Hogmanay celebrations cancelled as UK-wide weather warnings take hold

London: Edinburgh’s outdoor Hogmanay celebrations have been cancelled as wind, rain and snow are forecast across the UK in the coming days.

Eight separate weather warnings have been issued across the UK in the coming days, as the Met Office warns of “a wet and windy spell for many up into the new year”.

Much of the country will be braced for stormy conditions including rain and strong winds – with wind gusts of up to 70mph (112km/h) forecast in some areas.

An amber warning for rain is in force in parts of Scotland, as well as flood alerts and flood warnings – including a rare severe flood warning – across the rest of the nation.

Edinburgh’s street party, fireworks display and outdoor concert headlined by Texas were cancelled on public safety grounds after the Met Office’s yellow warnings for wind and rain.

Indoor events, including a candlelit concert at St Giles’ Cathedral, are scheduled to go ahead as planned.

Unique Assembly, which runs the world-renowned Hogmanay festival on behalf of City of Edinburgh Council, said it had taken the “difficult decision” in the interest of public safety.

Al Thomson, festival director of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, told the BBC the organisers were “deeply disappointed,” adding: “It’s not something that we take lightly”.

However, Mr Thomson said the weather meant “we’re unable to build the infrastructure, the performance stages, and the safety infrastructure” for the event.

Wind gusts on Sunday had already led to the cancellation of the traditional Torchlight Procession, which usually kicks off the Hogmanay events.

Last year, as many as 30,000 people attended Hogmanay festivities in Edinburgh.

American Richard Newton, who travelled from Atlanta in the US with his wife and children to celebrate, said it was “heartbreaking”.

“We travelled over 4,000 miles to be here for this,” he told BBC Radio Scotland.

“We’ve been planning for this for five years,” he said – saying the family had spent savings and taken on extra jobs to pay for it.

Neil Ellis from the Edinburgh Hotels Association said it was “pretty devastating” for the city and the “many thousands of people” who had travelled there.

But pubs and bars are vowing to “bring the party, if the street party can’t,” said Louise Maclean from the Scottish Hospitality Group, which represents venues.

She told BBC Radio Scotland “as far as we’re concerned the party is still happening” – although urged people to stay safe and not take risks.

In Blackpool, the annual seaside fireworks display to welcome in the new year has also been cancelled because of the winds forecast.

While in London, City Hall said it was monitoring the weather forecast ahead of the capital’s sold-out New Year’s Eve display.

PA Media Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh. Firework displays can be seen behind Edinburgh Castle.PA Media

Organisers apologised to tourists who had travelled internationally for the cancelled events

A severe flood warning of “danger to life” has been issued to parts of northern Scotland, by Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) – with Aviemore and nearby areas in the Highlands bracing for river flooding on Tuesday morning.

Forecasters expect unsettled conditions more widely across the UK on both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day,

That will eventually lead to a cold plunge of air from the north, with temperatures dipping below freezing for many.

Rain is forecast across England, Northern Ireland and also in Wales, where it looks set to be particularly heavy.

While it will be windy everywhere, it could be especially blustery in the south of England as the new year is welcomed in, with wind gusts of 43mph forecast in the run-up to midnight in London.