There will be a royal event on Saturday to mark a quarter century of The Scottish Parliament.

The First Minister, John Swinney, will join their Majesties The King and Queen at a ceremonial event at Holyrood to mark 25 years of devolution.

Since being reconvened in 1999, the Scottish Parliament has introduced equal marriage for all, passed major land reforms to ensure people have the right to roam, banned smoking in public spaces, abolished student fees, and enshrined children’s rights.

First Minister John Swinney will say: “In such a short space of time in the rich voyage of Scotland, as a vessel of enlightenment, invention and creativity, this Parliament has placed itself at the very heart of the Nation. All made possible by the service of Members of Parliament, working at the very heart of Scotland.”
First Minister John Swinney will say: “In such a short space of time in the rich voyage of Scotland, as a vessel of enlightenment, invention and creativity, this Parliament has placed itself at the very heart of the Nation. All made possible by the service of Members of Parliament, working at the very heart of Scotland.”

Karma Lake of Menteith has won the title of central Scotland’s Hotel Restaurant of the Year in the recent Creative Oceanic Food Awards Scotland.

It is the latest in a string of awards for the sixteen bedroom hotel, acquired by the worldwide Karma Group in 2021, and which enjoys an idyllic location on the shores of the Lake of Menteith.

Celebrating and rewarding the very best in the Scottish Food industry, from artisan producers supplying top class ingredients, to chefs preparing delicious dishes in professional kitchens up and down the land, to those serving in hotels, restaurants, cafes and other venues, the Scottish Food Awards are now in their 10th year.

Under the guidance of local Head Chef, Joe Peden, who lived in the small Trossachs Village of Brig O’Turk from the age of ten, and previously worked for Karma Lake of Menteith in 2013 when the hotel was under its previous ownership, the food offering from the Hotel’s Lakeside Restaurant has gone from strength to strength, backed up by fantastic service from the Hotel’s front of house team.

Joe’s passion for his craft has seen him enjoy a varied career as a chef all over the country, but, as he explains, his love affair with food truly began at Karma Lake of Menteith where he worked his way up through the ranks for five years, leaving briefly to open up and lead the kitchen of the multi-million pound restaurant and music venue at St Luke’s in Glasgow.

Originally born in Brighton, Joe started working in the many local restaurants around the Trossachs area. His mum ran a successful farmers market home bakery for almost twenty years, whilst three of his siblings work in restaurants as either chefs or front of house management.

“Food, and the hospitality sector, is in my blood you could say,” said Joe. “We are all delighted to win this latest award, it’s very much a team one, not just for me, as everyone contributes to the current success we are enjoying as a stand alone dining destination.”

“We’re a handy port of call, so to speak, if you want to go out on the boat to Inchmahome Island, in the middle of the Lake, and visit the old priory which was once inhabited by Mary Queen of Scots.”

“You can enjoy a delicious meal in our Lakeside Restaurant before or after the  experience.”

Joe explained that he was busy planning a new Autumn Menu which he was confident both regular and new guests would enjoy.

“It’s a busy time, as after the Autumn push it’s onto the festive season,” he said. “A lot will be going on, as we have our “12 Days of Karma Christmas”, which offers fun dining and entertainment events, open to everyone, right across the twelve days.”

Joe also paid tribute to his suppliers, who, as he says “enable me to put the very best of Scotland, from land and sea, onto a plate.”

“We try to source local whenever we can, working with a range of artisan suppliers, such as butchers, Skinners of Kippen, and Old Leckie Farm Eggs, to come up with delicious and authentic dishes.”

Others esteemed suppliers, chosen by Karma Lake of Menteith to reflect a real level of excellence in food provenance, include Great Glen Venison, together with popular dairy range, Katy Rodgers.

General Manager of Karma Lake of Menteith, Adrian Willmers, said: “It’s always fantastic to be recognised in awards like this, especially ones that are voted for by our customers, as their opinions are the ones that matter most to us. We’re constantly striving to give them a fantastic Karma experience when they come here. Joe is an extremely talented chef that will go onto win many more awards. If you haven’t eaten with us yet, we would very much encourage you to do so as you’re in for a real treat.”

https://karmagroup.com/find-destination/karma-resorts/karma-lake-of-menteith/

The latest Edinburgh leg of “Business Fives”, a corporate charity football event, proved a spectacular success with £8,926 raised for various local and national good causes and came after organisers announced they had now passed the £1 million mark in overall donations.

In the latest instalment Steedman & Co. were top fundraisers, raising £2,040 for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland.

They beat totals of £1,510 and £1,840 for Dales Marine Services and Multrees Investor Services who were fundraising for Andys Man Club and the Rock Trust respectively.

In the Champions League section the Incentive Games team regained their Edinburgh Summer title and a £350 donation, which is being put towards a GoFundMe campaign for a Molli suit for their colleague’s son.

A Molli suit is a jacket and trousers that uses electrical stimulation to help people with movement disorders and other disabilities.

Incentive Games’ victory came after a 1-0 final victory against Multrees Investor Services.

 Both teams, alongside semi-finalists Dales Marine Services and Dickson Minto,  qualified for the national final on Friday, 18 October in Glasgow.

Europa League winners, Principal & Prosper, not only claimed victory but also earned a £150 donation for Held in our Hearts, adding to the £650 they had already raised overcoming Blue Float Energy Nadara Partnership who made an impressive debut.

Principal & Prosper also secured a spot at the national final as Johnston Carmichael rounded out the qualifying teams by winning the ECL, adding £100 to their total of £160 for Alzheimer Scotland after overcoming Turner & Townsend in the final.

 Jamie MacLennan (Johnston Carmichael) was the tournament’s top goal-scorer, while Craig Rutherford (Incentive Games) claimed both the Golden Glove and Player of the Match awards for his standout performance in the final.

Kira Sutter from Edinburgh Trams earned the Ladies Player of the Tournament award for her “fantastic” play helping the team to the Quarter finals.

A special shoutout to ex-pro Marvin Bartley, who added an extra layer of excitement to the day by sharing stories from his career and presenting the awards.

On breaking the £1 million barrier in charitable donations John McClarey, founder and Managing Director, said: “When I set up Business Fives we made a company commitment to donate 10 per cent of our revenue to charity, and I’m really proud to still honour to that commitment.”

Initially a one-person operation, the company now employs a strong team travelling the country delivering innovative sports events annually through a unique business model. 

With most major cities in the UK serviced by the football, golf, touch rugby and esports events, the company now delivers around 100 events a year culminating in National Finals in Ireland, Scotland and England with further events in Wales and Holland.

The football events have involved 4,896 teams engaging in 14,133 matches scoring an astounding 68,492 goals. Each event has contributed to the remarkable £1,000,000 milestone, highlighting the synergy between business sports and charitable giving.

The feedback from supported charities has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the significant impact of the funds raised. The biggest event had 46 companies involved, and the most recent National Final was the highest fundraising event delivered by Business Fives with delivered with £27,844 distributed to various causes on the day.  

Other memorable milestones have included the first National Final at Lesser Hampden back in 2016 won by Doosan Babcock, an amazing golfing season finale in St Andrews, and reaching the £100,000 mark raised for charity in 2019.

John McClarey added: “It was just over a year ago we surpassed the £500k milestone in May 2023 and to now have reached £1 million is something myself and the team are hugely proud of.  Our clients continue to go above and beyond with new and innovative fundraising ideas and our clients have demonstrated their commitment to making a difference in their communities.

“Our future goals are being re-evaluated and we truly hope to one day reach the £10 million milestone. We have global ambitions to expand the reach and impact of our brand beyond the borders of the UK and have already started to do this in Ireland, Amsterdam, and further into Europe.”

This October, New York-inspired cocktail bar Manahatta is set to bring a taste of the Big Apple to Edinburgh. The bar on Rose Street will make its Scottish debut, offering guests the New York vibe right in the heart of the city.

Jaakko Eino Kalevi will embark on a UK solo tour which includes a show at Edinburgh’s Cabaret Voltaire on Friday 25 October.

Last November he released his wildest album yet, Chaos Magic.  

The album features a number of exciting collaborations including the French actress and singer Alma Jodorowsky – granddaughter of filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky – on “Palace In My Head” and “L’Horizon”, who happened to be in Athens when Jaakko was recording the record.

Other collaborations include Jimi Tenor, Faux Real, Yu-Ching Huang and John Moods, as well as artwork by Flaminia Veronesi and illustrations by Vilunki 3000.

Before his music career took off Jaakko used to work as a tram driver in Helsinki, Finland and his self-titled 2015 album was shortlisted for the sixth Nordic Music Prize.

Tickets here.

On 17 October 2024 at 7pm at St Cecilia’s Hall: Concert Room & Music Museum everyone is invited to remember the legendary poet, Robert Fergusson.

This event will be a night filled with poetry readings, musical performances, and discussions about Fergusson’s impact on Scottish literature.

Join special guests, Scottish writer and broadcaster Billy Kay, authors Andrew O’Hagan and James Robertson and musician Kirsteen McCue with Professor Rhona Brown to celebrate Robert Fergusson on the 250th anniversary of his death.

Click here for the Eventbrite page to book tickets.

Irvine Welsh has turned a conversation he overheard on a bus in Edinburgh into an electro-pop dance track.

The Trainspotting author, 65, said “How no” was based on a loud exchange between two females on the top deck of a number eight Lothian Bus, which runs between West Granton and the city’s Royal Infirmary.

He worked with Italian electronic duo Stereocalypse on the 4 min 24 sec track which has been released on Milan-based dance and electronics label, Stolen Goods Records.

Welsh, who provides the vocals, revealed his involvement when he was asked his favourite song during a book event.

He said: “My favourite song? I have to say I’ve actually got a song out now, a single that I did with these friends from Venice, who are Italian disco producers, so I’ve got a song called ‘How No’.

“It’s basically just two lassies on the number eight bus in Edinburgh, talking.

“I just heard these two mental lassies kind of shouting at each other on the number 8 bus so I just did their conversation verbatim basically.

“I would have taped them if I could have but I didn’t (have a tape recorder) so I had to imitate them and I made it into a disco single. So that’s my favourite song right now.”

Welsh has previously told how he originally wanted to be a musician before he became an author. He played in bedroom bands — “the band below garage bands because nobody had a garage” — but recordings he sent to record companies went unanswered.

He collaborated with Primal Scream in 1997 on a track called “The Big Man and the Scream Team Meet the Barmy Army Uptown”.

And in 2022 he even co-founded his own record label, Jack Said What, based in Brighton.

He met Stereocalypse after their manager played him their version of Small Town Boy by Bronski Beat and asked if he would like to do something with him.

The lyrics to “How No” came to him as he listened to one of the females on the bus recounting to her friend a clash with her boyfriend. They include the lines “You dare to look into my eyes” and “Shut your mouth, you’re out of luck” as well as references to “radges”.

Welsh is currently promoting Resolution, the latest in his Crime series of novels, which has been adapted for TV starring Dougray Scott.

Gerald Taylor will be missing for some time with a knee injury after making eight appearances for Hearts since arriving on loan during the summer.

Interim boss Liam Fox awaits confirmation of the injury after scans on the 23-year-old.

Fox told a media briefing that it was disappointing news for the player and the club and added: “He’s got a real issue with his knee. We don’t know the exact timescale but it will be a long period of time.”

The boss stressed that the Costa Rica international will get all the support he needs in his recovery.

PICTURE: Gerald Taylor (left) and Cammy Devlin in training. Picture Nigel Duncan

Barnton Park men made a spirited defence of the Padel Tennis Scottish Cup at the David Lloyd Club, Shawfair, losing out to West of Scotland in the final.

Scott Duncan, Andy Burgess, Dexter Conrad, Luke McFarlane and David Holmes represented Barnton Park, and defeated Edinburgh Sports Club in the semi-final..

Barnton Park took an early lead thanks to Scott Duncan and Luke McFarlane before David Holmes and Dexter Conrad doubled Barnton’s lead with a 6-4 6-4 win over Eduardo Alonso Fernandez and Antonio Fernandez-Llebrez Martin. 

Edinburgh Sports Club women also reached the final but lost out to defending champions West of Scotland playing at David Lloyd Shawfair.

A 19th century village church could be turned into a family retreat and conference centre.

Plans for Glencorse Church, in Milton Bridge, which is a Category A listed building, have been lodged with Midlothian Council by its new owner.

The design proposal says the intention is to create a “high-quality, unique accommodation offer with flexible conference facilities”

It includes seven bedrooms to provide accommodation for up to 14 people and could be used for corporate away days, meetings, private dinners or for larger families to come together.

The application adds: “The applicant is committed to preserving the building’s special architectural and historic interest by keeping the works minimal and sensitive.”

Glencorse Church was put on the market by the Church of Scotland two years ago for offers over £325,000.

Designed in 1883 by renowned Scottish architect Sir Robert Rowand Anderson, it features a saddle-back tower which he added a few years later and is believed to the the earliest example of one by him.

Sir Robert’s other work include the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, University of Edinburgh and the Central Hotel at Glasgow Central Station.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Edinburgh’s struggling health and social care service is set to get its third boss in less than two years, as questions are raised over a payout made to a former chief executive who councillors were told had resigned.

Chief of Edinburgh’s Health and Social Care Partnership (EHSCP) Pat Togher is leaving the £180k-a-year job after just 12 months to take up the same role in Glasgow where he has worked previously.

In his short tenure he presided over a £60m cut to vital services for the most vulnerable provided through the partnership between NHS Lothian and Edinburgh Council. Action taken to reduce the budget deficit has included slashing care packages and closing care homes.

Mr Togher was brought in on the back of a troubling spell for the organisation. His predecessor, Judith Proctor, stepped down just weeks after the Care Inspectorate gave its damning verdict on the quality of care services in the capital she was responsible for overseeing.

Announcing the sudden departure in May last year, ex-council CEO Andrew Kerr said Ms Proctor would be “leaving her role,” leading councillors to understand she had resigned.

However it has now emerged there was an “arrangement done” which saw the outgoing boss handed a £22,500 payout from the council.

A councillor said there had been “no indication” there would be “anything other than a worked notice and a resignation”.

The ‘loss of office payment’ was revealed in the council’s audited accounts for 2023-24 presented to councillors on Thursday, September 26.

The LDRS previously requested details of any severance payment to Ms Proctor via a freedom of information request. However this was refused and the council said it could “neither confirm nor deny” if any money had changed hands, suggesting there was a confidentiality clause in her contract preventing the release of any details about a settlement.

Conservative group leader Iain Whyte said: “I’m not aware of that being directly discussed with group leaders or others.

“Does the council leader know anything about that, did he sign that off? When someone chooses to leave in other roles, they just leave, they resign. Can he explain why this payment was made?”

Council leader Cammy Day responded: “I am only aware from discussions with the former chief executive that there was an arrangement done.

“I think it is a staffing matter so it will be inappropriate for me to comment on that, but I’m happy to take that up with the executive director of corporate services and come back to Councillor Whyte.”

Afterwards, Cllr Whyte told the Local Democracy Reporting Service as the salary and costs of the chief officer role were split 50/50 between the council and NHS Lothian it could be presumed a further £22,500 was paid to Ms Proctor by the health board.

He said: “Whilst the chief officer left following a poor inspection report of the services there was no indication from the then chief executive that there would be anything other than a worked notice and a resignation.

“Indeed elected members were just told she was ‘leaving her role’.  I’m sure many members of the public would be surprised at what they would consider to be a pay off for failure when they would get nothing if they resigned from their job.”

In July Ms Proctor was appointed as the interim chief officer for Health and Social Care Moray.

EHSCP was engulfed in a separate pay-related controversy last year after an interim head of adult social care services was appointed with a £160k salary for six months of part-time work. Councillors described this as “indefensible” as the annual full time equivalent worked out at £403k – making it the highest-paid public sector role in Scotland. Others said the comparison was “inappropriate” as it was the “going rate” for senior officials hired externally

However, Alan Adams, who was given the job, left it after less than a month for “a number of both professional and personal reasons”.

Speaking at Thursday’s council meeting, SNP councillor Vicky Nicolson again criticised Mr Adam’s salary which she said “wasn’t even the chief officer role” and came “at a time when we’re attempting to cut our cloth while attempting to protect our most vulnerable citizens”.

She said: “With Pat Togher’s forthcoming resignation, can the council leader assure the people of Edinburgh that the process of recruiting and potentially temporarily filling the post of chief officer will be entirely transparent and provide good value for the residents of Edinburgh?”

Councillor Day said: “It’s unfortunate that Pat’s moving on, I think Pat has transformed the work of the EIJB and is hugely respected across all political parties.

“I have had a discussion with the chief executive who is meeting with the new chief executive of NHS Lothian to look at the best way forward and whether there is somebody within the current ranks to step into that post or whether we should go to advert or look to an alternative.”

Commenting, Mr Togher said: “I want to extend my thanks to all my colleagues at the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership for the considerable work they have undertaken in my time as chief officer to improve health and social care across the city.

“In my time as chief officer it has been my pleasure to visit and speak our nurses, carers, social workers, OTs and all colleagues who work on the frontline. I know that the partnership here has what it takes to continue to improve people’s lives and provide the vital services Edinburgh needs into the future.”

Welcoming Mr Togher to his new role, Councillor Chris Cunningham, chair of the Glasgow Integration Joint Board, said: “Pat’s experience, knowledge and adaptability means he is well placed to take on this demanding role.

“He is also very attuned to the many complex issues and budgetary constraints which health and social care partnerships are faced with.

“Pat’s heart belongs to Glasgow and we’re delighted to welcome him back.”

A council spokesperson said: “We cannot comment on matters relating to individual colleagues.”

By Donald Turvill Local Democracy Reporter

Edinburgh author Mairi Kidd this week launched her new novel, The Specimens, at a packed event held at The Saltire Society in the capital’s Old Town, where Burke & Hare’s victims lost their lives two centuries ago. 

The novel, released by Edinburgh’s own Black & White Publishing, is set in 1820s Edinburgh, a city of incredible medical discovery, and violent mob mayhem. 

When brutally battered Helen finds her abusive husband dead in the corner of their bedroom, she flees the city to her father’s farm, where her estranged children have been sent for safety.  

Helen’s father has nothing to spare, and so Helen must take her bruised and beaten body to the fields to help with the harvest.  

Round the fire one night, she meets the charming Irishman William Burke. With William by her side, ‘Nelly’ finds she can face life again, and soon the couple have set up home in the heart of the Old Town. 

Susan is a new bride, excited to take up her place as mistress of a fine house and wife of the upcoming anatomist Robert Knox, who looks set to become one of the foremost men in the city. But when the new couple return from their honeymoon, Susan discovers her husband has a very different home planned for her.  

There’s nothing so coarse as locks or keys, but nonetheless Susan is a prisoner, under the control of a man she has increasingly come to fear. 

Helen, too, is in a bind.  She and William have moved to a lodging house owned by William’s friend William Hare and his partner Margaret, and Helen is afraid of both of them.  

And all across the Old Town, people have begun disappearing into the dark of the closes, never to be seen again. 

The awful crimes of Burke and Hare have captivated attention for almost two hundred years, but the lives of the women caught up in the killings have been neglected. The Specimens reimagines the story through the lives of Helen and Susan, and of three of the victims, Abigail, Effy and Elizabeth. 

This is the story of Britain’s most infamous anatomy murderers and Scotland’s worst ever serial killers, as you have never read it before

Police have seized two e-scooters from 15-year-old youths, these were being ridden in an anti-social manner.  

Around 10.30am this morning Friday 27 September officers on patrol on Prestonpans High Street spotted the scooters. 

The youths were charged with various Road Traffic Offences and are being reported to the appropriate authorities. 

Officers have now issued a reminder on the legal requirements regarding the use of such vehicles. 

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Parents are reminded of the legal requirements regarding the use of e-scooters. 

“Unregistered electric scooters and non-compliant electric bikes shout not be used on public paths or roads. They can only be used on private land with the landowner’s permission.  

“They are classed as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs) and are subject to the same legal requirements as any other motor vehicle, meaning they must be insured and drivers must have a valid driving licence.  

“Anyone purchasing an e-scooter or e-bike should be aware of the law and the implications of using one in a public place.” 

A bid by West Lothian council to have community centre volunteers take over ownership of buildings is leaving workers ‘exhausted’ and putting people off using the spaces, it has been claimed. 

Management committees of community centres have been asked to consider taking on ownership of buildings to save £1m. Other options include taking a full repairing and insuring lease or accepting all charges being billed from the council. 

The council says the current model where it pays for the buildings but the management committee keeps any profits made is unsustainable. 

But one community centre worker said this week she “was exhausted” by the process and said the plans were actually damaging centres already by deterring groups from committing to make bookings.  

An SNP demand for a delay to the January deadline for the potential transfer of community centres to volunteers was narrowly defeated in the council chambers this week.  

Pauline Stafford, the SNP group depute leader branded the plan as “a hard-nosed fire sale.” 

Councillor Stafford said: “I think our communities are being gas-lit by this approach.” 

She said local people had “witnessed what looked like a hard-nosed fire sale of some of the county’s most valued community assets.  

“Assets which this council was entrusted to be the custodian of, not the owner of. We’ve got 36 of our most valued community centres now under threat.” 

Outside the council chambers there’s general concession that, politically, the council’s plans could have been better handled. 

There’s also the belief that those most affected could have had earlier notice of what the council’s options were. 

Staffers also feel they could have been engaged at an earlier point to identify other potential ways of cutting costs.   

 While some community centres may be “ready to roll” with becoming independent of the council many more, and especially the smaller village halls, are not. 

 SNP leader Janet Campbell said plans “were being rushed through” and added: “Our communities feel torn apart by the actions of this administration and this is unforgivable.” 

Her motion said: “Community Asset Transfer is designed to address local priorities and needs; increase active inclusion; build on the assets of local communities to reduce poverty and to enable inclusive growth.  

“The time-scale set out by the council does not enable any of this to happen and is actually contrary to the spirit of Community Empowerment.”  

The motion called on the council to extend the time-scale for local organisations to make any decision, and to provide support for the communities and carry out consultation with a view to forming a group of stakeholders and to report back to the council on the advice and information provided to these community groups and the support which has been offered to enable asset transfer. 

One community centre staffer told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Do you know the council is putting on workshops on how to run community centres. You couldn’t make this up. If it is that easy, why are they not running the community centres to a profit?  

“It is all just a box ticking exercise by the council, so they can say they have done everything they can to make this madness work and it is the management committees who aren’t stepping up to take over the running of the centres. We will get the blame if the centre shuts down.  

 “Why can’t they put all this planning and organising into running the community centres, efficiently, professionally and profitably to benefit each community?  

“At the moment because of all the uncertainty the community centres are having difficulties in getting long term lets and clubs setting up. So even if we agree to take over the community centre, we are starting from zero, not with a thriving going concern.  

“I am exhausted with it all. I feel the whole situation has been drawn out. If a management committee needs more time, they should be able to get it. For the rest of the committees, it should stay the same timeline.” 

At the council meeting independent councillor Andrew McGuire responded to the SNP motion by saying: “What’s on the table is nothing more than consultation.” 

And raising an amendment Labour group and council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick said: “No community will be left without a proper meeting place, and we have given that assurance and on this basis. I would point you to the success of the community asset transfer at Low Port Centre. 

“The whole rationale of this process is to keep community centres open and not to close them, but to look at better ways they can be run and managed.” 

The SNP group had earlier pointed to how few – only three- Community Asset Transfers had taken place in the county since the Community Empowerment Act legislation was first introduced in 2015. 

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

Liam Fox was a Hearts supporter as a young boy so just imagine what his thoughts will be when he strides out of the tunnel at packed Tynecastle just before 3pm on Saturday to take charge of the Men in Maroon, an interim job he is “privileged and honoured” to do.

The 40-year-old B Team coach has stepped into the breach after the sacking of head coach Steven Naismith, Gordon Forrest and Frankie McAvoy, and he stressed that he does not intend to reinvent the wheel.

Expect changes, little ones, as the former Dundee United manager and Cowdenbeath head coach aims to snap a disastrous run of eight straight defeats, and he explained that it had been a busy difficult week following the exits of the management trio, but he added: “Football and the way it is, we will just have to get back to work because we have a really important fixture on Saturday.”

He was at Paisley last Saturday to watch as the Jambos skidded to a 2-1 defeat and felt that the squad had a really good first-half, but the second-half was a difficult game, but he said that any game in the Scottish Premiership League (SPL) is a tough game as you come up against top managers and top players and teams that cause you problems. Everybody was disappointed that the team returned ton Edinburgh with nothing.

Fox revealed that he has spoken to the ex-head coach who was very supportive, indicative of how Naismith is as a human being, he said, and Fox has concentrated on tidying up “wee bits and pieces” in Hearts play this week at Riccarton.

The former midfielder, who has played for Crusaders (Northern Ireland) on loan (ten games), Inverness Caley Thistle (26), Livingston (185) and Raith Rovers (55), explained that the mood in the squad was down on Monday as the management team “were really good human beings” and they knew they had a really big week coming up and hopefully, start winning games of football.

There were, he said, two ways he can approach the Ross County clash in the William Hill Premiership. He said: “We can be nervous, I want us to be looking forward to it as it is a huge week for this football club, exciting times if are a player, coach or interim manager.”

He alluded to the County clash followed by Hearts in Europe, travelling to Azerbaijan on Tuesday for Thursday’s game with Belarus-based, Dinamo Minsk, and then on to Pittodrie to face high-flying Aberdeen, a club on level points with Celtic ahead of the skirmishes this weekend.

The former Cowdenbeath and Dundee United boss said: “It is a great opportunity to get us back going again. Don Cowie is bringing his team down here and they are well-organised and have quality, so it is the start of a massive week but it is one where we are looking forward to the challenges.”

Looking back at the weekend dismissal, Fox said he was “more than happy to step up” and he added: “You do not become a bad player over a number of weeks, a number of days, there is no doubt that football has a funny way, lose a couple of games and the confidence goes down.

“They have to realise that they are still good players, very, very good players, and sometimes you just need a wee rub of the green, sometimes just a wee moment, and we are hoping that tomorrow (Saturday) is the day we get back on track.”  

Fox said life is about how you react to adversity and bounce back and hope makes the world go round. He said: “One, I am not reinventing the wheel, two there will be small tweaks here and there, but a lot of the hours and the work that Steven, Frankie and Gordon put into this team, there were a lot of good things going on. We are hoping that a few wee changes will make a difference.

“There is a very good squad there, I’ve not had the time to reinvent the wheel even if I had wanted to, which I don’t, small wee bits of things. I need to put my personality on it and things I believe in and that’s what I hope came make a difference.”

Fox spent a short time during the media briefing to reflect on the cut-throat football management industry and said: “Every manager and his coaching staff need time and sometimes you do not get that. If you step into this industry you have to accept that is the way it is.

“You are lucky if you get 18 months, that is just the nature of it, everybody wants success today and when you step in you are aware of what the consequences could be.”

The Edinburgh-born coach said there is always a wee thing in the back of your head to test yourself by becoming a manager, but added: “The timelines are so short and the game so ruthless that you can see why a lot of people are happy being assistant managers and coaches. That is a possibly a wee bit safer.

“I have gone on record as saying that, at some point in the future, I would like to have another shot of it (being a manager), but I am in absolutely no rush because of the things we have discussed.”

PICTURE: Liam Fox speaks to the media at The Oriam ahead of Saturday’s key clash with Ross County. Picture Nigel Duncan

A waste recycling firm which operated for three years without planning permission next to a residential street has won its appeal to carry on.

Enviroworx upgraded its facilities at the industrial estate off Engine Road, Loanhead, in Midlothian, with new operating buildings relocating to another part of the site.

But when they applied for retrospective planning permission for the changes they faced opposition from local residents who said the increased business it had generated was too close to a safe route to school.

Midlothian councillors refused to grant planning permission in March this year after it was claimed traffic from the industrial estate was parking on pavements, blocking residents from using the paths and sparking concern about safety.

However Scottish Ministers have overturned the decision after a Scottish Government Reporter ruled the operations on the site were not contributing to parking problems on the road and was suitable for the area.

And granting permission for the company to continue they said: “The Enviroworx recycling business has been operating for several years, albeit at a lower level of throughput, and a search of accident statistics has shown that there have been no reportable road traffic accidents in and around the site
or on Engine Road over the last five years.

“Although active travel has been raised as a concern, a safe route for school children to access Loanhead Primary School and St Margaret’s Roman Catholic Primary School is clearly signposted to avoid the busier part of Engine Road and involves little extra distance.”

They pointed out that Enviroworx had space on the site for lorries to park which would ease pressures on the road.

At their meeting in March councillors were told by planning officers that the site had been used as an industrial area for 150 years and if the waste facility was refused permission, its space could revert to the scrap yard which previously operated on it.

The council received 26 individual objections which raised concerns over the impact of traffic in and out of the site, the centre being in close proximity to schools and  a call for it to be moved to a more industrial location away from housing.

Enviroworx who are operating the waste processing site had pointed out it is not a new facility but a relocation of their operations on the site to a more efficient area.

The Reporter approved the firm’s new facilities however introduced a condition refusing permission for shipping containers on the site to be used by small business or other traders, after saying the firm had not provided enough information about the plans to allow them to give it the go ahead.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds’ 18th studio album is their first in five years following 2019’s Ghosteen.

The title track references Jubilee Street from the band’s 2013 album Push The Sky Away, Cave manages to take a tale of horror and turn it into one of sublime beauty and redemption, picking up where that song left off.

With Cave, we are never too far from another violent story often from the Bible. It’s during Frogs that he references Kris Kristofferson’s Sunday Morning Coming Down, he sings of that same low-down and empty place where a spiritual conversation has space to move.

At the same time, Cave captures a great truth through simple lines such as “woke up this morning with the blues” on Joy by the end of the track he asks for “mercy”, and with that comes a sense of energy and a swirling release.  The day has not ended as it began. 

Nick Cave remains a collection of ideas; essential for any rock star. He still looks and sounds like a vampire with his silk-black hair slicked back into his skull. The elegantly tailored clothes and tall frame make him stand out in the arena rock circuit. It’s clear the divine faith he has wrested with all his life has grown deeper, a vampire with a deep longing for God is an interesting proposition.

On Conversion, Cave summons an epic blast of colourful energy while singing of being “touched by the flame”. The brittle Cinnamon Horses leans towards late-period Leonard Cohen, he creates a gothic sweep of cinematic imagery featuring horses, castle ruins and a dozen white vampires under a strawberry moon.

The recent single Long Dark Night begins like a classic country-tinged confessional and is inspired by 16th-century mystic St John of the Cross and his poem The Dark Night of the Soul, as Cave suggested it is “one of the greatest and most powerful poems of conversion ever written”. O Wow O Wow (How Wonderful She Is) includes the voice of the late Anita Lane, a former love, lifelong friend and member of the Bad Seeds. It’s a poignant tribute just before the album’s closer As The Waters Cover The Sea, a gospel hymn that can’t fail to impact the listener. In the face of so much loss, Cave is at peace with the struggle.

Russell Findlay has been elected by party members as the new leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.

The West Scotland MSP secured 2,565 votes in the party’s leadership election, to finish ahead of fellow candidates Murdo Fraser on 1,187 votes and Meghan Gallacher on 403 votes.

He replaces Douglas Ross, who announced his intention to stand down – once a replacement had been elected – in June.

The turnout for the election was 60 per cent.

In a speech to the media and party members after the result was announced in Edinburgh, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay MSP said:

“Thank you to everyone who put their faith in me.

“Thank you to every member who voted for me.

“Thank you to every supporter who worked hard for my campaign.

“And thank you to my fellow candidates, Meghan and Murdo, who I greatly respect and value.

“Now, everyone in our party must come together as one united team. Let’s start the hard work right now – today – to win back public trust. I want to deliver a message directly to people across Scotland who don’t feel anyone represents them.

“Who are scunnered by the divisive policies and fringe obsessions of the Scottish Parliament.

“Who feel let down and failed by politicians of every party – including ours.

“Who think politicians are all the same.

“If you feel that way, I get it.

“But I am not the same. I’m not a career politician. understand your frustration and your sense that nobody really represents your views or speaks up for you.

“That’s going to change.

“Under my leadership the Scottish Conservatives are going to change. We will work hard to earn your trust by doing things differently.

“We will be a voice for decent, mainstream Scotland and for the values of hard work, self-reliance and fairness for taxpayers.

“We’ll spend all our time and energy on your concerns, your hopes and your needs.

“We know you don’t expect miracles from politicians.

“We know you just want some common sense, for a change.

“And we are determined to deliver it.”

Jackie Baillie, Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, said: “Rearranging the deckchairs will do nothing to stop the Tories’ downward slide after 14 years of letting Scotland down.

“The Tories still owe Scots an apology for gambling with families’ savings, crashing the economy and sending bills soaring while putting party before country.”

“The 2024 election made it clear that voters want change not a return to the rotten Tory government of the past.

“Scottish Labour will return government to the service of working people and deliver the change that Scotland needs.”

The former Chief Executive at The Scottish Ensemble has been appointed to lead the creative direction for the new cultural hub planned for the former Royal High School building on Regent Road.

The National Centre for Music has named its Creative Director as Jenny Jamison.

Ms Jamison, former Chief Executive of internationally renowned string ensemble Scottish Ensemble, has taken the role to steer the concept and offering at the National Centre for Music, now that planning permission has been granted.

In addition to multiple roles at Scottish Ensemble, Jenny has also supported soloist Nicola Benedetti on her work in music education, and worked with the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland. She held one of three Scottish Fellowships for emerging global arts leaders with the International Society for the Performing Arts from 2017-20 and served as Interim Chair of the Association of British Orchestras, and Chair of New Opera in Scotland Events.

An experienced leader in the arts and a passionate amateur musician herself, Jenny is the perfect choice to lead the creative development of the National Centre for Music. She said: “Having the opportunity to work on a project that will celebrate and nurture Scotland’s incredible music sector is a huge privilege. We have such an important chance to create a hub where different musical genres can rub shoulders on a daily basis, and where musicians have space to develop new ideas and collaborations. I am looking forward to ensuring the awe-inspiring setting of the former Royal High School, and the special spaces within it, inspire audiences and artists alike and create a wonderful new intimate venue for Scotland.”

Plans are now well underway for the re-development of the Thomas Hamilton building on Calton Hill, with the announcement of a construction partner imminent.

Grant MacKenzie, Executive Director of the Royal High School Preservation Trust, said: “With her exceptional experience and deep passion for the arts in Scotland, Jenny is the ideal person to shape and guide our vision for the new National Centre for Music. Restoring the Royal High School building to its former glory is a huge undertaking and we need a strong team to help us ensure we create a vibrant cultural hub for the people of Edinburgh and the wider world, while celebrating the rich heritage of the building. Having Jenny as part of our team is a wonderful addition and we can’t wait to start implementing her ideas.”

www.RHSPT.org

Hibs Head Coach David Gray looked ahead to this weekend’s William Hill Premiership game against Rangers. 

And he insists that his players need to believe they can get something from the game. 

Hibs have the opportunity on Sunday to end their six-year hoodoo at Ibrox, in what is Rangers’ first league game back at their home stadium. 

Gray is more than aware of the atmosphere his players will face on Sunday, but has urged them to be brave with and without the ball. 

“The big thing is the word ‘belief’. The players need to believe they can get something. If you don’t believe you can do that, then you’re already 1-0 down in my mind. 

“The atmosphere will be great at Ibrox, but we need to deal with that. The players will be made aware of that, but they must see it as an opportunity to test themselves.” 

Rangers have been in good form domestically of late, and marked their return to Ibrox with an emphatic win over Dundee. Our Head Coach gave his thoughts on how they’ve been performing this season. 

“Rangers have been getting better all the time. They have a big game in Europe before they play us, but we will build from their last result at home. 

“We need to look at ourselves and build on our performances. We need to take the positives from our last three games, and we’ve been getting better all the time, you could see that in the St Johnstone game. 

“We need to build on that and take it into the Rangers game.” 

New specially trained police “digi” sniffer dogs have helped collar a criminal in possession of child sex abuse material, and also searched out a murder victim’s phone.

Police Scotland’s pack of Digital Forensic Dogs – Digital Dogs – are now fully operational.

And they are notching a “daily” string of successes including unearthing an air tag relating to a domestic stalking crime in Edinburgh.

The four-legged sleuths have also discovered a USB device in Aberdeen which contained child sex abuse material.and a murder victim’s phone in Glasgow.

The latest canine crime fighting recruits are specially trained to detect digital gadgets such as smartphones, laptops and tiny SIM cards being deliberately hidden to avoid detection by police.

Police chiefs have unleashed the pooch detectives to help sniff out digital clues and lead to more convictions for criminals involved in cyber crime and online child abuse.

The dogs have been deployed operationally following intensive training and include Zen, a rescue Springer Spaniel and Xena, a Springer Spaniel/Labrador cross.

They also include Max, a Sprocker gifted by the previous owners who wanted him to have an active home; Pip, a Malinois/Australian Shepherd Cross, gifted by a member of the public; and Willow, a Labrador.

They have been working with three specialist handlers and are deployed on a national basis covering all of Scotland.

Police Scotland said: “Police Scotland’s Digital Forensic Dogs are now fully deployed and working well with the teams.

“The dogs have proven to be highly successful, consistently performing well and achieving results almost daily by locating digital devices.

“Some examples include a Digital Dog uncovering a USB device in the Aberdeen area which was found to contain child sexual abuse material, in the Edinburgh area an air tag for a domestic stalking crime and in Glasgow a murder victim’s phone.”

Assistant Chief Constable Andy Freeburn has said it is now very common for digital devices to be used in criminal activity and concealed by criminals to hide incriminating evidence.

He said: “People and businesses are spending more and more time online and criminals will use any means available to them to exploit vulnerabilities and any method at their disposal. Digital devices are becoming smaller in size and those involved in criminal activity are becoming more adept at hiding them.

“Searches by humans can be limited and the dogs will provide an additional capability which make finding hidden devices easier.

“Police Scotland is committed to keeping everyone safe and this addition to our search capabilities will ensure there is no hiding place for criminals, even in the digital world.”

The Digital Evidence Detection Dogs search capability is an additional resource and complementary to Police Scotland’s existing canine resources including those dogs that can currently search for drugs, explosives, cash, firearms, human remains and blood.

New specially trained police “digi” sniffer dogs have helped collar a man with child sex abuse material and searched out a murder victim’s phone, it can be revealed. 

Police Scotland’s pack of Digital Forensic Dogs — Digital Dogs — are now fully operational. 
 
And they are notching a “daily” string of successes including discovering a USB device in Aberdeen which contained child sex abuse material. 
 
The four-legged sleuths have also unearthed an air tag relating to a domestic stalking crime in Edinburgh and a murder victim’s phone in Glasgow. 
 
The latest canine crime fighting recruits are specially trained to detect digital gadgets such as smartphones, laptops and tiny SIM cards being deliberately secreted to avoid detection by cops. 
 
Police chiefs have unleashed the pooch detectives to help sniff out digital clues and lead to more convictions for criminals involved in cyber crime and online child abuse. 
 
The dogs have been deployed operationally following intensive training and include Zen, a rescue Springer Spaniel and Xena, a Springer Spaniel/Labrador cross. 
 
They also include Max, a Sprocker gifted by the previous owners who wanted him to have an active home; Pip, a Malinois/Australian Shepherd Cross, gifted by a member of the public; and Willow, a Labrador. 
 
They have been working with three specialist handlers and are deployed on a national basis covering all of Scotland. 
 
Police Scotland said: “Police Scotland’s Digital Forensic Dogs are now fully deployed and working well with the teams. 
 
“The dogs have proven to be highly successful, consistently performing well and achieving results almost daily by locating digital devices. 
 
“Some examples include a Digital Dog uncovering a USB device in the Aberdeen area which was found to contain child sexual abuse material, in the Edinburgh area an air tag for a domestic stalking crime and in Glasgow a murder victim’s phone.” 
 
Assistant Chief Constable Andy Freeburn has said it is now very common for digital devices to be used in criminal activity and concealed by criminals to hide incriminating evidence. 
 
He said: “People and businesses are spending more and more time online and criminals will use any means available to them to exploit vulnerabilities and any method at their disposal. Digital devices are becoming smaller in size and those involved in criminal activity are becoming more adept at hiding them. 
 
“Searches by humans can be limited and the dogs will provide an additional capability which make finding hidden devices easier. 
 
“Police Scotland is committed to keeping everyone safe and this addition to our search capabilities will ensure there is no hiding place for criminals, even in the digital world.” 
 
The Digital Evidence Detection Dogs search capability is an additional resource and complementary to Police Scotland’s existing canine resources including those dogs that can currently search for drugs, explosives, cash, firearms, human remains and blood. 

The Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra begins a new year with a fresh group of young musicians playing two concerts in the Edinburgh and Lothians area.

The St Bride’s Centre in Orwell Terrace on Sunday 6 October and Queen Margaret Hall in Linlithgow on Saturday 2 November are the venues where the concerts will take place.

Founded in 2002 to provide a free educational opportunity for promising young jazz players, the Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra has gone on to nurture some of the biggest talents in Scottish jazz today.

“I wanted to give young musicians the chance to play orchestral jazz as a way of developing the skills necessary to play jazz in any environment,” said Smith, whose own saxophone talents are recognised around the world.

In a big band, Smith said, there’s a “camaraderie” where the musicians encourage each other to improvise and take chances.

“Standing up to play your first solo can be quite daunting,” says Smith. “But if you don’t do it, you’re never going to play jazz and we try to create a situation where the musicians can relax and feel good about themselves and what they play. Then they can go on to work on ideas and progress.”

With three albums released to enthusiastic media responses internationally, the orchestra has a body of work and a history of performances that set a standard for new arrivals to work towards.

“Seeing previous members going on to win awards and create an impression around the world with their recording careers can be a real fillip for the musicians who follow in their footsteps,” said Smith. “The youth orchestra can also be a stepping stone to the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. We play the same music, the same arrangements, as the SNJO so it’s good preparation for anyone making the step up.”

The concerts in St Bride’s and in Linlithgow will feature big-band music by Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Astor Piazzolla, Jaco Pastorius, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington. There will also be a chance to hear the orchestra’s promising singer, Laura Oghagbon, who has already made a strong impression on audiences.

The concerts begin at 2pm at St Bride’s and 7.30pm in Linlithgow

Edinburgh Diwali returns for its tenth year to celebrate the Indian festival of lights on 3 November 2024.

Festivities will include a colourful and multicultural parade through Edinburgh city centre, as well as performances and fireworks display in Princes Street Gardens to celebrate the spiritual victory of good over evil.

Diwali, a Hindu festival of lights and is now celebrated internationally by 1.5 billion people to ward off the darkness and welcome the light. Originally hailing from India, Diwali is marked across globe with large public events in Australia, Canada, Japan, and the United States of America. 

Edinburgh Diwali, a registered Scottish charity, started in 2015 as an initiative by the Lord Provost of Edinburgh and Indian diaspora from the city, and has gone on to become Scotland’s largest public Diwali event.

The Indian celebration is one of Edinburgh’s most popular community led events, attracting around 10,000 spectators to the parade and performances in Princes Street Gardens. 

Last year’s festivities included performances from Dance Ihayami, Bollyfeat, Classsical Confluence and Dance@Studio21 with a presentation of Indian, Scottish, and fusion dance; plus music from the Stockbridge and Glencorse Pipe Bands as part of the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and a headline performance from Kaykay & Co, the London based British Asian fusion band led by Kaykay Chouhan. This year’s Diwali celebration promises to be equally spectacular, with the full programme to be revealed closer to the event. 

Edinburgh Diwali 2024 will take place 13:00 – 19:00 on Sunday 3rd November. The event is open to all with free entry, encouraging everyone to participate in this family-friendly festive celebration of light. 

 edinburghdiwali.co.uk or facebook.com/edinburgh.diwali

Police have arrested a 14-year-old boy after two teenagers were injured in a disturbance last night Wednesday 25 September 2024. 

Officers were called to reports of disturbance on Newtoft Street, Gilmerton, at around 9.45pm. 

The street was cordoned off by officers and buses diverted. 

Paramedics also rushed to the scene, and two teenage boys, aged 17 and 18, were rushed to hospital for treatment. 

Officers said that a report will be submitted to the relevant authorities. 

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were called to a report of a disturbance on Newtoft Street, Edinburgh, around 9.45pm on Wednesday, 25 September, 2024. 

“Emergency services attended and two males, aged 17 and 18, were taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment. 

“A 14-year-old male was arrested and charged in connection with the incident.  

“A report will be submitted to the relevant authorities.” 

Hibs have confirmed the ticket details for the upcoming William Hill Premiership match with Rangers this weekend. 

The match will take place at Ibrox Stadium; 12pm kick-off on Sunday 29 September. 

The Club have been given an allocation of 932 tickets in the Govan West Corner. Due to the tight turnaround on receiving these tickets, the sale dates are as follows: 

Sale Dates 

5pm, Thursday 26 September – Tickets will go on sale to Hibs First Members only. 

8pm, Thursday 26 September – Tickets will go on sale to Hibernian FC Season Ticket Holders. 

10am, Friday 27 September – All remaining tickets will go on General Sale. 

Ticket prices are as follows: Adults – £36, Over 65s – £28, 16-17 years – £28 and Under 16s – £16 

Wheelchair Tickets are priced at: Adults – £22, Over 65s – £17, 16-17 years – £17 and Under 16s – £11 

Ambulant prices are as per the above price classes with a complimentary Personal Assistant if in receipt of Higher/Enhanced DLA/PIP.   

Please contact tickets@hibernianfc.co.uk to purchase tickets. 

Please note, Hibs can allocate up to eight ambulant/PA tickets for this fixture and these will be sold and allocated to Hibs First Members. 

Wheelchair ticket prices are above with a complimentary Personal Assistant.   

Please contact tickets@hibernianfc.co.uk to purchase tickets.  

Please note, Hibs have received seven pairs of wheelchair/PA tickets for this fixture.                                                                                                        

Tickets for this fixture will be print-at-home PDF’s which will be fulfilled direct by Hibernian FC. 

Once a supporter purchases a ticket online, we will manually email them PDF tickets for their order. Please note, there may be a slight delay in ticket delivery given the manual admin work involved. 

The designated singing section will be housed in GW2, Rows A-D36-50 

Hibs First Members 1 ticket per client reference number, season ticket holders 1 ticket per client reference number. 

The closure of a museum dedicated to Edinburgh’s working class history has been described as “the final cut for the Old Town” as a campaign to keep it open gathers pace.

Council officials have proposed closing the People’s Story for seven months due to an “urgent” need to cut costs, amid a projected £26.7m overspend by the authority this year.

However it’s emerged the Royal Mile attraction is already shut to the public “due to staffing pressures and a need to manage expenditure,” despite the controversial move not being approved by councillors.

Local resident Jim Slaven, coordinator of Edinburgh Detours, a not-for-profit organisation which organises guided tours about the city’s social history, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he was shocked to find it had already closed and said: “It’s a disgrace to find it’s going to be closed for several months at least, without any consultation.

“We try and commemorate that immigrant working class history. The stuff in the museum is a vital part of that.”

Mr Slaven said he’s heard from “artists, writers, trade unionists, local residents and historians” in the last 24 hours since the plan emerged.

“People are really outraged,” he added, “this is the final cut for the Old Town,all the social spaces and community centres in the Old Town are gone.

“They’ve turned the city centre into a citadel for the rich and now they’re trying to write us out of the history of the city as well.”

Upon visiting the Canongate on Thursday, September 26, the LDRS witnessed a number of people attempting to access the museum but finding it had been shut.

Closure of the People’s Story until April and reduced opening hours of the Queensferry Museum could save around £205,000, officials estimated. However this is less than one per cent of the forecasted in-year budget deficit.

The council said “urgent action” was necessary to “reduce frontline service expenditure”  before the end of the financial year in March. 

Val Walker, convener of the culture and communities committee, which will debate the proposal next week, said the council’s support for the city’s cultural venues “continues to be fantastic”.

She said: “It’s important to us that we keep our venues as accessible as possible for residents and visitors.

“The People’s Story Museum is currently closed due to staffing pressures and a need to manage expenditure. The report . . . proposes a temporary closure while these issues are addressed.

“The proposals are intended to reflect public demand across our museum and gallery venues and keep the most visited venues open seven days a week.

“The proposed seasonal operation model for People’s Story is to close during the autumn and winter months, reopening in April 2025, in which time a more consistent operating model can be implemented.”

But one of the convener’s Labour Group colleagues said the idea was left furious at the idea.

Councillor Katrina Faccenda said: “It is absolutely astounding that in one of the world’s premier tourist cities we are closing municipal museums and it underlines the failure of our tourism policy to drive income back towards local services.

“The People’s Story was opened in 1984 by Edinburgh’s first Labour administration to create a collection which reflected the working class history of Edinburgh and our proud story of protest and organising for the rights of people at home and around the world, its location in the Canongate is an important reminder that Edinburgh’s Old Town until a few decades ago was home to thousands of working people, often living in poor housing conditions, but their story and their community is equally important to those remembered in our castles and palaces.”

While Mr Slaven asked: “Who is the city for?”

“Edinburgh is one of the wealthiest cities and one of the wealthiest states on the planet. This is a vital piece of the city’s history, the social, industrial – the history of communities and they’ve just closed the doors on it.”

He added: “We recognise there are financial pressures on the council, we could have discussion about why that is and what the solutions might be but I think this should be seen as an opportunity.

“We need to look at the People’s Story which has been disinvested in, we need to get stakeholders round the table and to open the People’s Story better than it was before.”

The city’s museums and galleries account for £467,000 of the estimated overspend, having spent more on employee costs and generated less income than was expected in 2024-25.

 A report said the service has struggled to make money in recent years due to reduced income from the Scott Monument, where visitor access has been scaled-back due to suicide attempts, and the Nelson Monument, which has only just re-opened for the first time since the pandemic. 

As a result of a recruitment freeze by the service there have been “instances of reactive museum closures as staffing levels have dipped below the minimum required to maintain a full service,” the report added. “This has been exacerbated by sickness absence and annual leave.

 “To contain the budget deficit by March 2025, officers are recommending that changes are made to the opening hours of two Museums: People’s Story and Queensferry Museum.”

Officials have assessed alternative options, including keeping all attractions open but only opening five days a week, reduced from six. However they say as staff are contracted according to the council’s terms and conditions and work to fixed rotas and contracted days these changes “would take approximately four months to enact”.

By Donald Turvill Local Democracy Reporter

West Lothian’s Voluntary Sector Gateway has vowed to work with council to find solutions for the 38 community centres and village halls potentially facing closure. 

Alan McCloskey, the CEO of the Gateway, which speaks for the voluntary sector in the county, told councillors that a meeting would take place this week with the Joint Forum of Community Councils to look at a way ahead for the centres. 

While it is acknowledged that there may be some centres which are capable of striking out on their own with full time management committees taking control of centres through the Community Asset Transfer process, there are many more facing uncertainty. 

Management committees of community centres have been asked to consider options for the future including taking on ownership of buildings in a plan to save £1m. Other options include taking a full repairing and insuring lease or accepting all charges being billed from the council. 

Mr McCloskey told a meeting of the Economy, Community Empowerment and wealth Building PDSP that earlier sight of the proposals before June would have been useful in terms of looking at alternatives.  

He added that after meeting with the Joint Forum: “we want to have constructive dialogue with the council on what the options would be. We want to come back to the council with some alternative options.” 

In his report to the PDSP the CEO said: “There is growing community concern about the implications of the council`s Community Centre and Partnership Centre review. Many of the centres are run by Management Committees run by volunteers and they are the lifeblood of community and social cohesion. There is real concern that these centres will close in the coming months.  

“They face the impossible task of taking on the running costs of operating these facilities with limited knowledge of how to do so and no money. Many groups have indicated they will simply be unable to take on these roles.  

“A lot of the groups run multi-purpose events and host groups that meet regularly, for example art groups, activity classes, Girl Guides etc. 

“These groups are often the life-blood of communities and without anywhere to go, many individuals and groups will be left isolated and disconnected.  

“There is no central management committee structure, so VSGWL has met with reps from the Joint Forum of Community Council to discuss running a publicity campaign to explore other options.” 

When committees first had sight of the proposals in June anxiety was quickly stoked. 

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service in July, Avril Finlayson from the management committee of Addiewell community centre echoed concerns voiced across the county that volunteers would not be in a position to take on full time running of centres as commercial operations. And many communities could not afford the other options proposed by the council. 

At this month’s PDSP Councillor Andrew Miller said the proposals would seem to be attractive to one or two  centres  but not the majority and he asked: “Does the council have other options to achieve projected savings?”. 

Chairing the meeting Councillor Kirsteen Sullivan (pictured) said: “To be honest that may be beyond the remit of this PDSP.  I don’t think we’d have appropriate officers here to discuss it.” 

 Head of Economic development Craig McCorriston told the meeting: “It’s not a matter that would be under consideration for this PDSP. it would be considered elsewhere within the council at another PDSP and by the Executive.” 

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

The family of a luxury hotel owner have revealed their shock at realising it had been serving alcohol without a valid licence for years following his death.

Giles Weaver, who owned Greywalls Hotel, in East Lothian, with his wife Ros, died in February 2020 – just weeks before the first Covid lockdown saw huge restrictions on the hospitality industry.

But it took until this month for licensing chiefs and his family to realise his name remained on the premises licence, making selling alcohol on the site against the law.

At a meeting of East Lothian Licensing Board earlier today Mr Weaver’s son-in-law Dr Dominic Hoar (CORR) said he had been ‘appalled’ by the discovery.

And he fought back emotion as he recalled the traumatic time surrounding his father-in-law’s death and the impact on his family.

He told the board Mr Weaver’s daughter Flora was executor for her father following his death but had not transferred the licence, which was in her father’s name, or informed the board of his passing as an oversight.

Dr Hoar said: “As an executor, she was also a grieving daughter trying to arrange her father’s funeral and support a grieving mother who was, at the time, being forced by Covid into isolation.”

“The hotel was clearly going to have to shut so I can understand Flora’s oversight.”

Dr Hoar, a solicitor advocate,  said while he and his wife Jo were partners on Greywall LLP which owns the hotel it had been run for a number of years by Inverlochy Castle Management International (ICMI) who oversaw its management including ensuring it held the correct licences.

He said quarterly meetings were held with ICMI for updates on the hotel in which he had been assured the licences were in place but said it appeared no one realised Mr Weaver was still the named premises licence holder.

He added it may be because Mr Weaver was occasionally referred to as Christopher, a first name only close family knew, that confusion had been created.

Dr Hoar told the board: “I would like to apologise unreservedly for this oversight. I am personally appalled this happened.”

The board heard its licensing standards officer visited Greywalls, which sits on the edge of Muirfield Golf Course, Gullane, earlier this month and advised that it did not have a valid premises licence.

Alcohol sales were immediately stopped by the general manager and Dr Hoar said he has been working with ICMI and staff to ensure full training and understanding of the licence requirement are understood by everyone at the premises moving forward adding he would be “extremely vigilant”.

Dr Hoar appeared before the board to request several occasional licences to allow it to sell alcohol again while it arranges a new permanent premises licence.

Board chairman Councillor Lachlan Bruce thanked him for his apology and ‘clear and open’ explanation for the oversight regarding the licence.

He said: “People are human and mistakes happen and being willing to say ‘we got it wrong’ is something the board encourages and appreciates, Clearly this was a difficult time.”

The board unanimously approved the occasional licences.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Officers at Howdenhall Police Station are appealing for the assistance of the public as part of ongoing efforts to trace 33-year-old Katie Murphy who is currently missing from the central Edinburgh area.  

Katie was last seen at Princes Street around 1130 hours on Monday 23rd September 2024. 

There are concerns for Katie’s welfare and officers are keen to trace her as soon as possible. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting Incident 2161 of 22/09/2024