Calls to delay the launch of part of Edinburgh's visitor levy have been rejected, raising fears of a possible legal challenge.

National hospitality groups had asked for the start of advance collection of the levy for future bookings - set to begin in October for the scheme’s July 2026 launch - to be pushed back .

They said that the guidance available to them from the council and the Scottish Government were not clear enough for them to feel comfortable collecting the charge.

But at a Finance and Resources Committee meeting on Thursday, council officers insisted the business sector had been provided with adequate guidance, and said they already had significant time to prepare.

Conservative councillors had put forward a position that would have delayed the launch, having first raised it

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