The streets of Edinburgh have for years been synonymous with the sound of the "pibroch", but Bagpipers on the capital's Royal Mile have recently been banned from playing amidst threats of having their instruments seized, or recieving Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (or ASBO's) if they return.

City Centre Sector Inspector Bruce Johnston said of the move: "These pipers are regarded as unlicensed trade and are technically buskers. Most of the pipers do not reside in the city centre and they are receiving quite large sums of money from what they are doing. Some of them are coming over from Glasgow, working in shifts and making £80 an hour which they don't pay any tax on so it amounts to quite a good illegal earner."