Transport and Environment Committee
The cycling group Critical Mass will hold a peaceful protest outside City Chambers on Thursday at 8.30am.
They will ask Transport and Environment Committee (TEC) councillors “Cowgate. One year on. What have you done?”
A spokesperson said: “One year on from the horrific fatality in the Cowgate, Edinburgh Critical Mass are asking “What has the council done?”
“After a full year, pedestrians and people on bikes are no safer now in the Cowgate than they were 12 months ago. Residents expect action on road safety, and were promised change through the City Mobility Plan in February 2024, yet there has been no meaningful or permanent improvements to the Cowgate. Short-term extensions of the nighttime vehicle restrictions are not enough, the proposed bus gate needs to be implemented. This is a known low-cost and effective safety measure. When councillors have already committed to reducing traffic in the Cowgate, plans for a bus gate exist and there is a clear need to improve safety, why has there been no action? Edinburgh residents deserve a faster response. Edinburgh Critical Mass will be highlighting that time is ticking on getting safety improvements on the ground, by holding up clocks at the protest.
Argyle House
A proposal of application notice has been lodged in respect of Argyle House. This will include the “Demolition of existing building and redevelopment of the site for mixed use development comprising residential, hotel and office use with ancillary commercial spaces, associated open space, car parking landscaping and ancillary works.”
Argyle House is bounded by West Port, Lady Lawson Street and Castle Terrace. It is the police station in the TV drama Dept Q where DCI Carl Morck parks his car so badly outside.
Click on the plan below to read more details on the City Scope website.
Competition
Enter our competition here and enjoy a pre Christmas break in East Lothian (or save it until spring of course!)
Click on the link below.
Craigmillar Now
Craigmillar Now presents a new exhibition of paintings by local visual artist Niamh Britton. The 14 works in the show have been created over the last year and bring together stories of belonging and community, through powerful portraits of activism, people and mythology from Greater Craigmillar.
Niamh lives in Bingham just a short distance away from the Craigmillar Now Arts and Heritage Centre. Her new works capture the often unsung ‘folk heroes’ of her local area, recognising their remarkable dedication to their communities.
Each portrait represents a community figure linked to a grassroots organisation in the area such as The Bothy; a community hub for people affected by addiction in Craigmillar and Niddrie, Craigmillar Literacy Trust, the Bingham Wildlife reserve, and Livity Youth Group, which supports disadvantaged and underrepresented Black and Global Majority youth.
Niamh said: “the biggest thing I learnt [preparing for exhibition] is what is important in community, and that would be connections. I think that there are certain people that go above and beyond, and that they are disproportionately important in the community. By forming connections with people, they then connect everyone together outwards in this grassroots culture. This feeling that comes, I think, from Helen Crummy and the Craigmillar Festival Society, of ‘Make It Happen’, that sense of pride and boldness. The grassroots thing is so important……”
The final work in the show is a self-portrait of the artist as a mermaid. The painting is inspired by the legendary Bingham Mermaid sculpture by Pedro Pablo Silva, which was commissioned by the Craigmillar Festival Society in the 1970s to fight the construction of a motorway through the local area.
Popping up at the Palmerston
On 16 November, The Palmerston will host a pop-up by Flora Shedden, writer and owner of renowned Aran Bakery in Dunkeld, to coincide with the launch of Flora’s new cookbook, Winter in the Highlands: Eating, Drinking and Celebrating in Scotland.
On the counter will be bakes from the cookbook, including:
- Parsnip Loaf Cake
- Earl Grey and Fig Scones
- Hazelnut Crumble Mince Pies
- Nutmeg Stars
- Lemon Amaretti
Guests will be able to purchase copies of the book, alongside sweet treats made by Flora which are perfect for Christmas gifting, including jars of ‘Quincemeat’, Almond Nougat, Ginger and White Chocolate Fudge, Christmas Puddings and Clotted Cream Caramels.
The bakes will be available from 9am to sell-out (takeaway only from 11am), and will sit alongside The Palmerston’s own pastry selection.
