Arthur Smith's tour of Edinburgh falls to victim to Covid

The last remaining Edinburgh Fringe show has been cancelled, after Arthur Smith called off his unofficial guided walk.

The comic, a veteran of 42 Fringes, had planned to lead a tour of the city streets every day for a week, starting on Sunday.

But he tweeted today: ‘I  am heart broken to say that my Edinburgh walking tour  has been  postponed as we could not be certain to  comply with Scottish health guidelines.’

The current guidelines from Holyrood say: ‘You may meet outdoors with members of up to four other households at a time for exercise or activity. This means that events such as… walking club trips that would involve people from more than five households are not permitted.’

However some Edinburgh residents have reported that regular tourist walking tours of the city are still going ahead. 

Smith typically took his groups down the Royal Mile at midnight, with tall tales and festival guests – who previously included Steve Coogan, Lucy Porter, Mike McShane, Shappi Khorsandi and Jonathan Ross - plus the occasional glimpse of nudity. 

In 2000 Smith and Simon Munnery were arrested on public order offences during the tour after residents called the police at 3.30am. Smith was using a megaphone to lecture a crowd of 200, including Munnery who was playing the part of a German tourist called Heinrich.

Anyone who booked for a tour this year will be refunded, or can hold their ticket over to 20201.

‘Sorry folks. Sad face emojis,’ Smith concluded.

Published: 5 Aug 2020