What makes Edinburgh, Fife and the Lothians great places to live, work and visit?

What makes these three places to live, work and visit?

Lindsay Roy, Labour MP for Glenrothes and Central Fife: The Kingdom of Fife is very central to the rest of Scotland’s heartland with good transport links to the rest of the country. It is a great mix of urban and rural locations, with the coastline undoubtedly its jewel in the crown. The coast and countryside are easily accessible from all of Fife’s towns. Above all, the people of Fife are warm and welcoming.

Colin Beattie, SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh: A great environment to live and work in. Fantastic choice of entertainment from restaurants to theatres to cinemas. Easy access from miles around to a truly historic and world-class city. Huge choice of quality properties in and out of Edinburgh. Ready access to rural facilities in Midlothian and East Lothian where you can enjoy walking, riding, golf, and a host of other activities.

Andrew Burns, Labour Councillor for Fountainbridge/Craighlockhart ward and leader of City of Edinburgh Council: The quality of life makes it a fantastic place to live. I’m originally from the west coast but I’ve been here for over 20 years and there’s no doubt that what drew me to the city and led me to bring my family up here is its unparalleled quality of life. It’s a diverse city with fantastic natural heritage and one of the most iconic streetscapes and built heritages in Europe. There’s nothing quite like it and that’s even without mentioning the festivals.

And what is the biggest strength of your area?

LR: The people are perhaps its greatest strength, they have a very strong sense of identity – ‘once a Fifer, always a Fifer’. There’s a great community spirit, never more so than in times of need.

CB: It is compact and accessible in size yet has a complete choice of facilities which any family or individual might want and appreciate to achieve quality of living. From a work point of view, there is a huge variety of businesses operating within the catchment area covering most professions and trades.

AB: Across Edinburgh, the biggest strength is the economy. Despite difficult times recently, the Edinburgh economy has fared comparatively well. I wouldn’t want to demean anyone who is struggling because one person out of a job is one person too many but overall it has fared relatively well. What is pleasing to see is the financial service sector has remained relatively strong, even though it has gone through tough times.