It was confirmed by the Scottish Government yesterday that St John’s RC Primary School in Edinburgh will be refurbished or rebuilt under the Scotland’s Schools for the Future Programme. The school  has been operating out of temporary accommodation with an under-sized main building for some time. The classrooms are described as ‘significantly under-sized’ and the school had a suitability rating of category D which is the worst category.

The council applied to the fund earlier this year, and the Education Secretary Michael Russell announced that the school will be one of the next to be built or refurbished under the funding programme. Two other Edinburgh schools, James Gillespies and Boroughmuir have already been paid for from this pot of public money. The government also confirmed there will be funding available for a total of 30 schools across Scotland.

The council have said that the level of funding is still to be confirmed but could be as much as 50%. The only stumbling block would seem to be that the new primary school is intertwined with the nearby Portobello High School, where the new building is stalled as a result of legal process at the moment, but all of the details for both schools will be in the report being produced for the full council due on 25 October 2012.

Local Councillor Maureen Child said:-“I warmly welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment of funding for a new St John’s Primary RC Primary School.  The challenge will be how to deliver that as soon we as possibly can.  I know that when this was discussed before a substantial body of parent wanted their current school refurbished and extended, while other wanted to move seamlessly to new school on the site of Portobello High School and avoid a decant.  All possible options and sites must now be explored.”

A woman has died after a serious flat fire in Edinburgh on Wednesday evening. This was the second fatality in twelve hours, following the fire at a flat in Powderhall where a man died earlier yesterday morning.

Firefighters from Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service were called to the blaze in Dundee Terrace, Fountainbridge, at 10.15pm. On arrival they discovered a fierce fire with smoke billowing from the building. Around forty-five firefighters were involved in firefighting operations with six pumping appliances, a turntable ladder, an Incident Support Unit, a Heavy Rescue Tender, a Command Support Unit and a Fire Investigation Unit mobilised to the scene.

Sadly the woman was found dead within the affected flat which was part of a four-storey block. The BBC reported that the property was completely destroyed by the ‘fierce’ blaze.

At the height of the fire eight firefighters in breathing apparatus were deployed to fight it. Crews were also tasked with evacuating residents from neighbouring flats on the affected floors.

Fire investigation into the cause of the blaze is underway.

This is the third fire in Edinburgh in two days. The first this week was reported on Tuesday morning when more than twenty firefighters were called to a flat alight at Cables Wynd House.

The alarm was raised just before 10.15am after several calls from the public reported a fire on the second floor of the high flats in the Leith area of the city.

Appliances from Sighthill, Crewe Toll, McDonald Road and Liberton went to the scene and firefighters discovered a flat well alight. Four firefighters in breathing apparatus (BA) fought the fire. Further BA crews searched the surrounding flats, and discovered that fllats on the second and third floors were heavily smoke logged. One man, believed to be in his 40s, was treated at the scene by ambulance crews for smoke inhalation but did not require to go to hospital.

The last students to graduate from three of Edinburgh’s biggest colleges will do so in a series of ceremonies this week, marking the end of an era and heralding the arrival of a new Edinburgh College which will begin its new life on Monday 1 October 2012.

More than 900 students from Edinburgh’s Telford College, Jewel & Esk College and Stevenson College Edinburgh will attend separate ceremonies at Usher Hall, which celebrate their achievements across a range of courses.

The graduations come ahead of the merger between the three colleges which will takes place on Monday, and the new Edinburgh College will become the largest student body in Edinburgh, accommodating more than 35,000 students.

Brian Lister, Interim Principal of Edinburgh College, said:- “Graduation is always a special time, as it gives us a chance to celebrate the various achievements of all our students, but this year they have greater significance, as these students will be the last ever to graduate from each college.

“As this chapter ends for the students of the three colleges, the ceremonies are also a chance for us to look back on the successes of each college as a whole and what they have done individually for the further education sector in Edinburgh.

“The creation of the new Edinburgh College will allow us to build upon the foundations of excellence already set by Edinburgh’s Telford, Jewel & Esk and Stevenson College Edinburgh and create an unrivalled further education experience for students in Edinburgh and the Lothians.

“The College itself will become a ‘centre of excellence’, building on the existing strengths of the three colleges to foster growth, opportunity and economic development.

“All of the 2011/12 graduands have worked exceptionally hard to pass their courses and the ceremonies are a mark of their excellence – I wish each and every one of them the best of the luck in their chosen career or education path.”

The new Edinburgh College will be the biggest student body in Edinburgh/Scotland, employing around 1,300 staff to deliver the very best education and training to students.

Edinburgh College will consist of four campuses across Edinburgh and The Lothians; Granton (formerly Edinburgh’s Telford College), Sighthill (formerly Stevenson College) and Milton Road and Midlothian (both formerly Jewel and Esk College).

Stevenson College Edinburgh’s ceremony took place on Monday 24^th September at 7pm and this is to be followed by Edinburgh’s Telford College tomorrow 27^th September 2012 at 7pm and finally the ceremony for Jewel & Esk College will be held on Friday, 28^th September at 4pm.

A man has died after a fire in Edinburgh this morning.

Around 40 firefighters tackled the blaze at Powderhall Rigg in Edinburgh today. Fire Control received a call at 9.50am to a report of a fire in the flat of a six-storey block.

On arrival, firefighters discovered a two-storey flat (which is on the third and fourth floor) well alight and smoke billowing from the building. Four firefighters in breathing apparatus using one line of hose were despatched to fight the fire. Crews were also tasked with evacuating residents from neighbouring flats on the affected floors.

One male casualty was located by firefighters, but was pronounced dead at the scene. The affected flat where the fatality was discovered, was badly damaged by fire.

Five appliances, a height platform, Heavy Rescue Tender and Incident Support Unit were sent to the scene.

A fire investigation team was also mobilised and they will begin enquiries into the cause of the fire.

A major skills and employability programme targeting disadvantaged 16-25 year olds in Falkirk and Edinburgh came a step closer with the announcement that it has been awarded a First Round pass for a grant of £207,700 including £31,500 development funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The Canal College, which was conceived by the Waterways Trust Scotland with the support of Scottish Canals, has also been awarded funding from the European Union Interreg IVB North West Europe programme.

The Canal College will deliver environment and heritage skills and training along the Union and Forth & Clyde canals in Edinburgh and Falkirk for 144 young people culminating in two accredited qualifications.

The Canal College will also engage with, and involve, older volunteers from the local communities within Edinburgh and Falkirk and up to 500 people will benefit from the Canal College over the two year programme.

Together, the HLF and Interreg awards will enable the Waterways Trust Scotland to develop the training programme and submit a detailed application for second stage funding from HLF.  If successful, the Waterways Trust Scotland will then seek further match funding and partners to deliver the College.

It is hoped that the £382,000 Canal College will open in March 2013 and run until March 2015.

Once up and running, the Interreg support, through the project Green & Blue Futures, will also facilitate exchanges on the development and delivery of Canal College with other partner organisations in Belgium, France and Ireland.

Karen Moore, Development Director, Waterways Trust Scotland, said:-

“Canal College is absolutely right for its time. Youth unemployment is at its highest level in Scotland since devolution and young people continue to find it the hardest to access what jobs there are available.

“Ever since our first Green Action skills and employability project proved that the canals can offer innovative and attractive training and employability opportunities, we have had ambitions to develop to a whole new level, in scale and scope, and make a greater difference to youngsters trying to get into employment. We have a major opportunity to do this through Canal College.

“Canal College will deliver even more than that though and we are thrilled that the Heritage Lottery Fund and Interreg have recognised this with such confidence. The Canal College is the perfect realisation of what the Waterways Trust Scotland is all about – connecting people with the waterways, the heritage, wildlife and recreational opportunities, in a way which delivers real, life changing benefits to them on many different levels.

“According to the Prince’s Trust Young People’s Survey October 2010, we know that more than a third of young people want to volunteer in their community and be part of it. We are also seeing an increasing number of older volunteers on the Scottish canals. By extending the reach of the Canal College to everyone in the wider canal-side communities, we hope to encourage amongst all involved a continued connection and involvement with their stretch of waterway and an understanding of the heritage and many outdoor, recreational and educational opportunities for them along it.”

Colin McLean, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said:-

“Skills are a critical element in seeing the country through this difficult economic time. People have to have the skills that employers want in order to secure a job. The Heritage Lottery Fund is delighted to give our initial support to a project which will help equip trainees for the environmental jobs market. Their newly-learned heritage skills will not only make a difference to their own lives but will play an important part in looking after our wonderful natural heritage.”

The Canal College will run six, 14 week programmes in Edinburgh and Falkirk with participants volunteering for two days each week.

The participants will gain two accredited units through the Northern Council for Further Education (NCFE). They will also receive the John Muir Award, Youth Achievement and the Saltire Volunteer Award.

Towards the end of the programme, participants will be given help with job seeking and interview skills leading to Presentation Skills certificates. They will also receive a Canal College award for completing the 14 week programme.

Participants will take part in practical supervised projects in three core areas: natural heritage, built heritage and cultural heritage.

Natural heritage projects will include landscaping, tree planting and vegetation management. They will also include habitat creation projects and wildlife surveys which will help manage biodiversity on the canals.

Built heritage projects will include learning how to undertake surveys of buried locks and listed structures with archaeological surveyors, learning the engineering behind the canal network and practically helping maintain canal structures in partnership with Scottish Canals.

Cultural heritage projects will include training in archiving, guiding skills and researching information to help interpret and engage people with the Scottish canals.  Such research will involve oral history stories, poems, photographs and factual text.

Canal College will also target and engage the involvement of the greater community. Young people will be encouraged to share their experience with their family and community through an end of term celebration.

Older volunteers within each community will also be invited to work alongside the young people and their supervisors. In so doing, they will both support youngsters in their community and will share and benefit from the learning and skills training programme provided through the Canal College.

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses following a road rage incident in Edinburgh.

A 24-year-old man was driving his black Audi A5 on Maybury Road at around 5.30pm yesterday when a white Mitsubishi Lancer Evo approached from behind being driven at high speed.

When the Audi driver failed to let the Mitsubishi pass, its driver performed an undertaking manoeuvre and came to a stop, forcing the Audi to also stop.

As the Audi driver then continued on his way, the suspect reappeared behind him again in the Mitsubishi and performed the same manoeuvre, once again forcing the Audi driver to carry out an emergency stop.

The male then exited the Mitsubishi and began punching and kicking the Audi, causing around £2,000 worth of damage before making off.

Police are now urging any motorists who remember seeing this incident to come forward.

The suspect is described as white, in his 30s with a shaved head and smartly dressed.

A police spokesman said: “Not only was the Mitsubishi driver’s speed entirely inappropriate, particularly during the busy rush hour period, but his actions left the Audi driver extremely shaken and resulted in significant damage to his vehicle.

“There was also potential for other motorists to sustain injury when the Mitsubishi performed an extremely dangerous manoeuvre during heavy traffic.

“Anyone who was in or around Maybury Road and witnessed the Mitsubishi being driven in a dangerous manner, or who can assist in identifying the driver is asked to contact police immediately.

“Similarly, anyone with any other information that can help with our enquiries is also asked to get in touch.”

Anyone with any information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

East Coast kicks up a storm on Twitter – Pedal on Parliament back at Holyrood- Royal visit to Edinburgh today – Growing Greener Futures – Refuse collection reminder service

Clearly the person who mans the East Coast Twitter account was either very tired and fed up with all the complaints from yesterday, or indeed has a great sense of humour. With trains being cancelled and rerouted the tweets were flowing thick and fast.

We really quite admired the humour in this tweet, given that yesterday must have been a very fraught day for any travellers and anyone who was trying to get them there. The original message is not fit for publication, suffice to say that it was to impart some dissatisfaction….!

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Dr Dave Brennan who is co-organiser of Pedal on Parliament is giving evidence to Holyrood’s Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee this morning. Pedal on Parliament have been campaigning for 5% of the Transport budget to be spent on cycling infrastructure.

You can read what he will say here:-

Transport and Infrastructure Committee Final

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Prince Philip will be in Edinburgh presenting awards at the Royal Society of Edinburgh on George Street later today according to the Press Association.  Royal Medals which are the highest award the Society can bestow will be given to Dr David Milne and Professor Sir Edwin Southern for biomedical research and microelectronics development respectively.

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For those lucky enough to have a garden or an allotment FEDAGA which is the Federation of Edinburgh and District Allotments and Gardens Associations, are running a 12-week course starting from tomorrow to help you learn about organic gardening. More details on their website.

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From the Rubbish and recycling page on the Council website you can be directed to GreenBoxDay which will send you an email reminder when it is the day for your recycling to go out for collection. Does not seem to work for ordinary rubbish only recycling. But it might help us all remember the new collection days….. And the council will have the backlog sorted by then we hope!

Rubbish problems in the city – Stormy weather – Cameo today – New name for the Caley and a new spa

Some readers have reported that their refuse has not been collected under the new system which started recently. Councillor Hinds had given an assurance to the council meeting last week that the backlog would be cleared by yesterday but there are still some pockets where the uncollected refuse is a problem. Read our article here…

Councillor Lesley Hinds has written a blog on the Council website and has said this:-“Big changes like the ones we have implemented rarely go perfectly the first time, but please be assured that we are addressing these issues and I am confident that in the coming days these problems will be ironed out.

I would like to thank the many residents across the city who have already added recycling to their daily routine. Anyone who would like to find out how to join them or are concerned about the changes to bin collections can phone 0131 529 3030 or email waste@edinburgh.gov.uk”

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Some storm damage occurred in the capital overnight. Take a look at this photo on Flickr showing some storm damage this morning in the Meadows.

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One casualty of the weather today has been Portobello High School which has suffered damage to its roof and has had to close. Tonight’s adult education classes have been cancelled but the council has confirmed that the school will reopen tomorrow.

Local Councillor Maureen Child shared this message with us that came from the council officers:-“Following its closure today due to storm damage, Portobello High School will reopen to pupils and staff tomorrow.

“Contractors are currently on site and the Assembly Hall roof will be made safe and watertight. Due to water ingress, the hall is likely to be out of action for the next few days to allow it to dry out and ensure the electrics are safe. A small part of the roof over the school kitchen was also damaged and this is also being made safe by contractors.”

Meanwhile, local MSP Kenny Macaskill has issued a statement saying that the damage to the roof shows that a new school is really needed.

The extensive damage that has been caused to the Assembly Hall roof of Portobello High School as a result of overnight wind conditions is the starkest demonstration possible of the need for a new school to be urgently built, according to local MSP Kenny MacAskill.

The school was closed today while the site is made safe for pupils following the damage that took place. The damage at the school comes just two weeks after the surprise announcement that an appeal against the construction of a new Portobello High School had been accepted by the Court of Session.

Commenting Edinburgh Eastern MSP Kenny MacAskill said:

“The extreme damage that has been done to Portobello High School from today’s winds show just how urgent the need for a new school building is.

“It is simply unacceptable for over 1,300 kids to be taught in a building that is quite literally collapsing around them. The condition of the building is putting the education of pupils at the school at risk when disruptions like this can take place.

“The need for a new school is getting more and more urgent by the day and pupils at the school desperately need a way forward to be found as quickly as possible.”

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Seems like a good night to either curl up by the fire or go to the cinema. The Cameo are still showing Anna Karenina in case you have not already been to see that, along with four other films tonight in Tollcross. More details here….  

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The Caley at the West End has a new and very grand name. It is now The Caledonian, a Waldorf Astoria hotel, and it has a new swish spa to tempt you in for a pre winter pamper too. (although it already feels a bit like winter anyway!) Read more here…. 

The Caledonian, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel Announces Partnership With Guerlain

Luxury hotel to feature first Guerlain Spa in the UK as part of £24 million upgrade

Following a significant programme of investment, the re-launched The Caledonian, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Edinburgh is pleased to announce the introduction of the UK’s first Guerlain Spa, which will open to guests in winter 2012, following the grand unveiling of the hotel later this month.

With extensive renovations currently underway, the spa will become a sanctuary of luxury and relaxation where local residents and hotel guests will experience sensorial, indulgent and cutting edge treatments.  From the moment they arrive, the Caledonian team will ensure that every need is taken care of.

On arrival, guests will be escorted through to an elegant haven of calm and serenity.  With three luxurious treatment rooms and a team of highly trained beauty therapists, a visit to the Guerlain spa will be transformed into a unique and personal experience.  Beginning with a systematic analysis and precise skin diagnosis each session will be individually tailored using signature Guerlain touches to enrich and satisfy a guest’s every requirement.  A journey of tranquillity will begin as guests are encouraged to relax and enjoy a gently soothing, fragrant foot bath designed to envelop the senses; a ritual that will allow even the most time pressed guests to unwind before their choice of treatment.

The treatment menu at the Guerlain spa will reflect luxury, emotion and refinement   with a collection of indulgent treatments created using Guerlain products and respecting the origins of the signature massage from 1939 when the brand opened its first ‘Institut de Beaute’ in Paris.  Combining pressure point massage and muscular exercise techniques, movements are specifically designed to provide relaxation, as well as a radiant, smoother and a more youthful appearance.

Available treatments will include signature and personalised facial and body treatments, as well as body sublimination, make up artistry sessions and harmonizing experiences such as reflexology, Chinese massage and aesthetic drainage.

When the treatment finally comes to an end, expert beauty therapists will offer a touch of colour, enabling clients to leave feeling relaxed, revived and ready to face the world.

Exclusive Signature Treatment

To celebrate the opening of The Guerlain Spa at The Caledonian, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Guerlain has designed a unique and exclusive body massage, the ‘Edinburgh Caledonian Chic’.  Highly sensorial and advanced massage techniques will create nurturing enveloping movements to relax the mind, and melt tensions away, relieving guests of tired aching muscles.

Guerlain Cures

Specially designed ‘Guerlain Cures’, which highlight the Guerlain know-how, will be a key feature of the treatment menu, an example of which is the Orchidée Impériale, the quintessence of Guerlain facials.  The remarkable power of lorchid longevity has inspired Guerlain to create this exceptional facial treatment, the most complete of all.  The alliance of the aesthetic know-how of Guerlain with the efficiency of the products of the Orchidée Impériale range will offer guests a moment of absolute wellbeing and visibly transform skin by revealing its rediscovered youth.  Following an exclusive Orchidée Impériale firming massage which will stimulate muscles and redefine facial contours, guest’s skin will be nourished and smoothed with three different masks correcting all signs of ageing more quickly and more intensely.  The skin recovers a perfect finish: supple and velvety, with a natural glowing effect.

‘Transforming’ half and full day spa experiences will also be offered for those wishing to indulge in the ultimate spa break with specialised packages including the ‘Bridal Glow’ and ‘Prenatal Pampering’.

Willy Blattner, general manager, The Caledonian, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, said, “We are delighted to have Guerlain as our exclusive spa partner at The Caledonian, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, which is due to be unveiled in mid-September.  As we are in the final stages of our magnificent restoration of The Caledonian, we look forward to welcoming guests to experience every part of the Waldorf Astoria and from this winter, our elegant and luxurious Guerlain Spa.”

Louise Moore, director of spa operations and development, Hilton Worldwide, said, “Founded in 1828, Guerlain’s history runs parallel with the history of skincare; it is this expertise and the established, sophisticated connotations of the brand that we felt had a natural synergy with the intrinsic elegance of Waldorf Astoria Hotels.  Each treatment is transformed into a unique and personal occasion by highly skilled beauty therapists who will provide guests with a bespoke and boutique experience that will really reflect the spa’s essence.”

Alongside the exquisite treatments offered at the Guerlain Spa, guests wishing to simply relax will have the opportunity to take a dip in the swimming pool or unwind in the spa’s sauna, steam room or jacuzzi.  For those in favour of something a little more energetic, The Spa will also be home to a state of the art, 24 hour Gym, complete with personal television equipped exercise machines.

The Guerlain Spa at The Caledonian, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel will be a gem in the heart of the city and an intimate sanctuary for guests and locals alike to experience true luxury and absolute pampering.  Individual treatments at The Guerlain Spa will be priced from £40 with day experiences available from £275.

The Hard Rock Cafe in George Street is looking forward in October to promoting their Smokehouse menu, as well as runing a massive competition where you could win a trip to go to the ATP tennis tour in London where Scotland’s very own Andy Murray will be taking part.

After being invited to a taster session, it became clear very quickly that Hard Rock are very passionate about their work, and take great care in producing great quality food for their customers.

The menu includes ribs, chicken, chicken wings and pork sandwiches all made freshly in-house by the Hard Rock chefs, and having had  a sample they certainly do leave you wanting more.

One of the important factors is that all the meat at Hard Rock is freshly delivered to the restaurant. None of it is packaged and their Bar-b-Que sauce is made fresh on the premises every single day.

We spoke to Stan one of the Chef’s at Hard Rock and asked him about the food and indeed the process and care that goes into it all.

As you will hear in the interview, everything is made on the premises and is fresh. The pork they use comes from Scotland  in their efforts to keep things local.

But the night I attended was not just about food tasting, as October is also Pinktober when the cafe raises awareness of breast cancer. The restaurant is hosting a very special and exclusive night on the 25 October 2012 when legendary Scottish band, Big Country, will be performing an acoustic set to raise funds for the Caron Keating Foundation. We spoke to Lesley Ross, Sales and marketing manager at Hard Rock, firstly about the Smokehouse promotion and then about the fantastic competition they are holding.

So as you can see, it will be a very busy month in October at Hard Rock Cafe!

To get tickets for the Big Country night at Hard Rock  go to: www.ticketweb.co.uk or buy from the Hard Rock Shop.

For more information on the Caron Keating Foundation go to: http://www.caronkeating.org/

For more information on Love Hope and Strength go to: http://lovehopestrength.org/

More details can be found at: http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes3/cafe.aspx?LocationID=42&MIBEnumID=3

Conservative Group Leader, Jeremy Balfour, asked at the meeting for information on what he called “a fairly major issue” and also questioned how the 90% figure was calculated. The Conservative group had produced an emergency motion to the meeting. He said that at the local community council meeting which he had attended the evening before, there was some anecdotal evidence that the refuse service would not collect bins which were not closed.

I live in a brand new estate  on the grounds of the old Queen Margaret College in Clerwood. Our bin day used to be a Wednesday, then we received a leaflet from the council stating the new uplift days. Our bins were last emptied on Wednesday 5th September. Our new scheduled date was Friday 14th of September, and unfortunately our bins have still not been collected. There are 4 houses in our street, Birchwood view, the rest are flats. The houses all have green wheelie bins, the flats have 3 outside bin areas and 2 inside areas with large black communal bins. These have been full for over a week now and are now surrounded by hundreds of bin bags most of which have been burst open by foxes, seagulls and other vermin causing litter to be now strewn everywhere.

I have contacted the council, and my councillor yet to no avail. I have been fobbed off with the usual ‘teething problem’ excuses, our brand new scheme now looks like a rubbish tip.

None of the houses have their own recycling facilities. We have contacted the council on this issue too, only to be told we are not yet in a recycling area, goodness knows what that means!

 If the council want to change collections to fortnightly then surely EVERY house in Edinburgh should have recycling facilities (Green, blue and food recycling boxes).”

“If I’m being totally honest, I can’t complain too much about the bins. The days have changed about so that the normal waste, the blue box, the plastics and the food waste all go out on the same day. Everything got emptied apart from the food waste – not sure why, but it was the same with neighbours’ bins too, so we think that the bin folk might have forgot about our street.

There had been a couple of phone calls (not from me) for a couple of days before I got fed up waiting because we had no room for more food waste. I decided to email the waste department and got an email back yesterday saying that there have been problems with new routes, but the street would be added to a priority collection. I then heard the lorry collecting at the back of seven this morning. The Recycling Advisory Officer who emailed couldn’t have been nicer and explained that there were teething problems. So, the food waste bin was collected a fair few days late but the officer offered an apology and an explanation. If it happens again, I won’t be so pleased but it’s hopefully a one off.”

The Edinburgh Bookshop, described by Alexander McCall Smith as “the city’s best independent bookseller”, will be changing owners on 1st October 2012.

After a fabulous five years, Malcolm and Vanessa Robertson – founders and owners – have decided to sell the business to allow them time to concentrate on other book-related projects. The business is being taken over by Marie Moser, former Marketing Manager for James Thin and a long-time friend of the shop.

“Malcolm and I are immensely proud of what we’ve achieved at the bookshop”, said Vanessa Robertson. “I would like to thank all the members of the publishing trade, authors, other booksellers and most of all, our customers, who have supported The Edinburgh Bookshop since it opened in 2007. Now that the shop is established as a part of the city’s literary scene we feel the time is right for us to concentrate on other book-related projects – especially our somewhat neglected publishing company, Fidra Books.

“It is difficult to hand over the bookshop after working so hard for the last five years – but we could not be more delighted to be handing over to such an experienced and enthusiastic book lover as Marie.”

The new owner, Marie Moser, said:- “I have long been a customer and admirer of The Edinburgh Bookshop, and I am thrilled to be entrusted to continue the success of this wonderful establishment.”

It was to the Edinburgh Bookshop that one of the mysterious paper sculptures was delivered for Edinburgh author Ian Rankin. Read here the full story – and the story about the package sent to Edinburgh Bookshop way down at the bottom….. The marvellously intricate sculptures are on their way round Scotland at the moment.

We wish the Robertsons well!

Eilidh Thomson is 9 and her late grandfather, William, her father, Gavin and her siblings all went to Prestonfield Primary, the school that she now attends. The Edinburgh schoolgirl, accompanied by her grandmother met Education Convener, met Councillor Godzik earlier today to review the registers which have recorded her family’s attendance records over the generations.

Councillor Godzik visited the school to help raise awareness of this week’s Primary Schools Open Day – a first for the Council – and he was given a sneak preview of what will be on offer when the school opens its doors to parents later in the week.

All primary schools will be open this Thursday, 27 September 2012  for parents with pre-school age children to have a look around and learn more about their catchment school. Almost every Primary School in Edinburgh is welcoming parents and their children to come and visit between 10am and 3pm.

Councillor Godzik said:- “We’re encouraging parents to go along and see their local catchment school for themselves this Thursday.  It’s a fantastic opportunity to pop in and have a look around and see it in operation.  Staff will be on hand to show-off some of the great work taking place at schools throughout the city.

“I would encourage all parents with pre-school age children to come along and find out more about their child’s potential future school.  Sending children to their local school can have many benefits for parents, children and the community where they live.”

“Like Eilidh’s family, you never know, you might be starting a tradition of your own!”

Any parents with children under primary school age are welcome to attend and parents who may be thinking of moving into an area may also find it useful.

Further information on catchment schools and the Open Day can be found on the Council’s website.

 Police in Edinburgh have seized cannabis worth an estimated £30,000 following a raid on a flat in the Leith area of the Capital.

Approximately 100 plants were discovered in the raid on the property in Papermill Wynd, which took place yesterday.

Two men, aged 33 and 35, have been arrested and charged in connection with the seizure, and are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow.

Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie, from Lothian and Borders Police, said: “We are committed to tackling the scourge of drugs in our local communities, and we will always act on any intelligence we receive regarding potential cannabis cultivations.

“Not only do such operations fund serious and organised criminality which impacts directly on local communities, they also carry a very serious fire hazard, putting neighbouring properties at risk.

“At this time we would ask people to be vigilant, and if you have any suspicions that a property in your community is being used for the purposes of growing cannabis, then you should notify police immediately.

“Tell-tale signs include permanently covered windows, either with foil or bin bags, noise from fans and heaters, and empty compost or fertiliser bags in the garden.  There may also be visitors arriving at the property at unusual hours.

“Anyone who has any suspicions should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or Crimestoppers in confidence and anonymity on 0800 555 111.”

Correction :- LBP issued a correction to this release which previously stated that £300,000 of cannabis had been found.

Type 42 destroyer HMS Edinburgh will leave Portsmouth today, on her final deployment, conducting routine operations across the Atlantic.

It marks a historic milestone for both the ship and the Royal Navy as it will be the last time a Type 42 destroyer deploys on operations as they make way for the new-generation Type 45 destroyers.

Once sister ship HMS York decommissions next week, HMS Edinburgh will be the final ship of her kind operational in the Royal Navy, marking the end of 30 years of service for the class.

HMS Edinburgh is scheduled to undertake a range of tasks across the length of the Atlantic in support of British interests worldwide. Her tasking will see her supporting counter narcotics efforts in the West African region as well as providing reassurance to UK territories and dependencies world wide.

Since returning from her previous deployment in December last year, HMS Edinburgh has undertaken an intensive period of training and maintenance to prepare her for the tasks ahead.

Her Commanding Officer, Commander Nick Borbone, said:

“I am extremely proud of the way my ship’s company has responded to the many challenges we have faced during our preparations for this operational deployment.

HMS Edinburgh might be the last of the class but she remains a capable ship with a highly-trained and motivated ship’s company that is determined to preserve the fine tradition that the T42s have established in 30 years of service.’’

On completion of her tasking in the South Atlantic, the ship will undertake a number of high-profile regional engagement visits in the Caribbean and the USA.

She is due to return to Portsmouth in March 2013.

Lothian and Borders Police are holding a weeklong series of engagement events to find out what teenagers want from the police.

Around 100 teenagers from a wide range of backgrounds are taking part in the five regional ‘Your Future, Your Police’ sessions.  Using workshops and discussion groups, the 15-17 year olds will be given the chance to give their views on how they think the police should interact with teenagers, and what relevance the new Police Service of Scotland will have to them.

John Davidson, subject of the 1989 QED documentary ‘John’s Not Mad,’ is guest speaker at each event, talking about how having severe Tourettes syndrome led to misunderstandings with the police in his teens, and how this was remedied through open and ongoing communication.

Deputy Chief Constable Steve Allen, said:

“The best thing about this type of event is that it allows us to engage with our young people in a positive environment, and gives us the opportunity to listen to what they have to say.

“We will record their views and opinions of policing in the Lothian and Borders area and use them in shaping the future as we move forward to the Police Service of Scotland.”

The sessions will take place:

* Mon 24th Sep – Deans Community High, Livingston, West Lothian
* Tues 25th Sep – Corn Exchange, Haddington, East Lothian
* Wed 26th Sep – Tweed Horizons, Newton St Boswells, Scottish Borders
* Mon 1st October – Broughton High School, Edinburgh

Witnesses sought to Serious Road Collision –  Leith Walk – South Central Neighbourhood Partnership  – Sleep Out 2012 – JK Rowling

A motorcyclist remains in a serious condition in hospital following a road collision that happened in Edinburgh last Saturday, 15 September.

Police are issuing a fresh appeal for witnesses to the collision, which happened around 6.30pm, at the Old Craighall Roundabout at its junction with the A720.

The motorbike and red Peugeot had entered the northbound A1 off-slip apparently intending to turn west on to the A720, when the collision occurred.

The 66-year-old man was initially taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment, and is currently receiving treatment at St John’s Hospital in Livingston.  No one else was injured in the incident.

Police remain keen to speak to the driver of an HGV that may have been on the slip road at the time, likewise any other motorists who were in the area who saw what happened.

Anyone with any information should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

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Following a recent article in the Edinburgh Evening News where traders complained about a lack of information from the council as to when improvements to Leith Walk would actually start, there has been little forward movement according to the Leith Business Association. The Vice Chair of LBA was moved to write a letter by email to all local councillors asking if there could now be some more information made available about the promised programme of works. The works to be done include utility works, improvements to pavements, facilities for cyclists, improvements in the way that domestic and trade rubbish is handled and the roadway needs to be resurfaced too. The council leader, Andrew Burns, has replied to LBA and promised a meeting in early October between the Transport convener and the business group to address all of the issues.

As well as the dedicated page on their website, the Council will also use Facebook to update residents and businesses as to what it is doing, and when.

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South Central Neighbourhood Partnership meets today at 6pm at the City Chambers. One of the things they are to discuss is the ongoing problem of barbecues on the Meadows, and also the Street Name Bank. No matter what area of Edinburgh you live in, you can access the street name bank for it here on the council website.  It is a fascinating read of names suggested for new streets in each area.

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You are invited to give up your warm cosy bed for one night in November to raise awareness of the homeless in Edinburgh. More details about the Sleep Out 2012 in Festival Square can be found here.

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All that JK Rowling has to do to get column inches, is raise her head briefly above the private parapet that she seems to have managed to conduct her life behind. Last week, it was the mere fact that she had put her Merchiston home on the market. A few weeks ago it was the planning application for a play area for her children in her Barnton garden. This week, it is the much-anticipated first novel after Harry Potter which will be published on Thursday. But one of the myths that still persists is where Harry was written in the first days of her life as an author. The Reporter always believed that it was a cafe upstairs in Nicolson Street that is probably Spoon these days, the Elephant House claims that it is on their well worn tables that the wizardry unfolded, and now, to add to the myths, Decca Aitkenhead writing in The Guardian reports that it was in Leith that the quidditch began. Now Leith is famous for quite a lot of things, but we have to confess that we do not ever think we have heard it associated with Ms Rowling. What do you think?

Just as the weather turns colder, the thought of sleeping out in the open may not actually be an attractive one, but an Edinburgh based charity hopes that hundreds of individuals will come together to support homeless and vulnerable young people in Edinburgh and the Lothians in Sleep Out 2012.

The Rock Trust will host Sleep Out 2012 on 8 November 2012 at Edinburgh’s Festival Square, when people will sleep rough on the streets for one night only, helping to raise awareness of homelessness which affects thousands of young Scots.

The event will be held in partnership with with organisations across the country, including Centrepoint, The Amber Foundation, St. Basil’s, Llamau, Keyhouse and St. Edmund’s. Eight cities, including Edinburgh, will host their own Sleep Out 2012 event. All eight will take place on the same evening, hoping to raise awareness of youth homelessness, as well as vital funds for the charities involved.

In 2011-2012 over 45,000 homeless applications were made in Scotland. 20,000 of these were from individuals aged between 16 and 24. Most of these people rely on the support of charities such as The Rock Trust and Centrepoint for a warm place to stay, something to eat or drink or even more simply a friendly face to talk to.

Kathleen O’Mahony, Fundraiser and Events Coordinator for The Rock Trust, said:- “Sleep Out 2012 does not aim to replicate homelessness in any way. Our main priority is to raise awareness of youth homelessness.

“By working alongside other youth homeless charities, such as Centrepoint and The Amber Foundation, we have created a failsafe network that covers the length and breadth of the country.

“This network ensures we bring a national voice to one of the UK’s most pressing social issues and help those who are most in need of support, education, accommodation or advice.

“At The Rock Trust, we work with hundreds of young people to help prevent youth homelessness and support them to build better future for themselves.

“Yet we can only continue to do this with thanks to the generous support we receive from fundraising and donations from individuals – which is why events like Sleep Out 2012 are so important to us and the young people we support.”

The Rock Trust runs a number of projects which all aim to help support homeless young people throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Seeking to provide practical support and training Compass educates people on money, housing, relationships and employability, ensuring they develop the necessary skills and knowledge to avoid or escape homelessness.

Individuals have the opportunity to discuss on a one-to-one basis their issues and concerns. The Rock Trust has found that this interaction allows individuals to successfully break down the barriers that inhibit them from fulfilling their desired goals and achievements.

The funds raised from Sleep Out 2012 will also fund Nightstop, an emergency accommodation project for young people aged 16 to 25. Working towards decreasing the extent of youth homelessness Nightstop, a subsidiary of Nightstop UK, provides up to 3 nights emergency accommodation for those in need.

This is not the first time that The Rock Trust has held a Sleep Out event, as for the last 10 years they have organised their own smaller events and raised over £150,000. This year it is hoped that by encouraging more local businesses to join up and with their new charity partnership they will be able to build upon the success of previous events.

Sleep Out 2012 is open to anyone, but The Rock Trust is encouraging individuals to enter as part of a team. Participants must raise a minimum of £250 each and all money raised will go towards providing skills and resources to young people in Edinburgh and The Lothians that will allow them to avoid or escape homelessness.

There is a £25 registration fee to secure a place at Sleep Out 2012 and registration must be completed online following the link: http://www.sleep-out.org.uk/

Companies encouraging staff to take part this year include Taylor Wimpey East and West Scotland, RBS and JCI Edinburgh all of whom provide generous support to The Rock Trust.

The Rock Trust works across Edinburgh and The Lothians with young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. It provides advice, education and support to those most vulnerable in order to enable them to make a positive transition to adulthood and avoid the risks that accompanies homelessness.

For more information on The Rock Trust, Sleep Out 2012, or any of the projects associated with The Rock Trust please see www.rocktrust.org or email admin@rocktrust.org.

Photograph shows L to R: Alasdair Marshall from 9 Dots Consulting, Trisha Williams from JCI Edinburgh, Kathleen O’­Mahony from The Rock Trust and Pauline Mills from Taylor Wimpey East Scotland.

Report and Photo – John Preece

The Cougars welcomed Linlithgow to Barnton for Round 4 of the RBS East League Division 1.

A sunny, Autumn day saw the home side dominate the first half with three tries to Linlithgow’s none. The first try was scored after less than two minutes of play with a well worked move from the backs which saw the try scored benaeth the posts. The successful conversion put the Cougars seven points ahead with just 78 minutes of play left!

Five minutes later, the home side crossed the line again for their second try, with a missed conversion, to take the points tally up to 12-0. Linlithgow picked up their game at this point and a bit more – a lot more, actually – possession gave RHC a bit more to think about. A missed penalty, however was about as close as they came to scoring, a few errors, like dropped balls and forward passes, in attack letting them down.

With 10 minutes in the half to go, RHC went over in the right hand corner for their third try. A desperate tackle two metres short couldn’t prevent the Cougar’s No. 5 reaching out to place the ball over the line (pictured). With the conversion scored, RHC saw the half out 19-0. Linlithgow did lose two players to injury during the half to a knee and hand/wrist injury which disrupted them a little, but they still had no answer to the home side attack.

Or did they? For the first five or so minutes of the second half, RHC were kept in their own territory and a couple of penetrating runs from the visitors backs saw a scrambled defence eventually giving away a penalty five metres out. From the lineout, Linlithgow developed a rolling maul, which rolled up to and over the Cougars line. Try scored, conversion missed, 19-5. The Cougars went on the offensive straight from the kick off, and turning over the Reds’ defence in their 22, a couple of rucks left the ball in the hands of their No.16, who strolled through a huge gap to score the fourth, and bonus point, try for the home side. The missed kick left the score at 24-5. Again, straight from the kick off, the visitors secured the ball and passing it through the backs left their wing with an ‘easy’ (!) 20 metre, jinking run through the despairing defence to score their second try. This time the kick was put over and the score looked a marginally more respectable 24-12.

The next five minutes could only be described as suicidal as RHC found themselves marched up the field on a couple of occasions when penalty awards were, rather too vigorously, contested. This put Linlithgow in a good position to score again. And so they did. Another penetrating run from their wing left the full-back with the ball and a fairly uncontested gallop over the line. Again the kick went over and the score was now, a slightly more worrying, 24-19.

However, a rather more evenly matched, possession and territory wise, final 15 minutes, saw RHC managing to pull away with a penalty, followed up by a speculative drop goal from in front of the posts to leave the final score at 30-19 to the Cougars. The period was slightly enlivened by a couple of contrastingly received yellow cards. RHC were first up and their ‘victim’ was so certain, that he was halfway to the touchline before the referee had stuck his hand in his pocket. Linlithgow’s yellow-carded player however, another forward, received his with the ‘industry standard’ look of complete amazement and innocence!

All in all, a fair result for the Barnton-based team which places them third in the table behind Livingston and Preston Lodge, with 15 points and Linlithgow fifth, just four points behind.

Web – http://www.photoboxgallery.com/jlp-photography

Juniper Green Farmers’ Market – Newhaven Fest – Doors Open Days – Baby Blossom Fair

JG Community Market … September 22nd from 9am – 1pm in the car park of the dental surgery on Lanark Road. The organisers have written to The Reporter to invite all our readers!

Come and join us as we celebrate the start of the third year of the community market. It remains a delicate flower but the CC has decided to apply for another licence from CEC for a third year with the approval of Mr MacLeod of the dental surgery who again opens up his car parking space for the market’s venue. The CC are keen to organise the market as an added benefit to the life of JG. To see how it contributes to enhancing our village in a number of ways, pick up the leaflet on the community stall at this week’s market.

The usual array of stalls will be present this week with meat, bread, pies, vegetables, baking plus soap, fudge, coffee, relish and the special community stall … meet the community councilors.

At the community stall find out what the CC does, buy a 2013 calendar of scenes of this area to help defray costs of village improvements and have a chat with your fellow residents.

If you represent a community group and would like to book the community stall free of charge to advertise your organization simply reply to this email with the details of your request. We have bookings for the next 2 months but December 2012 and February 2013 can still be booked.

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This weekend the inaugural Newhaven Fest takes place. The theme is one of food and drink, gardening and growing and music.  Produce from the Newhaven Community Orchard will be on show, but the idea is really to have a big Autumn party.

Their website says:-“Visitors are encouraged to travel by public transport and bike. The cycle path comes out at Annfield which is 2 minutes from the festival. Transport by bus is by the numbers, 7,10,11,16 direct to Newhaven, or numbers 22, 35, 36 to Ocean Terminal with a 8 minute walk to Newhaven.”

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Doors Open Days takes place today and tomorrow. If you would like to be outside then there are lots of gardens which are open too. For example on the High Street you can get access to Acheson House garden. Here is what the Cockburn Association say about it:-

Acheson House Garden is a newly restored historic walled garden just off the Canongate, tucked away in the medieval Bakehouse Close. It takes its inspiration from the 17th century examples, primarily foodgrowing gardens, which once lay at the rear of town houses in the Canongate. The design includes medicinal herbs, native vegetable varieties and heritage fruit trees, bordered with edible hedging to create formal shapes. At the heart of the garden, footpaths create a Scottish saltire and a biodiversity pond. The garden has lain neglected for many years, but it has now been regenerated with the help of Edinburgh World Heritage, Bridgend Growing Communities and the Patrick Geddes Gardening Club, named after the influential town planner who believed in the importance of communal green spaces. This hidden gem, a small ‘green island’, is concealed in the heart of the Canongate.

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Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera is on at the Playhouse for the next five weeks. The Reporter was fortunate enough to see it on the opening night, and it was very good indeed. Christine is played by Katie Hall who at first appeared very young and inexperienced at the start but grew into the demanding role as the show progressed.

It was played to a packed house and the cast were given a standing ovation at the end. The Phantom is played by John Owen Jones until the beginning of October when he is replaced by Earl Carpenter.  Jones probably has the best voice of the whole cast, when he is allowed to use it to its fullest range.

But apart from the singing and the moody story, it is the set which amazes. It is truly intricate and very well engineered to allow every scene to be played with virtually no curtain fall between them. This is a set which a member of the cast explained to The Reporter just travels with them. It simply sits on top of the theatre stage wherever they are, and to all intents and purposes it is exactly the same place for them to work in, but they look out at the ‘house’ and of course that is different each time.

And then of course there is that chandelier…. Buy tickets if you can get them! 

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Remember there is a Baby Blossom Fair in Corstorphine today selling new and nearly new baby and children’s clothes. This is to raise money for Sick Kids Friends Foundation.

Foundation Edinburgh is the newest attraction to be added within Edinburgh’s Museums and Galleries. Based at The Museum of Edinburgh on the Royal Mile, the museum has just gone through a substantial refurbishment, and has added this new exhibit as part of that.

This is a filmshow highlighting the history of Edinburgh from its volcanic beginnings to present day and everything in between.  Foundation Edinburgh – the Story of a City gives you a good overview of the city’s history in this short film.

You are taken on a journey following the path Edinburgh has taken over thousands of years through battles, several stormings of the Castle, to the times of Burke and Hare, forward to the beginnings of the Edinburgh Festival, the creation of the new Scottish Parliament and lots more besides.

It is a history lesson that captures the imagination as you view it.

The Edinburgh and Lothian’s tour recently said “we learned about the latest visitor attraction they have a 17 minute film that will make you feel as if you’re flying over the city seeing history unfold – from the volcanic creation of Arthur’s Seat in prehistoric times to events today”, and indeed you do feel as if you are flying as you are standing over a very big screen as the film unfolds below you which is a unique and clever way of showing the film.

We spoke to Frank Little, Museums and Galleries manager, to ask where Foundation came from, how long the process took and indeed what his role and input was.  Here is what Frank had to say while we were watching the film in the background….

http://www.mixcloud.com/basher1969/interview-with-frank-little/

So we know where it came from and what the process was but what about the people who come to see the film what are their thoughts about it? Here we spoke to Diana Morton, the Museum and Galleries Outreach Manager, and asked what the reaction has been to the film and how people can be involved in community groups concerning the museums and galleries.

http://www.mixcloud.com/basher1969/interview-with-diana-morton/

So there we have it. The new attraction at the Museum of Edinburgh has been well received. It has taken a lot of hard work to get it up and running, but the story does not end here.  The Museum of Edinburgh has recently fully re-opened after recent refurbishment and has displays dedicated to Greyfriars Bobby, Earl Haig and also the National Covenant, signed by Scottish noblemen to protect the Church of Scotland.   

So if you want to know about Edinburgh’s history then the Museum of Edinburgh might be a good place to start?

For more information please go to:

http://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/Venues/Museum-of-Edinburgh

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Museum-of-Edinburgh/173958056468

Independence March – #askLBP Liveblog – Doors Open Days – Dieter Roth – Stanley Odd

Parts of central Edinburgh will be a bit busy tomorrow as there is an independence march and rally taking place. More details here but Alex Salmond, Margo McDonald and Patrick Harvie are all appearing on the same bill. Curiously they also promise face painting for the children… The march runs (or perhaps walks) from The Meadows to Princes Street Gardens.

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Last night we held a Q and A with Chief Superintendent Malcolm Graham which you can read now. He had interesting views on policing the city and also answered a question about armed police quite fully. The Reporter was pretty impressed that he arrived by bike even though it was raining so much yesterday.

We hope to give you details soon of the next #askLBP, but if you would like it to feature your local police officers then do let us know! theedinburghreporter@gmail.com

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Doors Open Day suggestion for you today is to head for the Cockburn Society website and download the App to help you navigate your way around all of the wonderful buildings in Edinburgh that are open for viewing this weekend.

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We saw the Dieter Roth exhibition just before it opened for the Art Festival and his quirky video diaries have left a lasting impression! The exhibition at the Fruitmarket Gallery finishes soon, and we would heartily recommend it to you as something a bit arty for this weekend. You might get a taste of what you can see here on this video:-

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Stanley Odd plays the Liquid Room on Victoria Street tonight. We have a review of the latest album over here to whet your appetite.

It’s hard not to find yourself nodding along with Stanley Odd.

Combining social speculation with bursts of catchy hooks; it’s refreshing to hear a hip hop act that actually sings about something relevant. It’s more Caledonia than California, politics over posing.

The rap collective’s second album has them sounding as fresh and surprising as when their first tunes landed in 2009. Critical acclaim and major festival spots has failed to water down the six-strong group’s unique sound and lure them into the creative wilderness of mainstream hip hop. Essays could be written on the themes and songs of Reject.

Second track ‘Antiheroics’ is a stinging rebuke against the apathy that is rotting at the heart of Britain. Veronika Electronika’s (best name ever) mysterious voice provides camouflage for the ferocity of MC Solareye’s rhymes as he unleashes both barrels on the electorate, pronouncing, “Of course you’re being watched/It’s a modern fact/Putting an X in the box/Says you’re watching back”.

‘Marriage Counselling’ finally provides a worthy musical take on the upcoming Independence vote. Free of petty prejudice, it sees Stanley Odd willing to look society square in the eye and weigh up the pros and cons with a simple call and response structure. Packed full of quotable lyrics, perhaps “An alcoholic, sectarian, illiterate lout/I’m providing the medicine/You’re just spitting it out” is the most sobering way Scotland will be described this year.

But Reject‘s finest moment comes on ‘Get Out My Headspace’ – an absolute rejection of the mundanity and absurdities of modern life. Accompanied by an unassuming synth line, you can feel the group blowing off three years worth of patronising aspersions with the song’s rebuking chorus of “The top 20 pop chart/Get out ma headspace/Hip hop is not art/Get out ma headspace”. Just about everybody gets a blast of their ire – scene-sters, politicians, bankers, illicit journalists…

There is a video here but be warned there is a little swearing in it….so we are simply posting the link for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKPtnA0cK1c&feature=relmfu

It is an album that spans so much more than hip hop. It is about 21st century life rather than a product of its genre. It should be huge, but whether it will or not will depend solely on the prejudices of music fans – will you give it a try?

‘Get Out Ma Headspace’ is available as a free download from the Stanley Odd’s bandcamp http://stanleyodd.bandcamp.com/

They play The Liquid Rooms on Friday 21st (£7)

Promotional image courtesy of Jannica Honey

The man in charge of policing for the city centre is Malcolm Graham. He was previously in charge of the Lothian and Borders CID, so knows this city well.

He was appointed as Divisional Commander for the City of Edinburgh in June 2012, with responsibility for all policing across the City in advance of the significant transition from Lothian and Borders Police to the single Police Service for Scotland in April 2013.

Chief Superintendent Graham is a keen yet extremely amateur cyclist, runner, swimmer and surfer although not necessarily in that order, and enjoys relaxing with family and friends, usually through a variety of outdoor pursuits.

We will be here at 5.30 or so on Thursday 20 September 2012 to talk to him about the priorities the police have for the city and the ways they deal with crime and our safety. He also wants to talk about new ways of listening to people’s views. So if you have some questions then please send them to us. You can contact us by email theedinburghreporter@gmail.com by Twitter @EdinReporter or direct to Malcolm on @edpolicechief or by joining us live on Thursday evening when you can submit comments or questions. Comments are always subject to moderation, but we try to include as many as possible.

Funding of £10.7m to bring 90% of Edinburgh residents and businesses high speed broadband by 2015 will be announced by the UK Government today.

The capital funding to be managed by the City of Edinburgh Council will enhance wireless zones in key streets, squares and parks, initially focused in the city centre. The project is part of the £100m of Urban Broadband funding set up by the Westminster government for their Super-Connected Initiative, which was announced in March.

The final ‘Connected Capital’ plan for Edinburgh was submitted by the City of Edinburgh Council ahead of today’s announcement.

The Council also agreed to commit £1.9m of revenue funding to deliver the programme at a meeting in April this year. Further funding and revenue streams will be sought to allow specific programme activities.

Councillor Alasdair Rankin, Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee, said: “This is great news for Edinburgh. We knew the funding was coming but now the exact amount has been announced we can put our plans into action to make Edinburgh a super connected city.

“This project is a great example of the Capital Coalition’s pledge to provide for economic growth and prosperity. I am confident it will help Edinburgh to attract news jobs and investment, help unemployed people into work or learning and will greatly enhance our offering as a digitally inclusive city.”

The Council is working with stakeholders across Edinburgh to develop the project.

The council meets this morning at 10am and for the first time you can also follow the discussions live through their brand new webcasting service.

The Lord Provost Donald Wilson spoke to STV Local about his thoughts on webasting of the meetings to allow for transparency.

The hashtags are #edincouncil or #edinwebcast

You can also follow what is happening below.

Council meeting live – TERLive today at 5 #askLBP – Leith Waterworld – Portobello High School – The House @42

Today for the first time you can watch the full council meeting live online. We have for some time been liveblogging the proceedings at meetings and we plan to continue that, but you can watch the meeting either live or in archive form. We hope  the microphones can pick up the sound well enough for the cameras! Sometimes it is difficult to hear contributions from deputations or indeed individual councillors.

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Today from 5pm we are running a liveblog with Chief Superintendent Malcolm Graham who is responsible for policing in the City of Edinburgh. Join us then!

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Today the Splashback campaigners who have made the only bids for Leith Waterworld will make a deputation to the council who according to the papers are set to reject the bid and remarket the building in Spring 2013.

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Other items on the agenda will include the fate of Portobello High School, upon which the Council Leader, Andrew Burns has promised a statement at the October meeting. We hope there might be something said about it all today in the City Chambers, however there is a public meeting in Portobello tomorrow evening to brainstorm some ideas.

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The House @42 continues to amaze with its range of aristes. This Sunday they will offer Emily Portman to sing for you. This is what they say:-“Emily Portman is a singer and concertina player from Glastonbury, hailed as “one of the new British folk scene’s most beguiling presences” (Uncut). With her 2010 debut album The Glamoury gaining her two BBC Folk Award nominations, Emily is fast gaining a reputation for her unique songwriting, described as “remarkable and original” (The Observer) and “the raw stuff of great ballads” (Radio 2). The Glamoury earned Emily widespread critical acclaim, international airplay, and a placing in both Mojo and fRoots magazines’ top ten folk albums of the year. Emily’s 2012 release Hatchling is an off-kilter collection of contemporary lullabies, apple-tree wassails, and folk carols, entering a carnivalesque world of fallen angels, and fantastical metamorphosis, set against a backdrop of England’s country lanes and urban backstreets. For her gig in the House Emily will be joined by Rachel Newton (The Shee) on harp, who recently appeared with Macmaster/Hay, and Lucy Farrell (Jonny and Lucy) on viola. We’re already looking forward to it.

The trio will take to the stage at 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm). Tickets are £10 each with every penny going direct to the band. To book PLEASE EMAIL info@douglasinscotland.co.uk”

And our photo today was taken in Victoria Park where the gardeners have planted some wildflowers. How lovely!