Panda or Pounds?

[Nibble]

What a waste of money in the current climate..... £7m over 10 years to "hire" two giant pandas from China? Another good use of the Scottish taxpayers money? IMO yes & yes!!

[Prudie]

I disagree. £7m over 10 years is a pittance in the scheme of things and will certainly be recouped to some degree by increased tourism. Pandas are extremely endangered, what price can you put on their extinction.
Did the Scottish taxpayers pay for this anyway?

[Gromit]

Tourists to Scotland spend £4.1Billion annually, so £700,00 is nothing. I am sure the zoo will recoup this expenditure through extra visitors

http://www.scotland.g...rendExpenditureVisits

[Maydup]

They'll never recoup £7m. Conservation is rarely about economics, but in this case the economics are excessive in my opinion.

[woofgang]

The zoo rep said on the TV this morning that the money had come from the Zoo and no taxpayers money was involved.

[cathfromsaron]

the zoo can spend its money how it wishes x

[zebo]

Will the tram go to the Zoo, or anywhere? I think the Pandas will be Great Great Grandparents before that white elephant goes anywhere!

[factor-fiction]

Are they just pandaing to the animal conservationists?

[mightyWBA]

Chelsea could have had 14 Giant Pandas instead of Fernando Torres..There's a thought!

Pandas are cute, £7 million well spent..I'm definately going to make an effort to see them with the nipper :-)

[modeller]

A

[modeller]

And if they have cubs the attendance will go through the roof. W

[nungate]

Edinburgh trams? With the money already spent on those blasted trams we could have built another Edinburgh!

[weecalf]

A lot of money for two police cars

[murraymints]

zebo..the tram is not really going anywhere..a complete waste of money....plenty of buses go past zoo in Corstorphine road.....you have to book a half hour slot in advance to see the pandas...can't just turn up and see them...£15.50 for adult...£11 for child.....so not cheap if you have a few kids...

[dr b]

Well, I can see that this is not just a black and white issue....

[zebo]

Thanks for all the info on the trams, I wasn't being serious. Have they started taking up the tracks again on Princes Street? £7m sounds a minor amount in comparison with the trams, though the laughs on You Tube have compensated we non Edinburgh taxpayers somewhat!

[HowardKennitby]

Should they ever run the trams will not go anywhere near the zoo.

[HowardKennitby]

Here is the original route map. Now you can forget the Leith Street to Newhaven bit.

[HowardKennitby]

and here is the link. Sorry

http://www.edinburght.../index.php/route_map/

[Gromit]

And if the austerity starts to cut deep, the unemployed can eat them.

http://www.dailymail....ing-animals-food.html