(Credits: Netflix)

Netflix’s proposal to fit a plaque in Edinburgh in commemoration of their hit series One Day has been rejected.  

The streaming service planned to display a red plaque with a quote from the show in The Vennel Steps, a historic walkway in Edinburgh that leads to the castle. The lead characters from the show have a scene on these steps, and so Netflix applied for the sign to be attached to the wall of the nearby building.

The building in question was built in 1910, and when Netflix applied through the City of Edinburgh Council, their proposal was rejected. It was condemned as a “simple exercise in product marketing” and refused permission on heritage grounds. 

The proposed sign would’ve been towards the bottom of the steps, close to the 16th-century Flodden wall, which once marked the perimeters of the city.  

The Chief of the City Council, David Givan, revealed that Netflix’s application received 38 objections, saying, “The proposal fails to have special regard to the desirability of preserving the character of the building and would adversely impact on its special architectural and historic interest. The proposal represents an inappropriate and low quality addition to the listed building, failing to meet the statutory requirement of retaining its character. It would fail to preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area.” 

Director of the Cockburn Association, Terry Levinthal, also commented on the proposal, noting, “If every production or every connection with a novel or film or TV series did the same, one wouldn’t be able to see parts of the city due to the proliferation of plaques.” 

The quote on the sign was initially supposed to read, “It’s one of the great cosmic mysteries. How someone can go from being a total stranger to the most important person in your life.”

This is one of the key thematic strands in the story, with the lead characters Emma and Dexter being repeatedly drawn towards each other, having a strong impact on the course of their lives. It follows the couple on one day every year of their lives after meeting in 1988. The couple first meet at the University of Edinburgh Graduation Ball after a failed one-night stand, going on to become friends, lovers and everything in between in the following years. 

The series explores their changing relationship, but regardless, they remain important people in each other’s lives.