Homeless sent out of Edinburgh to make room for Taylor Swift fans

Alexander, who has been homeless for four months, told BBC Scotland News he was scared that he would be on the streets again this weekend.

The 20-year-old is currently staying in a temporary hotel in Edinburgh, but says he will have to leave on Friday and present as homeless again to the council.

“It’s going to be near impossible to get accommodation because everything is booked or they’ve upped their prices,” he said.

The council books tourist accommodation – like hotels – for homeless households as a last resort and a short-term fix. It only books them for seven-day periods.

It is not uncommon for hotels to be fully booked around major events such as the Edinburgh Fringe or other concerts, but campaigners fear the sheer scale of Taylor Swift’s appearance has caused a surge in demand.

Common budget hotels such as Travelodge and Premier Inn are fully booked for that weekend, and other hotels on the outskirts of the city are quoting minimum prices of £330 for one-night stays.

Alexander says he’s been given no indication of where he will be sent after Friday, and claimed that in the past he has been handed a sleeping bag and told to sleep rough for the night.

“I’ve got severe depression and anxiety and my anxiety is out of control at the moment because I don’t know what’s going to happen to me.

“I’m more than nervous, I’m scared, because I don’t know where I’m going to end up on Friday or after that.”

A spokesperson for Edinburgh Council reiterated that it has a legal duty to provide homeless people with accommodation and said no-one would be handed a sleeping bag.