Ontelly

Morning Extra - Are we too tolerant of beggars?

Logo for Morning Extra - Are we too tolerant of beggars?

Are we too tolerant of beggars? The boss of a top Edinburgh hotel says the capital is far too tolerant of beggars and must take a harder line to avoid its international image being damaged. Ivan Artolli, general manager of the five-star Balmoral, claimed overseas visitors felt uncomfortable in the city centre and that of the 15 European cities he'd worked in, Edinburgh was the worst for begging. Is zero tolerance the answer? Or does this go against Scotland's generous and compassionate sprit? Graham Stewart takes your calls, texts and emails.