Takeaway owner says free pizzas offer has been 'very stressful'

Marc Wilkinson said although he has found the act of kindness stressful he is still glad he did it

A takeaway owner who offered to give everyone in Edinburgh a free pizza says the experience has been "very stressful".

Marc Wilkinson, 55, the owner of Pure Pizza in Morningside, started to panic when more people than he had expected started to turn up.

He now thinks that the month-long giveaway will cost him three times more than originally estimated.

But he said he was determined to see it through to the end of January.

Mr Wilkinson told BBC Scotland earlier this month that he wanted to carry out an act of kindness to help people struggling with the cost of living crisis.

He said he had now given away thousands of pizzas to crowds of people who turn up every day as soon as he opens at 11:00.

Emanuele Mascolo is one of the chefs at Pure Pizza

He said: "At first it felt so exciting because everyone who was coming to the shop was saying what a great thing I was doing and it was a nice feeling, I felt like Santa.

"But as the days went on a lot more people were turning up than I thought there would be.

"I started to panic at the thought of this happening for the whole month and that I would run out of funds.

"I was dreading the moment of having to decide to put a stop to it."

He had budgeted to spend £12,000 on the initiative but estimated it was now going to cost three times as much.

After a few days, he started receiving donations from well-wishers, including one local woman who turned up with a roll of notes which totalled £300.

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He received hundreds of pounds from a businessman in India, as well as other smaller contributions - and donations of ingredients from suppliers. He has also started a JustGiving page.

He said: "My brain was working overtime when I realised I might not be able to cope with this but it all changed when I started receiving donations.

"I realised that there were people all over the world willing to help me."

Mr Wilkinson said he was working in the shop 12 hours each day.

"It has been very stressful but I'm still glad I did it and I don't want to stop it," he said.

"My gift is out there in the psyche of Edinburgh and it seems a shame to cut it in its tracks."