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Incrediburgh

Lucy Bird quits Marketing Edinburgh following rows over “Incrediburgh” campaign

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By Jennifer Faull, Deputy Editor

December 15, 2012 | 2 min read

Lucy Bird, the chief executive of Marketing Edinburgh, has quit the job after just 18 months amid rows over the £300,000 “Incrediburgh” campaign. The initiative was widely criticised by Edinburgh council leaders, including Steve Cardownie who branded it “appalling”.

The Scotsman reports that Bird faced criticism for failing to win enough private sector support for the body and the lack of any detailed business plans.

As Bird took the decision to resign herself she will not be receiving any pay-off, and is not understood to have another job lined up.

Chairman of the board, Alan Johnston confirmed the reports, telling the Scotsman: “The board of Marketing Edinburgh is announcing with regret that it has today accepted the resignation of chief executive Lucy Bird.

“This decision has been entirely Lucy’s and while not desired the board understands her rationale and she leaves with our gratitude and best wishes.

“Lucy has led our fledgling company through a difficult birth period and created a platform on which, given the right support, Edinburgh can take itself to the world.

“The board remain passionate about and committed to the idea that Marketing Edinburgh will continue to represent this fantastic city and fulfil the aspirations of both its public and private sector partners.

Councillor Cardownie said: “I don’t regret anything I said about Marketing Edinburgh. I expressed an opinion, which I think I was entitled to do, and that was it. There was no whispering campaign.”

Colin Paton, chairman of the Edinburgh Hotels Association, said: “If Lucy Bird’s resignation is down to the problems with the ‘Incredinburgh’ campaign, then it is very sad.

“It may have been better to have left the marketing experts to get on with their job with the campaign which, after all, was signed off by Marketing Edinburgh’s board.”

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