Monday holiday – Government funding for Edinburgh wave companies – Port Edgar to be leased off by the council – Talk about Warhol Exhibition – The House at 42 this week
Lothian Buses are running a Saturday service today, which suggests to us this is a Monday holiday, except that it is not a completely universal holiday…
Please remember, we will be running a Saturday Service tomorrow, Monday 16 September. http://t.co/y3TCtnlNw9
— Lothian Buses (@on_lothianbuses) September 15, 2013
Schools are shut today but council offices are open. Are you working today? Let us know what you’re up to – send us a photo by Twitter!
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Two Edinburgh companies involved in the development of wave energy devices, Pelamis Wave and Aquamarine Power have received some grant funding from The Scottish Government which is announced today at the Scottish Renewables Marine Conference in Inverness. See our article here.
Reacting to the news of new investment for wave power and planning permission for the world’s largest tidal array, Dr Richard Dixon, Director of Friends of the Earth Scotland said:
“This is great news for renewable energy in Scotland. Harnessing the huge energy in the tides of the Pentland Firth is a major engineering challenge but this scheme will prove technologies and techniques which will be important in future tidal energy schemes around the world
“Tidal and wave power are particularly important for Scotland but they will also be a major plank of the fight against climate change around the world. As a global leader Scotland can create green electricity, reduce climate emissions and generate new jobs.”
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The council is to lease the site at Port Edgar to a new company who will invest in the marina there. It was decided last year that Edinburgh Leisure would slowly back out of the site as the financial implications of running the marina, a sailing school which had dropping attendance numbers and the possibility of large investment needed to maintain the marina’s infrastructure such as the pontoons, had all become too great.
The council will lease the premises to Port Edgar Holdings Limited (PHL) for 30 years. Initially this will be at a reduced rent for the first three years, after which the rent will rise to a fixed rent which can then be raised by reference to the Retail Price Index every five years.
This move will reduce the council’s liability in relation to the marina, and the council retains ownership of the adjacent land which might be developed for housing at a later date.
This will be ratified at tomorrow’s Economy Committee.
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Eric Shiner, one of the world’s leading experts on Warhol and Director of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh will be discussing the artist’s career in the Scottish Parliament.
Eric Shiner will be speaking on Tuesday, 15 October 2013 at 4.30pm – 6.00pm. This is one of seven free seminars open to the public as part of a series of events forming ‘Andrew Carnegie’s International Legacy: – Shaping the Future’ taking place at Holyrood from October 2013 to January 2014. The philanthropist made his money in Pittsburgh and the Andy Warhol Museum is just one example of his philanthropic legacy.
The Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, the Rt Hon Tricia Marwick MSP, explained:
“Given the Scottish Parliament is the home of debate in Scotland, ‘Andy Warhol: Pop, Power and Politics’ will focus on works with a political subject because of their relevance to Holyrood. Both the Carnegie UK Trust, whose generous support has made this exhibition possible, and the Scottish Parliament are organisations that want to contribute towards political debate and thinking.
“I had the pleasure of a private tour of the Warhol Museum with Mr Shiner when I visited Pittsburgh last year to secure the exhibition for the Scottish Parliament. I know we will all be enlightened by Eric’s knowledge on Warhol’s fascination for depicting people and symbols of power, which will really bring this exhibition to life.”
Angus Hogg, chair of the Carnegie UK Trust, said:
“Encouraging debate on key issues lies at the heart of our Trust’s mission. Importantly, they are also topics which drove Andrew Carnegie on his quest to improve the wellbeing of society a century ago.
“We are very excited to welcome such an interesting and informed group of speakers. Their presence and the nature of the discussions, ensures that these challenging issues continue to be debated.”
Tickets, which are free, are available to book for the Eric Shiner seminar by going to:
www.scottish.parliament.uk/free-shiner-seminar
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The House at 42 appears to be back in business after successfully opposing the council who wanted them to close. This week there are two concerts:- Three Cane Whale on Friday 20 September who are billed as a trio of multi-instrumentalists and on Wednesday of this week, Edwina Hayes who claims to have Michael Parkinson and Nanci Griffith among her fans.
Remember you have to be on the guest list to get in so you have to email Douglas or Jane-Ann ahead of the concerts.
Email: 42music42@musician.org
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
