Home News Five things you need to know today

Five things you need to know today

September 14, 2016 6:00 am

Hundreds more affordable homes in Edinburgh
Doors Open Day 2016
Films in the Old College Quad
Colony of Artists 2016
Edinburgh Coffee Festival

The Housing Minister Kevin Stewart announced yesterday that work will begin at Shrubhill on Leith Walk to create the city’s newest affordable housing development. The government has promised to deliver 50,000 more affordable homes over the next five years. Mr Stewart said : “Unique innovative financing schemes, such as National Housing Trust (NHT), play an important role in helping us deliver this major expansion in housing supply – supplementing delivery through conventional programmes which is backed up with investment of more than £3 billion.

“I am delighted to officially mark the start of work on the Shrubhill site. This development will not only regenerate an iconic site in the centre of Edinburgh, but will also provide hundreds more high quality affordable homes for the people of the city.”

The Shrubhill development will provide 374 new homes of which 236 will be affordable and 150 are to be NHT homes. This is the seventh major site in the capital meaning that almost 900 affordable homes have been provided through NHT.

Councillor Cammy Day who is Edinburgh’s Housing convener was on hand to speak about the need for new homes in the city. He said : “I’m pleased that partnership working and Council loans through the NHT will enable more than 370 new homes to be built at Shrubhill with over 60% of them being affordable. The development is a major part of the regeneration of Leith Walk, bringing life back into an area that has lain derelict for many years. The Council is supporting the development with almost £28 million of grant and loan funding. As part of its approved housing strategy the Council and its housing association partners have agreed to build 16,000 affordable homes in the city over the next ten years.

“The Council has established eight arms-length partnerships and approved around £100 million to support 8 brownfield regeneration projects and deliver nearly 1,000 mid rent homes under the NHT programme. Nearly half of all the homes built under the NHT in Scotland will be built in Edinburgh.”

Later this month some of Edinburgh’s buildings not normally open to the public will throw open their doors. Included on the list is Lothian Buses’ Central Depot on Annandale Street. The doors will be open on Saturday 24 September between 12pm and 4pm. The bus company will be running vintage buses on Service 16 between Lothian Road and Newhaven stopping close to the depot. Running at least every 10 minutes between 9am and 6pm passengers will be able to catch a vintage bus along Princes Street, St Andrew Square, York Place and Leith Walk to Newhaven. Normal fares apply!

Richard Hall Managing Director said : “We are really excited to be able to offer trips on vintage buses as part of our Doors Open Day programme this year. We hope that by giving people this rare opportunity to travel back in time on these special services it will add to what is already a very popular event in Edinburgh.”

This year the bus company will support Guide Dogs Scotland and Poppy Scotland with donation buckets at the depot.

The Cockburn Association is in charge of the 109 events across Edinburgh during the weekend of 24 and 25 September.

A crowd-pleasing programme of classic films will be screened in the spectacular surroundings of The University of Edinburgh’s Old College quadrangle this month.

Film lovers of all ages can enjoy the unique venue, with highlights including Steven Spielberg’s shark horror, Jaws, spy thriller, Kingsman: The Secret Service and this year’s remake of family-favourite The Jungle Book.

Film in the Old College Quad takes place from 16-18 September as part of the University of Edinburgh’s Welcome Week for new students.

Audiences are encouraged to bring a picnic and blankets to enjoy the big screen on the quad lawn.

Musical fantasy Labyrinth – featuring David Bowie – will be shown on Saturday, 17 September. The film has gained a cult following since its release in 1986 and is rarely shown on the big screen.

Die Hard fans can enjoy a screening of the all-American action thriller on Sunday, 18 September.

There will be free family screenings of the much-loved animations Inside Out and Home on the mornings of Saturday, 17 and Sunday, 18 September.

Audiences can enjoy sci-fi and superheroes evening screenings of James Cameron’s Aliens, Marvel Comic’s Deadpool and Inception starring Leonardo Di Caprio.

Further attractions include musical comedy Pitch Perfect 2 and the critically acclaimed Coen Brothers Grammy-winning O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Short films by Animation and Film and Television students from Edinburgh College of Art will also be shown before each screening.

Booking information for Film in the Old College Quad can be found at www.ed.ac.uk/festivals.

Tickets cost £10 per film – £12 for Jaws. Family morning shows are free and unticketed.

#QuadFilms

This weekend the Abbeyhill Colonies come alive with the Colony of Artists. This is the eleventh exhibition and you can visit on either Saturday or Sunday afternoons any time after 12 noon. The whole event gets underway with an opening concert on Saturday at 11:00am.

They are using the excuse of their eleventh birthday to show off the past and present with exhibitions, talks and live music.

There will be work by over 50 artists all exhibiting in their homes or other nearby venues.

The author of Maisie of Morningside, Aileen Paterson, will be giving readings of her acclaimed series, Anne Marie will offer tea and baking with proceeds going to Oxfam,

Everything takes place in EH7 and you are recommended to take a bus as parking is minimal. Lothian Buses 1,4,5,15,19,26,34,35 and 44 all stop nearby. More information here.

To celebrate International Coffee Day on 1 October there will be a Coffee Festival in Edinburgh. This is the second year that the festival has taken place and this year the festivities will take place at Summerhall with about 30 suppliers showing off their best beans. They might be coffee roasters, coffee making equipment suppliers, coffee bar owners or baristas. But they all love coffee so if you do then get along to see what’s on offer.

There will be tea and chocolate, music and a courtyard bar. The Festival is supported by their charity partner Mercy Corps who will give a talk about the coffee growers they work with.

Martin Dare, show organiser, said of the event: “Peoples’ interest and passion about coffee is growing more and more, so we’re hopeful of attracting lots of interest on 1 October. Edinburgh’s coffee, chocolate and tea scene is pretty amazing – we’re up there with some of the best in the UK – so people can expect high standards.

“I’d say the biggest draw of the Festival is the diversity of flavours all in one place. It doesn’t matter how much you know about coffee, you’ll be able to talk to passionate producers and try different coffees side-by-side, which makes understanding your own personal preferences easier.

“Please keep an eye on our website and social media for further updates on exhibitors, sponsors, workshops and demonstrations and we look forward to seeing you on 1 October.”

Follow the aroma of the best coffee and join the Edinburgh Coffee Festival at Summerhall on International Coffee Day, Saturday 1st October, from 10am to 6pm.

Tickets are available from the Edinburgh Coffee Festival Website – http://www.edinburghcoffeefestival.co.uk/buy-tickets/ and at the door on the day of the event (cash only).

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