Virgin East Coast reexamined
Get rid of your unwanted stuff for free
Scottish Business Awards
Café of the month Award
Signs of Spring down Leith
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is consulting on draft undertakings offered by Stagecoach in relation to the award of the InterCity East Coast rail franchise.
The new franchise began last month but the franchisee which is made up of a joint venture between Stagecoach and Virgin knew at that point that the CMA still had to decide whether the undertakings given were enough to allay competition fears.
There will be a decision made on 2 April.The draft undertakings and all information relating to the investigation are available on the case page. Responses to the draft undertakings are requested by 27 March 2015.
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Are you doing a spring clean? Do you have stuff that is too good to throw away and might have a little life left in it? If you would be happy to give away your stuff to someone for free (yes that is the catch!) then you can list it here.
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We have by now all heard that George Clooney will be in Edinburgh on 12 November, partly for the Scottish Business Awards and partly to visit Social Bite the cafe with a heart in Shandwick Place and Rose Street.
So are you now thinking you might like to be at the Scottish Business Awards to have a wee look at a movie star? Well you might have to dig deep. The top package at the RBS sponsored event is a table for 10 for £10,000. This will give you a front and centre table with the best view of the awards ceremony and Mr Clooney when he makes a speech. You will also get one place at a lunch with George and the opportunity for two of your party to go to a drinks reception with him and a wee snap of you alongside George and some other VIPs, two places at two further similar events with Rob Brydon or Sir Chris Hoy. Oh and you also get champagne and dinner for 10.
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We have decided to give our Cafe of the Month award to the Serenity Café at 8 Jackson’s Entry just off the Royal Mile run by the Edinburgh charity Comas. This is a charity which admits it is difficult to define. The gaelic name means ability and their ethos is to ‘do with not to’. They are running several innovative projects and the Serenity Cafe is one of those.
The food is good. The coffee is hand-crafted with care. But what makes this place quite special is that the cafe is run by people in recovery for people in recovery. This can mean drugs or alcohol addiction, but the cafe is not only a place to find work or help, there are also activities for members such as badminton and knitting groups.
The emphasis is very much on getting out and about and socialising to help yourself out of your situation. The cafe has a large room next door which is used for a variety of different activities for members and can be hired too by other groups. Full details of room hire here.
The cafe is holding a Daffodil Tea event next Sunday from 2.30 till 4.30pm. Buy your tickets on the door.
The café menu is extensive and offers a different price structure for Members and Non-members so you will be doing some good while enjoying a great meal. Open 9-5 seven days a week.
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Open in new tab Now time for you to make your suggestions to us about next month’s Cafe of the Month. Where’s your favourite? Email us theedinburghreporter@gmail.com or add your suggestions in the comment box below.
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
