People celebrating in Edinburgh this Hogmanay will not have to worry about their journey home, as the world’s leading premium drinks business Diageo has teamed up with the party’s organisers to help provide FREE bus travel home for all out enjoying the festivities in the city.
The free travel on the city’s bus networks, operated by Lothian Buses, is open to anyone out enjoying Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party, Concert in the Gardens or The Keilidh. Last year the Hogmanay free transport helped nearly 20,000 revellers make their way home across Edinburgh quickly and safely.
Councillor Steve Cardownie, Festivals and Events Champion for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “It’s vital that we do what we can to help people get home safe and sound after seeing in the bells at the World’s Best Street Party. Revellers can celebrate the arrival of 2013 safe in the knowledge that they can hop on the bus home afterwards.”
Pete Irvine, Artistic Director of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, said “The support from Diageo will provide a safe, reliable and free transport system at the end of the night on New Year’s Eve. We are delighted to be working with Diageo for the first time this year and know that many revellers who have enjoyed the world-famous Street Party and Concert in the Gardens take advantage of this invaluable service to help them get home.”
The services will run across the city and Diageo’s Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Lorraine Martin, said the company was looking forward to being part of an event that has established itself as the place to be on New Year’s Eve.
“Hogmanay is a major occasion for celebration worldwide, with Edinburgh now leading the way in showcasing how to have a great party and enjoy a unique experience in a fantastic environment. What we are adding is an opportunity for revellers to have the assurance that they will have access to a safe and convenient journey home at the end of the night,” she added.
“We fully endorse the responsible drinking approach on all occasions and with the number of people attending Edinburgh’s Hogmanay event once again anticipated to be massive, we are expecting the free buses to be a hugely popular, useful and reassuring part of their overall experience.”
Details, including location of bus stops and a timetable of the bus services running on New Year’s Eve, will be released at the beginning of December and will be available to view on the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay website – www.edinburghshogmanay.com
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, perhaps the greatest celebration of New Year in the world, promises a heady mix of music, dance, theatre, games and fireworks throughout the city centre. From Sunday 30 December 2012 to Tuesday 1 January 2013 this year’s three day programme features brand new events as well as popular favourites, bringing Edinburgh’s streets alive with non-stop enjoyment.
Now in its 20th year, the world famous Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party expects to welcome 80,000 revellers from around the world to the ‘Home of Hogmanay’. The Concert in the Gardens will host its own party beneath Edinburgh Castle, together with The Keilidh at the bottom of The Mound offering the breathtaking backdrop of Edinburgh’s Old Town and spectacular views of the Midnight Fireworks.
Full details of the programme over the three days will be announced later this month and will be available on www.edinburghshogmanay.com.
Revellers can already purchase tickets for all the events in one of three ways:
Online at www.edinburghshogmanay.com; by calling Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Box Office on 0844 573 8455 or by calling into the Hogmanay Box Office at The Fringe Office, 180 High Street, Edinburgh.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
