News from Edinburgh World Heritage about a set of steps in Edinburgh that have been neglected for some ten years. “The High School Yards Steps were boarded up in 2003 as they had become a focus for anti-social behaviour, and have since become a neglected eyesore. However, the opening of the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation in High School Yards last year has highlighted the potential of the steps, as an important route across the Old Town. The increase in student footfall, along with physical improvements and the new art installation will address the problems experienced here in the past.
Significant conservation works to the steps will be undertaken, with the railings renewed and refurbished, and new gates will be installed to close off the steps at night. Other measures will be taken to improve the setting of the steps, including relocating a police box.”
More on Edinburgh World Heritage website
***
A Scottish travel group has announced plans to operate a new flight route from Edinburgh Airport this summer.
Barrhead Travel unveiled plans this week to extend its charter flights programme to include its first dedicated route from the Capital from June 2014.
The new schedule will include weekly Saturday flights from Edinburgh to Palma, Spain’s third largest airport, on the popular tourist island of Majorca.
The firm’s existing charter flights already include direct flights from Glasgow to Malaga, Majorca, Barcelona and Venice, and Aberdeen to Malaga and Majorca which will continue.
A total of 1,800 seats will be available from Edinburgh on the premium flights between June and October 2014.
Company bosses predict the new premium flights using British Airways aircraft with extra leg room, generous baggage allowance and convenient flight times, direct to the most popular holiday destinations across Europe, will continue to be a hit with Scottish travellers.
Sharon Munro, Barrhead Travel chief executive, said: “Our aim is to give our customers exceptional choice and value.
“By chartering a wider variety of flights during the summer months than ever before, to some of the most popular holiday destinations, we’re able to offer customers across Scotland an even bigger selection of fantastic travel options.
“In 2013 we embarked on our most ambitious flight programme to date, however, not content with simply increasing the number of flights we also wanted to offer customers the opportunity to travel from multiple locations – including Edinburgh.”
John Watson, Chief Commercial Officer at Edinburgh Airport said: “At Edinburgh Airport we’re committed to providing our passengers with choice and we’re pleased to be working with Barrhead Travel to increase the summer travel options for our customers.
“We’re confident this new dedicated charter service to Palma will be very popular with Scottish passengers.”
***
Lothian Buses has scooped the Sustainable Development award at this year’s Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.
The awards, held at the city’s Sheraton Hotel, are now in their third year and celebrate the contribution that local businesses make to the capital.
With a total investment of over £12million into environmental improvements, Lothian Buses was recognised for the introduction of Scotland’s first 25 diesel-electric hybrid buses, fitting of state-of-the-art SCRT exhaust systems on 45 older buses to improve air pollutant emissions and achieving a 99% recycling rate throughout the company.
David Birrell, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce said: “The calibre of entries was very high in all the categories this year. The sustainability award was particularly hard fought. We were impressed by the holistic approach Lothian Buses is taking to embedding sustainability principles across the organisation.”
Lothian Buses was also shortlisted in the Innovation in Business and Young Business Person of the year categories.
Ian Craig, Chief Executive of Lothian Buses said:-“We are always looking for ways to offer greener transport for our passengers in Edinburgh and this award is recognition of our commitment to that. We will continue to identify and introduce more sustainable ways of getting around the city as public transport evolves.”
***
Edinburgh chef Mark Greenaway has come up with a new twist on dining. He is setting up a monthly dining club starting from 26 February. Read more here.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
Well done Barrhead Travel, pushing flights from Edinburgh Airport is long over-due. If you really want to be Edinburgh Airport trailblazers, get working on a regular Florida flight..
Comments are closed.