Homeless people are being sent out of Scotland's capital to make room for Swifties

03.06.2024 - 21:07 / insider.com / Taylor Swift

A number of homeless people have been sent out of Edinburgh to make room for tourists visiting the Scottish capital for Taylor Swift's upcoming shows, according to BBC News.

Swift will perform for three nights at Murrayfield Stadium, from June 7 to 9, as part of the European leg of the "Eras" tour — the first concert tour to gross over $1 billion.

According to Edinburgh Live, some 210,000 Swifties are expected to attend the Edinburgh shows, which could bring more than $125 million to the Scottish economy.

This surge in visitors has led to a significant increase in hotel demand, according to the Daily Record.

Shelter Scotland told BBC News that a shortage in available accommodation has meant that some homeless people it supports have been relocated to other cities, such as Aberdeen and Glasgow.

The charity said that one person was even offered temporary accommodation in Newcastle, across the border in England.

In a statement provided to Business Insider, Shelter Scotland's director, Alison Watson, said that people experiencing homelessness have been put in "direct competition" with tourists.

Related stories

She described the situation as a "blatant injustice."

"It simply should not be the case that hosting a major event at Murrayfield has significant knock-on effects for people experiencing homelessness in Edinburgh," Watson added.

Late last year, Edinburgh became the first city council in Scotland to declare a housing emergency. This month, the Scottish government declared a national housing emergency.

In Scotland, people declared homeless must legally be offered emergency temporary accommodation, which can include hotels.

In an email to BI, a spokesperson for the City of Edinburgh Council said it is not moving tenants out of temporary accommodation to make way for Swifties.

Instead, they said the council was struggling to secure available accommodation for homeless residents during the"Eras" tour weekend.

In a statement, the council's housing convenor, Jane Meagher, said: "It is a symptom of the housing emergency we face in Edinburgh that at times we must use tourist accommodation to house homeless households."

"We know it won't be available year-round," she added, "particularly over the busy summer months, so we use it reluctantly as a last resort."

Meagher said the council is working with affected households to find appropriate, alternative accommodation.

Taylor Swift's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.