By Joe Hutchison
SHOCKING pictures show a flat close appearing to be littered with poo and urine as residents say the world’s largest arts festival is to blame.
The images show a puddle of of yellow liquid and a brown lumps along the Edinburgh building floor.
Pictures also showed how the door has been left unlocked, with people using the flats as short-term lets being blamed.
The images were posted to Twitter by user @tesodb yesterday morning in an attempt to highlight the “grim reality” of short-term lets in the Scottish capital.
He said: “The grim reality of short-term lets in Edinburgh. We have had days of the main door not being properly closed.
“Now we move onto the next phase with the annual breaking of the lock in August.
“It didn’t take long for someone to p*** and s*** in the close. Happy festival.”
The first image shows how the lock on the door appears to have been broken in a way so that the door will be unlocked.
Following this, another picture shows puddle of dark yellow liquid and what appears to be human excrement.
The flat in question is within the old town of Edinburgh, an area massively popular with tourists and is known for its history.
Twitter users have argued that the incident may be due to local drug addicts.
Radek Stefanski said; “Not sure what this has to do with short term rentals. Much more likely that it’s local druggies.”
@Rothesayblue commented: “I heard the same story from a friend last week. Lock kept open then smashed off, defecating and drug use now taking place in the close.”
Lois Cessford said: “This is horrendous, can’t believe my home city is being turned into a three ring circus.”
However the man who posted the pictures says that this happens every year the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is on.
He said: “It’s a regular August occurrence due to the frequency of new people coming and going. It’s made worse by another new short term let in the building.”
Edinburgh City Council declined to comment on the incident.
Local campaigning group Citizen have urged to bring overpopulation of the city during the Fringe to a halt.
They have recently released a short film titled; ‘There’s No Edinburgh In the Festival,’ aimed at highlighting the groups fears of gentrification and over-tourism within the city.
