Hibs’ defender Jordon Forster praised his team mates’ professionalism in disposing of ‘bogey team’ Ayr United at Easter Road yesterday.

After returning from injury, Forster was paired with new signing Efe Ambrose in the centre of the defence and apart from a sensational strike from Craig McGuffie, the due were never troubled.

With Hibs leading 2-0 a poor decision by the East Stand linesman robbed Martin Boyle of a second penalty after wrongly flagging for offside when the winger was at least a yard onside and had that gone it the players could have relaxed but with the score at 2-1 it took concentration from the defenders to ensure passage to the semi-finals.

Despite the chance of more Scottish cup glory however Forster insists that promotion if the main objective this year.

After the game he told Cliff Pike of Hibernian TV: “Ayr have proved a tough test for us this season. Today I though we played well.  After their goal they got after us for ten minutes but I thought on the whole it was a good professional job.

“It was disappointing to lose a goal but in that fashion sometimes you can’t do too much about it.

“There wasn’t too many tests for us. Efe (Ambrose) likes to play football but it’s always hard as a centre half pairing when you haven’t played together but we got to know each other pretty quickly.

“The manager made a point before the game that we had to start well. We started well against Dunfermline but they came back and scored a couple of goals against us so when Ayr pulled one back it was important that we got hold of the game quickly.

“When Jason (Cummings) stepped up to take the penalty everyone in the stadium would be 100% confident that he would score and he did then when Keatsy came on and scored it was really good to see but the boys gave him a bit of stick from his celebration. I think he nearly broke both of his legs doing it.

“I have struggled with injuries but I have learned to deal with it but I came back today and managed to help get us into the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup.

“The focus is the league, 100% but there is also a big chance to go and retain the Scottish Cup and whoever we get in the semi-final will look at us as underdogs but we are fully confident in that changing room that we will be more than a match for them.

“The Dundee United game on Friday is the big one for us.  Make no mistake it’s a massive game. if we go there and win that puts  a marker down for the rest of the season. We will go there full of confidence after today but we know it will be a hard game and we will be focused this week in training.”

Photo by John Preece

Canongate was closed for a period yesterday after a 21-year-old man fell from a roof.

He was taken to Royal Infirmary Edinburgh where his injuries are believed not to be life threatening.

A police spokesperson said: “Police in Edinburgh attended at the Canongate following concern for a man yesterday, Saturday 4th March.

“They can confirm that a 21-year-old was admitted to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. He is receiving treatment for multiple injuries after he slipped from the roof at 6.20pm. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

“Officers wish to thanks the public for their patience and the other emergency services for their assistance while the incident was ongoing. The Canongate has re-opened to traffic.”

At the reception last night at the City Chambers we met Owen Smith (on the right above), one of the founders of the Ken Buchanan Foundation. The Foundation wants to put up a statue to the 71 year-old former boxer who many regard as the greatest Scottish boxer of all time.

With victories in far flung places like Puerto Rico and Madison Square Gardens in New York in his past, Ken Buchanan received the MBE in 1971 in recognition of his stellar career. He retired from boxing in 1982 and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2000. So perhaps a statue is appropriate. What do you think?

Would you like to see a statue of Ken Buchanan in Edinburgh? We spoke to Owen Smith of the Ken Buchanan Foundation who is right behind it. pic.twitter.com/IT9OKsMcqO

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) March 4, 2017

Mr Smith told The Edinburgh Reporter where a statue might eventually find its home : “A lot of people want it in Leith, but the favoured place is Meadowbank Stadium, so maybe they can rename Meadowbank Stadium too after the revamp of the stadium.

” I’ve known Ken since I was 13. He was my manager when I was boxing and we have been lifelong friends. We need £50,000 but already have £11,000 since we started six months ago.”

There is a GoFundMe page here and a JustGiving page here.

The Ken Buchanan MBE Foundation Facebook page explains the goal:

The primary purpose of the Foundation is to raise funds for, commission and have publicly sited in Edinburgh a statue of Ken Buchanan to act as a fitting, cultural memorial of his world class achievements.
Secondary purposes of the Foundation are:
(a) To sponsor or otherwise support young persons in Scotland showing promise in boxing or other sports or athletic events.
(b) To promote and encourage the participation by children, including but without limitation children with disabilities or special needs, in sport in Edinburgh and Leith.
(c) To make donations to charities for children, including but without limitation children with disabilities or special needs, or for the encouragement of public participation in sport.

On the left above is Bradley Welsh owner of Holyrood Boxing Gym, and recent star of Trainspotting 2.

Hibs are heading back to Hampden Park for an incredible ninth time in five years after a comfortable 3-1 victory over ‘bogie side’ Ayr United at a misty Easter Road this afternoon.

Since 2012 Hibs have won four times and lost four times at the National Stadium including last May’s historic victory in the Scottish Cup final against Rangers.

Neil Lennon made two changes to the starting XI that lost to St Mirren in midweek. Jordon Forster returned from injury to partner Efe Ambrose in the centre of the defence, replacing the suspended Darren McGregor whilst Grant Holt took over from Fraser Fyvie.

The Scottish Cup was on display as the players took the field and in the opening minute Scott McKenna clattered into the back of Holt who required treatment. The defender was spoken to when a card would have been a more appropriate response.

Hibs took the lead in the sixth minute when John McGinn curled a sensational 25 yard strike into the bottom corner of the net after referee Nick Walsh had obstructed Andrew Shinnie in the build up.

Four minutes later Shinnie sent a long diagonal cross into the path of Martin Boyle and Daryll Meggatt brought him down just inside the area. Jason Cummings calmly dispatched the resultant spot kick, sending Greg Fleming the wrong way.

Holt then set up Shinnie but Fleming produced a great save as Hibs totally dominated possession.

In the 30th minute, Shinnie was bundled over as he was about to shoot but the referee waved away his penalty appeal.

Two minutes later Ayr pulled one back with a contender for ‘goal of the season’ from Craig McGuffie who fired a sensational strike into the ‘postage stamp’ from 25 yards leaving Ofir Marciano helpless.

Just before the break, Ayr were reduced to ten men when McKenna was sent off for a reckless challenge on McGinn just outside the ‘D’.

From then it was one way traffic and Hibs almost wrapped things up in the 54th minute when Cummings found Boyle who set up Shinnie but his shot was blocked.

Cummings and McGinn both went close with long range efforts as the referee made several debatable decisions to the annoyance of the Hibs’ supporters.

Boyle had the ball in the net in the 73rd minute but his effort was ruled out for offside then Cummings was replaced by James Keatings.

The substitution paid immediate dividends when the midfielder headed home a David Gray cross which bounced over the line off the underside of the crossbar to restore their two goal advantage.

With 10 minutes remaining Holt almost made it 4-1 but his header was cleared off the line and Hibs held on to secure their place in the semi-final.

After the game a delighted Lennon said: “I thought we were very good. It was emphatic. I’m very excited but I’d swap it for promotion.”

Hibs: Marciano, Gray, Forster, Ambrose, Stevenson, Bartley, McGinn, Shinnie, Boyle, Holt, Cummings. Subs Laidlaw, Fyvie, McLean, Keatings, Graham, Crane, Martin

Ayr United: Fleming, Devlin, Boyle, Gilmour, Moore, Harkins, Meggatt, McGuffie, Balatoni, Docherty, McKenna Subs: Hart, Rose, Balfour, Forrest, McKenzie, Wardrope, Murphy

Referee Nick Walsh

Attendance 13,602

City of Edinburgh Kats have a series of matches on today and tomorrow and opened the weekend with matches at Portobello High School and the Mariner Centre in Falkirk last night.

Ahead of the match last night Kings coach Craig Nicol said: “We know Falkirk will be in a buoyant mood on Friday night when they receive the league title but hopefully we will be able to spoil their party somewhat.

“We’re the only team to beat them this season and we’ll be looking to lay down a marker and get our performances up ahead of the playoffs starting next week.”

Saturday 4 March :
10:00 – City of Edinburgh Kings U16 Men D3 v West Lothian Wolves at Oriam
11:00 – City of Edinburgh Kats Women v Boroughmuir Blaze/Glasgow Fever (Play-offs First Round)
11:20 – Falkirk Fury v City of Edinburgh Kings U16 Men D1 at Mariner Centre
11:45 – Falkirk Fury v City of Edinburgh Kats U16 Women D1 at Oriam (Play-offs First Round)
15:40 – Falkirk Fury v City of Edinburgh Kings D1 at Mariner Centre
17:30 – Falkirk Fury v City of Edinburgh Kings Men D2 at Mariner Centre

Sunday 5 March :
15:40 – Falkirk Fury v City of Edinburgh Kings Men D2 at Mariner Centre

Ospreys win under a deluge at Myreside

Conditions for Friday night’s Guinness PRO 12 match at Myreside between Edinburgh and Ospreys were such, that Noah might have thought twice about setting sail as the heavens opened just before kick off and remained open until well after the final whistle.

Prior to the kick off, there was a minute’s silence held in respect of Ellie Norkett, a Swansea Ladies and Ospreys player, who was sadly killed in a car crash last weekend in her native Wales.

With Ospreys hoping to head the table, and Edinburgh hoping to stop a run of losses, all of the first half scoring took place in a narrow window of play around the middle of the half with exchange of penalties and an Ospreys’ converted try.

The first quarter of the match was mostly played in the centre of the field with both sides having a few darting runs into the opposing 22, but neither try line came particularly under threat.

The first points came via a penalty from a collapsed scrum which referee, George Clancy, had ruled in favour of the home side. Stand off, Duncan Hodge, stepped up to do the honours and his successful kick gave Edinburgh a 3-0 lead with 15 minutes on the clock.

Two minutes later, his opposite number, Sam Davies, replied for the Welsh side for 3-3, following a high tackle around the 10 metre line.

Ospreys then scored the only try of the match not too long after the restart. Winning their lineout on the right touch line, the ball was swung left then, while play was returning, a neat inside pass from Davies put centre, Josh Matavesi through a huge hole in Edinburgh’s defence, with the No. 12 galloping the 20+ metres to dive under the posts unopposed. Davies then added the extras for 10-3.

The following 15 minutes, or so, were back to the probing rugby of the first 15, with a couple of kicking duels to clear the lines and the odd, unrewarded 22 incursion.

With two minutes to go, and lock, Ben Toolis off for an HIA, Edinburgh launched an assault on the opposition line, rucking and passing their way from side to side. Despite the pressure, the away defence held and the episode, and the half, ended with an Edinburgh fumble and a scrum to the away side.

With the rain still hammering down it was a fairly wet and subdued crowd that was ‘looking forward’ to the second half on the increasingly soggy pitch.

And, to be honest, it wasn’t great. Edinburgh did, however, tend to dominate proceedings, both territorial- and possession-wise, but strong opposition defence, combined with a slippery ball prevented them making much of their advantage. A 68th minute penalty from Davies and two penalties from Weir – on 63 and 72 minutes – brought the score line to the final 13-9 in favour of Ospreys. Edinburgh only managed to seriously threaten the line on one occasion, but that attack also ended with a lost ball.

All-in-all, not a great night, either of or for, rugby and a fairly sparse crowd brought back memories of BT Murrayfield. However, a couple of thousand in Myreside don’t look anywhere near as lost as the same number in the National stadium, so it may turn out to be a good call by Edinburgh Rugby at the end of the day.

And, hopefully, another good call will be the appointment of Richard Cockerill – formerly of Leicester Tigers and Toulon – as the new head coach to replace, the interim, Duncan Hodge, will be the fillip needed to return the home side to a winning side. Expect fireworks!

Images from the match will appear here over the next few days.

On a dangerous mission inside a combat zone, Sgt Davis must rely on the perpetrator of her sexual attack to get her squad home safely. Can peace ever be possible?

Heroine is based on the true story of a lesbian soldier Danna Davis, and her 10 years in the US Army. A survivor of military sexual trauma, hers is a human story exploring healing, forgiveness and what speaking your truth really means: an outsider who wouldn’t quit. Written and performed by Mary Jane Wells and Directed by Susan Worsfold (Attic Collective/Lysistrata) this is a realisation of a true story in all its visceral attrtion.

She loved its challenges; thrived and excelled within that rigorous world.  At the time she enlisted, before ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was repealed; she was the only woman in her entire company and went on to lead a squad into combat. A survivor of military sexual trauma, she served on the battlefield alongside her assailant.

‘This play is not a polemic for or against war. It is a dramatically compelling story but I also wrote it from a sense of outrage at what one soldier endured, admiration for her character and because I wanted to support her healing.  Her truth needs to be out there and she was clearly ready to talk. I knew that in order to tell this story responsibly and truthfully,  the dark humour we shared was also essential.   My bones said, ‘Write.”

‘In my research, I was horrified to find out just how many servicemen and women had also been raped by their fellow soldiers in their own platoons, often by those higher up in the chain of command.  The problem has been around for decades and is only getting worse. The military knows, but to my great moral disgust, turns a blind eye to it, ignores it or blames the victims and promotes their assailants. No register of sex offenders existed within the military until 2014.’

Most of these perpetrators are institutionally championed. When honourably discharged, they go straight into civilian society.

http://www.edtheatres.com/heroine

16+ advisory

SCOTLAND men’s coach Derek Forsyth named two Grange and three Edinburgh University players for World League 2 in Belfast and said: “We’re excited by this squad.”

The tournament from March 11 to 19 March sees Scotland play in Pool B against France, Poland and Wales.

Pool A features Ireland, Italy, Ukraine and Austria and the top two in the competition qualify for the next stage of World League

Forsyth said: “There has been some change in the men’s squad over the last few years and there were some tough selection decisions to make.”

SCOTLAND: David Forester, Dan Coultas and Jamie Wong (all Edinburgh University), Tommy Alexander, Tim Atkins (both Reading), Wei Adams (Canterbury), Russell Anderson (Cannock), Michael Bremner (TC Blau-Weiss), Gavin Byers, Ben Cosgrove (both Grove Menzieshill), Callum Duke (Hillhead), Alan Forsyth, Willie Marshall and Nick Parkes (all Surbiton), Cammy Fraser and Duncan Riddell (both Grange), Ed Greaves (Nurnberger HTC), Lee Morton (Kelburne)

The future of Southside GP Surgery has been secured after a move to the Conan Doyle Medical Centre was agreed through the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP).

The Southside Surgery team came under direct NHS management in January, through the HSCP. The practice had been facing a number of challenges regarding recruitment and retention, similar to the pressures being faced by general practice across the country. The GP partners took the difficult decision to withdraw from their contract and this resulted in the need for the current premises to be sold and to look at alternatives for the future.

NHS Lothian and the HSCP have been working closely with the team at the Surgery to ensure patients continue to receive safe, effective and timely care. The GPs and staff have transferred to NHS Lothian providing job security and opportunities to explore new service delivery approaches.

At the same time, a great deal of work has been undertaken to identify options for new premises for the Surgery. A number of options have been explored and agreement has been reached with the GP team at Conan Doyle Medical Centre at Cameron Toll and the Southside Surgery will move to its new home in May or June.

The purpose built Conan Doyle Medical Centre was opened in 2007 and will provide suitable consulting and waiting space for Southside Surgery staff and patients as well as improved car parking and better disabled access.   The Medical Centre is around one and a half miles from the Southside Surgery’s current location on Bernard Terrace and there are excellent bus links.

Rob McCulloch Graham, Chief Officer, Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership said: “A lot of hard work has gone into finding a solution that will secure the future of this important Edinburgh practice. I would like to thank patients and staff for their patience during this period and to reassure them that the facilities being provided within the Conan Doyle Medical Centre will be a significant improvement on the current premises.”

Commenting on the news that the closure-threatened Southside Surgery is set move to a new premises at the Conan Doyle Medical Centre, Ruth Davidson, MSP for Edinburgh Central, who raised the concerns of Southside patients with NHS Lothian said:

“ People across the Southside of Edinburgh have rightly been concerned about the future of their local GP surgery.

“ I am pleased alternative premises have been found and hope all current patients at Southside will have their places assured at the new practice.”

Miles Briggs MSP for Lothian, who has also repeatedly raised the subject with the Scottish Government and NHS Lothian on behalf of concerned constituents, said:

“ This is good news for Southside residents who will be pleased and relieved that a new premises has been secured to house their much-valued GP practice.

“ I pay tribute to my constituent Denise Palmer who gathered a petition on the subject with more than 1200 signatures and all the other constituents who have been keeping up the pressure on NHS Lothian.

“ I will be meeting with NHS Lothian officials in the next few weeks to get more details about the proposal for the Southside Surgery and to discuss a range of related points.

“ More generally I am aware that GP services across Edinburgh and Lothian continue to face very real capacity issues and I will continue to press the Scottish Government to do more to boost GP recruitment and support NHS Lothian deal with the challenges of meeting demand for primary care services.”

There are currently around 5000 patients registered with the Southside Surgery. Information on the new arrangements will be sent to all patients directly once all the details have been finalised.

A female barber from Edinburgh has made it through to the last round of the Scotland’s Best Barber competition.

Dianne Philbin, 35 years old is the only female barber from Edinburgh to make the shortlist for the prestigious hairdressing prize.

Based at Statement Barbers in Tollcross, Dianne is now looking for people to back her in an online poll to make the final.

If Dianne makes it through to the final, she will be pitted against 24 other barbers for a live hair cut in front of hundreds of spectators at The Royal highland Centre.

Dianne, who has been a hairdresser for 17 years and a barber for the last three years, said she was delighted to see females getting recognition in a traditionally-male dominated industry.

She said: “I was delighted to get through.

“The industry has changed a lot with the traditional image of the barber changing too, but it’s still dominated by men and it’s great that I’m the only female barber in Edinburgh to get into the next round.

“Growing up in Muirhouse and West Pilton there wasn’t much in the way of job aspects so you have to go out and make your own way in the world, so I’m proud that this has been recognised in this way.

“I hope lots of people will go online and vote for me before 13th March,it would be a dream to get to the final.”

Votes for Dianne can be cast here

Earlier in the week the Lord Provost the Rt Hon Donald Wilson held a small reception for the city’s panto stars Allan Stewart, Grant Stott and Andy Gray.

The trio turned up without make up and costumes but the Lord Provost was anxious to show them his own and put on the ermine robes and his chain. (no make-up though…)

Lots of fun today with @LordProvostEdin thanking @GrantStottOnAir @AndyGray59 and Allan Stewart for all the panto fun they create pic.twitter.com/HztR10Mto2

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) March 2, 2017

The afternoon was full of fun and gags as you might expect from the three stars who work together at other times of the year not just at Christmas.

The Lord Provost said he wanted to be sure that their hard work in making people laugh did not go unnoticed.

For Red Nose Day on 24 March 2017 you can get an accessory for your red nose in the shape of some comedy waving hand glasses.

Specsavers Cameron Toll will be selling these for adults and children for just £2. All money raised will go to Comic Relief.

As well as this fundraising the staff are challenged to complete a 560 mile run the distance from Edinburgh to the Specsavers HQ in Guernsey and they are looking for donations of 50p per minute for that.

They will be running on a treadmill in store during March to clock up the miles.

Craig Selbie, store director at Specsavers in Cameron Toll says: ‘The glasses are fantastic and we’ll be encouraging everyone who buys a pair to also join our giant Mexican wave on social media as well. Simply strike a pose with your glasses and post with the #GiveUsAWave to receive your very own wave back.’

Specsavers in Cameron Toll has joined Specsavers stores nationwide to support Comic Relief to help poor and vulnerable people living tough lives both here in the UK and across Africa and pledged to raise at least £250,000 for the charity.

Specsavers has been a Comic Relief partner since 2015.

It’s William Hill Scottish Cup Quarter Final day at Easter Road, with Ayr United the visitors as holders Hibernian look to progress to the semi final stage.

Neil Lennon is determined to achieve another trip to Hampden although he is expecting a tough game.

Speaking to Hibs TV he said: “Ayr are possibly coming onto a game. I was at their last game against Raith, it was hard fought and both teams had their chances. One goal was always going to decide it, and it went Ayr’s way.

“They’ve had a great 18 months. They’ve won promotion, they’re fighting their corner in the Championship and they are in the quarterfinal of the cup, so they are a team we have to respect.

“Equally so, at home we know we can beat anyone, so I want us to have another good day tomorrow.”

Brian McLean  joined Hibs this week after a spell with Brunei DPMM in the S.League in Singapore, and with injuries to Paul Hanlon, Liam Fontaine and Jordon Forster and Darren McGregor’s suspension he is likely to feature this afternoon.

He said:  “The cup still holds a bit of romance, so that’s something to hold onto. For the fans to have that type of passion and to listen to them sing Sunshine on Leith is unbelievable and it does give you goosebumps.

“We should be able to use that as a driving force to get to that stage once again.”

Tickets are on sale at the Hibernian Ticket Office from 10am-1pm. Thereafter tickets will only be on sale from the Ticket Pods, which are in operation at the East, Famous Five and West Stands, subject to ticket availability. The West Stand Ticket Pod is located at the south end of the stand. Ticket pods are open from 1pm.

Supporters are advised purchase tickets online and use the print at home option to beat the queues at Easter Road, with this option available until 90 minutes before kick-off.

From 1pm the Ticket Office will only be dealing with ticket enquiries, ticket collections and disabled supporter ticket sales for Saturday’s match.

Both suites in Behind the Goals will be open this Saturday from 11:30am for those in possession of a match ticket.

Lifelong Hibernian fan and musician Chris Tracey will be back in the Almond Suite of Behind the Goals tomorrow from 1.00pm until kick off. Chris is a well-known face on the Edinburgh music scene where he performs at a number of venues and has been playing in Behind the Goals since December. He will be performing a wide range of covers and of course some Hibs classics, arrive early to avoid missing out.

Former Hibee Garry O’Connor will also be round for a pre-match interview.

Start looking out the candles and get ready to turn out the lights at 8.30pm on 25 March 2017 to celebrate WWF’s Earth Hour.

Caledonia Pride entertain Team Northumbria at The Oriam on Sunday (tip-off 1pm) looking for revenge after a late defeat when the English side called recently.

Scotland’s first women’s professional basketball squad believe they can earn a confidence-boosting home win and are still smarting from being edged 71-77 in overtime.

Coach Bart Sengers has had two clear weeks to work with the squad after their first win.

And he said: “After last time, we know that we have an opportunity to go out there and give Team Northumbria a good run.

“We were unlucky to not hold on at home to Northumbria last time and will need to do a better job of that this time round.”

He added that the recent road trip to Cardiff and London at Oaklands Wolves has brought the team much closer.

The Dutchman said: “Getting over that hurdle of securing our first win will give us a lot of confidence heading in to the weekend.”

Former Undisputed World Lightweight Champion Boxer Ken Buchanan MBE was presented this evening with the prestigious Edinburgh Award 2016.

At The City Chambers there was a very nice touch as The Lord Provost and all the City Officers wore ties in the Buchanan tartan, and Ken himself wore his trademark Buchanan waistcoat.

The Edinburgh Makar Christine de Luca had written a special poem for him which she recited and Bill Lothian, the former sports reporter with the Edinburgh Evening News, told his life story for the assembled crowd. The room was awash with former boxers and those associated with boxing for charitable purposes, as well as previous Edinburgh Award recipients, George Kerr and Tom Gilzean (looking very sprightly after his recent hospital stay).

Owen Smith a lifelong friend of Buchanan’s told us that he has already raised £11,000 out of a targeted £50,000 to raise a statue of the boxer and hopes that it might be put up at Meadowbank Stadium.

Ken Buchanan MBE Undisputed World Lightweight Champion pic.twitter.com/PjyVZqlVs1

— Edinburgh Reporter (@EdinReporter) March 3, 2017

Once voted ‘Britain’s Greatest Ever Boxer’ by the Boxing News, Leith-born Ken Buchanan is the only living British fighter in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

He famously fought on the same bill as Muhammad Ali in Madison Square Garden twice.

Ken’s famous fighting hands have been immortalised on a flagstone outside the City Chambers.

They will sit next to the handprints of previous Edinburgh Award recipients including fellow sporting legends Sir Chris Hoy MBE (cycling) George Kerr CBE (Judo).

The programme for Hidden Door Festival 2017 has just been announced. This year the festival will be from 26 May till 4 June and there is music, theatre, visual arts, film and spoken word all to delight you.

But perhaps the most delightful thing is that the itinerant festival has a brand new venue at Leith Theatre.

David Martin, Creative Director of Hidden Door, said: “Edinburgh is a city busy with festivals but Hidden Door opens up new spaces for artists and creative talent to bring something new to the mix, celebrating innovation and experimentation in the arts.

“People may think that Edinburgh doesn’t have a lot of disused buildings, but they would be amazed at the secrets that are still there to be discovered. This year we have access to one of Edinburgh’s best kept secrets – the old Leith Theatre. Many people think they have been to the Leith Theatre, but have in fact only been to the adjoining hall. The actual theatre is breathtaking, and we will fill every nook and cranny, backstage room, under the stage and even the roof space with exciting art installations, theatre shows and film from some of Scotland’s most promising new artists.

“And then of course we have the fantastic main auditorium which we will bring to life in a spectacular way – with music from the likes of Hidden Orchestra and new enfant terrible Anna Meredith, plus fantastic new site-specific theatre productions by Grid Iron, Ludens Ensemble and Surge. This will be our most ambitious festival yet, and will reflect a dynamic emerging cultural scene in Scotland.”

Irvine Welsh, Leith-born author and patron of the Leith Theatre Trust, said: “It’s terrific to see a pop-up counter culture event like Hidden Door collaborating with Leith Theatre to open up the whole of the building, not just the main auditorium but also all the corridors and dressing rooms, bars and secret nooks that make it such a charming and exciting place. Hidden Door gives audiences the chance to glimpse what the future of the theatre could be and show others how versatile and interesting it can be in the meantime through its programme and use of space. I’m excited to see a like-minded organisation coming together with us and bringing Leith Theatre new life.”

Yasmin Sulaiman, Editor-in-Chief at The List, said: “We’re really chuffed to be working with Hidden Door this year as they bring the amazing Leith Theatre back to life. Anna Meredith – who topped The List Hot 100 in 2016 – is one of the best and most innovative musicians in the UK today, and we’re very excited that she’ll be headlining the Hidden Door Opening Party with The List. We are also really excited to have Idlewild headline on Saturday night as this is likely to be one of their only UK shows in 2017.”

Web: www.hiddendoorblog.org

Hashtag: #HiddenDoor  Follow them on social media by clicking the images below.

Here are some of the events confirmed this far.

Music : Friday 26 May

Anna Meredith

Bossy Love

Marnie

BDY_PRTS

Saturday 27 May

Idlewild

Hamish Hawk

Dama Scout

Friday 2 June

Riot Jazz

Soweto Kinch

Gnabgnab

Saturday 3 June

Hidden Orchestra

Sunday 4 June

Tinderbox

Kathryn Joseph

Theatre

Grid Iron, Ludens Ensemble, SURGE Project, Heroes Theatre, Tam Dean Burn, Kathyrn Spence, JJG Dance, Annie Lord, Charlotte Hasting, Clare Marcie, Roanna Davidson, Theatre Sans Accents, Jamie & Lewis Wardrop, Tragic Carpet, It’s Complicated and Andrew Simpson

Visual Art

Invited Artists: Sax Shaw, Kristina Chan, Luci Holland, Theresa Moerman, Koralia Maciej, David McDiarmid, Tim Sandys, Dee Marshall D’Eath, Oana Stanciu, Jamie and Lewis Wardrop

Selected Artists: Mark Haddon, Jack McCallum, Camila Cavalcante, Sarah Calmus, Ian Dodds, Joseph Calleja, Sarah Dale, Rachel Turner, Lotte Fisher, Marion Ferguson & Jennifer Wicks, Jill Boualaxai, Jenna Corcoran, Wenna Potter, Rachel Hendry, Rachel McBrinn, Liam McLaughlin, Valerie Reid, Kat Corbet, Mo Kearsley & Martin Elden, Dave House, Miriam Mallalieu, Jennifer Clews and Livvy Turner

Poetry and Spoken Word

Andrew Blair, INTERROBANG?!, Rebecca Sharp & Phillip Jeck, Annie Rutherford & Rebecca Dewald, Rachel Plummer (with Matt Hulse, Matt Rogers & Scottish Clairnet Quartet), FREAK Circus, Sonnet Youth, Loud Poets, Inky FIngers, Shoreline of Infinity and Jenny Lindsay

Film

Contributors including Edinburgh Short Film Festival, UnDependence, Africa in Motion, ECA Animation, Scottish Queer International Film Festival, MSc Film Exhibition and Curation, Kino Klub and Dispatch Feminist Moving Image.

Police are appealing for witnesses following an assault and attempted robbery in East Calder which took place around 7 p.m. last night on a footpath between Redcraig Road and Langton Gardens.

A 29-year-old woman was jogging in the area when a male approached from behind and struck her to the back before attempting to steal her phone, which was strapped to her arm.

The male was unsuccessful and then ran off past the Scotmid store and hairdressers on Redcraig Road towards the rear of East Calder.

Inquiries are ongoing to trace the suspect and anyone who can assist officers is asked to come forward.

He is described as white, around 14-years-old, approximately 5ft 6ins tall with a slim build and short dark hair. He was wearing a dark grey Adidas hooded top with a large logo on the front and the hood up, black trousers and a black backpack.

Detective Constable Craig Ireland from Livingston CID said: “While the victim was not injured, nor did she lose her phone, this was a frightening incident for her and we are actively looking to trace the male responsible.

“Anyone who remembers seeing anything suspicious around Redcraig Road or Langton Gardens on Thursday evening should contact police immediately.

“Prior to the attempted robbery, the woman believes she saw the suspect walking into Firpark Grove, so anyone in this area with information relevant to our investigation should also get in touch.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Police are appealing for witnesses following two recent housebreakings in Musselburgh.

The owners of a property in Stoneybank Road had left for a holiday on Wednesday 22nd February and returned on Wednesday 1st March to find their home had been entered and various items including jewellery, electrical goods and a key to their vehicle had been stolen from within.

Officers are now urging anyone who remembers seeing any suspicious activity in the Stoneybank Road area between 22nd February and 1st March to come forward.

In addition, police are also investigating another incident at an address in Clayknowes Court.

Officers responded to a report of a break-in that took place around 7 p.m. on Thursday 2nd March, however, it appears nothing was stolen from inside.

Inspector Andrew Harborow from Tranent Police Station said: “At this time we are conducting inquiries to establish if both of these housebreakings are linked and I would ask anyone with information in relation to either incident to get in touch.”

“We would also urge East Lothian’s local residents to ensure they have appropriate security measures in place at their homes. This includes keeping windows and doors locked when you go to bed or leave the property unoccupied and making sure door keys are not kept in sight. Where possible, householders should also consider alarms and motion-sensitive lighting.

“Similarly, we would also request that the public report any suspicious activity they observe around a friends, family members or neighbour’s property to police immediately so that we can respond and either deter a housebreaking from taking place, or apprehend those responsible swiftly.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Today’s figures confirm that Edinburgh Airport is officially the fastest growing in the UK for international passengers. Little wonder as the airport now has 200 routes using its facilities, a far cry from the days of the old Turnhouse Airport when passengers had to go everywhere through London.

There has been a 21% increase in the number of international passengers passing through the airport since last year meaning that Edinburgh Airport has overtaken Luton in the top spot.

Welcoming this news Edinburgh Airport’s Chief Executive Gordon Dewar, said: “This expansion of routes in and out of Edinburgh Airport generates more growth for Scotland’s economy and creates work and leisure opportunities for people and businesses.

“Growth also continues to expand the opportunity for people from overseas to come and visit Scotland.

“We have a healthy equilibrium of inbound and outbound passengers with the most balanced mix of any UK airport outside London.

“The blend of increasing long haul routes, the enhanced choice to destinations across Europe and an unrivalled range of services to London and domestic locations has proved to be a winning combination.

“This growth reinforces the strength and appeal of Edinburgh as a destination and the global draw of Scotland, giving us greater confidence as we look to the future.”

Cllr Lesley Hinds the Transport and Environment Convener the City of Edinburgh Council and Cllr Derek Rosie the Cabinet Member for Commercial Operations at Midlothian Council visited Millerhill Anaerobic Digestion plant this week to declare it officially open.

The plant was built by Alauna Renewable Energy a partnership of Kelda Organic Energy and Scottish Water Horizons, and it will recycle all the food waste from both council areas. The food waste goes in one end and the anaerobic digester then captures methane gas to generate renewable energy which Scottish Water will use at their local water treatment works.

Cllr Derek Rosie, Cabinet Member for Commercial Operations at Midlothian Council said, “”We’re absolutely delighted to officially open this plant today. We introduced food waste recycling just over a year ago and in that time, our residents have really embraced the opportunity to use their new food bins, pushing our recycling rate between June to September 2016 up to an impressive 57.3%. Knowing that this local plant can treat up to 30,000 tonnes of food waste is very impressive, it will certainly go a long way in helping us reach our Zero Waste targets while turning waste into energy and fertiliser.”

Cllr Lesley Hinds, Environment Convenor at The City of Edinburgh Council said, “It is fantastic to see the state-of-the-art facility up and running, marking a pivotal moment for this successful partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council, Midlothian Council and Alauna Renewable Energy.”

“By processing up to 30,000 tonnes of food waste a year – while recovering energy in the process – this treatment plant is essential to both councils’ ambition to drive the amount of waste sent to landfill down to zero.”

Photos Rob Gray
t 07970 836 888
robgrayphotographer.co.uk

Police have released CCTV images of a man they wish to trace as part of an investigation into a serious assault which took place around 7.30pm on Tuesday 28 February in Duddingston Park South, outside Scotmid and Duddingston Fry.

A 32-year-old man was subject to abuse before being struck to the face with a weapon.

The victim sustained a broken jaw and lost several teeth as a result of the attack and was taken to hospital for treatment.

The man pictured is described as white, early to mid-twenties, 5ft 8ins tall with short black hair and wearing a white shirt, black trousers and braces.

Detective Constable Iain Wallace from the Violence Reduction Unit said: “This attack has seen the victim sustain serious facial injuries and we’re currently pursuing various lines of inquiry as part of our investigation.

“Anyone who may recognise this man, or who witnessed the incident itself, is urged to get in touch with officers as soon as possible.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or report this anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A further four people have been arrested and charged with drugs offences as part of Edinburgh’s Operation Eagle.

On Tuesday 1st March and Thursday 3rd March, officers from the across Edinburgh carried out searches of properties in, Gilmerton Dykes Crescent, Liberton Gardens, Broomhouse Park and Gibson Terrace.

As a result, £10,000 worth of cocaine was seized from a home in Gilmerton Dykes, while £2,500 worth of cocaine and heroin was also recovered from a vehicle in the Inch.

In addition, £10,000 worth of cannabis was also recovered from a home in Gibson Terrace.

A 21-year-old man is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday 3rd March in connection with the recovery in Gilmerton Dykes, while a 34-year-old man and 26-year-old woman appeared in court on Tuesday 2nd March for the drugs recovered in the Inch.

A 24-year-old man is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday 6th March in connection with the recovery in Gibson Terrace.

Detective Inspector Alan O’Brien from Edinburgh’s Proactive CID said: “We have now entered the second month of Operation Eagle and we are not letting up on our targeted pursuit of drug crime offenders.

“Every day we are using the intelligence from the public to carry out enforcement action across the city and seize harmful substances before they can be distributed within our communities.

“However, we can only successfully continue with this operation with the assistance of Edinburgh’s local residents and I would again urge anyone with information relating to drug crime in their area to contact us on 101 or make an anonymous report to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Building and rebuilding, it seems to be going on all around us. Things are stirring again after the Great Recession.  I cycled through the Craigmillar estate here in Edinburgh this week and watched the “yellow goods” – as we must call bulldozers these days – crawling all over the derelict landscape, preparing it for 1800 new homes, a new high school and a proper town-square.  Next week, a new Lidl supermarket will open its doors.

Elsewhere in Edinburgh, the grim concrete box at the top of Leith Walk is being torn down and a new, and hopefully improved, shopping centre and hotel will emerge. They are even starting to build flats again down on the waterfront.

And it’s happening across Scotland. This week in Dundee, the strange boat-like structure of the new Victoria and Albert Museum of Design came out from behind its hoardings.  In Aberdeen, work is underway on the new by-pass and a beginning is being made on a second harbour. In Inverness, a new university campus has just been finished and there are plans for a revamp of Falcon Square and the Eastgate shopping centre.  We are all catching up with Glasgow which has already redeveloped its waterfront. It’s now adding a cinema and shops on the site of the old Meadowside shipyard and a new pedestrian bridge across the Clyde.

A lot of this new activity is inspired by a series of some 30 “City Deals” being rolled out across the UK, in which the Westminster and local governments combine with private companies to fund building projects which, it’s hoped, will be engines of growth and generators of new jobs.  They call it “investing in infrastructure” and we shall no doubt hear more about it in the Chancellor’s budget next week.  Why we didn’t think of this nine years ago to avoid the Great Recession only the Tories can explain.

Perhaps it was to cut taxes on the rich. But now this is back in fashion, at least as far as local council tax is concerned.  In England it’s going up by 5 per cent, in Scotland, on average 3 per cent – with more for those living in large houses in the wealthy parts of town.  Curiously, 8 of Scotland’s 32 local councils are continuing to freeze the council tax and they are all Labour controlled. What’s going on ?  A scary series of local elections, on 4 May, that’s what. And it will be instructive to see what the voters think of paying more tax to have better public services.

Certainly the potholes are getting worse in all the public services. This week the NHS missed its treatment time targets yet again. The education secretary was under pressure to provide more support staff for his education reforms. The police were talking of cutting back the number of police officers. Highland Council is introducing a charge to collect garden waste.

Everyone is looking for “efficiencies” in the public services. The police are going to use civilian staff in the backroom to free up officers for the front line.  Senior  courtroom staff are suggesting more on-line court hearings to focus cases on the points in real dispute and avoid witnesses having to attend wasteful sessions.  The chief medical officer was talking of “realistic medicine” rather than an aggressive and expensive hospitalisation and drug treatment programme.  Some of these changes are good in themselves, but whether they can be enough to plug the gaps in the public services I doubt.

As I write, the Prime Minister Theresa May is about to address the resurgent Conservatives at their spring conference in Glasgow.  But she’s already leaked much of her speech in media interviews and she’s warning Scotland not to make Brexit a pretext for leaving the United Kingdom.  She’s confident she can get a deal with the EU that will “be good for all parts of the UK, including Scotland.”  Nicola Sturgeon is not so sure and she is saying that a second referendum on independence is becoming ever more likely.

Finally, did you ever head one of those old leather footballs ?  I did once and it almost knocked me out.  There’s now growing concern that constant training with those heavy footballs has caused men now in their later years to develop dementia.  Billy McNeil’s wife, Liz, this week spoke out about her husband’s battle with dementia which she puts down to all that heading when he was one of the stars of Celtic back in the 1960s.  Even though footballs are much lighter these days, we are now wondering whether we should follow America’s example and ban heading in all games involving children under the age of 12.

Sadly, she was speaking as Celtic was celebrating the 50^th anniversary of its historic 2-1 win in the European Cup final against Inter Milan.  Her husband was one of those “Lisbon Lions.” Another was Tommy Gemmell, who scored an unforgettable goal that day. Alas he has just died this week at the age of 73 after a long illness (not dementia.) So there, in the same 50 year old snapshot, we have the glories of football and its agonies.

On 23 April The Black Dog Orchestra will play at The Usher Hall. Their concert will feature the music of Led Zeppelin complete with full orchestra.

Vince Contarino, lead singer with The Black Dog Orchestra, spoke with us ahead of the debut UK tour for ‘Stairway To Heaven: Led Zeppelin Masters’

1)         Looking forward to your UK tour with the Black Dog Orchestra. How did the collaboration come about?

To answer that question, we must go back to 2004 when we first decided to play the music of Led Zeppelin with an Orchestra. We had been playing as the “Zep Boys” for almost 20 years in pubs, clubs, theatres and some outdoor festivals, so we were looking to do something different. It wasn’t as much as we wanted to make the gigs   bigger but as much as we wanted grandeur.

With an orchestra, we could play all the dubbed tracks on a Zeppelin studio track and, at the same time, bring together two different musical performance cultures.

We played our first orchestral show in Adelaide, Australia, with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in 2005 and it was a resounding success with the public.

The rest as they say is history. We have gone on to perform many more of these shows across Australia and now here we are getting ready for the UK. The most exciting phase without doubt so far.

2)         You’ve performed as a ‘Zeppelin’ tribute act for over 30 years. You must have been one of the first tribute acts in the world?

This could be true. I had never heard the term “Tribute Act” until a few years later when suddenly there was deluge of tribute bands flooding the scene. I can only speak for scene in Australia, but I think it has become unsavoury and in many cases just done for easy attention and monetary gain. Having said that, only acts that entertain and give audiences what they come to gigs to receive will survive the long haul.

3)         You recent played three sold out shows at the Sydney Opera House, which is a testament to the reputation you’ve built in Australia. Did you ever imagine that was possible when you first started out all those years ago?

Never dreamed or dare to dream that. All we wanted to do was a couple of shows at the local pub and have some fun playing the music we loved of what we believe to be the greatest rock band ever.

4)         Understandably, ‘Zeppelin fans are very protective about the music. With you also being fans, how important is it for the band to show respect and honesty to both the music and the performance?

The performance must be true to the Led Zeppelin catalogue and how those songs were recorded. Even though Zeppelin is blues based – and blues is all about the moment and how one expresses themselves individually – we believe we must stick to the script, so to speak. We may express and interpret certain themes a little different from the original, but overall we need to play the compositions as recorded on the albums so the audience is satisfied. We are strict on this and yet we still have room to move within the confines of the recorded material.

5)         Unlike many other tribute bands, you don’t impersonate the band but allow your own personalities to come through. Was this always part of the plan?

It was never even a consideration. We are musicians not actors. The music is what is important to us not the clothes or fashion of a bygone era. The performance can only be honest if we are real and celebrate and communicate with the audience using the composition, not the alter egos of Led Zeppelin themselves.

6)         Does that mean that there is more emphasis on the music and your musicianship, rather than trying to play a role? 

Absolutely, the music is everything unless of course we want to take the piss – and I would rather take the piss out of myself than say Robert Plant or Jimmy Page. I have way too much respect for them.

7)         The addition of the 35-piece orchestra adds a new depth to the music and makes for an amazing spectacle. How did you approach the project and arrangements with the orchestra?

The arrangements are the brain child of Nicholas Buc. He was the man that sweated over those and he has done a wonderful job – superb, in my opinion. The band and Nicholas discussed dynamics and different versions of the Led Zeppelin songs so we could find a good custom fit. Compositions like ‘Song Remains the Same’ and ‘Rain Song’ for instance are different on the live album as compared to the studio versions. We wanted to keep elements that we love from both. And of course there are endings that need to be written especially for the fade out songs. In places Nic has added some subtle orchestrations and some that just smack you in the face. The obvious one is ‘Kashmir’. However, there is ‘Achilles Last Stand’ that just keeps on building. The beauty of having an orchestra!

8)      Are there, therefore, some new interpretations on the old classics?

Yes, indeed, but as I mentioned, some of the changes are subtle and then there are moments that come out of nowhere that simply take your breath away. That’s the wonder of music and introducing unexpected elements that enhance and lift and take you by surprise.

8)         How much are you looking forward to bringing the show to the UK?

Are you kidding me?!!! We are super excited. We have a crew here in Australia that for logistic reasons we cannot take with us. They are offering the blood of their first born to come – hahaha! We the band are beside ourselves. Some of these concert halls like the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester and The Bristol Colston Hall and Newcastle City Hall were gigs that Led Zeppelin did themselves. I’m sure they would have done the London Palladium, too. We are nervous, too, because we want to put on a show that honours and reflects Led Zeppelin with integrity, passion and honesty. We want to be fighting fit and in good form. We are very much looking forward to the UK. In fact, it can’t come soon enough.

Logan
Direction: James Mangold
Screenplay: James Mangold, Scott Frank, Michael Green
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant, Boyd Holbrook,
Stephen Merchant, Dafne Keen
Length: 137 minutes
Rating: 15

Since its launch in 2000, the X-men film series has produced nine instalments which have collected over $4.3 billion at the box office worldwide, currently ranking it as the seventh highest grossing film franchise.

Logan marks the tenth episode of this American superhero collection and it will be the last time the characters of Logan/Wolverine and Charles Xavier/Professor X are played by Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart, respectively.

Having portrayed the eponymous character of this film for over 15 years, Jackman has appeared in nine out of these ten films with seven leading and two featuring performances, owning the role for its entire live action cinematic history ending with this project.

Stewart has portrayed the founder of the X-men in five films over the same length of time, sharing the role with James McAvoy who has performed the younger version of the character in three films overall.

Due to its significance, Logan should be the perfect film that provides a fitting farewell and appropriate tribute to the actors who have played these characters on film for so long.

And it is.

Set in 2029, a dystopian future, Logan/Wolverine (Jackman) is working as a limousine chauffeur in Texas in order to acquire medicine for Charles Xavier/Professor X (Stewart). Both men are old and grey, former shells and shadows of the great people they once were. Over time, Logan has suffered worsening health as his advanced regenerative abilities have been failing, leaving him weak and worn out.

Now in his tenth decade, Charles is physically ill and mentally lost and can no longer control his dangerously powerful telepathic gifts. When suffering seizures, he emits psychic freezing flares capable of temporary paralysing anyone, causing serious injury or even death over a significant area, which has happened before. One of the greatest minds in existence has become a weapon of mass destruction. As such, he is under constant care of both Logan and Caliban (Merchant), who all live together in an abandoned smelting plant in the deserts of Mexico which rusts and rumbles with every passing of a freight train on the tracks close by.

While in America, Logan is contacted by Gabriela, a nurse working on the unknown Transigen project who implores him that she and Laura (Keen), an eleven year old girl, must be transported by him to an Eden location in North Dakota to ensure their sanctuary.

Hesitant at becoming involved in any dangerous situation, Logan is targeted at home by Daniel Pierce (Holbrook) and the Reavers, a group of cyborg soldiers, on the orders of Zander Rice, the surgical leader of the Transigen project.

What follows is one of the best action sequences of the film as Logan is forced to flee with Charles and Laura from their home in an exhilarating battle featuring single combat fights and expert stunt driving, as well as a frighteningly close encounter with a huge freight train.

We also learn about the horrible story of the Transigen project, the fate of Laura and many other mutants like her as well as the shocking revelation of her true identity in relation to Logan.

Consequently, the film becomes more of a road movie and a relationship story between these two characters and focuses on that developing connection as they come to terms with themselves.

With the first word of dialogue (an expletive which perfectly encapsulates Logan’s life!) to the symbolically poignant final frame that beautifully represents Laura’s world, the film focuses on the literal and metaphorical clash of two very different characters, mentally, who just happen to share a defining feature, physically.

Logan is the past and Laura appears to be the future taking us into a new era of the X-men.

Logan is propelled by an excellent story which embraces both action and character. Benefitting from the brilliant warmth of the cinematography, the film heats up with all the fight scenes and emotionally engages during the peaceful moments, of which there are many.

Make no mistake, the violence is graphic but not lengthy or overdone.

With outstanding performances from Jackman and Stewart, this film gives them and their characters the send off they deserve.

Whatever happens to these characters, Jackman and Stewart are without doubt the definitive Logan/Wolverine and Charles Xavier/Professor X, respectively, for this generation. Logan and Charles may be down, but they are definitely not out.

Logan is in cinemas now.
8/10

Allandale is a member of the Association of Scottish Stillwater Fisheries (ASSF) and the spring-fed lakes have excellent water quality, ensuring a great range of fly life all year round. It is a sheltered location and is stocked daily.

Contact: Iona Allan
E: iona.atthetarn@googlemail.com
W: www.allandaletarn.co.uk and www.allandaletarn.com
Address: Allandale Tarn Fisheries, Gavieside, West Calder, West Lothian EH55 8PT
T: 01506 873073

Open: Wednesday to Monday each week all year (currently closed on Tuesday)

Times: Gates open at 8am, fishing begins at 9am each day. Closing times vary depending on time of year but currently 9am to 4:30pm. Times will be extended from Easter onwards.

Car park: up to about 45 cars and there is a secure overflow car park opened for use on competition days.
Species: brown trout, rainbow trout, blue trout, tiger trout and arctic char.

Basic prices: from £14 (cash transactions only). Concessions for juniors and seniors.

Age limit: juniors under 16 should be accompanied by an adult otherwise no age or experience limit.

Rod hire: equipment for fly or bait available to hire at £5 for the day.

Catching method: separate fly and bait fishing available.

Pegs: fly side 29 spaced platforms available. Bait side up to nine rods allowed normally but there is room for a few more if a group wishes.

How many boats: None, bank only.

Bait: artificial baits for sale but no live bait sold on site. Bait anglers are advised to bring worm/maggots with them. Other essentials like floats, weights, hooks and such are available on site.

Outings: costs/contact: Bait fishing permits start at £16.50. Contact the fishery direct on 01506 873073 or check on the website.

On-site facilities: shop stocking snacks, tea/coffee etc, fishing accessories, some tackle, large fly selections mostly tied on site and fly tying material.

Bothy: facilities include a toasty log burning fire, seating and shop.

Food available: general snacks, hot and cold drinks. A number of local stores/tearooms provide sit in and takeaway meals.

Toilets: separate male and female facilities. Ramp access available if required.

Optional extras: Bait fishing pool

Coaching: available from Paul Buchanan, a Scottish international who has had articles published recently in The Edinburgh Reporter.

Disabled: facilities available on request.

BRAVEHEARTS Edinburgh Capitals claimed three crucial points last weekend as they chase a coveted Elite League play-off spot.

The confidence-boosting 5-2 road win at The Storm Shelter in Manchester was followed by a nerve-wracking 3-2 overtime defeat to long-time league pace-setters Cardiff Devils at Murrayfield.

The fans loved it as their heroes pushed the men from the Principality to the wire and it all starts again on Saturday.

Capitals are playing catch-up but the mood in the camp is up-beat and the squad believe that the results last weekend prove that the Edinburgh side can complete at the highest level.

Defenceman Jacob Johnston said the players were happy with the three points earned over two tough days last weekend.

The prospect of travelling to the atmospheric Fife Ice Arena on Saturday (face-off 7.15pm) to face Flyers is a mouth-watering one for the players who are looking forward to the challenge.

It’s an arena where Capitals have enjoyed some success this year but Fife come into the game on the back of a big home win over high-flying Sheffield Steelers.

Johnston said: “We have to continue to care of the defensive zone in order to have success throughout the remainder of the season.”

And Capitals host Dundee Stars in the only Elite League fixture scheduled for Sunday (face-off 6pm).

The North American added: “This weekend will be a good test for us and it is a great opportunity to get some points.”

The AGM of the Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden will be held on 11 March 2017.

This last year has been momentous for the Friends Group as they now have the green light  and they will be using the walled garden along with the EDI Group who plan to develop the site.

The group were allowed to visit the historic site in January, the first time since 2013, to assess the condition and begin planning some activities for the first half of this year.

According to their spokesperson : “The garden hasn’t changed much in terms of its condition since 2013 but EDI Group are now undertaking repairs to make the garden safe and accessible in the near future.”

One of the first steps the group want to take is to put in a new door in the original West wall so that they can gain easier access to the garden for work in the future.

The glasshouses are sadly neglected and will have to be demolished, so the group plan to install a poly tunnel.

The group also has a crowdfunding page to raise much needed funds to help with their plans to develop the garden into a community space ‘to grow, learn and dream together’.

Their target is £10,000 and if you click here it will take you to the page.

This doesn’t happen very often. But I must confess that – for this week only, mind – I’m rather envious of those fans who profess to ‘hate Jam Tarts and hate Dundee’. Now this is nothing to do with Hearts struggling of late and the dismal results for the Maroons in the last couple of weeks or so. It’s more to do with Hibernian’s William Hill Scottish Cup quarter final tie with Ayr United at Easter Road this weekend. For it is the only one of the quarter final ties to kick off at 3.00pm on Saturday.

The other evening, I attended a splendid talk at the National Library of Scotland by the brilliant writer Daniel Gray who was speaking about his book Saturday, 3pm. It’s a superb tome and well worth a read (that’s another pint you’re due me, Dan) The author spoke about some of the delights of football past including traditional kick-off times (hence the name of the book) which have been very much at the whim of television companies for many years now.

This is highlighted by this weekend’s Scottish Cup ties. The quarter final stage is when the tension increases a notch with a place in the showpiece final ever closer. This is recognised by the television moguls who, between them, will cover one game on a Saturday lunchtime and two others on Sunday afternoon. And to hell with any inconvenience this may cause the fans.

In a couple of weeks Hearts will head to Aberdeen in the Ladbrokes Premiership. Kick-off time – 12.15pm. Not entirely convenient for the travelling Maroon Army but ideal for BT Sport who are broadcasting the game live. Given Hearts form of late, it will be interesting to see how many Hearts supporters will head to Pittodrie, although I know there are a number of Hearts fans who live in the Granite City.

Ridiculous kick-off times are just one of the many foibles – to lapse into cliché mode – of ‘the modern game. I grew up following Hearts in the late 1960s/early 1970s and that era now seems a world removed from the present day. The internet, satellite television and money have changed the game – and not always for the better.

The days of the crumbling terracing and turning up to pay your cash at the gate have long gone (for top-flight clubs in any case) Now I certainly don’t miss standing on an open terracing with the ice-cold wind, rain and sometimes snow cutting through you. Or the stream of urine trickling down the sloping terracing, particularly during the 1970s when taking cans of beer to the games was not just permissible but almost obligatory at some grounds. It’s easy to forget those days when we sit in all-seated stadia, perhaps in the family stand or the new concept of a ‘singing section’.

Standing under The Shed at Tynecastle in years gone by, there was no need for a ‘singing section’. We took our place there and on the terracing behind the goal just before kick-off, having staggered out of the pub just moments before. Invariably on a Saturday. At 3.00pm

But it’s not just Saturday, 3pm kick-offs for big games that are disappearing faster than Raith Rovers goalies on aTuesday night in Ayr.

Bovril. Half-time scoreboards. Football programmes that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. And, in the 1980s and 1990s, fanzines. More crudely produced but much cheaper than the official programme with content that was actually worth reading –and not plastered with adverts.

Of course, if you were in any way interested in what was happening at other games and didn’t fancy carrying a transistor radio on your person (ask your parents, young ‘uns) for fear some burly police officer might refuse you entry to the ground, you would need to purchase said programme. Lurking within its contents were the fixtures for other games that day with a large letter next to them. This correlated with the aforementioned half-time scoreboard. I still recall the poor chap at Pittodrie in October 1971 (I was living in Aberdeen at that time) getting pelters from the home support when he put up the score 4-0, being the half-time score at the Scottish League Cup final between Partick Thistle and Celtic (yes, back then league games were played on the same day as cup finals)

‘Ye big feel’ came the cry from the locals, ‘That’s nae richt – it’s the ither wye aboot’
(translation from Aberdonian to English: ‘I say, my good man, I believe you may have made an error and got the score the wrong way round)

But the poor harassed fella was correct. Partick Thistle were leading Celtic 4-0 at the interval. Such stories are no longer possible today thanks to the internet and the instant communication we demand and expect. It’s a result of this (if you’ll pardon the pun) that we no longer have the football results ‘bible’ of a Saturday evening – the Evening News Pink Paper. In Aberdeen, it was the Green Final. Many a Saturday tea-time was spent loitering around the door of the local newsagent anxiously awaiting the van which would screech along the road, hoying a bundle of tied-up Pink Papers from its door, the bundle thumping the pavement as it landed. I got my first job at the age of 16 in a furniture store which meant working until 5.30pm on a Saturday. I had no radio or mobile phone in 1978 so, upon finishing work, I spent a fraught few minutes waiting for the outcome of the Hearts game that afternoon.

Hearts 1 Aberdeen 4. August 1978. That was my Saturday night ruined before it had even started.

Of course, there were darker elements to those days. Sectarian chanting and singing was commonplace, not just at Old Firm games. Racist taunting and homophobic abuse were also unwanted frequent visitors and quite often the football authorities would turn a blind eye to this, much to their shame. And some of the chants from the terracing advocated violence, particularly when the away team had the temerity to open the scoring, equalise or, worse, score a late winner.

As you heard the net make a swishing noise as the ball was fired past Jim Cruickshank or Kenny Garland (insert the name of your own goalie here) there would be a stunned silence before the strains of ‘you’re gonna get your ****ing head kicked in’ rasped from The Shed. You don’t hear that at Tynecastle any more – nor its cousin ‘you’re going home in a ****ing ambulance’. Gone too are other ditties such as Gorgie Boys, Gorgie Boys, laced up boots and corduroys. It’s magic, you know- there’s gonna be Gorgie aggro.

You can blame Daniel Gray for all this mindless reminiscing. For Hearts fans like me, the 1970s was a miserable decade bringing, as it did, two relegations, two cup final defeats, a New Year hammering from our neighbours at Tynecastle and a financial situation akin to the collapse of the banks three decades later. Much of that decade was a time I have been trying to forget so regression may have its drawbacks.

Bur, rather like Nokia have just gone retro by re-issuing their ‘classic’ 3310 phone, a wee look back can rekindle fond memories.

Most of which, like Hibernian’s exception to the Scottish Cup rule this weekend, were on a Saturday afternoon between 3.00pm and 4.45pm…