commitments, the magistrates favoured builders rather than architects. Other causes of frustration were equally also out of his hands and these included political changes within Edinburgh Town Council. Given Craig's heyday was in the 1770s whenSir Lawrence Dundas (1710–1781) dominated Edinburgh, the fall of the Baronet from power after 1781, and the rise of the new regime under Henry Dundas (1742–1811) and the Duke of Buccleuch gave new architects and more builders opportunities to impress the city's leaders. By then, Craig had a reputation for being expensive, as per the Physicians Hall and Observatory, and headstrong in his criticism, as some of his existing letters indicate. By 1782, his letters to his banker, and confidante, Sir William Forbes (1739–1806), indicate both his frustration at exclusion from work and need to raise money through loans. This need led him to raise loans from lawyers, merchants and others some of whom are listed by the commissary court in 1795. Fatally, such was his inability to replay loans quickly that he had his bank account arrested. For on 16 September 1791 the Town Council Alexander Dawson, a teller in the Royal Bank of Scotland, stopped Craig being paid £350 for work done for the city. The Commissary court records of 1795 indicate Craig had borrowed money from Dawson in 1786. This incident shows that he may have borrowed even more. Had the architect been able to keep his account and receive payment then he may have died without debt. Later critical reviews of his ability as an architect may have different as most focus on his shortcomings as a businessman. To date there is only one published assessment of his drawings or approach to design from sketch to final measured drawing. If the first half of his career was a period when he did most in Edinburgh, the second half, from 1782 on, shows Craig moving around the country more. In 1787 he even wrote to James Boswell to enquire about moving to work in London. Despite being prepared to travel to work, his financial difficulties led to more frequent appearances in Edinburgh's courts either chasing unpaid bills or being chased for his own debts. Soon, it appears that cash in hand work was the best form of payment for Craig as his debtors circled his bank accounts. In theory, Craig offered Edinburgh town plans featuring circuses, an octagon, a crescent and squares.