Edinburgh has a new national tennis champion in 13-year-old Chenming (David) Dong who has won the Play Your Way to Wimbledon under-14 competition on the hallowed turf of London SW19.

Not only that but Chenming, a student at the Merchiston Castle Tennis Academy, powered through in emphatic style dropping only one set in seven matches. In the final he beat Strathgryffe’s Lucas Nolte in straight sets having seen off GB junior rep Zachary Verret in the semis.

Honourable mentions also go to the capital’s Hanna Augustynska who reached the quarter finals of the girls singles while Luke Turnbull, pictured, from East Lothian, was runner-up in the Learning Difficulties category..

Players had to qualify through a series of tournaments and in Chenming’s case the highlight was winning a Tennis Europe singles at Craiglockhart during July.

Chenming took up tennis in his native Beijing as a six-year-old but along with his family moved to Edinburgh in August 2020 to take advantage of facilities at Merchiston Castle’s international school.

At local club level Chenming, pictured with his trophy at Wimbledon, turns out in under-18 junior matches for Paties Road-based Thistle LTC.

Coached by Callum Lloyd this hot prospect is currently resting an injury sustained on his way to Wimbledon glory but according to mum Xia he looks forward to contesting ITF junior events later this year.

Irvine Welsh has told how he was once almost killed when a double decker bus he was travelling on to watch his beloved Hibs crashed and he was hurled through the front windscreen onto the motorway.

The Trainspotting author said the fact he was drunk saved him as it made him “rubbery” as he “bounced along the road”.

The incident, in which another football fan died, was a turning point for Welsh as he received £2000 in compensation. The money helped him buy his first flat in London, where he wrote diaries that would eventually become his classic first novel, Trainspotting, published in 1993.

The author reveals all in a new feature length documentary, “Choose Irvine Welsh”, which had its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF).

Speaking in the film, he says: “The bus crash was one of my near death experiences. I’ve had quite a few of these bastards.

“We were on a bus going to a Hibs (versus) Dundee United game and the bus blew over in the wind, which is a strange thing to happen to a bus.

“I was in the top deck of it. One guy, Mark McGhee, was killed. The bus fell over and smashed up and skited along the motorway.

“I woke up in the Perth Royal Infirmary. I didn’t really know that much about what had happened. I was very drunk, which was a saving grace because when you’re drunk you’re very rubbery.

“I think what happened was I went through the front windscreen of the bus but the bus went one way and I kind of bounced along the road the other way, which is good because I didn’t get caught up in the bus.

“A pal of mine, Sandy Macnair, was injured as well and he was in the Bridge of Earn hospital two miles away… we used to meet in our dressing gown and slippers.

“I got some money for it, which was a good thing for me because it meant I could get on the property ladder. I decided to use it to buy a flat in Amhurst Road (in London).

“Two grand — this was in the early eighties — was quite decent money then, it felt like a decent wage.”

Welsh says he was “already quite druggie” and had “self-destructive tendencies”, but the flat gave him “a bit of stability”. He stumbled into a desk job and started writing Trainspotting as “an antidote” to the prospect of being “a nine-to-five-type guy forever”.

Welsh eventually returned to Leith and worked for Edinburgh City Council writing reports, which he says gave him the skills to “smash out loads of words and be able to research something that you knew nothing about”.

He added: “I thought ‘this is going to f****** kill me’. I just thought I’ve got to write this book that is about these old diaries that I’ve had that I’d been compulsively writing.

“When I could do nothing, basically, but sit on a couch and stare at walls, I found that I had the obsession to write these diaries… I kind of just went for it, smashed the book out.”

Welsh tells the fim how the book attracted the attention of publishers, but he initially ignored their messages, thinking they were a prank.

He said: “I thought it was one of my mates in the pub ripping the piss out of me so I ignored all the messages and they kept coming. Letters started to arrive on official notepaper so I thought I’d better get in touch with this guy.

“I thought ‘this’ll be out next week’ but it was two years later it came out… I just thought ‘give them it and it’ll be in the shops next week’.

“The Acid House came out six months later which is almost unheard of in publishing. I just carried on after Trainspotting.”

Welsh, 64, discusses his life from growing up in Edinburgh to his times in London, San Francisco and Miami.

The film also includes contributions from famous faces like actors Martin Compston, Stephen McCole and Simon Weir to musicians like Iggy Pop, the Alabama 3 and Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie as well as music mogul Alan McGhee, TV presenter Gail Porter and Trainspotting filmmakers Andrew Macdonald and Danny Boyle.

Welsh insists none of his Trainspotting characters was based on any individual. He sourced names from the telephone directory, but admitted one family did suffer from his decision to use their name, which would become synonymous with his most thuggish character, Begbie.

He said: “I’m not really interested in representing anybody from real life in fiction, but I’m interested in observing traits and characteristics of people in real life and mixing them up to make a kind of character that feels realised.

“The names came from the phonebook and funnily enough when I stayed in Muirhouse there was a family called the Begbies who lived down the road, so it must have been a subliminal thing.

“They were actually the nicest family ever so I think it was quite stigmatising to them that the nutter was named after them.

“The thing is that every nutter in Edinburgh thinks that they are Begbie — it’s always like ‘that’s f****** about me, eh?’ and I’m like ‘well, no’.

“The scariest ones are the ones who don’t see it in themselves and say ‘aye, there are some people like that though eh?’ and I go ‘hmm there are one or two’.

Welsh said the film adaptation, when it was released in 1996, gave his novel “another life”, adding that “it went global after that”.

Tranent and Preston Village cricketers celebrate maintaining a 100 per cent record in the East Lothian County Cup, their victory over Musselburgh at Lewisvale being their fifth from as many involvements in the competition.

Jithin Valsan and Ad Nair both took a couple of wickets in restricting ‘burgh to 89-7 from their 15 overs.

In reply Dom Da Silva top scored with 36 as Tranent and Preston Village hit a match winning 90-4 with an over to spare.

It was the first time the competition had been held since 2015.

Pictured are:

Back row – D Da Silva, At Nair, Ad Nair, J Valsan, C Patel, captain, R Kamal.

Front –  A Ganti, D Brunton, C Beduduri, S Bappidi, A Mokayil.

On Saturday the First Minister will address an independence march after it progresses through Edinburgh from Johnston Terrace below Edinburgh Castle to The Scottish Parliament.

This will mean that Johnston Terrace, Castlehill, Lawnmarket to George IV Bridge are closed from noon – 4pm.
Lawnmarket, High Street / Canongate and adjoining roads, Horse Wynd, Abbeyhill, Abbeymount will then be closed from 1.30pm – 6pm.

The First Minister, Humza Yousaf is expected to say this to the crowd at the Believe in Scotland rally: “As we gather here today – in the European capital of a European nation – we are reminded that Brexit is nothing short of a national tragedy.

“But the fact that it was forced upon Scotland against our will also makes it a democratic disgrace.

“To those of you with us today who are new Scots, who were born outside of Scotland, let us say this.

“Let us tell you how much we value you being here – how much we value the contribution you make to Scotland.

“We could not be what we are today without you. 

“And for as long as I can do anything about it, you will always be welcome here.

“Friends, independence allows us to put right the historic wrong of Brexit.

“Westminster is taking us down the wrong path. It’s not just that we are facing a cost of living crisis – Scotland is facing a cost of Westminster crisis.

“But by taking Scotland’s future into our own hands, we can get back on the right track.

“We can rejoin the world’s largest trading bloc – one that is seven times larger than the UK by population. 

“We can be at the top table of the EU as an independent member state – working in partnership with countries across Europe.

“We can – once again – be at the heart of Europe where we belong.”

The boundary boys, both players and supporters, look on during a successful six-a-side cricket tournament hosted by the Kirk Brae club at their Double Hedges Park ground supported by Autorek, an Edinburgh-based financial services company.

Five teams each played over five games each including an Autorek Select drawn from Edinburgh, Glasgow and London offices before Carlton emerged as winner.

Participants then enjoyed a post-match barbecue.

Kirk Brae chairman Sharez Khan said of an event designed to promote cricket in the community: “With 50+ attendees/participants it was a thoroughly successful event and one that Kirk Brae will look to host again next year to make the most of the Scottish summer with some good cricket, great company, and terrific food. Kirk Brae is all about growing cricket in the local community. I’d like to thank Autorek for sharing our vision.”

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

All of the newest advice is highlighted in blue for convenience.

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There is also a lot of resurfacing work carrying on. 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

A group of transport enthusiasts gathered in Edinburgh firstly at Shrubhill, before moving on to Scotland Street Tunnel to unveil a red Transport Wheel there and finally at Slateford Aqueduct. The red wheel signifies that this is a site or alternatively a piece of infrastructure of significance.

At Scotland Street John Cameron, CBE, who is Chair of the National Transport Trust quoted Robert Louis Stevenson. 

He said: “For a railway that was opened for only 20 years this Scotland Street tunnel commands a remarkable hold on people’s subconsciousness, and awareness of Edinburgh’s transport heritage. I am first of all going to quote Robert Louis Stevenson. He recalled the sight of the train shooting out of its dark maw, with two guards upon the brake, the thought of its length, and many ponderous edifices and thoroughfares above were certainly things of paramount impressiveness to the young mind. The Edinburgh Metro proposal of the 1980s envisaged its use, regardless of the steep gradient to see that had been its undoing. And author Alexander McCall Smith gave us a false memory of something called the Edinburgh Underground triggering surprise amongst several experts, who did not remember it was 1 April 2011.”

Richard Love chair of Broughton History Society also talked of Alexander McCall Smith who had sent in a little piece written by Bertie Pollock, aged 7 one of the Scotland Street residents. Bertie writes: “I’m very proud of having a tunnel under my street. Not everyone has got one. This tunnel used to have trains but not any more. My friend Ranald Braveheart McPherson says they’re going to make a tram line up the Scotland Street Tunnel. I think this is a good idea, although tram lines seem to take a very long time to build. By the time they build it I will be at least 18, and will be living in Glasgow. It’s quite intriguing to have an old railway tunnel under the streets of the city. I’m so pleased that this fascinating part of the city’s history is being marked with a plaque.”

Sandra Purves, a member of Broughton History Society and a retired civil engineer, who is also part of the Institution of Civil Engineers Panel for Historical Engineering Works (PHEW). She explained the best way to find out more about the tunnel is either to go down for a visit and scan the QR code beneath the plaque or else visit the Transport Trust website and look for the Scotland Street tunnel entry.

The Clan Baird Commander and future Clan Chief Richard Holman Baird unveiled the wheel at Slateford. Hugh Baird was responsible for the Union Canal and designed the aqueduct which is such an integral part of it.

John Yellowlees of the National Transport Trust explained the significance of Shrubhill. He said: “As a depot and later a power station, Shrubhill served the city through the eras of horse, cable and electric tram into the time of bus supremacy, becoming for a period a museum for the electric tram. Now the new tram line gives this area exceptional connectivity, so it’s wonderful that this location is now supporting a new community that through its name The Engine Yard and this Red Wheel will be ever mindful of its inheritance.”

Pasta specialists Via Aemilia have found the perfect pairing with Portobello High Street neighbours Smith & Gertrude (S&G) wine bar.

A one-off Sunday pasta pop up on 24 September will see Kip Preidys and Giada Betti take over S&G’s kitchen at No 254 to serve up a set pasta menu matched with a one-time only bottle and by-the-glass list designed to work well with the food.

There are two sittings from 5-6.30pm and 7.30-9pm, and the £32 ticket includes a welcome snack, glass of sparkling wine, pasta and focaccia, followed by dessert.

Smith & Gertrude owner, Amy Findlater, said: “If this first event goes well then we will hopefully look for it to become a regular monthly event. We are really excited to be working with Aemilia – we absolutely love their pasta (and eat it regularly) and they are great customers at S&G too – with one of our Bulgarian red’s being their favourite wine of choice.”

Tickets go on sale on Sunday 3 September, for more details visit the S&G website.

ScotRail has confirmed that passenger numbers recovered to near pre-pandemic levels last month.

New figures released by ScotRail show more than 7.7 million journeys were made with the train operator during August 2023.

The passenger journeys, made between 1 and 31 August, reached 89 per cent of pre-pandemic levels and mark a year-on-year growth of 35 per cent.

Several high-profile events, including the renowned Edinburgh Festivals, the exhilarating UCI Cycling World Championships, and captivating international rugby at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, contributed to the surge in numbers.

Off-peak travel across the network surpassed pre-pandemic numbers and reached its highest level since 2015 – an impressive 4.5 million journeys, or 102 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

Peak time and commuter travel also saw growth in August, with 3.1 million journeys made – a 31 per cent year-on-year rise.

David Simpson, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “It’s great to see such a substantial number of people choosing rail as they journey back to their everyday activities.

“These encouraging numbers are a testament to the hard work of our people in delivering a safe, reliable, and green railway.

“Our focus is on building on this success to encourage more people to choose Scotland’s Railway as their low carbon mode of travel.”

Edinburgh Trams recorded more than 1.2 million customer journeys last month, and say this is the busiest month ever since the tram service began in May 2014.

The reasons are not hard to work out – there were festivals of all kinds, with trams running all night on Fridays and Saturdays in August, and rugby matches at Scottish Gas Murrayfield

Lea Harrison, Edinburgh Trams Managing Director, said: “This incredible milestone couldn’t have been achieved at a better time, showing our tramway continues to go from strength to strength by offering a value-for-money travel option for our customers.

“The launch of services to Newhaven earlier this year has clearly been a major factor in the increasing popularity of the tram, and it’s fantastic to see so many people using the Leith Walk and The Shore stops. This demonstrates how the trams are already helping local communities and businesses unlock their full potential by providing a reliable link between Edinburgh’s most densely populated areas, the city centre, and beyond.

“I would like to thank the entire Edinburgh Trams team for their hard work during what is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year for the city, and we’ll continue to do whatever we can to ensure the best possible service for customers whenever they travel with us. 

“We expect this to be the first of many records to be broken as the network continues to play a key role in developing Edinburgh’s economy and future prosperity.”

Hearts have confirmed that their Viaplay Cup quarter-final clash at Rugby Park against Kilmarnock will be on Tuesday, September 26 (7.45pm).

And there was good news for five Tynecastle players after they were called up for international duty.

Kye Rowles (pictured in training by Nigel Duncan), Nathaniel Atkinson and Cammy Devlin are in the Australian squad while Kenneth Vargas has been named by Costa Rica.

Yutaro Oda is in the Japan under-22 squad.

The club have also confirmed that Connor Smith has joined English side Scunthorpe United on loan until January and they have gone onto social media to thank their fans for their support in Greece against PAOK. Around 900 made the long trip.

And the Greek side, who were fourth in their league last season, will be making another trip to Scotland after being drawn with Aberdeen in the UEFA Europa Conference League, Group G.

It also involves German side Eintracht Frankfurt, who were seventh in their league last term. They defeated Rangers on penalties in the 2022 Europa League Final.

Finnish champions HJK Helsinki are the other club in the group.

Aberdeen entered the group stage after losing their Europa League play-off to Swedish champions, BK Hacken, drawing the first leg in Scandinavia 2-2 but going down 3-1 at home.

The games take place on September 21, October 5 and 26, November 9 and 30 and December 14.

Rangers are in Group C along with Real Betis, Sparta Prague and Aris Limassol.

Carlton cricket club under-15s aim to make sporting history on Saturday when they take on Banstead CC (Surrey) in the final of a UK-wide twenty:20 competition.

Cricket Scotland (CS) believe it will be the first time a Scottish under-15 team will have played at the famous Lord’s ground.

Speaking ahead of the trip coach Charles Stronach told the CS website: “It’s been amazing. We had two games in Scotland before the Scottish final.  Then we got through against Gordonians. To get to  the regional final in York was good and two years ago this group as under-13s did the same. But this team has kept going (through a further round to Lord’s).”

Club coach Steve Gilmour added: “This is huge for the club. The club takes a lot of pride in the junior section. A lot of hard work goes in from a huge number of volunteers. They are a great wee team and everyone in the club is already very proud of their achievements but if they can go one more if will be even more exciting.”

Cricket Scotland historian Neil Leitch put the achievement into perspective: “I’m not aware of any Scottish junior sides previously reaching Lord’s. Grange have had two sides reaching UK National finals, but on neither occasion were they played at Lord’s.

“The Grange senior side have, however, played ten times at Lord’s. In addition, Freuchie memorably won the Village Cup at Lord’s in 1985. The Scottish men’s national side have played 33 times at Lord’s, with their first visit being way back in 1865.”

Neil also recalled that his club, Grange, made 10 visits to Lord’s between 1892 and 1908.

“The most noted visit to Lord’s was in 1901 when Grange beat an MCC team which included Sir Arthur Conan Doyle” said Neil before adding with no doubt a wry smile: “In the first innings Conan Doyle suffered a fate never experienced by Sherlock Holmes (the detective character he created in his novels) – he was out stumped.”

Support for the Carlton youngsters has been building including this social media post from their rivals, Grange.

“We want to wish our friends over at @Carltoncricket the best of luck when they embark on a historic trip to Lord’s.”

* Pictured are the Carlton under-15s after one of their victories on the way to Lord’s.

While there is reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in some Edinburgh schools the council says it is managing the situation.

Two schools have had to decant some classes into temporary classrooms on site but none have been closed as a result.

RAAC has been discovered in the construction of seven schools on six sites in the capital, but the council say that all children are being taught in their own schools, or on the same sites, meantime. The affected schools are Pentlands Primary School, Fox Covert Primary School, St Andrews Fox Covert RC Primary School, Colinton Primary School, Currie High School, Cramond Primary School and Trinity Primary School.

At Cramond and Trinity Primary Schools pupils have moved into temporary accommodation which the council says is “high quality temporary classroom blocks” while investigative and remedial work is undertaken.

Survey work continues in all schools, but these are the only affected premises run by the council.

We understand that the areas of the schools affected are all different. Examples include: classroom, kitchen, gym hall and corridors. Where RAAC is identified just means that part of the school is cordoned off for detailed survey work and any follow up work.

Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine said: “I am alarmed by the news that this weak concrete has been found in local schools, including Cramond and Fox Covert primary schools in my constituency. 

“I hope that The Scottish Government can ensure work is carried out as quickly as possible to keep children safe and stop any disruption to their education. 

“I will be asking the Council to keep myself, parents and the local community informed as often as possible whilst repairs are carried out.” 

Brunstane Primary School

In a separate matter affecting Brunstane Primary School a hole was discovered in the playground next to the main building. At the beginning of August the headteacher wrote to parents and carers to advise that arrangements had been put in place for pupils and staff returning to school for the autumn term with the school to remain closed until “at least the Christmas holidays” and pupils to be transported to other schools nearby.

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Education, Children and Families Convener, Cllr Joan Griffiths, said: “A huge amount of work has been taking place in the past week to identify local schools where pupils and teaching staff from Brunstane Primary can start the new term. Even though it’s still the summer holidays teaching staff from other schools have been going above and beyond to support Brunstane and other Council teams in finding suitable settings. 

“Thanks to this great partnership work we’ve now identified a number of schools for pupils and staff. We’ve updated parents today about this positive news and where their children will be going for the start of the new term. All our preparations will continue over the next 10 days to ensure a smooth transition ahead of the new term.

“The investigation work with the Coal Authority is continuing regarding the hole in the playground. Due to the nature of the work taking place and any remedial work required, families and staff have been told to prepare to for the possibility of being out of the building until at least the Christmas holidays.

“We will keep parents/carers updated as we further develop our plans and I want to reassure them we’ll do everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum.”

From the outside, Jack O’Bryan’s is unassuming, but upon entering the feeling of warmth and family mixed with fine dining greets you.

Situated on Chalmers Street by the Glen gates in Dunfermline Jack O’Bryan’s has an unassuming frontage and an uncomplicated but comfortable interior. This family run business – the chefs are father and son Bryan and Jack Coghill. Mother Michelle is front of house ably supported by Jack’s partner Sarah.

Decorated in an industrial but comfortable way, the restaurant is a real treasure. Pictures of the chef team, a father/son duo, surround the walls giving a glimpse into the passion involved in creating the amazing food they serve. 

We visited on pay day Friday and despite every table being full, the ambience was relaxed, friendly and welcoming. We started the evening with delicious cocktails and mocktails for the driver. 

A glance at the menu offers a veritable smörgåsbord of delights to suit everyone from more classic diners to the Instagrammers and food bloggers alike. A wide variety of options from both land and sea are available to try with a new and exciting twist.

We started with a tasty black pudding starter and the duck liver pate with brioche. Both were a treat for the senses. From the main courses we tried both fish with langoustines, fillet steak with truffle oil onions and peppercorn sauce, and the evenings special side dishes of garlic mushrooms, and specially prepared corn on the cob skewers with a little kick spice.

The menu is British/Scottish with an Iberian influence. A few dishes were offered for vegetarians and gluten/dairy free options were available.   Spoilt for choice with at least 4 courses at every stage, accompanied by some interesting and lesser-known wines. Michelle explained the menu and specials in detail and Sarah was on hand to offer advice on wines to compliment the food. 

The food was exquisite and well worth the wait, each dish is cooked to order, so don’t expect fast food. Dishes were elaborate but crockery, cutlery and glasses were not what you would expect from fine dining and décor was simple and rustic. Staff were attentive but unobtrusive. 

We can attest to their immensely high quality and delicious flavours. If these delights were not sufficient to impress (although they definitely were), the desserts were as visually appealing as they were delicious.

Jack has also trained as a pastry and chocolate chef so puddings were to die for, and you can round off the meal with a box of handmade chocolates to share or take home as a gift for the babysitter!

We sampled the chocolate and white port dessert alongside the strawberry cheesecake with a tasty strawberry sorbet. The attention to detail involved in creating these beautiful dishes was clear from the intricate chocolate ring miniature bowl, the extra fresh strawberry pieces hidden throughout the cheesecake dessert, right down to the small and elegant chocolate tree garnish. 

The drinks menu is as varied as the food selection. Cocktails, wine and spirits for the alcohol drinkers, with a variety of soft drinks and delicious mocktails for those who do not wish to partake. The bramble gin cocktail is a must try from the cocktail list! Upon tasting, the rosé and the white wine were both exquisite and paired well with our meal. 

The thing that truly made the entire experience complete was the friendly and warm staff team, for whom nothing was too much trouble. Throughout the restaurant you were able to witness the attentive, friendly and knowledgeable staff who all seem to share the passion of the family who owns the business. Indeed, the entire story of Jack O’Bryan’s conception and growth is an interesting journey through several generations, countries, and cuisines. The produce used stems from some of this experience and is clearly high quality. The restaurant also caters for vegetarians, gluten free diner’s, those with allergies, and those who like things in a specific way. Just another example of nothing being too much to ask. 

Although no further delicacies could be expected at that point, the enticement of Jack’s handmade chocolates was too strong to pass. All of the chocolates are delectable and beautiful- all hand painted and created by the head chef, Jack Coghill. The sticky toffee pudding, rock salt caramel, and lemon and blueberry options are not to be missed! They even come in a beautiful box which makes them feel like an extra decadent treat or could be given as a beautiful gift… if you are willing to share that is. 

Compared to other local establishments, Jack O’Bryan’s errs on the side of “Edinburgh prices”. This, however, is worth every penny and more for the quality of the food and dining experience we received. From start to finish the entire experience and every facet of it were amazing. “This is one is not to be missed.”

Can’t wait to go back. 

There is a new threat that Duart Crescent Post Office could close.

Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine has written to the UK Post Office, looking for a solution that would prevent the closure of the Duart Crescent Post Office

The post office was closed without notice on a previous occasion in May 2016 but was brought back from the brink.

Ms Jardine is also seeking a long-term resolution as well as a fix in the way of another postmaster to provide outreach services in the short-term.

She said: “I have been concerned about this decline and in particular the number of post office closures across the country but particularly the impact on people and businesses in my constituency.

“Duart Crescent Post Office is relied upon by many in the local area and especially for elderly residents. 

“That is why I have written to UK Post Office in the hope that we can find a solution in the short and long term. 

“I will continue to work to find a viable solution in the way of an interim postmaster for Duart Crescent as well as raising the broader issue in Parliament.”

Unelected religious representatives who sit on Edinburgh Council’s education committee have been stripped of their voting rights after councillors overwhelmingly voted in favour of the change.

It comes despite last-minute pleas from a variety of faith groups to retain the powers, which date back to 1918 when control of Catholic schools was handed over to the state from the church.

Appearing before councillors, Archbishop Leo Cushley said the decision “makes no sense,” suggesting there was “another agenda at hand such as one that is inimical to faith”.

A city minister called it “a thin end of a wedge whose aim is to remove representation altogether”.

However councillors argued the matter was a “straight forward matter of democracy and accountability” and public policy should be decided by “those who are democratically elected”.

While the religious representatives – from the Church of Scotland, Roman Catholic Church and Edinburgh Interfaith Association – will no longer have a vote, they will still have a seat at the table as is the arrangement with the three parent representatives who sit on the Education Committee too.

Edinburgh, which has been considering the move since 2019,  joins Orkney, Highland and Fife Councils which have all voted to remove the privileges throughout 2023.

A report to a full council meeting on Thursday said legal advice confirmed it was “within the council’s gift to either confer or remove such voting rights”.

An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) carried out for the council by an independent consultant found concerns focused on “the potential or symbolic impacts of the change” rather than “any immediate measurable impact on particular groups of people who shared a protected characteristic”.

It added there were fears that this was the start of a “slippery slope” which could lead to religious representatives’ right to attend and speak at education meetings also being removed.

Several deputations urged the council to keep the status quo – a position backed only by the Conservative and Labour groups.

Pupils from St Peter’s RC Primary School and St Thomas of Aquins RC High School were followed by Church of Scotland Morningside minister and former moderator Derek Browning. 

“Our concern  remains consistently for people of all faiths and none. This enables us to work with others to ensure that the enormous benefits of a balanced, progressive, inclusive and stimulating religious perspective in schools in nurtured, supported and enabled to flourish,” Rev. Dr Browning said.

He said the matter was not “high priority for our citizens,” adding: “This is not so much a matter of democracy, but rather one which is opposed to religions playing any part in our country at large.

“It’s with considerable regret that we say we find it hard not to see this matter before you as a thin end of a wedge whose aim is to remove representation altogether.”

Roman Catholic Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh Leo Cushley told councillors that church representatives right to vote in the council had been “unremarked and unremarkable for many years because it is an expression of democracy”.

He said: “Catholic schools in Scotland are part of the heritage of the Catholic community here and they were entrusted in 1918 to the state, presently represented by you.

“Having entrusted this estate to you, for us not to have an active voice in council in matters touching upon Catholic schools makes no sense to us, unless there is another agenda at hand such as one that is inimical to faith, be it in schools or elsewhere in the public square.

“I don’t believe the presence or voting of church representatives in council has given any motive for concern that I’m aware of anyway.”

Scottish Hindu Foundation also called for no removal of voting rights by the council, with chairperson Dr Richa Sinha saying: “In today’s increasingly diverse society, the involvement of faith communities in the education sector stands as a hallmark of both Scottish culture, values and traditions for shaping the long-term future of our society.

“The participation of faith representatives in committee decisions is essential for safeguarding the rights of parents, children and young people who are part of faith-based schools.”

Nasim Azad from Edinburgh Interfaith Association, which represents a range of different religious groups, said they were “strongly opposed to taking away minority community rights”. 

He added: “This is particularly important at a time when there has been a large growth in anti-Semitism  and Islamophobia across the UK and Europe. 

“We are not asking for preferential treatment over the other groups. Rather than taking our rights away, we would ask the council to consider increasing voting rights for those groups who are currently excluded on the committee.”

Labour councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “Religious reps are appointed at present to ensure the education committee is held accountable to the Church and therefore I strongly believe they must continue to have a vote on matters that could impact on Catholic schools.

“The legislation is clear. Religious representatives should be present. Their vote is implied and we have nearly a hundred years of precedent.”

He said it was “completely inappropriate” for councils to make “ad-hoc decisions” on the subject, adding he didn’t want the decision to be open to “yet another expensive legal challenge”

He said: “Until such time as the Scottish Government provides clear guidance or legislative change I do not think it is appropriate to change the status quo.”

Lib Dem group leader Kevin Lang said: “I’ve approached this issue by applying what I think is a basic, long-standing principle that when it comes to taking public policy decisions, it should be for those who are democratically elected to make decisions.

“At the end of the day, that’s what makes a democracy a democracy.”

The Green Group’s Steve Burgess said: “We believe this is a straight forward matter of democracy and accountability.

“However on the council’s education committee we currently have members who have not been elected by voters and therefore are not accountable for their decisions or voting, and yet they are able to vote on matter of education and schools in our city.”

The move to strip religious representatives on the Education Committee of voting rights was backed by 40 votes to 21.

Following a successful visit earlier this year Black Diamonds cheerleading club have been invited back to the prestigious Summit competition in Orlando, Florida.

The event takes place on 2 and 3 May next year and flights have already been booked for a party of 56 including up to 23 participants.

For Black Diamonds founder Gill Samuel the accepted “bid” is confirmation of a distinguished foray into international competition in 2023.

“By sitting seventh out of 25 teams from around the world on day one we became the first Scottish cheer team to make the finals” said Gill, adding: “On day two every team really upped their game and we finished 10th in a competition where a tenth of a point separated us from 6^th.”

The “Summit” is a level below the world championships but gives the Capital squad an opportunity to test themselves against all-comers at a time when cheerleading has received Olympic recognition and is on track to be added to the schedule for Los Angeles in 2028.

Gill said: “There is absolutely no reason why some of our cheerleaders can’t become Olympians, but mostly we are about developing life skills, discipline and being part of a team where a lot of trust is involved given individuals are thrown into the air.”

To win a “bid” clubs have to qualify from preliminary events and it has maybe helped Black Diamonds that after a period of uncertainty they have settled into premises provided by East Lothian Council at a community learning centre, near Wallyford.

They also continue to operate, to a lesser extent, out of Penicuik and Liberton High School premises and that means full on commitment from the likes of Gill Samuel, assisted by daughter, Natalie.

But the hard part may just be beginning at a club run by Gillian for the past 16 years.

Gill said: “The girls are ecstatic about another opportunity but it will cost about £3,000 per athlete so in addition to fund-raising such as bag packing at supermarkets we are reaching out to sponsors once again.”

Anyone able to assist is asked to contact:

blackdiamondcheerleaders@gmail.com

Hearts must recover from their European exit and focus fully on the visit of Motherwell to Tynecastle on Sunday (kick-off 15.00) after what Steven Naismith described as a harsh lesson dished out by their UEFA Europa Conference League play-off opponents, PAOK.

The club’s technical director (pictured before a press conference by Nigel Duncan) praised the 900 fans who made the long journey to Greece and added: “We need to start giving them the performances which merit their support.”

The European defeat follows a stuttering start to the season. Domestically, the Jambos won 2-0 at St Johnstone on Matchday One in the cinch Premiership and then lost 2-1 in the UEFA Europa Conference League, third qualifying round, at Rosenborg in Norway.

A no-score home draw with Kilmarnock followed but the success-hungry fans were cheered by the 3-1 home win over Rosenburg and the 4-0 victory over Partick Thistle in the Viaplay League Cup.

The 2-1 defeat by POAK at Tynecastle was a jolt to the system and so the 1-0 road reverse at Dundee in the cinch Premiership last Sunday was an even bigger dunt, Luke McGowan’s goal separating the sides despite Hearts having 65 per cent of the possession and 549 passes. The Dens Park side had 35 per cent of possession and 298 passes.

Thursday night was, according to Naismith, “a harsh lesson” and he added: “Over the course of the tie, we created some good chances but, when you give up goals like we have at this level with their quality of player they have, then they are going to punish you.” PAOK did.

The former Scottish international said that Hearts knew before travelling to Greece that they had to be perfect defensively in the return and he said: “We not anywhere near where we needed to be.”

Naismith told the club’s TV channel that Hearts needed to make chances at half-time to attempt to to nullify the threat of the lively Greek combine, but the game was over, he added, when the ball hit the back of the net for their third goal.

His overall assessment is that Hearts need to keep the ball better and the former Everton, Norwich City and Rangers player added: “We got in the game early on and had some good passing moves which caused problems for them, but we don’t do enough of it and they dominate the ball and we gave up poor goals which have cost us.

“For the club (Hearts) to grow and get better we must learn from these moments. We need to put better performances in to get through to the group stages (of European competitions).”

He told the players (in the dressing-room at PAOK that they worked really hard to get in this competition and then it is gone. The only way of getting back into Europe is to play well, he said,. domestically to give Hearts this opportunity next season.

Casting his eye at the Motherwell clash, the 36-year-old coach said it will be a tough game for the Tynecastle combine who are slipped to fifth in the table with four points from their three outings so far. 

The Fir Park side are third in the 12-strong table with seven points from three outings after a 1-1 draw at Dundee on Matchday One, a 2-1 home victory over Hibs and then a 2-1 victory over Kilmarnock at Fir Park last Saturday.

And, of course, the Lanarkshire side have had a full week to prepare and not had the distraction of a long and tiring midweek trip to a foreign country for a tough tie. 

Irvine-born Naismith said: “They (Motherwell) are a team who have changed slightly from how they played last season and it will cause us problems. If we want to be a big club that is competing in Europe and playing midweek and weekend games you need to get yourself up for it and that is what the players will need to do.

“After the game on Sunday we have a bit of a rest (for the international break), but we need to take care of our performances first.”

Homing in on their European exit, Naismith said: The fans enjoy these occasions and it is disappointing that we don’t have any more of that this season but, at Hearts, there is now an expectation. 

“We need to start giving them (the fans) performances which merit that support and secondly becoming successfull, whether that is domestically or getting back into Europe, to give them more occasions (like this) and we must fight to do that.”      

Welcome to the world of Haute Dolci, where desserts take centre stage and sugar cravings meet Hijab or Barbie Glamour, creating a dessert haven in the heart of Edinburgh’s St James Quarter.

If you’re a true cognoscenti and dessert enthusiast, you’ll likely refer to it as HD – a place where indulgence knows no bounds.

Ascending to the first floor, you’re greeted by an opulent and welcoming interior design that reflects the love and attention poured into this dessert paradise. Brought to you by the masterminds behind Shish, a dry Turkish restaurant on Potterrow, and a new favourite of mine, their commitment to excellence is evident throughout HD.

Seating 90 in elegant seats, if you’re lucky enough to bag a window seat or one of the light-pink, plush semi-circular velvet booths, it’s a great people watching place through the large circular windows, which overlook the top of Leith Street and the bustling traffic heading onto Princes Street.

Now, let’s talk about the menu – a cornucopia of dessert delights and savoury treats that will leave you spoilt for choice. From mocktails to milkshakes, sundaes to lattes, macarons to pancakes, waffles and croffles, and everything in between, the menu is a treasure trove of mouthwatering options.

As my dining partner Aimee and I settle in, we decided to start with some of their mocktails, beautifully presented and bursting with flavours. I must admit, as someone who doesn’t have an overly sweet tooth, Aimee’s Pucker Up won me over with its exotic guava and passion fruit crushed with lime and ice. Although my Apple Berry Blitz was on the sweeter side, it still refreshed my palate.

With my savoury inclination, I couldn’t resist the Sandos Marvellous Melt (£9.80) served with a bowl of vegetable crisps – a true sharing delight. Two portions of juicy grilled chicken, with smoky roasted peppers and onions, red pepper chutney, and melted cheddar cheese, all snugly nestled between two slices of white bread, will ignite your taste buds, before the sweet onslaught.

I was tempted to build my own sundae, which is an option, but it turned out that my Croffle choice, a Lotus Biscoff, was already one of their signature creations. There’s an option to choose from a petite and a grande – and I’d recommend a petite as the portions are generous. A croissant-waffle hybrid, infused with warm Lotus Biscoff drip, topped with caramelised Lotus Biscoff biscuits, and a scoop of salted caramel gelato, sent my taste buds and blood sugars into overdrive in the most delightful way.

Aimee opted for the Eggsplosion – a soft, gooey brownie crowned with half a milk-chocolate Easter egg, and a biscuit crumb, which egg-splodes into a glorious mess as a small jug of milk-chocolate sauce is poured over the egg. It was pure chocolate heaven.

Feeling adventurous, we were also persuaded to try the pistachio pancakes, a favourite of the General Manager but our eyes were definitely bigger than our bellies and I’m not sure we did this dessert justice. Five fluffy pistachio pancakes with a portion of pistachio ice-cream, with a vibrant, green pouring sauce of white chocolate flavoured with pistachios, with raspberries adorning the plate was pretty as a picture.

In conclusion, Haute Dolci is more than just a dessert destination – it’s an experience. Don’t settle for mediocre sweets: treat yourself and indulge in the sheer bliss offered by HD. Taste, Indulge, Capture, Share, Repeat but do ensure you go with a hungry belly. Haute Dolci awaits, so go ahead and let your taste buds dance.

Haute Dolci, St James Quarter, EH1 3AD
0131 573 7606
https://hautedolci.co.uk/stores/edinburgh/

Beatnik is the most interesting recent arrival on the Edinburgh specialty coffee scene. In November 2022 this slightly mysterious new venture opened on Brougham Street in Tollcross.

This was in the location where the pioneering Machina Espresso had been based for several years, prior to their move to their expansive new premises on Marchmont Road. There was little evidence of what this new business was, with markings on the exterior and window very minimal; you have to visit in person to find out what was going on. Beatnik culture of the 1950s emphasised those artists and creatives who rejected some of the mores of conventional society. Beatnik is certainly something a little different.

Beatnik generally offers a house espresso, alongside with a regular guest bean. What is noticeable is the variety of coffee they use, from a number of different specialty roasters and indeed a variety of countries. 

Largely spreading through word of mouth, Beatnik has quickly established itself as one of the leading places for top notch espresso (as well as batch brew etc) in the capital. In contrast to some of the slightly cramped coffee houses you find, Beatnik has a very open feel emphasised by the high ceilings, and well spaced seating. The interior shows flair and imagination.

The idea behind Beatnik is, according to one of the co-managers Jemma, to ‘revive the social aspect’ of coffee houses. It’s become very common for coffee spots to be dominated by lap toppers, using them as work and study spaces. Such places echo to the sound of clicking and clacking throughout the day. In contrast, Beatnik is a laptop free zone – and not just at busy times. The idea is to create a place where people can escape screens and notifications for a while, or to gather and engage in meaningful discussion. 

The energy is warm and welcoming and Beatnik often seems lively. Trying to visit one Friday morning, I found the place swarming with people, with a social event taking place. Even at quieter times there is a definite energy to the place. The baristas at Beatnik have a nice balance of friendliness alongside clear seriousness and focus as regards the coffee. The baristas are keen to let customers know about the coffee they are serving but do so in clear language, avoiding battering customers over the head with jargon. 

Beatnik have a number of suppliers from around Europe, all interested in experimentation and new ideas. This provides great variety in flavour profiles.

Crucially though, when it comes to extracting the best from these beans, their baristas have the requisite skills. What they produce is consistently excellent and is right up there with another leading coffee spot Source, only five or so minutes walk away on Spittal Street. Both places are really raising the bar in terms of what is now available in the city. This will hopefully lead to further improvements and lead to the sort of consistent high quality that customers deserve if they are spending over three quid on their coffees. 

A lot of their business is take-away, with the green swathe of the Meadows in very close proximity. Beatnik also has a desire to help engender more of a late afternoon and evening coffee scene. At present, most places close around four,  frustrating many. Beatnik is experimenting with opening later on Fridays and hopes, in the future, to extend opening times more widely. In just a short period of time, Beatnik has built up a loyal band of fans who have embraced the different flavour this lively place has brought to the coffee scene. Beatnik manifests an evolving and increasingly rich coffee scene in the city. 

Our September issue

Our September newspaper is freshly published and on the streets of the capital today.

Our cover story is about the Lord Provost and Council Leader who are taking riding lessons to allow them to take part in the Riding of the Marches while inside we take up the story of Larah Bross and her chain of bagel shops which employ around 70 people in the city – some of which are now temporarily closed.

New boss of Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership appointed

the City of Edinburgh Council has agreed to appoint Pat Togher as the new permanent Chief Officer of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB). Pat will lead the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership as he joins with a great depth of experience and a fantastic record as the Assistant Chief Officer at the Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership.

Pat Togher, new Chief Officer of the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership said “I am honoured to be appointed to this position and mindful of the enormous responsibility to ensure that health and social care services in Edinburgh are delivered to the highest standard and suited to people’s needs. I am committed to improving services across the city, ensuring faster and more effective early intervention, combating health inequalities and look forward to working with team”

Pat has led Glasgow HSCP’s work on public protection and complex needs, supporting the Chief Officer on strategy development, transformation and the management and delivery of Glasgow City HSCP’s Homelessness, Emergency Social Work and Justice Services across the city.  Pat has held strategic responsibility for child/adult protection and multi agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA).   More recently Pat led on the implementation of Glasgow’s Health and Social Care Connect providing a single point of access to the HSCP and overseen the development of Glasgow’s Complex Needs Service for those experiencing multiple disadvantage.

He began his career in 1998 working in Addiction Services initially in East Ayrshire and North Lanarkshire before starting his management career within a third sector alcohol and drug service. He moved to Glasgow in 2003 working in Community Addiction Teams and then managing Children’s Services. In 2014 Pat commenced his role as Head of Service in North-East Glasgow, initially holding responsibility for area team Social Work Services before the establishment of Glasgow City HSCP.

In 2018 his role was further extended to include Glasgow Children’s residential care establishments, which assumed responsibility for all 20 children’s units I the city. Pat was appointed into his most recent role of Assistant Chief Officer, Public Protection and Complex Needs in 2019.

Abbeyhill Controlled Parking Zone – operational from Monday

The council has announced that the controlled parking Zone N6 (Abbeyhill) will be operational from 4 September 2023. Parking permits are available for sale now.

The new controls will mean that, during the controlled hours Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm, all parking is controlled. During those hours all kerbside space will be managed by yellow lines or parking places. Some restrictions such as double yellow lines and some parking places like disabled bays and car club bays operate 24 hours a day.

Most parking places will be a mix of permit holder only, shared use which can be used by permit holders and visitors paying to park and pay and display bays, with signage situated at each parking place confirming the restrictions that apply.

Find out more about all of the parking restrictions that apply across Edinburgh.

Doors Open Day 2023

Start making plans now for Doors Open Day on 23 September 2023

Hourly tours from 11am until the last tour at 2pm, free entry

Since 2004 Out of the Blue’s headquarters has been the Out of the Blue Drill Hall, a building of considerable historical and cultural significance to the Leith community.

The Drill Hall was built in 1901 for the Royal Scots Regiment, designed by the renowned architect Sir Rowand Anderson, who also designed the National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street and the McEwan Hall at Edinburgh University. Following Out of the Blue’s 2015 ‘Gretna 100’ project, which marked the centenary of the Gretna rail tragedy and its impact on the Leith community, the Out of the Blue Drill Hall was regraded from ‘B’ to ‘A’ listed.

Careful, sustainable restoration and regeneration have transformed this former military building into participatory and inclusive art and cultural centre, with artists’ studios, rehearsal and performance areas, exhibition spaces and a well-reviewed café.

Drill Hall Tours 

On Saturday 23rd September hourly tours will be running of the Out of the Blue Drill Hall from 11am until the last tour at 2pm. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your preferred tour slot to sign up for a place. There will be sign-up sheets available at the venue from 10am.

A Closer Look

In addition to the tours, the current exhibition A Closer Look will be open in the Main Hall from 10am – 5pm.

https://www.doorsopendays.org.uk

Book Week Scotland 2023

Applications are now open for Pitch It! which helps community groups individuals and organisations to host events with a writer during Book Week Scotland from 13 to 19 November 2023.

The charity will provide up to £500 to help with the costs of holding an event along with some tailored support.

This year’s Pitch It! line-up includes:

·       Kiran Millwood Hargrave, for an event on Friday 17 November
Kiran Millwood Hargrave is an award-winning poet, playwright, and bestselling novelist writing for both children and adults. Her books includeThe Girl of Ink and Stars, Julia and the Shark and The Mercies. Kiran is particularly interested in events relating to the environment, conservation and nature.

·       Nooruddean Choudry, for an event on Saturday 18 November

Nooruddean Choudry, also known as @BeardedGenius, is best known for his football writing. His new book Inshallah United is a humorous look at faith, football and growing up in a working-class immigrant family.

The deadline to pitch your event by is Monday 25 September at midday, and further info and the application form can be foundat bookweekscotland.com.

Frolicking by the side of a Quebecan lake during an idyllic family reunion in her Canadian homeland, Larah Bross must have been aware that the carefully curated veneer of a successful business woman was about to melt away quicker than Smoked Applewood cheese in one of her lauded bagels.

For 5,000 miles away a letter from His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) was about to drop on the doorstep of the Portobello headquarters of her eponymous sandwich group, with the stark warning that if a £574,132 tax debt was not settled within three weeks Bross Bagels Ltd would be wound up.

The entrepreneur, stand up comedian, and darling of the food sector media – always ready to do anything to promote her hipster brand – would struggle to joke her way out of this crisis, and on her return to Scotland she started putting in place a get-out-of-debtors-jail plan.

For the full story of how rising star Bross Bagels lost its shine and opted for liquidation click here to read The Edinburgh Reporter exclusive in our free September edition.

We’ve been making a lot of apologies recently. This week it was to the Nisga’a people in Canada for “stealing” their sacred totem pole and keeping it in our National Museum in Edinburgh for nearly a hundred years.

It’s now to be returned to its original home in British Colombia. Brightly costumed members of the Nisga’a nation came to Edinburgh for the hand-over ceremony and reminded us of our rather embarrassing colonial past.

The 37ft totem pole was carved from a red-cedar tree in 1855. Somehow it went missing from its village, while the villagers were out hunting. A Canadian anthropologist bought it from a mysterious totem pole trader and then shockingly sold it to the Edinburgh museum in 1929. It has stood there scowling ever since.

It’s not the first “colonial” object to be returned from Scotland. Last year, Glasgow Museum returned six 14th century carvings to India. In 1998, Glasgow handed back a famous “ghost shirt” to the Sioux Indians in South Dakota. It had been worn for spiritual protection by a warrior at the Battle of Wounded Knee in 1890. It was sold to the Kelvingrove Museum by a member of Buffalo Bill’s “Wild West Show” which came to Glasgow in 1891. The National Museum in Edinburgh is now thinking about repatriating a number of 16th century bronze sculptures to Benin, looted by British troops during a raid on the royal palace in 1897.

It all raises the question of where these treasures should be displayed. Does every world heritage object have to go back to its original home? Can we make do with reproductions to tell their story? And what does it all say about our colonial past? As the Nisga’a Nation’s delegation remarked when they collected their totem pole, it “turns the colonial gaze onto itself”.

The Scots stomped round the British Empire as soldiers, engineers and administrators, treating the natives badly in many cases. In recent years we’ve been apologising for our slave-trading past. In 2019 Glasgow University became the first British university to set up a reparations fund to acknowledge that 23 of its Victorian donors had made their fortunes on the back of slaves in their sugar and tobacco plantations in the Caribbean. The Henry Dundas monument, our own totem pole in St Andrew Square in Edinburgh, has had a new plaque fixed to it, explaining his role in the slave trade. As a senior government minister he blocked the anti-slave-trading bill for 15 years, during which time half a million slaves were shipped from Africa to America and the Caribbean.

There is an uneasy debate going on in Scotland over how much we are responsible for the sins of our fathers. We tend to take pride in their achievements – the invention of the steam engine, the phone, the television, anaesthetics, the game of golf and, some say, even football. But should we also apologise for our weaknesses – the salve trade and acquiring precious artefacts from conquered nations? Yes, I suppose so.

We’ve had other things to apologise for this week. Deaths from alcohol abuse have reached a 14 year high, at 1,276, the worst rate in Europe. And the explanation seems to be “poverty”, particularly in the west of Scotland. The mystery is why the numbers have almost doubled since the 1990s when there was also a good deal of poverty about. Some blame the Covid pandemic. And others say it’s because alcohol has become too cheap.

To try to rectify that, The Scottish Government in 2018 imposed a “minimum unit price” (MUP) on alcohol of 50p/unit – much opposed by the drinks industry of course. The government insists the policy has worked, the death rate has been cut by 13 per cent because of it. But it’s obviously not worked well enough to bring the overall number of deaths down, so there are now calls for the MUP to be increased in line with inflation to 65p/unit. The effectiveness of the MUP is disputed by the Tories who say that the UK Statistics Authority agreed with them that the SNP was misrepresenting the results of the report. The government is also still thinking about a ban on alcohol advertising.

Scotland has a similar problem with drug deaths, also the highest rate in Europe, and in both cases the death rate is only the tip of the iceberg. Beneath it are families blighted by poverty, under-employment and despair. And those are not the only issues we need to apologise for. There’s a whole pile of others, as we were finding out this week with the harrowing tales of witnesses to the current child abuse inquiry and the Covid inquiry.

In all this, it’s easy to get weighted down with Presbyterian guilt and to ask if there is something wrong with our culture in Scotland. We’ve just come through a successful Edinburgh festivals season – 130,000 tickets sold for the official festival, and 2.4 million for the Fringe – and it’s tempting to think our culture is in good health.

But the director Nicola Benedetti’s question, written in yellow on all the venues, still haunts me: “Where do we go from here? ” I suppose the answer is – apologise and make what reparations we can.

Royal High Corstorphine 3rd XI won East of Scotland cricket’s Division Four by the tightest of margins with their success coming down to the final ball of the final match of the season!

The Barnton-based side went into that game against Leith FAB in second place, knowing a win would confirm promotion but a loss could see them leapfrogged by Morton. 

A total of 139-9 from 40 overs batting first seemed competitive but they looked destined to come up short as Leith FAB reached 130-7.

However, tight final overs bowling, culminating in a last wicket run out , saw RHC 3rd XI get home by a single run. The result not only secured promotion, but also the league title as results elsewhere went their way. 

Captained ably all season by Yassar Ali, fittingly it was he who secured the vital run out.

Yassar certainly led by example as his 592 runs topped the league’s aggregate scores and an innings of 106 not out contributed to an average of 42.29 with the bat.

Top bowler was Hilal Sahil with 27 wickets at 12.15 average. 

Pentland Moods, an exhibition of paintings by local artist Catriona Taylor opens on Saturday 2 September at Art & Craft Collective, Causewayside and runs until Saturday 7 October 2023.

Local artist Catriona Taylor lives and works in the Pentland Hills and uses them as inspiration for her work.

She went to Edinburgh College of Art as a mature student, a decision that she said “changed my life and has taken me on a constant journey”.

The artist will be in the gallery between 2.30pm and 4pm on the opening day, talking about her inspiration and artistic process.

Image: Carnethy Hill and Black Face Sheep

Hibs European campaign ended with a 3-0 defeat at Villa Park to a very good Aston Villa side.

Not that exiting the competition was ever in any doubt, but the players were determined not to go into the record books by playing in the club’s biggest ever European defeat and they at least achieved that.

But the real heroes of the night were the incredible fans who cheered the team on from the first minute to the last.

Caretaker boss David Gray made three changes to the side that lost 5-0 to Villa at Easter Road last week with Rocky Bushiri, Christian Doidge and Jimmy Jeggo replacing Will Fish, Martin Boyle and Dylan Vente.

Villa manager Unai Emery made seven changes to his line up, giving four players their first team debuts. But he did leave some of his big hitters including Super John McGinn on the bench just in case.

Despite starting the came five goals down, the travelling Hibs fans situated in the Doug Ellis Stand were in fine voice.

Hibs started on the front foot and Jordan Obita tested Robin Olsen with an angled drive before Elie Youan caused the Villa defenders problems with his speed.

But it was the home side that opened the scoring in the 15^th minute albeit against the run of play when John Duran demonstrated his speed to leave a couple of Hibs defenders in his wake and reach a through ball ahead of David Marshall who was caught in no man’s land.

Hibs fought back and both Obita and Youan had efforts which tested the Villa keeper and Christian Doidge went close with a header.

But the second goal also went to Villa when Leon Bailey fired an angled drive past Marshall in the 33^rd minute.

Just before the break Obita set up Josh Campbell but his strike was blocked.

McGinn replaced Boubacar Kamara at half time and received a huge ovation from the home fans. And he almost made an immediate impression, winning the ball in midfield and getting on the end of a cross but his effort went wide.

Youan then did well down the left wing, cutting inside and testing Olsen who did well to hold the shot.

Hibs made a double substitution in the 54^th minute with Will Fish and Adam Le Fondre entering the fray in place of Doidge and Obita.

Villa made it 3-0 when Marshall failed to hold a free kick and Matty Cash was on hand to fire in the rebound and despite claims for offside the goal stood.

Martin Boyle and Allan Delferriere then replaced Youan and Joe Newell in the 65^th minute and Marshall made up for his mistake with a wonder save from Ollie Watkins.

And that was the end of the scoring and the Hibs fans gave a rousing rendition of ‘Sunshine on Leith’ before heading to party the night away in Birmingham.

Hibs : Marshall, Miller, Hanlon, Youan, Newell, Jeggo, Stevenson, Obita, Doidge, Campbell, Bushiri.

Subs Boruc, Johnson, Fish, Vente, Le Fondre, Harbottle, Delferrière, Molotnikov, McAllister, Megwa, McIntyre.

Aston Villa: Olsen, Konsa, Chambers, Pau, Revan, Bailey, Kamara, Douglas Luiz, Tielemans, Kellyman, Duran

Subs: Marschall, Zych, Cash, Diego Carlos, McGinn, Watkins, Digne, Diaby, Dendoncker, T O’Reilly, Feeney.

Referee Luca Pairetto

Attendance 39,467

Hearts European adventures are over for this season after the Men in Maroon were dumped out of the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off by a strong PAOK side.

The Capital combine, 2-1 down from the first-leg, eventually lost 4-0 on the night but held the Greek side early on thanks to tight defence and the closest the home side came was when Glannis Konstantelias sent a header straight at Zander Clark.

Then Vieirinha cut inside and fired a rocket shot which smacked against the crossbar and rebounded to Baba Rahman who sent the follow-up straight at Clark.

The warnings, however, were there and Taison sent a free-kick into the far corner to give PAOK the lead after 16 minutes and seven minutes after that Brandon doubled the Greek’s advantage when he fired home from inside the penalty box.

Hearts did have chances and Alex Cochrane swung over a corner to the back post but Frankie Kent sent his header wide of the right-hand post.

By half-time three Hearts players were in the  book, Toby Sibbick, skipper Lawrence Shankland (pictured) and Cammy Devlin, and they were up against it, 4-1 down on aggregate.

 The Scots started the second-half brightly and Shankland fed Liam Boyce who sent the ball on to Kenneth Vargas who set-up Cochrane but he sent the ball over the bar from the edge of the box.

PAOK then saw Koulierakis booked for bringing down Vargas as Hearts attempted to get back into the tie but PAOK went further ahead minutes later when Konstantelias scored from close range.

Hearts rang the changes, Boyce being substituted by Kyosuke Tagawa and then the Jambos took off Shankland and Stephen Kingsley and sent on Alex Lowry and Aidan Denholm.

It failed to turn the tide and Taison claimed No 4 after 71 minutes, firing the ball wide of Clark.

More changes for Hearts with Odeluga Offiah and Andy Halliday replacing Nathaniel Atkinson and Devlin with eight minutes left and the visitors had a chance from a Lowry free-kick but Kent sent the ball into the opposition goalkeeper’s arms.

Three minutes of injury time were added but Hearts bowed out of Europe with a 4-0 scoreline against them in Greece.

The Old Edinburgh Club collates a list of notable dates for us from the month of September in history.

On 4 September 1964 HM The Queen and Prince Philip opened the Forth Road Bridge

• The list is compiled by Jerry Ozaniec, Membership Secretary of the Old Edinburgh Club, membership@oldedinburghclub.org.uk 

Charity Shelter has installed a group of child mannequins on The Meadows highlighting that:

• Record numbers of children became homeless in 2022/23, figures published by the Scottish Government show.
• Shelter Scotland’s installation – Class of 45 – depicts 45 child sized mannequins, one for every child who loses their home each day, placed in the Meadows, in Edinburgh to raise awareness of the stark reality of homelessness in Scotland.
• Figures also show local homelessness services are failing to meet their legal obligations, with many people entitled to temporary housing being turned away by councils or being housed in grim conditions unsuitable for their needs. 

More than a class full of children are falling into homelessness every day in Scotland. New statistics released by the Scottish Government have revealed record breaking numbers of people living in homelessness in Scotland.

Re-elected Corstorphine Cougars women’s rugby captain Emma Turner, pictured with men’s captain Eoin Kelly, is optimistic the squad can go one better in the coming season having finished runners-up in both league and cup last time out.

Likewise the men, whose skipper is also re-elected, enter the new campaign in Division Two of the East Leagues with momentum having finished second in a very competitive 2022-23 campaign.

The women are already underway in their Premiership campaign and they hit the ground running with a 76-0 win at Garioch, scoring a dozen tries including four from Merrick Gunderson and a “hat-trick” by Tanya Griffin with KIyomi Honjigawa landing six conversions.

Club spokesman Kevin West says of the women’s hopes: “Finishing second in both the league and cup was a fantastic achievement but that has just made the squad hungrier for success. 

“The depth of having two squads has been hugely beneficial for the progression of the team. Having competition for places ensures consistency in performance and helps bring that competitive edge to training. Pre-season has been a huge learning curve as some new ideas have been brought in to which the squad has reacted well. We look forward to our women’s 1st XV being a competitive force again this year.”

Regarding the Corstorphine men’s team Kevin says: “

With several new additions to the club it solidifies squad numbers and boosts the prospects for finishing top of the ladder this year. 

The new coaching team lead by Marc Maiden and Fraser Morrison has been in place since the end of last season and has been pro-active in bringing up the quality of core skills and fitness levels. 

“It’s a hugely important year as the club looks to continue its progress on the park and start redevelopments on its changing facilities with its ambitious ‘Building UP’ plans which will also incorporate a new gym and storage facilities” said Kevin.