Five things you need to know today

There is no tram for you to go and catch this morning. And there may be no tram even in a year or two’s time if you believe some commentators. There are stories all over the press this morning about the dramatic decision by the city councillors yesterday to bring the trams only to Haymarket, and not to the city centre as was still envisaged prior to the meeting. The tramlines in Princes Street will be renewed at the cost of the contractor even if they will not immediately be used. But whether or not the contractor agrees to enter into a new contract with the council at all seems to be in question, as is the size of the borrowing that the council still need to complete the contract and the deficit they will make in operating the reduced line.

Perhaps in the spirit of Scottish entrepreneurship someone should lease the Princes St line from the Council and run it as a tourist attraction?

There are stories in The Herald, The Scotsman and Good Morning Scotland will host a discussion on the tram project this morning.

If you have had enough of the trams then there is the final weekend of the Fringe to get through. The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article which highlights the cooperation among the separate Festivals taking place in the city in August.

Other things to hold your attention this weekend? There is always Big Things on the Beach in Portobello which starts tomorrow.

Live in Leith still has some show to grab your attention at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall until Sunday.

And on Monday at 5.30 we are running a Liveblog with Sarah Boyack MSP who will be here to answer your questions. Get them ready now – you can email them to us in advance at theedinburghreporter@gmail.com . We hope you like our Liveblogs? You could always let us know what you think and how we could improve them for you?