Craig Gordon was a surprise inclusion over a year after his his double leg break, and Lawrence Shankland was left out because of a virus.

The Spartans, who beat Arbroath in the last round, passed the ball around, forcing the home side back, but they were unable to pose a significant threat.

That was until Kenneth Vargas opened the scoring in the second phase after a penalty after 11 minutes. Alex Cochrane picked up a loose ball at the edge of the penalty box and he sent the ball left to Jorge Grant. The midfielder chipped the ball with his right foot into the danger area and the Costa Rica-born Vargas rose to nod home.

Spartans were only able to launch spasmodic attacks but the Hearts rearguard mopped up until Callum Booth let fly with his left food from just outside the box and Gordon was forced to dive full length to palm the ball over the bar. Time 21 minutes.

Two minutes later Alan Forrest latched on to the ball just outside the Spartais box and fired for goal with his right food. Spartans goalkeeper Blair Carswell got down quickly to save.

Hearts remained in control, patiently passing the ball around, and the Jam Tarts almost broke through two minutes from the break.

Cochrane sent the ball into the box and Vargas let fly only to see the Spartans goalkeeper block from close range.

The scoreline stayed the same untyil the break but Carswell threw himself full-length to deny Vargas a second goal as Hearts maintained their hold on the game.

Kent had a free header minutes later but nodded wide of Carswell’s right-hand post and Craig Halkett nodded goalwards and the ball was scrambled away.

Hearts introduced new signing Dexter Lembikisa and teenage talent Wilson and Cochrane had an opportunity from range but Carswell was equal to the task.

From nowhere, after 65 minutes, Spartans were back in the game from a Booth corner. He floated the ball to the edge of the box and James Craigen fired home with his instep, a goal which did not look likely but turned the game. Gordon did not move.

So Hearts, who were in cruise control, were back under severe pressure and Lembikisa was a threat on the right-hand side, delivering a rtesting cross which his team-mates failed to capitalise on.

However, Grant was inches away from a free-kick just outside the box asnd the midfielder held his head in his hands as it flashed inches wide.

Spartans were campeed out in their own half as Hearts continued to press and Lambikisa sent the ball in from the right and Carswell denied Vargas low down at the far post.

Vargas was then denied twice with shots from the edge of the box as the desperate Spartans rearguard worked overtime to keep the score level.

Lembriska had a chance out wide on the right but Carswell was at the near post to block but he could do nothing to stop defender Frankie Kent nodding home two minutes into injury time from a Cochrane corner to take Hearts through.

Spartans 1, Hearts 2.

Jazz pianist Eddie will be performing with his band at The Jazz Bar in Edinburgh on 2 February. The Eddie Gripper Trio are rising to prominence as an in-demand, vibrant and enthralling jazz band and one of the most engaging live acts on the international scene.

Hailing from Oxford and now based in Cardiff, pianist, composer and educator Eddie Gripper released his debut album ‘Home’ on the Ubuntu Records label in March 2023. “Delightfully minimalist improvisation” brings to life the stories behind each of his thoughtful compositions.

At a very young age, Eddie Gripper has proved his innate talent. Eddie’s debut album Home, has been described as “a captivating body of work that perfectly showcases the young pianist’s expertise in an exquisite light”.

Complimenting Eddie Gripper’s skills on the piano are the creative musicians Ursula Harrison on bass and Patrick Barrett-Donlon on drums. The result is a vibrant and exciting ensemble with a palpable synergy.

Eddie Gripper and his band have performed at a wide range of leading international music venues and festivals, With many accolades from critics and gig goers alike, this is a live show not to be missed.

https://www.thejazzbar.co.uk

With the additional £11 million for roads and pavements in the council budget agreed last February, the council will complete the largest area of road repairs and improvements in one financial year.

The council reports that it will have carried out 420,000 square metres of repairs on roads and 170,000 square metres on pavements during 2023/24.

The pre pandemic averages were 250,000 square metres on roads and 30,000 square metres on pavements.

Examples include Greendykes Road, Waterloo Place and Princes Street along with a section of the A90 Queensferry Road. Other projects which are still ongoing include London Road where pavements will be widened and where segregated cycle lanes are included in the design. There will be new traffic signals, pedestrian crossings and road resurfacing all due to be completed by March 2024.

The main focus for the final quarter of 2023/24 will be pavements, with plans to resurface almost 100 footways in residential streets, amounting to more than 86,000m² of coverage.

The council says that this work has been helped by the Council’s new Pothole Pro machine, which ensures a higher level of quality control and reliable repairs. This machine has now fixed around 8,000 square metres of potholed road surfaces.

Cllr Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “The effect of this additional £11m of capital investment is clear in the numbers – in 2023/24 we’ll improve more square metres of roads and pavements than in any other financial year.

“Of course, concerns around the condition of our roads and pavements remain and are justified, and we’re listening. By significantly increasing the number of improvement schemes we’re working towards a safe, usable network.

“That said, like any other city we continue to work to a tight budget, in the face of increasing labour and material costs. However, this investment, along with prudent planning and delivery of schemes, is helping the situation to improve. The work undertaken in 2023/24 will help get our city back on track, but I am working to ensure we continue investing in roads and footpaths.”

This is the most up to date list of roadworks and events leading to road closures in Edinburgh for the next week or so.

If you see anything on the roads which is not on the list then let the travel team know on Twitter @EdinTravel

Updated versions of the listings are posted to the website most weekday afternoons, these can be found by going to https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/edintravel

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

If you have not yet made plans for Burns Night then there is still time to book a place at Duck & Waffle Edinburgh where they will celebrate with an evening of chef-curated menu specials and “elevated whisky cocktails” that pay homage to Scotland’s rich cultural heritage.

Culinary Director Daniel Barbosa and Executive Chef Lucia Gregusova have curated the menu to capture the essence of Scottish flavours. Guests can enjoy classics like Haggis, Neeps & Tatties, a hearty Cullen Skink and served with fresh sourdough, and a delightful Cranachan Knickerbocker with raspberries, whisky cream, and caramelised oats. In true Burns Night style, a series of elevated whisky cocktails accompanies the main event.

• BURNS NIGHT MENU SPECIALS:
• HAGGIS, NEEPS & TATTIES spring onions
• CULLEN SKINK, haddock, chives, sourdough bread
• CRANACHAN KNICKERBOCKER (V) raspberries, whisky cream, caramelised oats
• ELEVATED WHISKY COCKTAILS
• THE ROYAL MILE
• Highland Park 12 year / yellow chartreuse / fresh lemon juice / Angostura bitters A showcase of HP12’s versatility; citrus and honey notes layered with smokiness.
• MOMENT IN TIME
• Bowmore 12 year / white grape & apricot soda / peach syrup & peach bitters Bowmore’s distinguished profile complemented by the sweet essence of stone fruits.
• HIDDEN GEM
• Macallan 12 year / Oloroso / housemade orange & tonka bean syrup / Champagne
• Warming and elegant; Macallan’s complexity enhanced with nuttiness and citrus spice.
• TICKET TO RIDE
• Highland Park 12 year / Aperol / Martini Rosso / Irn-Bru cordial
• Vibrant, refreshing, and playful. Double the nostalgia, double the fun. Chilled and poured over ice.

• Reservations: https://duckandwaffle.com/edinburgh/reservations/
• Date: Thursday, January 25, 2024
• Menu: Burns Night menu specials available all day, in addition to the signature menu.
• Address: Duck & Waffle Edinburgh, St James Quarter, 400-402 St James Square, EH1 3AE

A Scottish family of professional musicians are performing together publicly for the first time ever in February 2024, to raise funds for MND Scotland following their mum’s diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease.

In April 2022, Dumfriesshire-based visual artist Anne Butler (64) was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). With support from MND Scotland, she was determined to face this incurable and frightening disease with a positive attitude. In gratitude for the support it provides to those with the condition, Anne had the idea that her family – who are professional musicians but have never performed in public together – could perform a benefit concert to help the charity. Her idea was enthusiastically received, and the concert date was set for Sunday 4th February 2024 at iconic venue The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh. A night of joy, sensational music-making, and of vital importance to support the ongoing work of MND Scotland.

The Butler Family band is made up of six family members: all professional touring musicians with over 40 album releases between them. The line-up includes Anne’s son, renowned singer-songwriter Rory Butler (a favourite at Celtic Connections festival who toured with Robert Plant in 2022), husband Lies Damned Lies member Steve Butler (with a career spanning 45 years as a musician, writer and producer), and Anne’s daughter-in-law Suzanne Butler, who takes a lead role in Edinburgh children’s music charity Fischy Music. The band is completed by her son Sandy, daughter Fay, and Rory’s partner Katherine Stewart, a classical and folk violinist in demand all over the UK.

The concert will feature heartfelt interpretations of music from stellar songwriters such as Bonnie Raitt and Bruce Cockburn, plus original material from the Butlers. Anne’s granddaughter Sylvie (13), a promising young singer, will also be on stage to add to the vocal blend. Anne plans to add to the fundraising total by auctioning one of her popular landscape paintings on the night.

MND Scotland is a charity trying to find a cure for Motor Neurone Disease. Their vision is a world without MND and they say they are here to make time count for everyone affected by MND in Scotland. They fund ground-breaking research and world-class clinical trials, whilst campaigning to secure lasting change.

Julie Macdonald, Head of Fundraising, MND Scotland said: “We are extremely grateful to the Butler Family for organising a benefit concert in support of MND Scotland. We feel privileged to support Anne and the family’s commitment to help others impacted by this brutal disease.”

Anne Butler said: “Since my diagnosis hearing my family singing has become even more special to me. I am delighted that they are all going to perform at the Queen’s Hall to raise money for MND Scotland who are an invaluable support to me.”

https://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/fundraising-concert-mnd-scotland-featuring-butler-family

Edinburgh University Footlights returns to Pleasance Theatre with the classic ‘Guys and Dolls’.

Edinburgh University Footlights’ production of the classic musical ‘Guys and Dolls’ dives into the vibrant world of Damon Runyon’s New York City. Nathan Detroit, a small-time gambler, is on a mission to find the perfect spot for his legendary craps game. That’s where a bet with the smooth Sky Masterson comes in. Sky’s challenge? To sweep Sarah Brown, a strait-laced missionary, off her feet for a dinner date in bustling Havana. And let’s not forget Nathan’s longtime fiancée, Adelaide, a nightclub singer who’s more than ready for commitment.

A spokesperson for Footlights said: “With unforgettable tunes like “Luck Be a Lady” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat,” previous works of this show have won five Tony Awards and even a Pulitzer Prize. Our entirely student-produced show has an incredibly talented cast crew. ‘Guys and Dolls’ will not be one to miss!”

Footlights is one of the largest university musical theatre companies in Scotland. They are completely student-run and self-funded, with both home-grown and international members. Many of their alumni have moved onto professional careers in theatre. They strive to provide exciting creative opportunities for all of their members.

Tickets available here.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said it is time to “flush out the filth” of SNP and Tory neglect, accusing both governments of failing the tackle sewage.  

Earlier today, Mr Cole-Hamilton and his deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain MP visited the River Almond in Cramond to inspect the water quality and to highlight the issue of sewage in the area. Residents living near the Almond claim that the water has become discoloured, stating that “foaming and fungus” has appeared on its surface.  

Across Scotland, there were more than 14,000 sewage discharges logged during 2022, up from 10,799 incidents in 2021. However, the LibDems say this is likely a significant underestimate as only 4% of sewage discharges are monitored.  

As well as proposing a new fund to protect communities from extreme weather which can often lead to sewage overflows, Scottish Liberal Democrats would bring forward a Clean Water Act that would see:      

• Scotland’s Victorian sewage network updated;  
• Every sewage dump monitored and published with binding targets for their reduction;  
• A blue flag system for Scotland’s rivers;    
• A complete ban on the release of sewage in protected areas such as bathing waters.  

The proposals are part of a UK-wide campaign by the Liberal Democrats to clean up the country’s waterways and get the government to take action.  

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:“Neither the SNP nor the Tories seem to care about preserving the invaluable natural habitats on which we all depend and enjoy.    

“SNP ministers have become spin doctors for the government-owned water company that pockets bumper bonuses as our rivers and coastlines are destroyed. 

“This country’s sewage scandal is inextricably connected to the climate emergency: extreme weather increases the risk of sewage overflows. And yet, we have a Prime Minister who has back-pedaled on key measures for reducing fossil fuels and a Scottish Government which repeatedly misses emissions targets.  

“It’s time to flush out the filth of SNP and Tory neglect.”    

Liberal Democrats have outlined their plans for a Clean Water Act in Scotland, including vital upgrades to the sewage network and a clamp down on discharges. They are also calling for a new fund to protect communities from the effects of extreme weather.

West Lothian faces imposing its harshest ever spending cuts following The Scottish Government’s funding settlement for councils.

Core funding has been cut by more than £1million, while plans to raise £6million from a 5.8% rise in council tax are threatened after the surprise intervention by First Minister Humza Yousaf last year, when he announced a council tax freeze .

The compensatory funding from Holyrood will not match the money that would be raised from raising council tax, Finance Director Patrick Welsh told the council’s Executive this week.

Council officers are currently working on savings plans, but cuts will be inevitable. Those areas which escaped last year could find themselves threatened this year.

The council’s projected budget gap will increase. This  budget model assumes a cash freeze for core funding while a cash cut of £1.015 million is forecast and the funding for the council tax freeze will mean a further £1.165 million shortfall.

In December, the council reported that it faced an estimated gap over the four years of £36.2 million. It is now inevitable that the budget gap will increase as a result of the Scottish Draft budget. 

In a report to the Executive, Mr Welsh said: “COSLA have calculated a reduction in core funding for councils of £62.7 million in 2024/25. For West Lothian, the comparable decrease in core funding compared to 2023/24 is currently estimated at £1.015 million. In addition, the level of Scottish Government funding to the council for council tax compensation will result in an estimated additional shortfall of £1.165 million.”

The Scottish Government directly funds 80% of  West Lothian’s budget and all councils have a legal obligation to balance their budget.

The council faces unavoidable increasing costs which include:

• Inflation (increasing costs of products and services)
• Energy
• Significant increases in our older population which increase the cost of often complex and essential care services. The number of people aged 65 and above will increase by more than one third by 2028.
• Pay awards for staff 

Many service cuts have already been agreed and implemented, but  there needs to be a  further cut in spending.

Mr Welsh, warned: “The fact is that no additional funding has been provided in the 2024/25 budget settlement to meet any of these additional costs means that changes and reductions must be made to a range of services to its statutory duty to approve a balanced budget.

“The council cannot maintain all existing service delivery models and levels of service with the funding that is provided to us. The only way to manage the council’s expenditure within funding available is to make changes to how a number of existing services are delivered which will in some cases mean reducing or removing the service.”

“Each year the council has very significant and unavoidable increases in expenditure in existing core services – across all areas including education, social care, homelessness, roads maintenance, transport and waste.

“The context faced by the council is that in the current year (2023/24) there is forecast to be an overspend in the council’s delivery of services to the public of £1.5 million, as we do not have sufficient funding from the Scottish Government to meet the costs of delivering all our existing services .

“Despite inflation over the last 18 months at a level not seen for decades and  increasing demands of a growing West Lothian population, it is  important to recognise that the council’s core grant funding for 2024/25 in cash terms has actually been cut by over £1 million compared to what was provided in 2023/24.

“Taking account of the economic context, this is an unprecedented position.”

Lib Dem Sally Pattle called the report a “stark reality check” and said: “I think it has just demonstrated the low value placed on local government by the current Scottish Government. 

“They have a wealth of expertise, of  knowledge and skill available to them   but they won’t let the people in local authorities use that expertise, knowledge and and skill to best deliver for local  residents.

“It’s all just swept aside in constant pursuit of centralisation and central control from Holyrood. The uncertainty and rushed nature  of all of this that we are going to have to do in the next six weeks makes it nigh on impossible  to plan effectively at a time when resources are so stretched  and when people need us more than ever.”

Robert De Bold, the depute SNP group leader, said:  “This is my regular reminder to this meeting that austerity originates in Westminster. 

“As noted the block grant is going down  1.2% in real terms since 2010 it has  gone down19% in real terms. Scotland’s capital grant is decreasing 10 % over the next  five years.

“As I understand it, under his own fiscal rules, the Chancellor could have invested  £27bn more  in core services and infrastructure but he didn’t. Instead he prioritised tax cuts at the expense of services. 

“Austerity originates in Westminster.”

Cllr Danny Logue  said: “The words we used to use were trimming the fat off the bone,  then cutting the flesh,  but now it just seems to be amputation.

“I think that many of the causes  of that has been the mismanagement of the Scottish Government’s handling  of its finances. It’s worse than it should be.”

Cllr Tom Conn said: “Councillor De Bold keeps reminding us where austerity originates from  but  refutes the responsibility  of the Scottish Government to make decisions.  I recall the statement by the  First  minister at the SNP conference where he referred to a fully funded council tax freeze. It’s clear it’s not fully funded, it’s smoke and mirrors.”

Cllr Conn echoed his Linlithgow ward colleague Cllr Pattle, criticising The Scottish Government’s deliberate de-funding of local councils to forge a model centralising power at Holyrood. He accused SNP members of standing by while  Holyrood destroyed the provision of services by councils elected by local people.

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter.

A patient at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, has come forward to offer their account of the failings in the existing hospital building.

Peter Scobie has attended the Eye Pavilion for 18 years, after being diagnosed with Lebers hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).

He lost his sight just before the pandemic and has been blind for four years.

Peter has revealed that there is an absence of specialists in the hospital. He said that his specialist is a paediatric doctor from the sick kids, who only comes to the Pavilion on Tuesdays.

A further issue with the hospital comes down to geographic issues, as Peter has previously been sent to Newcastle for an appointment while the closest specialist is even further south in Cambridge. 

He has also highlighted the situation of those needing sight loss assessments who must go to the most inaccessible part of the building to receive the check.

Campaigners for a new Eye Pavilion, based at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh were disappointed when The Scottish Government made no mention of the project in the budget late last year.

This is despite Health Secretary Michael Matheson telling campaigners that a decision would be made around the budget.

Health boards then discovered that there would be a two-year freeze on all capital spending and projects.

They are also required to make 6.8% savings.

If this stays in place, there is little chance that the Eye Pavilion will be built in the near future.

This will force Peter, and other patients like him, to rely on services that the NHS themselves deemed not fit for purpose 10 years ago.

Sarah Boyack MSP said: “Peter has helped to highlight the unacceptable condition of the current Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion.

“Patients should have facilities that support them through their difficulties, not hinder them further.

“Eye Pavilion staff do their best but without a new building and facilities they have one hand tied behind their back.

“The Scottish Government needs to listen to patients like Peter and realise that maintaining the current building is bad for patients, bad for NHS Lothian, and bad for Edinburgh.”

A spokesperson for Sight Scotland said:“In Peter’s case, an absence of specialist doctors that are trained in his condition means it is difficult for him to get the correct treatment he needs.

“With the closest specialist for his condition based in Cambridge, a new eye hospital could be an opportunity to provide a training ground for ophthalmologists.

“The hospital’s inaccessible layout means that Peter and many others seeking essential services, such as collecting prescriptions and visiting patient support on the top floor, struggle to do so.

“More needs to be done to ensure accessible access to quality eye healthcare.”

A landmark village church built to support a growing mining community more than 80 years ago is fighting to have solar panels installed on its roof despite plans being rejected by council officers three times.

Newtongrange Parish Church, in Midlothian, was built in the early 1940s on land provided by Lothian Coal Company and is undergoing extensive refurbishment including proposals to place 30 panels on the roof to provide more sustainable energy.

The plans have been backed by the local community council and the National Mining Museum which says it will help protect a ‘valuable’ part of the community.

The church, which is at the centre of the village of Newtongrange was made a Category C listed building because of its prominence as a landmark feature.

Two applications for planning permission for the panels have already been rejected by  Midlothian Council planners. A third application was set to be refused before it was called in by local councillor Douglas Bowen.

It will now go before elected members at the council’s planning committee next week after Councillor Bowen said support from the community council should be considered before a decision is made.

The application for planning approval will be considered alongside an application for Listed Building Consent, both on behalf of  the Parish of Newbattle, at the meeting.

Mhairi Cross, chief executive of the National Mining Museum has written a letter of support for the work saying the museum “recognises this project is valuable to the community as it should revitalise the church building”.

Newtongrange Community Council said it could “only see positive in the church redevelopment” adding the use of the solar panels was being done in a sensitive way on the listed building.

However planners are calling for the panels to be refused permission.

They said: “The proposed solar panels are on a highly publicly visible elevation which makes a significant positive contribution to the character and appearance of the church and the wider street-scene and adjacent
conservation area.

“The site is a landmark building at the centre of Newtongrange and has a significant presence on Main Street. The installation of these solar panels would seriously diminish the special architectural interest of the church.”

The committee meets to consider the application next Tuesday.

by Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Scientists at Heriot-Watt have discovered a new method of programming optical circuits which could be critical for avoiding hacking of communications networks and ultrafast quantum computers.

Experimental physicist and Professor of Physics at Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University, Professor Mehul Malik said: “Light can carry a lot of information, and optical circuits that compute with light – instead of electricity – are seen as the next big leap in computing technology. But as optical circuits get bigger and more complex, they’re harder to control and make – and this can affect their performance. Our research shows an alternative – and more versatile – way of engineering optical circuits, using a process that occurs naturally in nature.

The team which Professor Malik led used commercial optical fibres which are already in common use in homes and businesses and has reported on their research today in the scientific journal Nature Physics. The fibres are thinner than a human hair and use light to carry data. By using the natural scattering behaviour of light inside an optical fibre, the scientists found they could precisely programme optical circuits inside.

Professor Malik explained: “When light enters an optical fibre, it gets scattered and mixed in complex ways. By learning this complex process and precisely shaping the light that enters the optical fibre, we’ve found a way to carefully engineer a circuit for light inside this disorder.

“Optical circuits are needed at the end of quantum communications networks, for example, so the information can be measured after it’s travelled long distances. They are also a key part of a quantum computer, where they are used for performing complex calculations with particles of light.”

It is quantum computers which could be used to unlock advances in areas such as drug development, climate prediction and space exploration and optical circuits are also used in the area of artificial intelligence to process volumes of data quickly. Professor Malik said that the power of light was in its multiple dimensions. He said: ““We can encode a lot of information on a single particle of light. On its spatial structure, on its temporal structure, on its colour. And if you can compute with all of those properties at once, that unlocks a massive amount of processing power.”

Professor Malik and his research team in the Beyond Binary Quantum Information Lab at Heriot-Watt University conducted the research with partner academics from institutions including Lund University in Sweden, Sapienza University of Rome in Italy and the University of Twente in The Netherlands.

The research was funded by QuantERA, a leading European network of 39 public Research Funding Organisations (RFOs) from 31 countries, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) – Austria’s national funding agency for industrial research and development – and the European Research Council (ERC) – the European Union’s funding organisation for frontier research.

The Cancer Tapestry film and exhibition

A Good Thing To Do: Andrew Crummy’s Cancer Tapestry will be on view in Edinburgh on 3 February.

In 2017, Edinburgh artist, Andrew Crummy faced a cancer diagnosis. At that time he made a commitment: if he overcame the disease, he would honour and celebrate people’s cancer experiences in a tapestry. 

The Cancer Tapestry aims to gather 1000 stories to raise awareness and share experiences and we want to share an opportunity contribute.

This film by filmmaker Jon Gill tells the story of its origins and – even at this early stage – what it’s come to mean to those who have contributed to it.

Date: Saturday 3 February 2024 

Venue: Cornerstone Centre, St John’s Episcopal Church, Princes Street, EH2 4BJ

Open to the public: This first Cancer Tapestry Exhibition – including Cancer Tapestry panels, Andrew’s preliminary sketches and paintings, the documentary will be shown on rotation and the opportunity to add stitches to new Cancer Tapestry panels – will be open to the public between 1.30pm and 4.30pm (last screening at 3.45pm).

Latest in Leith Links

The newest plans for the new activity hub in Leith Links have been unveiled.

New series of Sir Alexander McCall Smith books

Sir Alexander McCall Smith is publishing a new series of books.The Perfect Passion Dating Company at No. 24 Mouse Lane in Edinburgh’s New Town is run by Katie Donald who has an innate instinct for bringing people together.

She has developed a skill for finding out what it is that people really want. Along the way, Katie learns profound lessons about her own desires as she works at better understanding others.

Although Katie has little in the way of direct experience, with the help of her amiable and handsome office neighbour William Kidd, she soon finds herself making matches for the lonely hearts tired of meeting online – and who want a more personal touch. Pre-order here.

Concert for Children

This weekend the stars of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra are staging a concert for children.

Become a subscriber

Buy a subscription to the Edinburgh Reporter – the gift that lasts all year and can be given on any occasion.

Our January issue is out now – but you can buy someone a subscription to our monthly newspaper at anytime. We deliver by mail in compostable envelopes, and the subscription assists us to otherwise publish the news on a free to access basis. Click on the image below to sign up for yourself or gift it as a wee present.

Click on the image below.

And if you have any stories then do get in touch. editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk

Jack Frost, the Norse god, has visited Scotland this week.

The daytime temperature has barely risen above freezing point and at night it’s been minus 4-6°C in most parts and minus 14°C in the coldest glens exposed to the strong north winds. 

Shetland had 9 inches of snow, blowing into drifts in the blizzards.

Most of the snow has been in the North East and the islands, meaning some 300 schools had to close.  Travel by road and rail was severely disrupted in the Highlands and Aberdeenshire. Even in the Central Belt trains were running slowly. Jack Frost has been amusing himself following Traffic Scotland’s “gritter tracker” allowing him to see the progress of road clearing by such nick-named gritter lorries as Granite Gritter, Sir Snowington, Polar Patroller, Hansel and Gritt-all. 

Here in Edinburgh, we’ve escaped the snow and instead we’ve had crisp sunny days with a sprinkling of Jack’s frost on the rooftops, lawns and hedges.

In Glasgow they are keeping warm with the traditional winter festival of Celtic music.  Over the next two weeks there will be over 300 events, ranging from recitals in the Concert Hall to intimate gigs and workshops in cosy nooks and crannies all over the city.  More than 1,200 musicians will be taking part, including home grown performers like Skerryvore and Skipinnish, Peat and Diesel, Julie Fowlis as well as bands from the USA, Australia and West Africa.  All styles will be on show: traditional folk, jazz, blues, soul, rock, electronic and world music. 

In Edinburgh, we have no time for such flippery.  Lady Hallett’s UK Covid Inquiry has set up shop for three weeks to inquire into Scotland’s handling of the pandemic. The cut glass accents of London lawyers has been replaced with the burr of Scottish advocates as the inquiry hears from victims’ families, care-home operators, medical staff such as Jason Leach (the authoritative voice of the pandemic) and politicians. I don’t myself see the point of these inquiries, they seem to be all about blame – the lessons have been learned long ago.

But if you wanted more blame, you could have tuned into the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday when the Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain was blaming The Post Office for failing to tell prosecutors that their computer system was at fault, leading to the wrongful conviction of 54 postmasters in Scotland over the last 20 years. Only four have since been cleared. I wonder how the courts allowed anyone to be convicted. Aren’t court hearings supposed to unearth the truth?  It can’t be that hard to ask an accountant to work through a postmaster’s books manually and check the result against the computer’s calculations.

As to clearing the postmaster’s reputations and paying compensation, the First Minister Humza Yousaf has overruled the Lord Advocate’s decision to plough on through the remaining cases one by one by saying he’s going to fall in line with the UK government and grant a general amnesty.   

He’s also fallen in line with Westminster by agreeing to introduce severe restrictions on the ownership of American XL Bully dogs.  The fear was that Scotland would be a dumping ground for these big and dangerous dogs by people getting rid of them in England. 

But Mr Yousaf still has plenty of disagreements with Westminster.  He doesn’t think much of the scheme to send illegal migrants to Rwanda. He calls it “morally repugnant”.  He’s also fallen out over his dealings with President Erdogan of Turkey. The UK foreign secretary David Cameron has objected to Mr Yousaf meeting the president at the climate change conference in December without a UK representative present.  And this week it’s emerged Mr Yousaf unilaterally invited Mr Erdogan to visit Scotland next time he’s in Britain.  Tut tut, Scotland is not supposed to have its own foreign policy.

Finally, on Thursday there was a painful meeting between politicians and trade union leaders and the owners of the Grangemouth oil refinery to plan its orderly shutdown and conversion into a simple oil import terminal. We are indeed witnessing the end of Scotland’s oil industry.  But, alas, the pain must be borne if we are to reach our climate change targets.

It’s annoying ironic that while we’re worrying about climate change, the weather plays tricks and throws a chilly week at us.  It allows the heretical  thought that perhaps the planet is not warming after all.  A rare white whale, a beluga, certainly fell for the trick this week when he appeared off the coast of Shetland, thinking he was still in the Arctic.

We must not let Jack Frost put us off our struggle for survival.   

A charity shop raised a record sum of over £30,000 in just one week in its annual seven day January sale of designer brands and rare collectibles.

The Shelter shop in Stockbridge featured top labels including Armani, Gucci and Ralph Lauren, all donated by the public and stashed away by staff.

Savvy shoppers queued from 7am on the opening day to snap up bargains, which also included rare books, toys, cult games and vinyl records.

The homelessness charity’s Stockbridge shop has become famous for its annual sale of rare and designer items, which runs for one week in January each year.

This year the shop took £3,500 in the first hour alone and £11,000 in the first day as early birds picked up rarities including a signed first edition copy of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which made £400, and a set of vintage bagpipes for £200.

Bargain hunters also snapped up rare vinyl including original 1960s recordings by The Beatles and Rolling Stones, Japanese art prints, designer and vintage coffee and tea sets and Portmeirion China.

The charity said it raised a total of £30,817 across the seven days – creating a new record for the event, which has run since 2003.

Alison Watson, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: “It’s incredible that after 21 years of running the January event at our Stockbridge shop, it continues to be as popular as ever and that we are able to beat previous fundraising records.

“We couldn’t do it without the incredible generosity of our customers and donors, so a huge thank you goes out to everyone for helping to keep Shelter Scotland in the fight against the housing emergency.

The shop has been a fixture in Edinburgh’s Raeburn Place since 1981. The annual New Year sale of donated designer items started in 2003.

The sale raises vital funds for Shelter Scotland’s work to help homeless and badly housed households across Scotland.

Watson added: “Too many people, including thousands of children, are denied their right to safe, secure and affordable housing. It’s Shelter Scotland’s mission to change that and your support keeps us in that fight.”

Hibs have announced the signing of Myziane Maloida from Hertha Berlin.

The 24-year-old who is from the Union of the Comoros is the club’s first signing of the January transfer window and joins on loan for the remainder of the season.

A highly rated youngster, the forward was signed by the German side for a reported 4 million euros in 2021 and has made two appearances for his country, scoring two goals.

His new boss Nick Montgomery said: “Myziane is a very talented young player who has undoubted potential to play at the very highest level. 

“For us to have the chance to sign a player of this calibre in January is an opportunity we worked hard to make happen, and we’re grateful to Hertha Berlin for agreeing to facilitate this loan.”

Maloida is Montomery’s first signing since becoming Hibs boss, and he will hope the once branded “teenage sensation” can bolster his attacking options as they approach the second half of the season.

Earlier today, Hibs also announced that they have recalled highly rated youngster Hanoya Megwa from his successful loan spell at Airdrieonians.

Megwa had joined Hibs at their warm weather training camp in Dubai last week, and after impressing Montgomery, the club decided to revoke the recall clause in the loan agreement with the Championship side.

The 19-year-old was highly regarded by the Airdie fans and won two Player of the Month Award’s in his short stint with the team.

Nick Montgomery said: “I have been really impressed with Kanayo from watching him at Airdrieonians and when he was with us in Dubai. He has a great attitude, has trained well, and has a lot of quality attributes as a player. 

“Kanayo has had a great spell away on loan, he has made good progress, and has come back an improved player with a lot more confidence too. This is the perfect example of how loan spells can benefit some of our young players. “

Megwa will be ineligible for Saturday’s Scottish Cup Fourth Round match with Forfar Athletic as the youngster has already played in the competition with Airdrieonians.

It is not yet clear whether Maloida will be available for the trip to Angus as the club awaits international clearance and work permit approval.

Kick off for Saturday’s cup tie is 3pm at Station Park.

Mason Watson has spent his career to date with his hometown team, Berwick, but wants to supercharge his speedway career and has signed for Stellar Monarchs Academy for this season.

The 23-year-old admitted to having a few offers from rival clubs but picked Edinburgh because it has a small track.

And Watson (pictured) said: “Edinburgh is a very professional club and produces a lot of very good riders. I’m excited for the new challenge but I’ve ridden at Berwick since I started my career so I feel like I need to master the small tracks now.

“Berwick is a brilliant track to race, but last season I felt like I struggled on the small tracks like Armadale and I’ve always enjoyed riding at Edinburgh.”

Sadly, he’s not scored big points at West Lothian but hopes that will change this term and his target is a heat leader spot.

Looking back, Watson admitted: “I had a pretty rough season last year with injuries and not much bike time, but in my last meeting for Berwick I top scored so I’m looking to keep that momentum going into 2024.”

Academy manager Scott Wilson said: “He will fit into our team extremely well. Something I’ve heard people say about Mason is that he can only ride Berwick.

“Well, he’s already told me he really enjoys Armadale so I look forward to him proving some people wrong this year.

“He’ll start off in a second string berth and his goal has to be to stay in the top five all season and improve his average while doing so. I’m confident he can do both.”

Hamza Yassin, wildlife cameraman and presenter, was at the official opening event of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition which opens this weekend at the National Museum of Scotland.

The exhibition will run until May and offer visitors the chance to see some spectacular images, all of which are on loan from the Natural History Museum in London. The museum is using photography as a way of advocating for the planet by showing stories and species in inspiring and engaging ways. It is the most prestigious photography event of its kind showing the best photography talent from all over the world for nearly 60 years. It began in 1965 and today the competition still receives thousands of entries demonstrating its lasting appeal. The exhibition is now on an international tour and it is expected that around one million people will see it.

This year the competition attracted 49,957 entries from 95 countries which were judged over a week at the Natural History Museum by a panel of industry experts.

French underwater photographer and marine biologist Laurent Ballesta was awarded Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023 for The golden horseshoe, an otherworldly image of a tri-spine horseshoe crab accompanied by a trio of golden trevallies. Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023 was awarded to 17-year-old Carmel Bechler from Israel for his Owls’ roadhouse, a dynamic frame of barn owls in an abandoned roadside building.

Hamza Yassin said: “I was delighted to be among the first people in Scotland to view this thought-provoking exhibition. As a wildlife cameraman and photographer myself, it was great to see such a variety of incredible images and to appreciate the skill, knowledge of nature and ingenuity that must have gone into capturing them. Photography like this can really inspire us all to think about the beauty and fragility of our natural world, as well as the things we can do to protect it.”

Dr Nick Fraser, Keeper of Natural Sciences at National Museums Scotland, said: “These images taken together tell a powerful story, balancing the wonder and beauty of the natural world with its fragility and vulnerability to climate change and biodiversity loss. It is perhaps less well understood how the work of in-house natural sciences teams and external researchers on collections such as ours at National Museums Scotland and those at the Natural History Museum contributes hugely to global understanding of human impact on the environment. We look forward to welcoming visitors to the exhibition when it opens this weekend.”

Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum said: “We are facing urgent biodiversity and climate crises, and photography is a powerful catalyst for change. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition reveals some of nature’s most wondrous sights whilst offering hope and achievable actions visitors can take to help protect the natural world.”

Chair of the judging panel, Kathy Moran said: “What most impressed the jury was the range of subjects, from absolute beauty, rarely seen behaviors and species to images that are stark reminders of what we are doing to the natural world. We felt a powerful tension between wonder and woe that we believe came together to create a thought-provoking collection of photographs.”

The exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and will be supported by a range of public events and activities.

Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is truly stunning and inspiring, helping us discover untold stories of species from around the world. Our players have raised more than £3.3 million for National Museums Scotland and I’m delighted their support makes exhibitions like this accessible to everyone, allowing more people to learn about our natural world”.

Dates and times: 20 January to 6 May 2024, opening 10am to 5pm 

To book tickets: www.nms.ac.uk/wpy  

Hamza is a presenter of programmes about Scottish wildlife and has appeared on CBeebies, Countryfile and Animal Park. He also won the 2022 Strictly come Dancing contest. And if you’re wondering about Hamza’s T-shirt it is from a Gaelic song. The lyrics and translation are:

Togaibh i, togaibh i, cànan ar dùthcha,
Togaibh a suas i gu h-inbhe ro-chliùitich;
Togaibh gu daingeann i ‘s bithibh rith’ bàidheil,
Hi ho rò, togaibh i, suas leis a’ Ghàidhlig!

Praise it, praise it, the language of our country
Give it honourable status
Promote it with spirit, and treat it with affection,
Hi horo, praise it, up with the Gaelic.

In a carbon copy of what happened in Canonmills, developer S Harrison has referred an application to build purpose built student housing in a residential area straight to the government reporter – without any hearing taking place before the council.

The reason for the “appeal” is noted as “Failure to give a decision” and it seems that the developer is taking advantage of the council’s lack of progress and using what is a valid process to progress with their proposals.

The application was lodged with the council on 3 November and according to the council planning page remains open for comments until 26 January (although the determination deadline is noted as 29 December 2023).

The move means that locals who object to the plans to demolish what they regard as a perfectly good building and replace it with modern flats will not be allowed the opportunity of having their say.

The Planning and Environmental Appeals Division of The Scottish Government (DPEA) has written to the council to confirm that the council has to reply to the appeal by 25 January.

Christian Traynor of the Gillespie Crescent Residents Association said: “We’ve been working round the clock to get back to all of our residents to answer queries and points about commenting and the new appeal.

“I have spoken to the DPEA who’ve been very helpful, and they do say that on purely process-related grounds, the developers can appeal on no decision. But I’m also being contacted by lots of interested parties who are saying they’ve never heard of this before.

“Usually there would be a decision made, potentially a refusal, and then an appeal would be made on certain grounds of that decision. Clearly this appeal has just come early. So it’s my view, and I think I can speak for most of the residents, that we feel this is quite underhand and slightly inappropriate.

“Also in the appeal the developers often refer to a feasibility and options appraisal report which nobody can access as it’s private and confidential, but it is a large part of the justification for their appeal. They also say that the material consideration comments are not yet available from the council. Obviously this is due to the fact that they have done this before the end of the comments period. But they say in their appeal statement that there are therefore no material considerations and they would like to appeal. Well there are material considerations, they’re just not ready yet.”

A spokesperson for Harrison Developments said: “We have taken the decision to appeal to the DPEA, as the Council have been unable to determine the application within the statutory timescale set. It is clearly in the best of interests of the Council, the community and ourselves, that this application is determined as quickly as possible in order to provide certainty to all those involved.”

Tollcross Community Council lodged an objection with the council to the November 2023 planning application citing that the preservation of the building should be prioritised, particularly in light of the fact that an application for demolition had been refused in 2020. Their objection states: “The building is a good example of a high-quality interwar stone building which retains its original character and interest. It is sound and being of stone and slate fits in to the surrounding buildings and it makes a positive contribution to the character of the surrounding area. It is a local landmark and has a long history in the area.” The council in 2020 decided that the removal of the building would “have an adverse impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area and therefore its demolition is not acceptable”.

In their lengthy objection the community council also noted that the number of students and other transient residents must be considered as part of the application. The community council said that they believe the applicant has underestimated the percentage of students in the area. With recent developments the community council reckons the percentage of students living in the area is more than 40%.

The Cockburn Association also objected to the application and said that the plans do not meet the tests of the Local Development Plan “on the grounds that the scheme does not preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Conservation Area; it results in the loss of “open-ness” with the loss of space that is currently undeveloped, reinforcing the impact to the character of the area; and finally, does not demonstrate high standards of design”.

Cllr Finlay McFarlane one of the councillors for the City Centre ward said: “The scale of development on Gillespie Crescent along with environmental and heritage concerns attributed to the demolition has rightly spurred the community into action, and an enormous amount of effort has been put in by local residents to educate and empower their neighbours to have their say in the democratic planning process.

“As their Ward Councillor I joined a large number of residents in objecting to the proposals and therefore share the feeling of shock and disappointment to see the developers cynically circumventing the ability for the views of the community to be heard at committee. By choosing to appeal directly to the Reporter before the public consultation period had even concluded the developers have disempowered the very people who would be living with the outcome of these proposals on their doorsteps.”

Cllr Joanna Mowat, councillor for the City Centre Ward, said: “As a member of the Development Management Sub Committee I am limited in what I can say and have restricted my interaction on this to commenting on process. 

“I know from the volume of correspondence that the local community are engaged and concerned and will be very frustrated that the developer has chosen to bypass the Committee and take this to Reporter. This is an unusual situation because the application is still open for comments due to additional information being provided by the developer and the community has asked whether submitting an appeal at this stage is valid and I am waiting on advice on this which I will circulate once this has been provided.”

A spokesperson for The City of Edinburgh Council said: “It is not appropriate for us to comment give the application is now under appeal.

“We can state the factual aspect which is that the application has been appealed for non-determination. Information about the appeal is contained on the DPEA website.”

Watermans, the Edinburgh-based solicitor and estate agents, has launched its latest legal trainee recruitment campaign.

The firm, which has its head office in Leith, is making a name for itself as one of Scotland’s most forward-thinking practices, a reputation enhanced by the modern process by which it attracts aspiring legal graduates.

Aware that the standard recruitment process to secure one of the limited trainee placements in the country can be tedious, Watermans is doing things differently.

Traditionally, law graduates would be expected to pass formal assessments during their quest to begin their legal careers with conventional firms. However, Watermans is encouraging applicants aspiring to break the traditions of the legal industry to showcase their personalities either through a video, presentation or art.

The owner-led firm, which also has offices in Glasgow and Dundee, prides itself on providing clients ‘straightforward legal advice’ and aims to onboard the right people by getting to know the individual behind the law degree through a simple yet innovative recruitment process.

Watermans trainees practice law from day one and are trusted with their own caseload, all the while being supported by their peers to ensure they gain the necessary experience to begin their legal careers confidently.

Last year’s inaugural programme included seven law graduates who joined the business. Applications for the 2024 Legal Traineeships for anyone holding a Diploma in Professional Legal Practice run until Monday, 28 January, with a similar number of places available this summer.

Managing director Scott Whyte said: “Following the success of our 2023 trainee recruitment campaign, we are delighted to launch our plans to take on further trainee solicitors in 2024.

“Our approach to recruitment isn’t just out of the box – it throws the old traditional box in the bin and takes a completely fresh approach.

“To start with, we give students the credit they deserve. They are intelligent, ambitious and high achieving individuals to have already achieved their LLB. We don’t need to test their maths or reasoning skills with assessment centres or psychometric testing.

“We are interested in the personalities of the people we bring into the business. How will they interact with their colleagues and our clients? That is what will define a Watermans trainee and ultimately make them a well-rounded and ‘human’ solicitor in the years to come.”

Recent research by The Law Society of Scotland shows that smaller, 1 to 5-partner firms, are responsible for training 32% of Scotland’s young solicitors.

“At Watermans we also take our commitment to developing the legal profession very seriously,” added Mr Whyte. “We love providing an environment where trainee solicitors can come and develop their skills and take the first steps on their career journey. Law firms have a duty to play an active and positive role in ensuring the next generation are well equipped to take the whole profession forward.”

Evie Brown was one of last year’s intakes and she said: “I am a first-year trainee in the conveyancing team and it’s safe to say that no two days are the same. What I love most about Watermans is the amazing team that I work with who are very encouraging and supportive. Beginning your legal career can be a very daunting experience but I have been made to feel incredibly welcome.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Kate Murray, who was also part of the 2023 cohort.

She said: “Personal Injury is a fast-paced area of law, with a consistent workload, and I have felt nothing but support from my colleagues. I have found Watermans to be a firm that doesn’t just advertise their company values, they actually reflect those values in practice which makes it a great place to start any legal career.”

Applications can be made via https://watermans.co.uk/traineeships/

Barry McEwan (pictured) braved sub-zero temperatures to win round eight of the Bass Rock Shore Angling League’s winter series.

The Scottish international from Port Seton hooked into a 23cm rockling to take the top prize. The self-employed carpet fitter was the only angler to catch and secretary James Ogilvie said it was Barry’s hand warmers which made it bearable.

Six other anglers took part in the North Berwick Rover.

Round nine will be on Wednesday, January 31 at a venue to be decided.  

A reminder that the second round of the Edinburgh New Year Shore League, sponsored by The Edinburgh Angling Centre and The Fishing Megastore plus Cox and Rawle, is on Friday, January 19.

The venue is Seafield with fishing from 7pm to 10pm and registration is at Marine Esplanade EH6 7DP from 6pm to 6.15pm.

And the Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers host Match 1 of 2024 at Newhaven in Edinburgh on Saturday, January 27, fishing from 16.00 to 20.00 and registration from 14.00 to 14.30 at Western Harbour Place EH6 6NG.

It is a catch and release match with pegged and zoned areas and anglers are asked to bring buckets for landed fish to be placed in prior to measuring.

Hearts know the fallout from being beaten by a minnow in the Scottish Cup. Cast your mind back three years ago to the 2-1 defeat by Highland League outfit, then champions, Brora Rangers, in the second round at Dudgeon Park on March 23, 2021, one of the biggest shocks in Scottish Cup history.

The reverse, thanks to goals from Jordan Angus MacRae (12 minutes) and Martin McLean (75) – Christophe Berra netted to make it 1-1 after 70 minutes – came at a time when Hearts were riding high in the Championship.

Then, of course, the Jambos lost 4-0 to then second-tier Falkirk in 2003 in the third round thanks to a treble from Collin Samuel and a single from Owen Coyle. Craig Gordon won’t need reminding as he was in goal that day.

Fast forward to today and Dougie Samuel’s (pictured) men are well up for the cup and, currently, still have a chance of back-to-back promotions having graduated by winning the Lowland League last season then advancing through the play-offs. No mean feat.

So, they are used to one-off clashes under pressure and Hearts are undoubtedly under pressure here. Kick-off is at 12.15 at Ainslie Park and the match is scheduled to be live on BBC Scotland.

Of course, the tie is in danger because of the freezing temperatures in the Capital, but Hearts have enjoyed a winter break and should be fresh if it goes ahead. They are in good form having recorded four wins and a draw in their last five games.

Their last outing was on January 2 at Livingston and they are riding high in third spot in the cinch Premiership with 36 points from 21 games, five points ahead of fourth-placed Kilmarnock who have played a game more and seven ahead St Mirren, who are sixth, with 29 points also from 22 starts.

Spartans and Hearts have never met in the Scottish Cup but the Ainslie Park outfit beat championship side Arbroath 2-1 in the last round with goals from James Craigen (35) and Jamie Dishington (50) to earn their crack at one of the heavyweights. David Gold scored for Arbroath after 49 minutes.

Blair Henderson is a danger man, the 29-year-old having scored six goals in his last seven games to help Spartans into third position in the cinch Scottish Professional Football League 2 table with 32 points from 18 starts, three behind second-placed Peterhead who have played 20 games and 17 adrift of runaway leaders Stenhousemuir who have also had 20 fixtures.

The Airnslie Park combine have scored 31 goals and conceded 21 and come into the cup clash on a downer having lost 2-0 last time out to Stenhousemuir in Edinburgh, on Saturday, January 13 to be precise, after a run of four straight wins. 

An army of volunteers has spruced up Ainslie Park this week ahead of the tie which is the biggest game ever staged at the complex, opened in 2008, and there is a connection with the Gorgie club who rent Spartans ground for B home matches in the Lowland League. 

One final point. Why are they called Spartans? Well, the internet indicates that founders felt it was appropriate to name the team after the Green Spartan army in the hope that the players would give their all as they went into “battle”.

Well, it’s battle stations for Hearts, providing Jack Frost plays ball for Saturday lunchtime. Defeat would be indigestible for Hearts fans.

Edinburgh International Festival Opening Event 2024

Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) has announced that a new relationship with a major sponsor will allow a large-scale opening event to open this year’s festival.

EIF has formed a partnership with The Macallan to produce an event around the theme Rituals That Unite Us. The outdoor event will welcome 10,000+ people to create a new ritual together.

Read more here.

Become a subscriber

Buy a subscription to the Edinburgh Reporter – the gift that lasts all year

Our January issue is out now – but you still have time for our gift suggestion – buy someone a subscription to our monthly newspaper – we deliver by mail in compostable envelopes, and the subscription helps us to keep on publishing the news on a free to access basis. Click on the image below to sign up for yourself or as a present.

Click on the image below

And if you have any stories then do get in touch. editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk

Adaptive bike sessions resume

The adaptive bike sessions resume at Thistle Foundation and Saughton Park next week. The first will take place on Tuesday 23 January from 1.30pm until 3.30pm and the second will take place at Saughton on Thursday from 1pm to 4pm.

• Thistle Foundation is at 13 Queen’s Walk EH16 4EA
• The meeting point at Saughton Park is at the Ford’s Road side of the park where there are a couple of containers.

If you need some more information about the sessions and who they are for then call Thistle on 0131 661 3366 or email info@thistle.org.uk

Gorgie City Farm

Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council (EVOC) is leading on the regeneration of Gorgie City Farm and has published the results of the first phase of its consultation with locals and others about the future of the site.

The farm remains closed, although EVOC is using some of the office accommodation on the site while plans are being formulated.

EVOC collated more than 400 questionnaire responses, approximately 30 ‘Cuppa Conversations’ and 40 guided walks, key themes and messages arose from the first phase of the consultation. 

The topics covered included animals and activities, facilities and spaces, payment and support, education and training and food and gardening.

Many memories were shared along with ideas for income generation opportunities and desired outcomes. All of these will be further explored and considered during Phase 2 which will be shared in March. All of the results of Phase 1 have been collated in a beautifully illustrated graphic.

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

North Edinburgh Film Festival

This will take place on 3 February and as you might imagine it will be in North Edinburgh near the gasometer at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre. It will be a day of community cinema and filmmaking headed up by North Edinburgh Arts and Screen Education Scotland.

“Look out for friends, family and neighbours on the big screen as we showcase some of the best locally-made films, as well as 5-star family favourite Song of the Sea! From screenings and workshops to food and an exhibition on local history, there’s something for everyone! The Festival will be held from 12.30pm to 5pm. It’s completely free to attend – you can join us from the beginning, or drop-in throughout the day.”

More information on the day here.

This August Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) will stage a new outdoor large-scale event to open the festival created along with a new Principal Partner, The Macallan.

EIF’s 2024 theme will be Rituals That Unite Us, and the 2024 opening event is promised to be the first of a new summer ritual both for the festival and the city. The occasion is expected to attract an audience of more than 10,000 people.

The EIF and The Macallan have created a union established in a combined history, shared creativity and international reach – but all rooted firmly in Scotland. The opening event will include mythology, history and Scottish heritage at its heart. A range of performers will take audiences to a world exploring the past, present and future, all inspired by the Edinburgh landscape.

The creative team is led by Katy Fuller at Pinwheel as creative producer who created the projection festival “North of the Tyne, Under the Stars”, and Land of Green Ginger for Hull when it was the City of Culture.

The EIF’s collaboration with The Macallan, the single malt Scotch Whisky, brings to life a shared history of Scottish creativity and craftsmanship with a visually stunning event promised.

Nicola Benedetti, Festival Director, Edinburgh International Festival, said: “This year’s Edinburgh International Festival will be a momentous celebration of the collective experiences that bind us closer together. We share The Macallan’s commitment to artistic innovation and collaboration, and to true mastery. This flourishing partnership will enable audiences to experience Festival traditions in new and extraordinary ways; our unmissable opening event will allow us to see ourselves and our history on the grandest of stages, and inspire us to think differently.”

Jaume Ferràs, Global Creative Director, The Macallan, said: “2024 marks The Macallan’s 200th anniversary through a celebration of time. As part of this milestone, we are delighted to be working with the Edinburgh International Festival and draw upon our combined heritage, creativity and artistic power. Edinburgh International Festival is renowned as the world’s leading arts festival bringing a rich tapestry of Scottish stories to the global stage. We look forward to combining our creative talents and connecting local and global audiences with the highest quality of Scottish storytelling through this exciting new opening event for Edinburgh International Festival.”

The full Edinburgh International Festival programme will be announced on 7 March 2024. Tickets will be on sale on 21 March 2024, with priority booking for members.

www.eif.co.uk

Crisis UK has just issued its report on homelessness in collaboration with Heriot Watt University predicting that the number of rough sleepers, sofa surfers, or those who are living in unsuitable accommodation such as cars or tents, will rise by a third by 2026 unless steps are taken to stop it.

But the report also shows that with the correct policies and interventions the figures could be reduced. This includes increasing the level of Housing Benefit which could reduce numbers by more than a half.

In Scotland around 18,400 households were experiencing homelessness on any day in 2022 which was an increase of 11% since 2020.

The charity is encouraging the government to enable help for people earlier and increasing the legal duty on local authorities to prevent homelessness, leading to a call from councils for funding to ensure it can happen.

Dr Beth Watts-Cobbe, senior research fellow at Heriot-Watt’s Institute for Social Policy, Housing and Equalities Research, said: “This year’s homelessness monitor paints the picture of a system under huge strain – with rising numbers of people presenting as homeless over the past two years, reports of growing footfall from local authorities and intense challenges accessing accommodation to resolve people’s homelessness.

“It is acutely concerning that, after a decade of stability prior to the pandemic and despite a strong focus on rapid rehousing approaches, temporary accommodation placements have increased sharply, including a greater reliance on B&B-type accommodation.

“But while many of the trends revealed in the Monitor are worrying, the report also shows that projected rises in core homelessness can be prevented through a comprehensive response from policy-makers.

“Homelessness has been a major area of policy focus for The Scottish Government since 2017 and with the right commitment Scotland can reverse these trends and reduce homelessness.”

Click on the image below to access the full report.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) will take place from 15 to 22 August 2024, and will comprise ten feature films and ten shorts.

The festival has today announced that there will be “significant” prize money on offer for filmmakers of the best of each category. Audiences will vote for the competition winners.

The festival resumes its place in the busy August festival diary, headed by a new director creating a world class showcase for independent films and talent.

Former Acquisitions Executive Ridd is supported by an expanding Board, including Chair, Andrew Macdonald of DNA Films, producer of the iconic Edinburgh-based film Trainspotting; Peter Rice, former Chairman of General Entertainment at Disney and President of 21st Century Fox and Amy Jackson, producer of last year’s BAFTA award-winning indie, Aftersun. EIFF 2024 is supported by Screen Scotland.

EIFF Director, Paul Ridd, said: “Our new look EIFF falls in a festival month where culture is alive and vibrant in the city, and we also arrive at a point of tremendous industry growth for Scotland with a production boom of streamers, studios and independents working side by side. We are so excited to present what we have in the works and we invite creators, industry leaders and independent film fans who want to be a part of the reimagining of a world-class festival to get in touch with the team, bookmark the EIFF website, and start planning travel to Edinburgh in August. Bring it on!”

Submissions for the festival will open in February and the criteria will be outlined on the film festival website.

Police enquiries continue to locate 35-year-old Khasha Smith, who is missing from Calder Grove and who was last seen on 10 October 2023.

Officers have been out in the local area distributing and pinning up posters today.

Khasha’s family is extremely concerned for her and are hoping the posters remind people she’s still missing and that we are still looking for information which could help us find her.

As enquiries have progressed, police have established that the last known, confirmed sighting of Khasha was in October

Khasha is around 5ft tall, with a slim build. She has blue eyes and long, blonde hair. She also has tattoos, one which is visible on her right wrist and says ‘Forever’.

She often visits the Gorgie, Broomhouse and Wester Hailes areas.

If anyone has seen Khasha or has any information on where she may have gone, please call us on 101, quoting reference 3915 of 5 January, 2024.

Taking advantage of the beautiful day on Wednesday to look at Edinburgh from a different angle, photographer Alan Simpson focused on the former Bank of Scotland building.

Will it ever be anything other than that for some of us? It is of course now Lloyds Banking Group’s main office.

Hundreds of students enjoyed a masterclass on Wednesday served up by half a dozen chefs sharing their best practice and cooking tips.

The Patisserie Masterclass featured demonstrations by six outstanding chefs including:

• Shona Sutherland from Blairgowrie based Chocolatier Taystful with Szilard Szentesi from Cameron House.
• Kenneth Hett, multi-award-winning chef and lecturer
• Michelin-Star Glenturret Lalique’s Head Chef Mark Donald and Pastry Chef Kayleigh Turner
• Willie Pike MBE, master in sugar work.

The Patisserie Masterclass was the first in a series of free demonstrations taking place in 2024 with Seafood, Vegetarian & Vegan and Game scheduled throughout the year. 

George McIvor the Chairman of Master Chefs of Great Britain said: “The feedback we have received from the students and lecturers following the launch of our Masterclasses last year has been excellent and we are so excited to be back in 2024 with a new Patisserie Masterclass supported by world-class chefs.”

Graeme Dey, Minister for Higher and Further Education said this was one of the highlights of his job, meeting students – and getting to sample Somme of the chocolates on offer.

The Master Chefs of Great Britain was formed in 1980 to provide a forum for the exchange of culinary ideas and to further the profession through training and guidance to young chefs. They are a professional chef’s association seeking to promote everything that is the very best of British, produce, recipes, artisan suppliers and chefs and to uphold the great culinary traditions and skills.

More information: www.masterchefsgb.co.uk

The annual meeting of Midlothian and East Lothian Chamber of Commerce is on Tuesday,  January 30 (3pm) at The Bush House, Bush Estate and members are invited to attend to reflect on the last year and discuss the future direction of the organisation.

The meeting will be followed by afternoon of tea and there will be an opportunity to meet the current and new directors, catch up with fellow members and make new connections.

So, the full details are the Chamber Afternoon Tea Party and AGM is on January 30 (15.00 to 17:00) at The Bush House (pictured), Bush Estate, Milton Bridge, Penicuik, EH26 0BB.

The price is £12.50 ex-VAT for members and £16.67 ex-VAT for non-members.

FURTHER DETAILS: Dita Macfarlane on 0131 603 5043