ARTHUR Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh’s Picardy Place. Now I see that Edinburgh is to shuffle the handsome statue of Sherlock Holmes out of the way – yet again (Capital asks for help in solving Holmes puzzle, The National, November 16). The statue was erected in 1991 by the Edinburgh and Lothians branch of the Federation of Master Builders.
In June 1969 the city swept away the actual building to make way for the proposed eastern link road. The statue was moved again in 2009, the 150th anniversary year of Doyle’s birth, to facilitate the original tram works.
Now it’s to be budged out the way again, to “future proof the area for extending the tram to Newhaven, if approved next year”. Elsewhere others are making millions out of Sherlock Holmes, arguably the world’s best known fictional character. Here his bothersome statue is just being carted about. Showing real enterprise would be not imposing unwanted trams on the populace (who currently enjoy an excellent bus service) but selling its strong Holmes connection. If the grave of a wee dead dog can fill Edinburgh’s coffers – think what Sherlock could do.
CS Lincoln
Edinburgh
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