Freshers in Edinburgh halls were fined £6,700 for Covid violations last semester

Edinburgh University gave out £6,700 worth of fines to first years in September and October, according to data obtained by a Freedom of Information request by The Edinburgh Tab.

12 different accommodations had violations, including all eight houses of Pollock Halls.

The total amount of £6,700 included both first offence fines of £50 and second offence fines of £150.

Freshers in Baird House in Pollock Halls owed £1,300 in fines, which is the highest of any accommodation. These fines consisted of 17 first offences and three second offences.

Ewing House and Holland House in Pollock had the second highest number of fines at £1,050 each. Both houses had 21 first offences.

Chancellors Court in Pollock was fined 18 first offences for a total of £900, and John Burnett was fined 10 times for £500.

Grant House was fined £250 for two first and one second offence, and Lee and Turner House were fined the least amount in Pollock, both owing £150 for three first offences.

Other accommodations on the list included Robertsons Close at £700 and Blackfriars Street at £350.

Hermit’s Croft and Brae House both had two first offences costing £100.

Murano House in Leith was fined the least with just one offence of £50.

Pollock Halls was a Covid hotspot early last semester with lockdowns in Ewing House and other houses.

Freshers in Edinburgh also complained about a lack of food from the university, and one Muslim student even reported getting a ham sandwich as part of her hot meal package.

Police were also called to Pollock last semester as a result of illegal parties.

An Edinburgh University spokesperson told The Tab: “The vast majority of our students have been living within the rules to limit the spread of Covid19 and protecting themselves and the wider community. There have, however, been a small number of individuals who have not been following Scottish Government guidance, so we have decided to take firmer action.

“This is a difficult time for everyone, but we all have a collective responsibility to behave within the law, so further punitive action is a necessary last resort.”

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