The competitive tennis year is coming to a successful end for Matt Rankin, 19, from Edinburgh, as he adapts to life at his American university.

Matt, the 2022 Scottish junior player of the year, signed off by reaching the final of the doubles event in a $15,000 Futures tournament at Lansing, Michigan.

He was partnered by Alafia Ayeni, an American alumni of the same Kentucky university where Matt is studying Business and Economics.

Matt said:  “This was my last Futures tournament of the year and I wanted to finish on a high. So, it was good to reach the final of the doubles. We had a tough draw and had to beat the top seeds in the quarter finals – two Australians one of whom is ranked in the top 500 and won the NCAA doubles championships a couple of years ago.

“I met Alafia a few times when I visited the University before starting but we had never played together before the tournament in Michigan. 

“I feel my tennis is developing well as there are always good players to train with. The facilities are great and plenty of courts are available all the time allowing me to train or hit anytime I want. The coaches are always there for you and willing to help whenever you ask. The standard is exceptionally strong in the US College system.

“We train as a squad every morning from 8-10am then do fitness after that for 1-1.5 hours. We then do a more individual session later in the day to work on specific things with the coaches. Training happens Monday to Saturday. We have our classes in the afternoons and study and complete assignments in the evenings so days are long and tough.

“Kentucky is a huge sports school with an excellent tennis programme and fantastic coaches.

“I was very fortunate to have a number of options and it was an extremely tough decision choosing a school but Kentucky had everything I was looking for.”

One of several Scots in the USA college system – these include Jake Fearnley (Texas Christian University), Connor Thomson (South Carolina) and Euan Mackenzie (Delaware) while Vincent Gillespie is coaching at Wake Forest Uni in North Carolina – Matt  has found time to indulge in some local sporting culture.

“I’ve managed to get to quite a few American Football games at Kentucky (UK) with attendances of over 70,000. I’ve also managed to get to men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, softball and an ice hockey match.”

Matt will be back in Edinburgh for Christmas before returning for the start of the US College tennis campaign in January.

Edinburgh artist Damian Callan has a short exhibition of unusual paintings which runs until Tuesday at Dundas Street Gallery.

As well as being able to see the exhibition in person, you can also see what he has painted (and on what things…. including an OS map of eastern England) online. All works are available to buy from the artist.

• Damian Callan – Exhibition: Painting On Things
• Dundas Street Gallery, 6 Dundas Street, EH3 6HZ
• until 28th November 10 – 6pm

damian.callan@gmail.com

The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra brings a new programme of jazz master Duke Ellington’s music, In an Ellington Mood to the Queen’s Hall on Sunday 10 December.

The music of Ellington and his co-writer, Billy Strayhorn has become one of the SNJO’s specialisms and has earned the ensemble recognition internationally for faithful interpretations such as its enthusiastically received in-concert recording from 2012, In the Spirit of Duke.

In a break from the orchestra’s previous Ellington concerts, this latest celebration of Ellington’s genius will see the orchestra joined for part of each concert by the exceptional young vocalist Lucy-Anne Daniels.

Still in her early twenties, Leeds-born Daniels has already appeared at prestigious jazz venues including Ronnie Scott’s in London and Dizzy’s Jazz Club in New York and her background in gospel music is a particularly apt asset for singing Ellington’s songs.

“Duke Ellington has been a key figure in jazz for almost a hundred years,” says SNJO musical director, saxophonist Tommy Smith. “His music has been an inspiration across numerous eras, from providing the rhythm for dancers in the 1920s and popularising jazz during the swing era to playing with the then younger generation including Charles Mingus and John Coltrane in the 1960s and beyond. He continues to challenge and reward the young musicians who are emerging today.”

To deliver the authentic Ellington experience for its audience, the SNJO will again apply meticulous attention to period detail. This includes recreating the Ellington Orchestra stage set-up, showing the same sartorial elegance, using specially sourced period brass mutes and playing musical scores specially transcribed from Ellington concerts.

“We want to involve people in as close as possible to a genuine Ellington performance,” says Smith. “There are obvious differences in personnel, of course, but the intention is to make the music come alive similar to the way it blossomed whenever the Duke Ellington Orchestra rolled into town.”

https://www.thequeenshall.net/book/193401

Netball Scotland has announced the appointment of former EIFF boss Ken Hay as Interim Chief Executive Officer, on Monday for a one year term.

Ken Hay is described by his new employer as an “experienced leader with a rich and varied career leading people, organisations and sectors through challenge and change”. His expertise is considered pertinent as Netball Scotland aims to “forge a strong path forward in a rapidly evolving sports environment”.

Lucy Faulkner, Chair of Netball Scotland said: “Ken brings exactly the kind of strategic vision and operational excellence that Netball Scotland requires at this pivotal moment.

“His leadership is set to propel us towards achieving our ambitious objectives and enhancing our impact both on and off the court.”

Ken Hay said: “I am honoured to take on the role of Interim CEO at Netball Scotland. I am passionate about sport and the transformative impact it has for individuals and communities across the country. It’s a time of great potential for netball as a sport and this organisation, and I look forward to applying my experience in strategic development and change management in driving forward our mission.”

Netball Scotland believe that Ken brings with him a wealth of experience, “demonstrating his ability to drive strategic development, business growth, and operational excellence”. Mr Hay’s previous roles include leading the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Filmhouse Cinemas until the pandemic, Accountable Officer of Scottish Screen managing the transition to the establishment of Creative Scotland in 2010, and chairing sector bodies, Festivals Edinburgh and Culture Counts.

He is said to have a strong commitment to the principles of “diversity, equity, and inclusion (EDI), fair work, and environmental sustainability”, values which resonate with the ethos of Netball Scotland.

Lucy Faulkner said: “Ken’s entrepreneurial approach and proven track record in leadership are what Netball Scotland needs to navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead. We are thrilled to have him on board.”

Netball Scotland is enthusiastic about the direction Ken will provide as the organisation continues to champion the growth of netball and its community throughout Scotland and convert its strategy ‘D27: Closing the Gap’ into reality.”

This week at the council

On Tuesday at 10am the council’s “audit” committee meets. It is called the Governance, Risk and Best Value Committee and it exists to oversee what the council is doing. The convener is an opposition politician.

The papers are here with details of how to join the webcast.

There is little else happening except the usual planning meetings and then a meeting of the Edinburgh and South East City Region Deal Joint Committee. All of the surrounding local authorities are involved in this funding deal involving both the UK and the Scottish Governments including the building of the new concert hall between St James Quarter and St Andrew Square. This is now underway with calls upon the local authority in Edinburgh to pay more than the first agreed £5 million due to spiralling building costs.

Infrasisters

On Friday night the Infrasisters will ride the city streets…calling for better cycling infrastructure for cyclists – and women cyclists in particular.

Read more here about why you might join them.

Fitness Open Day

There is an open day at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre on Saturday 2 December when you can try before you buy.

More details here.

Billboards

A heads up that from 11 – 17 December 2023 artworks by Scottish Barbadian artist Alberta Whittle are to be exhibited across Edinburgh on a series of large scale billboards and advertising spaces as part of BUILDHOLLYWOOD’s UK-wide ‘All About Love’ commission curated by Zarina Rossheart. The public art project celebrates the legacy of All About Love, the seminal text by cultural critic, feminist theorist and author bell hooks. The exhibition with Alberta Whittle is staged in collaboration with the National Galleries of Scotland.

Against the backdrop of political and social turbulence, Alberta invites us to come together to confront difficult truths from both the past and our present times, in order to find collective healing. Often drawing on profoundly personal materials, poetic imagery, and intimate stories, Alberta’s message is ultimately one of hope; hope for a different future, and a call for us to ‘invest in love’.

The works in this outdoor exhibition, taking place at 12 locations in Edinburgh include Market Street, Newhaven, Haymarket and Leith. They are drawn from original watercolours featured in Alberta Whittle’s largest solo exhibition to date at the National Galleries of Scotland. Free to visit, Alberta Whittle: create dangerously is open at Modern One until 7th January 2024.

December issue

It is already the last week of November and we are working hard on producing the December edition of our newspaper.

If you have any last minute stories for us then wing them to us immediately. And if you would like to make sure of your own copy of the paper then please sign up.

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 these ten issues.

Sign up here.

Property experts bring 16 years of experience to their top legal team.

A city law firm has appointed a new Legal Director to support its surge in growth across its legal services.

Gibson Kerr has appointed Jamie Robertson to join the firm’s property department strengthening the company’s residential conveyancing team in Edinburgh.

Jamie makes the move from the firm Blackadders LLP, where he worked his way from Senior Solicitor to Legal Director in just three and a half years.

The Aberdonian studied law at Robert Gordon University attaining a number of academic awards during his time there and is still involved with the university, tutoring the next wave of budding lawyers.

Qualifying in 2014, Jamie brings with him extensive knowledge of the property sector, with more than a decade of experience in the industry and is particularly skilled in all aspects of residential conveyancing.

Jamie said: “There was a real synergy to what I was looking for and what Gibson Kerr are striving towards. They have a clear plan and strategy which is coupled with a real hunger to succeed. It made for a really attractive prospect for me.”

“Gibson Kerr have recently recruited a host of talented new staff and the firm has ambitions for expansion. To be at a firm that has such an appetite makes complete sense to me and I am happy to bring my experience to the table to help Gibson Kerr flourish.”

Jamie’s enthusiasm for the industry doesn’t stop at 5pm. He has even set up his own TikTok account, ‘propertylawyerjamie’, to discuss notable updates and trends, as well as cutting through the legalese behind  property work.

Jamie’s appointment follows news of Gibson Kerr adding five new members of staff to its personal law and family law departments as the firm eyes up expansion opportunities.

Scott Rasmusen, Managing Partner and Head of Propertyat Gibson Kerr said: “Jamie has the perfect blend of experience, knowledge and management skills that we’re looking for and we are sure he will add an abundance of value to our growing team.

“By adding fresh talent to our Edinburgh and Glasgow bases, we’re building strong foundations for continued growth. These are certainly exciting times for Gibson Kerr and we expect our clients to benefit from the skills and professionalism of our talented team.”

Gibson Kerr dates back more than 100 years and was acquired by Partners Scott and Fiona Rasmusen in 2005. Fiona is Head of Family Law, Partner Lindsay Maclean, who joined the firm in 2007, is Head of Personal Law, and the Property team is headed by Scott Rasmusen.

https://www.gibsonkerr.co.uk/

Elite League: Cardiff Devils 6, Fife Flyers 0

Fife Flyers’ winning run skidded to a halt when they were shutout at Cardiff Devils. The Kirkcaldy club kept the game tight for the first two periods, losing both 1-0, but the flood gates opened in the third.

And the Scots were outshot 49-20 on the night.

It took Devils 7min 19sec to open their account when Cole Ully netted but it was not until the 33rd minute that the home side went 2-0 up, Cole Sanford scoring.

The scoreline stayed the same until the second break but Devils added to their total 46 seconds into the final session, Ully scoring his second.

Joey Martin added No 4 less than three minutes later and Ully completed his treble for 5-0 with less than seven minutes remaining.

And the home side, cheered on by over 3,000 fans in the Vindico Arena, added the sixth from Joshua Waller with under three minutes left.

PICTURE: Jillian McFarlane captured this moment as Fife entertained Manchester on Saturday. Picture courtesy of the Elite League

The new production at the Lyceum adds a Scottish twist to the classic fairytale

There’s no better antidote to a dark and gloomy winter’s night than huddling together in the warm glow of live theatre. This year the Lyceum has a brilliant new production of the Snow Queen to offer cheer in the Edinburgh chill; a proper old good-versus-evil fairytale, brought to the stage with sparkle and style.

The enduring classic from Hans Christian Andersen follows Gerda on a perilous journey north to save her best pal Kei from the evil clutches of the Snow Queen – who may be wicked but rocks her costumes with dazzling icy glamour. Gerda soon learns she doesn’t just have to save Kei, but foil the Snow Queen’s dastardly plan and save the whole of humanity from the grips of an eternal winter. Not exactly a simple job, but Gerda is a resilient sort, fiercely loyal to her friend, and takes to the quest with determination and gusto. We are rooting for her as she flies, sails, skis and rides her way across magical lands, meeting all sorts of curious characters who help or hinder her along the way.

The Snow Queen has inspired countless retellings, most famously Disney’s Frozen, but it seems very much at home in the Scottish setting of this new adaptation from writer Morna Young. The landscapes, both menacing and full of wonder, are easy to re-imagine as the Scottish Highlands. The people are spirited and hardy as they struggle against adversity and some terrible weather. It’s re-told in Scots language too, exploring different dialects which adds an interesting dimension to the story.

There is a lot of talent on display in this production. The set itself is a joy to the eyes, beautifully wrapping the theatre auditorium around the stage to transform it seamlessly into the Snow Queen’s Palace, and all the magical lands in-between.

The musical score steps in perfectly to add zing to the drama. There’s everything in there, from the big singalong numbers to a big-licks, rock guitar sword fight and a heart-wrenching cello solo from imprisoned Kei (with Sebastian Lim-Seet frighteningly convincing as the tortured captive). There are some powerful scenes where music, movement and lights come together perfectly. It may be a classic tale but the creative team have added a generous dash of rock and roll spirit to this production – even Corbie the crow has a whiff of German industrial metal in his manner. From acting to costumes, music and staging, it’s a strong collective effort but you can sense the influence of Director Cora Bisset at the helm, star of the huge Fringe hit “What Girls Are Made of”.

On the critical side, the story does take a little while to get going as the stage is set. There are some moments in the first half when it feels a little tinny, lacking in the big show ‘oomph’ that it promises to deliver – like listening to an epic song with the speakers unplugged. The various Scots accents and dialects can be a bit grating at times and some of the jokes are just a little too cheesy to land – but then that’s all part of the DNA of a Christmas family show.

The production really hits its stride and takes off into the stratosphere after the interval. Be prepared for lots of magical surprises, great music and a cheeky double-entendre packed performance from Hamish the Unicorn, bringing it all back into the fun zone.

All in all this is great theatre and a splendid new production of a family favourite. Even the most cynical of Christmas critics will be unable to leave the show without cracking a smile or two. Do yourself a favour, get out of the cold for a few hours and wrap yourself in the warm embrace of this magical story.

Catch the Snow Queen at the Lyceum Theatre until 31 December. Book tickets at https://lyceum.org.uk/events/the-snow-queen-23-24

Christmas shopping is in full swing in Edinburgh as you can see from these photos showing people out picking presents for their loved ones ahead of Christmas.

This Black Friday weekend shoppers were taking advantage of any bargains to be snapped up to make the last wages before Christmas go a little further.

Winter is coming. More specifically, the winter solstice is coming.

The word ‘solstice’ derives from the Latin portmanteau Sol (Sun) and sistere (to stand still) as the Sun appears to pause at its lowest point in the winter sky (in the northern hemisphere). The solstice occurs on 22 December at 3:27 am and represents the first day of astronomical winter. In Edinburgh and Lothian the Sun will rise to an altitude of 10.7° at solar noon (12:11 pm local time) on the day itself and you will cast your longest shadow of the year at that time. The shortest day of the year lasts 06:58 (h:m) at our location. More importantly, the evening of 22 December lasts 17:02 (h:m) from sunset through sunrise with 12:16 (h:m) of astronomical dark time (when the Sun is more than 18° below the horizon). Things are topsy-turvy in the southern hemisphere, of course: at their solstice, the Sun will be directly overhead the Tropic of Capricorn at −23.44° latitude and represent the first day of summer.

The Sun starts the month in Ophiuchus and enters Sagittarius on 18 December at 10:44 am. The keen-eyed reader will note that the Sun isn’t in Capricornus at the solstice but Sagittarius. This is because the astronomical co-ordinate system is not fixed in space but moves at a rate of approximately 1° every 71.6 years so the constellations appear to shift position (albeit very slowly). In fact, the Sun will not return to Capricornus for the solstice for another 24,000 years!

Daylight shortens from 07:25 (7.424 hours) on 1 December to 07:03 (7.058 hours) on 31 December so we gain 22 minutes of night time by the end of the month … but that, also, is not the whole story: we actually gain 28 minutes of night time up to the solstice (when the days get shorter) and then lose 6 minutes afterwards (when the days get longer). But wait, there’s more … the earliest sunset of the year is on 14 December at 3:38 pm and the latest sunrise of the year is on 29 December at 8:44 am.

Lunar apogee (furthest from Earth) occurs on 4 December at 6:42 pm and takes the Moon to 404,306 km away from Earth—around 19,906 km further than average—subtending an angle of 29.5 arcminutes. The Moon enters last quarter on 5 December at 5:49 am in Leo. The new moon appears on 12 December at 11:32 pm in Ophiuchus beginning a new synodic (Lunar) month. Lunar perigee (closest to Earth) on 16 December at 6:45 pm finds the Moon some 367,930 km away from Earth— around 16,470 km closer than average—subtending an angle of 32.5 arcminutes. The first quarter of the new cycle shows up on 19 December at 6:39 pm in Pisces. Late in the month, the full Cold Moon makes an appearance on 27 December at 0:33 am in Gemini.

For the inferior planets, Mercury is a strange cove in December as we can identify 7 events in the attached emphemeris none of which are visible from Edinburgh and Lothian because Mercury remains a stubbornly day-time object! We fare better with Venus which still stands out as the ‘morning star’ averaging -4.1 mag (over the month) a couple of hours (or more) before sunrise. It crosses over from Virgo at the start of the month (close to the star Spica), then passes through Libra and edges into Scorpio for the new year.

For the superior planets: Mars is unobservable as, like Mercury, it falls within the Sun’s glare all month. Jupiter, around -2.6 mag, is visible all evening, overnight and sets in the pre-dawn in Aries. It returns to a direct orbit from retrograde in the wee hours of Hogmanay. Saturn, around 0.9 mag, has good visibility in Aquarius, and will pass the meridian shortly after astronomical twilight ends and sets before midnight. Uranus, steady at 5.7 mag, remains in the evening, overnight and pre-dawn sky with excellent visibility in Aries. Neptune, south of Pisces’ circlet during meridian passing (due south) in the early evening, loses altitude as the month progresses. It does return to a direct orbit on 6 December and reaches eastern quarature on 17 December at 3:43 am, when the angle between Sun, Earth and planet equals 90°.

There are 3 (2-body) solar system conjunctions (< 5° apart) visible from Edinburgh and Lothian during December. First, Venus will be in conjunction with the waning crescent Moon beginning on 9 December at 5:59 am and approaches closer as the Sun rises but visibility diminishes dramatically. On 17 December at 4:19 pm, Saturn and the Moon will begin a conjunction, getting closer as both set. On the day of the solstice, the Moon and Jupiter will also be exiting conjunction and best viewed after astronomical twilight whilst both are still rising.

There is a Christmas comet for 2023: 62P/Tsuchinshan, a short-period comet discovered in Nanking in 1965, reaches perihelion on 25 December at 2:36 am and could brighten to 9.0 mag. At that magnitude is may be visible with binoculars. Look near the hind-leg of Leo near M65 on our skymap. December also hosts 2 meteor showers: the glorious Geminids and the less than glorious Ursids.

The highly anticipated Geminids, radiant from Gemini (The Twins), are active 4–17 December and peak on 14–15 December for Edinburgh and Lothian. The radiant point is near the star Castor, one of the heads of the Gemini twins. They are viewable after astronomical twilight ends (around 6 pm) for the next 12 hours and reach high altitude so observability is excellent and they can produce up to 150 meteors per hour! The parent body is not a comet but the asteroid 3200 Phaethon and was the first asteroid discovered by satellite in 1983.

The Ursids, radiant from Ursa Minor (The Little Bear), are a poor show compared to the Gemi- nids but will peak on 22–23 December and are circumpolar so viewable all night. Look near the star Kochab and expect, maybe, 10 shooting stars per hour. The parent comet is 8P/Tuttle discovered in 1858.

Winter is a rewarding time—if the sky is clear, of course—to identify some constellations. The easiest way to do this is using bright stars. Polaris, the pole star, should be easy to spot due north at an altitude above the horizon equal to your latitude, some 55.95°. That should be enough to pick out Ursa Minor (The Little Bear) and this constellation is circumpolar (never sets below the horizon) so is always visible above Edinburgh and Lothian. After you locate Polaris at the time of our skymap, turn around 180° and there should be the highly visible constellation of Orion (The Hunter) easily identified by the 3 stars that line up to make the ‘Belt of Orion’ plus the outlying stars Betelgeuse and Rigel. Orion is also a useful pointer to other celestial objects. Below Orion’s belt is the famous nebula, M42. Follow the belt to intercept the bright star Aldebaran in Taurus (The Bull) and, further along the same path, the ‘seven sisters’ star cluster known as the Pleiades (M45). Following the belt in the opposite direction leads to Canis Major (The Great Dog) and the sky’s brightest star, Sirius (The Dog Star). See if you can spot bright stars in other constellations such as Capella in Auriga (The Charioteer), Procyon in Canis Minor (The Little Dog) and Regulus in Leo (The Lion).

At the time of our skymap, the ecliptic (marked by the dashed green line) hosts Leo (The Lion), Cancer (The Crab), Gemini (The Twins), Taurus (The Bull), Aries (The Ram) and Pisces (The Fishes). Circumpolar constellations—always above the horizon—include Cassiopeia (The Seated Queen), Draco (The Dragon), Ursa Minor (The Little Bear), Ursa Major (The Great Bear) and Cepheus (The King).

A tourist tax could cost Midlothian Council more to operate than it will bring in each year, a new report has revealed.

The visitors levy, which could mean that people charged £2 for every overnight stay, is being considered by local authorities in the South East region with The City of Edinburgh Council leading the way.

However a report to Midlothian’s members yesterday said while Edinburgh could be looking at revenue of up to £14million from an annual charge, Midlothian Council is likely to bring in around £180,000.

And it warned administration costs to operate the tax could cost between £190,000 to £500,000 a year.

Officers told councillors that currently Midlothian is not at ‘visitor capacity’.

It said the county currently has an opportunity to benefit from neighbouring Edinburgh City Council’s policy to refuse licences for short term lets in tenement properties, and should ‘realise an opportunity to increase accommodation demand and provision in Midlothian’.

But it warned introducing a visitors levy on its own would cost more than it would bring in saying: “major tourist hubs such as Edinburgh City attract high volumes of visitors annually, drawn by multiple factors including rich history and cultural attractions.

“The implementation of a Visitor Levy in these areas can yield substantial revenue for needed infrastructure improvements. However, Midlothian experiences a significantly lower volume of overnight stays, the revenue generated from a Visitor Levy in Midlothian would be considerably lower and may not sufficiently justify the associated administrative costs.”

Officers said neighbouring councils had discussed introducing a region wide levy system which would share the costs and burdens increasing the chance of everyone making a profit.

However they said Edinburgh City Council was not keen on the regional model.

Figures for the councils in the South East Scotland region showed Midlothian stood to make the lowest potential revenue from a levy at £196,000 annually, followed by West Lothian who could bring in £285,000.

Edinburgh in contrast could expect over £14million followed by Fife making £3.85million, Scottish Borders £2.5million and East Lothian just over £1million a year.

Midlothian councillors agreed keep a watching brief of Edinburgh’s progress with the visitors levy before making a decision on its value in the county.

They also agreed to a consultation being launched by their economic development team with local tourism and hospitality in the future when the ability to introduce a levy becomes law next year.

Ian Gardner, chair of Midlothian Tourism Forum, welcomed the approach by the council.

He said: “I welcome this decision by councillors to take a considered approach to any potential visitor levy and to commit to further consultation on the issue in due course.

” Midlothian Tourism Forum will support our members to participate in the local consultation to ensure that the impacts and implications of a proposed levy are fully taken into account before final decisions are taken.”

by Marie Sharp, Local Democracy Reporter

The best of jazz will be played and lunch served every Sunday at Le Petit Beefbar, with the initial line up including Glaswegian sax player Konrad Wiszniewski who has previously serenaded the Queen and joined Labrinth on his UK tour.

Duck & Waffle Edinburgh has brought ‘The Nutcracker’ to life with its festive makeover.

The restaurant and bar at St James Quarter has been transformed into a festive Christmas stage complete with Nutcracker displays and nostalgic seasonal fixtures. The display includes giant Nutcrackers to trees with sugar plum fairies, candy canes, ballet slippers and other surprises in signature gold and red brand colours to vintage toy boxes, wrapped presents and a balloon installation designed in collaboration with florist Lesley Strachan, Thrill Events and The Nutcracker Christmas Shop.

At the bar guests can toast the season with limited-edition festive Makers Mark cocktails including Mistletoe Martini with Maker’s Mark, Kahlúa, Crème de Cacao and espresso, Naughty or Spice mulled wine, Holiday Cheer Iced Tea for two or a Duck & Waffle Old Fashioned with duck fat washed Maker’s Mark, orange and cranberry syrup and bitters.

Culinary Director Daniel Barbosa and Executive Chef Lucia Gregusova will present a specially curated 4-course Christmas Day menu made with traditional ingredients to celebrate the season featuring Shetland Coast Crab Chowder with toasted sourdough, Isle of Mule Scallop with buttered brioche, pink peppercorns, Amalfi lemon and tarragon, Whole Roasted Bronze Turkey served with all the trimmings, Roast Halibut with boulangère potatoes, beurre blanc, trout caviar and for dessert Sherry Trifle with Pedro Ximénez jelly, vanilla custard, Chantilly cream and candied almonds.

https://duckandwaffle.com/edinburgh/menu/christmas-day-menu-2023/

You can also celebrate Hogmanay at Duck & Waffle Edinburgh. Guests will enjoy a glass of Champagne to toast the bells accompanied with a chef curated menu offering an indulgent four courses for £75 per person. Guests can dine at any time starting from 5pm on 31 December at an event which will include live performance and DJs as the clock counts down to midnight and a bar open until 1am. 

For more information on NYE and to book visit: https://duckandwaffle.com/edinburgh/whats-on/nye-edb-2023/

Bookings are now open.

Teemu Pulkinnen slotted after 29 minutes to secure a confidence-boosting 2-1 victory for Fife Flyers over high-flying Manchester Storm in Kirkcaldy.

The Finnish star was set-up by Johan Eriksson on the power play as Matt Murphy sat in the sin bin on a slashing call.

And it completed a turn around as Fife were 1-0 down after 17 minutes when Michael Korol slotted.

They levelled six minutes later through Collin Shirley who was assisted by Pulkkinen and Troy Lajeunesse.

The result came despite Fife being outshot 41-28 and it ended a disappointing 24-hours for Storm who lost 4-1 at Dundee Stars on Friday night.

Other scores: Coventry Blaze 4, Dundee Stars 2; Belfast Giants 5, Glasgow Clan 1.

Sunday’s fixtures: Glasgow Clan v Manchester Storm (17.00); Cardiff Devils v Fife Flyers (18.00)

PICTURE: Dundee Stars v Manchester Storm by Derek Black courtesy of the Elite League

French tourism continue to publicise the country as the holiday booking season approaches and Antibes Juan-les-Pins has the distinction of being home to five of the 30 top five-star hotels in the Cote d’Azur.

One of them is Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2020 with a new concept in restaurants. It gained a Michelin star in 2021 for its new restaurant, Louroc, and a hardback book on the history of the establishment, “Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc : A Timeless Legend on the French Riviera” by Alexandra Campbell was published in April 2021.

Then a new perfume, the Eden-Roc fragrance by Dior – inspired by the hotel – was launched in May 2021 and since April 2023 the hotel has partnered with Dior to open a multi-faceted spa which is open to external customers in the morning.

The secret to success, according to Philippe Perd, the general manager, lies in ensuring that the customers perceive every staff member as a maître de maison.

Another of the top establishments is Hôtel Juana, set in an Art-Deco building which dates from 1927 and was designed by architect Georges Dikansky, this building became a hotel in 1931.

Hôtel Belles Rives is another and decorator Olivier Antoine was entrusted seven years ago with the task of giving a new look to the Michelin-star restaurant La Passagère. The Belles Rives hotel is also listed as a historical monument as the Fitzgerald piano bar, renovated in 2023, it is part of the exclusive circle of Cafés Historiques & Patrimoniaux d’Europe.

The sleek lines of the Cap d’Antibes Beach Hotel are said to blend in with the scenery. It was designed by the company Brante-Vollenweider and is composed of 35 rooms, Michelin-star restaurant Les Pêcheurs and the outdoor bar restaurant renamed BABA.

The Hôtel Impérial Garoupe is a residence said to have a great deal of character and it situated at the heart of Cap d’Antibes. It has 30 rooms, four suites, one apartment and one private villa.

PICTURE: Antibes and Juan-les-Pins from the air

Lawrence Shankland netted for the sixth time in the same number of matches for Hearts to earn the Tynecastle team a narrow 1-0 victory over St Johnstone.

The strike after 61 minutes came from a deflection following a Liam Boyce shot, but the three points secured a third straight league win and confirmed Hearts in fourth place in teh 12-strong cinch Premiership.

The Jambos move on to 20 points from 13 starts and remain two points behind St Mirren who beat Livingston 1-0 at Paisley thanks to a Kelly own goal after 37 minutes, but the reverse was a jolt for St Johnstone and their new manager Craig Levein, a former Hearts player, manager and director of football.

The Perth side slip to 11th place having accumulated 11 points, one more than bottom club, Livingston, who have played a game more, with their first defeat in four and the first reverse since Levein took over.

Earlier, Hearts opened brightly, playing high tempo football, and Saints goalkeeper Dimitar Motiv saved twice to deny the eager Jambos, but Saints weathered the storm and Heats goalkeeper Zander Clark, a former St Johnstone player, was forced into two saves. One, in particular, from Luke Robinson close range, was worthy of mention.

But Hearts were dangerous on the break with Boyce and on-loan Alex Lowry both having opportunities but they failed to make them count.

Overall, Hearts had 60 per cent of possession and registered four shots on target with their rivals having three.

Next for Hearts is a trip to Kilmarnock next Saturday (15.00) while St Johnstone host Celtic on Sunday week (12.00).

Hearts’ head coach, Steven Naismith, told BBC Scotland Sport: “We could and should have scored more goals but overall it was really good.”

PICTURE: Lawrence Shankland in training by Nigel Duncan

A crackdown on gift shops on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile operated in properties owned by the council has been backed by a city councillor who says they make him feel “embarrassed” when walking down the historic street.

A discussion over the authority’s powers to dictate how its tenants use commercial units was sparked during a meeting after Marco Biagi proposed not renewing the lease for a gift shop on the High Street.

The decision has now been delayed until January so the legal implications of the move can be investigated.

The SNP councillor said he supported measures to control the proliferation of traders selling souvenirs and trinkets around the city centre – complaining the capital’s “window on the world has a see you Jimmy hat in it”.

Officials said if the council went down the route of using its ownership of commercial properties to dictate what they sell there would be “consequences, particularly financial ones”.

The Royal Mile, where Edinburgh Council owns 46 units, has become awash with gift shops in the last 20 years as rental prices have shot up.

A routine decision to extend the lease of one located at 46 High Street went before the Finance and Resources Committee. A report proposed a 25-year extension of the deal between the council and the Gold Brothers, who run a number of such stores around the Old Town, but with the annual rent increased from £54,600 to £62,400 per annum.

Cllr Biagi said: “The report invites us to approve a 25-year lease extension on the terms outlined therein. Legally and financially, what happens if we don’t?”

After being told this would mean the lease would expire at the end of September next year, he recalled former city centre councillor David Beckett “having serious issues with the proliferation of gift shops on the Royal Mile.

“He and I at that point, myself in a different capacity, were supportive of measures to try and control that. I do note that the strategy states…that local authorities holding an investment portfolio can provide the council with an element of control and influence such as the Royal Mile where the council owns a significant number of commercial properties.”

He asked officials whether it would be competent for the council to seek to “use our portfolio of properties in an area to build a sense of place in that area”.

In response estates manager Peter Watton said the council needed to be “consistent with our tenants across the piece”. 

He said if an existing tenant, respective of who they are, have fulfilled all their obligations set out in a lease they are offered an extension. Mr Watton said the reality was “the man drives the market”. 

He said any action toward changing how the properties were used would have to be part of a “wider debate about the control in relation to the uses that are on the Royal Mile”. 

He said: “If we go down the route of using our ownership to dictate that it has consequences, particularly financial ones.

“What’s happened over time is you’ve seen this change from kind of bespoke offerings of retail, and it started with the coffee shops – when Starbucks moved into the corner of Hunter Square and paid a huge rent the ripple effect of that for the coming years was significant in terms of rental values on the Royal Mile.

“And then came the tartan traders. It always was there but it wasn’t the spike we experienced I suppose maybe 15, 16 years ago that we see today and everything that seems that became available on the Royal Mile. 

“Operators had the ability to outbid other potential users because of the return they could make from what they were doing.”

Mr Watton said the council was “not trying to justify the retail mix on the Royal Mile” but pointed out its leases “do not control what you can and can’t sell”. 

Cllr Biagi proposed rejecting the Gold Brothers’ lease extension but withdrew his position after Labour convener Mandy Watt suggested postponing the decision until January to obtain legal advice.

The committee backed this by seven votes to four with the Conservatives and Lib Dems voting to approve the lease.

After the meeting Cllr Biagi told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I want to walk down the Royal Mile and not feel embarrassed.

“It’s probably the most visited street in Scotland but right now our window on the world has a see you Jimmy hat in it.”

by Donald Turvill Local Democracy Reporter

Adam Cusack says that getting Buddy Dog, Sam, is “the best thing we’ve ever done”.

The 20-year-old from Musselburgh lives with sight loss and other health conditions, and he was assisted by Guide Dogs UK and the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery in the life-changing move. Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised more than £6 million for Guide Dogs since 2018, helping them transform lives through numerous projects and services just like the Buddy Dogs’ service.

Adam now has an incredible companion and he is said to have flourished, growing in confidence and independence.

When Adam was three years old, he contracted Meningitis, a rare, combined strain of Haemophilus Influenza B and D. He was put in an induced coma for two weeks to aid his recovery, but incurred a brain injury which impacted his optic nerve. He lost 25% of his eyesight on the bottom left quadrant of each eye and suffers other conditions, such as epilepsy, as a result.

Growing up, Adam adapted well to his sight loss. But, despite that, his conditions impacted his life, and from the ages of around 10 to 17, he became more insular and isolated.

His family heard about the Guide Dogs’ Buddy Dog service which matches children, young people and families with a dog.

Buddy dogs are former trainee guide dogs that have had a career change. They are pet dogs who support children and young people in building confidence and trust and provide companionship. During the time that Adam’s family applied for a buddy dog, the service was fully funded by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

In December 2021, when Adam was aged 18, Guide Dogs introduced the family to yellow Labrador cross golden retriever Sam. There was an immediate bond between Adam and Sam. Frank, Adam’s dad, said: “Having Sam has transformed every facet of our family. Adam has a dog he looks after, which has increased his confidence and independence.”

In 2022, Adam suffered a health setback. His condition caused several seizures, which compromised his central nervous system. He was in severe pain, needing hospital treatment, and was confined to a wheelchair for a couple of months. During this time, Sam would rest his head on Adam to try and comfort him. Frank said, “Without Sam’s friendship throughout that period, Adam would be significantly more damaged. Sam provides an emotional point for Adam to anchor himself to. And physically, he’s also better off now being more mobile.”

Adam said: “He’s changed my life for the better. When I was unwell, he helped by just being there for me and comforting me. We always say that getting Sam is the best thing we’ve ever done.”

Robbie Campbell, Buddy Dog Service Lead at Guide Dogs commented, “The bond between Adam and Sam has been incredible from the start. Sam has really supported Adam through some difficult times, which has been great for his physical and mental wellbeing. Having Sam has bought a lot of laughter to the family life.”

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “We are delighted that players have been able to support such a wonderful Guide Dogs service. It’s great to know that buddy dogs provide children and young people with sight loss like Adam much-needed emotional support and build confidence and trust at such a crucial stage in their lives.”

Cargilfield School has been named sector leader in Scotland following its 2023 Education Scotland inspection.

The school located in Barnton received an outstanding report in all four inspection categories, with an excellent for raising attainment and achievement, and very good for leadership of change learning, for learning, teaching and assessment and for ensuring well-being, equality and inclusion.

Education Scotland reports that “the School’s motto ‘Where Learning is an Everyday Adventure’ is evident in the exciting and motivating experiences for children”. The inspection states the School successfully strikes “a balance between achieving outstanding academic standards and expectations, while ensuring children’s emotional and mental well-being is nurtured”.

The report praises the School for its “highly effective leadership” and described staff as an “enthusiastic, highly skilled and forward-looking group of teachers” that are “committed to developing each child as an individual”. The School’s governance and strategic direction is regarded as very high quality. The report found that the “Board, Headmaster and senior leadership team “have a clear and shared vision for the future of Cargilfield School.” Parents and parent groups, including Year reps and Friends of Cargilfield are also recognised in playing “a key role in the success of the school.”

The school’s pupils are noted as working “hard to achieve their potential and are very polite and respectful in their interactions with staff and other children.” The report recognises pupils’ “exceptional confidence [and] leadership” and “attaining levels that were far beyond expectations for their age and stage” in Literacy. Inspectors observed that pupils are “motivated “to learn and demonstrate a very positive work ethic. The report further stated that pupils “lead particularly active and healthy lifestyles”. Children reported that they “feel safe, happy and well looked after at school” with the School taking “prompt action where children require some additional support or intervention.”

Cargilfield is described as having a “calm, happy, family ethos where children can be themselves in a supportive, inclusive, home from home environment”. The report remarks upon the school’s “impressive range of extracurricular activities”, “the variety of engaging opportunities”, the “exciting and stimulating lessons that challenge children’s thinking” and states “attainment information shows a clear pattern of sustained, outstanding levels of attainment  across the school and importantly, across curriculum areas”.

Headmaster Rob Taylor, said: “I am extremely proud of what our children and my colleagues achieve on a daily basis. Given how difficult it is to be assessed as ‘excellent’ under this inspection framework, we are delighted that this report recognises the attainment of our children as excellent. The report’s findings define Cargilfield as a sector leader across Scotland”

“We would very much like to show you just why our school was valued so highly and hope you will visit Cargilfield soon. To arrange a private visit on any school day, please contact Fiona Craig our Registrar.”

At the time of inspection, there were 270 learners across the P1 to P3 classes and Form 4 to Form 8 classes. The Nursery was not included in this inspection of the School.

To view a copy of the Education Scotland report, click here

Stuck in a rut with your fitness regime?  Scared to try something new? Then Edinburgh Leisure’s next Fitness Open Day could be the thing for you.

Taking place at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre in the north of the city, the free Fitness Open Day on Saturday, 2 December is a chance to try before you buy or commit.  There will be high intensity classes such as Les Mills Bodypump, Bodyattack and Hatton Boxing classes to try in the Sports Hall, Mind and Body classes to experience in Studio 1, and free gym sessions and gym-based classes.

Wendy Avinou, Manager at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre said: “From time to time, people find themselves stuck in a rut or bored with their current fitness regime, but they don’t have the confidence to try something new.  Our Fitness Open Day will hopefully be an opportunity for them to do just that.

“Open to existing and new members, come along and try something new.  If you’re a fitness class bunny, why not ring the changes and see if you could combine it with some sessions in the gym, either on your own or in one of our quick, HIIT gym-based classes. Alternatively, come and try a different class from your norm – sometimes it takes a little courage to step outside of your comfort zone.”

For new members joining on the day, there will be a ‘no joining fee’ offer.  There will also be a prize draw for all attendees with prizes of a free month’s membership, Myzone belts and AquaDash prizes. 

To get involved in Ainslie Park Fitness Open Day, gym sessions do not need to be booked but fitness and gym-based classes need to be booked. The activities are now available to book online or via the Edinburgh Leisure app.

Ainslie Park Leisure Centre has been keeping the community of north Edinburgh active for years. With swim, gym, and fitness classes and racquet sports such as Pickleball and badminton available, wherever you’re at on the map or in life, it’s easy to keep fit and enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle at Ainslie Park. The centre is easily accessible by public transport, car and even by bike.

https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/venues/ainslie-park-leisure-centre/open-day

Aussie ace Rory Schlein returns for Berwick Bandits next year and will also skipper the new-look side.

Schlein was a surprise signing last winter after coming out of retirement but ended the season as the Bandits’ No 1 and was one of the few bright spots in an injury-hit season which saw Berwick miss out on the play-offs.

He will be joined at Shielfield Park by Lewis Kerr who has scored heavily at the Borders’ track over the years for, among others, Newcastle, Scunthorpe, and Redcar.

Last year he was a member of the Oxford Cheetahs and Sheffield Tigers sides but injury forced him to miss the end of season play-offs in both leagues.

The King’s Lynn-born racer has appeared once before in Berwick colours, scoring nine points from four rides as a guest against Scunthorpe in 2013.

New team boss Stewart Dickson confirmed that Leon Flint and Thomas Jorgensen have informed the club that they did not wish to be considered in the team building process for the coming season.

The former Glasgow Tigers manager said: “Rory is an experienced captain at all levels of speedway and a very positive influence in the pits so taking over the captaincy seems a straightforward call. Lewi is one of the league’s real racers, someone who never gives up.

“The aim is to turn Shielfield into a fortress next season and these two signings are just the start of that transformation. I firmly believe that with the 38-point team building limit we have two of the strongest heat leaders in the league who are both capable of improving on their starting averages.

“The side is shaping up well and I am excited for what’s to come at Shielfield Park in 2024.”

Push the Boat Out

This weekend is all about poetry. Push the Boat Out at Summerhall has a massive range of events to entertain you all weekend long.

From poetry readings and discussions, to new commissions, singer-songwriter circles, music hybrid events, dance and hip hop, poetic cocktail-making classes, film screenings, beach walks, panels, workshops and development opportunities – the polyphonic line-up is a true fiesta of the vernacular.

This year, the programme celebrates the poetry of songwriting with multiple events championing the poetic power of lyrics, hip hop and the songwriting process. Singer-songwriter, Hamish Hawk offers an evening of lyrical enchantment in a solo show with support from Iona Zajac whilst Conscious Route, Queen of Harps and Dave Hook share the back stories of their songs in an in-depth Song Exploder event. 

The Songwriters Circle welcomes Hamish Hawk back to the stage alongside legendary Scottish folk musician, Karine Polwart and poet and performer Inua Ellams, as the three break down their songwriting process and share some of their poetic influences, whilst British rapper, Dizraeli takes an honest look at human creation with sharp lyricism and a sense of the absurd in his event Animal Noises.

The programme this year also finds drama at the heart of poetic form, with a series of new commissions from Imogen Stirling, Alycia Pirmohamed and Ross McCleary in partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland. Developed on the theme of ‘seed’ and explicitly exploring poetry in conversation with other artistic disciplines, these new pieces promise to break new ground and plant some future discussions.

Read more here.

Abbeymount Studios Open Weekend

Based at the top of Easter Road, Out of the Blue Abbeymount Studios is a multi-disciplinary facility promoting engagement and innovation in craft and design, as well as providing facilities, opportunities and development for professional designer-makers and the community.  They are opening their doors to the public on 2 and 3 December – a veritable cornucopia of Christmas gift ideas.

Read more here.

Debate on Post Offices in Edinburgh West

Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine has secured a House of Commons debate following threats to several Post Offices across the constituency.  

The Post Office has launched a consultation on the future of services in Blackhall, following the closure of a sub-Post Office on Duart Crescent, Drum Brae. 

In the last year, there have also been changes to services in Ratho, Corstorphine and Saughton Mains.  

Earlier this year, Ms Jardine joined her Liberal Democrat colleague Alistair Carmichael to call for better pay and conditions for Sub-Postmasters and Postmistresses.  She believes that if this does not improve, more facilities will close, leaving elderly and vulnerable residents without access to vital services, and will use her debate on 27 November to call for more support for her constituents. 

Digital Collection Day

University of Edinburgh is looking for people to bring their stories and objects relating to the Second World War to their Digital Collection Day on Saturday.

If you have any Second World War related stories and objects passed down to you from your parents, grandparents and other family members which you would like to share and preserve for future generations then you will be welcome at the event.

This is part of a nationwide campaign organised by Their Finest Hour (theirfinesthour.org), a team based at the University of Oxford that is collecting and preserving the everyday stories and objects of the Second World War. Any objects will be returned – and everyone is asked not to bring anything dangerous…

Read more here.

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It’s been a symbol of the oil industry for a hundred years but this week we learned that the Grangemouth Refinery is to close in just 18 months’ time. 

We are witnessing the end of another of Scotland’s eras. Their totem poles have come crashing down with surprising speed.

The Ravenscraig towers were brought down in 1992, signalling the end of the age of steel-making.  In 2021 the chimney at Longannet power station was blown up,  bringing an end the long age of coal.  And now, with the great refinery at Grangemouth closing, and North Sea oil production in decline, the age of fossil fuels is coming to an end.  

I wonder if we are going to repeat the mess we made of those “transitions”. What will the 400 workers at the Grangemouth refinery do in the spring of 2025?  The owners say they want to convert the Grangemouth site into a terminal for importing refined oil from elsewhere, in an attempt to have a smooth transition to the renewables age. The trouble is we should have started that process 20 years ago. And now we are faced with having to end our dependence on fossil fuels in a hurry, in a climate emergency. 

It astonishes me that the great industrialist who owns the refinery, Sir Jim Ratcliffe didn’t think of transitioning sooner. He must have realised that pumping a million tonnes of greenhouses gases into the air every year was bad for the planet and soon it would have to stop. But then, he’s part of the billionaire jet-set which untamed capitalism has created, playboys of the western world who have lost touch with reality. 

Sir Jim, now in his 70s, was brought up in a council house in Manchester, the son of a joiner.  He earned his way into university and became a chemical engineer. He rose in the industry and founded his own company “Ineos” in 1998, which now owns the refinery site at Grangemouth with an unlikely partner, a Chinese state oil company. 

Ratcliffe is now said to be worth £30billion. He owns a vast empire of chemical companies, a car factory making old-fashioned cars based on the design of the Land Rover, a formula one racing team, a cycling team, two football clubs in Europe and a quarter of Manchester United. I should also mention his 78 metre yacht and the fact that he bases his company in Switzerland and his residence in Monaco, saving him an estimated £146million a year in tax.  To be fair, he is also doing good things, like pioneering hydrogen as a fuel and giving money to children’s sporting charities.

Three less extraordinary men have been making the news this week. One is the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, whose plan for growing the economy has met with some disappointment in Scotland.  Shona Robison, the finance secretary said it was “the worst-case scenario”.  It’s true, she said, that the Scottish government is to get £545m extra to spend on the NHS, but when rising wage costs are taken into account, there will only be £11m left.   She would not have used the £20bn of “headroom” for tax cuts but would have used the money to shore up the public services.

The second less extraordinary man of the week is Anas Sarwar, the leader of Scottish Labour. He and his party voted for an SNP motion in The Scottish Parliament calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. This puts them in the rebel camp against the UK leader Sir Keir Starmer who supports the American line that there should only be pauses in the fighting.

And the third less fortunate man of the week is Michael Matheson, the health secretary. He is being hounded by the opposition parties for being less than frank about a bill of £11,000 of data roaming charges on his official ipad.  He initially charged this as “parliamentary expenses” but when questions were raised he paid the bill out of his own pocket. However his explanation varied from day to day and finally he confessed to parliament that, unbeknown to him, his sons had been using the ipad to watch football while on holiday abroad.     

It worries me that the opposition leaders think this is so important that they must spend time on it, when the economy and the public services are flat-lining and a quarter of the population are in a cost-of-living crisis. 

It’s as if they have become so detached from reality that must be living on a 78 metre yacht in a tax haven, watching, on their iPads, the passing of the oil age and nothing much being done to “transition” to a better future.

The City of Edinburgh Council will back the move to save Edinburgh Filmhouse by committing £60,000 of funding to the project.

A charity, Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd, is running a crowdfunder to open the building once more as a cinema following the collapse of the parent charity in October 2022.

If the charity which is run by former Filmhouse employees can raise sufficient funds then the owners of the building, Caledonian Heritable Limited, will agree the terms of a long lease. The cinema could then re-open and the charity believes that with a related café it would be sustainable.

The council has worked with the charity, Screen Scotland and The Scottish Government to ensure that the much-loved venue is saved for the city.

Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Val Walker said: “We’re delighted to see the progress of the fundraising campaign and to be in a position to contribute as a Council. Crucially, this funding is in-budget and has been agreed by elected members. Alongside the wider stakeholder group, we look forward to our continued dialogue and working with Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd.

“We’re committed to having a home for cultural cinema in the heart of the city and for the wider sector going forward. Edinburgh is rightly one of the great cultural cities of the world and cultural cinema is a key part of this landscape.”

The Directors of Filmhouse (Edinburgh) said: “This is fantastic news and everyone who has their heart in the campaign will want to thank the City of Edinburgh Council for this tangible commitment to opening the doors of Filmhouse once more. Filmhouse, as a cultural institution that celebrates the art of film alongside the other artforms supported in Edinburgh, aims to re-open as soon as the total necessary funds have been raised.

“We plan to provide the broad range of cultural cinema that the city is lacking just now, as well as to host the diverse group of specialist and community film festivals which have been missing their longstanding home on Lothian Road. The funds are needed for a full refurbishment of the cinemas and public areas, including the much-loved cafe-bar.”

Director of Screen Scotland, David Smith said: “Screen Scotland and City of Edinburgh Council have worked together across the last year to support the return of the Filmhouse. It is a vital resource for Edinburgh and Scotland; providing a home for filmmakers, film lovers and film festivals, and a hub for film education. Its absence is keenly felt by us all, and Screen Scotland continues to work for its revival. Its return would signify not just the reopening of a cinema, but the return of a vital home for the artform.”

Residents of Gillespie Crescent fail to see why a development which involves the sale of charity-owned premises should make them feel at all charitable.

The development of the former Sight Scotland headquarters on Gillespie Crescent will result in much-needed funding for the charity, but in their neighbours’ view it will be at their expense.

Developers S Harrison lodged plans to convert the former headquarters of Sight Scotland on Gillespie Crescent into purpose built student flats and these are, following an extension, open for comment until 8 December.

The proposal is to create 145 bedrooms with “additional amenities including a cinema/multimedia room and gym”. The developer confirms there will be 100% cycle parking provision. The scheme will incorporate a green space accessible to the public, “green roofs, solar panels, air source heat pumps, a rain garden and permeable paving”.

Residents object to the move, partly on the basis that there are factual inaccuracies in the application, and they have formed a constituted residents’ association – Gillespie Crescent Community and Residents’ Association. they aim to support the area around their own street including Bruntsfield Place and the residents of Viewpoint Housing.

Christian Traynor, a local resident and member of the association, said: “Details are missing from the developers’ two planning application submissions – which is suspicious – as they are very important being the daylight/sunlight assessment appendices.

“Additionally only a fraction of the street was informed. The lack of voice for the elderly residents in the Viewpoint sheltered housing in the Crescent if worrying.

“I cannot think that the council expects to solve the Housing Emergency by building yet another student block. Arguably this will simply bring more students to Edinburgh rather than free up housing.

“At the developers’ public meeting the proposal was five storeys high. Afterwards we realised their drawings depicted six storeys, artfully obscured to obfuscate this fact. It looks like they knowingly gave us false information.

“The proposals have now been amended to five storeys apparently in response to residents’ comments. But this is disingenuous and is we have found the standard ruse which was used at Eyre Place Lane in Canonmills, and at the St Joseph’s Convent development in Gilmore Place. The developers always propose an extra floor, knowing the height will be objected to, so they can later remove it for it to appear as if they are being considerate to neighbours.

“The charity’s need for money cannot be used as a justification for demolishing an historic building in a conservation area, to the detriment of this community for the foreseeable future.”

Mr Traynor also explained to us that demolition in this area had been refused in 2020 and documents prove opposition from bodies such as Historic Environment Scotland.

And he also claims that older residents in the street are being left out. He said: “Many elderly and disabled residents of the sheltered housing, are effectively excluded from the process and from having a voice, because many are not tech-savvy and have many pressing challenges in day-to-day life. They are reporting to neighbours that their management are dismissing the proposals and avoiding comment. This is upsetting given that they will be direct neighbours to any new development and it will hugely affect their well-being and amenity. We are spending much volunteering time trying to support these people to have a voice.

“The proposals include an outside communal area which is being framed as a throughway for elderly residents and an area to encourage socialisation of the surrounding community. In reality, for sheltered housing residents to use this they will have to cross the road at its busy mouth rather than the safe crossing half-way down the quiet road.”

Former councillor Alasdair Rankin, who is a local resident, said: “The developer is talking of building in a conservation area, and the style of the building is not at all sympathetic with that. But firstly they are talking about demolishing a perfectly functional 1930s stone-built building for which there could be alternative uses. We are trying to explore some ideas about that at the moment. Perhaps the council would like to acquire the building, but maybe they will say they don’t have the money to buy it, or they don’t need it. If we can do something to stop the demolition that would be our desired first step.

“There is also the question of some existing flats at ground floor, first floor and second floor level which might be overlooked by any new development – and in my view they have a right to privacy. The developers also plan to build right at the front of the site which makes that problem more of an issue.”

Tollcross Community Council object to the demolition of the existing building – which was rejected by the council in 2020. A spokesperson for the community council said: “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 developers S Harrison claim that the number of students in Edinburgh rose by more than a quarter in the five years between 2016/17 and 2021/22. They also claim that demand for student accommodation outstrips supply. But this is a contentious claim in the view of the community council who point to what the Reporter said in a decision from 2021 (PPA 230-2323) where the difficulty in assessing true numbers is acknowledged. The Reporter wrote: ‘Summing up on the issue of the concentration of students in this locality, I conclude that the evidence indicates that it is (or will be if all permitted developments are built) approaching the 50% threshold contained in the council’s student housing guidance.’

The spokesperson said: “We believe that this, at, least, validates our contention that the percentage of students is higher than described by the appellant. Local feelings are strong with regard to the changing demography of our locality. This is about the continuing increase in the percentage of the population which are transient. Student numbers are increasing rapidly but are not the only transient population. In addition to students, we should also consider short term residents of hotels, bed and breakfast establishments and short term let properties.”

In the 13-year period between 2010 and 2023 Edinburgh Council has granted planning consent for 14,884 beds in Edinburgh, but none of these was in the Morningside Ward.

A spokesperson for S Harrison Developments said earlier: “We are in a housing crisis, with a need for all types of housing. Demand for student accommodation greatly outstrips supply, and this is placing significant pressure on traditional family housing stock, with students occupying homes that would in many cases have previously been occupied by families.

“This proposed development on a brownfield site, if approved, will respond to this increasing demand, housing students in a central location with easy access by active travel and public transport to universities and delivering significant investment into the local community.”

Davina Shiell, Director of Marketing, Communications and Engagement for Sight Scotland said when the plans were announced: “The funds released by the sale of the site, if consented, will enable us to further expand our reach, and support even more people living with visual impairments within existing services such as the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh.

“It will also allow us to provide new future services for the city, as well as expanding our ability to fund medical research to tackle the root causes of sight loss.”

At the end of any year many people reflect on the year just past and consider making resolutions to improve our health.

Diets, improved exercise regimes and promises of a better night’s sleep are all favourites for these promises to ourselves, but there is sometimes room in our lives for event bigger lifestyle overhauls.

Accelerated by the pandemic many Scots are now opting to live outside the city – shifting towards a slower pace of life known as ‘Slow Living’.

Similar to the ‘Soft Life’ lifestyle which avoids the ‘always on’ mentality, this calmer approach to life revolves around self-care and connecting with more tranquil environments, such as green spaces and the countryside, to boost physical and mental wellbeing.

Thanks to its scenic surroundings nestled in the Midlothian countryside, Rosewell Meadow by David Wilson Homes, which forms part of Barratt Developments alongside Barratt Homes, may tick all the boxes for those who want to escape the demands of busy city life.

The development of four-bed family homes is near a number of well-regarded schools and has a range of family-friendly activities on its doorstep, including Roslin Glen Country Park, Rosslyn Chapel, the National Mining Museum in Newtongrange and Fort Douglas within Dalkeith Country Park.

Keen gardeners are also a short drive from the Secret Herb Garden, while outdoor pursuits such as horse riding, walking routes and golfing at Whitehill House Golf Course are available nearby.

However, the former mining village is also just seven miles from Edinburgh’s city centre, with Edinburgh City Bypass close by for commuters and those still looking to take advantage of the capital’s bustling shops, restaurants and historic sites.

Starting at £399,995, homes at Rosewell Meadow are available to move into. As an early festive gift, David Wilson Homes is currently offering buyers 5% towards their deposit or mortgage; or a guaranteed buyer with their Part Exchange service. All homes currently for sale include a host of extras and flooring. November reservations will also get a £5,000 John Lewis voucher.

Anne Ross, Sales Director at Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes East Scotland, said: “Rosewell is a location that really does offer the best of both worlds – close enough to commute into the city but far enough away to enjoy a tight knit community and tranquil country life.

“House hunters don’t need to wait months on end either to move into their new property, with many plots at Rosewell Meadow available to move into in time for Christmas. We also have a whole host of incentives to help make the move seamless, making buying a house a breath of fresh air.”

Buyers can visit and view the four-bed Glenbervie show home, now open at Rosewell Meadow. For more information on David Wilson Homes in Scotland, visit www.dwh.co.uk/new-homes/scotland/edinburgh/

Independent living expert offers properties to ease Edinburgh’s emergency

Ten specialist homes have been handed over to the City of Edinburgh Council to help it address its housing crisis.

Blackwood Homes and Care has offered up the properties to assist the Council, which is in the midst of a profound housing shortage.

As a specialist in providing homes which enable those with disabilities or age-related condition to live as independently as possible, Blackwood has more than 1500 properties across Scotland.

Doug Moyes, Director of Customer Service at Blackwood said: “We have a small number of vacant properties in Edinburgh at the moment, so when the city announced it was suffering a housing emergency, we immediately made those available to help.

“We appreciate this is a relatively small number, but when there is a housing emergency, every available property can make a huge difference to the lives of those most badly affected.

“We are pleased that our long and strong working relationship with Edinburgh Council has enabled us to turn this around so quickly and look forward to seeing new tenants in the properties.”

Blackwood is renowned as Scotland’s most tech-focused housing specialist, deploying cutting-edge technology to help its customers to live independently. With 600 staff across Scotland, the charity’s headquarters are in Edinburgh.

Eight of the 10 properties handed over to the city council are specially adapted homes for wheelchair users or other people with mobility issues – and could be ideal for potential tenants being discharged from hospital or with other emergency needs.

Blackwood will work closely with the Council’s Access to Housing team to ensure the properties go to suitable tenants, thereby freeing up properties elsewhere in the housing chain to help ease Edinburgh’s burgeoning homelessness problems.

Earlier this month (NOV) Edinburgh officially declared a housing emergency, becoming the first city in Scotland to do so. The capital has 5000 households in temporary accommodation, the highest number in Scotland.

Jane Meagher, Edinburgh’s Housing Convener, called for an emergency action plan, seeking urgent funding from the Scottish Government to help meet “severe challenges”. The Council cited record homelessness numbers, a severe shortage of social rented homes and rocketing private rent rates.

Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “We very much appreciate the offer of these 10 homes, which means we will be able to quickly move tenants with mobility needs into more suitable accommodation. The Council has worked directly with Blackwood over a number of years, especially with regards to delayed hospital discharge, and we are grateful for this assistance in light of the exceptional housing pressures within the city. We all need to work together to address Edinburgh’s housing emergency.”  

The 10 homes being provided by Blackwood are in Craigmount, Abbeyhill and Portobello. The specialist properties have features including wet room bathrooms and adaptable kitchens. Two of the properties are classed as general housing.

Many Blackwood properties feature its CleverCogs technology which is personalised and links users to care and health services, home automation, local information, entertainment, and video access to family and friends. The CleverCogs digital system lets users customise it to suit their life.

As Scotland’s most tech-focused housing provider, its Blackwood House design guide – developed in partnership with architects Lewis and Hickey – is the gold standard for accessible housing.

Over the next five years Blackwood aims to build 400 such homes, that can adapt to tenants’ future needs. Each can be adapted to include a host of benefits such as lift access, remotely controlled automated functions, and digital care and housing systems.

The housing specialist puts customers at the heart of everything it does, and their satisfaction is critical to Blackwood’s success. As a modern, supportive employer it also provides individuals with pathways towards achieving long and rewarding careers in roles that make a positive difference.

https://www.blackwoodgroup.org.uk/

Roy Brett’s Ondine Oyster and Grill are offering Ondine at Home this year for you to wow friends and family. 

Deliveries will be made on Saturday 23 December only.

A spokesperson said: “We don’t want you to miss out on any of our classic dishes that we have created over the last 15 years, so we thought that we should make them available for you to enjoy at home this Christmas.”

This will be a pick-up service only at Ondine restaurant. The last orders must be placed by Thursday 21 December. 

To order now contact enquiries@ondinerestaurant.co.uk

“First of its kind” national archiving project underway

LGBTQ+ young people across Scotland have lent their voices to a first-of-its-kind social history project that will preserve their experiences, stories and hopes for the future.  

This is part of LGBT Youth Scotland’s (Un)Seen, (Un)Heard initiative, which is capturing, collating and conserving the stories of LGBTQ+ young people to create a new permanent archive within the National Library of Scotland and increase visibility, provide connection across generations, strengthen communities and inform policymakers.

More than 150 messages full of hope for the future have already been collated in the form of recordings, letters, films, pieces of art, banners and signed flags from workshops across the country, including attendance at six Pride events across Scotland, including the first ever Barras Pride Market, and will form part of a unique national exhibition, at venues all over Scotland in early 2024.

The project travelled to six Pride events across Scotland to interview young people, including Highland Pride, Oban Pride and the first ever Barras Pride Market in Glasgow.

Ali Kerr, Head of Partnerships at LGBT Youth Scotland says the charity has been thrilled with the response from young people in Scotland.

She said: “It’s vital we capture the experiences of LGBTQ+ young people to give them a sense of pride in who they are, as well as giving them hope for the future.

The response we’ve had for this project is incredible and we hope that bridging the past and present will help us all make Scotland a place where all young people can thrive.

“We’re looking forward to building on the exhibition for its launch early next year and we’re urging those that haven’t taken part and would like to share their story to get in touch.”

The three-year project, which is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, has engaged with youth groups across the country to develop young people’s heritage skills.

Young people in Perth were given an archivist led tour of Perth Archives and delivered training with Our Story Scotland and the Scottish Council for Archives to develop skills in archiving and social history.

In an exciting collaboration, the National Library of Scotland, where the project’s stories will eventually be held, has welcomed groups to learn about its current collections and make their own zines inspired by the archives.

They have provided a safe and welcoming space for groups to get involved with the (Un)seen, (Un)heard project. Most recently Lavender Menace, who are running their own archiving project, visited and recorded an intergenerational oral history.

LGBT Youth Scotland continues to invite LGBTQ+ young people to get involved by sharing their lived experiences through workshops, online submission forms and social media. Their voices will become a powerful part of Scotland’s story when the exhibition launches in early 2024.

LGBT Youth Scotland is Scotland’s national charity for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Questioning and Intersex (LGBTQ+) young people aged 13-25.

LGBTQ+ young people face unique and additional barriers to realising their potential and LGBT Youth Scotland have been working for 20 years to remove those barriers and create a Scotland where all young people can thrive and flourish.

It works alongside young people to remove those barriers; both individually, and by amplifying their collective voices to influence change.

The charity was recently awarded the Participation and Youth Voice award at the National Youth Work Awards for its work with the Trans Rights Youth Commission, and a judge’s commendation at the Proud Scotland Awards for the Charity Initiative award.

If you are interested in submitting your story to the (Un)seen, (Un)heard archive or would like to know more about the project, email unseenunheard@lgbtyouth.org.uk

A care home in Edinburgh pulled all the stops to mark a special anniversary.

It was party time at Care UK’s Murrayside, on South Beechwood, as residents and team members came together to celebrate the home’s fifth birthday.

On the day, team members organised a host of games and musical activities to get everyone’s feet tapping, including a special karaoke and dancing session.

Adding to the festivities, the home’s chefs prepared colourful, tasty birthday cupcakes for everyone to enjoy.

Marion Clark, a resident at the home, said: “Thank you to everyone who set up this wonderful day for us/”

Suzanne Welsh, Home Manager at Murrayside, added: “We had a fantastic time celebrating our fifth birthday in true Murrayside fashion – with plenty of music!

“It’s been an incredible five years, and we’re grateful for everyone who was part of this journey with us. From hosting memorable themed events for the community to joining in nationwide initiatives to promote reading or make residents’ wishes come true, it’s safe to say we’ve been busy – but we wouldn’t change it for the world.

“We’re excited to see what the future has in store for us; may the next five years be as exciting as the previous ones!”

Murrayside care home has been specially designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities, and has its own cinema, hair salon and café.

To find out more about Murrayside, please contact Customer Relations Manager, Cliona Robertson, on 0131 516 2487, or email cliona.robertson@careuk.com

For more general information, please visit careuk.com/murrayside