Applications are now open to local groups and charities who work with disadvantaged people to obtain tickets for rides and attractions at this year’s Christmas events in the city centre.

The events will run from 17 November to 6 January 2024.

Applications can be made via the form on Edinburgh’s Christmas website, or via email at communities@unique-assembly.co.uk. Tickets will be limited per applicant/group, and applicants will be asked to include details of their organisational aims and how they would like to use the tickets. Applications are now open and will close midnight Sunday 5 November, with decisions to be made by Friday 10 November. Event producers invite applications from charities and volunteer organisations, including young carers, refugee groups, and others in the community who need support.  

Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations will also include open access to the Ross Bandstand in West Princes Street Gardens which will host a community-focused programme of events in association with various local charity partners. Running for four weekends 18 November – 10 December, there will be a mix of free and ticketed events that touch upon some of the pillars of Christmas – Light, Music, Dance, and Santa.  

Read more here about what is happening.

And remember that Edinburgh residents get 20% off tickets with an EH postcode. Tickets here.

The operator of city hostels Safestay will return to the capital following the purchase of a £4.3 million property in the Cowgate.

The company sold its 615 bed backpacker hostel on Blackfriars Street during the pandemic but it has now committed to buy the six storey building which until now has been a hostel with the upper three floors let to the Faculty of Advocates. Safestay said the building will need general refurbishment but that it will be open for business in summer 2024.

There will be more than 200 beds some with ensuite bathrooms or shower rooms.

A spokesperson for Safestay said: “Edinburgh is a city the company knows well, having owned and operated a successful 615-bed hostel for six years in this city until the pandemic in 2021 when it was sold for £16 million. Edinburgh is a leading European city, attracting large numbers of tourists and visitors every year, many of whom are looking for central and affordable accommodation.

“As a result, the group’s hostel portfolio now consists of 17 operating hostels and, with the addition of Edinburgh, the number of beds across the portfolio increases to 3,476.”

The company explained the price paid for the Cowgate property would be met from its existing cash resources.

Chairman Larry Lipman said: “We never wanted to leave Edinburgh for long and are delighted to return and link up with our other Scottish site in Glasgow. Edinburgh is a truly stunning city and a key destination for millions of young travellers to visit. The property is superbly positioned right in the centre with easy access to all the main attractions and we feel confident, knowing this market as we do, that it will be a strong contributor to the group.

“Our trading performance over the last 18 months since we have been allowed to trade post-pandemic has shown that our market is in good health. Demand and pricing have demonstrably increased, which will increasingly benefit us as we expand the portfolio with excellent sites such as this.“

The National League began its new season in Glasgow at the Emirates Arena on Sunday with Edinburgh teams playing a big part in this sport which is growing in recognition.

Players included seasoned national players such as Emily Nicholl and Claire Maxwell and rising stars such as Jazmine Moore from the U21 squad.

Edinburgh University defeated their Glasgow counterparts by a convincing 52 to 24.

Edinburgh University’s Head Coach, Trish Wilcox said: “Our goal this season is to be competitive against every team, this is the top competition in Scotland with the best players in the best clubs.” It’s evident that every match in this league is not just about the final whistle but about growth, exposure, and development.

Kelly Boyle, the Head Coach of Glasgow University, who recently transitioned into the role, commended her team’s resilience and adaptability. She said: “Playing at this level in Scotland is what we want and it is what we need to develop so I am proud and we stood up to the challenge today.”

Saltires, bolstered by their performance, reduced the margin of their last meeting’s 13-goal loss against Edinburgh Accies to just three. Lucy Gaw, a U21 Scotland star and pivotal player for Saltires, reflected on their improved performance: “We just stuck our structures, played our own game and it was a really good physical game today.

I think a performance like that is great for us as a team heading into the National League this season; We have improved so much since last season; our last meeting was a 13-goal loss to Accies, and this was just 3 today.”

Jo Pettitt of Edinburgh Accies resonated with the intensity of the competition and said: “It was a very close game from start to finish… I don’t think you can be surprised in the National League with teams putting up that number of goals; we knew they’ve had very strong shooters.”

Tom Coolen, Fife Flyers’ head coach, did not feel his men had much left in the tank after their hard-fought, 3-0 victory over Guildford Flames at Kirkcaldy in the Elite League.

Less than 24-hours later Flyers were in Sheffield against Steelers, the current league pace-setters, and went down 5-0 as well as being outshot 55 to ten in the process.

Flyers were blown out 3-0 in the first session and never recovered.

Elsewhere, Dundee Stars, sponsored by Trade-Mart, were thumped 7-2 at home to Nottingham Panthers also in the league while Belfast Giants beat Glasgow Clan 5-2 in the Challenge Cup to compete their round-robin qualifying with a 100 per cent record after six games. 

Fife are second in the table with six points from their six games and Clan, sponsored by Aspray Glasgow West, are third with four points from five starts. Dundee prop up the table without a point in five outings and Glasgow visit Dundee on November 12 in the final game of the qualifiers.

PICTURE: Fife Flyers goal under siege at Sheffield Steelers. Picture by Dean Woolley courtesy of the Elite League

A week of business related events is arranged in November when Fife Council Economic Development will support the “What Forth Green Freeport Means for Fife” event. 

The morning event is recommended for local businesses, key partners and investors keen to understand the potential of the Forth Green Freeport.

The strategically located Forth Green Freeport is billed as an opportunity for Fife and Scotland, to deliver a just transition to net zero, attract inward investment, build international trade and export capability, and to create high quality and well-paid jobs. Forth Green Freeport offers a unique business environment with proposed incentives, simplified customs processes, as well as wider supply chain opportunities and place-based investment.

With the ports of Rosyth and Burntisland located within the Forth Green Freeport location and with the outer boundary taking in much of the local area, the Forth Green Freeport is set to be a significant economic driver for Fife.

Event Details:

Date: Wednesday 8 November 2023

Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm

Location: Carnegie Conference Centre, Dunfermline

Key Highlights:

Presentation: Hear about the proposed vision and objectives for Forth Green Freeport and an overview of the opportunities this could provide for supply chain, future investors and job creation.

Networking: Connect with fellow business leaders, investors, and industry stakeholders who share your interest in the Forth Green Freeport forging valuable partnerships and collaborations.

Panel Discussion: Engage with a panel of key partners who will share their expertise and insights.

Interactive Q&A: Have questions or need further clarification? Our interactive Q&A session is your chance to seek clarity on more of the specifics of the Forth Green Freeport project. We are accepting questions in advance of the event. Please submit these tofifemeansbusiness@fife.gov.uk with the subject “Forth Green Freeport Event”.

For more information and to book your place visit:

THREE CHARITIES TO BENEFIT FROM PETTYCUR BAY CHRISTMAS MARKET

Pettycur Bay Holiday Park in Kinghorn, Fife has listed the three local charities set to benefit from its forthcoming Christmas Market taking place on Saturday 4 November, between 11am and 3pm.

The Holiday Park has teamed up with a number of local stallholders throughout the Kinghorn and Burntisland community in aid of the RNLI, Guide Dogs for the Blind and The Wolf Hirschhorn Trust.

Held in the Holiday Park’s Images Entertainment suite, the market will be the first festive market of the season to be held in the area.

Janet Murray, General Manager of Pettycur Bay Holiday Park said: “Our staff are busy making up a range of fantastic festive hampers which we are going to raffle on the day to add to the total raised for the local charities.

“Along with mince pies and mulled wine, Face painters, and a Free “Rocking Rudolf”, our stall holders have some amazing “shop local” products and homemade items to sell.”

www.pettycur.co.uk

Barry McEwan intends to fish in the Bass Rock Shore Angling League winter series on Wednesday, just two days before jetting to Sicily for the world championships.

The Port Seton-based angler, who is treasurer of the Bass Rock club, is in a five-strong squad, plus a travelling reserve, heading for Catania, at the foot of Mount Etna, an active volcano.

Wednesday’s match is round three of the winter series and it is a North Berwick Rover with boundaries from one of the town’s golf courses to the other.

Registration is at North Berwick Harbour from 6pm until 6.30pm with fishing from 7pm to 10pm and secretary James Ogilvie said only sizeable fish should be weighed in.

The scales close at 10.20pm and it is usual £10 entry fee with a 100 per cent payout, 50/50 split between the heaviest bag and the heaviest fish.

McEwan made his debut for the Tartan Team in the Home Internationals in Dorset last year and he is in a new-look Scotland side who have been training hard for the world event, with regular sessions around the Scottish coastline.

Captain Billy Buckley admitted it was difficult to replicate the conditions they will face in the Mediterranean and that is why they jet to the bustling Italian port of Catania, the industrial, logistical and commercial centre of Sicily, which is on the east coast, at the foot of Mount Etna, an active volcano, well ahead of the competition to practice before the competition starts on November 4.

Buckley from Uddingston is the only member of the five-man squad plus a reserve to have fished in a world team event before, but he does not see that as a negative as a team of debutants came fifth in a previous event.

The current squad, which also includes Michael McLaughlin (Cumbernauld), Nuno Santos (Glasgow), plus Calum Culbert (Aberdeen), are keen to learn.

They will be accompanied by reserve Neil McMillan from Stevenston in Ayrshire who will have a key role to play as a runner, passing vital information along the beach during competition.

Fishing is for four hours each day, with sessions in the morning and also into darkness, and the Scots will be using light lines around 0.14 in diameter, about 5lb, to cast further, over 200m, running the risk of snapping the line if a big fish grabs the hook.

Bream, garfish and bass are the likely species with three baits allowed, including arenicola marina, a blow lugworm, and shrimp, and the Tartan team will use small hooks from six 6 to 12.

Two or three hook flapper rigs or Portugese rigs will be used and the knowledge of Portugal-born Santos could be a real asset here as he has fished waters like Sicily before.

The Scots will use either pyramid or rolling leads as the tidal flow is light, around 1.5m, unlike Scotland, and Buckley said: “The guys are all extremely experienced domestic anglers who have come through the qualifying to get to this stage. “Yes, it is a new team, I’m the only one who has fished in a world team event before, but Michael (McLaughlin) and I won silver in the world Pairs in France last year.

“The rest of the guys are open to ideas which is tremendous and the last time we had a similar team at world level we came fifth in France.”

Scotland are back at the world level after a gap caused by COVID-19 and they were mid-table when they last competed and that was in South Africa.

Buckley added: “The last time we fished in Italy we came sixth but Scotland have won the world championship before on British-style beaches. We fish well in Ireland and Denmark and England as these are conditions we are used to.”

PICTURE: Bary McEwan pictured at Dunbar Harbour during one of the Bass Rock Summer Series matches. Picture by Nigel Duncan

Although the weather has affected areas in the north east more than others, Edinburgh has not gone unscathed.

In Granton the Old Chain Pier was damaged by waves as the owners recorded on social media. After some hasty repairs the bar was open again to the public on Sunday despite one of their windows being blown in.

Several boats in Granton Harbour have been sunk and others have been damaged during the storm.

Today the Met Office say the area of Edinburgh and Lothians remains affected by a yellow weather warning with ice forecast. Keep an eye on the weather here.

At the City Chambers this week

There is an overspend of £14 million forecast at The City of Edinburgh Council and today there is a Special meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee to identify “additional mitigating actions”. This follows a report in June of this year when a provisional underspend of £13.7 million was indicated, but that has been swallowed up by the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) which at the same time projected a deficit in its finances of a similar amount. The EIJB through its Chief Officer has responsibility for the strategic planning, resourcing and the operational oversight of a wide range of health and social care services.

It is clear that the EIJB has an increasing funding shortfall, although there is some cash in reserve after an underspend in the previous financial year. There have been briefings for councillors behind the scenes to ensure that they are all aware of the challenges set before the EIJB and a proposed recovery plan.

Executive Directors in the council are required to bring forward cost saving measures.

The council is also asked to note that as agreed in September the council can take on “no new commitments” pending an update at the next meeting on 21 November.

The full council will also discuss this report at a later date in particular in relation to the Edinburgh Visitor Levy for which preparation will be made under the council’s Spend to Save fund.

On Tuesday the council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee meets and one of the items on the agenda is to examine the council’s relationship with Edinburgh Leisure and how it can ensure that the Arms Length External Organisation (ALEO) pays its staff the Real Living Wage. The papers are here.

On Wednesday the Development Management Committee meets when it will discuss the Crosswind development on Turnhouse Road, permission for the Christmas Market on George Street, in East and West Princes Street Gardens and the erection of a Spiegeltent in St Andrew Square to be used as a “storytelling experience with Santa”.

It is a packed agenda with the councillors also expected to discuss development of a national centre for Scotland’s collection of artwork at Madelvic House and an active travel route east of Granton Art Centre.

Everything on the agenda comes with a recommendation from officers that permission is granted, except for one short term let application for a flat in Sunbury Street EH4.

The papers for this meeting are here.

WASPs open weekend

Workshop & Artists Studio Provision Scotland Ltd (WASPs) at Patriothall in Stockbridge are holding an open weekend at the beginning of November.

Over two days, 20 studios will be opening their doors, inviting the public to visit a variety of creative spaces and enjoy a behind the scenes experience. The event will showcase the very best of Scottish art, craft and design. Set across three buildings, there is something for everyone, from glasswork, ceramics, fine art and jewellery to printed textiles.

More details here.

The former Granton Station Gas Works has been transformed into a 600 square metre creative hub offering affordable, high quality workspaces, co-working desk spaces, a gallery/workshop space and meeting room provision, set in a newly landscaped public realm and outdoor events space which WASPs also occupy.

The future of the premises in Gorgie at West Park Place remain in doubt. WASPs bought the premises from the council in 2021 for £1 but only two years later they threatened to close the premises without “any meaningful consultation” with the community or the artists. A petition was set up by the artists who were renting space there, but little or no progress has been made since we wrote this article at the beginning of August.

Gorgie City Farm

Suzanne Campbell was appointed Project Manager at Gorgie City Farm in July and is trying to drive a conversation about finding a way for the farm to reopen in a self supporting way.

She issued this update a couple of months ago. She said that EVOC:

• “Have applied for and been awarded funding by Community Enterprise to conduct a research project into sustainable farm models
• “Are applying for funding to visit successful urban farms in the UK to learn more about the different ways they earn money
• “Are looking at the health and safety of the land and buildings and what needs to happen before we can welcome members of the public back on Site
• “Have started research into a constitution to set up a new organisation to take on the future running of the site
• “Appointed Johanna to the part-time post of Gorgie City Farm Site Gardner and worked with her on a policy, systems and processes to let the Volunteer Gardeners back on site (This happened in September and gardeners have access to part of the site again).

“We’ve set up new Facebook and Twitter accounts to share what is happening, what we’ve learnt and to start answering these questions. We’ll also tell you about consultation opportunities, so keep an eye out.”

There is an online consultation about the future of Gorgie City Farm and you are invited to have your say in this survey which is one part of it.

Intolerable graffiti

Hibs fans travelled to Glasgow on Saturday for a match against Rangers at Ibrox. Sadly some fans of the Edinburgh club scrawled the number 66 on their seats, and stickers referring to Stairway 13 at Ibrox were applied to the seating in a hideous reference to the 1971 Ibrox disaster when 66 fans died. The graffiti was drawn in chalk, but the harm has been done, and both teams vehemently condemned the actions of some fans as vile.

A Hibernian FC spokesperson said on Saturday: “Hibernian FC is aware of the intolerable graffiti and stickers found in the away end at Ibrox today and condemns the behaviour of the individuals that were involved.

“The Club will work with Rangers to identify those responsible and will take the most serious action possible against anyone involved.

“If any Hibernian FC supporter has any information that could assist the Club to help identify these individuals, they should contact club@hibernianfc.co.uk and the information provided will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence.”

Read more here.

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Soaring numbers of people from across the world are exploring Scotland solo – including Edinburgh – new figures have revealed.

Visitors say that Scotland’s friendly people and inclusive culture make the country stand out from other destinations.

VisitScotland has identified a post-pandemic trend in solo travelling after a surge of interest over the last three years.

From 2021 to 2023, Google searches for solo trips to Scotland jumped by 33% with travellers citing several decisive factors.

VisitScotland, the national tourism organisation, said that after Covid stopped travel plans, many people are now less willing to wait for others to take their dream trip, combined with a “why not” mindset post-pandemic.

The majority of solo travellers are female and more than half recommend Europe as the best destination for a first solo trip.

Leanne Mallon, VisitScotland’s Head of Performance Marketing, said: “Solo travel has grown more popular post-pandemic, and this may be down to people feeling the need to seize travel opportunities now as we don’t know what might be round the corner.

“There has also been the rise of social media platforms like TikTok where solo travellers share their experiences and show how easy it can be to travel alone.

“Solo travel comes with many benefits for the visitor and the destination. It allows you to explore what works or doesn’t work for you. You can encounter a wide range of people and be able to immerse yourself in Scottish culture in a way that suits you.

“It can be done on a budget, making it ideal for anyone wishing to watch their spending. And it can be easier to make more responsible choices such as staying longer in general or in a particular area or travelling around via more public transport, which can lessen the impact on the environment.

“This trend is one that many Scottish tourism businesses can jump on. They can look at shaping their products and services to suit lone travellers and capitalise on this growing market.”

Hannah Rose, a solo travel influencer known as @postcardsbyhannah, has visited Italy, the French Riviera and the Maldives, but claims Scotland is the ideal place to travel alone.

She said: “The first time I visited Scotland solo I went to Glasgow. I chatted with the owner of a coffee shop who was so pleased I had picked his home city to visit that he refused to let me pay my bill. He then called his partner and co-owner who invited me on a night out with her friends. She gave me her number and we still chat to this day.

“I don’t know any other place in the world where locals make me feel comfortable and want to chat to me when they realise I am travelling solo.

“Scotland isn’t just the perfect choice for solo women, but it is a very inclusive country that welcomes those from all walks of life. It is a safe country for the LGBTQ community whilst also being accessible to those less able.”

Hannah, 32, said solo travel can also mean “slow travel” — where visitors take their time in a location instead of checking off hotspots.

She added: “Scotland is the ideal place to enjoy ‘slow travel’. Whether you are visiting larger cities such as Edinburgh or exploring the wilderness of the Highlands, it shouldn’t be rushed.

“Travelling solo means I can set the pace. If I want to sit in a coffee shop and watch the world go by I can. If I want to climb a hill and spend an hour sitting at the top admiring the view, then I absolutely will.”

Research has shown that 74% of solo travellers go alone because they want to experience the world without waiting for someone.

Elise Shapiro, an IT training specialist from Seattle, Washington, told how her husband couldn’t travel due to work and friends could not commit.

She said: “I have found that Scotland is a great country for solo travel. People are kind and friendly and public transportation has been easy to figure out.

“I’ve scheduled time on group tours as well as alone, so I can meet people and make new friends, but I can also have downtime by myself.”

Elise, 52, was drawn to Scotland as a fan of TV show Outlander but, after visiting some of the filming locations, has explored further.

She said: “I visited Iona, Mull, Skye, Orkney, the Highlands, and Edinburgh. Before I leave Europe, I will also go to Glasgow and then Edinburgh again, later in the winter.

“Scotland is an easy country for solo travellers. From the botanical gardens, castles and cathedrals to the museums and great restaurants, there’s tons to do, no matter what you are interested in.”

Tour company Mary’s Meanders, which specialises in Outlander experiences, has also seen a rise in solo travellers.

Guide Emma Chalmers said: “Since we started offering Outlander Tours, we have frequently hosted solo travellers. They have increased slightly since the pandemic but what is interesting is that they now say things like ‘I got tired of waiting for my friends/family members to commit and decided to just go for it’, ‘just because my husband doesn’t want to travel doesn’t mean I can’t’.

Emma and her team have devised new ways of catering for solo travellers to ensure they feel safe holidaying in Scotland.

She said: “We have a hand holding approach, we offer zoom calls in advance of the guest booking, we are happy to answer any type of question about little things that might be worrying them. It is all about building their confidence if needed.

“We set up WhatsApp group chats so everyone can start to get to know each other. This works really well. In fact, we have even had guests meet up in the airport and fly over together.”

The Scottish Government has announced a second round of funding for the Promise initiative first established in 2020.

A fund of £4 million will be awarded to 42 organisations delivering projects to help anyone in the care system.

This week is Care Experienced Week when a call for change is emphasised as well as the transformation needed to Keep the Promise. Last year the government appointed the Corra Foundation to administer a total of £12 million through the Promise Partnership Fund for three years until March 2025.

In Edinburgh two council departments will receive assistance – the Children’s Partnership and the Parent Panel – as well as other charities such as The Yard, YMCA Edinburgh SCIO, Young Scot which is headquartered in the capital, Edinburgh Napier University Development Trust and Cyrenians.

The organisations which will benefit are those prioritising building supportive workforces to support young people and families in the care system, creating school structures which offer support and opportunities and a sense of belonging, and improving youth justice and rights to reduce and prevent the criminalisation of children and young people with care experience.

Minister for Keeping the Promise Natalie Don said:”The Promise Partnership Fund is crucial in supporting organisations to make the changes needed to enrich the lives of children and young people in or on the edges of care.

“Care Experienced Week starts today and is a key opportunity for Scotland to come together to celebrate and show our love for children and young people who have experienced care. I am determined we keep driving forward the transformational change that is required to Keep The Promise and make Scotland the best place in the world to grow up, where all children are loved, safe, respected and realise their full potential.”

On their website the government states: “Keeping The Promise requires us to join up across our Government policies and actions and to work with our partners to bring transformational change. Change that places love and relationships at the centre of the experiences and outcomes for every child. Having made this Promise to our children and young people, adults and families of Scotland, we intend to keep it.”

Emily Dark and Sarah Jamieson both scored four goals as Scottish Premiership leaders, Watsonians, thrashed Uddingston 11-0 at Peffermill, but coach Keith Smith did not think that his squad played with quite the same intensity or tempo as they have in recent matches.

Katherine Holdgate netted twice and Katie MacCallum once in the rout and Smith added: “As a result, we created fewer chances than we have been doing.

“On the flipside, we were probably more effective with the chances we did create.”

Smith said that in the build-up to the game the team spoke about how they have not been scoring as many goals as they felt their play merited.

He added: “So, it was good to see we were more deliberate in making the most of our opportunities. The challenge in the next games coming up is obviously to try and combine those two elements.”

PICTURE: Action from a recent Watsonians women’s match at Peffermill by Nigel Duncan

Steven Naismith blamed sloppy goals for Hearts’ 4-1 defeat at home to cinch Premiership pace-setters Celtic who brushed the opposition aside with ease on a glorious afternoon for football, but not for the Jambos.

Kenneth Vargas shoots v Celtic. Picture by David Mollison

The men from Parkhead enjoy a seven-point gap at the top of the table and they now prepare for a joust with Athletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday before travelling to Easter Road to square-up to Hibs on Saturday (15.00).

Rodgers believes his men will go into Europe with great confidence but Hearts must pick themselves up for a visit to second-placed Rangers next Sunday (15.00).

Naismith must lift his men to went 1-0 down after only three minutes after a delightful move initiated by a deft flick from Luis Palma and a superb, over-the-shoulder finish by Matt O’Riley into the bottom corner.

Daizen Maeda added No 2, bundling the ball home from close range at the far post, after 23 minutes and Kyogo Furuhashi added a third after 51 minutes after Reo Hatate had sent Hearts’ goalkeeper Zander Clark the wrong way but thumped the ball against the upright.

The spot kick was given by referee Nick Walsh after Alex Cochrane was adjudged to have fouled Furuhashi and Hearts’ fans, silenced by the scoreline, briefly came to life, but The Bhoys weathered that brief verbal storm. 

Substitute Tomoki Iwata claimed his first Celtic goal after 81 minutes after Lawrence Shankland (pictured), Hearts’ captain, had fired home on the turn from the edge of the box which proved only a cancellation for the home side. Time 64 minutes.

In truth, Hearts were a long way behind Celtic in this encounter played under blue skies and with no real wind.

Brendan Rodgers, Celtic’ manager, said that Celtic needed to start with real energy to make things difficult for the home side and they did and he added: “We were very, very good and we tried to bring and energy and speed to the game in the beginning to make it difficult for Hearts.

“I’ve been here enough times to know if you don’t make a good start then it can be a challenge and the players played some wonderful football and worked every so hard in the game.

“This is constant evolution, this is not a destination to where we want to go, it is continual improvement and trying to get to higher levels and the big thing is that this is a very difficult ground to come to.

“I love challenges like this here, coming to really hostile environment, because it is an opportunity to show your value as a team and show your worth as a team. I think the players dealt with it every so well today.”

This was Celtic’s tenth straight win over the Jambos in all competitions and Rodgers’ only criticism is that he felt his men could have had more goals. He added: “Their keeper made some great saves and then, when we got to 4-1, we could have managed the ball a wee bit better.”

His opposite number Naismith did not pull his punches in the post-match briefing. He said: “We gave up really sloppy goals, that’s the biggest thing. In the last two games the goals we have conceded are not at a level we should be at and where we want to be.

“How sloppy they were and when we concede them is crucial, it does not give you a chance to get into the game. To lose a goal after three minutes and then that was the theme throughout the game as the four goals were avoidable.

“Then you are trying to get back into a game you lose a goal at the wrong time and it kills the game off and that is what happened.” 

Sibbick and Kent look on as Celtic clear. Picture by David Mollison

Lowry shoots with Greg Taylor in attendance. Picture David Mollison

Cochrane sends a ball flashing in front of goal. Picture David Mollison

Forrest sent spinning by Carter-Vickers during the clash at Tynecastle. Picture David Mollison

Collective on Calton Hill has two new exhibitions for Autumn which run until 23 December: asweetsea by U.S. artist Liza Sylvestre, and John by Satellites artist Thomas Abercromby.

Both of these revolve around the moving image, and explore diverse themes encompassing language, access, family, social mobility, memory and communication.

In Sylvestre’s first solo exhibition in Scotland, asweetsea explores what it means to communicate. As an artist who is deaf, and whose child and partner are both hearing, Sylvestre seeks to locate where her disability lives within their family structure. Comprising a moving image work and series of related drawings (originally commissioned as part of Liza Sylvestre | asweetsea at John Hansard Gallery (2022), and now shown in Collective’s City Dome Gallery), Sylvestre’s exhibition investigates the complicated edges of distinctions. What does hearing mean? What does deafness mean? What does disability mean? Where do these things begin and end?

In asweetsea, Sylvestre has collaborated with her 6-year-old child to reimagine an animated cartoon from the artist’s own childhood. Sylvestre’s fond memories of the 1985 animated TV special, Sweet Sea, evolved at a time when she had a very different sensory makeup. Now, as her hearing child relays their experience of the film, Sylvestre reworks the animated material to fit their description. Captioned extracts of conversations between parent and child convey both the sound and the intimacy of their interaction. Vividly coloured and shimmering with undersea motion, their remake engages generational experiences of disability, interdependence, sensory memory, communication, and time.

To accompany the film, Collective will also show three of Sylvestre’s Parts drawings. These large scale works on paper are built up in layers  of overlapping detailed line drawings, reminiscent of the language of instruction manuals. Fragments of illustrations for the assembly and use of cochlear implants combine with details of toys and building blocks from Lego construction guides. The structure of language and communication within a family is made visible as an investigation of overlapping systems.  Sylvestre’s work invites us to consider the role of description in creating access, and a related online work brings additional layers of imagery, sound, access and interpretation.

Titled in homage to the artist’s father, John is a new commission by Glaswegian artist and curator Thomas Abercromby presented as part of Collective’s Satellites programme. Centred around a film installation of the same name, Abercromby has collaborated with an all-working-class cast and crew to explore the intricate ties between family, grief and the multifaceted layers of social class. John raises the question: how do we navigate spaces not designed for us?

The film juxtaposes childhood paintings made by Abercromby’s late father with opulent gallery interiors, and painterly images of peripheral urban landscapes of the artist’s youth. These are seamlessly intertwined with behind-the-scenes moments that expose the subjectivity of the cast and crew themselves, and the work that has gone into the production of John.  The film not only challenges traditional artistic norms but also invites audiences to confront and reflect upon the spaces and narratives that are often left uncharted in the art world.

Director of Collective, Sorcha Carey, said: “For Collective’s Autumn programme, we are excited to share two such extraordinary moving image works. In both Liza and Thomas’ exhibitions, the personal and the political meet – inviting us to find greater connection with one another.” 

The works exhibited at Collective as part of asweetsea were originally commissioned for Liza Sylvestre | asweetsea, curated by Sarah Hayden at John Hansard Gallery (2022), as part of an AHRC Fellowship project called Voices in the Gallery.

Collective’s winter opening hours run until Saturday 23 December. During this time, Collective will be open: Wednesday-Sunday, 10am to 4pm. 

collective-edinburgh.art

Hibs fans travelled to Glasgow on Saturday for a match against Rangers at Ibrox. Sadly, some fans of the Edinburgh club appear to have scrawled the number 66 on their seats, and stickers referring to Stairway 13 at Ibrox were applied to the seating in a hideous reference to the 1971 Ibrox disaster when 66 fans died.

This graffiti with other references to the Her Late Majesty The Queen was drawn in chalk, but the harm has been done, and both teams have vehemently condemned the actions of some fans as vile.

A Rangers spokesperson said: “Rangers condemns in the strongest possible terms the graffiti and stickers left by a section of the Hibernian supporters at Ibrox this afternoon.

“The Ibrox Disaster remains the darkest day in our club’s history, and continues to affect a number families to this day. The mocking and celebration of such an event is outrageous, and has no place in any football stadium or society as a whole.

“Rangers will be pleased to work with Hibernian to identify those responsible.”

A Hibernian FC spokesperson said on Saturday: “Hibernian FC is aware of the intolerable graffiti and stickers found in the away end at Ibrox today and condemns the behaviour of the individuals that were involved.

“The Club will work with Rangers to identify those responsible and will take the most serious action possible against anyone involved.

“If any Hibernian FC supporter has any information that could assist the Club to help identify these individuals, they should contact club@hibernianfc.co.uk and the information provided will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence.”

First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “This is outrageous. The Ibrox disaster is a tragedy we remember and mourn to this day.

“I am pleased to see the strong statement from Hibs to say they will work with Rangers to identify those responsible and take the most severe action possible.”

One Hibs fan pointed out that the club will know who bought the away tickets for these seats, and another said there were also similar stickers put on cars around Ibrox on Saturday.

The match result was 4-0 to Rangers under their new manager Philippe Clement.

Fife Flyers beat Guildford Flames 3-0 at Kirkcaldy in the Elite League to sit in sixth place, scoring in each of the three sessions.

Kyle Osterberg opened the scoring after four minutes and Ben Hawerchuck made it 2-0 after 25 minutes with Troy Lajeunesse adding a third with less than ten minutes left to leave Flames at the bottom of the ten-strong table.

At Braehead, Glasgow Clan beat pointless Dundee Stars 4-1 in the Challenge Cup with Gary Haden opening the home side’s account after nine minutes.

Six minutes later it was Haden again for 2-0 and Michael Pelech added to the home side’s tally after 32 minjutes with former Dudnee player Philippe Sanche making it 4-0 after 36 minutes.

Ryan Valentini unassisted claimed Dundee’s consolation after 47 minutes leaving Stars pointless after five games. 

PICTURE: Recent action from The Fife Ice Arena courtesy of the Elite League and Flyers Images

Western Wildcats kept up pressure on men’s Scottish Premiership leaders Grange with a 3-1 win over Uddingston in Lanarkshire.

Hillhead edged Grove Menzieshill 3-2 at Old Anniesland with Dundee Wanderers’ home clash against Kelburne at Dalnacraig being postponed because of the weather.

In the women’s title race, leaders Watsonians march on. They thrashed Uddingston 11-0 at Peffermill.

Hillhead lost 3-0 at home to Clydesdale Western while GHK beat the University of St Andews 4-0 at Old Anniesland.

Grange Edinburgh Ladies edged Glasgow University 2-1 at Fettes while Western Wildcats went down 4-0 at Auchenhowie to The University of Edinburgh.

Inverleith’s home clash with Gordonians was postponed.

Watsonians head the table with full points from six starts with Western second three points behind and Grange Edinburgh Ladies third two points further back.

The University of Edinburgh are fourth, also on 13 points.

PICURE: Scottish international Jess Ross (red shirt) challenges for the ball in a recent match featuring The University of Edinburgh at Peffermill. Picture by Nigel Duncan

A large sei whale which washed up on the eastern edge of South Queensferry on Saturday morning has died despite attempts by marine mammal specialists to keep it alive by trying to return it to the River Forth.

British Diving Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) were called in to try and assist the animal which had red marks around its jaws but rescue efforts in Whitehouse Bay were in vain.

A spokesperson for The Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme said: “This is a sei whale that got stranded earlier today. BDMLR medics went out to attend but unfortunately, the animal died. SMASS will be carrying out a necropsy to investigate why it may have been stranded.”

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Casey Gilling is carrying an injury but could be considered as Fife Flyers have a weekend double-header which sees the Kirkcaldy club clash with clubs at the bottom and then the top of the ten-strong Elite League.

Guildford Flames, who prop up the table, visit on Saturday (face-off 19.15) and Flyers then travel to The House of Steel to square-up to high-flying Sheffield Steelers on Sunday (16.00).

Coach Tom Coolen is focused on entirely on Flames and not on Sheffield and the Guildford club added Austin Glover to their squad in midweek as an injury replacement for countryman Kobe Walker.

The men from The Spectrum Leisure Complex hope to get clearance so the Canadian marksman can make his debut for the club at The Fife Ice Arena.

Coach Coolen has watched tapes of Flames and he dismissed any suggestion that they are a soft touch. Indeed, they challenged for the title last term.

He said: “They have speed and they have real talent and they are a good team. In fact, there are no easy games in this league, from team one to team ten. However, it is all about how we execute on the night. We have to make sure we make fewer mistakes than the opposition.

American forward Gilling has a knock but it is not serious, according to Coolen, and the coach is happy with the way training has gone this week.

He was also pleased to have earned a point in the narrow 3-2 shootout defeat to Belfast Giants, last season’s Grand Slam winners, at Kirkcaldy last Saturday, the team’s last outing. The Fifers are sixth with three points from two games.

The Canadian playcaller said: “Our aim is to win every game, but winning at home in front of our own fans is important to us and we will be aiming to do that.”

Steelers edged Glasgow Clan 3-2 at Braehead on Wednesday after overtime, Mikko Juusola netting 1min 04sec into the extra session, but Coolen did not travel to watch.

PICTURE: Fife v Belfast last weekend by courtesty of the Elite League from Jillian McFarlane

Glasgow Clan, boosted by the signing of Canadian forward, Reid Petryk, a 30-year-old from Edmonton, entertain pointless Dundee Stars in the Challenge Cup on Saturday (face-off 19.00) and captain Dyson Stevenson wants to see his team taking a win without leaving it late.

Clan’s last three games have been taken into overtime or penalty shots where the Braehead combine have missed out on victory on each occasion.

Petryk has spent the last two seasons in Norway and he comes into Clan, sponsored by Aspray Glasgow West, at a time when Stevenson was encouraged by the team’s performance in midweek.

They lost 3-2 at Braehead after overtime to Elite League pace-setters Sheffield Steelers but the skipper felt his men were more solid defensively.

He said: “The last few games have definitely been a bit crazy, given they’ve been high-scoring games where we’ve come out with a point from each of them.

“However we haven’t got the wins to show for it and it hurts us a little in the standings. Defensively, we haven’t been quite there but we tightened a lot of things up on Wednesday and had some great goaltending, so things are coming together for us.”

He added: “Dundee come in on Saturday and they’re a big, tough team. They’re a little different than they have been in the last couple of years under the new coaching.

“It will be a good game and one we need to win, but every game matters and that’s our focus – getting two points and hopefully avoiding going into overtime and penalties.”

PICTURE: Clan in action against Steelers this week. Courtesy of the Elite League and Dean Woolley

George Murray and his wife Senga have hosted four national bank fishing finals at their Newhaylie Trout Fishery around 400ft above Largs, but never an international, until now.

Final preparations are under way for the event on Wednesday despite the really dreadful weather which has buffeted Scotland in the last few days.

However, the 70mph-plus winds had not stopped teams practicing on the 3.8 acre fishery which is less than half a mile from the Irish Sea.

Indeed, Ireland arrived on Thursday, dropped their bags and tied on patterns in a bid to learn as much as they can before competition day on Wednesday.

Wales, with star man, Hwyel Morgan, a world champion fly caster and consultant for Scottish-based tackle manufacturer, Daiwa, plus being a regular YouTube presenter, checked-in on Friday and they also got straight to the water to have a cast.

England arrived on Saturday morning and immediately started their build-up and Scotland, with Edinburgh angler, David Harrington in the six-man squad, arrived on Saturday night. They have already had several practice sessions on the water in the last few months.

The water, which is 18ft at the deepest point but which averages around 5ft, has been well stocked. Murray said that his normal winter stocking was introduced ten days ago and he topped that up with more fish last Wednesday.

The owner said: “Plenty of fish has gone in and the guys are catching, despite the weather.”

Wild brown trout of up to 13lb live in the lake along with rainbow trout up to 24lb and Tiger trout of up to 9lb and Murray is delighted to be granted an international. He said: “We’ve been involved with the qualifiers for the Home Bank International for 11 years now and hosted four national finals but never had the honour to host one, now we have.”

The weather last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday was really bad, he said, with winds up to 70mph and double-glazing units being added to the front of their main building had to stop. 

Murray added: “We wanted somewhere to allow the anglers in the competition a place to shelter in bad weather and they installers hope to complete before competition day on Wednesday.”

He added: “The Irish anglers arrived on Thursday and went straight out onto the water. Wales arrived on Friday and did the same and England have just arrived and they are going out.

“The conditions are tough but there is great interest here among our regulars. They are really keen to see how the top guys do it and they have come in to see how it is done during the unofficial practice days.”

The prevailing wind is from the west and Murray is hoping the weather eases for next week. He said: “We have an eco-climate here and it can be wild elsewhere but flat calm here so we hope for the best for practice and competition day.”

The biggest problem so far for Brian Quinn, Scotland’s team manager, was placing banners at the water because of the high winds and he is hopeful that his squad can perform well on home soil.

The fishery, which also has a tackle shop, is on Haylie Brae, Dalry Road, Largs KA30 9QA and is open from 8am daily with aspects over the Isles of Cumbrae, Rothesay and Arran ring 01475 676005 or contact Murray on murrgeo@aol.com

PICTURE: A view of Newhaylie from the air. Contributed 

Passengers are being advised not to travel on Saturday 21 October 2023 as severe weather is continuing to cause major disruption to services across the LNER route. 

Due to ongoing flooding of the route between Doncaster and Wakefield, speed restrictions in Scotland and trains and crews being out of position following yesterday’s extensive disruption, an extremely limited service is in operation and services may be subject to short-notice cancellation.

There are no LNER services operating north of Edinburgh. Due to road closures, rail replacement is not available.  Other train operators are also subject to disruption.

Customers are being advised to defer travel. Tickets will be valid for travel between Monday 23 October and Friday 27 October 2023 or fee free refunds will be possible from the original point of purchase.

The latest information and further details can be found at lner.co.uk and on social channels.

Customers are advised to check for the latest updates before their planned journey.

Nick Montgomery’s Hibs travel to Glasgow looking for their first win away against Rangers in more than five years.

After just a month in charge Saturday presents the first match against either of the Old Firm for Montgomery and Hibs fans will be eager to see whether the Head Coach persists with the attacking mentality deployed thus far.

Rangers will have a fresh look as new manager Phillippe Clement takes his place in the Ibrox dugout for the first time replacing Michael Beale who was sacked at the start of the month.

When asked for his thoughts on the arrival of the former Monaco manager at Rangers, Montgomery said to PLZ Soccer: “I am not really bothered about them, it’s about us preparing for the game.”

Hibs go into Saturday on a six-game unbeaten run, their last outing was the dramatic derby draw at Tynecastle where a minute of magic by Elie Youan earned the team a point before the international break.

Dylan Levitt, Rocky Bushiri, Lewis Miller and Martin Boyle all returned to training this week after they were away on International duty with their respective nations, it was a particularly successful break for Miller who made his debut for Australia against England at Wembley.

For the returnees and their teammates, attention turns to Ibrox where Hibs have had a pretty dismal record in recent years, their last win in this fixture coming courtesy of a John McGinn strike and a Jamie McLaren penalty in March 2018.

Montgomery previewed the game with Hibs TV saying: “We are not going to be naive thinking that we can go all-out attack, we will play the way that we play, we attack with ten and defend with ten.”

The Hibs boss also gave an update on the squad’s fitness saying: “Jojo Wollacott has been back in full training for a couple weeks, we didn’t want to rush him, but he managed to play 90 minutes last week in a bounce game…which is a real positive.”

In Saturdays match Rangers will be hoping for the bounce that often comes with appointing a new manager whereas a Hibs squad high on confidence will be relishing the opportunity to spoil Clements Ibrox inauguration.

DHOOM IS ASIAN RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

This is the latest in a long line of prestigious accolades for Dhoom Indian Streatery and Bar in Dunfermline.

The restaurant, which has just launched its latest street food menu, this time based on the colourful street food of Mumbai has been named Asian Restaurant of the Year for the Central and Fife region in the Asian restaurant awards, Scotland, an event which showcases the top dining establishments from across the nation, which is a key feature of Scotland’s food and cultural landscape.

Dhoom picked up the award at a glittering ceremony at the Sheraton Grand in Edinburgh.

Chairman of the Asian Catering Federation (ACF) who organises the annual awards, Yawar Khan, said: “We congratulate Dhoom, and all our amazing winning restaurants across Scotland. They exemplify excellence across the board, and are to be commended at this time when the hospitality sector continues to face significant challenges with rising food and energy prices, along with staff shortages. Never has it been more important to acknowledge the part these restaurants play, and celebrate the success of our vibrant sector.”

Chef/Proprietor of Dhoom, Dhaneshwar Prasad, said: “We are thrilled, this is another major award for us on the back of the significant accolades we have already picked up this year – it really has been one of our best for awards and testament to what we do every day at Dhoom – serve fantastic food that keeps our customers coming back for more.”

“It’s another win for the City of Dunfermline too, as we continue to put it on the culinary map for Indian food. Having just launched our latest Mumbai menu to critical acclaim, there’s even more to come as our fifth birthday is approaching later on this month. We’ll celebrate in true Dhoom style with great food and great company.”

“Prasad finished by saying: “Once again I’d like to thank my amazing team of staff, I really couldn’t do anything without them. And I’d like to thank everyone who was voted for us in these awards. It means so much to us all we strive to make all our customers happy every day at Dhoom.” 

www.dhoomuk.co.uk

Penicuik-based charity Food Facts Friends will hold a Winter Warmer event on Wednesday to give people access to warm clothing for the winter months.

Mark Wells of the charity saidL “We are therefore in need of warm jackets, hats, scarfs, gloves, warm clothing, boots, wellies, waterproofs and blankets/hot water bottles.

“These items can be handed in to Food Facts Friends community Hub Monday – Saturday from 10-3.”

The event will be on Wednesday 25 October at Food Facts Friends on John Street in Penicuik.

https://www.foodfactsfriends.org.uk

Best Costume Takes the Cake at Café Pomelo: award-winning restaurateur to hosts children’s costume competition for charity – with Peter Bakes and local artist Sarah Kwan.

Local award-winning restaurateur Jun Au will open up his restaurant to host a special children’s fancy dress competition, to raise funds for Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity.

Local award-winning artist Sarah Kwan will join him on the judging panel to choose the winner and Edinburgh’s own Peter Sawkins aka Peter Bakes, winner of the Bake Off three years ago, will be baking some delightful goodies for sale – the proceeds of which will go to the charity. Every participant will also take home a little gift, just for taking part.

The free event is being held at Au’s new Chinese eatery in the city where he creates East and Southeast Asian dishes with seasonal Scottish produce.

All are welcome at Pomelo, 27 Sciennes Road, Edinburgh on Halloween Tuesday 31 October with the competition open to children up to 16 years old accompanied by an adult, and the event will run between 6pm – 7pm.

He said: “We are so excited to have Sarah and Peter support this event with us. For Pomelo, giving back to the community is really important for us. This event is a fantastic opportunity to provide kids in the area a fun activity and, at the same time, help out a charity that is very close to our hearts.”

Jun has collaborated both with Peter Bakes and Sarah Kwan Artist in the past, with Peter creating delectable mouth-watering desserts to delight and satisfy Pomelo’s sweet toothed customers.  Whilst Sarah Kwan’s ‘The Chef’s Kiss’ design took inspiration from Pomelo’s delicious hand ripped wide noodles – and whose other designs are always available for sale from the restaurant itself.

The facts are that Scottish Premiership pace-setters Grange swept Inverleith aside 6-0 to claim another three points and consolidate pole position in the 12-strong table.

However, before going any further, the players, officials and the fans huddled on the touchline, deserve enormous credit for sticking it out during this hockey match played in horrendous conditions.

Almost incessant horizontal rain and a chill wind, which whipped wickedly across the Fettes pitch from the east, made great demands on all present, particularly the players and officials, but, somehow, they match managed to produce some fine passages of play.

And in James Green, an 18-year-old recruit for Grange from Clydesdale, who is studying at Heriot-Watt University, they have a rising star who stood out in the gloom, producing some eye-catching runs at real pace. Surely, he is one for the future at international level.

Both sides gave their all and Inverleith stuck to their task. They were missing several players and Grange were also under-strength with regulars David Nairn, Joe Waterston and Gordon Amore all missing.

They did well to be elsewhere on a night when even ducks would have balked at making an appearance, so bad were the conditions.

Earlier, Grange started on the front foot, taking the play to Inverleith, and they were rewarded after four minutes when Dylan Bean rifled the club’s first penalty corner into the rigging. The goalkeeper had no chance.

The champions dominated possession as the rain poured down, spray coming off the surface each time a player hit the ball or when a player ran at pace across the sodden pitch.

Inverleith were living off scraps and were forced onto the outside when they attacked but the Grange players defied the conditions to move the ball at pace and it was from one of their quick breaks that skipper Alan Johnston netted No 2 seconds from the end of the first quarter.

It would have been easy for Paul Taylor’s Inverleith young side to throw in the towel but they kept plugging away even if they found it difficult to consistently put pressure on Grange.

They did, however, pose the home side some problems, particularly in the third quarter, and Grange player Callum Lothian had to stop a shot from a penalty corner on the line but, minutes later, it was 3-0. Captain Johnston drove to the goal-line down the right and found Calum Wood at the top of the D.

He dropped his shoulder then moved to his left before letting fly. The ball thudded against the backboard.

Robbie Croll made it 4-0 from a penalty corner after 52 minutes and Aidan McQuade added another also from a penalty corner six minutes after that as Inverleith understandably tired. 

Grange had the final say and Croll completed the scoring in the final minute, sweeping the ball home first time from the top of the D. A sweet finish.

Coach Taylor saw Inverleith’s Jack Kinloch force a save from the Grange substitute goalkeeper on a rare incursion into the Grange D and he was not the only person glad to hear the final whistle.

Taylor sportingly said: “Grange are a good team and we had a good third quarter but once you go behind in conditions like these it is difficult to keep your head up.”

Martin Shepherdson, Grange’s team manager, said: “At times, we played some good hockey despite the conditions and we created a lot of chances. We should have scored more.”

PICTURE: Martin Shepherdson speaks to officials at a previous game. Picture by Nigel Duncan

In Edinburgh to see the worst effects of the weather and Storm Babet which continues to batter Scotland, photographer Alan Simpson made for the coast.

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 which is not on the list then let @EdinTravel know.

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

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

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QUEENSFERRY CROSSING

A phase of the project to install an innovative automated barrier system on both sides of the Queensferry Crossing began on the night of Monday 25 September 2023. 

The barriers will allow M90 traffic to be diverted via the Forth Road Bridge more quickly, should the Queensferry Crossing need to be closed for any reason.

With foundations now in place, Transport Scotland’s operating company BEAR Scotland is ready to install the barriers themselves. This requires work on the verges and central reservation of the M90 on both sides of the Queensferry Crossing, as well as resurfacing works on the hard shoulder of the slip road onto the southbound M90 at Junction 1B Ferrytoll.

All works will take place at night to minimise disruption. During the day there will be two lanes running in each direction at all times. Access for emergency vehicles will be maintained.

Resurfacing of the Ferrytoll southbound on-slip hard shoulder took place on the night of Monday 25 September. Verge barrier installation commenced on the night of Monday 2 October for two weeks, and central reservation barrier installation will commence on the night of Monday 23 October for two weeks. Details of traffic management for these works can be found in the table below.

To allow testing and commissioning of the barriers, the M90 northbound carriageway will be closed between Scotstoun and Ferrytoll from 22:00 until 05:00 on the night of Tuesday 31 October, with northbound traffic diverted via the A876 Clackmannanshire Bridge. The southbound carriageway will then be closed between Ferrytoll and Scotstoun from 10.00 until 5.00 on the night of Wednesday 1 November, with southbound traffic diverted via the A876 Clackmannanshire Bridge.  

A trial deployment of the barriers will be carried out on the night of Saturday 4 November to ensure they are operating correctly. The Queensferry Crossing will be closed in both directions from 11.00 until 5.00 with all M90 traffic diverted via the Forth Road Bridge. Road users should expect delays at the beginning and end of this period as traffic is stopped while the diversion is implemented and removed.

Further works will be undertaken in 2024 to fully automate the system and install ‘intelligent road studs’, which will light up to guide traffic onto the diversion route.

Chris Tracey, BEAR Scotland South East Unit Bridges Manager said: “The new automated barriers are expected to dramatically reduce the time it takes to implement a diversion via the Forth Road Bridge, removing the need for most of the manual work to set up traffic management. This will improve the resilience of the trunk road network and minimise disruption.”

Steven Naismith believes facing Celtic at Tynecastle on Sunday (kick-off 14.15) is a good way to kick-start the cinch Premiership for ambitious Hearts. 

The squad, said the head coach, have enjoyed training during the international break following their 2-2 draw with Hibs at Tynecastle, both goals from the Easter Road side coming from French-born forward Elie Youan in 83 seconds.

He said the coaching staff have tried to take full advantage of the break and the head coach added: “We did that well during the last international break. During this one we have done reviews and my opinion, and the squad opinion, has not changed. There were loads of positives in the Derby game.

“Small details have cost us and it was a short period of time. All aspects from tactical decision making and management could have been better in that 83 seconds, better in all the aspects of it but, after that, we carried a threat and we nearly went on to score another.

“Yes, we are disappointed we did not win it but, once we looked at it, there are lots of positives and the block of fixtures between the international breaks was a successful one for us.”  

Naismith revealed that Yutaro Oda is back in training and the Japanese player and Alex Cochrane have come from injury to be part of the squad and are available for the game against The Hoops.

Nathaniel Atkinson and Barrie McKay are still out for some time with Stephen Kingsley, injured against Hibs, recovering and he has progressed well, but the next week or so is going to be too soon for him.

The head coach said the visit of Celtic on Sunday was a “big game” and he added: “The game we played against them last season was good, it was entertaining, eventful. Celtic are a team who have changed over the summer but there are loads of their game which is similar to that under (former manager) Ange Postecoglou.

“There are some small changes and they are a team, with their new recruits, who have taken a wee bit of time to build the relationships between the players, but you can see that is starting to click and they are beginning to understand each other.

“They will be a threat, they are a team who always play on the front foot and try to dominate games, but we are confident we can put on a show and take points from the game.”

He dismissed any suggestion that the cinch Premiership fixture will give Hearts a barometer on where they are and said: “This is a different game to when we played Motherwell at home or Dundee away or Kilmarnock home or away.

“It is going to give me an indication, as a group or individually, of can we compete at this level. All the signs, since I have been involved at a coaching level here, are that we can compete.

“We are getting better but it is also about not just surviving in the game, it is about, hopefully, countering them (Celtic) and it is about can we cause you problems when we have the ball.”

Hearts, he said, must be disciplined and resilient when they have the ball and, at the start of the game, you need to stamp your authority on it. Naismith said: “For the first ten minutes of every game it is about who will stamp their authority on that first part of the game.

“You are either going into an attacking point or a defensive point and being disciplined out of possession is the biggest thing. The Old Firm have real quality and if you make one mistake then it costs you because the quality in the final third is good.

“We also need to be confident in possession. If you lose possession quickly then it becomes a long afternoon as you lose territory on the pitch and it becomes much more difficult. You need to be brave and comfortable to handle the ball when you get it.” 

PICTURE: Steven Naismith meets the media at The Oriam ahead of the clash with Celtic. Picture Nigel Duncan