The Lindsays National Cross County Championships at Cumbernauld was a poignant occasion as the Edinburgh Athletic Club senior women’s team picked up the Marjory Cook Trophy for the first time since their club stalwart passed away in 2021.

Following her death Marjory’s family honoured her memory with silverware.

To do so the Edinburgh AC quartet of Nancy Scott, Beth Answell, Elsa Palmer and Kirsty Walker had to break the seven year stranglehold on the event by Edinburgh University Hare and Hounds, who finished in third place.

Speaking afterwards, Beth said: “We are quite competitive.

“There’s a strong team spirit at the club and among us at the moment and we feel we are well suited for relay events and team events, almost whatever the surface or conditions.”

Kirsty Walker, added: “It was a solid lead the team handed over to me and we’re thrilled to win and end that run from Edinburgh Uni. There were some different orders from teams but we felt we could be strong on all four legs and that showed.”

A £3.6million plan to demolish East Lothian’s main theatre venue will be put to councillors next week after officers said the cost of repairs was ‘unaffordable’.

The future of the Brunton Theatre, in Musselburgh, has been in doubt since it was closed in March last year after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was discovered in the venue.

A report to East Lothian Council next week will ask elected members to agree to mothball the venue, relocating council services to a new location and carrying out work to close off its heating at a cost of up to £1.1million.

And they will be asked to approve a public consultation on the demolition of the building, opened by the late Queen Elizabeth in 1971.

The report says: “Potential remediation of the RAAC at the Brunton Hall is
unaffordable and the preferred option is to demolish the building at a
cost of £3.6m.”

It is understood council staff in the building may be relocated into the town centre offices of Musselburgh Citizens Advice Bureau.

The Brunton Theatre Trust has continued to offer its programme of performances and events at other venues across East Lothian since their main venue closed and this is expected to continue.

The Trust currently has a lease of Haddington Corn Exchange and a public survey was recently carried out on its behalf to gauge how people feel about alternative venues.

The report to councillors says RAAC in the roof panels of the Brunton have been assessed and it is believed the cost of repairs to reopen it are too costly while leaving them are not an option.

It says: “Whilst safety arrangements have been put in place to mitigate the risk
associated with these roof panels, there have been cases of sudden failure
elsewhere in the UK.

“If the roof panels were to fail, there would be a significant risk of disruption to asbestos-containing materials below, with possible release of asbestos fibres into the air. Failure of the roof panels would also be likely to make refurbishment or demolition much more complex and more expensive.”

Councillors will be asked to approve recommendations in the report at a meeting on Tuesday next week.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

After more than four decades of trying to reach the top of the podium at the Lindsay’s National Cross Country races Lasswade Athletic Club finally made the breakthrough at Cumbernauld over the weekend.

In the Young Females race Isla Madhra, Cerys Wright and anchor Bethan Kitchin stormed to first place ahead of Giffnock North and Strathearn Harriers.

The trio, whose winning margin was 23 seconds, are coached by Linda and Kirk Smith and the former said it was a particularly proud occasion.

She said: “The athletes are great to work with. We had to change the team but Bethan came in and had a really strong run as well as Isla and Cerys.

‘Looking back over the years we had a strong team around the time that Sarah Tait and Lauren Dickson were coming through – but the best they managed was fourth, so just missing the podium.

“The athletes are chuffed today and have been rewarded with chips from the van on the course! No, seriously, they work hard and support each other and for a club like ours to have champions at the National XC Relays feels special.”

Civil Service Strollers are hoping to have Mackie Scott back from injury when seeking to emulate last season’s achievement of reaching the third round of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup at Irvine Meadow on Saturday.

The star striker has scored five times in his last three games but missed out when Strollers extended an unbeaten run to four games with a Lowland League success at Broxburn last weekend.

Strollers 2023-24 cup run was only ended by League Three side, Stranraer.

In another boost for the Christie Gillies Park-based club Callum Yeats has been awarded “goal of the round” for his effort when Cumbernauld Colts were beaten last time in the Scottish Cup.

Also, Marc Laird has just been included in the Lowland League “team of the month”.

West Lothian Council has agreed almost £40,000 worth contracts to keep buses running over the Christmas and New Year holidays. 

The council has historically provided an additional level of local bus provision on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, 1 January and 2 January. 

Around 80% of the bus network is provided by commercial companies who, generally, do not operate on these dates. The subsidised bus network is also reduced leaving gaps in the network. 

The festive service aims to provide a largely two hourly service between 7am and 7pm on Christmas day and New Year’s Day, with a more frequent service being provided on Boxing Day and 2 January to ensure as wide a coverage of the main cross county routes as possible. 

 Services to St John’s Hospital and Livingston Centre are an important part of the service, with access to health care and essential work travel being the main focus.  

The Council Executive approved a £37,350 investment that, alongside the commercial network, would provide services on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and 1 and 2 January. 

Commercial bus services will operate a limited timetable over the festive period, in addition to the subsidised services listed below. 

Tom Conn, the Executive councillor for the Environment and Sustainability said: “West Lothian Council doesn’t operate bus services, but the Festive Bus Services aims to provide support to local people during a time when the main commercial bus service – which accounts for 80% of buses in West Lothian – winds down.  

“The restrictions on our budget mean that we can’t provide services that help everyone in all scenarios, but our festive services have a particular emphasis on ensuring people can access health care, visit friends and family and attend their place of work.” 

The council will fund these services over the festive holidays: – 

X18 Whitburn – Edinburgh via Armadale, Bathgate, Dechmont, Uphall, & Broxburn 

X27 Bathgate – Edinburgh via Deans North, Knightsridge, Craigshill, Livingston Centre, Dedridge East, Mid Calder, East Calder & Wilkieston. 

X28 Bathgate – Edinburgh via Deans North, Knightsridge, Craigshill, Dedridge East, East Calder & Kirknewton. 

X38 Linlithgow – Edinburgh via Winchburgh & Kirkliston 

72 Fauldhouse – Kirkliston via Longridge, Whitburn, Blackburn, Seafield, Eliburn, St John’s Hospital, Howden, Livingston Centre, Pumpherston, Uphall, Broxburn & Winchburgh. 

74 Fauldhouse – Livingston via Bents, Stoneyburn, Loganlea, Addiewell, West Calder, Polbeth and Dedridge West.  

X40 St John’s Hospital – Edinburgh Royal Infirmary via Livingston Centre, Mid Calder, East Calder & Calderwood will operate a special service of 2 return journeys on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day to provide hospital visiting opportunities with a Sunday commercial service operating on 2 January. 

By Stuart Sommerville Local Democracy Reporter 

West Lothian Council has objected to proposed Holyrood election boundary changes which would see Whitburn and Fauldhouse  put into a constituency in with Airdrie – 14 miles west- in North Lanarkshire. 

The same proposed changes would see West Lothian removed from the Lothians’ regional list and put into a Central Scotland list for a choice of MSPs in the 2026 election. 

Boundaries Scotland is undertaking the Second Review of Scottish Parliament boundaries and is consulting on revised constituency proposals. and proposals for regions. 

A motion from Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick said the proposals contravened two of the four rules laid down governing boundary changes. 

He told a meeting of the Executive: “This proposal disregards the boundaries of West Lothian and very strong existing ties with these communities. By splitting two West Lothian Council wards between Airdrie and the other constituencies the proposals conflict with the fact that regard must be had to the boundaries and rule 4 they disregard local identities, links and ties with local communities. 

“I think we all agree Fauldhouse and Whitburn have strong links to the rest of West Lothian. In terms of work education People from these communities are more likely to commute to and work in Livingston, Bathgate and Edinburgh.” 

Children from Longridge and Stoneyburn go to Whitburn Academy or St Kentigern’s in Blackburn. 

Councillor Fitzpatrick said that West Lothian had very strong links to other regions within the Lothians, much more than to communities to the west in North Lanarkshire Council area.  

 The motion was passed without objection. 

If changes are made, to the Provisional Proposals for regions or the Further Proposals for constituencies, another one-month consultation will be held. Boundaries Scotland will submit a report to Scottish Ministers by 1 May 2025. If subsequently approved, the new boundaries will be effective at the next Scottish Parliament election, scheduled for May 2026. 

By Stuart Sommerville Local Democracy Reporter 

Residents at an Edinburgh care home were treated to a Hawaiian-themed charity party, packed with entertainment, delicious food, and also prizes.

Building on the success of last year’s party, the Cramond Residence’s Lifestyle Team created another fun-filled day for residents and their families to enjoy, with all proceeds going to Age Scotland with this year seeing £551 raised.

The annual party has become a firm favourite with residents and their families with each year offering a unique theme for all to enjoy.

Elaine Vallance, Head of the Lifestyle Team at Cramond Residence, said: “This is an event we’ve been running for a few years now and it’s always an exciting time for staff and residents at the home and every year we are looking to see how we can improve upon the last.

“This year we decided we wanted to host a Hawaiian-themed party, and it was incredibly rewarding to see that this was a hit with the residents.

“The Fete is a great opportunity for residents and their families to come together, enjoy good food and music in a safe and relaxed environment.”

Residents enjoyed a day full of Hawaiian BBQ food, live music, various shows, balloon modelling, a raffle, and a tombola.

Elaine said: “We’ve got an exceptional team here who work very hard to create a range of activities and events for the residents to ensure that we are constantly bringing them activities that bring them joy.

“I’d like to thank everyone who was involved with this year’s Fete both in my team and those who attended, it was another incredible day at Cramond Residence and we’re already looking forward to seeing how we can make this even better next year.”

The Hawaiian BBQ menu included BBQ chicken tenders, beef and veggie burgers with BBQ sauce, Hawaiian chicken with mango and avocado slaw, Lomi Lomi (smoked salmon), Hawaiian pizza, and grilled pineapple slices with a selection of salads and dressings.

The raffle offered exciting prizes including a £250 Virgin experience voucher, a £75 John Lewis voucher, and afternoon tea for two at Harvey Nichols.

Cramond Residence prioritises the residents’ needs and offers a tailored activity programme that combines a luxury hotel ambiance with the comfort of home living.

The residence was purpose-built for £8m and opened in October 2018, adopting a small-group living philosophy with a major emphasis on socialisation.

Cramond Residence offers a wide variety of dementia care services within the general home environment or in a specialist area carefully designed for those at a more advanced stage.

The home provides a range of activities specially designed to give those living with dementia a richer and more satisfying life, with specialist facilities and trained staff on hand to provide support and relief.

https://cramondresidence.co.uk/

A care home in Edinburgh is celebrating after being nominated for two national awards.

Care UK’s Murrayside, on South Beechwood, has been shortlisted in the “Management Team of the Year” and “Scotland Care Home of the Year” categories at the Caring UK Awards 2024, after being rated very good by the Care Inspectorate and crowned Best for Nursing Care in the Care Home Awards 2024 earlier this year.

The Caring UK Awards celebrate the best of the best in the care sector, recognising top carers, facilities, and programs across the country.

The team at Murrayside are committed to getting to know residents on a personal level. Before residents move in, team members learn about their hobbies, interests, skills and life history. This includes compiling a ‘playlist of life’ based on residents’ favourite songs from across the decades.

The home also has a Wishing Tree, an initiative that allows residents to reconnect with a past hobby or try something completely new that they have always wanted to do – no wish is too big or too small. Through this initiative, the team at Murrayside has taken residents to the theatre, to Edinburgh Zoo, and to Oriam to meet the Scotland Rugby squad.

The home’s nomination in the Caring UK Awards 2024 also highlighted the Namaste programme, which was introduced earlier this year to engage residents living with dementia though their senses and emotions, such as by using hand massage techniques and playing soft, relaxing music. “Namaste” a Hindu greeting, meaning “to honour the spirit within”, reflects the person-centred approach at the heart of the scheme. 25 of the team members at Murrayside are now Namaste trained.

All team members are also dementia trained, which has been key to their awards success. This includes creating ‘destination points’ within the home to encourage residents to independently take up hobbies such as birdwatching and DIY.

One relative of a Murrayside resident said: “We visited a number of care homes and chose Murrayside because it had a very nice and friendly atmosphere, was modern, professional and relaxed.” They added: “The team at Murrayside have constantly adapted their approach, getting to know my Mum’s likes and dislikes.”

Another relative said: “Everyone is so friendly and helpful, and nothing is too much trouble… The home is always spotless, and it is evident that the staff are working hard to keep it that way. The café on the top floor is a great place to go with Mum during a visit to see her. A lovely idea. As a family, we are delighted with the care and attention Mum is receiving. The transition period has been seamless – thank you Murrayside.”

Suzanne Welsh, Home Manager at Murrayside, said: “We’re thrilled to be shortlisted for the ‘Management Team of the Year’ and ‘Scotland Care Home of the Year’ awards at the Caring UK Awards 2024, and recognised nationally for all our hard work.

“Whether it’s organising a trip to Oriam to meet the members of the Scotland Rugby Squad, or taking residents to the theatre or zoo, there’s nothing team members won’t do to ensure residents lead happy and fulfilling lives.

“Working alongside such a wonderful team is always such a pleasure – they go above and beyond to support residents. I am really proud of everyone’s dedication, passion and help in making Murrayside a wonderful place to call home.

“We are all keeping our fingers crossed for a win later this year!”

The Caring UK Awards’ evening will be held at the Athena in Leicester on Thursday 5 December 2024.

Murrayside care home, which provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, has been specially designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilling lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities, and has its own cinema, hair salon, café and Namaste rooms.

To find out more about Murrayside, contact Customer Relations Manager, Cliona Robertson, on 0131 516 2487, or email cliona.robertson@careuk.com

careuk.com/murrayside

Acclaimed chef, Stuart Ralston, is embarking on a new guest chef series, Shore to Shore, celebrating the rich bounty of the British waters and marking the one-year anniversary of his fine-dining venture, Lyla in Edinburgh.

The series will include some of the UK’s most exciting chefs take part in a four-hands dinner with Stuart, bringing their own take on seafood from Scotland and the wider UK coastline. The first part of the ongoing series will take place in October and November, before the second part next year.

The lineup includes:

Alex Nietosvuori, Hjem –  30 October – Hjem is the Michelin-starred restaurant led by Chef Alex Nietosvuori in Wall, Northumberland. Renowned for its Nordic-inspired cuisine, Hjem offers a unique dining experience that showcases the best of Northumberland’s produce. Alex honed his skills under renowned chefs like Björn Frantzén, Sam Nutter and Victor Wågam (Nima sous-chefs) and gained international experience in South America and Oslo. In London, he went on to work with The Laughing Heart’s kitchen team under chef Tom Anglesea before realising his dream at 26 with the launch of Hjem in partnership with his wife Ally Thompson. Hjem was awarded a Michelin star in 2021 affirming Alex’s early success in the culinary world. @a.nietosvuori @hjemrestaurant

Andy Beynon, BEHIND –  11 November – Andy Beynon spent 15 years working with some of the foremost Michelin starred chefs and restaurants in the country, including Claude Bosi, Phil Howard and Michael Wignall. In 2020, Andy opened his debut restaurant BEHIND, an 18 seater kitchen-table restaurant with a seafood focus. BEHIND offers diners a chance to see ‘behind the scenes’ into the kitchen, with the menu utilising the best of British produce. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2020, just 20 days after opening. @andybeynon @behindrestaurant 

Johnnie Crowe, Restaurant St Barts – 30 January 2025 – Restaurant St Barts is the culmination of passion and hard work from three long-term friends Johnnie, Luke and Toby – the team behind Nest restaurant in Hackney and Nest Farmhouse in Norfolk. The Experience is a celebration of the world-class seasonal produce found solely in the British Isles. Johnnie and his team serve a tasting menu that uses the very best from small-scale farmers, growers, and conservationists across the Isles. Starting dinner with a series of snacks in the lounge, guests move through to the restaurant’s dining room which overlooks one the oldest churches in London – St Bartholomews the Great. Taking inspiration from the natural materials used to create the historic buildings around us, Restaurant St Barts is built with raw materials such as stone, wood and soft fabric throughout, to bring a feeling of the old Smithfield to the new. @johnniecrowefood  @restaurantstbarts

Joshua Overington, Mýse – 18 February 2025 – Joshua grew up in a market town just outside York, spending summers in France and Europe, immersed in French restaurant culture. Joshua took a gap year that brought him to Sydney, where he took a job at a small restaurant, moving up the ranks from pot wash to prep chef. Back on home turf, Joshua cut his teeth at Yorkshire’s Pipe and Glass Inn, before moving to Paris to gain formal training at the legendary Cordon Bleu. During that time, Joshua became engrossed by the bistronomy movement taking the capital by storm and resolved to open a restaurant of his own with his wife Victoria after a successful season of Chalet hosting together. At the ages of 26, Le Cochon Aveugle came into the couple’s hands, where they ran a set menu celebrating classical French techniques. Following the success of le Cochon Aveugle, the duo moved to pastures new and in 2023 opened Mýse, the restaurant with rooms in Hovingham, which was awarded a Michelin star within seven months of opening. @chefjoshoverington @restaurantmyse

Theo Clench (ex Cycene and Akoko) (was to be held in October but is postponed until 2025) – Theo trained in Brighton before moving to London and working at a host of Michelin-starred restaurants, including development at Clove Club as well as Trinity and Portland, where he held the position of Head Chef. In 2020, Theo took the position of Head Chef at Akoko, Fitzrovia’s West African restaurant, where he learned how to extract optimum flavour from ingredients. In 2022, Clench took up the Head Chef role at Cycene, a restaurant in collaboration with Blue Mountain School in Shoreditch, an interdisciplinary arts hub. Cycene was awarded a Michelin star within five months of opening. Theo left Cycene in 2024 to expand his research and development through consultancy and private chef work before announcing his next project. @cheftheoclench

The evening will begin with snacks in the upstairs drawing room of Stuart’s 26-cover restaurant located in the Georgian townhouse on Royal Terrace, alongside cocktails and champagne from the trolley. Guests will then be invited into the main dining room, where the rest of the menu will be served with four courses from each chef. Each dinner will incorporate signature dishes from Lyla and the guest chefs, alongside dishes celebrating the Scottish larder. 

An optional drinks pairing by Lyla’s award-winning Head Sommelier, Stuart Skea, will accompany the menu, featuring a collection of small-domain wines and sake, celebrating new-age, old-world and a hefty selection of UK-based producers. N25 Caviar will be sponsoring the series alongside Krug Champagne, which will be supporting the collaboration with Theo Clench as part of their Krug x Flower series. 

Opened in October 2023, Lyla is Stuart’s fourth restaurant following Aizle, Noto and Tipo. 

Located on Edinburgh’s Royal Terrace, Lyla is an ode to produce from the Scottish Isles, focusing on ingredients from the coastline and earth, taking over the space previously occupied by the late Paul Kitching’s 21212 restaurant. In 2024, Lyla was recognised as one the Best New Openings 2023 by Condé Nast Traveller in the inaugural edition of the awards, debuted at number 28th on the National Restaurant Awards, has been recognised as one of the most exciting restaurants in the UK by World’s 50 Best and was crowned Restaurant Newcomer at the Food & Travel Awards 2024. 

Address: 3 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh 

www.Lylaedinburgh.co.uk @lylaedinburgh  

Price: Theo Clench & Krug Dinner: £325 for menu including paired wines, plus service and any extras

Hjem:  £165 for the menu 

Behind: £165 for the menu

Sheriff Principal Nigel Ross has made significant recommendations about testing fitness to drive among drivers aged over 70 in a determination of the Fatal Accident Inquiry into the death of three-year-old Xander Irvine.

The driver, 91-year-old Edith Duncan, who has died since the crash, was found to be suffering from cognitive mental impairment. Her age related dementia was undiagnosed at the time of the incident, but if it had been then the Sheriff Principal said she would not have been driving that day as her licence would have been revoked.

The determination has been published in full today, with details of the crash, Ms Duncan’s medical condition and her detachment afterwards, evidencing her mental condition.

Xander and his mother were looking in a shop window on Morningside Road when Ms Duncan drove her car onto the pavement and struck them. He died from multiple injuries at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Young People shortly afterwards.

The Fatal Accident Inquiry is not conducted to apportion blame, but to establish the circumstances of the death of a person and consider any steps which can be taken to prevent other deaths in similar circumstances.

The Sheriff Principal found that: “Had reasonable precautions been taken, prior to the collision, to assess Edith Duncan’s cognitive ability, these would have identified that she required further assessment of her driving ability. That further assessment would have, in turn, led to the conclusion that she was significantly cognitively impaired and unfit to hold a driving licence. The DVLA would have revoked her licence on that basis.”

He also determined that the current self certification of fitness to drive regime was defective.

Following the publication of the determination, Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatalities investigations for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said:  “Xander Irvine’s death was a devastating loss for his family. They have my heartfelt sympathy for all they have suffered.

“I welcome the sheriff’s determination which makes significant recommendations in relation to the fitness-to-drive requirements for drivers over 70 and a change to primary legislation.

“This was an incident that the Lord Advocate carefully considered and was satisfied that the circumstances made a compelling case for a discretionary Fatal Accident Inquiry.

“The procurator fiscal service will continue to keep in contact with the Irvine family and answer any questions they may have about the determination.

“My thoughts remain with the family at this difficult time.”

The full determination can be read here.

Midlothian’s Provost Debbi McCall has said she is ‘absolutely chuffed’ after she was shortlisted for a prestigious national award for her community work.

Councillor McCall, who represents Penicuik ward, is one of five finalists for the Community Champion Award in this year’s Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) national awards.

She is the third Midlothian councillor to be represented at the awards over the last three years with council leader Kelly Parry nominated for an award in 2021 and Councillor Connor McManus winning Young Councillor of the Year in 2022.

Councillor McCall was nominated for Community Champion last year and this year is in the final with the winner announced at a ceremony in Edinburgh next month.

Councillor McCall said: “I am absolutely chuffed to be nominated and particularly proud that Midlothian is represented again in these awards for the third year running.

“As a small council we are definitely punching above our weight in these annual awards but it demonstrates our passion and commitment to our communities and the work we do.

“I didn’t become a local councillor to be provost or go on to bigger things, I did it because I can make a difference as a local councillor and represent our communities.”

Councillor McCall was one of the founding members of Penicuik Ambassadors, a team of volunteers set up during Covid to support vulnerable local residents which continues its work in the town today.

The awards ceremony will be held at the City Chambers in Edinburgh on Thursday, November 14.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

A 26-year-old man has been arrested and charged following an extensive investigation into a series of housebreakings and thefts across the Lothians and Borders.

The incidents took place in Tranent, Prestonpans, Galashiels, Selkirk, Livingston, Gorebridge and Stow, between Friday, 6 September and Thursday, 10 October, 2024.

The man has been charged in connection with a number of offences, including 13 housebreakings, four attempted housebreakings and five vehicle thefts.

He is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday, 22 October, 2024. Further enquiries remain ongoing.

Detective Inspector Debbie Duncan said: “Crimes of this nature have a serious impact on the victims, causing them to question the safety and security of their own homes, and I would like to commend the work of the officers investigating this crime series.

“I would also like to thank the various local communities for their assistance with our enquiries to date and reassure the public that any reports of criminality will be investigated thoroughly by Police Scotland.”

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) have confirmed that the 23rd edition of the Commonwealth Games will take place in Scotland from Thursday, 23 July to Sunday, 2 August 2026, returning to the city 12 years after the hugely successful 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Glasgow 2026 will feature a ten-sport programme concentrated across four venues within an eight-mile corridor, ensuring an action-packed broadcast schedule across each day of competition and making the event accessible and appealing to spectators looking to enjoy the multi-sport environment and festival feel.

Over 500,000 tickets will be made available at a future date and there will be around 3,000 of the best athletes competing from up to 74 Commonwealth nations and territories that represent 2.5 billion people – one-third of the world’s population.

Para sport will once again be fully integrated as a key priority and point of difference for the Games, with six Para sports included on the sport programme.

The sports programme will include Athletics and Para Athletics (Track & Field), Swimming and Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls and Para Bowls, and 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball.

The Games will take place across four venues: Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena – including the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and the Scottish Event Campus (SEC). Athletes and support staff will be housed in hotel accommodation.

The Glasgow 2026 Games will deliver over £100m of inward investment into the city and is projected to support over £150m of economic value added for the region, with a model that has been specially designed to not require public funding for the delivery of the Games.

An additional multi-million-pound investment has also been secured for upgrading public sporting facilities, alongside funding for city activation projects across the city.

The branding for the Glasgow Games has also been released. For the first time in the Games’ history, the logo combines the Commonwealth Sport logo with the overall visual identity of the 2026 Games, emphasising the central role of the Commonwealth Games within the wider Commonwealth Sport Movement.

The Glasgow 2026 logo features Glasgow graphic elements inspired by some of the engineering, architectural and natural elements found at the heart of the city.

The three elements include representations of the River Clyde, the Finnieston Crane, and the Clyde Arc, which are all centrally aligned in the Commonwealth Sport celebration mark in the colours of the waterfront – symbolising the meeting point for sport and culture at the heart of the Games.

Commonwealth Games Federation CEO Katie Sadleir NZOM said: “The Games promise to be a truly immersive festival of sport and celebration of culture and diversity that inspires athletes and sports with a fan experience more accessible than ever before.

‘’With the Commonwealth Games held in such high esteem by athletes, sports and nations across the Commonwealth, we have been working tirelessly with our fellow stakeholders to ensure a high-quality Games will take place in 2026 – securing this vital milestone in the career pathway for thousands of athletes.

‘’The 2026 Games will be a bridge to the Commonwealth Games of tomorrow – an exciting first step in our journey to reset and redefine the Games as a truly collaborative, flexible and sustainable model for the future that minimises costs, reduces the environmental footprint, and enhances social impact – in doing so increasing the scope of countries capable of hosting.

‘’With the reassuring legacy of Glasgow 2014 providing existing sporting, transport and accommodation infrastructure, and world-class venues and expertise, we look forward to working with the Glasgow team to deliver a very special Commonwealth Games in 2026.

‘’Our Movement’s commitment to sport for development and social change remains central to Glasgow 2026 and beyond – with full integration of Para sport a priority the Games will continue to be an inspiring and impactful platform.’’

Commonwealth Games Scotland Chief Executive Jon Doig OBE, said: “When we started pulling this concept together just under a year ago, our focus was on creating a Games that was different – that could be delivered to the highest quality, in the short time frame, in a financially sustainable way.

“Glasgow 2026 will have all the drama, passion and joy that we know the Commonwealth Games delivers even if it is to be lighter and leaner than some previous editions. It will be more accessible, delivered on a smaller footprint which brings our fans closer to the sporting action.

“The Commonwealth Games has a special place in the hearts of athletes around the globe, and we’re really looking forward to welcoming them, their support staff and fans from all four corners of the Commonwealth to experience the famous Scottish and Glasgow hospitality. It is an exciting moment for the city and the country.”

Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney, said: “The Commonwealth Games is a hugely important event for Scottish sport and an exciting opportunity for the people of Scotland.

“As well as an action-packed, inclusive sports programme that will inspire and excite audiences across the globe – Glasgow 2026 will also be a cultural celebration.

“I would like to thank Commonwealth Games Scotland for their hard work and dedication to produce a viable proposal for Glasgow 2026 – and to the Commonwealth Games Federation and Commonwealth Games Australia for their assistance in helping to secure the Games. I believe this epitomises the Commonwealth spirit and willingness to work together.

“While Glasgow 2026 will look quite different to previous Games, we can, and we must, use this as an opportunity to work collaboratively to ensure that this new concept brings a strong and sustainable future for the Games. The Scottish Government is committed to playing its part in building that new vision.”

Scottish Secretary, Edinburgh MP, Ian Murray (pictured), said: “It’s fantastic news that the Commonwealth Games Federation has formally confirmed Glasgow as the host city of the 2026 Commonwealth Games. This is good news for the Commonwealth Games and yet another opportunity for Glasgow and Scotland to demonstrate their ability to put on world class sporting events.

“There will be a great competitive programme across 10 sports, and I for one can’t wait to see our talented Scottish athletes in action in front of a home crowd.“The UK Government has actively supported the proposal to bring the 2026 Games to Glasgow, and is providing up to £2.3 million contingency towards security costs. This is a great example of the UK and Scottish governments working together to deliver for Scotland.”

Scottish Hockey is deeply disappointed after receiving confirmation that hockey will not be one of the sports at Glasgow 2026.

After Victoria, Australia, pulled out of hosting the Games in 2026, finding a solution that could sustain the Commonwealth Games was the priority and, for Scotland to bring the Games back to Glasgow, it was clear there would have to be compromise to the programme to financially deliver the event.

The organisation feels for all the athletes, staff and officials who will miss out and the organisation claimed hockey is a core sport in the Commonwealth Games.

A spokesman said the sport has been included in every Games since its debut at Kuala Lumpur 1998, and they argued that Glasgow’s National Hockey Centre was part of the Games in Glasgow in 2014. The arena has a track record of hosting international events.

Scottish Hockey CEO Derek Keir said: “Hockey enjoys representation from a wide diversity of people, and Commonwealth nations, and Scottish Hockey worked hard to lobby alongside a number of other Commonwealth Nations and the FIH.

“Fundamentally we are so disappointed for our players, officials, and support staff who will miss out on the experience.”

The Commonwealth Games Federation is clear that any decision not to include a sport in the 2026 sports programme does not impact or set a precedent on the sport’s position in future Games.

Keir added: “Scottish Hockey is looking forward to an exciting year in 2025 with international teams participating at the top end of our sport. Our athletes, staff and officials are performing on the biggest stages in international hockey and we look forward to cheering them on as they proudly fly the flag for Scotland.”

PICTURE: Scotland women in action at Glasgow’s National Hockey Centre in a recent international. Picture Nigel Duncan

Rainbows

Our featured image today was taken at the weekend by professional photographer, Arch White, who spotted the rainbow while he was on top of Blackford Hill.

Arch said: “Wind and a rainbow greeted anyone hardy enough to visit Blackford Hill with a temperature of
14 degrees centigrade and wind of 40km/h to 55km/h.”

Success at the Mòd

Join FW(S) Makar Marcas Mac an Tuairneir, for two online events in his Makarations & Makarobatics series this autumn, celebrating poetry and literary translation in the languages of Scotland. As always these events will be live-streamed on the Federation of Writers (Scotland) Newsfeed page on Facebook, shared in the Facebook Group, and made available for catch-up on the Federation website.

FRIENDS OF MIDMAR PADDOCK

The Friends of Midmar Paddock is the group set up in 2018 to campaign to preserve the paddock which borders the Blackford Hill and Hermitage of Braid Local Nature Reserve as unbuilt green space.

The organisation keep in touch with local politicians and the public, the local community council and the landowner.

Friends of Midmar Paddock (FMP) say: “Plans are currently being drawn up for an extensive development at Midmar Paddock, which could include houses and a private care home. 

“An application for planning permission has not yet been made, as far as we are aware, but given the potential scale of the development, it is likely to trigger a requirement to consult with the local community.”

Now the group needs some extra help.
Following the introduction of Local Place Plans (LPPs), the Friends of Midmar Paddock (FMP) are urgently seeking volunteers to help over the next two months with:
        a.    preparing a Power Point presentation for discussion at a public meeting and
        b.    organizing and implementing online and social media consultations on an LPP
 
Why? The sales particulars of Midmar Paddock on the Strutt & Parker website show “Sale Agreed”, so an application for planning permission to build may be imminent. If granted, this would lead to a terrible loss to the community.
 
What?  Introduced by the Planning (Scotland) Act of 2019, LPPs are community-led plans setting out how the local community wishes to see the future use of the land.  FMP consider it vital to have an LPP prepared and submitted exclusively for Midmar Paddock.  As a basis for such a plan, FMP proposes to hold a public consultation involving both social media and at least one public meeting to demonstrate public involvement and support for the Plan.
 
Once completed and then registered by the planning authority, the LPP must be taken into account in the preparation of the next local development plan – City Plan 2040. 
 
When?  We do not know what the buyer may try to build on the Paddock or when an application for planning permission will be made but we must be prepared well in advance. Having an LPP in place will prove very important in the event of a planning application being submitted.
 
Confirming that FMP is urgently seeking volunteers to help over the next two months with: 

1. If you have the skill and time to help with either of these or wish to discuss how else you could help the campaign then get in touch.  All ideas are welcome savemidmarpaddock@gmail.com

Five chapters in White House history

President of The White House Historical Association, Stewart McLaurin, will present a talk – Five Chapters in White House History on 31 October at 6pm for Edinburgh World Heritage at Riddle’s Court, 322 Lawnmarket, EH1 2PG.

The White House Historical Association was founded by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961 to share the history of The White House in Washington D.C.

Stewart has been President for ten years and he has grown the cultural and educational programme with award-winning books, a video series and events to ensure that the history is preserved for future generations.

This talk reviews 232 years of White House history focusing on four key dates etched into the Entrance Hall’s floor – and one more.

Tickets for online and in person attendance here.

EWH’s events this year are sponsored by James Thomson’s The Witchery.

Castle to go dark on Wednesday

On the evening of Wednesday 23 October, Edinburgh Castle will lose mains power

As part of planned repairs, Edinburgh Castle will lose mains power for an estimated two to three hours from 5pm on Wednesday 23 October.

It will be the first time in five years that this dramatic monument in Edinburgh’s skyline has gone dark, as the Castle is usually floodlit. The last time power was shut off to Edinburgh Castle was in 2019, when electrical LV feeder pillars were installed on-site.

This time, the power will be temporarily shut off to allow essential repairs to the high voltage cable trays and brackets. The trays and brackets have corroded, in part due to the increased temperature and humidity experienced in Edinburgh as part of climate change.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay will have satellite events in Portobello Town Hall and at Leith Arches to help people stay local and celebrate New Year’s Day on their home turf. And Edinburgh’s Idlewild will perform on 30 December at the Night Afore Concert.

In Portobello on New Year’s Day, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay keeps the party going with a welcome boost of VITAMIN C at Portobello Town Hall.

The Vitamin C club night hosted by BBC Scotland’s Vic Galloway and Andy Wake (The Phantom Band), will begin 2025 with a night of rock’n’roll, cosmic disco, soul and everything in between, including full band live sets from alt-rock legends The Vaselines, the infectious indie-pop rhythms of Glasgow’s Sacred Paws, and a night of dancefloor classics with DJ sets from Django Django’s Dave Maclean, and Vic Galloway & Andy Wake themselves. 

DJ & Vitamin C host Vic Galloway said: “Andy and I have been spinning the “platters that matter” and hosting our VITAMIN C nights since the start of 2023, but it’s a real thrill for us to put on our biggest night yet in Porty Town Hall as part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. It’s a brilliant venue and promises to be the very best way to start 2025, with alternative legends The Vaselines headlining, joyous support from Sacred Paws, and a party DJ set from Django Django. Shake off the night before, and indeed the year before, with a proper Porty knees-up and some fun, festival vibes by the sea. See you down the front!”

Eugene Kelly, The Vaselines said:“The Vaselines are chuffed and excited to be starting 2025 with a gig as part of the Vitamin C Club at the fantastic Portobello Town Hall. It’ll be our first visit to Portobello and to play in such a beautiful venue which has become beacon for local arts and culture will be a New Year’s Day thrill. See you on the beach!”

A free Family Ceilidh takes place in Portobello Town Hall throughout the afternoon, with Bella McNab’s Dance Band providing the dancing tunes, and a special performance from Edinburgh community Street Band collective Oi Musica! 

Meanwhile in Leith there will be a New Year’s Day Club Night continuing into the wee sma hours with Scottish DJ Hayley Zalassi and an all female line up featuring SWATT Team and Disco T*ts. Glasgow based DJ and Producer, Hayley Zalassi will bring her love of all things House to the Arches, with a euphoric set guaranteed to have music fans dancing their way into 2025, with special guest sets from Edinburgh’s own SWATT Team and local duo Disco Tits. A New Year’s Day to remember at the Arches, for those with a shared love of house and old skool tunes! 

Also on New Year’s Day in the city centre, the return of the First Footin’ culture trail and Sprogmanay will see the very first music gigs of 2025 in a packed programme of free music and events with line-ups to be announced early November. 

Culture and Communities Convener Val Walker said, “Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is once again set to be a spectacular celebration, with events taking place across the city from St. Giles’ Cathedral and Assembly Rooms to Leith Arches and Portobello Town Hall. This diverse programme promises to be an unforgettable experience for residents and visitors alike, featuring live music, ceilidh dancing, and breathtaking views of the midnight fireworks over Edinburgh Castle. I’m excited to see Edinburgh continue to shine as the place to welcome in the New Year.” 

31 December

Texas headline in Princes Street Gardens with Callum Beattie for the Midnight Moment with an expected 45,000 people expected to be in Princes Street at the separate Street Party with a carnival atmosphere, street theatre and lots of food and drink to choose from

New Year’s Eve Revels at Assembly Rooms

‘Maximum Ceilidh Edition’, ensuring partygoers bring in the bells in style on Tuesday 31 December. With more live ceilidh bands than ever before across two dancefloors, guests can birl’ through the bells straight into 2025 with high-energy tunes all night long from Jimi Shandrix Experience, Bella McNab’s Dance Band, Hugh MacDiarmid’s Haircut and Bodhran Bodhran. 

The Bairns New Year Revels at the Assembly Rooms makes sure that little ones don’t miss out on the Hogmanay fun, with an afternoon event of ceilidh dancing and live music for all the family. Expert callers make sure that everyone can learn some moves and join in the fun. 

Plus, for a festive yet tranquil way to begin the New Year, the Candlelit Concert at St. Giles’ Cathedral will once again host a very special evening, as the St. Giles’ Cathedral Choir, directed by Michael Harris, with the St. Giles’ Camerata leader Angus Ramsay, are joined by a stunning array of talented young soloists. This year’s concert on Tuesday 31 December will mark the concluding three cantatas from J.S.Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Bach at his most exuberant in a stunning, atmospheric setting, as the beloved Cathedral celebrates its 900th anniversary. 

30 December The Night Afore

Hot Dub Time Machine will get the party started at the Night Afore in Princes Street Gardens.

Idlewild will headline the Night Afore Concert on 30 December at Assembly Rooms. The indie rock band formed in Edinburgh in 1995 and now after nine albums they have many classic tracks to choose from. Frontman Roddy Woomble will lead the line-up showing their calibre as one of Scotland’s best exports. And keeping some of the surprises under wraps the rest of the line-up will be announced soon.

Idlewild frontman Roddy Woomble said: “We’re excited to be joining the Hogmanay celebrations in the band’s home in Edinburgh and getting the party started early!” 

www.edinburghshogmanay.com 

On Monday national and local government officials joined members of the Armed Forces community for the opening of the Edinburgh Garden of Remembrance by the Rt Hon Lord Provost, Robert Aldridge.

The poignant event marks the start of the 2024 Remembrance period, where a short open-air service was held.

The attendees paid tribute to servicemen and women who gave their lives, as well as remembering the sacrifices of today’s Armed Forces and their families, during the short service led by Reverend Dr Karen Campbell, National Padre of the Royal British Legion Scotland.

The Band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland performed, along with piper Rory Cairns. The Lord Provost and Paul McLennan MSP, representing Scottish Government both laid wreaths along with many others representing a wide range of organisations.

Legion Scotland Events Manager, Brian Ward, said: “Despite a weather warning in place and a few gusts of wind, this was a wonderful occasion which was very well attended by representatives of the Armed Forces and other dignitaries from across our capital city and of course Scotland.

“It was truly lovely to see so many people turn out, as well as the many passers-by who stopped to reflect and pay their respects to our fallen.” 

The event is organised by Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland, and it also marks the start of this year’s Scottish Poppy Appeal, which will run until Remembrance Sunday on 10 November.

The Garden features thousands of poppy crosses and other remembrance symbols with personal dedications from across Scotland. It will remain open until Remembrance Sunday for residents and visitors to pay their own tributes.

The Scottish Poppy Appeal is Scotland’s biggest fundraising appeal, with more than three million poppies already being distributed around the country. All funds raised will go to support Poppyscotland’s work, providing life-changing support and advice to veterans, servicemen and women, and their families.

A collection of sketches by the leading Scottish Colourist painter, John Duncan Fergusson, sold for nearly £12,000 at auction in Edinburgh.

The 11 sketches in conté pencil were created by Fergusson between 1897 and 1921, and kept by the artist in books.

They included a sketch which is believed to show the artist and his muse, the American illustrator Anne Estelle Rice, and a late 19th century portrait of his mother, Christina Fergusson.

Others depicted elegant women in wide-brimmed hats, a man smoking, a couple “promenading” and dancers, sketched around 1907-10 during Fergusson’s time living and painting in Paris.

The studies went under the hammer at Bonhams Edinburgh, where they fetched £11,968.

Leo Webster, picture specialist at Bonhams in Edinburgh, said: “Fergusson always had a sketch book with him. He would often draw cafe scenes and fashionable ladies in their hats.

“In these sketches, made over a period of around 20 years, we can see the artist’s progression from the more traditional techniques in the portrait of his mother Christina around 1897 to his later sketches after he had settled in France and channelled the modern influences that were around him.”

J.D. Fergusson was born in Edinburgh in 1874, the eldest of four children in a family of successful wine merchants originally. He spent long periods living and working in Paris, perfecting his craft and developing his own modern style.

Fergusson met Anne Estelle Rice in Paris in 1907, two years after she was posted to the city to illustrate the latest chic Parisian fashions for a magazine.

Fergusson, who died in 1961, left the sketches to his long term partner, the dancer and choreographer Margaret Morris, and they later formed part of a private collection.

Former Waterstones Children’s Laureate (2022-2024) and winner of the The Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing, Joseph Coelho OBE, will this week appear at his first event in Edinburgh since making the big move from Kent to Musselburgh last month. 

Joseph will appear alongside acclaimed illustrator Kate Milner at Waterstones West End, Princes St, on Wednesday 23rd October at 6pm to chat about their playful and moving tale of self-discovery, Carnegie Medal-winning The Boy Lost in the Maze.  

Joseph and Kate will be in-conversation with the brilliant Vivian French.  
 
In his verse novel, Joseph Coelho brilliantly blends Greek myth with a 21^st-century quest.  

In Ancient Greece Theseus makes a dangerous and courageous journey to find his father, finally meeting the Minotaur in the Labyrinth.  

While Theo, a modern-day teenage boy, finds himself on a maze-like quest to find his own father.  

Each story tells of a boy becoming a man and discovering what true manhood really means. 

The path to self-discovery takes Theo through ‘those thin spaces where myth, magic and reality combine’. Doubts, difficulties and dangers must be faced as Theo discovers the man he will become.  

This event will be followed by a Q&A and a signing and is sure to be a great night so grab your tickets now (tickets from £5 available here or by calling 0131 226 2666). 

Locals in one of Edinburgh’s smallest communities have banded together to fight against a neighbouring quarry’s plan to nearly double in size, a move they say will bring ‘earthquake-like’ blasts closer to their homes.

A proposed south-westerly extension of Bonnington Mains Quarry would move drilling and blasting towards Bonnington Village, located just half a kilometre away.

The expansion into “prized” agricultural could bring the quarry “within 200 metres” of houses, which residents say are already left shaking from the nearby construction aggregate mining operations near Ratho.

Quarry owners Breedon are yet to submit full plans, but a pre-application notice lodged with Edinburgh Council last year has raised eyebrows in the community, prompting the formation of the ‘Stop the Quarry’ group.

It’s founder, Valerie Thrush-Denning, said: “We’re going to get the vibrations, get the shakes, is this going to actually damage the houses down here? That’s a real concern, because we sit on the same rock.

“There’s also the noise, the dust. Surely they should not be working so close in such proximity to residents, to houses, to where people live.”

Bonnington Mains Quarry opened in the early 1990s and has produced millions of tonnes of construction aggregates since. It closed in 2011 and re-opened again in 2018.

“You can’t say ‘well you shouldn’t live near a quarry,” Valerie said.

“The quarry has come to us. We’ve not moved in and are then complaining; the houses have been around 200 years or something.”

Bonnington Village resident Jackie Wright has joined the group’s efforts to oppose the expansion, after her decision to retire led her to realise the full extent of the disturbances blasts can cause.

“If I was at work I wouldn’t know any of this and there’s a lot of people in the village that don’t because they’re not here,” she said.

“We’ve always experienced the blasts but it certainly has got a lot worse as the months have gone on.

“You just don’t know if the ceiling is going to come down, because you’re in the situation whereby your solid home is shaking.

“We’ve got very very thick wallpaper on our walls, so I don’t know what cracking is going on behind that. But the whole house vibrates, it’s like an earthquake.

“We’re all so affected by it and we don’t know it’s coming.

“I’m not exaggerating, this is pretty scary stuff. And the worry is that if they get permissions there will be more blasting. If they get the go ahead then the sky’s the limit. Roughly once a month is bad enough.”

Earlier this year Breedon asked the council to scrap a rule requiring levels of air overpressure – shockwaves that travels through the air when explosives are detonated – to be kept below 120 decibels when measured at nearby properties.

They argued the condition was “unenforceable and unreasonable” due to difficulties obtaining accurate measurements. However councillors did not grant their request after community councillors and members of Stop the Quarry highlighted the impact on local residents from blasts which they said already exceeded the limit on most occasions. This has since been appealed to the Scottish Reporter.

Valerie was “delighted” at councillors’ decision, which went against planning officers’ recommendation to approve, and came after “a lot of time and money” invested by the campaign.

However the group now faces an uphill battle against Breedon’s expansion plans. Among their biggest challenges will be sifting thorough thousands of documents – something local civil engineer and Stop the Quarry member Paul Fisher became familiar with while digging into the application to remove blast limits.

He said: “Looking at it and reading just synopses of some of those documents including an environmental impact assessment, has led me to believe that I don’t have a lot of trust in what they’re saying. 

“There was some very misleading statements being made, claims being made that really couldn’t be justified and in the wider context of quarrying across the world didn’t really stand up to scrutiny. I just thought I needed to get involved and help local people to raise our voices as a community.

“I’ve noticed heavy lorry traffic volumes going up and it can only increase should the quarry get the go ahead. It’s dangerous.

“That’s just one aspect, and yet the environmental impact assessment which Breedon submitted says that traffic isn’t an issue. And they have chosen to say the effects are going to be minimal. I just think that is wrong. I only need to find one thing like that that makes we think I’ve not got a lot of confidence in what they are saying.”

Paul added the “end point of all of this” would be local people “frightened in their own homes”.

Valeries husband Ray, said: “If they get the permission that they are seeking, or will be seeking if they eventually put in the application, we’ll be talking about a field which at the moment is under agriculture and they’re starting at the top and going down, and the whole pattern of work for a period of work is going to be totally different from what we’ve been experiencing.

“It’ll be closer but also different because they’re going to have to start in one place to start the quarry and open it up.

“This field is classified as countryside and within the City Plan wording is designated as the equivalent of greenbelt. And within the greenbelt you can’t do anything.”

Valerie highlighted the field earmarked for the quarry expansion was also “prime agricultural land, countryside which is not supposed to be touched”.

She said: “The farmer was saying that particular stretch of land, that field has been in the Guiness Book of Records several times for high yield.

“He’s absolutely beside himself they are going to quarry it.

Paul added: “It would be a huge loss of prized agricultural land.”

Breedon was contacted for comment.

By Donald Turvill Local Democracy Reporter

Nearly 500 objections to a £54million flood protection scheme have been lodged with East Lothian Council.

The Musselburgh Flood Protection Scheme (MFPS) was formally notified in March this year after councillors rejected calls for it to be paused amid concern it would lose Scottish Government funding.

Now a report to councillors has revealed 470 ‘valid’ objections were recorded, but it said a further 357 responses were ruled invalid with 55 of them rejected because they did not give their address.

Around 140 responses were dismissed because they were duplicates of one already received while other reasons given for not accepting them ranged from late submission to not containing an objection and not being made in writing.

The Musselburgh Flood Protection Scheme (MFPS) has sparked controversy in the town after costs soared from the original £8.9m in 2016 to a current estimate of £53.9million.

In January councillors approved the outline design for the scheme which they were told needed to be submitted to Scottish Government by the end of March to qualify for 80 per cent funding in a current cycle of grants.

Opponents of the MFPS, which includes the introduction of high walls through the town centre, wanted it paused claiming not enough work has been carried out to find ‘natural solutions’ instead of walls. They claimed less than a tenth of the outline design for the scheme uses natural options.

The Musselburgh project aims to protect the town from flooding from the coast and the River Esk which runs through its centre. Current plans include 4.7km of flood walls with 1.7km made up of “flood embankments and hybrid structures”.

The report on responses after its submission breaks down the areas where the objectors live revealing 372 lived in the EH21 postcode but 66 did not live in East Lothian with two not evening living in Scotland.

It says: “Musselburgh has a population of circa 21,700 as defined in the 2022
census and the percentage of relevant objectors to this population equates
to less than 2 per cent.”

The council has written to ‘relevant objectors’ offering to meet them to discuss their concerns in an attempt to try and persuade them to withdrawn objections.

If despite remaining objections councillors decide to push ahead with the scheme their decision will be sent to Scottish Ministers who will advise them on the next step which could involve holding a public local inquiry or a local hearing.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

A record number of almost two million international tourists flocked to Scotland in the first six months of this year, spending around £1.5 billion.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics for the International Passenger Survey (IPS) show Scotland continued to outperform other parts of the UK.

They show there were a total of 1,975,000 visits to Scotland, representing a 14% increase on the same period last year and an increase of 46% compared with 2019.

Between January and June, international visitors spent almost £1.5 billion – up 2% on last year and 30% on 2019, in real terms, when adjusted for inflation.

European visitors were responsible for just over half of all trips, followed by North American visitors who continued to show the largest growth in visits, up 54% on 2023 figures.

Vicki Miller, CEO of VisitScotland, said: “These figures show that Scotland continues to be a destination of choice for international visitors in 2024 and is still outperforming other parts of the UK.

“They are a testament to the strength of Scotland’s offering with visits and spend up on 2019 and 2023, which was a record-breaking year for international visitors.

“These visitors, who stay longer and spend more, are crucial to our industry and the visitor economy, supporting businesses and communities across the country.

“Scotland’s strong international recovery has been a result of the work carried out by VisitScotland, industry and partners to drive demand over the last few years.

“We must continue building on this across our key markets, inspiring both domestic and international visitors through the channels we know they use to drive the visitor economy, growing its value to Scotland.”

The figures show that between April and June alone there were over 1,358,000 international visitors, with a record spend of £1.2 billion.

According to VisitScotland’s 2023 visitor survey, more than 80% of international visitors said they were likely to recommend Scotland as a destination to friends and family, making this the top source of inspiration for visitors.

Over two thirds of European and nearly half of long-haul visitors said they were likely to return to Scotland in the next five years.

And more than 70% of international visitors revealed they stayed in two or more places during their trip.

The top drivers for taking a holiday in Scotland were landscapes and scenery, history and culture, outdoor activities, Scotland’s people and ancestral ties.

A recent VisitScotland survey also found that 89% of international and domestic visitors agreed their trip in Scotland “enhanced their physical and emotional wellbeing”.

Summerhall Management Ltd continues to defend itself against action by HMRC.

Director, Robert McDowell, said: “Summerhall Management is continuing to defend the petition to wind up the company that was recently served upon it.

“After papers were physically served on 4th October, our lawyers have now submitted answers to this petition confirming our intention to defend it – we have now been proffered a First Court Date of Monday 21st October 2024.

“To give some context and transparency, HMRC are pursuing Summerhall Management for over half a million pounds in corporation tax from many years ago, (for 2016, 2017, & 2018) claiming that we have made £1.5m undeclared profits in those 3 years, which our tax advisors and I believe is incorrect. According to our annual accounts since 2012 and verified by our independent accountants, Summerhall Management Ltd has in fact made a loss annually.

“The decision has been taken, under advisement, to continue to trade as far as possible within the prescribed restrictions imposed upon us. Our hope in continuing to trade is to protect the future of Summerhall, its staff, and its clients, following this action.

“These restrictions have been extremely challenging, especially without access to our bank accounts. We cannot pay out box office income, make essential stock purchases, pay suppliers, refund customers or pay our staff payroll.

“Our events calendar has also been severely impacted. Some events have been moved to alternative venues or cancelled, whilst events requiring no financial outlay can go ahead.

“We continue to work with our professional advisors and HMRC to defend our belief that no Corporation Tax is due, and hope that a resolution can be achieved which will allow us to deal with this and move on quickly.”

The buildings at Summerhall are owned by a family trust which put them on the market for sale with Cuthbert White, with a closing date on 18 September. Since then it has emerged that developers, AMA, may have been chosen as the preferred bidder. Read more here.

The Management company is the one which runs the business side – and if HMRC have frozen their bank accounts then it is difficult for the company to trade. There is a third entity the charity Summerhall Arts which is NOT involved in the running of the business which Robert McDowell has built up here since buying the former Dick Vet building. Summerhall Arts is a charity established earlier this year which has totally separate governance and finances from Summerhall Management.

A government watchdog has warned that Scotland’s prisons are vulnerable to cyber attacks by criminal hackers due to poor online security.

Scotland’s Auditor General has told the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) that a cyber attack could “significantly impact” both its finances and operation.

The public sector spending watchdog says SPS needs to be better prepared should “an attack or disaster occur” amid continuing “significant risks of cyber attacks to public bodies”.

The SPS’s 2022/23 Annual Audit Report said the risk made it “even more important” that the SPS ensures it has “appropriate policies and procedures in place”.

It warned SPS risked not being sufficiently protected against “common online threats” and also advised they should “ensure they have appropriate independent cyber accreditation”.

It recommends: “With the ever growing cyber risks faced, SPS should ensure that it is meeting the minimum requirements set out in the Public Sector Cyber Resilience Framework (PSCRF).”

The warning comes despite the SPS having already fallen victim to international hackers who targeted its website in January 2021.

Online criminals claiming to be linked to Morocco knocked the webpage offline for around an hour after they replaced normal content with a message saying “hacked by Morocco Hack Team”.

Prison chiefs launched an urgent investigation after the attack was detected at around 11am and the website was restored an hour later.

It has also emerged the SPS was rejected for two government-backed cyber security schemes — Cyber Essentials, an industry scheme helping organisations protect themselves against common online threats and for Public Services Network (PSN) accreditation.

According to the auditor’s report, PSN compliance is a way to report security arrangements and is “how a public body demonstrates that their organisation’s security arrangements, policies and controls are sufficiently rigorous for the Cabinet Office to allow the public sector body to interact with the PSN and those connected to it”.

The report says: “Cyber Essentials is a government-backed, industry-supported scheme that helps organisations protect themselves against common online threats. The base certification is a self-assessment that ensures protection against a variety of the most common cyber-attacks.

“Cyber Essentials is also a requirement under the Public Sector Cyber Resilience Framework (PSCRF). SPS were unsuccessful in their application for Cyber Essentials accreditation.”

The report adds: “SPS has also been rejected for Public Services Network (PSN) accreditation. PSN compliance is a way to report security arrangements.

“It is how a public body demonstrates that their organisation’s security arrangements, policies and controls are sufficiently rigorous for the Cabinet Office to allow the public sector body to interact with the PSN and those connected to it.

“With the ever growing cyber risks faced, SPS should ensure that it is meeting the minimum requirements set out in the Public Sector Cyber Resilience Framework (PSCRF).”

A spokeswoman for the SPS said: “SPS is currently taking steps to gain accreditation of Cyber Essentials, as we are with meeting the minimum requirements of the Public Sector Cyber Resilience Framework.”

The leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, Cllr Cammy Day has been shortlisted for the Churches, Charities and Local Authorities (CCLA) Investment Management Limited annual councillor awards.

Cllr Debbi McCAll of Midlothian Council has also made the shortlist for the Community Champion award, and Cllr Norman Work has been nominated for the Lifetime Legend award.

Two of the younger councillors Ben Parker and Finlay McFarlane are also nominated. Cllr Parker is named in the Young Councillor of the Year category and Cllr McFarlane is on the shortlist for the Innovator of the Year award.

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) Scotland said: “The judging panel was blown away by the number of extremely high quality nominations this year, with councillors up and down the country going the extra mile for residents.  

“The shortlist for the 2024 Cllr Awards represents some of the most devoted elected representatives in Scotland. With councils working under enormous pressure, these Awards are a hugely important way to champion what councillors achieve for the places we live.

“Congratulations to all the councillors nominated and shortlisted and I look forward to announcing the winners in November.”

CCLA is a leading specialist fund manager for local authorities and charities. When they began sponsoring the Cllr Awards they had 22 local authority accounts. Today, they have over 700 and this number is growing every month. They are owned by their clients – their mission is to serve the whole sector, regardless of size.

The winners of the awards will be announced on 14 November.

An LNER Azuma train has been named in honour of those who serve in the armed forces, and those who have served in the past.

The train, an 800111 unit, will run up and down the East Coast Main Line reminding everyone who sees it of those who lost their lives.

Former Royal Navy Petty Officer, Helen Firth, and Royal Air Force Senior Aircraftman, Will Warwick, officially launched the special named train at London King’s Cross ahead of its journey to Aberdeen. 

They are pictured alongside LNER’s special liveried InterCity 225 “For the Fallen” (Class 91 No. 91111) which is dedicated to those who lost their lives during World War One, “Thank You” was welcomed into service by former military personnel who now work for LNER.

James Downey, Director of Business Services, and Executive sponsor of LNER’s veterans’ community, said: “As a signatory of the Armed Forces covenant, we feel it is incredibly important to show our debt of gratitude to those who have served and continue to do so. We are proud that Azuma 800111 will carry our message of thanks. We hope this special livery acts as a moving reminder to all who see “Thank You” on our route.” 

People in a West Lothian town have vowed to stand up to plans to build homes on a memorial field where dozens of old soldiers had their ashes scattered. 

The Scottish Government backed plans to develop the hillside site which was once home to Bathgate’s war memorial – despite widespread objections including from the community council. 

And Labour Councillor Harry Cartmill, who led the opposition to the plan to desecrate what is considered as a hill of heroes, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I stand with my constituents as we fight this outrage tooth and nail – we won’t give up without our voices being listened to – this is not North Korea!”. 

Until 1995, the land off Napier Avenue was home to Bathgate’s 1925 built war memorial.  Beech trees were planted on the site at the time and many who had served in the First and Second World Wars had their ashes scattered around the trees.  

The memorial also commemorates those lost in the Korean war in the early 1950s. 

The original memorial site was built to include six semi-detached cottages – Veterans’ Cottages – for badly disabled veterans and their wives and families.  

TM Land Purchases won their appeal earlier this year and this week the Council’s Development Management committee will be given official notification that the firm has planning permission in principle to build homes on the site. 

Quite apart from the emotional upset caused by the plan being granted permission, neighbours of the site have long argued that the steep hills, narrow streets and access points make it impractical and dangerous to build more homes on the site.  

There are fears that up to fifty homes could be crammed onto the hill. 

Following two public meetings in the town the community council now has a twin track strategy. 

It aims to establish once and for all that the land was gifted to the town as Common Good and should never have been sold by West Lothian Council. 

It will also reinvestigate an earlier rejection of development on the site by the Scottish Government because of the unsuitability of access. 

Councillor Cartmill said that a recent meeting in the town   had been “filled with anger” at the plans. 

The latest meeting Councillor Cartmill said was to: “to focus on what could be done to fight the Scottish Government Reporter’s dreadful snub to democracy and his gross disregard to the memory of the greatest generation and to the natural environment of this site – all now sanctioned by Scottish Government Ministers.” 

The community council is now combing parish records to establish proof that the land was gifted to the town in the 1920s as the site of the war memorial. 

 A Freedom of Information request has also been sent to West Lothian Council requesting details of an initial plan to build on the site which was rejected by a Reporter of the Scottish Government’s Division of Environmental and Planning Appeals (DPEA). 

Councillor Cartmill said that the first DPEA decision had branded the site as unsuitable for housing. 

The town’s war memorial was moved down into town to a new site next to St John’s Church in May 1995 as part of the BBC’s Challenge Anneka programme after it was realised that the steep hillside, and narrow roads were making it increasingly difficult for visitors to access the site. 

The same logic should now be applied to the housing plans, say objectors. 

 Councillor Cartmill said there was anger in town that the council rushed to secure a Section 75 agreement with developers, a guarantee that money will flow into council coffers for each home built on the site.  

“The feeling was it was underhand and again grossly undemocratic – another FOI will be sent to the council for all details” , he said. 

The initial TM Land Purchases plan was refused by the council in January before that decision was overturned a few months later by a DPEA Reporter. 

The councillor added: “We were all angered that West Lothian Council’s Highways Engineer who attended the Development Management Meeting admitted ( as per the minute of the meeting) that he hadn’t even personally visited the site – the Reporter used his flawed judgement to somehow say the entrance / exit was suitable, which it’s clear to all who take time to visit, is grossly inadequate in width and crucially location.” 

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

Hibs produced a valiant performance against League leaders Rangers at Meadowbank on Sunday and looked to be heading for a memorable victory before the Glasgow side scored an equaliser in added time. 

Eilidh Adams dispatched from the penalty spot in the first half, before she had a second spot kick denied by Rangers ‘keeper Jenna Fife in the second 45. 

Rangers substitute Rio Hardy came on and snatched a point for the away side deep into stoppage-time, denying Hibs the win.  

“I am delighted with the performance,” said Scott despite the late agony. “I’m really proud of the group. All week we have worked really well to produce that level of performance today. 

“But I’m a little bit disappointed. It was a disappointing time to lose the equalising goal and I felt that the reward of having a victory today would have been better for the players considering what they put into the game. That’s not to say that we deserved to win, I actually think we did without being disrespectful. 

“We were playing against a top side and you have got to stay concentrated for the full 90 minutes. There’s a tinge of disappointment there because I thought the players deserved that one today.” 

Scott took the time to compliment every player in the squad – including those who did not feature in the game – for their efforts across the past week and ensuring past frustrating performances were not replicated once more. 

“We had a great game plan today. I have criticised the players before for us having a plan and them not executing it properly. But today, we got every move and every action spot on. 

“Rangers were good first half, they carved us open a couple of times and looked quite threatening. But, bar the shots off the woodwork, I thought we managed most of it pretty well. 

“Credit to every player in the group. There were a couple of players who didn’t get on today as well that have played their part all week to help us get that disciplined performance today. 

“We’ve managed the whole squad this week. 

“We have players unavailable due to illness and players on the bench who probably should not be there because they aren’t well, so credit to them for being honest and answering honestly when I’ve asked how they are – because everyone wants to play. 

“We’re raring to go and that’s the level of performance we can produce when we are all on the same page.” 

Skipper Rachael Boyle added: “Overall, the performance was exceptional from the girls. From back to front, the girls on the bench, everyone played their part today. 

“It feels like a defeat given they scored so late on. But you get punished at this level if you don’t switch on. 

“There were a lot of positives to take. We had a game plan coming into the game. You can see from the performance of the girls that we stuck to it. To a man, we were excellent. 

“The conditions were not great. It was not the type of the game that you can get the ball down and play. But from a battling perspective, I think we have certainly shown our qualities.” 

The international break gives the side a rest from competitive football for a fortnight, before the Hibees return to face Aberdeen at Balmoral Stadium in two weekends time. 

With a handful of our players heading off to join up with the Scotland Under-23s squad for a friendly double-header, Boyle insists the remainder of the group will be preparing with intensity for the Dons clash. 

“It’s going to be a bit mismatch with a few players going off to national team camps, so we will have them away and then regroup when they are back. 

“But certainly the ones that are based at HTC will be working hard and we will be ready to go again.” 

The details of the first of the Castle Concerts next year have been announced today. The most streamed classical artist of all time, Ludovico Einaudi, will play on the castle esplanade on 10 July.

The pianist will come to Edinburgh following a five night stint at the Royal Albert Hall which has already sold out.

Einaudi has quietly become one of the most successful musicians in the world. His hauntingly beautiful and evocative music regularly tops the classical charts worldwide and he has performed to huge crowds at the world’s most prestigious venues.

John Stout, Castle Concerts said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have Ludovico Einaudi, one of the world’s most popular classical artists, as part of the series at Edinburgh Castle next year. It will be incredibly special for the audience to experience his meditative, atmospheric music in such a breathtaking setting and will, without doubt, be one of the cultural highlights of Scotland’s summer.” 

Audrey Jones, Historic Environment Scotland (Edinburgh Castle): ‘We are delighted to welcome the iconic Ludovico Einaudi to the iconic Edinburgh Castle and look forward to a wonderful evening of music’.Ludovico said: “I am thrilled to be returning to the UK next summer and visiting Edinburgh again. I have been to Edinburgh many times and it is close to my heart – connecting with the audience is when my work comes alive, and I can’t wait to celebrate my music with friends in July.”

The Summer Portraits will be officially released on 31 January 2025, with the lead single ‘Rose Bay’ out now. Described as a song cycle, The Summer Portraits will have 13 tracks, including ‘Maria Callas’, a track inspired by the opera singer, with other tracks ‘Pathos’, ‘To Be Sun’, and ‘Sequence’ featuring Théotime Langlois de Swarte, the French violinist.

Tickets go on sale on Friday 24 October at 10am via myticket.co.uk and Ticketmaster.

https://myticket.co.uk/artists/ludovico-einaudi

Hibs striker Dwight Gayle admitted that Saturday’s defeat to Dundee United left the players frustrated. 

The experienced forward scored his first goal for the club since signing when he headed home at the back post from a perfectly placed Jordan Obita cross. 

At that time there was 18-minutes remaining and the large Hibs support at Tannadice were convinced that it would be enough to secure the victory. 

However Joe Newell’s second yellow card in the 84^th minute was followed by two United goals in time added on. 

“Of course it’s nice to get on the scoresheet but the result is not what we wanted,” Gayle said to Hibs TV post-match. “It’s all about the three points and the team result.”  

“Obviously it’s not ideal to concede two late goals at the time we did. After we scored they put us under a lot of pressure and a lot of balls into the box and we weren’t able to deal with it at the end. 

“A frustrating result really. All the boys are so frustrated, and we need to take a look at ourselves. 

“It’s an especially tough one to take given some of the results we’ve had.”