Mum faces £20,000 fine after painting her front door pink

A mum of two is facing a £20,000 fine after she painted her front door in pink, which will certainly catch the eye of the neighbours.

Miranda Dickson, 48, got her front door in Edinburgh's New Town professionally painted last year as part of a renovation.

Now, Dickson is facing a fine of up to £20,000, enforced by rules she says are '30 years out of date'.

The mum inherited the home in 2019 from her parents and is also managing the travel business they ran in the World Heritage conservation area.

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She believes the complaints made against her are malicious and described it as 'petty'.

The mum likened her colourful front doorway to the popping colours of Bristol and Notting Hill.

She said: "Coming home and seeing my front door gives me joy, I'm proud of it.

"It's my house, I own it.

"Georgians loved pink - in that era all the windows were painted grey or black, and people had different coloured front doors.

"I've had overwhelming support from people saying 'it's amazing', and 'it makes me smile'."

As a result of her pink door, Dickson is often greeted by Instagrammers who are often snapping a few pictures at her door.

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However, planners at the City of Edinburgh Council have objected to the colour and are insisting she paints over it in white gloss.

The councils rules state that doors must be painted 'muted colours'.

If she refuses to remove the 'unauthorised' paint, Dickson faces a £2,000 fine and could be hit by a £20,000 fine if she is charged with an offence of breaching rules in the conservation area.

Dickson said: "I don't want to paint it white, I'll paint it dark red.

"In a world where we are supposed to be open minded and after all the stuff we've been through the past two years, I thought people would be more community minded.

"They are saying they haven't received any complaints about other brightly coloured doors in New Town and saying it should be an 'appropriate' colour.

"Appropriate to whom?

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"Do we feel as a society that what was appropriate 30 years ago is appropriate to now?"

A City of Edinburgh Council spokesperson said: “The colour of the door is not in keeping with the historic character and appearance of this listed building in the New Town, part of our World Heritage Site.

"The owner agreed the door would be repainted but as this work has not been carried out we are taking enforcement action requiring them to repaint the door.”