Edinburgh is bracing itself for Taylor mania as fans flock to the Capital for the megastar’s sell-out shows.
Thousands are set to head to Murrayfield Stadium for the blockbuster Eras Tour across three nights – and local businesses are gearing up for a busy weekend.
Gurpreet Rai is the owner of Hordeum Botanical Studio and Disposition Coffee, less than half a mile from the venue.
He told STV News: “I guess no one knows how busy it will be but it’s fun to get people coming into the area. She’s a big, big draw so we are quite lucky, I guess.
“It’ll be exciting compared to other events, as it’s across three days. There will be a ton of feathers, a lot of cowboy boots.
Taylor Swift’s billion-dollar Eras tour arrives in the UK on Friday, amid a frenzy of fan excitement.
British and Irish fans have waited more than a year for the show to arrive, since she kicked off her marathon string of dates in Glendale, Arizona in March 2023.
Since then she has crossed the US, Asia and south America and made stops across Europe, often accompanied by her boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce.
But the wait finally ends when she steps out onto the stage at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on Friday, ahead of shows in Liverpool, Cardiff, London and Dublin.
She will then return to London in August.
The tour, which takes fans on a journey through the different musical stages of her career, has been a juggernaut and is predicted to provide a £997m boost to the UK economy, according to a report.
But the level of frenzy over the tour has prompted a major bank to issue a warning over the risk of scams.
Lloyds Bank estimates more than £1m could already have been lost in the UK to fraudsters pretending to offer tickets to Swift’s concerts and says more than 600 Lloyds Banking Group customers have already come forward to report being scammed.
The average amount lost by each victim was £332, though in some cases the loss was more than £1,000, Lloyds said.
Barrier Networks sales director Iain Slater has urged fans to remain vigilant of last-minute tickets scams.
He said: “I’m not shocked that’s happening. Fraudsters are preying on increasing demand for tickets.
“They are using Facebook marketplace, social networking websites and going so far as to copy websites and defraud customers and enter personal detail.
“They may transact via a different method, such as bank transfer, Venmo or gift card – red flags.
“If you feel you are being scammed, stop interacting with the person. If they’ve already released money, report to your credit card provider, the police and transaction fraud.
“You need to look for those tell-tale signs where the offer too good to be true.”
Swiftie Devon Dickinson, 11, has made hundreds of friendship bracelets to donate to people in care homes after making one for her 92-year-old great-grandmother.
Devon who is a P6 pupil at Buckstone Primary School in Edinburgh, came up with the idea to distribute hand-made bracelets in care homes after seeing how happy her great-grandmother Margaret was with the one she gave to her.
She has spent more than 50 hours making the bracelets and has made over 260 so far.
Inspired by a lyric in Swift’s song You’re On Your Own, Kid, fans worldwide have been making and trading friendship bracelets at every date so far on the 152-show tour as a way to make new friends.
Devon said: “Me and my auntie are going. I was making them for the concert.
“She enjoys spending times with me and really liked the bracelet. I thought I could give it to other people in care homes.”
Margaret added: “We do everything together. They are just beautiful.
“It’s the colours [Taylor] wears too.”
“I’ve got into all this. I think its wonderful for the young to get participate with the elderly.”
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