Hibs head coach David Gray has provided an update on his squad’s fitness ahead of Saturday’s William Hill Premiership game against St Johnstone.

Hibs had a total of 11 players out on international duty during the break, albeit some of those are on loan or Academy players.

The First Team players have returned over the course of this week, with the latest ones coming back on Thursday evening.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference Gray said: “All the international boys are back safely and trained this morning, so we will see how they come through.”

There’s also positive news regarding Nicky Cadden who came off in our Scottish Cup tie against Celtic at the start of the month.

“Nicky Cadden isn’t quite ready yet, but it’s really positive news in terms of his rehab work. He’s desperate to get back and push himself, but we won’t take that risk on him right now. 

“Initially when you see someone pull up with a hamstring injury, you think it’ll be a number of weeks, but he should be back in full training next week, which is earlier than we anticipated.”

Unfortunately, though, Joe Newell faces a longer time on the sidelines.

“The one that’s frustrating is Joe Newell. We pushed him to try and get him back involved, but he’s had a reaction, so we’ve had to pull him back a little. 

“He won’t be available this weekend and we will manage him as we go.”

Edinburgh councillors are set to consider backing a study which could make building new zebra crossings in the city cheaper and easier.

At present, all zebra crossings on council-owned streets have flashing beacons, which a council report says drives up the cost of installing them significantly.

To cut prices and make it easier to install crossing points, officers want to trial “continental” zebra crossings, which consist of a zebra crossing marked on the pavement but no beacons.

They are in use in much of continental Europe, and have recently been trialled in Manchester, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, where they have since been recommended for further use.

The study would see monitoring of continental zebra crossings on non-public roads in the city, which exist at the airport, shopping centres and other locations, in order to gather data on how safe they are.

It would also gather and study together existing research on the topic, in order to evaluate how beaconless zebra crossings could fit into the urban environment of the city.

The main aim of it is to prove that trials of these crossings are worthwhile, and to help make a case to the Scottish and UK governments that they should be allowed.

As of now, zebra crossings without beacons are not legal on council-owned roads in Scotland due to legislation in Westminster and Holyrood.

The report says that legislative change would likely be required before the council could trial the crossings.

However, a letter from Scottish transport minister Fiona Hyslop included in the report said the Scottish Government would be willing to work towards changing the legislation if the crossings are proven to be ‘effective and safe’.

If the scheme is approved by councillors, officers would explore grant funding options to support most of its costs – but, if none can be found, officers would draw down up to £60,000 in operational funds.

By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter

Noise levels at a West Lothian rugby club’s annual summer dance are set to be monitored by council officers after concerns were raised by a neighbour. 

Linlithgow rugby club has agreed to have Environmental Health officers monitor the volume at social events planned around the town’s Marches festival later this year. 

A lawyer told the West Lothian Licensing Board the club was happy to comply with sound level checks proposed after measurements were taken at planned social events in a training facility at the Mains Road facility. 

The venue has been used for an Eve of Marches dinner each June for the last two years. Other events include a rugby sevens tournament and a Moon dance which raises funds for cancer charities. 

Gary McMullan Clerk to the Board told a meeting that there had been one objection from a neighbour to the application for five occasional licences for events to be held in an indoor training facility. The applications cover a series of events between 26 May and 14 June. 

Andrew Hunter, an agent for the club told councillors: “The objection from the neighbouring property is very much about amplified music. There’s only three of the events that have any amplified music.” 

These are the Eve of Marches dance on the 6 June, the Moon Dance on 14 June and at a beer tasting festival in May. 

Mr Hunter said the events had developed over time from being held in a marquee to moving indoors to the training centre. 

“Occasional licences are still considered by my clients to be the most appropriate to cover these events,” he added. 

He said that the club preferred annual applications for occasional licences because these were the only events the club hosted in a year, and it had and had no intention of hosting regular music events in the training centre. 

“You’ll see the noise control measures the club intends to put in place for the events. That ranges from the sound deadening within the premises, the location of stage wall to mitigate impact,the control of doors and the measurement of sound at key locations in the evening.” 

He added that the club had spoken to the council about Environmental; Heath monitoring the sound levels at the first event of the year to agree on a base level of sound. 

 Brian Carmichael, an Environmental Health officer told the meeting that he was happy to be involved in establishing a reasonable base line and added: “Bearing in mind there will be an impact whatever level we come up with at the end of the day whether it  is a public nuisance is a matter for the Board to decide.” 

 Mr Carmichael said there was insufficient evidence from last year’s events to warrant council action under the Environmental Protection Act. To prosecute for noise nuisance the noise levels would have to be “intolerable to the average person.” 

After a short adjournment   for private debate the Board agreed to grant the five occasional licences with conditions first imposed last year and added the new condition that Environmental Health monitor and establish  “reasonable base level” to work from. 

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

Lindsay Plenderleith has been made an Honorary Member of Bonnyrigg Bowling Club.

Already a Scottish Champion (1980 – Pairs with Coldstream) when he joined the Club , Lindsay would become one of Bonnyrigg’s most successful players with multiple championships, county and national titles. 

Part of Bonnyrigg’s 2009, 2014 and 2023 National Top Ten winning teams Lindsay has also been part of league winning teams. 

He has also achieved three bronze medals at the Scottish Championship finals in Ayr, most recently in the over-55’s Fours during2024. 

Off the green Lindsay has served as Treasurer, a selector for the seniors team and regular barman for presentations.

Hearts’ head coach, Neil Critchley, has told his men to be brave when they square-up to William Hill Premiership pace-setters Celtic at Parkhead on Saturday (kick-off 15.00).

The Bhoys are the best team in the league, according to the Jambos boss, who is visiting Parkhead for the first time in his career.

Of course, Celtic will not want to lose back-to-back games on their own pitch after being edged by arch rivals Rangers in the recent Old Firm clash.

But Critchley (pictured by Ian Jacobs) told the media at the pre-match briefing at The Oriam that he believes the Jambos are in good form.

He wants his squad to attack the game and added: “It is a challenge for us, and an exciting one.”

Gerald Taylor misses out after being injured playing for Costa Rica in midweek and the knee injury could keep the on-loan defender out for the rest of the season.

He went off after nearly 30 minutes of Costa Rica’s CONCACAF Gold Cup tie with Belize on Tuesday and Hearts are trying to get as much information as they can from the Costa Rica camp about the extent of the injury.

That leaves the Men in Maroon with only one recognised right-back, Adam Forrester, and Critchley and his back-room staff are assessing their options and could draft another player into that role for the trip along the M8.

Aussie midfielder, Cammy Devlin, is available again after being sidelined with concussion following Hearts’ Scottish Gas, Scottish Cup win at St Mirren and he played 90 minutes in a closed-door match last week.

Central defender, Jamie McCart, is being monitored over the next 24-hours, but he has been taking a full part in training at Riccarton while Frankie Kent, Craig Halkett and Stephen Kingsley have been training this week and they will form part of the assessment before a team is names.

Celtic are likely to give back-up goalkeeper, Viljami Sinisalo, his league debut due to a shoulder injury sustained by No 1 Kasper Schmeichel while playing for Denmark in midweek.

Critchley knows Sinisalo having worked with the player during his spell as an assistant to Stephen Gerard at Aston Villa and the former Blackpool boss said: “He is a very good goalkeeper but we want to cause them problems.”  

NHS Scotland spinouts should be considered ‘a vital method of commercialising the intellectual property (IP) from innovative staff ideas,’ a formal health service partner insists.

InnoScot Health believes that findings from the fifth annual ‘Spotlight on Spinouts’ report – published this week by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Beauhurst – underline the immense and sustained value in the NHS taking equity shares in return for transferring IP rights. 

Executive Chair of InnoScot Health, Graham Watson said: “NHS Scotland has a long and proud history of inspiring spinouts founded on the innovative expertise of its staff, most often in areas like technology or healthcare services.

“Our organisation holds equity in six spinout companies managed on behalf of NHS health boards and we believe it is a vital method of commercialising the IP from innovative healthcare ideas at an opportune time for NHS Scotland. These cutting-edge enterprises are needed more than ever.

“Reflecting that belief and emphasising the potential scale of opportunity for NHS Scotland, the new ‘Spotlight on Spinouts’ report highlights the continued success of Scottish universities in helping to deliver innovation-driven spinouts which contribute to the country’s economic growth.

“We believe that with the right support, the health service can more fully harness that spinout opportunity and inspire its innovators to push their ideas forward. Commercialising IP through the creation of a successful spinout company is good for the individuals involved, the local and national economy, the NHS, and the patients we serve.

“This new academic spinout data also confirms that the life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors remain the strongest areas for the creation of new firms. It is clear that NHS Scotland must capitalise amid a strong national picture.”

‘Spotlight on Spinouts’ notes that Scotland hosts the UK’s third-highest regional concentration of spinouts (12%), while Edinburgh ranks as the second most popular hub for new firms, totalling 86, behind only Oxford with its total of 110 spinouts.

University spinouts

Three Scottish universities are among the top 20 best-performing academic institutions across the UK for spinouts – the Universities of Edinburgh (8th), Strathclyde (16th) and Glasgow (19th), which produced a combined total of 155 firms.

The University of Edinburgh’s spinout track record ranks particularly high in the report thanks to its involvement in shaping 71 new firms.

In further encouraging news for Scotland, ranking among the wider list of 42 are the University of Aberdeen (26th), Heriot-Watt (27th), Dundee University (28th), and the University of St Andrews (36th).  

The report data notes a trend in universities favouring lower equity stakes in associated spinout companies – considered key to incentivising academic founders to launch and scale their spinout companies.

Mr Watson continued: “This is an important and positive development with equity investment in university spinouts increasing significantly in 2024 to £2.60 billion – 38 per cent more than in 2023.

This compares well with the wider equity market for high-growth companies, which experienced a near 16 per cent decline in the same period.

“It is also a positive reflection on the fortunes of the thriving life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors, with artificial intelligence (AI) considered the top emerging sector for spinouts.

“The Academy of Engineering recommends that a more balanced distribution of equity between key contributors – including the university, senior faculty, and spinout leadership – is required to grow commercial success.

“There are plenty of learnings here that can be applied just as much to NHS Scotland and its collaborative aspirations for accelerating impactful health innovation. Supporting the development of exciting new companies must be part of this.”

As it continues its expansion into fresh markets, GBSS Civil Engineering Limited has made a six-figure investment, which enables the business not only to add to its fleet with new plant equipment from a long term supplier, but also to enhance its entire fleet operation with cutting edge software.

The software is called Chime and the programme monitors time and attendance.

The business, an independent firm of Scottish civil engineering and groundwork contractors, has purchased four new Construction Site Dumpers, from its established business contact, Scot JCB.

Additionally, GBSS has equipped its fleet of dumpers, excavators, backhoe loaders, telehandlers and other advanced machinery, with Chime. The software provides management with access to a secure, cloud-based back-office system, with features from real-time site visibility, digital timesheets, and a wide range of HR and other reports.

The business estimates that this will cut their administration time by at least half, improve site safety, streamline processes, and keep their business audit-ready. The programme was developed and tested in a live, operational construction company and aims to deal with day-to-day challenges facing construction businesses of all sizes.

“We are excited to announce this significant investment in new machinery and technology,” said GBSS Managing Director, David Owens. “Once again, we have found Scot JCB to be the ideal supplier for us. They know our business inside out, and as such, are our trusted partner in our on-going machinery needs and servicing requirements. Our new Construction Site Dumpers, complete with cabs, offer many benefits, such as enhanced operator safety, comfort and productivity by providing protection from the elements, reducing noise and vibration.”

“Furthermore, investing in Chime is enabling us to digitise our construction business,” continued David. “Chime is the market leader in digital timesheets, in real time site visibility software, and in digital health and safety documents. We will be able to see who, and what, is on site at any time of the day, with no need for any additional equipment. Our operatives are currently being trained on the system which they can use through a simple app on their phones or tablets. We’re looking forward to reaping the benefits of this technology, which also supports the health, safety and quality for all our staff, as we can store RAMS, checklists, and skills all in the one place, and move to a completely paperless system.”

Aaron Powell, Managing Director of Chime, said: “We are delighted to welcome high profile GBSS Civil Engineering Ltd to the ever-growing Chime family. We are confident that they will very soon see the benefits and financial return of using our revolutionary software to improve attendance management, site safety, skills management, and all sorts of other concerns, which previously had been time-consuming to implement and manage.
“As we do with all our customers, we will now deploy a dedicated Customer Success team who will provide ongoing support to the team at GBSS to keep driving digital adoption and utilisation across their business, sites, and projects. It’s exciting times at GBSS and Chime!”

Connor Stirling, Sales Engineer at Scot JCB, said: “It’s excellent news that GBSS Civil Engineering has chosen to upgrade its plant fleet with our latest JCB Construction Site Dumpers. It’s always a pleasure working with the team at GBSS, and we really value their continued trust in Scot JCB to deliver reliable, high-performance machinery that meets the demands of their projects. We’re proud to support their growth and look forward to supplying them with new plant and aftercare support for many years to come.”

www.gbss-ltd.co.uk

www.chimesoftware.co.uk

https://www.scot-jcb.com/

ONE of the UK’s largest water retailers has pledged its support to improving racial equality and inclusion in the workplace by signing up to the Race at Work Charter.

Edinburgh-based Business Stream joined the Race at Work initiative, led by Business in the Community (BITC), as part of its on-going commitment to embedding an inclusive and diverse working environment.

Launched in 2018, the Race at Work Charter was created to tackle barriers faced by Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse employees.

The Charter sets out key actions that businesses can take to drive meaningful change, including fair recruitment practices, transparent career progression opportunities and leadership accountability in promoting racial equality.

In 2021, the Charter was expanded to include allyship and inclusive supply chain commitments, further strengthening its approach to driving meaningful change.

Gail Cockburn, People Director at Business Stream said: “Signing the Race at Work Charter is an important milestone in our journey to building an even more inclusive organisation.

“We recognise the responsibility we have in driving change and are committed to embedding these principles across our business, so that everyone feels valued, heard, and supported.”

By signing the Race at Work Charter, Business Stream is committing to capturing and monitoring ethnicity data to help identify and address any diversity gaps within its workforce. Its leadership team will actively champion racial equality, having assigned an Executive Sponsor. And the business has pledged to ensure there are no barriers within its hiring processes, by continuing to identify ways to make its recruitment processes fairer and more transparent.

Elspeth Hendry, Scotland Lead at Business in the Community said: “Businesses have a crucial role to play in tackling racial inequality in the workplace and commitments like the Race at Work Charter help drive positive and lasting change.

“By signing up, Business Stream are taking meaningful steps to embed equity and inclusion into their policies, processes, and culture.

“We look forward to working with them as they implement their commitments and continue to build a fairer and more inclusive workplace for all.”

To learn more about the Race at Work Charter visit: https://www.bitc.org.uk/race/#raceatworkcharter

Katharina Kasper, the Chair of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB), told The Edinburgh Reporter that the board agreed a substantial savings programme for this financial year at its meeting on Tuesday.

Ms Kasper said: “We have agreed something which allows us to have a balanced budget, which is incredibly important for us at the start of the financial year.

“It was achieved by a number of savings proposals – 19 of them in total and all of these fall into different categories. Some are around “grip and control” in terms of how we spend our money. Some are around redesigning some of our services to make sure that they are more efficient. And what we are also doing is were also reviewing and “right-sizing” packages of care to make sure that people are supported to be as independent as they possibly can be, but at the same time they receive the care that they need.”

These are terms used in the papers for the EIJB meeting earlier this week, but without much explanation behind them.

The Edinburgh Reporter countered that it sounds unrealistic to say the EIJB will continue to provide the same care with almost £30 million less to spend. Ms Kasper replied: “That would be absolutely impossible. Such amounts cannot be taken out of a budget without there being some impact on service users.”

Asked who would then lose out Ms Kasper said that rather than thinking that people will lose out some people will get more support more quickly. She said: “Others will be getting – where it is safe for them to do so – potentially less support. But it’s a hugely complex problem and it is impossible to say there will be winners and losers.”

Chair of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board Katharina Kasper admits there will be “some impact”from the £29 million of cuts to their budget agreed earlier this week

[image or embed]

— The Edinburgh Reporter (@edinreporter.bsky.social) 28 March 2025 at 08:47

As to the £4.5 million which was proposed as a cut to the Third Sector grants programme, the chair said that this programme is coming to an end in summer. She said: “We are looking at alternative ways of commissioning services from the third sector and they are very much a partner in all of this. For some organisations some funding will continue.”

Ms Kasper confirmed that the current grants programme will cease at 30 June this year.

On Friday the City of Edinburgh Council has stepped in to fill at least some of the gap which the EIJB will leave in its wake.

Cllr Tim Pogson the Vice-Chair remarked at the meeting that he thinks the budget setting process has improved markedly over the past few years.

Presenting the savings

Moira Pringle the EIJB Chief Finance Officer explained that the board has to balance its financial plan and warned that not agreeing any of the individual savings at the meeting would have a knock on effect. But she also said that officers realise these proposals are not without impact but the programme of cuts will have “minimal impact on the outcomes for the people of Edinburgh”.

Ms Pringle also said that it is expected that the board will continue to face financial challenges “for the foreseeable future”.

At Tuesday’s meeting the board agreed to make cuts to its budget of £29 million from its budget of £900 million.

The report before the members of the board explained that the savings programme is part of the overarching Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) which aims at taking “a more strategic approach to financial planning”. It is also part of the report that EIJB is – in common with other integration joint boards elsewhere in Scotland – facing a financial crisis, something noted by the Audit Commission which demanded “urgent reform”.

The EIJB said that budgets are being moved into areas of Edinburgh rather than citywide and financial accountability has been strengthened. The board has held seven budget working group meetings and a budget Q&A session before making the decision. After engagement with councillors and members of the Finance and Resources Committee the council allocated an additional £12.5 million earlier this year to help meet the financial gap which EIJB faces.

The savings agreed by the EIJB members were first of all split into two kinds – operational management actions £11.6m) and previously approved savings proposals (£9.8m) and new savings of £7.6 million. The report is embedded below and the various headers are expanded upon.

For example the Prescribing Efficiency Programme is looking to save £5 million by promoting the most cost-effective medicines for patients. Cllr Alys Mumford a member of the board asked about this part of the programme and for “clarity around the numbers”. She was keen to understand that the estimates in the report are accurate. Moira Pringle explained that this is calculated on a national resource allocation, and it was also explained that the pharmacy team have a “strong track record” in delivering savings.

In another cut, the report says that around £300,000 can be saved by keeping a stricter grip on the community equipment provided by the EIJB and the Health Partnership. The focus will be on increasing recycling rates and “enhanced governance”. The number of satellite stores around the city which deals with equipment hire may for example be reduced as part of the savings.

The report is reproduced below.

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Three years since 1902 was last staged, Saltire Sky Theatre are proud to announce the return of the OffWestEnd and Broadway Baby Bobby Award winning production at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025 to commemorate Hibernian Football Club turning 150 years old.

1902 will play at the Hibernian Supporters Club in the shadow of Easter Road Stadium for a 20 show run this August with tickets going on sale from Wednesday 2nd April 2025.  

Written by award-winning writer Nathan Scott- Dunn, 1902 is an immersive production that delves into the world of Scottish football, telling the story of Hibernian F.C’s heroic victory in the 2016 Scottish Cup Final after a 114 year wait through the eyes of four young supporters. This gang of misfits, led by the charismatic Derek “Deeks” Longstaff, spend their days in the doom and gloom of their local pub ‘The Dug & Duck’ contemplating their unhappy existence, but the tone shifts, when through some miracle, Hibs have made it to the Scottish Cup Final.

With a sudden buzz, the boys decide they will do whatever it takes to be there to see them lift the cup, even if it means biting off more than they can chew borrowing money from local loan-shark Craig Turnbull. When Deeks’ estranged brother is the only one left to help the boys, we discover the men behind the bravado in a tale of family, friendship and passion for their team.  

1902 was the first production staged by Saltire Sky in 2017 and went on to sell out five consecutive Fringe festivals alongside select performances across Scotland including a run at Easter Road Stadium and a tour of England in 2022 in association with Arts Council England.  

Saltire Sky have since worked on “Bits ‘N’ Pieces” in partnership with Edinburgh based harm reduction charity Crew 2000 that went on to win Best Scottish Production at the Scottish Theatre Awards 2022 and “MANikin”, a one man show tackling male body image and mental health with the British Obesity Society which was nominated for the same award alongside the Bright Spark Award for Emerging Talent in 2023.  

Artistic Director of Saltire Sky and Writer of 1902, Nathan Scott-Dunn, said of the return:  “Bringing 1902 back to the Fringe this year isn’t just about football—it’s about the people who shape this city.

“This play was built on the passion, humor, and resilience of working-class communities, the ones who live and breathe every high and low, on and off the pitch. With Hibs celebrating 150 years, there’s no better time to tell their story again, in their city, on their terms. This is theatre for them.”

Company Manager and Co-Director of 1902, Sands Stirling, also remarked about the show:  “We’ve heard the calls for the show to return and now is the perfect time. The Fringe will give us a platform to once again reach lifelong fans of the club whilst also welcoming international guests into the heart of Leith.

“Performing at the Hibernian Supporters Club will only make this years shows more electric than ever and our cast will also be a blend of returning faces alongside some new signings so there will be something fresh for even our most loyal of audiences.”  

Sat 2nd Aug – Sun 24th August (Excl. Wed 6th, 13th & 20th)  

7:30pm (Doors 7pm / Duration: 90 Minutes)  

Hibernian Supporters Club, Venue 499 11 Sunnyside, Edinburgh, EH7 5RA  

A 24-year-old man has been sentenced in connection with sexual offences which happened in Edinburgh.

Noor Khan Yousafzai carried out the offences in December 2024 near the Water of Leith walkway in the city.

He has been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday, 27 March, 2025.

Detective Sergeant Jordan Kerr said: “Yousafzai caused fear and alarm to members of the public by exposing himself and sexually assaulting a woman.

“We would like to thank the public who came forward and reported these incidents to us, which has resulted in him being brought to justice.”

Police in Edinburgh have arrested and charged a 16-year-old male in connection with a serious assault. 

The incident took place around 8.45pm on Friday, 21 March, 2025 at The Promenade, Portobello. 

The victim was also a 16-year-old male. 

The accused was not detained in custody but released on undertaking to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date. 

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “16-year-old male has been arrested and charged in connection with a serious assault on a 16-year-old male in Edinburgh. 

“The incident happened around 8.45pm on Friday, 21 March, 2025 at The Promenade, Portobello. 

“The 16-year-old was released on undertaking and is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.” 

Five Hibernian Women FC players have been called up to represent Scotland and Scotland U23s during the upcoming international break. 

The list includes another Scotland ‘A’ squad call-up for Eilidh Adams, while four team mates have been chosen for the Under-23 squad.  

For a second successive international break, Adams will meet up with the senior squad after being selected by Scotland interim head coach Michael McArdle.  

The centre-forward made her international debut versus Austria in February, before making her first Scotland start days later against the Netherlands at Hampden Park.  

Adams, who has 24 goals in 28 appearances for Hibs this season, will join up with the camp on Monday 31 March ahead of a Uefa Nations League Group A1 double-header versus Germany.  

The first match will be played at Tannadice Park, Dundee, on Friday 4 April. The game will be broadcast live on BBC Alba; kick-off at 7:35pm.  

The reverse fixture will take place at the Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg, on Tuesday 8 April. Kick-off is at 4:45pm and the match will be broadcast live on BBC Scotland.  

Erin Clachers, Micky McAlonie, Kathleen McGovern and Tegan Bowie are included in the Scotland Under-23 Squad 

McAlonie receives her first Under-23 call-up after making over 25 appearances at youth level for Scotland across the Under-17 and Under-19 squads. 

Clachers, Bowie and McGovern all impressed in the most recent Under-23 fixtures in October 2024, with the two outfielders both nabbing two goal contributions each while Erin started in goal versus Belgium.  

The quartet will travel to Pinatar, Spain, for two international friendly matches in early April.  

Denmark are the Under-23’s first opponents on Thursday 3 April, before the Young Team takes on either France or Portugal on Sunday 6 April. 

Linlithgow Loch has experienced a great week of fishing with Paul McNair and Stuart Strachan topping the list with an amazing 56 fish during one session.

However, that is not a record as Edinburgh-based Trevor Kitson had 72 on his own around five years ago fishing a size eight buzzer and giving it short tweaks.

Tom Lambert, secretary of the Forth Area Federation of Anglers (FAFA), said the 56 is the best return recorded in recent years and he added: ”We’re surprised at the numbers recorded and we’ve not had catch returns like this for some time.”

Since the end of February, the FAFA have introduced 950lb of fish into the water every week, and they received another shipment this week to top up supplies.

Other anglers have joined in the fun with Robin Smith and George Mackintosh returning 24 trout with their biggest estimated at around 7lb, while Ali Fyvie and Jimmy Russell returned 22 trout during their session. Craig Cowan, fishing alone, returned 16 fish.

Lambert reported that 35 boats were launched during the week with 54 anglers on board and a total of 50 fish were kept weighing 167lb with 109 fish returned.

He added: “Midge-tip, sink-tip and intermediate lines used with blobs, cormorants, black/green lures, Humungus and snakes, especially pink, were the successful set-ups.”

Other notable catch returns included one by Les Mitchell who returned nine fish while Ian McLaren out with George Mackintosh kept four trout and returned ten while Mr Innes kept four and returned 14 fish. Marty Nelson returned 14 rainbows.

Waders AC were back and the four anglers kept 11 trout weighing 34 lbs, the heaviest caught by Douglas Gribble weighed in at 5lb 2oz, while Robert Anthony, out with his young son, kept eight fish weighing over 30lbs. They also returned 12 fish.

Boats are available on most days for a full day or four-hour session and bosses advise anglers to book ahead by ringing 01506 671753 or by booking online in advance.

Nearby, Bowden Springs report good sport on both the fly and bait pond. Top rod was Billy Wilson with 15 fish with the best an 8lb brown on FAB, cormorant, buzzer and lure patterns. He has enjoyed a good month as he hooked into 17 on a previous visit.

Matt Taylor had nine and a biggest a 5lb brown trout, on squirmy wormy and egg patterns. C. J. Finlay was next best on six with a biggest of 4lb on lures. Ryan Burns had a best of an 8lb brown in his bag of three on egg and lures.

On the bait pond, the best fish tempted was to Colin Ross who had a 5lb trout on Powerbait.

Fishing is picking up at Pottishaw near Whitburn with the overwintered fish “waking up”. Bosses confirm that water quality and temperatures are improving daily and there have been a number of brown trout netted.

Drumtassie near Blackridge remind customers that the two fly ponds will be closed on Sunday, April 13 for the Scottish Stillwater Bank Final and anglers are catching and Allandale Tarn owner, Iona Allan, reports that fish have been active.

A mixture of lures from black rabbit, blue flash damsel, cat’s whisker, yellow dancer and white eggstacy have been working along wth diawl bach, particularly olive or black patterns.

She added: “Generaly, fishing has been pretty good, even fantastic. A number of anglers have ended with double-figure numbers and double-figure sized trout too. Big Tiger trout have been on the move and the beastie rainbows are also getting hooked.”

The Tarn, near West Calder, is open until 4.30pm currently but she added that times will start to open up shortly.

Harlaw Reservoir in The Pentland Hills above Balerno opens for the season on April 1. Permits available online. Anglers can fish the Water of Leith from April 1 but require a free permit from the Water of Leith Centre at 24 Lanark Road, Edinburgh EH14 1TQ.

Glencorse is now open for the season and the first weekend fished well with fishery manager, Kenny Knox, confirming that Saturday was the best day with midge tip and Di3 lines with a variety of patterns, including cormorant, damsel, yellow dancer, snakes, diawl bach, blob and FAB, proving the best picks.

In East Lothian, Martin Williamson from (Tranent) featured in the catch returns from Newlands Tweeddale with nine fishing a white rabbit with Alex Rowley (Dalkeith) on eight. He used hare’s ear. Johnson Hillen (Musselburgh) had 11 on apps and bloob patterns while Bob Cockburn(Duns) had 15 on mini-Ally McCoist and bloodworm.

PICTURE: Robert Salmond with one of his fish caught at Linlithgow Loch. Picture courtesy of Forth Area Federation of Anglers

The second Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers Open events is on Sunday, April 6 at Lunan Bay, north of Arbroath and pegs will begin south of the river from the main car park.

A number of Lothians-based anglers have registered including Scottish international Barry McEwan (Port Seton) plus William Stafford (Edinburgh) and Stevie Burns (Prestonpans).

Ian Campbell (Falkirk), retail manager of The Edinburgh Angling Centre, is also in the field and registration is from 10.15am to 10.45am with fishing from noon to 17.00. This is a pre-booked match and call Chris Horn on 07872 944807.

Campbell (pictured) is also the organiser of the Edinburgh New Year Shore League and the last match is tonight (Friday, March 28) at Newhaven (east) with registration from 6pm to 6.15pm at Western Harbour View EH6 6PG with fishing from 7pm to 10pm.

It is tight at the top of the list with Campbell, a Scotland international, leading on 37 points with Burns second three points behind and Stewart Falconer from Arbroath third on 30 points while Scott Emmerson (Arbroath) is on 27 points.

Craig Ogilvie is the new chairman of the Bass Rock Shore Angling League with Barry McEwan the treasurer and James Ogilvie the secretary.

Membership remains at £20 and they are now due with the Summer League starting on Wednesday, April 9 at a venue to be decided. James Ogilvie said: “There will be cash orizes for the winners and runners-up in the Summer and Winter Leagues and the Hamper March.”

A game-changing aerospace technology firm has negotiated a £500,000 investment to fast forward its space launch guidance systems.

Backed by Kelvin Capital, Gabriel and Scottish Enterprise, Edinburgh-based Aurora Avionics is now looking to use the fresh injection of funds to accelerate its rapid expansion.

The funding will allow Aurora Avionics to hire new engineers, grow its operations at the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh, and further advance its groundbreaking technology.

The firm is a market leader in creating cutting-edge avionics controllers for launch vehicles, rocket engines and general robotics in extreme environments, while also developing innovative universal systems designed to help space firms launch faster, safer, and more affordably than ever before.

Oren Smith-Carpenter, CEO of the company, said: “Our goal is to set a new standard in modular guidance and data-acquisition systems, equipping manufacturers with the most advanced, cost-effective, and versatile avionics solutions on the market.

“This investment allows us to do just that and is a catalyst for transformation, not just for us, but for the entire space sector.

“With this support, we are now in a prime position to accelerate innovation and deliver the next generation of spaceflight technology.”

John McNicol, Director of Kelvin Capital commented, “Kelvin Capital is thrilled to support Aurora Avionics at this pivotal stage of their journey. Their groundbreaking work in avionics technology is not only pushing the boundaries of spaceflight innovation but also positioning Scotland as a leader in the global aerospace sector. This investment underscores our commitment to backing high-growth, high-impact companies that are shaping the future.”

This latest round of investment follows on from an initial £320,000 investment by Gabriel and Scottish Enterprise last year and subsequently the company was selected for Scottish Enterprise’s High Growth Ventures portfolio.

Aurora Avionics has also committed itself to innovating its laboratory to simulate real space environments to further increase the start-up’s capabilities.

Oren added: “This investment allows us to continue scaling, pushing technological boundaries, and ensuring we deliver robust, flight-ready solutions that will redefine the future of launch systems.

“With new hires on the horizon and cutting-edge technology in place, we are positioned to make a real impact in the industry.”

Aurora is on a mission to revolutionise the electronic control systems, called avionics, that serve as a rocket’s central nervous system.

Its co-founders, Oren Smith-Carpenter and Rowland Fraser are both former Orbex employees and experienced aerospace engineers. In August, they welcomed the founder and former CEO of Orbex, Chris Larmour to the firm as a non-executive director.

Founded in 2023, Aurora Avionics has rapidly established itself as a leading innovator in the aerospace sector. The latest investment, finalised in mid-February, underscores growing confidence from investors in its vision and technological advancements.

To find out more about Aurora Avionics, please visit: https://aav.space/

Although the extension of the tramline to Newhaven opened almost two years ago a master list of items to be fixed is only now being compiled according to the council.

In the latest papers for a Transport committee meeting next week, a benign version of events is included saying that a “final list” of works will be circulated by the end of the month (Monday) and works will begin in April. This conceals a great deal of work on behalf of local residents and businesses in the Leith Walk area.

The local community councils combine as Community Councils Together on Trams (CCTT), and it is this body which has kept the question of dealing with defects on and around the tram line on Leith Walk alive, most recently presenting a deputation to the Transport Committee in December. Their constant plea has been to say that the Trams to Newhaven project is not yet complete and the group of four community councils alleges that there may be as much as £20 million of defects to be remedied either by the council or its contractor, Sacyr, Farrans and Neopul (SFN) who won the £210 million contract to design and build the 4.7 km extension from York Place to Newhaven. The new part of the route was opened in June 2023.

The December deputation was presented by Mike Birch of New Town and Broughton Community Council on behalf of CCTT who said: “It is important that the council has adequate resources in place to deliver expected project outcomes. We will continue to monitor progress and highlight issues where we believe actions are not matching words.”

The council agreed that there would be more engagement and contact between the community councils and council officers as, according to the Transport Convener, Cllr Stephen Jenkinson, “the community felt there were a number of discrepancies between what was originally agreed as scope for the project and the expectation residents and businesses on Leith Walk”.

This is a bit of an understatement as the collective of four community councils – Leith Central Community Council, Leith Links Community Council, Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council and New Town and Broughton Community Council – has in the past had to resort to making Freedom of Information requests to obtain information that they thought should have been in the public domain. CCTT have reported damage to the public realm, safety issues including uneven surfaces on the cycle track, and problems with traffic signalling which they say almost led to a strike by tram drivers. The group says the list runs to hundreds of items big and small.

CCTT

Harald Tobermann on behalf of CCTT told The Edinburgh Reporter: “CCTT welcomes the collaborative effort to address outstanding issues related to the Trams to Newhaven project, announced by CEC in the latest TEC Business Bulletin. This process was initiated in November 2024 and agreed at a meeting with the Interim Executive Director of Place in January 2025.

“This process brings together in a standard format previously separately monitored defects, a number of previously unidentified defects, items descoped during construction for various reasons and road safety issues. The resulting comprehensive list once finalised will provide detailed analysis – by type, scale and gravity – of the outstanding issues. Such analysis was previously impeded because issues were raised by a variety of sources using various different reporting formats.

“The list – still being added to and under review jointly by CCTT and Trams to Newhaven (TTN) – already includes a substantial number of items, some of which are “quick wins”, while “big ticket” items will require planning and the development of appropriate works packages . 

“The aim is to resolve as many items as possible by the end of 2025, and to “find a home” – i.e. identify a clear route to resolution – for the remaining ones.

“To fulfil this ambition, CCTT continues to call for increased council resources to be focussed on truly completing the Trams to Newhaven project to meet the goals set out in the TTN Final Business Case and the reasonable expectations of residents and businesses along the tram construction corridor.”

Traffic signalling system

Council officers confirmed that a contemporary traffic signal system has been introduced and has been operating for the last few months. This should “improve connectivity and detection”. The lack of priority for trams at traffic lights had increased the journey time down Leith Walk, and the council says it has now resolved 95% of the issues the tram operators have had.

A spokesperson for Edinburgh Trams said: “The signalling system SPRUCE is in the final stages of implementation and is being tweaked and refined to improve its efficiency. The temporary timetable we have had in place since December seeks to mitigate minor delays along Leith Walk caused by signalling. We continue to work closely with the City of Edinburgh Council to help refine the last few remaining issues and will then seek to resume previous journey times.”

Freedom of Information requests

CCTT made an FOI request to obtain a copy of the Road Safety Audit (RSA) from November 2023 which was not made public. The groups also says the defect log had not been made public. They then discovered that the RSA recommended 145 changes to improve safety, but the council proposed only fixing around 49 of those. CCTN said some of these were serious safety defects such as a lack of tactile paving and poor signage.

Following a review process of the entire tram route the Transport Convener told The Edinburgh Reporter that council officers have now identified a list of contractual defects and the concerns raised and the final list is imminent. The work to fix the defects is expected to begin next month.

List to be published

The Transport Convener was keen to stress that this is “quite healthy” and he agrees that “the community was quite right to call out that they were unhappy”. It was acknowledged that both residents and officers were “ a little further apart than we would like and the team have engaged and hopefully will be working a lot more collaboratively going forward to resolve as many of these contractual defects as possible”.

Cllr Jenkinson also accepted that this is a lessons learned exercise which will be useful in forming the basis of any future tram project.

We are assured that the final list of “defects” will be published. Cllr Jenkinson said: “At this stage the list hasn’t been published and I’ve not seen it, but I would like to think it would be comprehensive and I would like to think that we’d have support from the vast majority of stakeholders and the local community.”

Emergency Fund opens on Friday for third sector

Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) funding which has been scrapped for some charities will be partly replaced by a new emergency council fund which has been drawn down from council reserves.

A one-off Third Sector Resilience Fund will launch today 28 March and will remain open for two weeks.

It will only be open to organisations in Edinburgh which have been directly impacted by the closure of the EIJB’s third sector grants programme and applications must be made by 12 noon on Friday 11 April.

This package of support will include a funded programme worth £1 million to allow third sector advice providers to continue to offer income maximisation, debt, and welfare advice services previously funded by the EIJB grants programme.

Applications will be reviewed and reported to a special meeting of the council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee on Monday 12 May, with the intention of releasing funds in June.

Further work is progressing to review the relationship between the public sector and third sector in Edinburgh, to improve funding certainty in future years.

Council Leader, Jane Meagher, said: “Many of these local charities are at the forefront of helping those in our city with the greatest need. We’ve urgently been working to provide a lifeline to those affected by the closure of the previous grants programme, and I’m really pleased that we’ve found a way forward.

“This fund should provide enough money to potentially support all 64 affected organisations for up to nine months. It must be said that this is a one-off emergency fund – we need to act quickly, and I urge applications to be made as soon as possible.

“Alongside this we must develop a stronger way of supporting the third sector in our city. We recognise that the EIJB, like the Council, is under significant financial pressure and there needs to be longer-term change.

“Tackling poverty and inequality is one of the biggest challenges we’ve set ourselves as a city and this will be a really important piece of work – for us, for our partners and for the whole third sector.”

Benjamin Napier, CEO of Citizens Advice Edinburgh, is a member of the third sector reference group which the Council has set up as it reviews the funding relationship the city has with charities.

He said: “We welcome this investment in the third sector and hope it will go some way to providing resilience, while we continue our work with colleagues across the Council to find a longer-term solution.

“We recognise the pressures on public funding and thank the Council for their efforts in securing this funding. The third sector in Edinburgh plays a vital and very cost-effective role in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“We look forward to strengthening the relationship between the Council and the third sector. By working together in this way, we can create real and lasting change for our citizens.”

All interested charities or groups are advised to email policyandinsight@edinburgh.gov.uk for the full list of criteria for the fund and to apply for an award.

Hidden Door – Building as a Myth

The programme for Hidden Door Festival at 15.5 acre site at The Paper Factory just off Maybury Roundabout has been announced.

With the theme now announced the organisers say that every rusted pipe on the site will become part of an artistic reclamation. The scale of the task is immense – as was evident during the pop up festival weekend last autumn when music lovers and art lovers were introduced to the huge warehouse, only to realise this was only a small part of the site.

From Wednesday 11 – Sunday 15 June 2025, the festival brings together the talents of more than 100 creatives to offer live music, immersive art installations, dance performances, poetry, spoken word, and unique collaborations.

Hazel Johnson, Festival Director of Hidden Door, said: “Since November’s venue launch party, we’ve been busy clearing more of the vast industrial site and getting ready to fill every corner with our most ambitious programme yet. 

“We exist to support the creative community and to connect audiences with emerging artists, and The Paper Factory will be at the heart of that ambition in 2025.”

• Hidden Door 2025 will take place from Wednesday 11th June to Sunday 15th June 2025.
• Tickets are now available at hiddendoorarts.org/tickets

Invisible Cities welcome a prince

Zakia Moulaoui, founder of Invisible Cities, a tour guide company which employs people who have expereinced homelessness or who are in recovery, welcomed a royal visitor this week. The charity began in Edinburgh and has now spread to seven cities.

She said: “Prince William joined guide Angus and me for the first ever tour of Aberdeen, our seventh city.

“Invisible Cities became a reality back in 2016 and despite my big ambitions, I never quite imagined that we would grow so much.

“Next year we turn 10 and we will launch our 10th city and show that we can make a positive social impact in cities and communities and do tourism differently.

“Our launch today was part of a Homewards initiative and is the first of six new cities, and more beyond.

“But for today, thank you to everyone who has been an incredible part of our story so far.”

RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Frances Priest, the renowned ceramic artist based in Easter Road, Edinburgh, hosted teenagers and adults from the Scottish charity Down’s Syndrome Scotland at a creative workshop, where they were the first people to see the specially commissioned tiles the studio has designed for the ‘Down’s Syndrome Scotland Garden’ at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May. 

The garden’s designers, Nick Burton and Duncan Hall of Burton Hall Garden Design, commissioned Frances last year to create 21 individually patterned colourful tiles that will feature in the paving of their debut RHS Chelsea garden. The number 21 was significant in the brief, as it represents the cause of Down’s syndrome – the presence of a third copy of Chromosome 21 – whilst each tile will provide an element of fun, joy and playfulness, typical characteristics of people with Down’s syndrome.

Whale sculpture

In Granton there is a new piece of public art installed in the new Gasholder 1 Parkahead of the park’s official opening on Saturday 5 April. The sculpture, commissioned by the Council, has been designed to portray one of the Firth of Forth’s most special visitors – the humpback whale.

A design portraying one of the Firth of Forth’s residents – the humpback whale – has been commissioned by the Council to be displayed in the new Gasholder 1 public park.

The piece of public art by Svetlana Kondakova Muir has been put in place to take centre stage in the new park which opened at the end of last year as part of the £1.3bn regeneration of the wider area. Visitors will be able to enjoy the new piece of art at the park’s official opening on Saturday 5 April.

Artist Svetlana Kondakova Muir said: “It was a great honour to be awarded the Gasholder Public Art Commission and I am excited to see the sculpture complete. The best part about this project has been working with the local community to come up with ideas – it was them who chose the whale – and to create elements of sea life which will be cast in aluminium and added to the sculpture. I feel privileged that my artwork will be housed within such a distinctive landmark in Edinburgh’s landscape. Most importantly, I hope that Granton Whale will highlight the importance of marine conservation and the value of our relationships with the natural world.”

Read more here.

An unusual number of people have said to me recently that they cannot bear to follow the news any more, it’s full of disaster and despair.  Instead they turn to the pleasure of watching nature unfolding its wings and flowers as spring arrives and gives life on earth another chance.

We’ve just had a week of sunshine and the first butterflies have begun to appear. There’s birdsong from every tree and hedge and the sound of grass being mowed fills the city air.  On my excursions into the countryside I’ve seen lambs and hares and smiling frogs. And I’ve tried to find the twittering skylarks hovering somewhere above me in the blue sky.  It’s turning wet again now and, no doubt, there will be April showers and rainbows as the clocks go forward this weekend and we move from the equinox towards mid-summer.  

My escape into timeless pleasure at the equinox itself was to listen to the St Margaret Singers give a concert “to celebrate the arrival of spring” in the ancient setting of the 14^th century Roslin Chapel.  John Rutter’s “For the beauty of the earth” took our breath away. You didn’t have to be religious to be moved. In fact it was better not to be, because moments like these go beyond formal religions and plunge into the deep pool of spirituality within us all.

However………..my friends are quite wrong in turning away from the News, however horrible it may be.  As John Dunne remarked: “No man is an island…everyman’s death diminishes me, because I am part of mankind. Therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.”   

This week there has been quite a bit of horrible News to face up to. On the international front, Putin’s war continues, Netanyahu’s war continues, Trump’s trade war continues, Turkey slides towards dictatorship, the backsliding on climate change goes on and sets the forests of South Korea ablaze. 

Here at home, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced £5bn of welfare cuts to balance her budget (although that figure has been reduced by the Office of Budget Responsibility the OBR). She’s also threatening to cut the number of civil service jobs by 10,000 with voluntary redundancies. How this is supposed to help meet her overall aim of increasing economic growth is not clear to me, or to the OBR which has downgraded its growth forecast from 2 per cent this year to 1 per cent and only a slight improvement the years ahead.

A rather stressed-looking Rachel Reeves has tried to blame the international uncertainty of Trump’s shambolic administration, but most of her difficulties, in my view, arise from the Labour party’s reckless promise not to increase major taxes for the duration of this parliament.  We will only get economic growth if the public services can be restored to good health and we invest more in training and public infrastructure.

How all this affects Scotland has still not been worked out, though in straight money terms the Fraser of Allander Institute estimates it will mean an annual £900m cut to the Scottish government’s grant by 2030.  The finance secretary Shona Robison says she will try to mitigate the welfare cuts, perhaps by increasing the Scottish Child Payment (£26 a week) which has reduced the child poverty rate from 26 per last year to a still-disgraceful 22 per cerntthis year. But the new restrictions on who is entitled to Universal Credit and the Personal Independence Payments for disabled people are a UK matter.

It was rather a shock to me to discover that a quarter of the working age population are unable to work. And it’s even more alarming for our future to learn that one in six young people in Scotland are left idle, neither in education, training nor work. So Keir Starmer is right in saying the welfare system is broken and needs reform.

But moving people from welfare into work will not be easy and cannot be achieved by cuts alone. Everything is connected to everything else, so improvements to care services, would free-up hospitals to get people back to work quicker. More funding for training colleges and universities would get more young people into work. More funding for house building or the arts or sport would create jobs. 

Rachel Reeves’ new austerity will see none of this. It also leaves the Scottish government struggling to find answers to the cries this week for more money for the police, for universities and for GP services.  It’s all so depressing.

So perhaps my friends are half right.  I should be looking beyond our newsworthy problems and at those sunny, showery, daffodil days of April when birds are nesting, fields are green and the squirrels and crows outside my kitchen window are sharing out the worms in good-natured negotiations.

A FIRST of its kind service in the UK has been launched by two of the country’s leading plastic surgeons, offering patients a free AI-driven educational tool that mirrors the expertise of an in-person consultation.

The virtual surgeon, developed by Dr. Omar Quaba and his father, Dr. Awf Quaba, enables patients to receive instant, personalised insights into their cosmetic treatment options without the need for an in-person appointment or sharing personal details.

Waterfront Private Hospital, a state-of-the-art facility in Edinburgh, was founded by the Quaba’s in late 2023 after a multi-million-pound investment.

In less than a year, it has become a leading destination for cosmetic surgery and skin cancer care in Scotland, assembling a sector-leading team and introducing pioneering technology to enhance patient care.

Dr Omar Quaba said: “We want to ensure that all our patients get answers to their questions as soon as possible so that they can make the most informed decision about their treatment options.

“This tool helps them prepare for a real consultation by answering their questions about suitability, assessment of medical conditions, relevance of job and social history, and can advise on procedure types, risks and complications, aftercare, and costs.

“It’s important to stress that this is strictly for educational purposes and not meant as medical advice or as a substitute for a consultation with a medical professional.

“It’s a far more interactive and dynamic way for patients to learn and ask questions in a way you never could by browsing a website.

“By providing this educational resource, we can reach more patients and provide the support and guidance they need to feel confident when they come in for their actual consultation.”

The AI-powered virtual educational tool, conceptualised and implemented by Dr Omar Quaba, is designed to replicate the information provided during in-person consultations, utilising advanced adaptive technology to guide patients through the key aspects of the consultation process.

Patients answer a series of questions about their medical history, treatment goals, and concerns. The AI then provides personalised educational insights on procedure suitability, risks, costs, and aftercare.

Responses are customised and dynamic, adapting based on individual inputs to create an interactive, educational experience answered in a way similar to the Quaba practice’s specific approach and is based on their knowledge base.

Unlike traditional online forms, the AI tool does not collect personal details, offering complete privacy while delivering expert guidance.

Dr Awf Quaba said: “Ultimately, this tool ensures that patients are empowered, better informed, and more prepared when they choose to take the next step in their healthcare journey by coming in for an actual consultation.

“This is just one way AI can effectively support us in ensuring our patients receive the best care possible. It’s an incredible educational resource, and we’ve received fantastic feedback on it so far.”

Home to some of Scotland’s most experienced surgeons, including specialists in plastic surgery and dermatology, Waterfront Private Hospital offers a full spectrum of treatments, from cosmetic enhancements to essential medical procedures.

Among its most innovative services is a one-stop clinic for skin cancer, providing same-day consultations, biopsies, and surgeries, a significant development in reducing long NHS waiting times.

In addition, the hospital now offers a wide range of surgical and non-surgical treatments, including Botox, fillers, tummy tucks, and breast augmentations.

The hospital provides a luxury healthcare experience, ensuring every patient receives personalised treatment and dedicated aftercare directly from their surgical team.

To learn more about Waterfront Private Hospital and its services, visit: www.waterfronthospital.co.uk

To learn more about the AI tool, please visit: https://www.waterfronthospital.co.uk/free-ai-cosmetic-surgery-consultation

The art of writing any review lies in telling the reader all they need to know, without giving away spoilers.

That used to be a given. Times have changed, however, to the point that the writers of Ghost Stories, Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, felt the need to share a spoiler message ahead of their press night at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre.

Continue reading here.

At Festival Theatre

A design portraying one of the Firth of Forth’s visitors – the humpback whale – was commissioned by the Council to be displayed in the new Gasholder 1 public park and it has now been installed.

Records indicate that Hearts will face a tough away day at Parkhead in the William Hill Premiership on Saturday (kick-off 15.00).

The Men in Maroon have only won two of their last ten games against The Bhoys who have scored on 25 occasions and shipped only ten.

Celtic have enjoyed four clean sheets and Hearts have had two and BBC Sport Scotland say that Hearts have lost 25 of their last 27 away games at Celtic Park.

However, on the bright side, the Jambos have won seven of their ten league games in 2025, drawing one and losing two, a record only beaten by Celtic and Old Firm rivals Rangers who have both won eight games.

Neil Critchley (pictured), Hearts’ head coach, will not need reminding who the danger man is for the Parkhead men. Daizen Maeda has scored in each of his last seven league games for The Hoops.

That is the longest run of consecutive scoring by any player in the Premiership since Kevin van Veen scored 11 in a row from March to May 2023.

Celtic top the table with 75 points from 30 games, winning 24, drawing three and losing three. They have celebrated 89 goals and let in 20 and manager Brendan Rodgers can call on the services of midfield player, Paulo Bernardo, who is available for selection again after a seven-week injury lay-off.

The Portugal under-21 international suffered an ankle injury in the Scottish Gas, Scottish Cup tie against Raith Rovers in February.

Hearts are in sixth position with 39 points from 30 games, winning 11 and drawing six, losing 13. They have scored 43 goals and let in 40.

One player who will not be on the bus to Parkhead is Yutaro Oda who has left Hearts to move to Japanese J-League side Shonan Bellmare.

Megan Shaw, 18, has become the first player to come all the way through from the Leith Hawks mini rugby section to the senior women’s side.

Megan, whose red hair singles her out in the attached action photo, made her debut in Leith women’s final fixture of the season against Dundee Valkyries 2^nd XV.

The Leith women’s XV was formed two years ago.

In further good news for the Academy Park club Aidan Morrice was named East Region Young Person of the Year sponsored by inspiresport  at the annual Scottish Rugby community awards.

Besides playing  Aidan has been carving out a career as an up-and-coming referee.

Also, long serving club president Jim Smith and wife Margaret were on hand to receive recognition as “Volunteers of the Year” from the Bill McLaren Foundation which fosters youth rugby in the name of the late rugby commentator, at a separate function in Edinburgh during the Six Nations Championship.

On three occasions each year the Leith Club run festivals for 12 local primary schools involving 500 youngsters.

The next one, promoted by the Bill McLaren Foundation, will take place on Thursday, 3 April, at Academy Park with both morning and afternoon sessions.

Jim Smith says: “The idea of the festivals is to give as many local youngsters as possible a flavour of rugby largely under the direction of mini rugby organiser, Alex Bowman.

“As for the award it was totally unexpected. We couldn’t have done as much without the support of other volunteers at Leith Rugby.

“Our thanks also go to The Bill McLaren Foundation for recognising the role of Volunteers and creating this award. They do a tremendous amount to fund youth rugby and indeed youth sport in Scotland. Their support of our own Youth side has been tremendous.”

Other local community award winners:

Volunteer of the season in Youth Rugby sponsored by inspiresport – Ritchie Somerville (Boroughmuir).

Volunteer of the season in Adult Rugby sponsored by inspiresport – Richie Gallacher (Dunbar).

Community Match Official of the season sponsored by Arnold Clark -Graham Hogg (Boroughmuir).

Young Persons Award sponsored by inspiresport – Ruiraidh Porteous (Bo’ness).

Community Club of the Season sponsored by Arnold Clark – Preston Lodge and Linlithgow.

West Lothian’s SNP group has been accused of “Trumpism in a kilt” over its rejection of survey results on Holyrood’s mitigation of child poverty.  

A Labour councillor told the opposition leader at a meeting of the Executive that the if the result of fact findings didn’t fit the party’s point of view it “didn’t make it false.” 

The survey in West Lothian found that the majority believed families should “take responsibility for their choices,” rather than receive mitigation payments supported to counter the two-child cap on benefits, which the Westminster government has introduced.  

A report to the council’s executive said: “In West Lothian, in November 2024, the total number of families receiving universal credit with three or more children, was 1,745 with 123 families with five or more children.” 

Anti-Poverty Manager Nahid Hanif told a meeting of  the  executive: “Key themes to arise from responses were that: no child should have to live in poverty due to their parents not having sufficient income; people need to take personal responsibility for their choice to expand their family, and changes are needed at a base systemic level.” 

The SNP’s policy offering support in mitigation of the two-child cap on benefits has been lauded by anti-poverty campaigners as a significant contributor to alleviating child poverty – but   the local consultation into changes in the Holyrood policy produced a 64 per cent majority against.  

The Executive heard that 52 responses came from a variety of sources including those who are members of the Lived Experience Panel – people who have experienced raising families in poverty. 

Half of those surveyed had children. 

SNP group leader Janet Campbell told the meeting that West Lothian Council should not put its name to the “pejorative” responses to the consultation.  

 Councillor Campbell told the meeting. “Obviously all people who responded have a view, but not all widely held views are necessarily correct I would suggest. We know that all widely held views are not necessarily correct.”  

 Council Leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick said: “I think it’s for each individual when they are responding to anything to give their own view. We all come from different stables, different backgrounds, different religions, different politics. People see the world as they see it.”  

Depute SNP leader Pauline Stafford asked if Ms Nahid could provide raw data as to the makeup of the 64 per cent majority who objected to the policy adding: “It would be interesting to get that figure to see what work we need to do to explain this policy.”  

She added that the two-child cap introduced by the last Conservative government and continued by the Labour Government “has no place in a civilised society.”   

An opposition amendment called for an extension to the consultation time, and a new survey asking families with children, including single parents for their views.  

Councillor Campbell said: “I am very concerned that as a public body West Lothian Council is seen to be promoting prejudice. There are some very prejudicial statements, and I’m extremely concerned that the council would appear to be promoting these.”  

Labour’s Tom Conn responded: “Just because it doesn’t fit with your view doesn’t make it false. It’s a truth that’s being said by people because it’s their opinions. Being dismissive of it doesn’t help and doesn’t take us forward.   

“If it doesn’t fit the SNP’s view then it’s not a valid view to have? That’s quite stunning, it’s almost Trumpism in a kilt.”  

Tory group leader Damian Doran-Timson said the “mask had slipped” for Councillor Campbell, adding:” As we saw back in 2014 with the referendum they didn’t agree with, it means it was wrong.”  

 He added: “We’ve actually heard today that she doesn’t agree with the view therefore it’s incorrect. The mask has not just slipped, it’s fallen on the floor.” 

The report to the executive said:  “Respondents argued that the government should prioritise funding for essential public services, such as local authority budgets, transportation, and infrastructure, rather than focusing on additional financial support for families.   

“Some of the respondents from our lived experience panel reiterated their frustration with the idea of mitigating the two-child cap, emphasising that they themselves made personal financial decisions and could not rely on external support. The view was expressed that people should take financial responsibility for their choices.   

“Some respondents communicated their belief that the current approach to supporting families is insufficient, pointing out that poor budgeting and financial mismanagement, including spending on cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, and gambling, are contributing factors to the cycle of poverty. It was suggested that the government should instead focus on teaching families how to manage their finances and provide support that encourages long-term self-sufficiency.”  

 The report added: “It was suggested that the current policy indirectly discriminates against women, who are more likely than men to have caregiving responsibilities and also indirectly discriminates against families from some ethnic and religious communities, who are more likely to have larger families 

“Responses commented that the government already provides significant assistance to low-income families through the Scottish Child Payment, free nursery hours, school meals, Best Start grants and clothing grants.” 

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

Police Scotland officers have conducted a joint operation with Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency staff in Midlothian. 

During the initiative officers detected several offences and prohibitions. 

Prohibitions are issued if there is a fault with someone’s driving or their vehicle. 

Fourteen immediate prohibitions were detected which means the individual was not allowed to drive the vehicle until the problems identified had been fixed. 

Seven delayed prohibitions were also identified. A delayed prohibition means you have up to 10 days to fix an issue. It will then need to be reinspected and the prohibition removed before it can be driven again 

In addition seven advisory prohibitions were detected. 

Two people were reported to court for the condition of the vehicle. 

A popular Italian restaurant is set to reopen nearly two years after it closed as the former wife of its original licence holder takes over operations.

Natasha Pacitti will oversee the day to day running of the previously named Giancarlo’s restaurant, in Tranent High Street, when it opens as La Trattoria in a fortnight’s time.

A meeting of East Lothian Licensing Board today heard Ms Pacitti had run the restaurant before with her husband who held the alcohol licence but they were no longer together.

The restaurant had run in the town from 2015 until May 2023 when it closed its doors.

Ms Pacitti’s agent Alistair MacDonald told the board it had been a popular venue and its return would be welcomed by customers in the area.

He said Ms Pacitti’s mother Paula Crolla was applying for a provisional premises licence for the restaurant while her daughter would be the personal licence holder overseeing the day to day running of it.

The board was asked to approve several occasional licences to allow the restaurant to sell alcohol when it opens at the start of next month.

Councillor George McGuire, board member, said the return of the restaurant to the High Street would be welcomed by many.

He said: “I’d like to welcome the fact the restaurant is going to be open again in Tranent. I am sure the people in Tranent and the surrounding area will be delighted it is opening back up again. I wish them every success.”

The licences were unanimously supported.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Parents at a Midlothian primary school are calling on the council to upgrade its playground which they say is the only one in the county with ‘no formal play equipment.’

Newtongrange Primary School marks its 100th anniversary this year and parents say its outdoor areas remains locked in the past with no modern facilities and railings, which pose a hazard to its 450 pupils.

They say the playground is “essentially a hard tarmac surface” which is not  stimulating, engaging, fun or inclusive for its pupils and staff who use it daily as well as the After School Club .

It is understood there are some tyres and barrels within the playground but no fixed equipment for Primary One and upwards installed.

A petition signed by more than 460 people will go before Midlothian Council’s petitions committee next week calling for an upgrade to the facilities at the school.

The petition, by Newtongrange Primary School Parent Council, calls for equality for the school which has, it says, seen its playground ‘deteriorate’ over the years .

It says: “Our school is a great community with wonderful teachers and support staff, however, the facilities available do not match the staff’s passion and dedication.

“The playground is essentially a hard tarmac surface and is not stimulating, engaging, fun or inclusive for the approximately 450 children and staff who use the playground every school day.

“The playground railings create a hazard for our children with rusty fragments and flaking paint. There is a large disparity between the Newtongrange playground and many other Midlothian Primary School playgrounds. While ours lacks basic facilities like shelter or play equipment many others feature engaging spaces and accessible play zones to enhance learning experiences.

“Newtongrange Primary School is the only playground in a Midlothian school without any formal play structures. We believe all Midlothian school children should have equality in education facility provision and are asking for this to be rectified.”

The petition reveals the parent council itself successfully raised more than £700 through Crowdfunding to improve the playground and recognised a contribution from local ward member Councillor Kelly Drummong from her allocated environment funding towards “new play items and benches,” which made a difference.

It added: “We also thank the council for the recent work to resurface the tarmac. However, serious investment in the provisions and surroundings by the council is needed.”

A Midlothian Council spokesman confirmed the petition will be considered by the committee on Monday, March 31, when elected members can agree to pass it to relevant directors or council committees for further consideration or reject it.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

The Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy, Christina McKelvie MSP, has died.

The First Minister, John Swinney has issued a statement.

Mr Swinney said: “I am devastated to learn of the passing of Christina McKelvie – one of the kindest and most generous people I have ever met in my life.

“In all the years since I first met Christina, I have been so grateful to call her my friend and colleague and to benefit from her warmth and loyalty.

“Christina was fiercely proud of her Easterhouse roots, and she often spoke of how injustices her family experienced in her childhood had inspired her to join the trade union movement and enter elected politics.

“In her almost two decades as a Member of the Scottish Parliament, Christina put her values into action. Whether it was helping her constituents in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, serving as a highly-respected committee convenor, or in the Ministerial posts she held, Christina was always a fierce champion for equality, social justice, for Scottish independence and for a better world.

“But for all her many political achievements, Christina was first and foremost deeply committed to her family. Everyone could see the joy that she and her partner Keith brought to each other’s lives, and she spoke so often over the years of her pride for her sons, and more recently her immense joy at becoming a granny.

“In recent years, when Christina returned to Parliament after treatment for breast cancer, she was determined to help those around her – using her platform to encourage women to check themselves and go to screening appointments.

“The Scottish National Party has lost one of its finest, and I have lost an outstanding Minister in my government. I know her loss will be felt right across the Parliament and among the countless constituents she supported over the years. Christina was such a big-hearted woman, with compassion and social justice at her core. Her political allies and opponents would agree – she truly was a force of nature.

“Today, my thoughts and prayers are with Keith, her sons Jack and Lewis and her wider family and many friends.”

Ms McKelvie’s long term partner, Keith Brown MSP and her sons have issued a statement:

And The Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone MSP has also offered her condolences:

Scottish Green Co-Leader Patrick Harvie said: “This Parliament has lost one of our very best today. And I want to offer my deepest sympathy to all those who knew and loved Christina.

“Today is a moment of pain and sadness. But Christina’s life and her extraordinary spirit deserve to be celebrated.

“In her first speech, she said she would “rather be a citizen of a nation that looks to persuade and co-operate than bully and cajole”

“She was talking about Scotland as a nation, but I think those words also captured the kind of person she was, and the kind of politician she was.

“Lots of people in politics start out with those kinds of values and ideals, but Christina was someone who absolutely held fast to them. Compassion and kindness were at her core.

“As Christina’s partner, and our colleague, Keith Brown said today: she “lit up every room she was in” – that was certainly true of this room, our national Parliament. She brightened it in every sense.”

Chief Constable Jo Farrell today, Thursday, 27 March, outlined progress on the first year of her three-year business plan and committed to driving a second phase of police reform for 2025-26 

Speaking at a Scottish Police Authority Board meeting in Edinburgh, Chief Constable Farrell highlighted the start of a national roll out of body worn video and progress in achieving efficiencies in the wider criminal justice service and in relation to supporting people in mental health distress. 

She said the budget for policing for 2025-26 allowed the Service to recruit officers to an establishment of around 16,500 while also modernising our workforce to release experienced officers to roles which require warranted powers. 

She said: “As we move towards 2025-26, I will continue to drive the next phase of reform to implement an effective and sustainable model of policing in Scotland which delivers safer communities, less crime, supported victims, and a thriving workforce. 

“Key planning, including my annual policing plan and the budget for policing in Scotland set the parameters for the second year of our business plan to deliver on our vision for policing. 

“Policing in Scotland is an exemplar of public service reform, reducing the annual cost base to the public purse by around £300m compared to legacy arrangements, while maintaining and improving services and enhancing organisational learning, professionalism and governance. 

“That has been achieved by a workforce that has reduced from over 24,000 to closer to 22,500, and through significant challenge and effort. 

“My report outlines the broad and complex police work delivered by those officers, staff and volunteers to deliver great value and improve the lives and wellbeing of the people and communities of Scotland every day. 

“This ranges from our response to murders, human trafficking, exploitation, securing criminal justice outcomes in relation to serious sexual offending and drug dealing to policing events. 

“I outline work designed to take a more intelligence driven and technology enabled approach to tackling retail crime, work with partners to build a society which is more resilient to cyber fraud and crucial efforts to take a more compassionate approach to communicating with victims of crime, while also continuing to broaden our understanding and engagement with all the communities we serve. 

“All this is delivered through the dedication, skill, expertise, professionalism and goodwill of police officers, police staff and volunteers who maintain and build the support and co-operation of the public. 

“At the end of February, at my Annual Bravery and Excellence Awards I was able to meet and personally thank officers, staff, volunteers and their families and other members of the public who had played outstanding roles in that whole-system mission to build a safer Scotland or to step forward when tragedy or disaster occurs. 

“The nominations were powerful examples of the value policing brings to society. I also outline a programme of staff recognition during February as part of a broader campaign across UK policing aimed at highlighting the crucial support and expertise non-warranted police staff bring to policing. 

“This week, I thanked Scottish Police Federation representatives at their conference and listened to their perspectives. The conference was an important opportunity to hear from over 100 officers from across the Service and for me to underline my gratitude for their work to drive the efficiency of Police Scotland and support the welfare of officers. 

“As part of the conference, along with DCC Speirs, and Federation Chair David Threadgold, I participated in a question and answer session with delegates. I really value these opportunities to hear about what matters to our frontline colleagues. 

“This was a hugely positive conversation and I want to thank Federation representatives for their thoughtful questions. 

“The challenge and support of our highly valued statutory and non-statutory staff associations plays an important role in improving policing in Scotland and I want to thank the Federation for the invitation and our constructive relationship. 

“I want to thank officers, staff and volunteers for everything they do and recognise the personal commitment they make to what is a vital and fulfilling, and very demanding job. 

“We know, the demand on policing is increasing and increasingly complex, driven by the ongoing pressure on public finances and cost of living challenges, social issues, emerging technologies and the growth of cyber enabled crime, and new legislation.  These pressures can drive vulnerability across society, including in relation to violence against women and girls. 

“From my first day 18 months ago, we’ve driven efforts to focus our response on threat, harm and risk and on problem solving and proactivity which can prevent crime and help to reduce demand. 

“We’re taking a proportionate response to crime across Scotland and an appropriate approach to direct measures, including recorded police warnings, so police officers can focus on addressing that threat, harm, risk and vulnerability. 

“At the same time, we’ve been working hard to prioritise the frontline and collaborating with partners to provide better services in the criminal justice system and in response to mental health incidents, while reducing demand on police officers. 

“My report outlines some of what has been achieved through working with NHS24 and staff at Contact, Command and Control (C3) to refer more calls to health colleagues, to help people get help from those best able to give it, while reducing officer hours spent responding to incidents where they are not needed. 

“I also highlight promising signs that a partnership focus on case management is reducing the number of witnesses, including police officers, who attend court but are not called to give evidence. 

“Yesterday, we introduced body worn video in the Tayside area as part of a national roll out to equip more than 10,000 officers and staff with the equipment, which will transform policing in Scotland. 

“We know the roll out of mobile devices had a positive impact on safety, wellbeing, efficiency and public confidence. Body worn video can help to de-escalate incidents, improve public trust in policing and reduce complaints, and support officer and staff safety. 

“It will improve the quality of evidence presented in court, helping to deliver faster justice for victims and reduced court time for victims, witnesses and police officers. 

“I want to thank CDIO Andrew Hendry, the change team and the staff in Tayside Division for delivering and embracing this really important technology and I can report that in the first 24 hours we have uploaded almost 200 pieces of evidence and we have trained in the region of 250 to 300 officers who are now trained and equipped in Tayside with body worn video. 

“I am confident we are making progress on the next phase of reform and I recognise policing must continue to drive and capture efficiencies to make conscious decisions to reinvest to deliver a sustainable and effective policing model. 

“Positive change must be felt by the frontline and the communities we serve. 

“Continuous reform and efficiency must be the new normal in public service and we remain committed to delivering best value. Reform achieved should be rewarded and I do believe it has been recognised in our funding allocation. 

“Our budget remains challenging, with a built-in savings requirement and anticipated pay pressures. 

“However, Scottish Government funding allows us to continue officer recruitment for a full time officer establishment of around 16,500, while modernising the workforce to release experienced officers from roles which don’t need warranted powers so that we can prioritise, maximise, and support the frontline to deliver for our communities. 

“Our allocation enables policing to progress on the delivery of our business plan. Key plans for 2025-26, include the development of a strengthened community policing model to provide identifiable officers to local areas, and the establishment of a new cyber fraud unit to tackle online crime and better support victims. 

“Ensuring Scotland continues to be a safe place to live and work is my commitment and priority. As Chief Constable, my view is that the route to a safer Scotland is through the next phase of policing reform.”