THE London North Eastern Railway (LNER) has been slammed for advertising Edinburgh as an extension of “North London”.
The rail operator’s new advertisement campaign, which aims to promote train travel along the East Coast Main Line, has asked customers to think of the Scottish capital as “really North London”, The Herald reported.
A large billboard in the Shoreditch area of London reportedly showed the LNER's animated spokesperson, Eleanor, in front of Edinburgh’s famous landmark, Calton Hill.
The advertisement features the slogan which read: “Think of it as North London. Really, really North London.
“Explore Leeds, Newcastle, Edinburgh & more by train.”
Scots have been quick to criticise the advertisement campaign on social media, with one person sharing an image of the billboard along with the caption, “Get to fuck”.
Danny Aston, SNP councillor for Edinburgh’s Craigentinny/Duddingston area, told The Herald that Scottish taxpayers have funded enough London-only infrastructure projects not to have adverts like LNER’s “foisted” on them.
He said: “It’s so sad to see LNER, which had a rich tradition of promoting the beauty and history of Scotland in its adverts, succumbing to this kind of condescending London-centric nonsense.
“Scottish taxpayers have funded enough London-only infrastructure projects like Crossrail without having this foisted on them.”
Alex Staniforth, Green councillor for Craigentinny/Duddingston, added that he would like to remind people that Edinburgh is, in fact, not in London.
He said: "Obviously, I would like people to visit Edinburgh and to use sustainable transport like trains to do so.
“In that spirit, I would like to assure everyone that Edinburgh is not London."
LNER have been approached for comment.
