75 quid!!!!

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I have no time for these shops, however they are obviously catering for a certain market and profitting well from that.

 

It isn't just these shops that make Princes Street look schemey. Our resident schemies seem to fill that role quite well too!

 

ahhhhhhhhhh good old the Edinburgh schemey

 

different class to the glesga ned

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Tartan tat right enough. Advertising full kilt outfit for ?75! :rofl:

 

Go up to Davisons kilts at Bruntsfield, find out how much a genuine kilt outfit costs.....its a damn site more than 75 quid!!!!

 

It get's worse...........

 

Have you seen those "it's not a kilt, it's not a towel,it's both"

 

A Kiltowel!!!

 

feckin joke

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The Old Tolbooth

I'm damn sure if I owned a shop that earned me ?250k clear profit a year (thats a figure I plucked outta the air) then I wouldn't give 2 hoots what anyone thought of me!

 

I do agree the shops are annoying though, and cringeworthy!

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I agree that there is a market for it but it it makes something beautiful very ugly

 

Also anyone seen those cheap 'genuine' Italian leather shops in town!!!

 

Honestly it's like bleedin Blackpool nowadays

 

I blame Thatcher...:rolleyes:

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I'm damn sure if I owned a shop that earned me ?250k clear profit a year (thats a figure I plucked outta the air) then I wouldn't give 2 hoots what anyone thought of me!

 

I do agree the shops are annoying though, and cringeworthy!

 

yup i totally admire the way they make money. They are culturally gifted at it

 

Tourists don't complain but the ones who live here are the ones that have to live with it

 

you are probs not too far away with the 250K tho

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The Old Tolbooth
yup i totally admire the way they make money. They are culturally gifted at it

 

Tourists don't complain but the ones who live here are the ones that have to live with it

 

you are probs not too far away with the 250K tho

 

I love it when your cage gets rattled mate, you just go off on a girly hissy fit and completely throw the toys right out the pram :D

 

Your fingers also go ten to the dozen with posts, I bet you can type 459 words per minute when the red mist is down ha ha!! :)

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I love it when your cage gets rattled mate, you just go off on a girly hissy fit and completely throw the toys right out the pram :D

 

Your fingers also go ten to the dozen with posts, I bet you can type 459 words per minute when the red mist is down ha ha!! :)

 

And my spelling mistakes go through the roof

 

hahaha you got me sussed

 

I'm not worked up today for once tho - just at work roastin as it's a bleedin sauna in here.

 

me n Boris have a respectful relationship. We are both poles part politically etc but we enjoy our arguments

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...I'm not worked up today for once tho - just at work roastin as it's a bleedin sauna in here...

 

Some guy's have all the luck... i just work in an office and there's never any sexual shenanigans going on.

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Some guy's have all the luck... i just work in an office and there's never any sexual shenanigans going on.

 

hahahah don't get too excited you aint seen the chicks in my office :sad:

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Have to agree with most of the above - these kinda things are all a bit cringeworthy.

 

But..... to the folk who dont wish our country to be thought of with see you jimmy hats and such like...... what DO you want to be associated with our country? What would YOU sell the tourists??

 

A proper full highland outfit will cost you what, ?600+..... and i dont think many tourists reeeeally want to part with that much dosh to go home with a memory of scotland.....

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Dr. Bapswent
Have to agree with most of the above - these kinda things are all a bit cringeworthy.

 

But..... to the folk who dont wish our country to be thought of with see you jimmy hats and such like...... what DO you want to be associated with our country? What would YOU sell the tourists??

 

A proper full highland outfit will cost you what, ?600+..... and i dont think many tourists reeeeally want to part with that much dosh to go home with a memory of scotland.....

 

Whats Scottish about a see you jimmy hat?

 

musical-jimmy.jpg

 

 

Is that what we should promote as Scottish identity?

 

Is that how the Scots should be knows across the globe?

 

I bet Irish all wear wellingtons on their wrong feet.

 

jimmy~cricket.jpg

 

Phew, I bet the Germans are grateful they can exploit that old Nazi identity too....what a gold mine that is...

 

nazi_parade_23_03_05.jpg

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Whats Scottish about a see you jimmy hat?

 

musical-jimmy.jpg

 

 

Is that what we should promote as Scottish identity?

 

Is that how the Scots should be knows across the globe?

 

I bet Irish all wear wellingtons on their wrong feet.

 

jimmy~cricket.jpg

 

Phew, I bet the Germans are grateful they can exploit that old Nazi identity too....what a gold mine that is...

 

nazi_parade_23_03_05.jpg

 

Its all about typical stereotypes. I'm not agreeing with it. I've agreed its tacky.

 

How about you answer my question now, what would YOU sell the tourists? What would YOU like to be associated with "scottishness"....? What would YOU want to buy if YOU were a tourist?

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blondejamtart

Personally, when I go on holiday I like to bring back something which reminds me of the place I've been visiting, but not necessarily anything "touristy". I prefer to bring back items made by local craftsmen, for instance - things which are a wee bit different and which I wouldn't be able to get here at home.

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Dr. Bapswent
Its all about typical stereotypes. I'm not agreeing with it. I've agreed its tacky.

 

How about you answer my question now, what would YOU sell the tourists? What would YOU like to be associated with "scottishness"....? What would YOU want to buy if YOU were a tourist?

 

Edinburgh Rock.

 

Highland music.

 

Tartan Drummers in plastic tubes.

 

Mcowans Toffee

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Edinburgh Rock.

 

Highland music.

 

Tartan Drummers in plastic tubes.

 

Mcowans Toffee

 

Ah right, All of which you can find in the very same shop your criticising yeah.....?

 

http://www.scotlandshopdirect.com/Highland-Maid-s-Confectionery/cid,201781,index.php

 

http://www.scotlandshopdirect.com/Scottish-and-Celtic-Music/cid,176305,index.php

 

http://www.scotlandshopdirect.com/Sculptures/cid,216133,index.php

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Dr. Bapswent

 

Yes.

 

So at what point did I say ALL their products were inappropriate?

 

Its the rest that are awful, and the way they are touted at full volume in your face.

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Totally agree.

 

I have to walk the gauntlet of tat as I have to get the bus there on the way home, and its a total embarrassment to be anywhere near them.

 

They are parasites that feed of a desire to buy into anything 'Scottish'.

 

Where do I find out about this 'gauntlet of tat's'? I'd be well up for a bit of that. :)

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