Kat mentions my fears of certain areas, for context I grew up in West Pilton so that was a bundle of laughs... just exercise reasonable caution and you'll be fine
Yea as an Edinburgh local myself I know all the 'rough' areas and have never had a problem in any of them. It's the city centre areas when pubs are closing that are the danger zones if you don't really know the city. Rose street, Lothian road etc. The cowgate is way better than it used to be because its so lit up now but I still wouldnt recomend a tourist to go wandering down little closes on their own when pubs are closing and pretty much at any time be very careful of getting into conversations with people you don't know on empty streets in the wee small hours. If you are not from here and don't know the accent it can be hard to tell if someone is joking around, being friendly or else is actually being threatening.
I've been here for 7 years from Lincolnshire to Edinburgh to escape DV, my 2 Children and I was rehoused in Pilton, Crewe area, yes there are problems but I've been accepted into the community and have no problems at all, I love living in Edinburgh, it's now my home. 😊😊
I lived in Edi over the winter (4 months) and worked jobs which had me finishing at 11pm, but often not making it home until between 1-2am. I would walk half an hour from Leith Walk to get home in Newington and never felt ill at ease or as though my self or my possessions were in danger. In my experience people paid far less attention to me generally than I was used to back home in Australia!
I'm from Florida, and visited Scotland Edinborogh is definitely my favorite big city in the UK because of it's physical beauty. It's like San Francisco with its very steep hills and mountains PLUS glorious ancient buildings. AND of course, the Scots are very very friendly people. Hills and old buildings are a big deal for me, because in Florida we have neither!
I left my phone in Waverly Station last week. It was handed into Lost Property and I was contacted immediately. There is a bit of an issue with drunkenness in Edinburgh, but really it is very safe and the people are friendly. They have a bit of a dry, abrupt sense of humour which might be a shock to visitors.
Excellent video. I’ve been to Edinburgh twice and twice I had no issues. Some questionable characters on the other side of the street perhaps, but no problems. I did see a fox just off Princes St just after dark. I’m still loving Edinburgh 🙋♀️♥️🏴
As someone who grew up in the city centre of Athens, Greece, Edinburgh feels like living in a kindergarten. Never felt like someone was following me, that me or my possessions were in danger or anything like that, plus I was extremely surprised initially when I saw people posting brand new iphones that they found and looking for their owners, that would never happen in Athens so it's a big plus.
To any women that might be scared about the roofie thing, that became quite an epidemic globally right after the lockdown rules were easing. It honestly was happening all around the country and the world, and as Kat said, it is kind of levelling a bit now but it might make people feel better to know that it's definitely not just Edinburgh or Scotland x
@@Crosshatch1212 why would you assume so? Becaus eit never happened to you? Lucky you then! In West Yorkshire it was quite loud about it for a moment or two...
I find this video very helpful. I moved to Edinburgh 2 weeks ago, and so far, it's been fun. I'll be more careful. Thank you. Hoping to meet you someday, when you're shooting your video.. haha.
Thank you Kat! I really appreciate that you didn't sugar coat the facts, as many people tend to do when discussing such a crummy topic. We're moving there in a few months, and have received virtually the same advice so I can attest at least 2nd hand. It's interesting that Leith shows up in both places to avoid and best places to live 😆. I read a story that had me terrified - a group of "youths" were trapping people going through tunnels (joggers/bikers) and beating them up, stealing their stuff, whatever they wanted. To be honest, it makes me want to explore living out in the countryside instead, but we want to experience Edinburgh first for awhile. What time is typically when the bars close? When we visited, we were there for less than a week and witnessed 2 bar fights pretty early in the night. Hopefully we were just lucky!
Usually 2am. Very broad rule as it depends on the kind of venue, day of the week, and season, but starting to keep an eye out around 2 is a good general rule
No gun crime lol ,one in my street couple off week ago .Bradley Welsh shot in the face .in town .buddies house shooting couple off month ago .it’s got bad for weapons .niddrie I grew up there the place now is a dffrnt place ,look up old niddrie Edinburgh .you’ll see what I mean .
i am a Muslim woman & been in Edinburgh for 2 years only bad incident was someone staring at me to the point of making me uncomfortable but yah at night it’s scary & I try as much as possible to avoid going out after dark
You are very cool =) Interesting useful video🙂 I was verbally assaulted several times during 2 weeks in Edinburgh Some strange drunk? locals shouted aggressively when I wasn't able to show them road or just passing by me, but looking in my eyes In the middle of the day Decided not to go out in the dark at all And yessss, speaking another language feels unsafe too
I walk home after a night out quite regularly. The night buses are a great option. There are some parts of the city where I probably wouldn't walk around, I'd go straight for the bus. I stay away away from the hotspots like late night McDonald's, unless I fancy a laugh and watch from a safe distance 😁
I have always felt safe in Edinburgh but then I am a pretty naïve person and I hadn't yet watched Trainspotting. We'll see what happens next time! Great video as always.
It’s definitely not bad by any means - For me, compared to other cities I’ve lived in or stayed for some time it’s still once of the safest feeling ones! But I also don’t stay up past 11 🤷♀️
I normally take some pictures at night with my tripod and big dslr and I have to admit Edinburgh is the only city where I had a bit of an incident during so compared to the big European cities I went so far. There was a drunk man who was extremely rude, tried to kick my tripod and tried to spit at me. On all other times I felt extremely safe. I also never got pick pocketed in Prague hopefully this will be the same when I'll be there again in October.
I noticed young people in Edinburgh are just BORED. They get specially dumb (and potentially dangerous) when in groups. I try to stay away from them when I see they're getting agitated 😅
As a Glaswegian most of the people I have known killed or attacked were connected to organise crime, gangs or football sadly. I would say if something doesn't feel right trust your feelings. Also don't flash your cash. If something seems to good to be true it usually is. take care stay safe.
Having lived abroad for many years and recently returning to the city, I would have to say my hometown is certainly not the place I used to know and love. I would state though, back in the day (pre 1990's) Edinburgh was definitely a rougher and violent place with more nutcases in it.
I don't know if my experiences from the 1990's are relevant - my first four months there were in West Pilton, but apart from having the Landlady From Hell, I was never attacked or mugged. On the other hand, I was pelted with sunflower seeds by some idiot kids in Leith, and then by snowballs in the hill under the Castle. Although the two incidents were a couple of years apart, I still wonder if it was the same bunch of idiots. Those revolting little brats are probably adults now, raising a new generation of rotten little brats. May Dog help us all.
THIS! Thank you so much for this video - I thought it was only me, but the youth are very very scary, specially if you look/sound foreign! I’ve been yelled at and chased by young males, the two occasions near the city centre (Speaking as a foreign woman)
It is really almost ridiculous to what extent residents of Edinburgh agree that this is the scariest bit about living here -___- the other day I had to ask a Starbucks barista to keep an eye out for some weird drug dealing kids wandering around their branch because they kept making sus eye contact with me and I was working myself up into a total panic attack haha x)
@@Kakibot that sounds super scary :( hope you feel better now! And you are right - I’ve even seen on Facebook groups several posts of residents raising awareness of these groups :( near the meadows specially. It’s such a pity because tbh that has been the only safety issue I’ve had since I arrived. Edinburgh is a lovely city overall, but like you said it’s not only here, but in all Scotland.
So Edinburgh is a place where even the vampires are scared to come out at night? Frankie Boyle never mentioned this in his comedy. Thanks for the great video as always Kakibot!
Thank you! It is a great video, and it has a lot of wonderful and intimate information about the city. It's a good thing to be on the look out and not be inviting those who would otherwise harm you to do so. When my friend and I walked in Edinburgh at night we were not bothered. We are Americans, and we tend to walk faster and with a purpose. We were often asked if we were American just by the way we walk or nod at people that we pass. I found out that nodding at people may be a Southern thing rather than a Scottish thing. We nod here in the South.
I always felt safe in the city itself. Guess there are always areas in each city on this cute planet that you better avoid. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights! Cheers from Germany - and - Fingers crossed people: I'm hopefully back in November!!
Nothing you said makes me feel unsafe was in Edinburgh 7 years ago and found it perfectly safe. I am a solo traveller and all the things you discuss either happen in all cities or were commonsense. Enjoy your comments very much.
Are you having a laugh ? When I was sitting in a bar only place open at night with a tea waiting for my sister to finish in the place she went to. Two people were talking about me in the corner. The lady or the man clearly took some photos of me. Then clearly went on to text someone like they had sent them to someone. They were acting very strangely the whole entire time. Not really engaging with one another only to talk about me. Then the one who done all the photos n that went on a call to someone n started to describe me in the phone call saying she this n she that n described my details. In a very strange tone of voice. None of them took their eyes off of me. I was afraid to go out of the bar in case they followed me out. My phone died so I wasn’t able ti check the time call my sister or anything. I had to sit n drink teas. I never left the table for the loo in case they did something to my drink. I kept brushing it all off. But they continued to talk about me and keep an eye on me. Eventually I felt I had enough. I got up shaking to lay for my drinks to leave n I thought they’d follow me. Luckily they didn’t. The fear in me. I started to wonder after if they were traffickers. Waiting in bars without anything to drink or eat waiting for young girls to enter the bar. Who were the photos sent to. Was I just paranoid. I never felt like that in Edinburgh when I was a youth. I know I look younger than my age at the time. I’ve had many bad experiences in my childhood n youth in Glasgow. Maybe one incident in the east end in adulthood. Apart for attracting abusers n my bike being stolen. I feel very safe in Glasgow today. Whereas Edinburgh sounds to be getting worse n worse with hooligans n crime. I’m not sure I feel safe there anymore. Esp what happened in the bar even if it was just nothing.
Lived in Edinburgh four years before moving to the Highlands and witnessed a fair-share of violence picking up my son [who's a sound-engineer ]in the wee hours as clubs were closing. Depends on where you stay but central Edinburgh has its risks and there are parts to avoid. Two of my children went through Uni there and walked miles every day. Be in a group after dark is my advice. We lived in the ambassadorial area and saw people mugged and beaten -- or the after-affects anyway. But you'll never read about this in the media. Crime really isn't much discussed, except the occasional murder. There are very few police in Scotland on the whole. You rarely see them.
Edinburgh city is safe . The suburbs of old are mostly gone now . The property market forcing families out of the city . There is still poverty here . Don’t let anyone tell you differently .
My grandson got assaulted in Davidson Mains park late one evening by 3 youths from Pennywell. Another really bad area. In general if you just have common sense and don’t go wondering around at night alone you should be fine.
I've experienced a few gangs of slightly feral teenagers, in the general St James , Omni Centre area. Normally get chucked out or not being allowed on busses because they had their faces covered. Lots of bravado, testosterone and showing off. Glad to say I've never seen them causing any real trouble but I'm always wary.
Great idea for a video to address these things. I think the thing that makes me most nervous about moving there is unwittingly moving to a 'dodgy' area. I'd be very interested in Simon's full list of areas to avoid. Sadly, as is indicative of times past & present, a middle aged white male (me) is unlikely to be much of a target. Good for me, but anyone else not so much.. But anyway, I guess the same rules of common sense apply there as they do anywhere. But watch out for those Highland coos!!
As a Norwegian indigenous POC going to Scotland in May, I’m not particularly scared as I find our cultures and countries very similar, and I’m accustomed to verbal abuse and assault as well as physical and racism daily. But since you mentioned it, what about other minorities like LGBTQ+? The majority of discrimination and prejudice I face is due to my ethnic appearance, and sexuality as I’m 3rd gender. I also went on a high school trip to Prague back in high school (2007), and never faced any issues. Only negative was when we where followed around at this store in a mall. And even one of my classmates (ethnic Norwegian white blonde girl), was accused of stealing lol. I’m also from Oslo, our capital city, and though many hates Oslo, usually people that doesn’t even live here, has the most negative to say. Honestly I’ve never felt unsafe here. Then again, I don’t ventured out alone at night down town, so common sense and to be aware of your surroundings is key. I’m used to junkies, drunk people, and gangs (youth), and they don’t scare me. And just don’t provoke, make eye contact or talk back wanting to fight. Because usually they don’t care and will leave you alone. Often just being a nice person does wonders, as they too are used to being discriminated, being stereotyped and prejudice. They are people like everyone else. Only thing is if under the influence. Then I’d be cautious and careful. I’m from the suburbs originally so wasn’t used to the city life until I moved here back in 2007. And I grew up fairly quickly as I lived down town. Naivety and arrogance served me well lol. Now halfway to 40, I feel much more secure and safe.
Hey hey! I would say that a short time visitor will likely always feel safe (except for perhaps the spiked drinks in bars which have not been happening all that much since this video has been shot). It's more when you settle here long term - that's when you sometimes run into verbal abuse which someone who doesn't represent any sort of minority doesn't experience. Part of it is that Brexit has just given certain folks a free pass for hating on any foreigner, part of it is just people having miserable lives and picking on anyone who's visibly different, often these are people who are very drunk or very high and thus hardly represent the baseline Scottish attitude. HOWEVER - Scotland still is a safe country, the amount of harassment is minimal. Also, it's a country where if anything seems dodgy or anyone's stalking you or using any sort of offensive language, people will usually either stand up to defend you or you can feel safe to ask someone to protect you (bus driver, barista at Starbucks, you name it: I've done this before when I felt unsafe and people were always ready to stay by my side).
Edinburgh has the friendliest people I've ever met in my life. I didn't go out at night much, but didn't feel threatened at any time. People in London tend to be rude lol
Oh yes, absolutely. Whenever I travel to the larger cities, it makes me appreciate just how peaceful and friendly Edinburgh feels, especially considering it is a full blown city with all the big city life perks!
Which is sad. Most people who own bikes are safe and careful. I know there are those who are not. It's hard to get the bus and train and be on time, so bikes are necessary. It's really hard to carry them up and down the steps too.
I think Scottish people such as myself would laugh at the notion that Edinburgh is even remotely dangerous. It's honestly probably the safest city I've been to
And yet we get people administering drugs into their circulatory system literally on our doorstep or trying to kick our locked garden gates open for a handy dandy shortcut, two things that give me the creeps before I even leave my house 🤷♀️ I think people need to have realistic expectations: telling someone this is the safest city one's been to only makes others vulnerable to the sort of petty crime targeting visitors.
i am not from Aberdeen , it is a great place great food and the country side is amazing. So be nicer about Aberdeen. Edinburgh is very very very safe. any common sense though like any place in the planet. Scots are warm kind people.
It's a very interesting subject, thanks Kat. Now, me and my husband are going to Edinburgh in the next June, and I really would like to know local people and going out some pubs. But after seeing this video, I kind of feel worry about where to go and if it's safe. Could you make some video about this? About safe places to going out at night, and safe places to meeting nice people??
Hey, don't worry, its a small city and its not really about where is safe and unsafe. There are only a few areas to go out and have fun after dark so you will probably be going there. Its more about it getting a bit crazy when pubs close, not wandering off down little streets on your own and being wary of talking to weirdos on the street late at night. The Scottish accent can sometimes be a bit hard to understand if you are not from here and for some tourists its hard to tell when someone is being friendly or actually threatening so its best to just keep an eye out. Nine times out of ten if something happens or if you see something happen its because of a misunderstanding where someone got involved in some drunk conversation not realising the guy was just looking for aggro.
@@manoelabrum7415 I know this is three months later but the comment above (by next June you won’t want to go there). That’s just silly. Edinburgh has the same simple rules as any city you don’t know to feel safe and absolutely nothing to worry about. Believe me you will feel perfectly safe when you get to Edinburgh and you will enjoy your time there. I lived in Edinburgh for 27 years and always found it to be a safe city. Enjoy your visit.
@@harryc8415 Exactly it was just nonsense. Lived here all my life and never had any problems. Random things happen everywhere in the world but very rarely in Edinburgh. It is the safest place you will ever go
Hi Kat, I think that if someone was born and brought up on a very small island they will know about drugs , great video it was fun to watch you babble.
I am in Glasgow in the East end have never had any problems. When I have been in Edinburgh I found people not as friendly as Glasgow it could just been the West coast East coast thing. Are most of Edinburgh schemes not far away from the city centre?
Honestly I wouldn’t want anyone to get too anxious about crime - some people seem to believe there is almost no crime in Edinburgh, and that was something I wanted to debunk! However I think that as long as you stick to the general city life safety rules, you should be good (or at least… not worse off than in other large cities). I might be slightly more worried about accessibility - being a cobblestone hell mixed with M C Escher levels of stairwell obsession, old town and university areas especially can be a pain.
I have lived in Edinburgh for 11 years and the worst stuff I have Sean is the same business getting shutdown because of dr*gs and if you go to Scotland you will see that many of the American sweets shops are shut down because of money fronts and some teens running from the police and got t@zed so that’s the worst but nice plays.
What about the midges? Absolutely no problem in Edinburgh? Seems the other parts of the city could be threatened. Also wondering what is like for grass pollen/hay fever sufferers. Will go check out your “July” vid. Thanks for this resource
Hayfever is definitely upon us this time of year - for me personally it's always noticeable June and July, and more sensitive people start feeling it from May. I don't think I've ever ran into midges in Edinburgh, although I can imagine there might be some around the small lakes in some of the larger parks or in the Pentlands? It's however a completely different situation to be in Edinburgh and get bit by one little beastie, and to try and enjoy time outdoors in Skye and be entirely covered in them haha. So I'd say midges are less of an issue here (and I believe on the East Coast in general)
The only question I have is, as a person who hates the darkness and is home before the sun even starts setting, should I be worried to wander alone around the city during the DAY. As a woman?
No, I would say practically every bit of actual violence is around pub or club closing time. As I said above Edinburgh has one of the roughest nightlives I've experienced anywhere in the world but in the day time its incredibly safe overall.
Thank you for doing this video. My husband and I are planning a trip to Edinburgh in the spring and you are the first to hit on the crime rates and safety issues so well. I do wish to ask one small question, how safe is it for the LGBTQ community? I know it's the 21st century and I'm not going to change my plans despite the answer. Just curious Love your videos btw your awesome!
I was a nurse in Edinburgh and also lived there for many years. I went out to a number of gay bars with friends and only once received some verbal abuse (this was twenty years ago). Assaults did occur, but as suggested in the video these tended to be late at night, and was usually targeted against individuals. Hope that helps?
You'll be fine as long as the followers of the 'religion of peace' that live there don't find out you're part of the LGBTQ community. Should you become a victim of them the police will not do anything to help you and it will go unreported for fear of being called an 'Islamophobe'. On the other hand, should a straight white male assault you I can guarantee worldwide coverage and a full investigation to take place until the perpetrator is brought to justice.
@@Crosshatch1212 No, I'm straight, but my wife and I used to go out to all the gay bars in Edinburgh, because some of our friends (who were gay) felt more comfortable there.
Edinburgh as a whole is a very progressive city and especially in central areas it isn't uncommon to see people dressing in very expressive styles etc and generally not having any issues, particularly during daylight. The only time you may exercise some level of caution would be around the gay bar areas late at night, but even then it is quite unheard of and the most you would expect is a bit of light hearted heckling from someone walking by the opposite side of a street and since it is a busy area there are usually many people around right up until like 3/4am and the demographic of the area would suggest to me bystanders etc would step in if anything did surprisingly occur. I personally have never experienced any problems, though am very masculine presenting, even while holding hands and flirting in open areas. The only issue that comes to my mind is a friend of mine was on a date with a girl on Prince's Street and a woman started asking uncomfortable questions, but a man overhearing the situation came over to check they were okay and cleared the other woman off.
I don’t know the situation in Scotland but here in Paris, the type of youths responsible of 99% of the criminality is always the same : people from Africa or the third world in general. I assume it’s the same in Scotland as it’s the same in England, Italy, France, Germany, Sweden, everywhere in Western Europe.
@@charlesmartel930• I live in Borehamwood England, near Edgware, St Albans, and was assaulted by white yobs. The most threatening are these white boy teens who wanna be L.A. rapper gang-bangers
Hi, I’m Czech And Also want to move to Edinburgh (or Scotland in general). Do you have a video telling a story of how you did it? I find the process rather impossible to start
Unfortunately my move was over 10 years ago - when EU made everything notably easier. There is a little video about it on my channel! Are you looking at studying or working here?
@@Kakibot Working I guess, though with my current education (grammar school) I don't think I can score much of a job - mainly I just want to move away from here. I'l look for this video
If you are viewing this video pleased do not be overly alarmed by the tone of the content. I’ve lived in Edinburgh for 23 years and I’ve never seen a knife fight or anyone being overly aggressive. I suspect the person who made the video is trying to make her content “exciting” but running down what has to be the greatest city in Europe and putting frighteners onto people is not the way to do it. Edinburgh is a great city with great people in it. Like all cities it will have its minority groups who are occasionally antisocial.
In Edinburgh the Scottish gov allow under 25's free passes to misbehave and get away with it - arguing their too stupid to think for themselves. So if your unfortunate to have something stolen, burglary and other crimes, even if the offender is caught, the penalty is likely to be a dont do it again letter. Under 22's have been given free bus passes to allow them to comit their crime spree all over the city. If you report a crime the police take ages to turn up - unless its a Revenue generating Event - whoosh - their there in minutes!
A date rape drug, usually slipped into a person's drink causing them to enter a state of semi or unconsciousness and forget the things that happen while under it's influence.
@@ericawaddle94 My Gawd!! A so called friend "roofied" me to get at my girlfriend of nearly 20 years! I was on strong base and my dog had just died and he got in touch again through bloody facebook about 2 weeks after i opened an account!! Ruined my life,only still recovering! That was in `15!!"Drink up yer coffee Bill,Drink up yer coffee,It`ll get cold"!!
That is so way off I have lived in Edinburgh all my life. and I had my windows smashed more than once drug dealers everywhere you should do some more work on before saying Edinburgh is very safe
Either visit one of the A&E (accidents and emergency) centres (if more serious) or talk to a pharmacist! The only other option is probably a private GP, but that might still take too much time.
@fundifferent1 Absolutely not! Edinburgh is a welcoming cosmopolitan city. Everywhere has morons and we are no different, but you will be absolutely safe! Enjoy your visit 👍🏻
The SNP government have been a disaster for Scotland, society is in the bin , Police Scotland cannot Police Scotland, Drug deaths are the highest per capita in Europe there is lots of antisocial behaviour with a lack of respect for others there are also lots of balaclava youths on bikes going around as it seems the police have no powers to address these issues It's certainly not as safe on the streets as it used to be
Kat mentions my fears of certain areas, for context I grew up in West Pilton so that was a bundle of laughs... just exercise reasonable caution and you'll be fine
Yea as an Edinburgh local myself I know all the 'rough' areas and have never had a problem in any of them. It's the city centre areas when pubs are closing that are the danger zones if you don't really know the city. Rose street, Lothian road etc. The cowgate is way better than it used to be because its so lit up now but I still wouldnt recomend a tourist to go wandering down little closes on their own when pubs are closing and pretty much at any time be very careful of getting into conversations with people you don't know on empty streets in the wee small hours. If you are not from here and don't know the accent it can be hard to tell if someone is joking around, being friendly or else is actually being threatening.
I've been here for 7 years from Lincolnshire to Edinburgh to escape DV, my 2 Children and I was rehoused in Pilton, Crewe area, yes there are problems but I've been accepted into the community and have no problems at all, I love living in Edinburgh, it's now my home. 😊😊
Niddrie .Magdalene .porty. WalkedLothian ,n tollcross when it was considered the most dangourous road in eu .it was an amazing time .
I lived in Edi over the winter (4 months) and worked jobs which had me finishing at 11pm, but often not making it home until between 1-2am. I would walk half an hour from Leith Walk to get home in Newington and never felt ill at ease or as though my self or my possessions were in danger. In my experience people paid far less attention to me generally than I was used to back home in Australia!
You were pretty naive and very lucky. But people out of their part of the world can have a false sense of safety.
I'm from Florida, and visited Scotland Edinborogh is definitely my favorite big city in the UK because of it's physical beauty. It's like San Francisco with its very steep hills and mountains PLUS glorious ancient buildings. AND of course, the Scots are very very friendly people. Hills and old buildings are a big deal for me, because in Florida we have neither!
I left my phone in Waverly Station last week. It was handed into Lost Property and I was contacted immediately. There is a bit of an issue with drunkenness in Edinburgh, but really it is very safe and the people are friendly. They have a bit of a dry, abrupt sense of humour which might be a shock to visitors.
Excellent video. I’ve been to Edinburgh twice and twice I had no issues. Some questionable characters on the other side of the street perhaps, but no problems. I did see a fox just off Princes St just after dark. I’m still loving Edinburgh 🙋♀️♥️🏴
As someone who grew up in the city centre of Athens, Greece, Edinburgh feels like living in a kindergarten. Never felt like someone was following me, that me or my possessions were in danger or anything like that, plus I was extremely surprised initially when I saw people posting brand new iphones that they found and looking for their owners, that would never happen in Athens so it's a big plus.
depends what area of Edinburgh we are talking about tbh
I went to Athens a few months ago and it was insanely dodgy... So many needles on the floor. The rest of Greece is much nicer
To any women that might be scared about the roofie thing, that became quite an epidemic globally right after the lockdown rules were easing. It honestly was happening all around the country and the world, and as Kat said, it is kind of levelling a bit now but it might make people feel better to know that it's definitely not just Edinburgh or Scotland x
What the spiking with needles it never ever happened ,
@@Crosshatch1212 why would you assume so? Becaus eit never happened to you? Lucky you then! In West Yorkshire it was quite loud about it for a moment or two...
I find this video very helpful. I moved to Edinburgh 2 weeks ago, and so far, it's been fun. I'll be more careful. Thank you.
Hoping to meet you someday, when you're shooting your video.. haha.
Thank you Kat! I really appreciate that you didn't sugar coat the facts, as many people tend to do when discussing such a crummy topic. We're moving there in a few months, and have received virtually the same advice so I can attest at least 2nd hand. It's interesting that Leith shows up in both places to avoid and best places to live 😆. I read a story that had me terrified - a group of "youths" were trapping people going through tunnels (joggers/bikers) and beating them up, stealing their stuff, whatever they wanted. To be honest, it makes me want to explore living out in the countryside instead, but we want to experience Edinburgh first for awhile.
What time is typically when the bars close? When we visited, we were there for less than a week and witnessed 2 bar fights pretty early in the night. Hopefully we were just lucky!
Usually 2am. Very broad rule as it depends on the kind of venue, day of the week, and season, but starting to keep an eye out around 2 is a good general rule
No gun crime lol ,one in my street couple off week ago .Bradley Welsh shot in the face .in town .buddies house shooting couple off month ago .it’s got bad for weapons .niddrie I grew up there the place now is a dffrnt place ,look up old niddrie Edinburgh .you’ll see what I mean .
i am a Muslim woman & been in Edinburgh for 2 years only bad incident was someone staring at me to the point of making me uncomfortable but yah at night it’s scary & I try as much as possible to avoid going out after dark
No need we dnt do that here we are usually very friendly to holiday makers foreigners etc etc ,
You are very cool =) Interesting useful video🙂
I was verbally assaulted several times during 2 weeks in Edinburgh
Some strange drunk? locals shouted aggressively when I wasn't able to show them road or just passing by me, but looking in my eyes
In the middle of the day
Decided not to go out in the dark at all
And yessss, speaking another language feels unsafe too
I walk home after a night out quite regularly. The night buses are a great option. There are some parts of the city where I probably wouldn't walk around, I'd go straight for the bus. I stay away away from the hotspots like late night McDonald's, unless I fancy a laugh and watch from a safe distance 😁
I have always felt safe in Edinburgh but then I am a pretty naïve person and I hadn't yet watched Trainspotting. We'll see what happens next time! Great video as always.
It’s definitely not bad by any means - For me, compared to other cities I’ve lived in or stayed for some time it’s still once of the safest feeling ones! But I also don’t stay up past 11 🤷♀️
I wldnt go making my mind up about a movie that was utter nonsense .
@@Crosshatch1212 Of course not, it was just supposed to be a bit of a joke but I realize that it could be read two ways. Sorry about that.
As a Japanese, Edinburgh is much safer than Tokyo.
I normally take some pictures at night with my tripod and big dslr and I have to admit Edinburgh is the only city where I had a bit of an incident during so compared to the big European cities I went so far. There was a drunk man who was extremely rude, tried to kick my tripod and tried to spit at me. On all other times I felt extremely safe. I also never got pick pocketed in Prague hopefully this will be the same when I'll be there again in October.
Just back recently from Edinburgh yes it's very safe at night and day.
I noticed young people in Edinburgh are just BORED. They get specially dumb (and potentially dangerous) when in groups. I try to stay away from them when I see they're getting agitated 😅
It s in every big city
As a Glaswegian most of the people I have known killed or attacked were connected to organise crime, gangs or football sadly. I would say if something doesn't feel right trust your feelings. Also don't flash your cash. If something seems to good to be true it usually is. take care stay safe.
Glasgow is safe city ?
I'm from Edinburgh and it's one of the safest cities in world compared to London and others
Having lived abroad for many years and recently returning to the city, I would have to say my hometown is certainly not the place I used to know and love. I would state though, back in the day (pre 1990's) Edinburgh was definitely a rougher and violent place with more nutcases in it.
I don't know if my experiences from the 1990's are relevant - my first four months there were in West Pilton, but apart from having the Landlady From Hell, I was never attacked or mugged.
On the other hand, I was pelted with sunflower seeds by some idiot kids in Leith, and then by snowballs in the hill under the Castle. Although the two incidents were a couple of years apart, I still wonder if it was the same bunch of idiots.
Those revolting little brats are probably adults now, raising a new generation of rotten little brats. May Dog help us all.
Edinburgh was a lot more dodgy in the 90s than it is now
THIS! Thank you so much for this video - I thought it was only me, but the youth are very very scary, specially if you look/sound foreign! I’ve been yelled at and chased by young males, the two occasions near the city centre (Speaking as a foreign woman)
It is really almost ridiculous to what extent residents of Edinburgh agree that this is the scariest bit about living here -___- the other day I had to ask a Starbucks barista to keep an eye out for some weird drug dealing kids wandering around their branch because they kept making sus eye contact with me and I was working myself up into a total panic attack haha x)
@@Kakibot that sounds super scary :( hope you feel better now! And you are right - I’ve even seen on Facebook groups several posts of residents raising awareness of these groups :( near the meadows specially. It’s such a pity because tbh that has been the only safety issue I’ve had since I arrived. Edinburgh is a lovely city overall, but like you said it’s not only here, but in all Scotland.
So Edinburgh is a place where even the vampires are scared to come out at night? Frankie Boyle never mentioned this in his comedy. Thanks for the great video as always Kakibot!
Thank you! It is a great video, and it has a lot of wonderful and intimate information about the city. It's a good thing to be on the look out and not be inviting those who would otherwise harm you to do so. When my friend and I walked in Edinburgh at night we were not bothered. We are Americans, and we tend to walk faster and with a purpose. We were often asked if we were American just by the way we walk or nod at people that we pass. I found out that nodding at people may be a Southern thing rather than a Scottish thing. We nod here in the South.
I always felt safe in the city itself. Guess there are always areas in each city on this cute planet that you better avoid. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insights! Cheers from Germany - and - Fingers crossed people: I'm hopefully back in November!!
Thx Kat. My daughters want to study in Edinburgh and now I feel better about it. I would love a video about studying in Scotland ❤️
I work at the University of Edinburgh each summer. Fantastic university and city.
Nothing you said makes me feel unsafe was in Edinburgh 7 years ago and found it perfectly safe. I am a solo traveller and all the things you discuss either happen in all cities or were commonsense. Enjoy your comments very much.
theft in edinburgh really bad, my motorbike just got stolen. they stealing and breaking into houses all the time
Same in every city in the U.K.
Needs a good clean. Overflowing bins everywhere
The Scottish band Arab Strap has a song called Fable of the Urban Fox. It's a really good song but sad lyrics. I feel sorry for the little foxes. 🐾 😥
Feel a lot safer in Edinburgh than in Glasgow to be fair. But any cities have crime to certain degree
Are you having a laugh ?
When I was sitting in a bar only place open at night with a tea waiting for my sister to finish in the place she went to.
Two people were talking about me in the corner. The lady or the man clearly took some photos of me. Then clearly went on to text someone like they had sent them to someone. They were acting very strangely the whole entire time. Not really engaging with one another only to talk about me. Then the one who done all the photos n that went on a call to someone n started to describe me in the phone call saying she this n she that n described my details. In a very strange tone of voice. None of them took their eyes off of me. I was afraid to go out of the bar in case they followed me out. My phone died so I wasn’t able ti check the time call my sister or anything. I had to sit n drink teas. I never left the table for the loo in case they did something to my drink. I kept brushing it all off. But they continued to talk about me and keep an eye on me. Eventually I felt I had enough. I got up shaking to lay for my drinks to leave n I thought they’d follow me. Luckily they didn’t. The fear in me. I started to wonder after if they were traffickers. Waiting in bars without anything to drink or eat waiting for young girls to enter the bar. Who were the photos sent to. Was I just paranoid.
I never felt like that in Edinburgh when I was a youth. I know I look younger than my age at the time.
I’ve had many bad experiences in my childhood n youth in Glasgow. Maybe one incident in the east end in adulthood.
Apart for attracting abusers n my bike being stolen. I feel very safe in Glasgow today.
Whereas Edinburgh sounds to be getting worse n worse with hooligans n crime.
I’m not sure I feel safe there anymore.
Esp what happened in the bar even if it was just nothing.
Lived in Edinburgh four years before moving to the Highlands and witnessed a fair-share of violence picking up my son [who's a sound-engineer ]in the wee hours as clubs were closing. Depends on where you stay but central Edinburgh has its risks and there are parts to avoid. Two of my children went through Uni there and walked miles every day. Be in a group after dark is my advice. We lived in the ambassadorial area and saw people mugged and beaten -- or the after-affects anyway. But you'll never read about this in the media. Crime really isn't much discussed, except the occasional murder. There are very few police in Scotland on the whole. You rarely see them.
Edinburgh city is safe . The suburbs of old are mostly gone now . The property market forcing families out of the city . There is still poverty here . Don’t let anyone tell you differently .
My grandson got assaulted in Davidson Mains park late one evening by 3 youths from Pennywell. Another really bad area. In general if you just have common sense and don’t go wondering around at night alone you should be fine.
Excited to visit next year♥️😎
Drugs and theft are issues anywhere in the world that you go.
I've experienced a few gangs of slightly feral teenagers, in the general St James , Omni Centre area. Normally get chucked out or not being allowed on busses because they had their faces covered. Lots of bravado, testosterone and showing off. Glad to say I've never seen them causing any real trouble but I'm always wary.
"feral teenagers" just made my day hahahaha 🤣
Great idea for a video to address these things. I think the thing that makes me most nervous about moving there is unwittingly moving to a 'dodgy' area. I'd be very interested in Simon's full list of areas to avoid. Sadly, as is indicative of times past & present, a middle aged white male (me) is unlikely to be much of a target. Good for me, but anyone else not so much.. But anyway, I guess the same rules of common sense apply there as they do anywhere. But watch out for those Highland coos!!
The coos come out after pubs' closing time!!!
As a Norwegian indigenous POC going to Scotland in May, I’m not particularly scared as I find our cultures and countries very similar, and I’m accustomed to verbal abuse and assault as well as physical and racism daily. But since you mentioned it, what about other minorities like LGBTQ+? The majority of discrimination and prejudice I face is due to my ethnic appearance, and sexuality as I’m 3rd gender. I also went on a high school trip to Prague back in high school (2007), and never faced any issues. Only negative was when we where followed around at this store in a mall. And even one of my classmates (ethnic Norwegian white blonde girl), was accused of stealing lol. I’m also from Oslo, our capital city, and though many hates Oslo, usually people that doesn’t even live here, has the most negative to say. Honestly I’ve never felt unsafe here. Then again, I don’t ventured out alone at night down town, so common sense and to be aware of your surroundings is key. I’m used to junkies, drunk people, and gangs (youth), and they don’t scare me. And just don’t provoke, make eye contact or talk back wanting to fight. Because usually they don’t care and will leave you alone. Often just being a nice person does wonders, as they too are used to being discriminated, being stereotyped and prejudice. They are people like everyone else. Only thing is if under the influence. Then I’d be cautious and careful. I’m from the suburbs originally so wasn’t used to the city life until I moved here back in 2007. And I grew up fairly quickly as I lived down town. Naivety and arrogance served me well lol. Now halfway to 40, I feel much more secure and safe.
Hey hey! I would say that a short time visitor will likely always feel safe (except for perhaps the spiked drinks in bars which have not been happening all that much since this video has been shot). It's more when you settle here long term - that's when you sometimes run into verbal abuse which someone who doesn't represent any sort of minority doesn't experience.
Part of it is that Brexit has just given certain folks a free pass for hating on any foreigner, part of it is just people having miserable lives and picking on anyone who's visibly different, often these are people who are very drunk or very high and thus hardly represent the baseline Scottish attitude.
HOWEVER - Scotland still is a safe country, the amount of harassment is minimal. Also, it's a country where if anything seems dodgy or anyone's stalking you or using any sort of offensive language, people will usually either stand up to defend you or you can feel safe to ask someone to protect you (bus driver, barista at Starbucks, you name it: I've done this before when I felt unsafe and people were always ready to stay by my side).
Edinburgh has the friendliest people I've ever met in my life. I didn't go out at night much, but didn't feel threatened at any time. People in London tend to be rude lol
Oh yes, absolutely. Whenever I travel to the larger cities, it makes me appreciate just how peaceful and friendly Edinburgh feels, especially considering it is a full blown city with all the big city life perks!
Bike theft is a huge issue in Edinburgh as well
Which is sad. Most people who own bikes are safe and careful. I know there are those who are not. It's hard to get the bus and train and be on time, so bikes are necessary. It's really hard to carry them up and down the steps too.
Oh, that's comforting. Mexico City, my hometown, is 78.15
I think Scottish people such as myself would laugh at the notion that Edinburgh is even remotely dangerous. It's honestly probably the safest city I've been to
And yet we get people administering drugs into their circulatory system literally on our doorstep or trying to kick our locked garden gates open for a handy dandy shortcut, two things that give me the creeps before I even leave my house 🤷♀️ I think people need to have realistic expectations: telling someone this is the safest city one's been to only makes others vulnerable to the sort of petty crime targeting visitors.
Thank you for this video I was always curious about this crime issue.
i am not from Aberdeen , it is a great place great food and the country side is amazing. So be nicer about Aberdeen. Edinburgh is very very very safe. any common sense though like any place in the planet. Scots are warm kind people.
It's a very interesting subject, thanks Kat. Now, me and my husband are going to Edinburgh in the next June, and I really would like to know local people and going out some pubs. But after seeing this video, I kind of feel worry about where to go and if it's safe. Could you make some video about this? About safe places to going out at night, and safe places to meeting nice people??
Hey, don't worry, its a small city and its not really about where is safe and unsafe. There are only a few areas to go out and have fun after dark so you will probably be going there. Its more about it getting a bit crazy when pubs close, not wandering off down little streets on your own and being wary of talking to weirdos on the street late at night. The Scottish accent can sometimes be a bit hard to understand if you are not from here and for some tourists its hard to tell when someone is being friendly or actually threatening so its best to just keep an eye out. Nine times out of ten if something happens or if you see something happen its because of a misunderstanding where someone got involved in some drunk conversation not realising the guy was just looking for aggro.
By next June it ain’t gonna be a place you will want to go on holiday trust me ,
@@Crosshatch1212 Hey don't tell me that :(
But why you say so?
@@manoelabrum7415 I know this is three months later but the comment above (by next June you won’t want to go there). That’s just silly.
Edinburgh has the same simple rules as any city you don’t know to feel safe and absolutely nothing to worry about.
Believe me you will feel perfectly safe when you get to Edinburgh and you will enjoy your time there. I lived in Edinburgh for 27 years and always found it to be a safe city.
Enjoy your visit.
@@harryc8415 Exactly it was just nonsense. Lived here all my life and never had any problems. Random things happen everywhere in the world but very rarely in Edinburgh. It is the safest place you will ever go
Hi Kat, I think that if someone was born and brought up on a very small island they will know about drugs , great video it was fun to watch you babble.
I am in Glasgow in the East end have never had any problems. When I have been in Edinburgh I found people not as friendly as Glasgow it could just been the West coast East coast thing. Are most of Edinburgh schemes not far away from the city centre?
Kat are you still in Edinburgh!? Be my guide around Edinburgh😊
I’m gqy and disabled (I use a mobility scooter), and I have been looking at Edinburgh to live. Would I need to be concerned about crime?
Honestly I wouldn’t want anyone to get too anxious about crime - some people seem to believe there is almost no crime in Edinburgh, and that was something I wanted to debunk! However I think that as long as you stick to the general city life safety rules, you should be good (or at least… not worse off than in other large cities). I might be slightly more worried about accessibility - being a cobblestone hell mixed with M C Escher levels of stairwell obsession, old town and university areas especially can be a pain.
Let’s just say it.. drunks, druggies, gangs, NEDS. knifing occurs frequently in ( so I’ve heard) Glasgow, but Edinburgh is more well mannered…
Where are you from?
@@New-ye2fl “naw, where ye fae? “
I have lived in Edinburgh for 11 years and the worst stuff I have Sean is the same business getting shutdown because of dr*gs and if you go to Scotland you will see that many of the American sweets shops are shut down because of money fronts and some teens running from the police and got t@zed so that’s the worst but nice plays.
Thank you for all this information 7:25
What about the midges? Absolutely no problem in Edinburgh? Seems the other parts of the city could be threatened.
Also wondering what is like for grass pollen/hay fever sufferers.
Will go check out your “July” vid.
Thanks for this resource
Hayfever is definitely upon us this time of year - for me personally it's always noticeable June and July, and more sensitive people start feeling it from May.
I don't think I've ever ran into midges in Edinburgh, although I can imagine there might be some around the small lakes in some of the larger parks or in the Pentlands? It's however a completely different situation to be in Edinburgh and get bit by one little beastie, and to try and enjoy time outdoors in Skye and be entirely covered in them haha. So I'd say midges are less of an issue here (and I believe on the East Coast in general)
I've never before heard Earth referred to as "cute." But I suppose that compared to Jupiter or Saturn, Earth is kind of a "cute" little planet.
The only question I have is, as a person who hates the darkness and is home before the sun even starts setting, should I be worried to wander alone around the city during the DAY. As a woman?
No, I would say practically every bit of actual violence is around pub or club closing time. As I said above Edinburgh has one of the roughest nightlives I've experienced anywhere in the world but in the day time its incredibly safe overall.
Do you not leave the house when it’s dark?
@@New-ye2fl not alone, ever. Only with friends and family who can take me home.
Thank you for doing this video. My husband and I are planning a trip to Edinburgh in the spring and you are the first to hit on the crime rates and safety issues so well. I do wish to ask one small question, how safe is it for the LGBTQ community? I know it's the 21st century and I'm not going to change my plans despite the answer. Just curious
Love your videos btw your awesome!
I was a nurse in Edinburgh and also lived there for many years. I went out to a number of gay bars with friends and only once received some verbal abuse (this was twenty years ago). Assaults did occur, but as suggested in the video these tended to be late at night, and was usually targeted against individuals. Hope that helps?
You'll be fine as long as the followers of the 'religion of peace' that live there don't find out you're part of the LGBTQ community. Should you become a victim of them the police will not do anything to help you and it will go unreported for fear of being called an 'Islamophobe'. On the other hand, should a straight white male assault you I can guarantee worldwide coverage and a full investigation to take place until the perpetrator is brought to justice.
You are married or am I missing something
@@Crosshatch1212 No, I'm straight, but my wife and I used to go out to all the gay bars in Edinburgh, because some of our friends (who were gay) felt more comfortable there.
Edinburgh as a whole is a very progressive city and especially in central areas it isn't uncommon to see people dressing in very expressive styles etc and generally not having any issues, particularly during daylight. The only time you may exercise some level of caution would be around the gay bar areas late at night, but even then it is quite unheard of and the most you would expect is a bit of light hearted heckling from someone walking by the opposite side of a street and since it is a busy area there are usually many people around right up until like 3/4am and the demographic of the area would suggest to me bystanders etc would step in if anything did surprisingly occur.
I personally have never experienced any problems, though am very masculine presenting, even while holding hands and flirting in open areas.
The only issue that comes to my mind is a friend of mine was on a date with a girl on Prince's Street and a woman started asking uncomfortable questions, but a man overhearing the situation came over to check they were okay and cleared the other woman off.
What's "roofie"...??? 🤷♂
google
it's not all youths, is there a type to worry about more?
I don’t know the situation in Scotland but here in Paris, the type of youths responsible of 99% of the criminality is always the same : people from Africa or the third world in general. I assume it’s the same in Scotland as it’s the same in England, Italy, France, Germany, Sweden, everywhere in Western Europe.
@@charlesmartel930• I live in Borehamwood England, near Edgware, St Albans, and was assaulted by white yobs.
The most threatening are these white boy teens who wanna be L.A. rapper gang-bangers
Hi, I’m Czech And Also want to move to Edinburgh (or Scotland in general). Do you have a video telling a story of how you did it? I find the process rather impossible to start
Unfortunately my move was over 10 years ago - when EU made everything notably easier. There is a little video about it on my channel! Are you looking at studying or working here?
@@Kakibot Working I guess, though with my current education (grammar school) I don't think I can score much of a job - mainly I just want to move away from here.
I'l look for this video
If you are viewing this video pleased do not be overly alarmed by the tone of the content.
I’ve lived in Edinburgh for 23 years and I’ve never seen a knife fight or anyone being overly aggressive. I suspect the person who made the video is trying to make her content “exciting” but
running down what has to be the greatest city in Europe and putting frighteners onto people is not the way to do it.
Edinburgh is a great city with great people in it. Like all cities it will have its minority groups who are occasionally antisocial.
In Edinburgh the Scottish gov allow under 25's free passes to misbehave and get away with it - arguing their too stupid to think for themselves. So if your unfortunate to have something stolen, burglary and other crimes, even if the offender is caught, the penalty is likely to be a dont do it again letter. Under 22's have been given free bus passes to allow them to comit their crime spree all over the city. If you report a crime the police take ages to turn up - unless its a Revenue generating Event - whoosh - their there in minutes!
What is "roofie"?
A date rape drug, usually slipped into a person's drink causing them to enter a state of semi or unconsciousness and forget the things that happen while under it's influence.
@@ericawaddle94 My Gawd!! A so called friend "roofied" me to get at my girlfriend of nearly 20 years! I was on strong base and my dog had just died and he got in touch again through bloody facebook about 2 weeks after i opened an account!! Ruined my life,only still recovering! That was in `15!!"Drink up yer coffee Bill,Drink up yer coffee,It`ll get cold"!!
Ridiculous to say highland cows are dangerous absolutely ridiculous
That is so way off I have lived in Edinburgh all my life. and I had my windows smashed more than once drug dealers everywhere you should do some more work on before saying Edinburgh is very safe
Live their ??
Please tell us what neighbourhood you live in so we can avoid it.
Think your spot on
I visit Edinburgh if I sick what I doing
Either visit one of the A&E (accidents and emergency) centres (if more serious) or talk to a pharmacist! The only other option is probably a private GP, but that might still take too much time.
It s safe ! And comparing with Tokio and new York is a bit ridicule...
Some many "like." Do you mean similar to?
Similar to what?
Edinburgh is very safe.
Should black people be worried about traveling there?
@fundifferent1 Absolutely not! Edinburgh is a welcoming cosmopolitan city. Everywhere has morons and we are no different, but you will be absolutely safe! Enjoy your visit 👍🏻
There are people of color who live in Scotland as well!
The SNP government have been a disaster for Scotland, society is in the bin , Police Scotland cannot Police Scotland, Drug deaths are the highest per capita in Europe there is lots of antisocial behaviour with a lack of respect for others there are also lots of balaclava youths on bikes going around as it seems the police have no powers to address these issues
It's certainly not as safe on the streets as it used to be
Hello beautiful 🌹 girl and wederful people 😊
Thank you so much for this video!!! …but now I’m concerned about the war heads being there 👀👀🫣 eek