Edinburgh Time Trouble?

There's something a little bit off about Edinburgh's most iconic clock tower...

The Balmoral is perhaps the the cities most famous hotel and has dominated the east end of Princes street since it’s opening in 1902. Originally know as the North British Station Hotel, it became the luxurious Balmoral in 1988.

From the very beginning, and to this day, the grand clock has been set exactly three minutes fast. The reason why? It’s not a superstition, it’s not a lost bet… It’s because the Balmoral sits above Edinburgh Waverley train station and it was decided that extra three minutes can help commuters to make their train in time.

Standing at 58 metres tall, the clock tower really is unmissable and is one of many highlights in Edinburgh’s iconic skyline. The only time that this timing quirk gets corrected in on New Year’s Eve. Hogmanay certainly work as well if the countdown to New Year started three minutes early.