A convoy of ten cars preceded by four police outriders, and watched over by the police helicopter arrived at the freight area on Turnhouse Road just after 10pm.
They swept past plain clothes officers keeping watch outside the perimeter fence and the occupants got out right next to the private jet which had been getting prepared for take off. The President was first on the plane leaving his aides to load up the luggage.
This was the same Gulfstream G450 he used to get here only at 8 o’clock this morning before heading north to St Andrews. It has plenty of space inside with a dining table and mid-cabin divan, allowing space for 14 passengers. with wifi and external cameras, the marketing spec for the charter jet says that it is ‘sure to please even the most discerning traveller.
President Obama had been guest of honour at the dinner organised by the Hunter Foundation at the EICC in the centre of town where police marksmen guarded the event from nearby roofs. Nearby offices had been asked to vacate by 4pm this afternoon so that the area could be secured.
Although a small crowd gathered at the front of the EICC ahead of the event, the President was brought in the back entrance, much to the disappointment of everyone we spoke to.
It had not taken long for the cavalcade of 4×4 vehicles and police cars to make their way from Morrison Street out to the airport.
When they were unloading the cars one of the bodyguards took a tartan rug out – perhaps given to the President as a gift?
There were two golf bags being wheeled to the plane and earlier in the day President Obama had played 18 holes at The Old Course with Sir Tom Hunter.
And then the Gulfstream took off bound for London about 45 minutes after its scheduled slot. It brought to an end a long 15 hour shift for the police officers from the Met and Police Scotland and the security detail who had guarded the President during his first visit to Scotland, during which we doubt he saw anything much of Edinburgh at all.
But at least it was sunny!
President Obama travelled this morning to St Andrews and back with a dozen cars and police vehicles – then a jet to London. pic.twitter.com/VKWu4ShVho
— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) May 26, 2017
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
