Main photo Cameron Douglas

Firefighters were called out to a blaze at Kirk Loan in Corstorphine yesterday morning just before 10:00am which has caused extensive damage to the community centre there.

Appliances were immediately sent from Sighthill Fire Station and the SFRS presence increased to eight pumps during the height of the blaze.

Our reporter Cameron Douglas was at the scene and spoke to Sandy Irvine (15) who works at the holiday club which uses the hall in the community centre. He said:-“As I walked round the corner of the Community Centre, I was met with the sight of three fire engines. There were about 14 fire officers, and I immediately thought the worst. Luckily as I walked past the fire engine I saw that those attending the holiday club were safe at the churchyard.”

Police Scotland and Edinburgh City Council were on hand to provide advice and assistance to residents of nearby houses who were affected by the heavy smoke which accumulated in the area.

No injuries were reported and according to the fire service there were no reports of people being inside the two storey building, which measures approximately 30 metres by 40 metres.

Photo by Mairi Lowe

In a separate incident on Monday evening two people were rescued from a house in the Buckstone area of the city.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were called to an address in Buckstone Lea at 8.06pm following reports of a fire within a two storey detached house.

Two appliances responded to the call, one from Liberton and one from Sighthill.

Firefighters in breathing apparatus used one high pressure hosereel jet and a co2 extinguisher to put the fire out.

The kitchen area was damaged by fire and there was smoke damage throughout the rest of the property.

Two casualties, a man and woman, were recovered from the house and given oxygen by firefighters before being placed in the care of Scottish Ambulance Service staff. It is understood that they did not require hospital treatment.

Firefighters left the scene at around 9.31pm.

Edinburgh Castle to host Wedding Open Day

If love is in the air and wedding bells are on the horizon, why not come to the stunning location of Edinburgh Castle where they are hosting a Wedding Open Day on Saturday 19October 2013?

The Open Day will take place from 11:00 to 16:00 and will showcase Edinburgh Castle’s four  wedding venues.

These include St Margaret’s Chapel, the oldest building in Edinburgh, dating back to the 12^th century, perfect for anyone planning a small, intimate wedding and the stunning setting of the Queen Anne building, which can accommodate 120 wedding guests and up to 170 for an evening reception.

Exhibitors on the day to help you plan your perfect day include a florist, a photographer, a wedding cake specialist, a clarsach player and a wedding band.

Nick Finnigan, Executive Manager of Edinburgh Castle said: – “Edinburgh Castle has to be one of the most romantic locations in Scotland.   With its fascinating history, iconic setting and panoramic views across the city of Edinburgh, the castle is the ultimate wedding venue.

“During the Open Day, we will be offering booking incentives for all 2014 and 2015  weddings in the Queen Anne Building, The Gatehouse Suite and also the Jacobite Room. Come along and discuss your options with our Weddings Event Team who will be only too happy to offer advice.”

All guests will be asked to pre-register in advance of the day on the website at www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk. You will be asked to give the lead name of the wedding party and how many will be attending the Open Day with you.  On arrival you will be given free tickets in order to gain entry into Edinburgh Castle.

When you arrive on the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, please cross the Drawbridge and make your way into the main entrance area.

Ticket are available for collection from 10:45 until 3:00 pm from The Gatehouse.  This is accessed by entering the door immediately to the right as you have crossed the Drawbridge and up the spiral stairs and will be clearly sign-posted.

The Gatehouse is also the first point on the self guided tour of the wedding areas.

Edinburgh Castle team members will be based in the Gatehouse on the day and will issue you with an Edinburgh Castle map of the wedding areas.

There will be four venues to visit:

The Gatehouse Suite – Suitable for religious, civil ceremony, civil partnership and humanist ceremonies.  Maximum x 40 guests for ceremony & drinks reception, or x 20 for seated lunch / dinner.

The Jacobite Room – Available for evening receptions only.  Maximum seated dinner capacity x 100.  Maximum evening reception / dancing capacity x 150.

St Margaret’s Chapel – Religious ceremonies only. Maximum capacity x 25 guests (or 30 with 5 guests standing at the back)

The Queen Anne Building – Religious, civil ceremonies, civil partnerships & humanist ceremonies.  Maximum ceremony & wedding breakfast capacity x 120.  Maximum evening reception / dancing capacity x 170.

Fresh Air Radio nominated for awards – Nightmares at Newhailes this Hallowe’en – Subscribe to The Edinburgh Reporter today – Leith’s Art at the City Art Centre – Friends of Water of Leith Basin

The news team at student radio station Freshair have been nominated in the Student Radio Awards. They produced Edinburgh Question Time in March which has been put forward for the Best Outside Broadcast category and Calum Macdonald was also nominated for his “Live in my Lounge” programme when he took his show home to the Western Isles. The show was broadcast live from his house and included an exclusive performance from Colin McLeod who has appeared with luminaries, KT Tunstall and Bruce Springsteen.

Calum said:- “Receiving two nominations for Fresh Air is absolutely brilliant. The Student Radio Awards are a big deal. They’ve launched the careers of some huge names in the radio industry and to be on a short list to win is fantastic. I am absolutely delighted with the nominations – here’s hoping for a great night at the awards ceremony in London next month!”

The awards will be announced at a ceremony at the O2 in London on 7 November 2013.

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The National Trust for Scotland’s Newhailes in Musselburgh, has a long history with its fair share of mystery and intrigue making it the perfect place to visit for Hallowe’en.

The fun begins on Sunday 27 October with a Spooky Hallowe’en Trail around the Estate for younger visitors – we’ll be making our own masks too in the Education Room. The event runs from 11am until 4pm and costs £2 per activity.  Please phone 0844 493 2125 for more information.

Ghost tours specialists Mercat Tours will share a Newhailes Hallowe’en with visitors on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 October. The unsettled spirits of Newhailes house will share their scary stories. Tours cost £15 for adults, £8 for children (8 and over only) and £38 for a family – tickets are available at http://www.mercattours.com/newhailes-halloween.asp

Newhailes is just one of the National Trust for Scotland’s places featured in a special Haunted Houses online video – visit www.scotlandsstories.com for more information.
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This week is the last chance to see Gabriel Orozco’s thinking in circles which closes on Friday at the Fruitmarket Gallery. The exhibition takes the 2005 painting The Eye of Go as its starting point, and looks at how the circular geometric motif of this painting – part of a way of thinking for Orozco, a way to organise ideas of structure, organisation and perspective – migrates onto other work, recurring in other paintings, sculptures and photographs.

A highlight of the exhibition is a series of large geometric works on acetate, made in the mid 1990s, yet never before exhibited. Rather than surveying the whole range of Orozco’s practice, the exhibition seeks to cut a conceptual slice through it, to look deeply into the mechanics of the artist’s thinking and working process. Not only does the exhibition propose a different view of Orozco’s major contribution to changes in art in the 90s but it brings to the fore the urgent problem of art’s ‘makeability’ now.

Geometry and Abjection

If you missed Professor Margaret Iversen’s talk which considered the tension in Orozco’s work between the abstract or diagrammatic on the one hand, and the trace or residue on the other. Listen to it here.

The Fruitmarket Gallery
45 Market Street Edinburgh EH1 1DF
P +44(0) 131 225 2383
F +44(0) 131 220 3130
info@fruitmarket.co.uk
www.fruitmarket.co.uk

A petition signed by nearly 3,500 people aims to overturn the enforcement notice served by the council on the owners of Pomegranate Restaurant in Antigua Street which requires them to remove their signage. A Facebook campaign is also gathering momentum.

The petition by the restaurant owner says:-

After an 18-month sustained campaign of harassment led by a neighbour, Pomegranate Restaurant (located at Antigua Street, Edinburgh) is being forced to remove ALL the lighting and signage from their business. The attached photo shows their “offensive” menu boards and their “eyesore” restaurant frontage.

Having to comply with this order will have serious negative repercussions for this extremely popular restaurant. It will, in all likelihood, cost the owners and the many staff that they employ, their livelihood.

The previous establishment at the premises, an Italian restaurant, traded for over 20 years without any problems. As a Middle Eastern restaurant, however, they have been plagued by complaints.

If you love Pomegranate and their food, or you simply find this situation completely unfair, please sign this petition and make your feelings known.

The council’s planning portal shows that the enforcement notice deals with lighting, signage and decking outside the property, which it said was an unauthorised change of use. In the enforcement report the council stated that the owners of the restaurant put up unathorised illuminated signage, strip lighting, security cameras, menu boards, wooden decking and a canopy. The property is B listed and lies within the Edinburgh World Heritage Site, so listed building consent would also be required. In 2001 when the owners of the previous occupiers, Ferri’s restaurant, made an application, permission appears to have been granted for illuminated signage.

The council claimed that the changes made by the new owners were ‘an accumulation of unsympathetic additions…which detract from the simple architecture of the design, to the detriment of the character of the building.”

The council as planning authority have the responsibility of deciding whether an advertisement is appropriate or not. They consider these signs to be ‘visually dominating and unsympathetic’. They have demanded removal of the signs.

The Edinburgh Reporter asked the council for comment. A Council spokesperson, said:- “Alterations to the building were made which required listed building and planning consent. We have therefore issued an enforcement notice to ensure work is carried out to reinstate the building as it was.”
We asked  RCAHMS for a historic photograph of the building and this is what we found:-

© RCAHMS (Francis M Chrystal Collection) This photograph dates from 1900 but clearly shows the same property all those years ago.

The initial decision was made by the council in November 2012 and was then appealed to the Scottish Ministers who issued their decision in February 2013. This confirmed that the council’s enforcement notice should stand, even though the canopy had by that time been removed. The appeal decision also refused to accept that the bamboo fencing in place was in any way temporary as it had been there for some time. An appeal made at the same time for Listing Building Consent also failed on the same grounds.

Pomegranate owner Jamal Ahmed claimed that the decking had been in place for four years, but the council produced a photo from May 2009 which showed that there was no decking there at that time.

Mr Ahmed clearly believes they are being victimised by the council as you will see in this video report:-

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVnOljr84A0?list=UUpyjaNvEF_ryiKTJ6QxCkIA]

£3 million Pentland Outdoor Centre is now under construction on the site of the former hotel.
·         Craigdon Mountain Sports are building a flagship retail outlet
·         Graham + Sibbald now seeks operator for exciting café/restaurant opportunity

As we reported a while back, construction is now underway on a £3 million development at Fairmilehead, Edinburgh.  The Pentland Outdoor Centre will be run by Craigdon Mountain Sports, a family run business with 26 years of experience in retail.

The new centre will have three floors of retail, office and restaurant space and will be built using traditional stone and wood finishes and will be powered by solar energy.

Steel work will be erected this month and the proposed café/restaurant will offer wonderful views of the Pentland Hills.  The next step is to identify the right food operator for the development and Graham + Sibbald is currently in discussion with a number of interested parties.

Keith Watters of Graham + Sibbald commented: “This is a fantastic new development for Edinburgh and hill walkers, climbers and skiers will be flocking here once it is open for business.  We want a quality food operator that will complement the family ethos of the centre.”

Gordon Lee, owner of Craigdon Mountain Sports and the new centre, said:-“We are very excited to be in Edinburgh.  We have been looking for the right site for a few years now and it has been really helpful working with Keith and the team at Graham + Sibbald, as they know the area so well.  We plan to work closely with Midlothian Snow Sports Centre and the Pentland Rangers to bring greater awareness of the outdoor pursuits available on Edinburgh’s doorstep.”

The site of the development is situated just off the A720 Edinburgh City Bypass and with construction now underway it is anticipated opening the centre in spring 2014.

These bikes were not just any bikes. They were hand-made by the employees of the Cheque Centre at their annual conference, and the staff then donated the end product to a group of young people they had invited along.
 
The Edinburgh-based Cheque Centre teamed up with Charity Bike Build to make the special presentation.

The conference, which was held at the Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel last week involved 50 Cheque Centre employees working in teams to build mountain bikes.  Managed by qualified mechanics from Charity Bike Build, each team was briefed with building a mountain bike.

They were joined at the conference by three young people who have all experienced homelessness in Scotland’s capital.   The five Raleigh mountain bikes built by the employees, along with accessories, were presented to the young people who were delighted by their gifts.

Ralph Hodges, Director of Retail for the Cheque Centre, said:-  “Our annual conference is an important event for our employees to work and learn together, improving their skillset. However we wanted to use this opportunity to do something which was not only fun and creative, but also something which allows us to give back to the local community.

“As a company we were keen to work with a charity which would really benefit from the bikes, and Charity Bike Build helped us to achieve this.”

Photos show Ralph Hodges Director of Retail at Cheque Centre (left) and Peter Lindsay of Charity Bike Build

Our fashion editor Ann Russell  will be choosing her Must Have on Monday each week. (And before you all email us we know this first article is published on Tuesday!)
This pink wool biker coat from Topshop is the perfect addition to your new season’s wardrobe. The coat is affordable (£125) and comes in Autumn/Winter’s most popular colour.

Wrap up warm with this cosy wool lined cover-up paired with a thick scarf and leather gloves to add a tougher edge.

Ann Russell is a fashion writer and has her own fashion blog here.

It looks as though the waiting game is over, as the Zoo have issued a statement about the giant panda Tian Tian which confirms that they do not believe she is pregnant. It appears that she may have lost the panda cub in recent weeks, which is disappointing news for the scientists and keepers at the zoo who are determined to breed a cub in captivity.

Experts at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland can now confirm that they no longer believe Edinburgh Zoo’s female giant panda, Tian Tian, is pregnant. All of her hormonal and behavioural signs now indicate that she had conceived and carried a foetus until late term, but then lost it.

Chris West, Chief Executive Officer for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland said:

“We are all saddened by this turn of events after so many weeks of waiting. Timings are difficult to pinpoint at this moment, but we had a meeting this morning where Tian Tian’s behaviour and hormone results were reviewed and have come to the conclusion that it is very likely she has lost the pregnancy.

“Up until now, Tian Tian has consistently shown signs of pregnancy – she passed a mucus plug around mid-September and began producing colostrum. She also experienced a prolonged secondary-rise in progesterone. However, the veterinary team has noticed a significant decline in the amount of colostrum being produced and over the last few days she has returned to the normal eating and behavioural patterns of a non-pregnant panda.

“Such a loss has always been in our minds as a very real possibility, as it occurs in giant pandas as well as many other animals, including humans. Our dedicated team of keepers, veterinary staff and many others worked tirelessly to ensure Tian Tian received the best care possible, which included remote observation and closing the panda enclosure to visitors to give her quiet and privacy. We are conducting a detailed review of the scientific data collected, but I am totally confident that we did everything it was possible to do. I would like to thank our Chinese partners the China Conservation and Research Centre (CCRCGP) and the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA), as well as our international science colleagues for their support and guidance throughout this period.

“The majority of research centres and zoos with giant pandas around the world have not successfully bred until the third or fourth year and what we have achieved considering we have had giant pandas for less than two years is immense. New hormone research is beginning to indicate that lost pregnancies are more common in giant pandas than first thought, though at the moment no one knows why.

“We are working as part of a global giant panda conservation programme and will continue to work closely with our international colleagues. The research and work we do here goes towards better understanding giant panda biology, education and conservation in the wild, as demonstrated by the Giant Panda Research Symposium held here in September and the Jaguar Land Rover China partnership in education. Giant pandas are brilliant ambassadors for other endangered species like Scottish wildcats, basking sharks, bumblebees and butterflies. We exist to safeguard species from extinction. We will carry on and are confident we will succeed.

“The panda enclosure will remain closed until the end of the week, in order to give Tian Tian time to get back into her routine and provide her keepers with the chance to recuperate after this long period of waiting.”

Police Scotland is warning people to be alert to the risk of a lottery scam after a number of reports from all over the country.

Members of the public have received letters informing them they’ve won hundreds of thousands of pounds in a Commonwealth of Nations Lottery, and asking them to send on their bank details in order that the cash be transferred.

Most recently, residents in St Andrews, Dunoon and Dunblane have reported this.

A police spokesman said: “Investigations are underway following a number of reports where people have received letters about this fake lottery.

“We would remind everyone that they should never give out any personal information, including bank details, to any unknown agency.

“While the letters may appear official, it is important to validate any such communication, and seek further assurances that the firms involved exist and are aware of the letter.

“The fraudsters behind this scam are preying on people’s vulnerabilities, and could appear genuine if not carefully considered – the bottom line is that if something appears too good to be true, then it usually is.

“Anyone with any concerns about this kind of scam should contact their local police on 101.”

Seventy fire-fighters are currently tacking a large blaze at the Corstorphine Youth and Community Centre in Kirk Loan.

The fire broke out just before 10am this morning and a number of children who were in the building at the time were safely evacuated to a nearby church as fire-fighters worked to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby buildings

A spokesman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “Operations Control in the capital received reports of the fire on Kirk Loan shortly before 10am on Tuesday 15 October.

“Appliances were immediately sent from Sighthill Fire Station and the SFRS presence has since been increased to eight pumps. There is heavy smoke logging in the area and SFRS officers are working closely with Police Scotland and Edinburgh City Council to provide advice and assistance to residents of nearby houses.

“Police officers are manning outer cordons while fire-fighters continue to tackle the blaze, with two height appliances in use. No injuries have been reported and there were no reports of people being inside the two storey building.”

Corstorphine High Street and Saughton Road North have been closed in both directions between Manse Road and Castle Avenue, along with Kirk Loan and Orchardfield Avenue.

Police said the roads are likely to be closed for the next few hours and have asked motorists to stay away from the area.

Photograph by Cameron Douglas

Musselburgh Catering company adds to its team 

GH Event Catering, the ambitious, leading catering company in East Lothian has significantly expanded its team with the appointment of four new staff members.  The newly enlarged team will play a key role in helping the Musselburgh-based company reach its target of a 35% year-on-year increase in turnover, for the financial year ending December 2014.

About the new staff appointments, GH Event Catering’s managing director, Brian Galbraith said: “We’ve made four key appointments and welcome these talented, experienced and enthusiastic individuals to our continually growing GH team.  Each has a significant role to play and with the rest of our team, will help us drive the business forward.

“Our goal is to increase our turnover by the end of 2014 by 35%.  We’re focused on increasing our business with the corporate market, particularly providing our quality catering services to companies operating in the country’s energy sectors and creating new partnerships with prestigious venues in Edinburgh, the Lothians and across Scotland.”

The four new recruits are; Libby Harrison (business development manager), Lynn Barclay (revenue manager), Stephanie Stubbs (marketing manager) and Christina Clayhills-Henderson (office and events assistant).

Libby Harrison will work closely with GH Event Catering’s managing director Brian Galbraith, devising and implementing the company’s business development strategy, developing effective sales processes, increasing sales revenue and developing collaborative partnerships with corporate clients and new venues across Scotland, for the business to provide its first-class catering services to.  Libby has extensive experience of working in strategic business development – with the Guardian Newspapers and more recently, as a successful business consultant across a number of industry sectors.

As the new revenue manager, Lynn Barclay will look after the sales function and be involved in handling all customers’ event enquiries from the initial, personal show rounds of GH Event Catering’s range of stunning venues to helping clients decide what they require from their special event.  Prior to her new post, Lynn was the business development manager at Surgeons Hall in Edinburgh and sales manager for Hilton Hotels & Resorts.

Stephanie Stubbs will be heading up the marketing activity for the company, devising the strategy and implementing the marketing plan which will continue to build increasing awareness about the quality range of event catering services GH can offer to its key markets, both locally in the Lothians, Edinburgh and across Scotland.  Stephanie’s experience comes from a wide range of marketing and sales environments, from within advertising and media through to hospitality and tourism events.  She was previously at the Lane Agency in Edinburgh and actually worked for the GH team as a marketing and events co-ordinator in the company’s early days.

Finally, Christina Clayhills-Henderson is the new office and events assistant.  Christina will work under the guidance of the business’ events director Sa Craig and will be responsible for helping with all aspects of event planning and office administration.  She will be involved with liaising with clients to confirm arrangements to managing events on site and ensuring that everything runs efficiently and to plan.

Twilling Tweeds and Hunarmand Hoost (Skilled Hands) showcases the work from a collaboration between weavers in the Outer Hebrides and embroiderers in Chitral, Pakistan.

The project was designed by Edinburgh-based textile designer Adil Iqbal, who conducted a series of workshops in the Chitral valley where he introduced the makers to aspects of Scottish culture and encouraged the embroiderers to discuss the similarities between Pakistani and Scottish cultures.

The tapestries aim to depict the uniqueness of life in the Outer Hebrides and Chitral Valley. The project encouraged female artisans from Chitral to be creative designers, and gave them the space to tell their stories, interpreting the life of both communities in an attempt to establish a craft dialogue between the two regions.

Using hand crafted Harris tweeds, the narratives created by the Chitral embroiderers are embellished onto the fabric. This provides a new cultural dimension to traditional Scottish fabrics through the application of traditional Pakistani art and embroidery skills in a modern form.

The ages of the women involved range from 18-45 years and they are the owners of the entire body of works. Proceeds from the sale of these pieces go directly to them. As a result, Twilling Tweeds generates an income for both them and their families.

The exhibition of 13 contemporary hand embroidered textiles will be on display at The Nomad’s Tent in Edinburgh from 23 November 2013 until 23 December 2013. In 2014 the exhibition will travel to Kuwait, Qatar and Pakistan.

For more information on this exhibition, please visit the Twilling Tweeds and Hunarmand Hoost Facebook page.

Submitted by Adil Iqbal

Local money for Leith – Safety advice for Fireworks Night – MSP congratulates Morningside on new magazine – Lions Fundraising – Save HMS Edinburgh

People in Leith will soon be asked by Leith Neighbourhood Partnership to decide how a pot of more than £20,000 in funding should be spent on projects that benefit the local community.

Now in its fourth year, £eith Decides, allows community groups to apply for grants of up to £1,000 each. Once the applications are in, local people are invited to vote on which projects they would most like to receive the money. A special public event will take place in February, at which members of the public will get the chance to learn about applicants and their projects.

Previous successful applicants include Prospect Bank School Parents’ Association for an outdoor climbing frame, the Goosander Resident’s Association for a living garden, the Citadel Youth Centre for a young mums’ parenting course, and the North Edinburgh Dementia Care group, which ran podiatry sessions for older clients.

This year’s application period is now open and runs until 8 November 2013, when a Steering Group made up of local people will consider all applications to make sure that they meet the criteria – Advice is available on how to meet the criteria.

Councillor Maureen Child, Convener of the Communities and Neighbourhoods Committee at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “£eith Decides has proven to be extremely popular, and many new applicants came forward last year. It was fantastic that so many worthwhile projects, all of which have made a difference to people, were given help in this way.

“The public event held as part of the process gave community groups the opportunity to raise awareness about their work too. Neighbourhood Partnership events like this are valued by people who welcome the opportunity to make decisions about the area in which they live.”

For up-to-date information about £eith Decides please visit its Facebook page and the £eith decides page

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It may be a few weeks away but The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service want you to know that they are already thinking about you.This is their advice:-

Jim Eadie, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, last week tabled a parliamentary motion congratulating the launch of Morningside Living, a community magazine showcasing all the great aspects Morningside’s community and lifestyle has to offer.

In a statement, Jim Eadie said: -“It’s great that the magazine is produced by the residents for the residents, and that community services such as the Open Door café, which provides care for older and disabled people, receive the positive coverage and publicity they deserve.”

The full text of Mr Eadie’s motion is:

“That the Parliament congratulates the launch of Morningside Living, a magazine showcasing all the great aspects Morningside’s community and lifestyle has to offer; notes that the magazine is produced by residents for residents, informing them of the newest restaurants, shops and initiatives going on in the area including a focus on health and wellbeing, with articles on shiatsu and community counselling; applauds one initiative in particular, covered by the magazine, the Open Door, a community café which assists older and disabled people through fundraising for care and wishes well the magazine in continuing to promote Morningside and its welcoming atmosphere.”

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A lion hearted thank you from City of Edinburgh Lions Club in partnership with Diabetes UK who collected a fantastic £1,084.60 during the Big Collection at Tesco Corstorphine on 4 to 6 October. Lion President Andrew Kerr Sutherland, who is also 1^st Vice District Governor of Lions Clubs International in Scotland and north east England, thanked everyone for their support and looked forward to further partnerships across the city. Further information:www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/cityofedinburgh

Police are concerned for the welfare of a man who was reported missing after he failed to return home to Skye from Falkirk, where he is currently a student.

Liam Colven (20) is described as 6″ 2′ in height, of slim build, with short black hair, blue eyes, tanned complexion and occasional light growth of facial hair. He has piercing just above his left eye.

Liam was due to visit a family member in Glasgow on Saturday and then travel by bus to his family home in Skye. Concerns were raised last night after he failed to make both appointments and has not been contactable.

Anyone with information regarding Liam’s whereabouts is urged to contact Police on 101.

Grow Wild is a project set up to transform a local community in Scotland and now the public can vote to decide who wins.

From today, people in Livingston can go online at vote.growwilduk.com to vote for their local community growing project, Frog Pond Rises.

A much-loved pond and park area might undergo a transformation through wetland creation and the design of a wild flower structure by Higher Design pupils at James Young High School.  It is being led by West Lothian Council in conjunction with James Young High School, Friends of the Froggy and Central Scotland Forest Trust.

Grow Wild will award £100,000 in funding to one of three projects throughout Scotland, which also include a disused sewage works in Barrhead and a community garden in Greenock. The transformed site will be completed next spring.  The Scottish Grow Wild campaign is supported by the Big Lottery Fund and led by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, working in partnership with greenspace scotland and Youth Scotland.

Grow Wild focusses on areas in need of regeneration in order to bring colour to local communities and drive community spirit. The campaign  encourages organisations to reclaim underused spaces for nature and for local people.

In particular Grow Wild aims to engage young people by providing opportunities to take direct action and transform local green space, showcasing their drive and creativity to the benefit of the local community.

These special Grow Wild projects are one part of the overall UK campaign that aims to inspire three million people to take direct action for UK native plants. Over the next three years, one million seed-sowing kits will be distributed through Grow Wild partners, with the particular aim of reaching young people, aged 12 -25, and new audiences who wouldn’t usually engage with environmental or community projects.

The Scottish pathfinder project is the first to go ahead in the UK, with the sites in England, Wales and Ireland following in 2015 and 2016.

Mark Leishman, design and technology teacher at James Young’s High School, said: “5^th and 6^th year pupils studying Higher Product Design at the James Young High School have enjoyed developing a range of design proposals for the Froggy pond. It has really caught their imagination and   motivated many of them to give up a lot of their spare time.

“Working with professional architects, engineers and landscapers for West Lothian council and other external agencies such as Arup has been a fantastic opportunity for all pupils. All design work from over 30 pupils was appreciated by everyone involved.”

Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said, “Grow Wild is bringing communities together to transform unused or neglected urban sites and gardens with wild flowers.  It’s a great chance for people to get back to their green roots and bring more life and colour to the places where they live.  The vote is open now, so please visit the website and get voting for your favourite site.”

Andrew Ormston, Grow Wild Scottish partnerships, said: “People across Scotland have the opportunity to decide which of these imaginative and engaging projects win £100 000 funding to transform under-used areas in their local communities.  I have been particularly impressed with the range of community involvement in the design and planning of each site.

“Community projects such as these help to improve community relationships, give younger people better access to outdoor space with benefits to health and wellbeing, as well enabling people to enjoy seeing wild flowers in urban areas.”

Voting runs from 14 October to 3 November.

The Scottish Arts and Film Festival in conjunction with The Fruit Tree Foundation, South West Sounds and CReative Scotland present:

An evening with Withered hand and guests.Featuring support sets from The Fruit Tree mentor programme and South West Sounds (Whale arts community music project led by Rod Jones of Idlewild and The Birthday suit).Doors 7pm

Concert will start at 7:30 pm and run until 9:30pm.
CLOSED EVENT from 7:30pm so late comers will not be admitted.

http://witheredhand.com/
http://www.whalearts.co.uk/

THIS IS A FREE EVENT BUT TICKETED.  THERE IS NO ADMISSION WITHOUT A VALID PRINTED TICKET!

Buy your ticket here

David Lowe’s Fitsteps

An easy to learn, fun to do dance/fitness class with a combination of the best known and most popular Latin and Ballroom dances taught in a line dance style so no partners are required.

The first night of Fitsteps attracted 31 women and 2 Male with 7 people phoning in their apologies. According to all concerned the first night proved to be a fantastic success. Photo shows David , his followers and his chosen helpers as instructor aides- Pauline Traverse & Moira Stone. Age group ranged from mid twenties to 80 years old.

The next fun night continues next Thursday 17th October at 6.30

If you would like to come along then phone David on 0785692533 to make sure there is a place for you.

Submitted by Jim McGinty

One man has been jailed for 140 days when he appeared from custody at Haddington Sheriff Court today (Monday, October 14) and admitted being involved in disorder associated with a 2nd round Scottish Cup fixture at Prestonpans on Saturday,(October 12, 2013).

Steven Moffat, aged 21, from Prestonpans pled guilty to breaking the peace, resisting arrest and drinking in public.

Two other men, aged 21 and 17, have been charged in relation to other incidents associated with the match between Preston Athletic and Queens Park.

The match referee took the decision that the game at Pennypitt, Prestonpans should be temporarily abandoned after a group of 10 fans invaded the pitch at half time. Police officers then assisted stewards in dispersing a group of around 20 home supporters who had been causing disorder, including the discharge of two fireworks and two flares.

The match restarted soon after and Police are continuing with their inquiries to identify further individuals involved in the disturbance.

Inspector Andrew Harborow said: “It is disappointing that a small group of around 20 people, who claim to be football supporters, disrupted what was otherwise a good natured family event.

“The total attendance was 806, of which around 100 were travelling fans, the vast majority were there to support their local teams and enjoy a football match. Our inquiries are continuing to identify those responsible for the disorder and it is to be expected that the footballing authorities will be looking at the match report with interest.”

The Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop today announced funding for Scotland’s Winter Festival Programme – kicking off on St Andrew’s Day, running through Christmas and Hogmanay and culminating in Burns Night – celebrating the country’s distinct culture, heritage and creativity.

Edinburgh events being supported by the funding will include:-

• Storytelling Centre – St Andrew’s Day – 30 Nov 2013 A celebration of Scottish culture with activities for children and adults. Children are invited to join Mrs Mash for the lively delivery of traditional Scottish tales, while Andy Cannon will tell the stories he has collected from his year-long trip around Scotland to discover the tales and traditions of a nation. The day will close with a musical celebration from the Greig Duncan Folk Song collection.

• Edinburgh’s St Andrews Day 2013 – 30 Nov 2013 As part of the city’s exciting new Edinburgh’s Christmas programme, St Andrew’s Day events will take place this year in the city’s Grassmarket. Live music, an open air ceilidh, food and drink and storytelling to wow little ones will make for a family friendly day-long celebration in the heart of the city.

• Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 30 Dec 2013 – 1 Jan 2014 Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is one of Scotland’s flagship festivals, attracting 80,000 revellers from Scotland and beyond to the street party alone. . This three day festival starts with the Torchlight Procession, followed by the world famous street party on the 31^st of December and an eclectic programme of music and theatre taking place in venues around the old town on New Year’s Day.

• ‘Hogmanay in the Honest Toun’ – 31 Dec 2013 This Hogmanay programme in Musselburgh is designed for families with events through the daytime in the Brunton Theatre and town hall, Scottish themed entertainment including a family Ceilidh, drumming, storytelling and sing-alongs. The programme concludes in the early evening with a lantern procession and fireworks

• Scottish Storytelling Centre – 25 Jan 2014 A fun, family-friendly series of events that will promote Scotland’s rich history in a modern and unique manner.

Nineteen events will take place across Scotland including, for the first time, the Western Isles. From St Andrew’s Day on November 30 through to Burns Night on January 25, events will run from the Highlands to Dumfries and Galloway, from Stornoway to Stonehaven ranging from storytelling, singing and street acts to flings, fireworks and food. They will form an integral part of the wider celebrations taking place the length and breadth of the country throughout the winter months.

St Andrew’s Day celebrations kick off with a month-long food & drink festival in the town of St Andrews, as well as major celebrations that will take place for the first time in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket, family friendly events in George Square in Glasgow and a packed programme of activity as part of The Saltire event in East Lothian. Across Scotland, existing and new choirs will also join to put Scotland on the map as a ‘singing nation’ as part of Scotland Sings, which takes place across various locations around the country.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, said:

“St Andrew’s Day, Christmas, Hogmanay and Burns Night are important calendar dates for Scots and these events, together with wider activity, will give everyone the opportunity to celebrate Scotland’s rich heritage and distinctive culture.

“This vibrant winter events programme will bring people together to celebrate Scotland’s modern culture and traditions through the best of our nation’s music, arts, food and drink, innovation and entertainment.

“As a year round destination for visitors, Scotland welcomes over 15.3 million people every year. St Andrew’s Day, Christmas, Hogmanay and Burns Night are perfect for celebrating all things Scottish either with us here in Scotland or around the world.”

BSW Timber’s Petersmuir Mill marks the event

The East Lothian sawmill is lending its support to Grown in Britain Week, starting today, which celebrates the valuable contribution that forestry and home-grown timber products make to the UK economy.

The week-long series of activity and events throughout the UK has been organised as part of a national campaign to raise awareness of the nation’s forestry sector, which contributes £2 billion to the UK economy and supports 170,000 mostly rural jobs.

BSW Timber’s Petersmuir mill produces around 20,000 m3 of sawn timber each year, mainly for the UK’s agricultural timber and fencing market. All timber is sourced from local woodlands and forests, helping to provide almost 20 jobs at the Petersmuir mill, plus thousands more across the local supply chain.

BSW Timber now produces almost one third of all UK sawn softwood output following a multi-million pound investment in modern manufacturing sites and customer services across the UK.

Welcoming the launch of Grown in Britain Week, Tony Hackney, the company’s chief executive, said:- “The Grown in Britain Campaign comes at a critical time for UK producers – both to highlight the importance of timber to the UK and to galvanising industry and Government support for British forestry and forestry products

“There has never been a better time to celebrate UK timber and the role it plays in improving and driving forward our economy – and supporting jobs and investment in areas such as Petersmuir, as well as the local supply chain.”

For more information about activities and events for Grown in Britain Week, visit www.growninbritain.org

Yellow Court Studio is holding an art exhibition this week. This is not an exhibition of traditional art however, but a foray into the world of digital art.

All the prints are unique as they have been made by a wholly digital process. The results are stunning, although the end result is not always recognisable as the object which was first photographed.

The studio was established by Margaret Donaldson, who has been a traditional artist as well as Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Edinburgh from her appointment in 1980 until her retirement. Her main research interest has always been in the study of human thought and language.

Donaldson has produced most of the works displayed by using a camera with a macro lens, and then employing digital editing to produce the finished work. She confesses that the possibilities which this process throws up are endless. The works you will see at the exhibition are one-offs. There is no print run made from the same image.

The other works are by Martin McAdam, amateur photographer and wave energy pioneer who has produced his images printed on aluminium.

McAdam is offering his works for sale and said:-“The challenge of digital images is that they can be reproduced perfectly within the limitations of the print media and printing technology. Without controlling the original digital source can a buyer truly own an original?

“Here the artist provides the printed image and the digital file. No copies of the digital file will be retained and all back-up copies will be deleted – creating a truly unique piece of digital art.

The art is reproduced as a high gloss image reflecting the current trend for digital tablet surfaces.”

Donaldson’s husband Professor Stephen Salter MBE, winner of the Saltire Prize and Emeritus Professor of Engineering Design at the University of Edinburgh  has also contributed three images to the exhibition.

Salter is responsible for the invention of the Salter Duck with which he began the wave energy pursuit. His art therefore is not surprisingly based on cross-sectional drawings of a wave energy machine!

The exhibition is accompanied by a pamphlet entitled Why does Art Matter, this is meant to provoke some comment from those in the know about art. It begins:-“Yellow Court Studio was founded in the belief that art is greatly important for human well-being…”

For your own well-being we would recommend finding your way to Yellow Court’s exhibition at Whitespace Gallery this week and sit down to have a look at the images on display.

We interviewed Margaret Donaldson about the art which she has produced:-

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgd4LOcR6do?list=UUpyjaNvEF_ryiKTJ6QxCkIA]

Whitespace Gallery 11 Gayfield Square EH1 3NT from 14-23 October 10.30 – 5.30pm daily.

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for help in tracing a young woman who went to the aid of the victim of an assault and robbery early yesterday (Sunday, October 13) morning.

The young woman helped the victim back home after the incident around 8.20am yesterday on Grange Road, Edinburgh.

Police are now keen to speak to the Good Samaritan and are urging her to make contact with them.

Detective Sergeant Steve Clark, who is based at Craigmillar, said: “She had helped a 19-year-old female student who just minutes previously had been assaulted and robbed of her phone and handbag.

“The young woman had been walking on the north footpath of Grange Road when she was stopped by her attacker and asked for the time. He then grabbed her, wrapped his arms around her and stole her mobile phone and handbag.

“He made off in the direction of Mansionhouse Road, discarding the phone and handbag but keeping its contents.

“It was at this point that the other young woman went to her aid and helped her home. She did not leave any contact details and we are keen to talk to her.”

The young woman, and anyone else who has information about this incident, is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 or the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The suspect is described as a white male, aged around 30 – 35 years of slim build, with short dark hair and talking with a Scottish accent. He was wearing a black puffa-style jacket and light blue jeans.

Tapa wins for its tapas!

Edinburgh’s widely-acclaimed Spanish restaurant Tapa has been named the UK’s Favourite Tapas Venue following seven months of intense voting. The delightful establishment beat off fierce competition from a host of top Spanish restaurants from around Britain to win the competition, which was run by craft Andalusian beer brand Alhambra.

The competition began on February 28^th 2013, Andalusia Day, and ran until October 10^th 2013 with 75 restaurants or tapas bars from the UK’s burgeoning Spanish restaurant scene involved. People were able to vote or nominate their favourite venue via Cervezas Alhambra’s UK Facebook or at Alhambra’s summer sampling events with the winning restaurant announced on Spain’s national Day, 12^th October.

Aside from the prestige of taking the crown, Tapa will receive a prize of £2,000. The other restaurants who made up the top five included – 2nd place – Los Gatos, Swindon, 3^rd place – El Toro, Hull, 4^th Place – Costas Tapas Bar, Penrith and  5^th place – Lunya, Liverpool.

Sam Houston, spokesperson for the Alhambra beer brand commented:-“The Spanish restaurant sector has blossomed in the last few years with consumers really getting a taste for tapas.  We are now blessed with an incredible array of authentic Spanish tapas venues around the country and this competition has helped showcase that. Tapa is a beautiful venue with stunning food and that traditional tapas buzz.  It has a loyal local following and it is great for Greig, Dan and the team to get the recognition they deserve.”

Andalusia in Southern Spain is where the Alhambra beers hail from and is also thought to be the birthplace of tapas.  Literally meaning “Lid”, it is thought by many that tapas first came about in Andalusia when plates were placed on top of glasses to stop the fruit flies spoiling the sherry.  Soon morsels of food accompanied the plates before bars started to compete with each other, offering their own speciality tapa.  Today tapas is recognised as the quintessential cuisine of Spain and is celebrated and enjoyed around the world.

Tapa 19 Shore Place Leith EH6 6SW

0131 476 6776

tapa@tapaedinburgh.co.uk

 

Pomegranate Restaurant – Housing Development in Liberton almost ready for the tenants – Classical music at the Usher Hall – Pre-Theatre menu at The Scotsman Hotel – Scottish Storytelling Festival

A petition signed by nearly 3,000 people aims to overturn the enforcement notice served by the council on the owners of Pomegranate Restaurant in Antigua Street requiring them to remove their signage. A Facebook campaign is also gathering momentum.

The petition says:-

After an 18-month sustained campaign of harassment led by a neighbour, Pomegranate Restaurant (located at Antigua Street, Edinburgh) is being forced to remove ALL the lighting and signage from their business. The attached photo shows their “offensive” menu boards and their “eyesore” restaurant frontage.

Having to comply with this order will have serious negative repercussions for this extremely popular restaurant. It will, in all likelihood, cost the owners and the many staff that they employ, their livelihood.

The previous establishment at the premises, an Italian restaurant, traded for over 20 years without any problems. As a Middle Eastern restaurant, however, they have been plagued by complaints.

If you love Pomegranate and their food, or you simply find this situation completely unfair, please sign this petition and make your feelings known.

The council’s planning portal shows that the enforcement notice deals with lighting, signage and decking outside the property, which it said was an unauthorised change of use. In the enforcement report the council stated that the owners of the restaurant put up unathorised illuminated signage, strip lighting, security cameras, menu boards, wooden decking and a canopy. The property is B listed and lies within the Edinburgh World Heritage Site, so listed building consent would also be required. In 2001 when the owners of the previous occupiers, Ferri’s restaurant, made an application, permission appears to have been granted for illuminated signage.

The council claimed that the changes made by the new owners were ‘an accumulation of unsympathetic additions…which detract from the simple architecture of the design, to the detriment of the character of the building.”

The council as planning authority have the responsibility of deciding whether an advertisement is appropriate or not. They consider these signs to be ‘visually dominating and unsympathetic’. They have demanded removal of the signs.

The initial decision was made by the council in November 2012 and appealed to the Scottish Ministers who issued their decision in February 2013, and this confirmed that the council’s enforcement notice should stand, even though the canopy had by that time been removed. The appeal decision also refused to accept that the bamboo fencing in place was in any way temporary as it had been there for some time. An appeal made at the same time for Listing Building Consent also failed on the same grounds.

The owners of Pomegranate claimed that the decking had been in place for four years, but the council produced a photo from May 2009 which showed that there was no decking there at that time.

The owners of the restaurant clearly believe they are being victimised by the council. What do you think?

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A housing project in Liberton being built specifically for the elderly is almost complete. The Merchant Company is building a £4m project of 32 flats which will be available for rent by pensioners. The first residents will get their keys in Spring 2014. Read more here.

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Next Monday 21 October 2013 there will be a concert at the Usher Hall featuring MOZART Violin Concerto No.5 and MAHLER Symphony No.6

Stéphane Denève (Conductor)
Henning Kraggerud (Violin)

Stéphane Denève returns to Edinburgh to conduct his first concert since leaving the RSNO as Artistic Director in 2012, this time as Chief Conductor of the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Joining them is Norwegian violinist Henning Kraggerud.

Mahler scored his Sixth Symphony for an enormous orchestra, complete with exotic percussion including cowbells and celesta. He scores this dramatic and melancholic tale of suffering magnificently. It is said to be one of the composers most heartfelt symphonies.

Pre-concert performance (6.30pm) – FREE to ticket holders
Mark Johnston & Katie Lonson

Violinist Johnston & guitarist Lonson perform as a duo in an exchange organised by the music development charity Live Music Now (Stuttgart and Edinburgh), complete with a delightful programme of Piazzolla, Bartók, Villa-Lobos, Debussy and Ravel.

Book tickets here.

North Bridge Brasserie at The Scotsman Hotel Pre-Theatre Menu

3 Courses for £21.50 per person

Starters

Chilled Summer Gazpacho, compressed Melon salsa

Potted Ham hock terrine, topped with a garden pea panna cotta, cornichon salad,

toasted sour dough bread

Clava Brie tart with smoked raisins, saffron pickled onions, butternut squash

Mains

St Mungos beer battered fish of the day, served with chunky chips and tartare sauce

Gordal olive polenta, aubergine caviar, pine nuts, feta and coriander pesto

Slow cooked leg of duck, pancetta, braised peas, gem lettuce and royal kidney potatoes

Desserts

Sticky toffee pudding, butterscotch sauce and clotted cream ice-cream

Hot dark chocolate mousse with toasted marshmallow ice-cream and crunchy milk rocks

Home-made ice-cream of the day

Available any day of the week, between 5:30pm to 6:45pm.

Diners arriving after 6:45pm (even if reserved for that time) cannot take the menu

Sides & drinks not included

Menu items subject to change

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The Scottish International Storytelling Festival gets underway next weekend.

A ten-day celebration of live storytelling, oral traditions and cultural diversity, bringing together a large number of Scottish and international storytellers and musicians.

From Friday 18 to Sunday 27 October 2013 journey with nomads, explorers, pilgrims and voyagers. Be transported by travellers’ tales that span worlds of geography, fiction and landscapes of the heart. Bring your tales and journey to Edinburgh, the city of story, to immerse yourself in ancient traditions and modern magic.

You can get more information here.

http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/sisf13programme.pdf

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for the driver of a black hackney cab driver who picked up an injured man in the city last Monday evening (October 7) to contact them.

The man hailed a cab in the Robertson Avenue area at Slateford on the evening of Monday 7th October around about 11pm.

The driver spoke with his passenger for some time and expressed concern for his injuries before driving him to his home in Leith, where he was dropped off after having paid the £12 fare.

Detective Sergeant Mike Leask, based at Corstorphine, is leading the enquiry and is keen to speak to the cabbie.

He said: “We are now treating this as attempted murder as the passenger sustained severe facial injuries and the enquiry team are keen to trace the taxi driver to take a statement from him. I would appeal to all taxi drivers working in Edinburgh last Monday night who either had this man as a passenger, or knows a colleague who did, to get in touch with Police Scotland by calling 101 or contacting us anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

L-R: Mike Afshar, Chairman of The Merchant Company of Edinburgh’s Committee for the frail and elderly; City of Edinburgh Council Bailie, Elaine Aitken; Alasdair Ross, Director, J Smart & Co; Master of the Merchant Company of Edinburgh, Ian Watson. (Photo courtesy of Maverick Photo Agency)

The Merchant Company has toured the site of its new Edinburgh housing complex for the elderly as exterior work on the multi million pound development nears completion.

The £4 million project is the result of a partnership between The Merchant Company of Edinburgh’s Endowments Trust, Edinburgh City Council, Dunedin Canmore Housing Association and J. Smart & Co. (Contractors) PLC.

Once complete, the development – in the city’s Liberton area – will be home to thirty two flats designed specifically to provide a mixture of accessible socially rented and mid-market rented accommodation for pensioners.

Work on the site began in February with external construction due to end later this month and the first residents expected to collect the keys to their new homes next spring.

Master of The Merchant Company of Edinburgh, Ian Watson, said: -“There’s often a misconception that The Merchant Company of Edinburgh is simply an association for business owners, but we actually have a rich history of community involvement. The Endowments Trust provides cash grants and ongoing support to Edinburgh’s pensioners – from simply hosting an annual Christmas party to funding major developments, such as the Little Road project.

“This development would not have been possible, had it not been for the commitment to partnership working from Edinburgh City Council, Dunedin Canmore Housing Association and J. Smart & Co. (Contractors) PLC.  I’m incredibly proud of the progress that’s been made and I’m confident this development will be warmly welcomed by the new residents who will call it home next year.”

To make the project viable, an initial grant of £800,000 was provided by City of Edinburgh Council. Bailie Elaine Aitken commented: -“City of Edinburgh Council is delighted to work with The Merchant Company of Edinburgh to deliver warm, safe homes for the city’s growing elderly population. This partnership is a great example of collaboration between the private and public sector to ultimately improve the quality of life for residents in our thriving and growing capital city.”

The complex will be owned by The Merchant Company of Edinburgh and leased to the charitable body, Dunedin Canmore Housing Group, for thirty years. Business Development Director at Dunedin Canmore, Susan Napier, said: -“This is an excellent example of partnership working and Dunedin Canmore has been delighted to lead on the development work, funding it through our private finance facilities.  On completion it will be transferred to The Merchant Company.  This model of working together has already been successful at Brandfield Street, and we look forward to working again with The Merchant Company and Edinburgh City Council on future projects.”

Mike Afshar, Chairman of The Merchant Company of Edinburgh’s Committee for the Frail and Elderly added: -“The committee was formed to ensure that The Merchant Company responsibly delivered homes of high quality, with good space standards and the provision of social integration for the elderly. We are delighted to have Dunedin Canmore Housing Group as a partner in delivering superb homes for the elderly. The first phase of 20 units in Brandfield Street, which were officially opened by the Princess Royal in 2009, has been a great success and I’m confident our second phase in Little Road will be as well received.”

A brand new venue hosts CL@SIX, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s popular early evening concert series.

The Assembly Rooms on George Street in Edinburgh’s New Town hosts two concerts, the first under the direction of SCO Associate Artist Alexander Janiczek.

CL@SIX concerts have been specifically programmed to develop new audiences in the city, featuring popular and well-loved music to encourage more people to experience the SCO during its 40^th Anniversary Season in a format (hour-long, no interval) and at a time to appeal to city workers and commuters.

The first takes place on 5 November 2013.

Mozart                    Eine kleine Nachtmusik

Mozart                    Violin Concerto No 3

Prokofiev                Symphony No 1 in D major, Op 25 ‘Classical’

Alexander Janiczek violin/director with Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Classical and ‘Classical’ in an hour of the most tuneful and beguiling music ever written. Mozart was a teenager when he wrote his third violin concerto, but it contains a heartstoppingly lovely slow movement followed by a dazzling finale. Prokofiev was also young when he wrote his symphony, but this piece shows what a master he was even at that age. Every movement’s a winner and his sly tribute to the 18th century masters is a gem of true wit they would have admired. Opening with surely one of the top ten most loved works in the world. Doors open 6pm.

Tickets available from The Queen’s Hall box office 0131 668 2019 (£10 in advance / £12 on the door)

The second is a Christmas Concert on 17 December 2013

CL@SIX: CHRISTMAS CONCERTO

Bach                      Sinfonia from Christmas Oratorio

Corelli                    Christmas Concerto

Handel                   Concerto a Due Cori No 1

Bach                      Suite No 3

John Butt conductor/harpsichord with Scottish Chamber Orchestra

A seasonal concert with classic Christmas favourites by Corelli and Bach, followed by Handel’s Concerto with its sly nod in the direction of the Messiah. Closing with the grandest of Bach’s orchestral suites, this makes for a thunderingly good start to the festive season. Doors open 6pm.

Tickets available from The Queen’s Hall box office 0131 668 2019 (£10 in advance / £12 on the door)

Tribunals Bill welcomed by The Scottish Government’s Justice Committee 

A Bill intended to create an improved system of independence and better quality of service for those using tribunals  in Scotland has been welcomed by the Justice Committee in its report published today.

The stage 1 report on the Tribunals (Scotland) Bill proposes creating a new, two-tier structure for devolved tribunals – a First-tier and an Upper Tribunal – to be known as the Scottish Tribunals. The former will hear the vast majority of cases and the latter will hear appeals from the first-tier. The Lord President of the Court of Session will head both Tribunals.

Committee Convener Christine Grahame MSP said:-“We believe this Bill brings forward a much-needed restructuring of the tribunals system in Scotland. It is a system that aims to help individuals resolve their case against bodies or another party, without resorting to the costly and more adversarial courts system.  This Bill should make it simpler and more accessible for individuals to do that.

“While our Committee recognises the reservations of some witnesses we heard from on perceived moves towards more “judicialisation” of the tribunals’ process, we believe there are enough safeguards in place to ensure each tribunals independence is upheld.”

The Committee made further recommendations including:

* The Scottish Government should resolve the delay in the production of rules for the Upper Tribunal as a matter of urgency.

* The Scottish Government should set out a definition of what a tribunal is within the Bill, in order to protect the character and nature of tribunals.

* Where a tribunal proposes introducing fees and expenses for the first time, consultation should be carried out with users and stakeholders of the tribunal.

On a UK level, both the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 and the creation of the newly merged HM Courts and Tribunals Service in 2011, made changes to the tribunals’ service. While these reforms affected reserved tribunals sitting in Scotland, the devolved tribunals were not affected.

Introduced in May 2013, the Policy Memorandum for the Bill notes that devolved tribunals have “been established in an ad hoc fashion, with no common leadership, appointments, practice and procedure or reviews and appeals”. It also says that this complex and fragmented system can lead to a “narrowness of outlook” and a variation of the standard and performance of tribunals. The Bill seeks to improve the independence and perception of independence of the devolved tribunals and facilitate improvements in the quality of service offered to users.