Taylor Swift snubs $1,250 gift from Edinburgh's Lord Provost in cringe-worthy taxpayer-funded attempt

Edinburgh's Lord Provost, Robert Aldridge, faced an embarrassing snub after spending ?1,000 ($1,250) of taxpayer money on a custom gift for Taylor Swift, only to be ignored by the pop star and her team.

The elaborate gesture, which included tartan guitar straps and a luxury hamper, was an attempt to secure a meeting or a photocall with Swift during her sold-out summer concerts in Scotland.

Instead, the effort ended with council staff delivering the unwanted gift to the gates of the venue.

A Gift Gone Unnoticed

The bespoke tartan guitar straps, costing taxpayers ?500 each, were part of a ?1,200 hamper that also included locally sourced items such as Edinburgh Gin, Lind & Lime Gin, and a selection of whiskies.

Lord Provost Aldridge hoped the singer would wear one of the straps on stage at Murrayfield Stadium and sign the other for a charity auction. However, Swift opted for her signature plain black strap and declined to sign or acknowledge the gift.

Despite the lack of response, Edinburgh City Council still plans to auction the unsigned guitar strap for charity. The total expenditure for the failed gesture was documented as coming from the council's marketing budget.

Criticism and Backlash

The Provost's efforts, revealed through Freedom of Information requests, have sparked criticism from residents and political figures.

Independent Edinburgh councillor Ross McKenzie quipped, "The Provost may have been ghosted by Taylor Swift, but there are plenty of people in the area I represent who'd love to meet him to discuss unsanitary accommodation and inadequate care packages."

The incident comes at a time when Edinburgh City Council faces mounting challenges. Labour leads the council with just 10 of 63 seats, and council leader Cammy Day recently resigned following a scandal involving explicit messages sent to Ukrainian refugees.

Critics argue that the resources spent on courting Swift could have been better allocated to addressing pressing local issues.

Concerns About Celebrity Courting

A source close to Swift's summer performances suggested that her team may have rejected the gesture to avoid setting a precedent where every city attempts to court her with gifts and events.

In April, Aldridge even wrote to the events team at Murrayfield, requesting a civic reception for Swift at the City Chambers-a request that also went unanswered.

While the custom tartan guitar straps remain unused, the episode has highlighted the disconnect between city officials and their constituents, leaving taxpayers questioning the priorities of Edinburgh's leadership.

Taylor Swift may have sung about "Love Stories," but this one was far from a fairytale ending for the Lord Provost.