Allanwater Homes building more new homes next year
Builder looking ahead to launches of new sites in 2024.
As it approaches the end of 2023, with its Haddington development fully sold, and a near sellout at its Stirling City development, Allanwater Homes has announced that three new developments will be coming later in 2024 – a new phase at its popular Oaktree Gardens development in Alloa, coupled with launches in Kirkcaldy and Carluke, all easily accessible for Edinburgh.
At the moment, the housebuilder has a handful of three bedroom terraced Deveron 2 townhouse style properties left at Hayford Mills in Cambusbarron, together with a selection of four and five bedroom homes at its family friendly development in Chryston, near Glasgow.
At Stirling City, only three luxury apartments are left, from £137,995 for the one bedroom Dee.
“We are continuing to do all we can to help buyers access a new home at this time,” said Lynn McNair, Development Sales Manager for Allanwater Homes.
“We were really pleased to sell out of our Allanwater Haddington development earlier this year,” she said. “Offering luxury bungalows, together with three bedroom terraced villas, the development represented our first move into East Lothian – a new area of Scotland for us. Our modern, energy efficient homes were extremely well received, especially our range of bungalows which are always sought-after in the marketplace. Despite the challenging market conditions, we have been selling steadily. We made sure that we introduced incentives which really helped buyers at this time.
“The focus at the moment is on selling our remaining Deveron 2 properties at Hayford Mills in Cambusbarron which are three bedroom terraced homes inspired by the traditional mill buildings of the area.
“Chryston near Glasgow was another fresh location for us. We’ve had a great response to our development here – it’s another very strong location with great commuting links and lots of amenities. Many of the families that have purchased from us here are already from the area and are keen to remain here to bring up their families.
“Although interest rates and mortgages are still making this a tough time for house-buyers, we are confident that we have the correct mix of properties coming in 2024, all in the very best locations. We will continue to provide targeted help for our buyers whenever we can with the right packages in place on the properties we are hoping to sell early in the year.
“We will also continue with our expansion plans to open additional developments across Scotland.”
A saving of £25,000 is available on the final three bedroom luxury Deveron 2 terraced houses at Hayford Mills, which are now priced from £299,995. Kitchen upgrades, which can include a mix of additional features including ceiling downlighters, upgraded worktops, unit doors, splashbacks and appliances are available – please contact the Development Sales Manager for more details on the package for each individual plot.
These impressive luxury terraced homes, set over three floors, are ideally suited to young professionals or growing families where having that extra floor space means a bright home office, or, for teenagers, that first sense of independence.
Layout features include open plan kitchen/dining/ family areas, perfect for relaxing or entertaining.
All Deveron luxury terraced houses at Hayford Mills are constructed with the very latest eco friendly, highly sustainable materials, offering an efficiency B rating. They will enable buyers to lower their running costs, along with their carbon footprint.
At Allanwater Chryston, a range of three, four & five bedroom homes are for sale, including newly released three bedroom semi detached designs priced from £232,995. The four-bedroom detached ‘Ochil’ villa has now also been released, with prices from £299,995. Many plots are move in ready.
The council led a summit in Niddrie on Monday to discuss the problems which arose there on Bonfire Night 2023. Representatives from other partner agencies and local politicians also attended.
Emergency services were attacked with petrol bombs and fireworks during the disturbances which have now led to 26 people being charged with a total of 51 offences. Police investigations are ongoing.
Those taking part discussed what had happened this year as well as ways of addressing potential issues in future. The council had undertaken preventative community work, including sending young people on trips away from Edinburgh in the weeks leading up to 5 November. The future use of Firework Control Zones is already well underway. A further meeting will be held in March 2024.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “It was really useful to come together and discuss our collective approach to Bonfire Night and broader fireworks use.
“Unfortunately, in recent years, Bonfire Night has become something of a focal point for potentially life-threatening disorder and violence. This year had the distinction of clear planning and premeditation on the part of those attacking police in Niddrie, which is a deeply disturbing development. I fear that unless we take decisive action now it is only a matter of time before we see serious injuries or even deaths on a future Bonfire Night.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to our fantastic emergency services colleagues who do an excellent job in keeping us all safe.
“I believe that we need to go further and ban the public sale of fireworks, such is the unprecedented risk to public safety and order. Whilst this may seem unfair to the majority of people who celebrate and use fireworks responsibly, what we have seen this year necessitates such a response. I’ll also be looking into whether we can help provide organised displays in the city, so our residents can enjoy fireworks in a safe and secure way.
“We need to face these challenges head on, and I look forward to further summits in the New Year.”
Council Leader Cammy Day in the centre with other politicians and council officers as well as representatives from partner organisations
Capital five in Scots squad for world cup
Players from an Edinburgh club make up a third of the Scotland squad just announced for the under-19 world cup in South Africa in early 2024.
RH Corstorphine’s Owen Gould captains the 15 strong squad and is joined by Harry Armstrong (Stewart’s Melville), Rory Grant (Grange) Farhan Khan (Watsonians) and Ruaridh McIntyre (Carlton).
Opening bat Owen notched 187 runs with a highest score of 44 in the Eastern Premiership last season, averaging 15.58.
The remainder of the squad is largely based on players who helped Scotland qualify in the Netherlands earlier this year.
They are: Uzaur Ahmad (Ferguslie), Logan Briggs (Falkland), James Dunk (Old Northamptonians), Bahada Esakhiel (Ferguslie), Ibrahim Faisal (Clydesdale), Adi Hegde (Meigle), Mackenzie Jones (Colchester), Qasim Khan (Ferguslie), Nikhil Koteeswaran (Clydesdale), Alex Price (Moddershall and Oulton).
Scotland will play all three group matches in Potchefstroom starting against England (January 20) and followed by West Indis (24th) and South Africa (27th).
Cricket Scotland have commenced the recruitment process for a new head coach of the men’s team ahead of a busy year of international fixtures. 2024 will see Scotland compete at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June in USA and West Indies, as well as begin the defence of their ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 title.
Applications close on Friday 5 January, 2024, with the interview process commencing during the week beginning Monday 15, January.
Five things you need to know today
Scottish Budget
Finance Secretary Shona Robison will announce the Scottish budget this afternoon at Holyrood in her first such address since being appointed to the role earlier in the year.
There is speculation about increases in income tax for higher earners and the problems that face Holyrood and the 32 councils in Scotland due to lack of funding.
After a busy few months The Filmhouse fundraising team is taking a break over Christmas and remind you that if you wish to make a donation as a Christmas gift for someone then you may do so until noon on 22 December and you will receive a PDF to send to the recipient.
The total raised is just short of the target of £250,000 which will allow the team to refurbish and relaunch Filmhouse, the independent cinema on Lothian Road which has been closed for around 15 months.
The Edinburgh Cine and Video Society shares the news that a Dancer/ Actor/ Mime Artist required for small, but key role, playing a demon, in a short horror film. No particular dance or mime style is required, but the applicant must be supple, female and between the ages of 25-55.
Role will require 2-3 days work, covering rehearsals, make-up test and shoot. There are no lines for the character, but the role will be energetic and require extensive make-up effects.
The role is unpaid and open to applicants from all backgrounds. It would be particularly useful to a student of dance looking to gain practical experience and develop their CV.
For further details phone or text Liam Chisholme on 07511673046.
Christmas gift suggestion
A timely Christmas 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 below to sign up for yourself or to gift our paper to someone else.
So far this year we have produced twelve issues and are already at work on the January 2024 edition which will be delivered by 1 January. And if you have any stories then do get in touch.
Craftsman Brian Baird has completed a commission by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) to create a suite of Georgian style chairs for its historic Botanic Cottage, home to the oldest surviving classroom which dates back to the Scottish Enlightenment.
The chairs, which now pride of place in the Professor’s Room at the Cottage, were crafted by Brian during the past eight years while attending the joinery workshop run by Garvald, a charity which offers creative workshops to people with disabilities.
Merchiston Castle School supporting Edinburgh Food Project
Merchiston Castle School in Colinton raised £1,500 and 492kg of food donations for the Edinburgh Food Project, a city charity that provides emergency food provision and support for people in need.
Having studied the charity’s ‘most wanted’ list, the schoolboys encouraged their families and friends to donate and drop off at Merchiston’s annual Christmas Fair, and the community responded generously. From tinned soup to cereal, cleaning products to festive treats, families contributed almost half a tonne of much-needed items to go directly to vulnerable people in Edinburgh this winter.
A further £1,500 cash donation was raised through a charity raffle held on the day, stallholder fees and a sizeable contribution from the Sixth Form’s Christmas market sales, when students from the Entrepreneurship BTEC sold Merchiston branded mugs, candles, and ornaments.
In common with most other food related charities, Edinburgh Food Project is witnessing an increased demand for their support this year, with more than 2,000 food parcels expected to be delivered in December alone – a 70% rise compared with the same month in 2022. The donation raised by Merchiston Castle School will go some way in helping to meet this demand and support the seven food banks run by the organisation.
Jonathan Anderson, Headteacher of Merchiston Castle School, said: “We are immensely grateful to our kind-spirited community who donated much-needed items to our charity initiative this year. It has been heart-warming to see the local community come together to support families in need and spread some true Christmas cheer.
“The boys have been incredible in supporting the fundraising activity, hosting the raffle where all donations went directly to the Edinburgh Food Project. We are very proud to see them giving back to the community and thinking of others less fortunate at this time of year.”
Lothians’ shuttle supremacy
A strong Lothian under-19 badminton team containing several national champions, including at under-15 level, won the Anglo Scottish tournament in Newcastle at the weekend.
The team comprised Brooke Stalker, Ishbel McCallister, Vibha Raman, Deepti Vijayakumar, Qing-Yang Xiao, Tushara Senthilrajaram, Finlay Jack, Theo Johnston, Ross McCartney, Richard Adams, Callum Jack and Blair Tait.
They beat Northumberland (14-1), Cumbria (14-1), Borders (15-0), Glasgow and Clyde (13-2) and Yorkshire (15-0)
Coaches were Irene Blair and Duncan Campbell.
Haig’s Trench Watch and other lots sold at auction
A gold pocket watch used in the trenches of the First World War by General Douglas Haig has fetched more than £3,500 at auction in Edinburgh.
Haig was presented with the 18 carat timepiece by Leopold de Rothschild in 1915, after he became commander of the First Army.
Haig, who was born in Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, in 1861, would later be appointed Field-Marshal Commander-in-Chief of the Forces and granted an Earldom.
The split second open face chronograph pocket watch, made in 1906, was later passed down to his son George, the artist and 2nd Earl Haig.
It went under the hammer at Bonhams auctioneers in Edinburgh, where it was bought by a private UK collector bidding online, for £3584.
The historic pocket watch featured a white enamel dial with black Roman numerals, black chronograph hands, subsidiary dials at 6 and 12 for running seconds and 60 minute recording.
Its green leather box with initials “D.H” was inscribed: “Presented by Mr. Leopold de Rothschild to General Haig in 1915 for the location of hostile artillery and has been in use for one year in the First Army trenches.”
Many of Field-Marshal Haig’s possessions are in the national collection. The pocket watch was kept in the family and was part of a collection of over 80 objects belonging to his son George, the late 2nd Earl, who died in 2009 and his wife, the Countess.
The items, which went under the hammer following the Countess’ death earlier this year, aged 85, made a total of £216,000 across two sales, one held in London.
Charles Graham-Campbell, director of Bonhams in Edinburgh, said: “This was Field-Marshal Haig’s watch, which he was given by Leopold Rothschild in 1915.
“Haig was a general at this time, highly regarded by the establishment. He carried this pocket watch in the trenches in the First World War. There was strong bidding.”
Other lots included items given to the young George when he was page of honour to King George VI at his coronation in 1937.
A set of cufflinks featuring the royal insignia presented to the page boy by King George, together with a handwritten letter from the monarch at Buckingham Palace, made £5,760, while Haig’s page boy’s sword fetched £1024.
Jewellery that belonged to the Countess included an elegant pair of 19th century diamond pendant earrings that was sold for £35,840.
Graham-Campbell added: “The collection of the late Earl and Countess Haig included numerous fascinating items and attracted international interest.”
George Alexander Eugene Douglas Haig, 2nd Earl Haig, succeeded to the earldom of Haig aged nine in 1928 following the death of his father, Douglas, Field Marshal the 1st Earl Haig.
During World War II, Haig was held as a prisoner of war at Colditz. He later became an artist. He died in 2009, aged 91. Gerolama, Countess Haig, died in April this year, aged 85.
Haig gold pocket watch sold for £3584 George, 2nd Earl Haig King George VI coronation cufflinks sold for £5760 ]George, 2nd Earl Haig George VI Coronation Page Boy’s sword sold for over £1000 Countess Haig 19th Century diamond pendant earrings sold for £35,840.jpg AN ELEGANT PAIR OF 19TH CENTURY DIAMOND PENDANT EARRINGS, WHICH FETCHED £35,840 AT AUCTION.
ScotRail introduce tariff for charging electric vehicles
An electric vehicle charging tariff is to be introduced at ScotRail car parks.
Customers with electric vehicles will have better access to charging points to support their journeys when ScotRail introduces charges from 8 January 2024.
An electric vehicle charging tariff will be applied to all charging points across the ScotRail parking network, bringing the train operator into line with other service providers in Scotland.
The provision of free charging at ScotRail stations helped promote the use of electric cars while reducing carbon emissions, but, providing it free of charge costs the train operator around £700,000 per year.
The charge of 43 pence per kilowatt hour is similar to most local authorities and is in the bottom third of tariffs on the ChargePlace Scotland Network.
It is expected that introducing the charges will discourage non-rail users from blocking the locations, something that has been a regular complaint from customers.
The charges are aimed solely at helping ScotRail to recover the cost to the taxpayer of operating the charging points, with no profit being made from the tariff.
There are currently 60 locations with charging points at ScotRail stations, with 80 points providing 168 individual connections.
The new East Linton station, which opened last week has spaces to charge 18 vehicles.
A fixed overstay payment of £12 per 12 hours will apply, and while this will help to discourage people blocking access to others, customers will also be entitled to a refund if a train delay has been the cause of the overstay.
ScotRail has made impressive strides towards decarbonisation, achieving a 12 per cent reduction in emissions (CO2e) since 2019/20.
The provision of electric vehicle charging points support these efforts and help towards achieving Scottish Government net-zero targets.
Full details of the locations and more information is available on the ScotRail website here.
David Lister, ScotRail Director of Safety, Engineering, and Sustainability said: “We are committed to providing our customers with the best possible journey experience, and improving the availability of electric vehicle charging points is one of the ways we can do that.
“One of the main complaints we receive is that the charging points at our car parks are currently being blocked by vehicles overstaying, and the tariff from 8 January 2024 will help to remove that issue.
“It is important that ScotRail delivers the best possible value to taxpayers and the charging tariff will ensure that we recover the cost of operating them, allowing funds to be spent on improving rail services.”
Rocker’s new tartans revealed
Legendary Scottish AC/DC frontman Bon Scott has been commemorated with two official new tartans.
The Bon Scott Heritage and Touring Tartans mark 50 years since the Highway to Hell singer and lyricist joined the band in 1974.
Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers in Edinburgh were commissioned by Scott’s family in Australia to produce the designs, which “commemorate the life of Ronald Belford ‘Bon’ Scott”.
Scott was born in Kirriemuir, in Angus, in 1946, but moved to Australia as a child. He performed on the rock icons’ first seven albums but died in 1980 aged just 33.
The “commemorative” tartans use colours reflecting Scott’s life including, in The Bon Scott Heritage, blue and white to reflect his Scots heritage and love of denim.
The designs have both now been lodged in the official Scottish Register of Tartans in Edinburgh, ahead of official launch events next year.
Registration notes for the Bon Scott Heritage tartan state it is “intended to be a representation of his Scottish ancestry, his early influences, and the historic homeland and culture of his family.
“After emigrating to Western Australia, Bon never lost the connection to his birthplace and was in fact nicknamed Bon Scott in primary school as a nod to his Scottish roots (‘Bonnie Scotland’).
“His strong bond to his birthplace (Kirriemuir) and wardrobe of choice (mostly denim) are intended to be reflected in this tartan pattern.”
The Bon Scott Touring tartan was designed “to reflect the life on the road, traveling the world and absorbing new influences, having new experiences and meeting new fans.”
Its notes add: “With tongue firmly planted in cheek, Bon’s personality would fill the room and have everyone in hysterics. This tartan design was inspired by that sense of whimsy.”
Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers said: “The design process has taken several months. One tartan is very much Scottish in its origins and the other is a bit more rock’n’roll.”
Scott was born in Scotland but moved to Australia with his family when he was six. He is now celebrated every year with an international “Bonfest” rock festival in the town.
In 2016 a lifesize bronze statue of Scott was unveiled by Mark Evans, the bass player who was part of the classic AC/DC lineup in the 1970s and a close friend of Bon’s.
Kirriemuir also honours the rock icon with a street, “Bon Scott Place”, named after him.
Bon Scott Heritage Bon Scott Touring
Dougray’s AI movie warning
Actor Dougray Scott has warned that artificial intelligence could make writers’ and actors’ roles obsolete and turn movies into “cartoons” if the industry isn’t careful.
Scott, 58, is one of Scotland’s best known film and TV stars after roles in blockbusters like Ever After and Mission: Impossible II and his International Emmy Award winning performance in Edinburgh-based drama series Irvine Welsh’s Crime.
The Fife-born actor, currently starring in the second season of BBC miniseries Vigil, said that AI could eventually produce scripts that were cheaper than human scriptwriters’ but would be “uncontroversial” and “middle of the road”.
And he warned that the development of computer generated imagery (CGI) could make it unnecessary to use real actors.
He told BBS Scotland’s The Edit: “I think we have to be very very careful. There’s a scenario where AI could quite easily write all the scripts for all the films that you’d see.
“They’d be acceptable, and they’d just vanilla-ise everything. It makes everything just bleugh.
“If you give an audience enough standardised, really uncontroversial, really middle of the road drama, then after a while that’s what they’ll come to expect.”
Scott added: “Therefore, it could in the future be acceptable for television networks to use AI in order to write scripts because it’s a lot cheaper, and then eventually we’ll turn to actors.
“They’ll be like ‘well, we have the images of him, him, her, her, her, we don’t really need them because the CGI capabilities is so great now that we can recreate him, her, on screen without actually using them’, and really it’s like a cartoon that actually looks like real people.
“That’s the future if we don’t really keep an eye on it.”
Workington Comets have confirmed the signing of local speedway favourite Craig Cook as captain for their step up to the Cab Direct Championship.
Cook (pictured) will head into his third stint with the Comets, having last ridden for the club in 2017, but will represent them for the first time at their new Northside home.
The rider was with Edinburgh Monarchs last season and previously with Glasgow Tigers and Workington promoter Andrew Bain said: “To say we are all delighted is an understatement. Craig is a class act and pure box-office on a speedway bike.
“With Craig coming back home, I am sure we are going to see the Cookie of old and if we do it should certainly put backsides on seats.”
He added: “We have made a fantastic start to team building and our vision for 2024, and it’s certainly not going to stop here.”
Thomson looking for silverware next season
Kye Thomson has signed for a fourth year in the Blue and Gold of Edinburgh Monarchs and is looking to build on an up and down year in 2023.
Thomson confirmed it was a no-brainer for the Aussie to return to Armadale for another year and added: “Edinburgh are straightforward and don’t mess you about so, when I was asked, it didn’t take long to get everything done.
“I had a good first two years with the Monarchs and then last year wasn’t as good. I had nights that were the best of my career like when I got the full maximum and other times like when I was ill that were scary, but, by the end of the season I felt I wasn’t far away from where I wanted to be.
“The way I look at it, no one has three perfect years in a row so it is time to kick on again. People were saying things like it was the worst year in 40 years
“But, if you look at it, we still were better than others. It is time for everyone to put 2023 behind them and we all start again on zero come the start of the season.”
Thomson revealed that he has been relaxing and catching up on things you miss during the season. I have my girlfriend over and she is loving it here so that is great as well.
“Once we get into the New Year the preparation will really start. I am riding almost every weekend and I’ll be doing all I can on my fitness so I will be ready to go for the start of the season.”
Thomson added: “We are going to start where I left off last year in regards equipment. I was comfortable on it at the end of the year and going well so we will start with that and take it from there.
“I am so thankful to all my sponsors but I don’t have the same level that some guys do so it does set you back if you try something and it doesn’t work.
“I bought a new engine last year and it was probably the worst engine I have ever had. I could not get it to work like I wanted and I don’t have the ability to just go buy another one. So I will start with what I am comfortable on then go from there.”
The rider added: “I am hungrier than ever for success. You see other teams lifting trophies and it just makes you want to give the fans something to cheer even more.
“Monarchs are more than a club, they are a family, so I hope everyone has a great Christmas and here’s to a big year in 2024.”
Five things you need to know today
Join a Choir
Join a choir taster session at Edinburgh Plyahouseon 19 December for a free sing along and a mince pie. The songs will include festive classics such as White Christmas. Participants must be over 18.
No experience is necessary and more Sing in the Playhouse sessions will be running from 9 January and every Tuesday at 2pm until 2 April.
A new exhibition, Journey, will open at Edinburgh Printmakers on 16 December and run until 17 March 2024 showing the work of 78 artists using a variety of print mediums.
This is the third annual members’ show at Castle Mills in Fountainbridge, and the theme of Journey has been interpreted by artists in many different ways including landscapes, excerpts of travels, and a morning commute.
There are life milestones and personal experiences used as the basis for artworks and the printmaking itself using new processes and materials.
Please do subscribe to our monthly newspaper if you can – we deliver by mail in compostable envelopes, and the subscription helps us to keep on bringing you the news for free. So far this year we have produced twelve issues and are already working on the January 2024 edition – if you have some stories then do get in touch.
EDINBURGH’S HOGMANAY ANNOUNCES FULL FIRST FOOTIN’ LINE-UP WITH MORE THAN 30 ARTISTS SET TO TAKE TO VENUES ACROSS THE CITY ON NEW YEAR’S DAY
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has revealed the full line-up for First Footin’, a free programme of live music gigs throughout the capital on New Year’s Day with over 30 artists taking to 15 venues across the city throughout the Old and New Town. The cultural music trail features artists including Lau, Bemz, Hot Chip, Kathryn Joseph, Fergus McCreadie, Becky Sikasa, Cloth and many more.
First Footin’ invites audiences to explore Edinburgh, discovering an eclectic range of music from rap to classical, electronic to jazz, indie to folk and a foot stomping ceilidh band, embracing Hogmanay traditions and welcoming in the New Year with free gigs in St. Giles’ Cathedral, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Hall and Eve at Virgin Hotel, Assembly Rooms, Cold Town House, Fruitmarket Gallery and more.
With performances taking place from 2pm on 1 January, locals can check out some of Scotland’s most beloved artists as well as some of the biggest rising stars from across the country.
Live music taking place in Edinburgh’s historic Old Town includes:
Black Bull:Tom Oakes & Friends,
Cold Town House:Alas De Liona, Cammy Barnes, Fiza, Man of Moon,
Fruitmarket Warehouse:Sean Shibe & Mira Benjamin,
Greyfriars Kirk:Fergus McCreadie Trio, Juliette Lemoine & Chris Amer,
St Giles Cathedral:Lau and special guest Kathryn Joseph,
Greyfriars Hall atVirgin Hotel :DJ Rawzi, Hayley Zalassi, Hot Chip,
Eve at Virgin Hotel: Her Picture, Viv Latifa, Keir Gibson, Grace & the Flat Boys.
Whilst in the New Town, performances will take place at:
Assembly Rooms – Music Hall:Scottish Album of the Year Award Showcase:No Windows, Becky Sikasa, Bemz, Cloth,
Assembly Rooms – Ballroom: The Hannah Fisher Ceilidh Band,
Auld Hundred: Cera Impala & Guests,
Boozy Cow:Cyrano & Guests,
Copper Blossom:Picture the Scene,
Element:William Douglas & Friends,
The Huxley:Nicole Cassandra Smit, Philip Joseph Rae, Anna Leyden,
Scottish Café:Hydroponics,
Spiegeltent at St Andrew Square: Silent Film with a live Score with Graeme Stephen Trio
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, created and produced by UniqueAssembly on behalf of The City of Edinburgh Council, has collaborated with award-winning musician and composer Aidan O’Rourke of Lau to curate the First Footin’ programme, which is funded by the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund and supported by Essential Edinburgh and Cold Town Beer.
A full First Footin’ timetable and event map allowing audiences to plan their New Year’s Day experience is available from www.edinburghshogmanay.com
The Scottish Beacon won a prestigious award at The British Journalism Awards, hosted by the Press Gazette on Thursday night when Beacon founder Rhiannon J Davies collected the Georgina Henry Award.
The award was set up to honour the founding member of Women in Journalism UK and former deputy editor of the Guardian.
The Scottish Beacon news website is the first collaborative journalism outlet of its kind in the UK. The aim is to strengthen the independent community-based media sector and bring stories from Scotland’s communities to a wider audience. It launched in August of this year.
The Edinburgh Reporter is a founding member alongside 21 other publication partners – from Shetland in the north to Dumfries and Galloway in the south.
Speaking about the project, the judges said: “At a time when local news publishers are under real pressure, The Scottish Beacon gives underserved communities a much-needed voice. It is a truly collaborative project that brings community-based outlets together to hold the powerful to account and to help strengthen democracy. Having already achieved an impressive amount in the short time it’s been running, we can’t wait to see what it brings next.”
Another of the Scottish Beacon partners, Migrant Women Press, run by Juliana da Penha – was also shortlisted in the same category.
Rhiannon Davies, Founder of The Scottish Beacon and Greater Govanhill CIC said: “This recognition means a lot to me. I truly believe that the future of journalism is collaborative and that local journalism matters.
“Time and again, I hear stories from our partners about the value they bring to their communities and the vital need for the work that we do.
“Yet the current climate for local news is extremely tough. Ad spend gets hoovered up by big tech companies, people are unaccustomed to paying for news online, and funding for journalism is not yet established in the UK in the same way it is in the US.
“Local journalism is an essential part of democracy and yet it is currently under threat. Most independent publishers operate on shoestring budgets meaning their future is precarious.
“I hope that more people will help to keep public interest journalism alive by supporting their local publications.”
Phyllis Stephen, Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter, said: “It is always good to win awards, and even though The Scottish Beacon is at an early stage in its gestation it is good to know that other people recognise both that hyperlocal journalism matters and that a local journalism collaboration can really make a difference.”
The Georgina Henry Award is run by Women in Journalism UK and supported by law firm Wiggin LLP. It comes with a prize fund of £4000, and winners are given a place on the Women in Journalism committee, as well as given the honorary title of WiJ Fellow.
While The Scottish Beacon received funding from the Google News Initiative to develop and launch, it has not yet received any funding for editorial work. This prize money will be used to develop collaborative reporting projects, investigating stories at a national level and working with partners to cover the local angles – to break stories with bigger impact.
Chairs bound for Scotland’s oldest surviving classroom
Craftsman Brian Baird has completed a commission by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) to create a suite of Georgian style chairs for its historic Botanic Cottage, home to the oldest surviving classroom which dates back to the Scottish Enlightenment.
The chairs, which now pride of place in the Professor’s Room at the Cottage, were crafted by Brian during the past eight years while attending the joinery workshop run by Garvald, a charity which offers creative workshops to people with disabilities.
Brian has delivered the last of the eight Garvald Chairs to the Botanic Cottage and he said he drew inspiration during a visit to the Georgian House in Charlotte Square. He wanted a design that would be fitting for the 18th century Botanic Cottage and appropriate for the Professor’s Room, which was the classroom where Professor John Hope, RBGE’s remove first Regius Keeper of the Scottish Enlightenment, taught Botany to medical students, when the Garden was sited at Leith Walk.
Brian (50) explained: “The seats of the chairs are crafted from a fallen beech tree which was transported from the Pentlands back to the workshop at Gorgie. The chair frames and backs are made from beech sourced from a timber merchant.
“It has taken me about eight years to make the chairs, although lockdown and covid restrictions did cause some delay. I have really enjoyed making them and I am proud to think that they will be seen and used by visitors now and in future.’’
Laura Gallagher, Botanic Cottage Operation Co-ordinator, told Brian: “We have been very excited waiting for each chair to be delivered. They are beautifully made and will be used for many, many years to come. Who knows who may sit on them during a visit to the Professor’s Room.’’
Garvald’s Chief Executive Mike Casey, who is retiring just before Christmas after 25 years with the charity, said: “This has been a very exciting and worthwhile project and I am pleased to see it come to fruition before I leave. Brian is very skilled and has worked tirelessly on the chairs. It is a proud day for Brian and for all of us at Garvald.’’
The Botanic Cottage, which once stood at RBGE’s former site on Leith Walk, was in a derelict state when it was saved from demolition around 2007. It was dismantled stone-by-stone and rebuilt at the Inverleith Site. In May 2016, exactly 250 years after the first students were taught in the Botanic Cottage, it reopened. Commissioned as part of the sympathetic refurbishment of the Cottage in its new home, the early chairs have already been appreciated on countless occasions by community groups, television crews and even international political occasions and a royal visit.
Call for urgent reset on climate strategy in Scotland
A new paper published by the Royal Society of Edinburgh has called for an urgent reset and refocus of Scotland’s climate strategy.
The report recommends an “ambitious reset and refocus” of Scotland’s climate strategy and delivery, shifting focus onto a positive vision for urgent climate action.
It adds that The Scottish Government’s own delayed climate plan, when published, should serve as a “reality check” on any progress that has been made so far, and should contain transformative, detailed plans to mainstream the economic benefits of warmer homes, cleaner transport, modern industries, and clean energy production.
The path to net zero should be seen as a huge opportunity for growth in both social and economic terms – a “build it”, not “stop it”, agenda – according to the report.
The report was drafted following roundtable and working group discussions held both in 2022 and 2023, led by economist Andrew Wilson FRSE.
He said: “For me, it was a privilege to be closely involved with the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s roundtable and subsequent analysis of the transition to net zero, along with its potential economic benefits.
“Both the UK and Scottish Government now have an urgent opportunity to reset the policy and, we really hope, the ambition to deliver.
“Given trends in the global environment, delivering the substance of transition investment is now far more important than the symbolism of setting bold targets with no strategy or plan to meet them.
“Genuine and dedicated leadership is needed.”
The report also urges the Scottish Government to consider whether or not the 2030 interim target is a helpful milestone on the path to reaching net zero by 2045.
Scotland has an opportunity to set out a strategy for green industrial energy, the report says, which would prioritise investment in the various industries that will spring up as a result of the shift to net zero.
The report also calls for official recognition of the twin crises of the cost of living, and the financial shortfall in public sector budgets. It says that the Scottish Government should consider a cross-party approach, so Scotland can reduce its own reliance on fossil fuel markets and so that the costs and benefits of the transition to net zero are borne fairly.
As a result, the report calls for a “triple bottom line” of investor friendliness, consumer protection and protection for vulnerable groups. All policies should be developed with these three requirements well in mind – but not in competition – the report adds.
Gary Wilson retained the BetVictor Scottish Open title with a 9-5 win over Thai star Noppon Saengkham at Meadowbank and he is only the third player ever to retain his maiden ranking title. He did it in style.
The man nicknamed The Tyneside Terror has endured an indifferent season, but he came good again in Scotland’s capital.
Wilson, who beat Joe O’Connor from Leicester 9-2 to win the title 12 months ago, flew out of the blocks after staring down the barrel in his semi-final, requiring three snookers in the deciding frame with Zhou Yuelong to win 6-5 on a re-spotted black.
Saengkham, who was appearing in his first ranking event final, and who beat Scotland’s top hope, John Higgings, in the final four, saw Wilson open with breaks of 90, 62 and 66 to take the first three frames.
His rival made it 3-1 before a break but Wilson recorded runs of 79, 105 and 78 to lead 6-1 in the best of 17 clash but Saengkham, rated No 26 in the world, pulled one back on the black to trail 6-2 before the evening session.
Wilson, however, needed three frames to close out the game and the Wallsend-based cueman, ranked No 20 in the world, kept his cool to complete the job and take the Stephen Hendry Trophy and pocket £80,000.
PICTURE: Gary Wilson celebrates after his win on Sunday in the 2023 Scottish Open
Devils tamed by fired-up Flyers
Fife Flyers head for Belfast Giants on Friday with confidence boosted after snapping a six-game losing streak in the Elite League with a victory over high-flyers Cardiff Devils despite being outshot.
The Kirkcaldy club won 4-1 against a side second-top of the ten-strong table after claiming the first session 2-0. The sides drew the middle stanza and Fife edged the third 1-0 but they still remain bottom of the table with 16 points from 20 games.
Dundee Stars slipped to second bottom after the weekend and they have 17 points from 19 starts but a disappointing low attendance of 925 fans inside The Fife Ice Arena saw their favourites claim an early lead, Max Humitz netting after 3min 32sec with Collin Shirley setting up the chance.
It was 2-0 in the 15th minute when Casey Gilling netted after being set up by Vitalijs Pavlovs.
Devils, who are second top of the division, replied through Ben Davies after 33 minutes but Shirley turned from being a creator into scorer for Fife’s third one minute from the second break, Teemu Pulkkinen assisting.
And it became 4-1 after 45 minutes when Kyle Osterberg netted short-handed while Fife had Stephen Desrocher in the sin bin for holding.
LIBRARY PICTURE: Fife v Dundee in the Elite League. Picture Jillian McFarlane
Ryanair urges passengers to book now for the best fares to the slopes
Ryanair has announced a sale on flights to the slopes with the lowest fares available to many European ski destinations this winter.
With fares starting from £29.99, this is the time to book and then take in those snowy mountain views before enjoying some much-deserved après ski.
Whether you’re looking for an adventurous winter break on the slopes or a relaxing escape to a cosy log cabin in the mountains, Ryanair has you covered with the widest choice of dreamy winter destinations available. Fly to classic ski resorts in Grenoble, Basel and Turin or discover hidden gems in Tallin, Sofia and Bucharest. The ski flights are available from 11 UK airports including Edinburgh.
These fares are available for travel between 01 January- 31 March 2024, so you can swap the duvet days for adventures in the snow. Book by midnight on 22 December to avoid missing out.
Ryanair’s Head of Communications, Jade Kirwan, said: “Ryanair is delighted to announce its Ski Spectacular sale with the lowest fares available to Europe’s best ski destinations. With fares starting from as little as £29.99 and flights from 11 UK airports there has never been a better time to book a thrilling action-packed holiday to the slopes. Book by midnight 22 December to avoid disappointment.”
Roadworks in Edinburgh this week
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
Fife Flyers skidded to a 7-4 defeat to Elite League pace-setters Sheffield Steelers and remain at the bottom of the ten-strong table.
The Kirkcaldy club held the Yorkshire side 2-2 after the first session in The House of Steel but lost the second 2-1 and the third 3-1.
Lucas Chiodo gave Fife a chance of salvaging something from the game with a goal with less than eight minutes left to bring the scoreline to 5-4.
But Steelers scored twice through Brandon Whistle and Mark Simpson to end a contest in which the Scots were outshot 47-20.
It was a poor night for Scottish clubs as Glasgow Clan lost 5-4 after overtime to Coventry Blaze at Braehead and Dundee Stars were edged 5-4 at second-top Cardiff Devils.
Sunday’s action sees Stars hosting Sheffield (17.00), Fife at home to Cardiff (17.15) and Clan visit Blaze (17.30).
PICTURE: Vitalijs Pavlovs (blue) in for a puck in a recent game against Sheffield. Picture by Jillian McFarlane
Higgins edged out by Thai star in Scottish Open
Thai star Noppon Saengkham stands between Englishman Gary Wilson and the successful defence of the BetVictor Scottish Open snooker title.
The 31-year-old from Samut Prakan ended John Higgins’ bid to claim the title for the first time with a 6-3 victory in their semi-final at Meadowbank.
And progression to the final represents the best result in the career of the man nicknamed Moo.
Higgins (pictured) started well, winning the first frame 84-4 but his rival posted a break of 63 to takes the next 131-0 and level at 1-1.
The man nicknamed the Wishaw Wizard claimed a break of 130 to win the third 131-0 and edge ahead 2-1 and he took the fourth with a break of 92 to lead 3-1 then the rot set in.
Higgins accumulated a break of 53 in the fifth but lost the frame 67-54 and the Thai player claimed the sixth with a 133 clearance to level at 3-3.
And Saengkham, ranked No 26 in the world, closed out the game with wins in the next three frames, 77-46, 121-0 thanks to a break of 120, and 83-35 with a break of 83.
So, Higgins, ranked No 12, and twice runner-up in the Scottish, will have to wait another year to to claim his home title while Wilson, ranked No 20, faces a man on a roll in the final which starts at 19.00.
Wilson digs deep to make Scottish Open Final
Defending Scottish Open champion Gary Wilson had his back firmly to the wall in the 11th and final frame with the scoreline deadlocked at 5-5 and required three snookers to clinch a place in the BetVictor Scottish Open Final.
But the Wallsend-based player, nicknamed The Tyneside Terror kept his cool against Chinese cueman Zhou Yuelong and will now play either Scotland’s last hope, John Higgins, or Noppon Saengkham in Sunday’s final at Meadowbank.
The semi-final session started well for Wilson, winning the first frame 81-32, but he lost the second 106-0 when his opponent compiled an excellent break of 106.
Yuelong won the close third 59-55 but Wilson hit back to level at 2-2 with a break of 88 for a 95-18 scoreline, but his rival was not knocked out of his stride as he won the next 98-34 with a break of 56.
Yuelong secured the sixth 76-13 leaving the defending champion in a tight corner. Wilson responded with a seventh-frame win, claiming it 77-52, but this see-saw battle took another twist with Yuelong winning the eighth 82-9 with a break of 77 to come within one frame of victory.
A magnificent 122 break saw Wilson, ranked No 20 in the world, staring down the barrel, but he won the frame with Yuelong failing to score and then he claimed the tenth 72-33 to level at 5-5 thanks to another 50-plus break, this time 54.
Into the final frame and Yuelong, ranked one place below Wilson, looked set for victory with a 69 break, but Wilson, who has been unhappy with his form this week, dug deep and overhauled his opponent 79-72 with a gutsy response.
FLASHBACK: Gary Wilson celebrates winning the Scottish Open with his family
Maroon Wall triumphs to end 14-year wait
Fans criticised the management team and the style of play at Hearts’ annual meeting earlier this week, but the team responded in style with a magnificent 2-0 win at cinch Premiership pace-setters Celtic, snapping a losing streak against The Bhoys and claiming their first away win over the Parkhead side since 2009.
Goals by skipper Lawrence Shankland and a stunning free-kick from Stephen Kingsley (pictured by Nigel Duncan) proved the difference between the sides, but the victory was secured by resolute defending with Alex Cochrane and Frankie Kent plus Kye Rowles and Nathaniel Atkinson providing outstanding contributions.
Celtic were restricted to long range shots during the 90 minutes and, admittedly, it was backs-to-the wall for Hearts during long spells of the game, with Shankland reduced to living off scraps.
Indeed, the captain dropped back to help shore up the defence as the home side worked hard to open their account.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers rang the changes, including three at half-time, to claw the deficit back, and one of the men introduced, James Forrest, made a difference, driving down the left hand side of the pitch and really testing Atkinson.
The result could have been different had Kyogo Furuhashi latched onto a diagonal ball to the far post from Luis Palma in the opening minutes of the second-half, but the normally clinical striker failed to connect and the chance slipped away.
And substitute Daizen Maeda was only inches away from connecting with a Matt O’Riley cross from the right in injury time.
Earlier, six minutes before half-time, Kingsley bravely blocked a Palma shot on the goal-line which prevented a certain goal and it seemed that he was injured doing so. He did not appear for the second-half.
Celtic fans voiced their disapproval at the break and many made a sharp exit well before the final whistle as their favourites failed to break through the doggedly determined Maroon Wall.
Earlier, the stadium was stunned when Shankland headed home after 15 minutes. He peeled away from the Celtic defenders and found space at the back post. The Scottish international picked his spot from a corner taken by Jorge Grant on the left of the pitch.
That goal arrived after 15 minutes and Kingsley’s came 15 minutes later. Celtic argued about a free-kick award after a foul on Atkinson around 30 yards from goal and Kingsley sent the ball over the wall and into Joe Hart’s bottom left corner. The former England goalkeeper dived full-length but could not get a hand to the shot.
So, the fallout means that Hearts move back into third place with 26 points from 17 games. Celtic remain top with 42 points from 18 fixtures after back-to-back league defeats, but Rangers now have two games in hand and are on 37 points from 16 starts.
St Mirren are fourth also on 26 points but they have played a game more than the Tynecastle team with Kilmarnock fifth with 24 points from 18 fixtures and Hibs also on 24 points in sixth position having played 18 games following their 1-0 defeat at St Johnstone who move into eighth position in the table.
Steven Naismith, Hearts’ head coach, told BBC Sport Scotland: “It’s a big win. We needed a structure to work from and we needed to be disciplined. We got the result we deserved.”
Rodgers apologised to fans and added: “The performance was nowhere near the level of what is expected of a Celtic player and a Celtic team.”
Higgins edges closer to first Scottish Open win
John Higgins kept his cool to edge Tom Ford 5-3 and overcome another hurdle as he bids to win the Scottish Open for the first time.
The Wishaw Wizard (pictured) logged breaks of 132, 61 and 64 to take the first three frames of his quarter-final against Ford but then lost the next three to breaks of 58, 56 and 99 for the match in the BetVictor-backed event to be level at 3-3.
But Higgins, the world No 12, who has been struggling to find his best form this week, used all his experience to win the seventh frame 66-25 and close out the match against a man ranked No 18, with a break of 71 in the eighth for an 85-0 scoreline.
The 48-year-old, who has won 31 ranking titles, now plays Noppon Saengkham, rated no 26, in the semi-final at Meadowbank at 19.00 on Saturday. It is the fourth time that the Scot has reached the final four of the Scottish Open and he has been runner-up in 2016 and 2021 to Marco Fu and current world champion, Luca Brecel.
Higgins told WST TV: “It was a big win for me. I’ve lost a few times to Tom and he is such an improved player. Tom put me under pressure to go 3-3. He missed a couple in the seventh. He could have got on top but, luckily, I managed to get the frame and finish off the match.”
Holder Gary Wilson is on the table at 13.00 against Zhou Yuelong and he shutout Chris Wakelin 5-0 in his quarter-final rattling in five 50-plus breaks.
The man ranked No 20 in the world opened with a break of 68 for and 86-30 success, then rattled in a 96 for a 97-31 frame win. The next saw the Tyneside cueman compile a break of 118 for a 118-0 score then he followed up with a 68 break in the fourth for a 68-17 win.
A break of 82 closed out the match in the fifth frame against a man ranked only two places below him with a scoreline of 82-47.
Noppen Saengkham, ranked No 26, recorded two breaks of 100 and another of 94 in his 5-2 quarter-final win over Leeds-based Sanderson Lam ranked No 69 and Zhou Yuelong, rated No 21, logged a break of 100 in the opening frame and a 97 in the fifth to see off Basildon-based Bingham 5-4. The Englishman, however, who is ranked No 25, compiled an excellent break of 142 in the sixth frame.
Quarter-final scores: Zhou Yuelong 5, Stuart Bingham 4; Gary Wilson 5, Chris Wakelin 0; Sanderson Lam 3, Noppon Saengkham 5; John Higgins 5, Tom Ford 3.
Matches Saturday: semi-final: Gary Wilson v Zhou Yuelong (13.00); Noppon Saengkham v John Higgins (19.00).
Remembering Sir Bernard Crick
It’s now 15 years since the death of the renowned academic and author Professor Sir Bernard Crick, who had a long association with the Scottish capital.
Born in 1929, he died on 19 December 2008, with a memorable funeral held on 6 January 2009.
Crick’s classic book In Defence of Politics (originally 1962, republished multiple times since) and his major biography of George Orwell are his two best known contributions but he had a much wider involvement in politics. This stemmed from a belief that academics had a duty to improve the quality of public debate and be actively involved; not just commenting from the side-lines. They could, Crick believed, add nuance, veracity and perspective to media discussion. Crick was a great advocate of political writing for the general public, not just the narrower confines of academia. In 1993, he launched the Orwell Prize to help promote good writing on political themes, informed by academic insights but not suffocated by the ‘internalised dialogues of the ivory tower’.
In Defence of Politics provides an idea of politics that goes well beyond promoting a particular political ideology or seeking social change. Crick’s view is based on the idea that political activity is, following Aristotle, part of what it is to be human. Underlying this was his understanding of political activity as ‘the creative conciliation of differing interests’. Crick believed that a society without politics would be either unstable or totalitarian. Following Hannah Arendt, Crick saw violence as the breakdown of political power, not it’s extension. Crick was himself directly involved in conflict resolution work in Apartheid South Africa and Northern Ireland in the 1990s. He believed that the key prerequisite for successful peace negotiations was when both sides realised that ‘total victory’ for their point of view was impossible.
Bernard Crick in 2006, Photo courtesy of Leslie Hills
Crick spent his last decades in Edinburgh, living in a book-lined basement flat in Bellevue Terrace. This gave him an interesting position from which to observe the active constitutional debates in Scotland during the 1980s and 1990s. It revealed to him how anglo-centric much of British political debate can be. As he put in a 1991 essay on ‘The English and the British’, ‘the ignorant and irresponsible under-reporting of Scotland in the London media’ illustrated the sense that ‘to be British is simply to be English’. Such had attitudes had, in Crick’s view, fuelled the desire to reform the Union or break it up. Crick constantly emphasised that the UK was a ‘multi-national state’.
ACADEMIC
After postgraduate studies in America (including at Harvard), Crick held academic positions at the London School of Economics, Sheffield University and Birkbeck College, London. Rather than sinking into retirement, Crick was a prominent figure on the Scottish political scene, as a regular contributor to the Scotsman, Herald and multiple other Scottish publications. He held honorary professorships at both Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities Crick was also closely involved in debates over devolution and The Scottish Parliament.
One of Crick’s most highly regarded late works was a pamphlet (co-written with David Millar) To Make the Scottish Parliament a Model for Democracy. They wanted to see the Scottish Parliament make a ‘bold’ break from the ‘Westminster mould’, through procedures and working practices which were ‘better suited to and arising from Scotland’s more democratic civic traditions’.
Those who knew Crick talk of his eccentric ways and his sometimes disputatious character, though also how arguments would soon be forgotten. Crick described himself as a moderate but he was a particularly ‘truculent’ one. I recall seeing him in public debate (at the Edinburgh Book Festival), where his disapproval of what other speakers were saying was clearly expressed through his facial expressions and gestures! It is easy to imagine him being very active and argumentative on Twitter – and his name trending with regularity, particularly on the themes of multiculturalism, sovereignty and university politics.
However, in his essays and journalism he took the arguments of those he disagreed with seriously — adhering to the principle of “know thy enemy”. Readers were well aware of where Crick stood, but he was surgical in his criticisms and rarely indulged in derisive bombast.
Crick was often critical of the institutions he was involved in (universities, the Labour Party, the media), but he believed that their weaknesses were not inherent. For instance, he was often critical of aspects of the British political system, but believed these could be addressed through thoroughgoing reform. Crick embodied a positive faith that, though powerful and serious, threats to politics could be disarmed and repelled. These threats included populism which deeply concerned him – this threat has become more evident in the years since his death. The thoroughgoing critique of populism, central to much of Crick’s political writing, has given his work a sharp relevance in the era of Brexit, Trump, Modi, Orban, et al. Some of his themes have been echoed by Ben Ansell in this year’s BBC Reith Lectures.
In these Ansell has echoed Crick’s theme that politics is not about reaching absolute consensus on matters of public controversy, but ‘agreeable disagreement’ over ‘disagreeable disagreement’. At a fundamental level that, in politics, ‘no one gets what they want’; that compromise was an essential component of politics. Politics is about how to reconcile different ‘groups’ ‘interests’ and ‘traditions’ to living ‘within a territorial unit under a common rule’. As a result, politics tends to be messy and somewhat cumbersome. This insight stimulated Crick’s concerns about narrow, ideological thinking.
POPULISM
One of the ideologies that concerned Crick was populism which Crick considered a threat to democracy, not a version of it. Since Crick’s death, the populist threat has become noticeably stronger, particularly in the wake of the financial crisis. Populism has, in recent years, reaffirmed its status as a highly effective mode of political galvanisation. For Crick, populists offer the public ‘plausible simplicities’ but not genuine solutions; they are good at political campaigning but not at actually governing.
As he put it in Democracy: A Very Short Introduction, ‘the populist mode of democracy is a politics of arousal more than of reason, but also a politics of diversion from serious concerns that need settling in either a liberal democratic or a civic republican manner’.
His funeral on 6 January 2009 was memorable. The tone was set by a jazz band accompanying the hearse to Warriston Crematorium while snow fell. What followed was a moving service, with many senior figures from Scotland’s ‘media intelligentsia milieu’ among those in attendance. Speakers included David Blunkett, Leslie Hills and John Clifford. The folk performers Aly Bain (who worked with Crick on the campaign to save Glenogle Swimming Baths), Phil Cunningham, and Margaret Bennett provided the music.
The Gus Ferguson Jazz Band leads Crick’s funeral procession. Photo courtesy of Leslie Hills.
The article incorporates comments by some of those who knew him well and worked with him. These include prominent local resident and author Leslie Hills. She talked of Crick cycling along the ex-railway paths in ‘floppy linen hat and jacket’, including for cancer treatment appointments at the Western General. Crick lived with prostate cancer for many years.
Also featured are comments by Jean Seaton (the official historian of the BBC, who worked with Crick at the Political Quarterly), Professor Andrew Gamble (one of a number of leading figures in British political studies who has continued to promote Crick’s conception of politics), and Lord (David) Blunkett, to whom Crick was a mentor. As Blunkett has put it, ‘‘I didn’t just respect Bernard, I loved the old guy, including his various eccentricities’. Crick was Blunkett’s tutor at Sheffield University – where Crick helped form the politics department; still one of the leading ones in the UK. Through Blunkett, Crick spent a large portion of his final years involved in designing the Home Office’s citizenship programme. In 2002 he was knighted for services to citizenship in schools and to political studies.
His two most famous books were his major biography of George Orwell and his much cited In Defence of Politics. This classic work (originally published in 1962) was recently described by Labour Peer and academic Maurice Glasman as ‘the most enduring and significant essay on politics to come out of England in the past 100 years’.
Crick’s wider contribution includes his involvement in conflict resolution work in Northern Ireland, South Africa, and Palestine. These ‘trouble spots’ feature heavily in Crick’s journalism and essays. Indeed, for a time, he was working on a book on these ‘Three Insoluble Problems’. His view that, ultimately, politics offers the only way to resolve such conflicts, has ongoing relevance to Israel/ Palestine.
It was in the context of his role in Northern Ireland that the Rev. Ian Paisley dubbed him ‘the meddling Professor’. Crick wore this as a badge of honour believing that anyone with a true faith in politics must play an active role. His truculent moderation is just the sort of voice we need at this time of hyper-partisanship and often shallow political commentary. Crick would have chuntered about the state of political debate but he would not have despaired.
Crick’s many articles, essays (‘one of the great political essayists and reviewers of his generation’, according to Andrew Gamble) and books retain great relevance, while the model he offers remains an inspiring one to academics (such as Professor Matthew Flinders, Founding Director of the Sir Bernard Crick Centre).
Maurice Glasman contrasts Crick’s truculence with others in politics and academia with the way he treated students and younger academics. To these he was renowned to be encouraging and generous with his time, keen to spur on those with a serious interest in politics.
Warm memories of Crick are also still held by many in Edinburgh, 15 years on from his passing.
New members exhibition opens at Edinburgh Printmakers
The new exhibition, Journey, will open at Edinburgh Printmakers on 16 December and run until 17 March 2024 showing the work of 78 artists using a variety of print mediums.
This is the third annual members’ show at Castle Mills in Fountainbridge, and the theme of Journey has been interpreted by artists in many different ways including landscapes, excerpts of travels, and a morning commute.
There are life milestones and personal experiences used as the basis for artworks and the printmaking itself using new processes and materials.
‘Journey’celebrates the ‘Journey’ of Edinburgh Printmakers’ Workshop itself. Starting as a small collective of imaginative artists in 1967, it has flourished into a group of over 200 members from Edinburgh and across the world. Edinburgh Printmakers began as a small studio on Victoria Street, however soon outgrew the space, and has since inhabited buildings across Edinburgh. In 1975 the organisation moved to Market Street, in 1984 to Union Street, and since 2019, it has been based at Castle Mills in Fountainbridge.
The theme for the third annual members’ show at Castle Mills has been interpreted in many ways: including landscapes, excerpts of travels, and a morning commute. It also charts milestones of life and personal experiences, such as growing up or discovering one’s self-identity. In addition, the exhibition reflects ‘Journeys’ within printmaking itself through exploring new processes or materials. The work on display demonstrates a range of print mediums on paper, animation, and three-dimensional works.
Artists featured include Linda Kosciewicz whose personal ‘Journey’ to a more rural part of Scotland has inspired her to create a new series of works exploring wild nature.
Oliver Brookes is showing a series of new screenprints highlighting the work of charity ‘Bike for Refugees Scotland’ and Alistair Kinroy’s linocut takes the first ‘Journey’ of humankind out of Africa as his inspiration. Linda Furby’s Night Flight captures birds’ migratory ‘Journey’s whilst Alison Grant’s work Gold looks to oceanic ecosystems spotlighting the harmful impact of the fishing industry.
Head of Art at Edinburgh College of Art, Susan Mowatt was a guest selector for ‘Journey’ and said: “It was a pleasure to have been invited as a guest selector for this year’s members show, ‘Journey’. It’s delightful to see the variety of work being produced at Edinburgh Printmakers. There are many positives in enabling members to exhibit work alongside each other, and inclusive in that each artist is guaranteed that at least one of their submitted works will be selected.
The excellent facilities allow a breadth of technical processes to flourish and the exhibition theme ‘Journey’, was open enough to encourage a broad range of interpretations and responses. I was impressed by the range of scale and presentation methods, and enjoyed the more traditional etchings and linocuts of landscapes through to more experimental approaches, including 3D pieces and a wonderful series of works printed on pianola rolls. There is definitely something for all fans of printmaking in this show.”
Edinburgh Printmakers’ CEO Janet Archer said: “This year’s Members’ Exhibition is an opportunity for us to showcase a snapshot of the rich and varied work that takes place in Edinburgh Printmakers studio. Since moving to Castle Mills we have been home to one of Europe’s largest printmaking workshop spaces. Now with a membership of over 200 printmakers, the organisation has come a long way since its beginnings in 1967. The vision and ambition of our members has remained a constant since then and ‘Journey’ captures the latest expression of this from our vibrant printmaking community.”
All of the works in the exhibition have been created by Edinburgh Printmakers studio members, working in the open access print studio at Edinburgh Printmakers. For those interested in learning more about printmaking or trying it out for the first time, there is an opportunity to book onto one of Edinburgh Printmakers’ upcoming courses.
Ursula Pretsch Patterns ScreenprintSheila Chapman Bruntsfield Links, Autumn Stone Lithograph
And these are images contributed by Oliver Brookes highlighting the work of charity ‘Bike for Refugees Scotland’:
COSLA and Holyrood moving forward on fiscal framework for local government
COSLA and the Scottish Government have moved forward with discussions on the way local government is funded.
The debate arose from the Verity House Agreement between the two bodies agreeing to set out a new way of negotiating and agreeing funding for councils. The government says it intends to give more flexibility to local authorities.
Publishing the update together with COSLA, Deputy First Minister Shona Robison said: “We have made good progress on the new fiscal framework, which is an important plank of the Verity House Agreement and our commitment to better partnership working with local government.
“Already many of the principles we have agreed together are being put into practice, such as improved engagement ahead of the publication of the Scottish Budget and joint working to consider new local tax powers.
“We will continue to work closely with COSLA to progress the next phase of work and continue the positive discussions we’ve had with them on behalf of local councils across Scotland.”
COSLA Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: “I welcome this update on progress towards the new fiscal framework- getting this framework in place is a priority for Local Government.
“The new framework should, when complete, give councils greater flexibility over our budgets and enable us to deliver our shared priorities and meet local needs. It will also see much earlier budget engagement.
“The Verity House Agreement commits both spheres of Government to establish a new framework, and it is positive that we have made progress this year but there is more to do, which Ms Robison and I both acknowledge.”
No one likes being given a public telling-off. But that is exactly what happened when foreign secretary David Cameron decided to flex his “muscular unionism” by directly and openly rebuking the Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf for holding his own bilateral meetings with national leaders at the COP28 summit.
The main point of tension relates to a meeting with the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at which no UK diplomats were present. Only a month into his new job, Cameron has made a clear statement of intent by reminding the first minister openly of Scotland’s “proper” place in international relations. Such direct engagement with another national leader can only be carried out at the largesse of the British state.
Under the hierarchical nature of the devolution settlement, responsibility for international affairs remains the preserve of the UK’s central state authorities. Other areas of policy are then “devolved” to the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The problem is that there is a very blurred line between what is domestic and what is international politics in the contemporary world. The first minister emphasised that his meeting with the Turkish leader had focused on the climate crisis.
As environmental policy is a devolved matter, he therefore argued that private talks are a legitimate international dimension to the Scottish government’s work on climate issues. Yousaf’s attendance at COP28 in the first place is potentially evidence in support of such an argument.
The UK devolution framework stresses, in legal terms, a protectionist vision of the scope for sub-state governments such as Yousaf’s to conduct foreign relations. It says that while “reserved” to the UK government, sub-state international interactions are permissible, as long as these do not commit the UK state as a whole to obligations in the international arena.
The UK government’s concern is the potential damage arising from a multiplicity of “UK” voices contradicting one another, causing confusion amongst international partners, with the risk of undermining the UK position on the global stage.
Yousaf’s meeting with Erdoğan was not the first time he had been criticised by the UK government for contravening protocol. In September, he met with the Icelandic prime minister Katrin Jakobsdóttir without a UK diplomat in the room and was issued a warning by the then foreign secretary James Cleverly.
Scotland secretary Alister Jack has told the Scottish affairs committee in Westminster that there were four other unescorted meetings with foreign dignitaries at COP28. That suggests a more strategic approach than Yousaf admits.
‘Protodiplomacy’
Despite the threats from Westminster, the opportunity to grab a few pics at such a significant global forum (all of which can be posted on social media) is hard to pass up.
Such public interactions project an image of a Scottish leader who is on a level playing field with global figureheads. They combine to present a subtle communication to the wider world about the SNP government’s ambitions for statehood.
Yousaf’s tactics are therefore an example of “protodiplomacy” – a prototype for Scottish international diplomacy. He is signalling what a Scottish foreign policy would look like after independence.
These visuals plant the seed of an idea – of Scotland being competent in its own international affairs – into the mindset of the watching world, priming the audience for its acceptability.
Such strategies of protodiplomacy rarely produce the results expected by its proponents. Rather than producing the results these governments want, namely to secure significant international support for secessionist claims, they are much more likely to lead to international isolation, with consequent economic, social and political costs.
Yousaf calls Cameron’s reaction to his meeting ‘petty’.
Cameron’s threat to withhold UK diplomatic support for the Scottish government overseas if there are further breaches of protocol comes at a time when relations between the UK government and the SNP-led administration in Edinburgh are at a new low. There are major disagreements over the legality of Downing Street’s unprecedented veto of Holyrood’s contentious gender recognition bill and Scottish moves to repeal the UK Internal Market Act.
Like many others, Yousaf has vocally criticised the UK government’s controversial Rwanda bill, which he described as “the most disgraceful piece of legislation in modern UK political history”.
These tensions form the mood music to much of the daily business of intergovernmental cooperation that is a requirement of the proper functioning of a devolved state. If there is real fear at the UK government level that sub-state interactions with leaders like Erdoğan risk undermining national positions in the global arena, then solutions which are more meaningful than threats to withhold diplomatic support ought to be developed.
Embedding sub-state voices fully and more effectively in an internal conversation on what the UK’s international priorities should be is much more likely to contain that risk than public rebukes of the kind delivered by Cameron.
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