The shy folks do not fit Edinburgh. Has anyone ever tried shifting a three-storey wooden wardrobe in a Marchmont block? Every turn seems to be like you solving a puzzle. For this reason, many swear by the man with the van who truly understands the city—a lifesaver whether your excursion from Leith to Morningside or just down the road, more info about this page!
Local knowledge is like pure gold. These drivers have digital nose for bus deviations and bypasses not shown on Google Maps. They will guide you on avoiding tram works on a Saturday and which side streets fill up by eight in the morning. Trust me; you will want that inside information when you have a vanload of products and the heavens choose to open just as you are pulling up at Tollcross.
Courtesy is expected here. You’re less likely to get grunts and more likely to relate a funny story about the craziest object they have hauled—a lifsize giraffe cutout, a bathtub full of inflatable ducks, you name it. From helping Granny down the steps to loading a wrecked bike into a van packed packed to the rafters, every elevator exudes friendliness.
Part of the deal is flexibility. Found a flatmate double- booked or an odd-shaped mirror you overlooked. Nothing problematic here. Most locals anticipate the unanticipated—an emergency pick-up before a festival, a stop-off at a storage locker, or a piano in need of minimal coaxing.
Usually, cost is pretty clear-cut and there are no mystery expenses. If you uncover an eleventh box at last-minute, a clear answer over the phone and a joyful nod should suffice. These folks are not shy about helping others beyond the minimal; when my friend’s packing tape ran out, her mover had a fresh roll on hand. He made a joke to lighten the matter and even pulled a CD pack out of a puddle.
Reviews count, but here word-of- mouth is more crucial. If your neighbor raves over her van man, she may have already moved half of the clutter in the neighborhood but still recognizes everyone’s dog by name. Particularly during moving season, local vans soon fill up for that kind of assurance.
The beauty is in the little details—a spare tarpaulin for the Scottish weather, direction on which takeaway to order from when you fall on your final box, and that sense of great hands even in circumstances of chaotic reverse movement. At the end of the day, you’ll wonder how you could have moved without someone who knows every stone and bend.
Edinburgh’s local men with vans are therefore part removal specialist, half city guide, and occasionally part stand-up comedian. They almost as rapidly as your possessions help the stress to fade. Now, if only they could assist decide where to put that unusual-shaped shelf.