New Year resolution: Party on, Edinburgh

THEY turn up in their thousands to drink, dance and kiss total strangers, defying the ever-present threat of freezing temperatures, wind and rain. Seen by millions around the world, Edinburgh's Hogmanay street party has become a statement of optimism for the coming year.

But the organisers of the event have finally admitted that if Scotland is to preserve its New Year reputation, things have got to change, and this could be the last Edinburgh Hogmanay as we know it.

Faced with a dangerous combination of declining ticket sales and increasing competition from rival cities, the deputy leader of Edinburgh City Council has confirmed they are examining radical alternatives, chief among them making the event free.

Councillor Steve Cardownie, who is also in charge of festivals and events, bemoaned the lack of cash available to fund Hogmanay and suggested it was essential to attract bigger, household-name bands to draw the crowds back.

Cardownie's views were backed by Pete Irvine, managing director of the firm organising the event, who told Scotland on Sunday this year's celebration was make-or-break.

And while Glasgow and Aberdeen are among the Scottish cities looking forward to their best-ever Hogmanay celebrations, most experts agree the continued success of the Edinburgh event is important to the entire country.

Edinburgh's popularity as the place to celebrate Hogmanay reached a dangerous peak in 1997 when 300,000 attempted to pack into the city centre. The answer was to throw a cordon around Princes Street and charge for tickets but the number of party-goers has dwindled from 180,000 at the millennium to 100,000 this year, paying £5 or £20 each.

Last year was the second time the event had been cancelled at the last minute because of bad weather.Unusually, tickets for this year were still available last week and hotels that would normally have been booked solid for months were reporting vacancies.

Cardownie told Scotland on Sunday: "There might be room for improvement and if it's getting a bit tired it might have to be freshened up. It may well be that that is the case.

"It has already occurred to me, given the fact that other cities have street parties, that the question of whether we need tickets and barriers would have to be looked at. There's no doubt a lot of money goes on barriers and stewarding."

Cardownie added that this year's entertainment line-up – which includes X-Factor winner Leon Jackson, Kasabian, Calvin Harris and Idlewild, lacked the household names that have previously drawn crowds, such as the Scissor Sisters.

He said: "We have got a cracking bill now. But this is the first time I can remember we have not had an act like the Bay City Rollers, Boy George and Blondie that have been around for a long time. But there are only limited funds to go round and these big names can attract huge booking fees. There's only so much you can offer and there's only a number of artists that you can realistically attract without making ticket costs prohibitive."

Pete Irvine, managing director of Unique Events, last night admitted this year's party would make or break the format of future Edinburgh Hogmanays.

He said: "I think that the last couple of years has been difficult. A very major part of its future depends on this year."

Meanwhile, other Scottish and UK cities are enjoying bigger-than-ever New Year parties. Glasgow's Hogmanay, headlined by indie band The View and featuring the singer Amy Macdonald, has sold out with 15,000 tickets at £5 each. Aberdeen's celebrations are free and headlined by Travis.

Organisers of London's events are expecting 350,000 visitors to the centre of the capital this New Year's Eve.

A spokesman for the Greater London Authority said: "People's awareness of the London celebrations has grown and we are trying to create something stunning."

But this year in Edinburgh the £5 wristbands for the street party were still available until the middle of this month. They have now sold out but £20 'Party Packs' are still on sale.

The event's drop in popularity is reflected in hotels and hostels across the city.

Late last week 12 out of 145 city hotels still had rooms available and hostels were advertising beds.

Daniel Pereira, general manager of the Scotsman Hotel in the city centre, which still has vacancies, said: "It was very disappointing for people that the celebrations were cancelled last year for the second time. If they are cancelled again, the city will lose its status as one of the party capitals of Europe."

Another issue organisers must face is funding. The event costs about £1m a year to run, £47,000 of that from the Scottish Government. Lib Dem MP Jo Swinson said ministers had not allocated enough money. "Economically, the rewards for Scotland of staging successful winter festivals could be enormous," she said.

Some major sponsors, including the Royal Bank of Scotland which provided £300,000 a year, have pulled out and Edinburgh council is seeking a new long-term sponsor.

Despite the problems, Cardownie is convinced Edinburgh can hang on to its party city crown. He said other city venues including the Meadows and Inverleith may be examined as alternatives alongside the street party to disperse the crowds.

Rival celebrations around the world

SYDNEY

One million people are tipped to gather on Sydney Harbour's foreshore for a fireworks spectacular. Organisers have promised about 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects.

NEW YORK

Times Square is at the heart of the celebration, drawing a million revellers who crowd into the square to watch the dropping-of-the-iron-ball extravaganza.

LONDON

A spectacular show from Jack Morton WorldWide's fireworks and Christophe Berthonneau's pyrotechnics on the South Bank of the Thames. There is expected to be a strong Olympics theme.

HONG KONG

The 88-storey Two IFC, Hong Kong's tallest skyscraper, and 17 other buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour will feature in a synchronised programme.