Hogmanay celebrations
Edinburgh has cancelled Hogmanay celebrations, affecting the New Year’s Eve street parties and fireworks displays, due to a storm warning for the next 36 hours.
On Monday, organizers announced that outdoor events at the Hogmanay celebrations on Monday and Tuesday would be cancelled, including the street party and concert in Princes Street Gardens—due to be headlined by Scottish band Texas—and the midnight fireworks.
A spokesperson for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay said: “Due to ongoing high winds and inclement weather in Edinburgh city centre, we regret to announce that outdoor events scheduled for Monday and December 31 are unable to go ahead on the grounds of public safety.”
The cancellations included December 30’s Night Afore Disco Party in West Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party, Concert in the Gardens, and the midnight fireworks from Edinburgh Castle on December 31.
“We have been unable to continue with preparations and necessary set-up for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay outdoor events due to extreme weather and forecast conditions. Therefore, for safety reasons, we, along with our event partners, have taken the difficult decision to cancel all outdoor events,” the organizers said.
However, the spokesperson said indoor events are continuing as planned.
In London, a spokesperson said there are no plans to cancel any New Year’s Eve events, but they continued “to monitor the weather forecast closely.”
London’s City Hall has said it is “monitoring the weather” as almost every part of the country is covered by at least one of the multiple Met Office weather warnings between Monday and Wednesday.
A yellow weather warning of heavy rain and snow is currently in force across most of Scotland for Monday and Tuesday, while an amber warning for rain is in place for an area around Inverness on Tuesday.
Stormy conditions are expected to spread to the rest of the UK on New Year’s Eve, with yellow warnings for wind and rain in place for parts of England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
On New Year’s Eve, delays to all types of transport are “likely” as strong winds persist and may reach speeds of up to 70mph in England and Northern Ireland, the Met Office has warned.