Holyrood Park closed to traffic on Bonfire Night

In common with previous years Historic Scotland who manage Holyrood Park have announced that it will be closed tomorrow evening for Guy Fawkes Night. There are some organised bonfires around the city, most notably at Meadowbank. More details here.

Holyrood Park will be closed to vehicular traffic from 18.00 to Midnight tomorrow, Wednesday 5th November.

The measures have been put in place to try to prevent wildfires starting in the park, which are commonly caused by fireworks during this time of year.

Historic Scotland Rangers, who care for the park, will carry out joint patrols with Police Scotland officers throughout the evening.

The park is one of Edinburgh’s most important historic attractions and wildlife havens, and is home to many species of plants and wildlife. They are often the first to be directly affected by fire, as well as the unseen damage caused to the underlying archaeology

This successful operation has resulted, historically, in a significant reduction in emergency call outs to the area, minimising the impact on the emergency service resources and helping to protect this important city centre site.

Martin Gray, Historic Scotland Visitor Services Manager for Holyrood Park, said:

“Bonfire Night is an opportunity for people to have fun, but it is important that that is done safely. The park covers hundreds of acres, so it’s very difficult to supervise entirely, and if a firework does start a blaze the damage can be huge. This year we’ll once again be working with the police, fire service and the council to help reduce the risk to the park. If people want to see fireworks then we would encourage them to attend organised fire work displays, for their own safety and that of the environment around them.”