Portobello Kiln to open

The kiln will be open this weekend and next to the public with an installation by Henna Asikainen “Wing Cradle” created working in collaboration with Erland Cooper the Scottish composer and producer and Zainab Adnan. Weaving together myths and politics with ecological concerns Wing Cradle connects the migration of birds with testimonies relating to human migration.

Open on 2, 3 ,9 and 10 September from 11am to 4pm. The installation forms part of Scottish Archaeology Month.

More details of Art Walk Porty the festival which takes place in Portobello during September on their website.

Val McDermid – will keep on writing

As if we thought she would do anything different – Val McDermid has confirmed that she will keep on writing à la Ruth Rendell.

Read more in George Mair’s article here.

Open Day in September

The Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre are planning an open day on 23 September when Drylaw and Telford Community Council will be on hand to explain their role in the area. Anyone can also have their say on improvements required in local parks and green spaces.

The Monarch of the Glen

One of the most famous paintings is being rehung in the new Scottish galleries at the National Gallery of Scotland on The Mound in readiness for the new galleries opening in September. The painting was preserved for the nation through a fundraising campaign to which many members of the public contributed.

Read more here.

Our August issue

Our August newspaper has been out since 1 August, and our September paper is at the printers today.

Our cover story was about Mademoiselle Macaron Rachel Hanretty, with a strapline to our exclusive story about Alex Cole-Hamilton, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

Inside there is a feature by George Mair who is writing for us for the first time this month – and loads of sport from both Nigel Duncan and Bill Lothian.

If you would like to receive a copy just a wee bit ahead of everyone else then please subscribe by clicking on the image below. It helps us with the overheads of producing a paper and also ensures that we can keep all of our news output free for all.

(And do read about Rachel and the Barbie story here)

Cab Direct Championship: Plymouth Gladiators 44, Stellar Monarchs 46

The Stellar Monarchs saved the best till last as they took maximum heat advantages in each of the last two heats to take a massive 46-44 victory at bottom club Plymouth Gladiators.

In slick conditions that saw passing at an absolute premium, it all came down to a heat 15 decider with the Monarchs off the unfavoured gates one and three.

It looked like the home men were favourites but no one told Monarchs captain Josh Pickering and excellent guest Erik Riss (pictured) that as they made the jump and rode four faultless laps to take the victory, remarkably the only time on the night the Monarchs were in front.

Gordon Campbell, Monarchs’ stand-in team manager, said: “It is a tight race for the play-offs with Plymouth being a rival for the final spot so we were determined to get a result.

“This showed with every member of the team having a moment to be proud of in the match and chipping in with vital points at vital moments. A special thank you to Erik Riss who was a terrific guest at No 1.”

Campbell said Monarchs must bounce forward from this result and he said: “With the backing of our wonderful supporters we can finish the home season strongly and clinch that play-off spot.”

On a day that saw plenty of rain in the area and track covers only lifted during the afternoon, the name of the game was to get to the first bend in front and keep it low for four laps.

The hosts were well served by James Pearson who took wins in heats two and nine but, with main men Kyle Howarth and Richie Worrall both looking a little frustrated with conditions, Monarchs kept themselves in touch throughout.

There were key contributions throughout with six of the seven taking at least one paid win, these often coming at key times when it looked like the home men were going to take control.

Heat eight a great example of this as Max Clegg saw a perfectly good start pulled back when he had hit the front only to repeat the feat in the re-run in a race that on paper looked a strong one for the Gladiators.

Kye Thomson and Paco Castagna did their jobs magnificently throughout also, packing in behind Howarth twice and Worrall before each won their final outing to record paid nine and nine respectively.

Bastian Borke saved his best for last as most expected a tactical substitute replacement in heat 14 after the Monarchs had slipped six down, Borke had other ideas in what was the heat of the night.

So, it was down to the Monarchs main two, Pickering, who had an up and down night, and former skipper Riss. Pickering had the misfortune of being off the inside but, rather than concern himself with unsettling Howarth on his outside, he found a fresh bit of dirt on the white line to fire himself to the front.

With Riss emerging from a tight first corner to tuck in behind Pickering it was a case of waiting out the four laps as the glory went to the Monarchs.

Plymouth 44 : Howarth 13+1, Newman 7, Perry 0, Worrall 12+1, Pearson 10+3, Trigger 2+1

Edinburgh 46 : Riss 12+1, Clegg 4, Thomson 6+3, Castagna 9, Pickering 10, Killeen 2+1, Borke 3+1

18.56: Dusseldorf Airport Station. Next train to Dusseldorf Hauptbahnhof platform four. We board after asking the guard if this was the correct train. Seconds later the same man said: “You are on the wrong train.”

We were shocked. Yes, it was the train to Dusseldorf Hauptbahnhof, one stop, around five minutes. He summoned the ticket collector. “You are fined 60E each.” Why? “You are on an express train and not a local train.”

We appealed but were told: “You should have seen that. I would be fined in your country. 14 days to pay.”

Shocked, we continued to Monchengladbach after changing at Dusseldorf and asking several other passengers if we were on the right train. We did not want another fine. 

We were stunned and it still rankles. Yes, we were on the wrong type of train, but a warning would have seemed more appropriate. Welcome to Germany!

There were several other occasions when we were bemused. Take the entry gate for the EuroHockey Championships at Monchengladbach. Day One and ticket holders turned up with water bottles. They were allowed in but only up to 500ml.

However, some fans were told: “That bag is too big. You must go to the bag store and pick it up later.” A 2E charge was levied.

Day Two: Water bottles not allowed in and you had to empty the liquid into a black bag. Food was also not allowed in and stewards would not listen to the allergy argument. 

Dump sandwiches in the black bag we were told. A few steps inside the ground and people were filling their empty bottles with water at taps used to wash your hands after going to the portaloo.

People were then forced to queue the food kiosks. No warnings appeared to have been given on the ticket or in the entry area that we could see. Bad vibes again. Next day, temporary water taps were installed yards inside the ground. The water was hot as it had been heated by the sun. The taps were removed during the tournament. Confused.com.

Why were we there? To watch the EuroHockey Championships, A Divison, featuring Scotland and, apart from the water and food issue, which angered not just Scottish fans but home supporters, the event was well run. Scotland came seventh, by the way, thanks to a 2-1 win over Spain in their last game, a historic result.

So, what of Monchengladbach? Well, it has seen better days, that’;s the best I can say. Soulless main street, empty shops and very little to do, apart from a museum, we were not tempted, and an outdoor, swimming pool. 

This is a gem of a place with a leisure pool and a competition pool for those who want to swim and enjoy quietly lounging around the pond. The on-site cafe served reasonably priced snacks and drinks. No alcohol on the two days we visited. Cost? 8E a day. Value, and the weather was great.

The main square had a period feel and that is where the tourist information office sits. We went in and, frankly, it was a waste of time. They did not even know the hockey was on at the SparkassenPark and it was the biggest event in town for ten days, 70,000 people attended during the 40-games played. A map please? 1E.

Borussia Monchengladbach football next door to the hockey park then took centre stage. Interestingly, fans came off buses, not coaches but town buses, with empty bottles of beer. Volunteers were there to collect the empties and we were told that the bottles were returned and that the cash raised went to charity. Enterprising and the return scheme works. SNP take note.

Cologne is near, with its much-talked about cathedral, and easily accessible by train, but we opted for Dusseldorf, 40 minutes on the train. We approached the prospect nervously and there was nobody to ask in the station and no ticket office so one lady helped us as even our phrase book was not explicit enough.

You do everything on a machine and once you get your ticket you have to punch it into another machine. Thankfully, we did the right things and boarded the train.

Dusseldorf Hauptbahnhof is busy. We find a help booth near the entrance and the incumbents were very helpful. We clicked on Google maps and strode out of the station in search of The Rhein, the longest river in Germany. Surely, it would be easy to find. Wrong, but we got there eventually.

Cruise boats leave at regular intervals and we boarded, not without more confusion about where it was going and the price. The deck hands cast off and we waited, and waited, and waited for a commentary. Nothing. It was just a cruise up river.

More confusion as your ticket allowed a drink, beer, wine or soft. Oh, we have run out of big glasses you must come back if you want more. We did and were topped up and 45 minutes out we docked at a village.

Nobody could really explain what was there and if we could stop off and when the next boat would return so we stayed put. On came a man and his wife with bikes. They had cycled 23k from Dusseldorf and did not fancy cycling back.

They were charming and turned into great tour guides. They suggested making our way back to the station through the old town of Dusseldorf with bars, restaurants and wee shops. It was busy but had a charm. And there was a tourist information office where the staff were extremely helpful. One wonders why it was not at the station, but perhaps we missed it.

Dusseldorf is a mix of old and new and it has good shops and a decent park. Signposting needs upgrading but, otherwise, a decent place. Back to Monchengladbach. Our self-catering apartment was in Hotel Select, around 15 minutes walk from the station. A taxi would not take us from the station saying it was close and we found it only thanks to the intervention of an extremely kind Good Samaritan from Ukraine who went out of her way to walk us to the hotel and would not accept anything for doing that.  

Hotel Select was clean, comfortable, with a good bed, an extremely helpful owner and staff, good wi-fi and SkySports but we could not fathom how to receive it. No washing machine, but that was the only drawback and it was in a quiet street near a bio supermarket where prices were good.

Buses were frequent and you can buy saver tickets at the bus station for set allocations of time. We strolled around the town and stopped off in Hoffmanns, a classy cafe near one of the city parks where you can watch the world go by.

It is next to a herd of brass donkeys street furniture but nobody was able to explain why they are there. We ate in several restaurants and our particular favourite, and a pick of other Scots who had made the trip, was Mokka which served superb food, decently priced and had quality staff who spoke extremely good English.

Nearby was Pizzeria Nido, good food and atmosphere and run by an Italian who has been in Germany 30 years. Dated decor but good for those who love artex.

Bei Michael and Tapa Loca on the main square is also worth a visit as is the Vietnamese just around the corner. Would I go back to Monchengladbach? No. Would I return to Dusseldorf, no, seen it and got the T-shirt, but I would fly in there, 1hr 20min from Edinburgh direct with Eurowings and move on.

PICTURE: Main shopping street in Monchengladbach. Picture Nigel Duncan

Clackmannan County 1^st X1 dominated Division Two of the East of Scotland cricket leagues, winning the title – and promotion – by 12 percentage points.

Only Edinburgh South 2nds in Division Five were more dominant, taking the title by 14 percentage points.

Star performer for Clacks 1sts was all-rounder Mehboob Tariq who hit 479 runs from 18 matches completed including a high score of 134 not out while also contributing 18 wickets at an average of 10.1 runs.

The “wee county” 2^nd team also had a memorable season in topping Division Seven with a side which included captain Duncan McConchie’s 20-year-old twin sons, David and Duncan jnr!

Clackmannan 2nds had to do it the hard way, too, because after their opening four league outings they had only triumphed once albeit there was a tie with Carlton 5ths.

Top individual performances over the campaign came from Anthony Bennett who contributed 438 runs including a high score of 87 while bowling honours went to Arshad Ali (35 wickets at an average of 9.31 runs).

Heart of Midlothian have issued information for supporters travelling to Greece to watch the return leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League play-off with PAOK Salonika at the Toumba Stadium on Thursday.

Hearts are 2-1 down after the first-leg at Tynecastle and talks have taken place between PAOK, the club, Police Scotland and the Greek authorities.

Fans are encouraged to gather in Aristotelous Square during the day. There will be police presence in this location to ensure the safety of supporters.

Fans will be escorted by police to Gate 11 in the Port of Thessaloniki where buses will take them to the stadium. The buses will leave at 17.30pm local time and advice from Hearts said: “Supporters are strongly recommended for reasons of safety to gather in the square and move collectively to the port to board the buses.

“We would strongly discourage supporters from making their own way to the Toumba Stadium as it is quite a distance from the meeting point and Greek police have advised that you may be at risk of attack if moving in small, isolated groups.”

Fans are not allowed to bring alcohol on the buses and any supporter deemed to have consumed excessive amounts of alcohol will not be allowed on the buses.

Hearts confirmed that they are paying for the buses and the cost of any damage caused will be sent to Tynecastle.

The advice added: “Fans should be aware that the style of policing and security in Greece may differ somewhat to what they have experienced elsewhere.

“Police and security in Greece have a zero-tolerance approach to disobeying lawful instructions so supporters are implored to follow any and all instructions given to them.”

LIBRARY PICTURE of fans at Tynecastle

Sir Edwin Landseer’s Monarch of the Glen is moving to a new home in the National Gallery.

The Scottish galleries will be ready to open to the public next month when the famous work will be back on display in a new free space along with around 150 years of Scottish art to discover.

Painted in 1851, Landseer’s work of art famously depicts a proud stag imperiously surveying a majestic Highland landscape. Closely associated with Scotland, The Monarch of the Glen is an extremely powerful painting, and a rich source of debate about the issues of history and identity. Through its widespread use in commercial advertising and in popular culture, the iconic painting has become instantly recognisable today.

Director-General of the National Galleries of Scotland, Sir John Leighton, said: “Landseer’s The Monarch of the Glen is one of the most potent and familiar images associated with Scotland. The proud stag is recognisable across the world from his long career in marketing, adorning just about every kind of product imaginable, from soap and whisky to countless shortbread tins. Today, it remains a compelling and contested image, viewed by some as the ultimate evocation of the romance of the Highlands, by others as a gloss on the harsh realities of life in the Scottish countryside in the 19th century. Love it or hate it, no one can deny that it is an extraordinary, powerful painting. You are warmly invited to see this incredible work of art in its new setting at the National.”

Sir Edwin Landseer (1802-73) was intoxicated by the Scottish Highlands. He first visited the country in 1824 and was overwhelmed and inspired by the experience of the landscape and its people. The artist returned on sketching expeditions annually in late summer and the autumn, developing a particular affinity with the novelist Sir Walter Scott and his work. The resulting paintings range from intimate and remarkably fresh landscape studies, painted on the spot, to his most famous large-scale picture, The Monarch of the Glen. His works played a key role in formulating the deeply attractive and romantic image of the Highlands, which still resonates today. 

The Monarch of the Glen was originally intended as part a series of three works to be displayed in the House of Lords, but the scheme was never realised and the painting was sold to a private collector soon after its completion. From the moment it was first exhibited in 1851 at the Royal Academy in London it proved immensely popular, and the admiration has continued right up to the present day. The work was widely reproduced in the nineteenth century, especially through steel engravings, and in 1916 it was purchased by Sir Thomas Dewar. From that point it was regularly used as a marketing image, first by Pears Soap, then by John Dewar & Sons Distillery and Glenfiddich, and later by Nestlé and Baxter’s soup.

Following a four-month fundraising campaign, the painting was acquired by the National Galleries of Scotland in March 2017, with overwhelming support from the public, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund, private trusts and foundations, Scottish Government acquisition grant funding and by a part gift by previous owners Diageo Scotland Ltd.

All photos Jane Barlow.

Keep Scotland Beautiful has expanded its Learning about Forests (LEAF) programme after more than 50 establishments participated in a pilot.

LEAF advocates outdoor learning and hands-on experiences an the key aims are to reconnect children and young people of all ages with natural environments while promoting and expanding outdoor education and improving their knowledge of forest-based ecosystems.

The LEAF pilot programme saw schools and nurseries across 21 local authorities undertaking a variety of nature-based activities, including identifying trees and wildlife that depend on their local nature, working with local councils to make schools better for wildlife, and planting trees, flowers, bulbs, fruit and vegetables.

Nicola Davidson, education and learning officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “LEAF is a fantastic opportunity for schools and nurseries to get involved in a project that supports mental and physical health of pupils and teachers, as well as giving pupils the opportunity to expand their learning in an outdoor environment.

“Outdoor learning and nature connection are not an extra to be fitted in, they are key components of education that are being demanded by pupils.”

Annette Valentine, teacher at Midlothian’s St Andrew’s RC Primary School, said: “It was lovely to have a reason to be outside. Our playground has been transformed, we have an area outside each classroom where pupils can garden and observe wildlife.

“We have also cleared an area of woodland on our grounds to become an outside classroom. The buzz about the gardens and wildlife was something we did not have before and is there in abundance now.”

Numbers for second LEAF programme are limited and schools are encouraged to enroll early to avoid disappointment. Registration forms must be completed before the beginning of October. Visit LEAF | Keep Scotland Beautiful for more information.

The Meningitis Flag, the first ever global symbol created for and by the meningitis community to raise awareness of this serious disease, has been launched and it was created as part of a broader integrated awareness campaign for Sanofi, the global biopharmaceutical company, Meningitis Research Foundation and the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations (CoMO).

Meningitis is a potentially devastating disease that can strike at any time and it affects more than 2.5 million people globally each year and one in ten will die of the disease with 50 per cent of these deaths occurring among children aged five and under.

It is still the world’s sixth largest infectious disease killer and the flag was co-designed with Scottish based textile designer, Laura Spring, whose family have been affected by meningitis in the past.

Also involved were para-athletes affected by meningitis, Ellie Challis (Great Britain), Théo Curin (France) and Davide Morana (Italy) and the flag features three distinct layers of shapes and colours.

In the design created by Edinburgh-based creative agency, Leith, the yellow semi-circle represents the patient, symbolising hope and emphasising the importance of every individual. The purple triangle signifies the care and support provided by families.

Pointing upwards like an arrow, it represents the speed and positivity in the race against meningitis. The sea of blue symbolizes the calm determination of the broader movement to defeat this disease by the meningitis community.

The campaign will run on digital media in multiple markets and will be amplified by macro-influencers, international athletes, Meningitis Research Foundation and CoMo members globally.

Ellie Challis, Théo Curin and Davide Morana will act as ambassadors for the cause by sharing the symbol and their own personal stories throughout the campaign.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwEYUpAKSv4?feature=oembed&w=696&h=392]

Promotion bolsters dementia care at specialist residence.

New Head of Lifestyle to strengthen residents’ experiences at care home.

One of Scotland’s leading care facilities has announced the appointment of a new specialist that will further improve its high-quality dementia services.

Elaine Vallance has been promoted to Head of Lifestyle at Cramond Residence, bringing more than six years of expert care knowledge to the home’s lifestyle team.

Elaine, who joined Cramond Residence 15 months ago, will organise a wide range of activities designed to bring meaningful socialisation to residents – a major factor in treating dementia patients.

She said: “I’m passionate about delivering the best possible quality of care to our residents during their golden years.

“I love spending time with our residents, and I am lucky to now head up an incredible team who always give their best to ensure that the standard of care we deliver is second to none.

“When you come away from an activity that residents have enjoyed and you see a smile on their faces, it’s hugely rewarding and motivating. I’m really excited and thankful to be given this opportunity and I am looking forward to working with the team to bring forward more fantastic activities for our residents.”

Cramond Residence strives to ensure that those living with dementia live a fulfilled life. The home offers a dedicated dementia floor, specially designed for those living with the condition to allow them to live a richer and more satisfying life with specialist facilities and trained staff on hand to provide support and relief.

Dementia training sits at the top of the care home’s agenda with 90% of their staff being provided with vital dementia training.

Elaine added: “We have already had a series of fantastic events for residents such as a trip on the trams to Newhaven, as well as a sports day which was popular with the residents.

“In the future I have plans to create a sensory room for our residents living with dementia, this will provide a stimulating environment with huge mental benefits.

“I will continue channelling all my energies and passion into delivering what Cramond Residence is all about, delivering top quality care to those who stay with us.”
Client Liaison Manager, Christian Daraio said: “Elaine has a wonderfully kind and nurturing personality which the residents love.

“We are incredible lucky to have her on our team and I am really looking forward to seeing what fantastic opportunities she no doubt has in store for our residents in the future.”

Cramond residence is a purpose-built care home which opened in October 2018. It combines luxury, five-star accommodation with outstanding clinical standards.

Spread across three floors, Cramond Residence adopts a small group living philosophy. That means groups of eight rooms form distinct “houses”, where residents are encouraged to eat and socialise together.

To find out more information on Cramond Residence, visit https://cramondresidence.co.uk/

And breathe. The festivals are now over and all that is left to do is collect up all the fliers and recycle them.

Do read our reviews which you will find here with all the coverage of the Fringe in 2023.

The Fringe ended on Monday after selling 2.4 million tickets to audiences who come from 170 countries. 2,445,609 tickets288 venues67 countries represented17 countries presented showcases500 street performers, buskers and street artists 1,400 accredited producers, programmers, bookers, talent agencies and festivals from 49 countries840 members of the media received accreditation10% more reviewers than last year25% more reviews than last year3,553 shows80,000 downloads of the Fringe app400,000 tickets sold through the app1,500 artists hosted at the Artist Hub at Fringe Central with more than 40 events56% Fringe shows accessible for wheelchair users800 schoolchildren attended as part of the Fringe Society’s schools’ outreach work

There are some shows which did not manage to attract one reviewer although the Fringe Society say that there were 10% more reviewers in Edinburgh than last year. We saw some good things in Edinburgh this August and hope you did too.

You may or may not agree that the funniest joke was the one chosen… “I started dating a zookeeper, but it turned out he was a cheetah.” The job of choosing the winning one liner is delegated to a panel who listen to many one liners and that was their collective decision.

The winners of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards were announced on Saturday – click on the link to read more.

Pleasance reported that their 39th Fringe was a great success with more than 36,000 people visiting the Courtyard on the busiest day in August. The company sold more than 480,000 tickets which is a 10% increase on last year. The Pleasance Theatre Trust issued around 1,300 100% subsidised tickets with transport to more than 23 Edinburgh primary schools.

Airport delays and cancellations

National Air Traffic Services (NATS) announced a technical issue on Monday morning which affected UK air space leading to cancellations and delays on many flights in and out of Edinburgh Airport.

By the middle of the afternoon the news came through that the problem had been fixed, but this did not allow some flights to take off and others had already been cancelled with either crew or aircraft in the wrong place.

Read more here

Dogs Trust

The Dogs Trust is an organisation which helps dogs and the people who love them. The caring body shares with us weekly the details of one of their dogs which needs their forever home.

This week it is the turn of Annabelle a 3-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross who would like to find a new home. If it is a home with children then it is recommended they are over the age of 12. She would like to live with an active family.

Read more here.

Cycling news

There will be an official launch at the Wee Spoke Hub on 9 September 2023. This is a pioneering bike shop and cycling advocacy space at 13 Guthrie Street in the city centre.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wee-spoke-hub-launch-night-tickets-697524794437?aff=oddtdtcreator

Our August issue

Our August newspaper has been out since 1 August, and we are now producing the September paper.

Our cover story is about Mademoiselle Macaron Rachel Hanretty, with a strapline to our exclusive story about Alex Cole-Hamilton, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

Inside there is a feature by George Mair who is writing for us for the first time this month – and loads of sport from both Nigel Duncan and Bill Lothian.

If you would like to receive a copy just a wee bit ahead of everyone else then please subscribe by clicking on the image below. It helps us with the overheads of producing a paper and also ensures that we can keep all of our news output free for all.

(And do read about Rachel and the Barbie story here)

Crime writer Val Mcdermid has revealed she wants to write novels for the rest of her life, like Ruth Rendell and PD James.

The Tartan noir writer, known to her fans as the “Queen of Crime”, once thought she had “five or six books in me” but has gone on to pen more than 30, selling over 17 million copies worldwide.

The prolific novelist says she has no plans to stop, however, and could continue into old age like her role models Rendell and James.

She said: “I just get bored if I’m not working on something. It’s what I do. My partner says I can’t retire until I get a hobby but my hobby is my work and I love it.

“I don’t see any reason to stop. Writers don’t by and large retire. I want to be like PD James and Ruth Rendell and drop down in harness.

“When Ruth Rendell had the massive stroke that ultimately killed her, in her handbag was a memory stick with the first draft of her final novel, so I want that to be me.”

McDermid, 68, told the Edinburgh International Book Festival she had not originally set out to be a crime writer but, following her graduation from Oxford University, had hoped to pen “the great English novel”. She said she completed the book but her attempt was rejected by publishers.

She said: “The one thing I would say about it is that I finished it. I started sending it out to publishing houses and I used to get it back by return of post practically. By the end I was getting letters from people I hadn’t even sent it to, ‘we’ve heard about this, please don’t’…

“I’d always read crime fiction, right from nine years old when I first discovered Agatha Christie. I realised that maybe what I should do was write something I understood so I thought maybe I could write a crime novel.”

She had her first success in 1987 with Report for Murder, the first mystery for her journalist character, Lindsay Gordon.

She is now best known for her award-winning Wire in the Blood series featuring clinical psychologist Dr Tony Hill and detective Carol Jordan — played by Robson Green and Hermione Norris in the TV adaptation.

A new Karen Pirie thriller, Past Lying, will be published in October, and McDermid is currently working on 1999, the third instalment in her series featuring female news reporter Allie Burns.

McDermid said that it was necessary in crime fiction to portray violence but insisted it was never gratuitous in her work.

She said she spent a lot of time finding the balance and making sure victims in her stories are portrayed as “proper characters”.

She said: “When I’m writing the directly violent things it’s a case of trying to walk the line between what people need to know to get a sense of this and what’s too much.

“It’s important to write honestly about what violence is and what it does, and how it contaminates the lives of everyone that comes into contact with it.

“It’s uncomfortable at times and I always try to walk the line between what I need to write to make people understand what’s happening in the book — and the context of the violence in the book — and how its effects ripple out in all these directions, without being gratuitously cheap about it.

“That’s a difficult thing to do but I do spend a lot of time trying to get that right.

“For me it’s been important from the start — to contextualise acts of violence — to make victims proper characters. They’re not just cardboard cutouts…

“For me it’s important that you have a sense of who these people were and the lives that they’ve been torn out of. That’s quite an important aspect for me.”

Demonburgh Junior Roller Derby are broadening horizons with a trip to face Orkney Juniors under the captaincy of Jasmine MacQueen, pictured, who uses the nome-de-plume “I Scream Soda” in keeping with the sport’s culture.

Jasmine is one of the rising stars of the sport having been selected to play for Team GB at the Junior Roller Derby World Cup in France this summer.

When Edinburgh and Orkney met earlier this year in the capital the home side came out on top and the return takes place on Sunday, 24 September, in Kirkwall

This will be Demonburgh’s fourth official bout following matches against Newcastle, Glasgow and Tours (France) and they will introduce an addition to the coaching team in Rosie Gompertz (known as Doodle).

A spokesperson said: “Rosie is an accomplished roller derby coach with a passion for nurturing the next generation of roller derby skaters.
“They will be joining coaches Heather Weatheritt (H-Bomb), Amanda Clark (Atomic Panda) and Head Ref. Mark Cullen (Taz) who have put in a huge amount of effort and commitment to foster young skating talent in Edinburgh.“

Demonburgh Junior Roller Derby prides itself on its commitment to inclusivity and welcomes skaters from all backgrounds and abilities. Classes take place on Friday evenings at Broughton High School and anyone interested can find out more at www.unitedsk8s.com

Also Demonburgh has been actively fundraising to cover costs of travel and accommodation and welcome. interest from donors / sponsors to support the team’s growth.

E-mail Gemma Bell on: bell.gem@gmail.com

Owners Scott and Jamie Courtney have confirmed that they will be back at the helm at Berwick Bandits for an eighth year in 2024.

However, the club will not compete in the National Development League (NDL) next term and Belle Vue’s rearranged visit to Shielfield Park on September 16 will now be the last meeting of the season and the swansong for the Bullets.

Scott Courtney said: “Bullets have been almost entirely funded by me and Jamie with the level of support nowhere near to covering the costs of the experiment.

“After an incredibly demanding season on and off the track, we have made the decision to channel our attention towards the Bandits and a revamped youth system for 2024.”

Pre-season hopes that the Bandits would at the very least qualify for the revamped Cab Direct Championship play-offs never materialised as they were hit by season-ending injuries to Nathan Stoneman, Thomas Jorgensen, and Connor Coles.

A number of other riders struggled for form, not helped by a fixture list which saw big gaps between home fixtures.

They have managed just two home victories in the Championship – against Scunthorpe and Redcar – along with home and away victories over Edinburgh in the BSN Shield.

Bullets – runners-up in their debut season and play-off semi-finalists in 2022 – find themselves well adrift at bottom of the NDL with Archie Freeman and Josh Embleton sidelined by serious injuries while skipper Greg Blair was one of many to struggle with fitness all season.

Jamie Courtney added: “As with every year, plans for the following season both within the club and at BSP level began in July and 2023 has provided us with our most challenging season on track.

“We are ready to regroup, rebuild, recharge, and go again. Bringing the fans, sponsors, and supporters of Berwick Speedway the best possible version of the club in 2024 is our top priority and we are well underway with plans to improve in all areas.

“A sporadic fixture list, unpredictable weather, lack of rider availability and probably the toughest the economic climate to run a speedway club in ever led us to ask ourselves some big questions.

“We have always been resilient through the toughest of times. Ever since the Taylor family founded the club back in 1968, there have been trials, tribulations, victories, defeats, controversies, heartbreak, and the odd triumph.” 

The Bullets name will not be lost to the sport entirely as Berwick continue to provide opportunities to the next generations of British youngsters via their purpose-built training track – the Grant Henderson Tankers Academy – at Duns in the Scottish Borders.

PICTURE: Jamie (left) and Scott Courtney by N/A

A House of Ni’isjoohl 37 feet high memorial pole is to return home to the Nass Valley this September after almost a century in the custody of National Museums Scotland (NMS).

The hand-carved pole will be sent back to Terrace, British Columbia and onwards to the Nass Valley after a year of discussion and collaboration between the Nisg̱a’a Nation and NMS. The pole will be rematriated – and not repatriated – to a society which follows the female line.

On Monday family members and supporters from the Nisg̱a’a Lisims Government travelled to the museum to oversee the beginning of the return journey. A spiritual ceremony was conducted in private in preparation for the first move of a totem pole in the UK. It is likely the pole will have to be manoeuvred out of a window.

The delegation included: Sim’oogit Ni’isjoohl (Chief Earl Stephens), Sigidimnaḵ’ Nox̱s Ts’aawit (Dr. Amy Parent), Shawna Mackay, Sim’oogit Duuk (Chief William Moore), Sim’oogit Laay̓ (Chief Bruce Haldane), Mmihlgum Maakskwhl G̱akw (Pamela Brown), and NLG Representatives Apdii Lax̱ha (Andrew Robinson), Theresa Schober (Nisg̱a’a Museum Curator and Director), Laax̱ Yee (Bobby Clark, Director of Communications and Intergovernmental Relations. 

The memorial pole belongs to the House of Ni’isjoohl from the G̱anada (frog clan) in the Nisg̱a’a Nation. In 1860, House of Ni’isjoohl Matriarch Joanna Moody commissioned the pole to be carved by Nisg̱a’a master carver Oyee to honour her family member Ts’awit, who was next in line to be chief. Ts’awit was also a warrior who died protecting his family and nation. 

Sim’oogit Ni’isjoohl, Chief Earl Stephens said: “In Nisg̱a’a culture, we believe that this pole is alive with the spirit of our ancestors. After nearly 100 years, we are finally able to bring our dear relative home to rest on Nisg̱a’a lands. It means so much for us to have the Ni’isjoohl memorial pole returned to us, so that we can connect our family, nation and our future generations with our living history.”

Sigidimnak’ Noxs Ts’aawit, Dr Amy Parent said: “We are grateful to collectively tell a new story that turns the colonial gaze onto itself by acknowledging the complexities of our pole’s theft, its intergenerational absence from our community and the persistence needed to ensure that justice for our ancestors prevails. This new story also highlights the responsible commitments made by many who have demonstrated to our global community that it is possible to do the right thing by returning our ancestors, cultural treasures and belongings back to us, their rightful relatives.”

Eva Clayton, President of Nisg̱a’a Lisims Government said: “Our hearts are at peace knowing that we are changing history with a precedent-setting transformational story of collaboration with the people of Scotland and Canada. It is an honour for the Nisg̱a’a Nation to be standing beside Wilp Ni’isjoohl at this historic moment in time. We are grateful to be alongside them, while having our treaty partners next to us to unwind some of the injustices to our history as Nisg̱a’a people.”

Dr Chris Breward, Director of National Museums Scotland said: “Since the transfer of the Memorial Pole was agreed last December, our teams have been planning the complex task of carefully lowering and transporting it in what is the first return of its type by a UK national institution. We are pleased to have reached the point where that work is now underway, and we are delighted to have welcomed the Nisga’a delegation to the Museum before we bid the Pole farewell.”

Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson said: “The great significance of the Ni’isjoohl memorial pole to the Nisga’a people and their community was made clear to me when I met with their representatives last year and I was pleased to have been able to provide the necessary ministerial consent to enable its return.

“Today’s ceremony is the next step in that journey, following months of careful planning and dialogue between National Museums Scotland and the Nisga’a Nation, and I’m grateful to all parties for the work that has been undertaken to make it happen.”

The pole will be protected in a box while in transit and will then arrive to a welcome ceremony on 29 September. A Nisg̱a’a feast will follow and then the pole will be raised for the public to view in October.

The closing fireworks were cancelled some months ago when the previous sponsor Virgin Money pulled out.

It has become customary for Edinburgh to mark the end of the festivals with a major pyrotechnic display from Edinburgh Castle on the final Monday night.

But there will be no display this year when the world was readjusting to a post-pandemic experience with hundreds of people gathered in rooms of all shapes and sizes during August with only a mere handful wearing masks. What that will do to any numbers of Covid cases we have to wait and see.

Meantime we give you our fireworks photo from above the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo snapped by photographer Craig Duncan.

Tickets have already gone on sale for next year’s event.

Jeremy Corbyn has been MP for Islington North since 1983.  Helping his constituents is his favourite part of the job, and housing issues are the number one reason why people come to his surgeries. He’s rather less keen on Parliament, saying (as Mhairi Black also said just 16 days ago in this very hall) that it’s a toxic place, somewhere he only goes to work. He doesn’t socialise there, and counts few MPs among his friends.

On Thursday Corbyn was at The Stand’s New Town Theatre to talk with comedian and writer Phil Differ about all of that and poetry too. But first Differ has his own housing-related question to ask; when Corbyn is seen on TV leaving his house he seems to have to duck lower and lower;

It’s not ivy, replies Corbyn, it’s wisteria and clematis and he grows them because they’re good for the bees. When he bought his 1960s house it had a concrete parking area; he dug it up and created a wildlife friendly garden. When his neighbour can’t see out of his windows, he lends Corbyn a ladder so that he can do some pruning.

Corbyn and Differ make a very entertaining and witty duo, but turning to serious matters Corbyn is keen to talk more about housing and homelessness. He identifies three major issues around housing in Islington; the effects of the Right to Buy scheme, under which council tenants were able to buy their properties at large discounts and sell them just a few years later at huge profit; the lack of regulation of private sector landlords in England; and the failure of successive governments to support the building of more social/council housing.

He was recently consulted by a constituent who told him that he was renting one room in a 5 bed flat, bought from the council many years ago. Corbyn was familiar with the buildings and told the man he must be mistaken – those flats were only 3 bed;

He is outraged by the fact that Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recently handed back £1.9 billion, intended to address the housing crisis, to the Treasury as his department ‘couldn’t find projects to spend it on.’  According to The Guardian‘s political correspondent Kiran Stacey* this included £255m meant to fund new affordable housing and £245m for the improvement of building safety.

And is it surprising, Corbyn adds, that children growing up in these situations underachieve in later life, when there is so much stress at home, and they are likely to have to change schools at the drop of a hat?

He also advocates strict regulation of the rented sector; other countries (including parts of the USA) do it, so why can’t we?

In Islington North he says it’s very unusual for anyone under the age of 40 to have a council house; for them actually to own somewhere is exceptional. Corbyn has helped establish a branch of Acorn ‘the union for the community’ in his area, and is certain that this will bring change and new legislation to protect housing rights. Acorn has already had notable successes in other parts of the UK; residents affected by housing problems are encouraged to join.

Corbyn’s firm belief is that protective legislation only happens when people outside Parliament push hard enough for it. Although he thinks it unlikely that new housing laws will be enacted under the current government ‘even they are concerned about some of the worst private landlords’

These days Corbyn, who was Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020, sits in Parliament as an independent, having had the Labour whip suspended from him in October 2020, at least partly over accusations of antisemitism. He’s far from confident that any new Labour government would do much better than the Conservatives on this issue, saying that the current leadership

And that, he says, includes private sector landlord controls, which the party thinks would reduce the number of properties made available to rent. He’s not convinced by that argument, but says if so, it’s even more imperative that new council houses are built. His own council, with whom he has good relations, will manage to build 500 council houses this year; ‘they’re doing their best.’

And it’s not just a question of building houses; it’s vital, Corbyn explains, that the developments are properly managed, and that plans include schools, nurseries, community centres and libraries.

The arts, and more importantly access to the arts, are very important to him.

Children, he says, are not exposed to the idea that creativity is good

He and Len McLuskey (General Secretary of Unite the Union until 2021, previously Secretary of the General Workers Trade Group of the Transport and General Workers’ Union, and a close ally of Corbyn during his time as Leader of the Labour Party) are now writing a book about ‘poetry for the many’ for which they will choose their favourite poems and write about why they are important. They’re inviting others, such as the writer and poet Michael Rosen, to join them. And Corbyn wants to do a second book of poems people send to him, ‘people need to see their own poetry in print.’

Differ asks him for the poem that has touched him most; he says he’s read too many to choose just one, but

(Though apparently not to the person who criticised Corbyn for putting what she thought was Corbyn’s own poetry on social media, saying ‘the whole poem is utterly dreadful and the scansion is totally broken, but that use of ‘ye’ is the most pretentious s**t imaginable’, only to be told that the lines had in fact been penned not by the former Leader of the Opposition but by none other than Percy Bysshe himself. Corbyn enjoyed that one immensely.)

He loves the idea of the ‘zany’ life that Shelley and Byron led, and says there is ‘incredible depth’ to Shelley’s poetry.  He’s also keen on Coleridge, and is interested in the theory that The Ancient Mariner’s albatross was in fact Wordsworth, with whom Coleridge fell out in 1810. In modern poetry he admires Hannah Lavery (‘Scotland You’re No Mine’)

He’s not musical himself, and although he loves music, he isn’t bothered that he’s the only leader of the Opposition never to have been invited onto Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. At home he listens to the radio and CDs all the time; his tastes are wide, ranging from classical music to pop, folk and jazz, and especially Victor Jara (a folk singer murdered by the Pinochet regime in 1973) ‘because I have a great affection for Chile.’ He also likes Lila Downs, a Mexican singer. (Corbyn’s wife is from Mexico)

He listens to the Proms on Radio 3 and tries to attend one every year.

And of course there was that famous appearance at Glastonbury (his was invited by Michael Eavis himself) in 2017, when the crowds broke into a rendition of ‘Oh Jeremy Corbyn.’

Did he ever, asks Differ, think he might be a rock star instead?

No, but he did find the occasion very moving. Everyone in his office wanted to write his speech and come down to Worthy Farm with him. Someone did write it, but on the train Corbyn decided he didn’t like it (he doesn’t like prepared speeches in general) so he rewrote it in five minutes backstage;

Differ takes him back to his views on Parliament. MPs, Corbyn says, can be very arrogant, their alliances and friendships are short-term only;

Does he have any politician friends that would surprise us? Well there’s David Davis (Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Howden); Corbyn says they quite often agree about things, and travelled to Washington together in an attempt to have Guantanamo Bay closed down. They’re also at one about the editor, publisher and activist Julian Assange

So if David Davis is (broadly) OK, which politicians can Corbyn really not stand?

He will, however, say that he feels he’s been very badly treated by the Labour Party (huge applause from the audience), and that he wishes it would fight the next election on the pledges of the 2009 manifesto, of which

but thinks it won’t.

Although the politics of the country have, he says, changed quite a bit since then, so far as he is concerned all of those pledges should still stand, one of the key ones being the public ownership of utilities.

He’d like to see power decentralised, preferably to powerful and accountable local authorities rather than to mayors, although he acknowledges that Andy Burnham deserves praise for the great things he’s done for Manchester

He’ll be very happy to continue to represent the people of Islington North if they want him to; it’s constituency work that he loves. And he believes that, despite the falling membership of most parties, people do support campaigns in other ways

An audience member comments that the current government is waging a huge culture war, demonising BAME and trans people in particular. Is it going to get worse?

Corbyn replies that he hopes not but it might. People need to understand that the rights of LGBT+, BAME and all people are human rights; there is no difference

Corbyn recalls the The Sexual Offences Act 1967, which at last started to decriminalise homosexual activity between men.

Inevitably, Corbyn is asked by an audience member about the Labour party’s ‘appalling‘ treatment of Scotland

Corbyn replies that if the Scottish people want a referendum they should have one, and the UK government should not have the power of veto over that. He doesn’t know if Labour will support this, but he sees it as a country’s democratic right to decide its own future.

If there’s one subject that’s guaranteed to cause arguments in Scotland though, it’s the Beautiful Game. Differ brings it up anyway. Corbyn is an avid Arsenal supporter; is he happy with the performance of his team?

He’s appalled, though, at the amount of money thrown around in football, much of it ‘dodgy’, and feels teams should think more about fan ownership.

But Differ’s not finished yet – if he lived in Edinburgh, he asks Corbyn, which team would enjoy his support here?

And in Glasgow?

He’s not a politician for nothing.

Jeremy Corbyn was In Conversation with Phil Differ at The Stand New Town Theatre, George Street.

Phil Differ will be appearing in stand-up at No 57 Pub Company in Dundee at 7pm on Friday 17 November 2023. Tickets are available via eventbrite.

*12 July 2023: ‘Gove’s department hands back £1.9bn meant to tackle England’s housing crisis’

Residents and guests at Strachan House care home in Edinburgh set the standard by hosting their first of many Edinburgh Fringe Cares events held in the city.

The home themed their premises to immerse their residents and families into a spectacular performance from Edinburgh Fringe performer’s Octovoce, who took the audience through a magical journey of cappella style song.

The promotional event was one of four that Barchester Healthcare sponsored and working with the Edinburgh Interfaith Association to showcase how the Edinburgh Fringe should be made accessible to everyone in care homes. 

It was a follow on from the success of a trial of a Fringe Care Festival event last year and the ongoing community links that were built. 

Strachan House took the opportunity to showcase how successful the event can be in the future by creating their home with a sprinkle of ambience and of course a little bit of magic for the event.

Mandy Head of Activities said “This was a fun event to do. Staff and residents loved getting on board by dressing up in character and our chefs prepared a themed menu of goodies for the special occasion. The home was transformed into a colourful castle of colour as our residents were taken on a magical afternoon of music.

“But the biggest success has been to showcase how every home in Edinburgh can do this. We hope that this is something that will continue for years to come for everyone living in a care home. Putting this event together and having the residents on board with all their ideas has been amazing and to support them to bring it all together has been an honour. Working with Professor Joe Goldblatt who created the idea behind Edinburgh Fringe Cares has been truly inspiring.”

 
General Manager, Gordon Philp said: “Our residents and staff have been very excited about this event and the team worked so hard behind the scenes to ensure it is was great success.

“We do our best to provide a wide range of activities and entertainment at Strachan House as part of the lifestyle enrichment programme for residents, and this was will certainly be outstanding, and certainly will be remembered for years to come. Our aim was to demonstrate to other care providers how this can be achieved and the benefits of delivering it within a care home setting.”

Strachan House care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides residential care, nursing care and dementia care for 83 residents from respite care to long term stays.

There was plenty to celebrate at Stewart’s Melville cricket club in a competitive season which ended on Saturday.

Pride of place went to the 2nd X1 who won East Division One while the women’s team, also pictured, made it to the Scottish Cup finals day.

In addition the 1st X1 comfortably retained their place in the Eastern Premiership, winning six of their 13 completed games.

The 2nd X1 saw three players compile centuries – Harry Armstrong (112 no), Andrew Tetley (104 no) and Charles Slater (101 no) although leading run maker with 308 at an average of 44 and a top score of 85 was Adam McHoul.

Vishaal Shah (33), Rohan Kapoor (31) and Jack Pennell (25) were leading wicket takers.

After reaching their finals day with victory over Royal High Corstorphine Stewart’s Melville women lost out in the semi-final.

COUNCIL’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM SUPPORTS 8 FIFE BUSINESSES.

Eight Fife-based businesses are travelling to Aberdeen to attend the 50^th SPE Offshore Europe Trade Show, an important biennial offshore and renewable exhibition and conference which takes place at P&J Live in Aberdeen between 5 and 8 September 2023. Through its Trade Development Programme, Fife Council’s Economic Development team (InvestFife) is enabling these businesses to showcase their expertise and explore new opportunities in the offshore energy sector.

The businesses who will be exhibiting as part of the InvestFife Group stand 2M20 include CluisTROM, TDC Parsons Peebles, PFI Sign Plus Ltd, International Testing Services Ltd, Lamond & Murray Ltd, Surface Heating System, Ductform HFE, and MRS Training and Rescue. Each of these companies brings unique capabilities, supply chain and innovative solutions to the offshore industry, highlighting Fife’s position as a hub for energy sector excellence.

The 50^th SPE Offshore Europe Conference serves as a platform for these businesses to showcase their capabilities, forge partnerships, network and gain insights into the latest industry trends. With support from the council’s Economic Development Team, the businesses are well-equipped to make a lasting impact and contribute to the growth of the offshore energy sector.

Neil McIntosh, CEO of Dunfermline-based CluisTROM said: “In the past we exhibited independently at this keynote event. Having been part of the Fife stand for the last few years however, we benefitted from greater delegate engagement, along with a sense of support and camaraderie from the other businesses on the stand. We are therefore delighted to be joining it again this year.”

“Attending Offshore Europe is major expenditure for any SME,” added Neil. “To have the support of a committed organisation such as InvestFife in getting Fife based companies here, some for the very first time, is a fantastic boost at this present time.”

InvestFife’s Trade Development Programme plays a crucial role in facilitating the growth and internationalisation of Fife businesses. By providing financial assistance, market intelligence, and networking opportunities, InvestFife empowers local companies to expand their reach and establish valuable connections at prominent industry events like the Offshore Europe Conference.

Pamela Stevenson, Service Manager of Economic Development at Fife Council, said: “InvestFife is committed to fostering growth and investment in the region, and we are proud to support these businesses as they contribute to the thriving offshore energy sector. Through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts, we aim to position Fife as a hub for innovation and economic development.

“I would like to extend a very warm welcome to CluisTROM, TDC Parsons Peebles, PFI Sign Plus Ltd, International Testing Services Ltd, Lamond & Murray Ltd, Surface Heating System, Ductform HFE, and MRS Training and Rescue who will join our stand and showcase their expertise and innovations at this years’ SPE Offshore Europe Event.”

More information can be found on Offshore Europe here: Offshore Exhibition UK | SPE Offshore Europe (offshore-europe.co.uk)

Today marks the end of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023. It has been a busy month for locals, tourists and performers, with more than three thousand shows on offer.

As the festival is drawing to a close, Scottish Labour MSP and Shadow Minister for Culture, Europe, and International Development Foysol Choudhury has raised concerns about the need for increased investment in local arts and culture groups all year round. He said: ““The crowds that our festivals attract from all over the world show great levels of support for the arts from members of the public. However, additional support needs to be provided, all year round, to ensure these can be sustained for the public to enjoy.

“As the Scottish Government continues to waste money on the establishment of a new Independence Minister, Scotland’s culture and arts sector is suffering from a lack of investment.

“The closure of the beloved Edinburgh Filmhouse is testament to this, after it was forced to close its doors despite being known as a community lifeline for many.

“We also sadly see other much-loved venues facing challenges. Action is needed now before we lose these integral arts and culture venues for good.”

The 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival ran until today from 4 August and the Edinburgh International Festival ran from 4-27 August 2023.

Mr Choudhury claims that there has been a drop in the number of shows taking place across the Fringe, with the 2023 Festival reportedly having less shows than the 2019 festival.

Noting this apparent decline in participants in the Fringe festival, Mr Choudhury said he will continue to pursue support for the arts and culture sector, so that Scotland’s vibrant cultural scene can flourish and is supported out of the Covid-19 pandemic and difficulties from the rising cost of living.

Scottish jazz guitarist and singer Aki Remally, who also performed in the Hendrix & Us show at this year’s Fringe, brings the music of black conscious American poet and author Gil Scott-Heron back to Edinburgh for a sell-out show.

Along with Fraser Urquhart on keys they deliver an early set highlight during Lady Day and John Coltrane. The impressive Max Pop on drums and Tom Wilkinson on bass underpin Remally and Urquhart allowing them to deliver some impressive solos and individual talent. Things slow right down with the reflective Pieces Of A Man, here the band manage to summon the spirit and essence of the great man known as the godfather of hip-hop who also was a spokesperson and activist for people living under poverty and oppression.

Winter In America is a surprise addition, perhaps not the most obvious choice but the 1974 track recorded with keyboardist Brian Jackson is another standout. The band lock into a funky grove for Heron’s breakthrough classic and set-closer The Bottle. It’s a curious fact that Heron’s father Gilbert Saint Elmo Heron left America when his son was a child, to play for Celtic.

The Jamaican professional, known as the Black Arrow, was the first black player to join the club and later signed for Third Lanark.   

The Gil Scot-Heron Songbook, The Jazz Bar

Pleasance have reported that their 39th Fringe was a great success with more than 36,000 people visiting the Courtyard on the busiest day in August.

The company sold more than 480,000 tickets which is a 10% increase on last year. The Pleasance Theatre Trust issued around 1,300 100% subsidised tickets with transport to more than 23 Edinburgh primary schools.

Anthony Alderson, director of the Pleasance Theatre Trust said: “This festival has been a joyous event. The energy around the venues and in this city has been wonderfully positive. The quality of work has been of the highest standard and audiences have enjoyed some truly wonderful shows.

“The Pleasance is all about lending support and enabling artists to present work and I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved this year. One of the most positive changes to our festival programme is the access it offers; we supported a record six Charlie Hartill shows as well as eight National Partnerships productions alongside our Young Pleasance company. We have also welcomed over 1,300 primary school children into the courtyard this last week. This really has been an amazing year for the Pleasance and, as sad as it is when the venues close for the final time, we’re already looking ahead and excited for 2024, our 40th anniversary.”

The company supported a large number of artists and companies through the Charlie Hartill Fund, Edinburgh National Partnerships, Young Pleasance and Pick of VAULT. Prior to the Festival, artist box office share was increased by 5% for all artists and companies under 70 seats, with this additional income acknowledging both the increased costs of bringing work to Edinburgh as well as the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis.

In a bid to help artists the Pleasance sourced more than 100 rooms for artists in Edinburgh and supported performers with their wellbeing and mentorship programme.

Awards – just some mentions for Pleasance shows

• Edinburgh National Partnership production CHOO CHOO! (Or… Have You Ever Thought About ****** **** *****? (Cos I Have)) won a prestigious Fringe First Award from The Scotsman and the Mental Health Foundation Fringe Award for this vital show exploring obsessive compulsive disorder.
• Public – The Musical received a special mention at the Popcorn Writing Award
• Broadway Baby’s Bobby Award was awarded to A Manchester Anthem
• Eight Pleasance shows made the shortlist for the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, with Ania Magliano: I Can’t Believe You’ve Done This, Janine Harouni: Man’oushe and Kieran Hodgson: Big In Scotland nominated for Best Comedy Show, and Bill O’Neill: The Amazing Banana Brothers, Lindsey Santoro:Pink Tinge, Louise Young: Feral, Martin Urbano: Apology Comeback Tour and Paddy Young: Hungry, Horny, Scared amongst the nominees for Best Newcomer.
• Pleasance shows were included in Theatre Weekly’s Best of The Fest Awards, with Stroud & Notes taking home Best Musical for Public – The Musical and Home winning the award for Best Physical Theatre. Black is the Color of My Voice won Best Play, the innovative genius of The Ice Hole – A Cardboard Comedy won Best Comedy and Best Writing went to the very deserving Unforgettable Girl. Individual performances at The Pleasance were also celebrated, with Jack Stokes once again winning Best Solo Performance, this time for Lash. In Loyal Company and Public – The Musical were shortlisted for the Holden Street Theatres’ Edinburgh Fringe Award, and Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story was the runner up for the Brighton Fringe Award.

Meadowbank Sports Centre has entered into an agreement with Leith Athletic Football Club and their coaching partner, Technical Edge, to deliver football coaching.

From 1 September 2023, Leith Athletic who already work closely with their partner and preferred supplier, Technical Edge, will take over delivery of the existing classes held on a Wednesday and Thursday at Meadowbank Sports Centre. There will be no change to the time, duration, or location of the weekly football sessions at Meadowbank Sports Centre. Longer term it is hoped to grow the coaching programme on Mondays to Fridays at Meadowbank, between 4pm and 6pm.  

Donald Goldsmith, Manager at Meadowbank Sports Centre said: “Following the success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia, there has been a renewed interest and enthusiasm for more coaching opportunities in the beautiful game for both boys and girls. Like many organisations, there have been recruitment challenges and the lack of available football coaches was limiting the EL development programme at Meadowbank.

“This joint venture is an exciting development and will provide greater opportunities for junior football coaching at Meadowbank and the wider community.  Leith Athletic FC has a long history with Meadowbank and a great reputation for children’s football pathways. 

“All 36 children across five classes in the Edinburgh Leisure football coaching programme at Meadowbank will have the option to transfer to the new coaching arrangement.  The 500 children active on Leith Athletics programme, will move to Meadowbank for their coaching, providing access to high quality 3G pitches, suitable changing facilities, and the opportunity to bring the training inside if it’s raining.”

As Leith Athletic FC and Technical Edge will be fully responsible for delivering the new football coaching programme at Meadowbank, all enquiries regarding their programme, contact:  

Liam Burns at Technical Edge – liam_technicaledge@outlook.com – 
For bookings, enrolment and coach feedback

Leighton Jones at Leith Athletic FC – leighton.jones@leithathleticfc.com – 
General enquiries

There’s a low-level drone entering the Festival Theatre before the 81-year-old Welsh co-founder of The Velvet Underground takes the stage in front of a screen of psychedelic squiggles.

The sonic blast of Jumbo In The Modern World finds Cale behind a keyboard as fans bask in the sense of atmosphere.

The son of a coal miner and teacher who was at the coalface of New York’s underground scene along with Andy Warhol and Lou Reed has a reputation for being a difficult listen. This is an excellently curated set list with no shortage of fresh ideas that presents the best of his work while providing tacit connections to the likes of Reed, David Bowie and Brian Eno.

The avant-garde songwriter asks who is “wooing” suggesting audience participation is not welcome. Paris 1919 is a melodic slice of pop/rock orchestral brilliance while Night Crawling, about late nights out with David Bowie in New York, is a highlight from his Mercy album released earlier this year.

A nostalgic image of Cale and Nico from their time together in The Velvet Underground appears on the big screen during Moonstruck (Nico’s Song) it’s a beautifully plaintive and haunting paean to his former band member. Noise Of You is a moody, electronic love song that sticks in your head long after the show has ended. The cheers and applause lead to a final encore of Heartbreak Hotel. The Elvis cover is one of the most entrancing takes of the 1956 cut that brings the evening and indeed the festival to a fitting close.

The Fringe comes to an end today after selling 2.4 million tickets to audiences who come from 170 countries.

• 2,445,609 tickets
• 288 venues
• 67 countries represented
• 17 countries presented showcases
• 500 street performers, buskers and street artists
• 1,400 accredited producers, programmers, bookers, talent agencies and festivals from 49 countries
• 840 members of the media received accreditation
• 10% more reviewers than last year
• 25% more reviews than last year
• 3,553 shows
• 80,000 downloads of the Fringe app
• 400,000 tickets sold through the app
• 1,500 artists hosted at the Artist Hub at Fringe Central with more than 40 events
• 56% Fringe shows accessible for wheelchair users
• 800 schoolchildren attended as part of the Fringe Society’s schools’ outreach work

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “This year’s Fringe has been one that’s felt fresh, brave and energetic, and has sparked joy, discussion and provocation in equal measure, tackling the prevalent issues of our times and looking at them afresh through the creative lens and ingenuity of the performing artists. 

“People come from all over the world to perform here, to see shows and to commission work. This festival remains a beacon for people to share and discuss ideas – I want to express my heartfelt thanks and admiration to everyone who makes it happen. Congratulations to the whole Fringe community of Fringe 2023; we will be relentless in our ongoing work to ensure that the Edinburgh Fringe lives up to its mantra – to give anyone a stage and everyone a seat.” 

Benny Higgins, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Chair, added: “The discussions and debates held at this year’s festival have made it one of the most vital and memorable – and one of the loudest conversations was the one around affordability. Certainly artists are facing some of the most severe challenges ever, and while the Fringe Society will continue to do everything in its collective power to support artists, this will become harder and harder without finding support commensurate with its contribution to the economy. We will continue to make the case for funding, to protect what the Fringe represents – an unrivalled outpouring of creative expression.” 

By Monday afternoon, with hundreds of performances still to take place, the Fringe Society can confirm that just under a quarter of a million people attended Fringe shows this year. 33% of attendees came from Edinburgh, 15% from the rest of Scotland and 10% from overseas, highlighting the continued appeal of the Fringe for locals and visitors alike. Over 800,000 tickets were issued to ticket-buyers with EH postcodes, and 611 shows came from Edinburgh and the Lothians. 

Some key initiatives included a long term commitment to community engagement and access with 320 sensory resources handed out for autistic children and adults, BSL interpretation of street events and a dedicated Changing Places toilet near George Square. Access bookings increased by 35% on last year.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe will run from 2 to 26 August 2024.

The UK air traffic control system is affected by a “technical issue” announced by National Air Traffic Services (NATS).

Each flight plan is being managed manually and delays and cancellations will ensue without any word as yet about when the automated system can be brought back into use.

NATS said it was experiencing “technical issues”. A spokesperson said: “Engineers are working to find and the fix the fault. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

“UK airspace is not closed, we have had to apply air traffic flow restrictions which ensures we can maintain safety.”

Edinburgh Airport say they will update their position using Twitter. A spokesperson said: “This is a developing situation affecting some flights across the UK network. Passengers should not come to the airport before checking with their airline on the status of their flight. We are continuing to monitor the situation and we will provide further updates when we can.”

The winners of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards which is the highest honour at the Fringe have been announced.

• The winner for Sky Best Comedy Show has been won by Ahir Shah
• Urooj Ashfaq has won the DLT Best Newcomer Award
• The Show for Gareth Richards has won the Victoria Wood Award

Nica Burns, Director of Edinburgh Comedy Awards, had already said at the beginning of the Fringe how happy she was that the Comedy Awards had been saved by new sponsors. In May there was a real threat that the prestigious awards would not be run because of lack of sponsorship. She also confirmed that “plans are now in place to secure the future of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards for the long term”.

At the awards ceremony Ms Burns said: “Two outstanding shortlists, fielding so much talent, led to very intense lively judging debates.  It was nail-biting to the final votes.  All our shortlisted comedians will be an important part of the comedy scene for years to come. 

“Congratulations to Ahir whose blending of his family’s personal story is funny yet emotional, political yet positive, clever and engaging, powerful and tender.  His craft as a comedian is so extraordinary that he inspires both tears and laughter.  It’s the most wonderful experience.

“Urooj’s arrival in the UK is a breath-taking success story. Working in her second language she’s never experienced a UK audience before.  Her ability to engage us immediately demonstrated her natural instinct as a comedian.  She is a delightful personality who makes you smile even before she tells you the joke that will make you laugh.  Bringing a fresh, new voice to our comedy scene she has a very exciting future.”

Adnan Ahmed, Chair: Producer, Sky Studios said: “This year’s incredible nominees prove how vibrant the Edinburgh comedy scene is; we were wowed by the quality of all the shows. In such a strong year, it felt impossible to choose just one, but Ahir’s is a worthy winner and he has delivered a truly superb show…”

Donald Taffner Jr, DLT Entertainment said: “I have seen 113 shows so far of my booked 127 and every show on the DLT Entertainment Best Newcomer shortlist.  We at DLT are proud to be supporting the next generation of great comedians.  What fantastic debuts! I look forward to seeing how their work develops in years to come.  Congratulations to the talented Urooj on an extraordinary achievement. Her future is bright.” 

A spokesperson for The Victoria Wood Foundation said: “’A Show for Gareth’ is an extraordinary initiative by his fellow friends and comics Mark Simmons and Danny Ward and embraced by the comedy community and audiences alike. Victoria would have been part of it had she been here.  We are delighted that this is the first of the Victoria Wood Awards and combines her spirit with that of the Fringe.”

Ahir Shah, nominated in 2017 and 2018, started his comedy career at 15 doing open mic nights.  Super intelligent, articulate, politically astute, a writer and performer on BBC Two’s ‘The Mash Report’, Shah has appeared on many TV panel shows including ‘Have I Got News for You’ and ‘Mock the Week’ as well as Radio 4’s ‘The News Quiz’.  His award-winning show ‘Ends’ skilfully blends his family story and its generational progress within contemporary Britain. 

Urooj Ashfaq, making her UK debut and working in her second language, has won DLT Entertainment Best Newcomer.  Hailing from Mumbai, she was discovered by The Soho Theatre, renowned for their comedy programme, who have been championing South Asian comics and bringing them to the Fringe for more than a decade.  Likeable, edgy and with charm in abundance, she’s thoroughly engaging and gives us an evening full of laughter.  Her show covers everything from her parents’ divorce – shocking within her culture – and her Muslim identity to her thoughts on pornography.  ‘Oh No!’ is a show that’s honest and understandable, offering a new perspective to British audiences.  Urooj is a fresh, exciting addition to the UK comedy scene. 

The Victoria Wood Award – which is at the discretion of the panel – is awarded to ‘Show for Gareth Richards’ which truly captured the spirit of the Fringe, as comedians came together to support the family of Fringe favourite Gareth Richards in an extraordinary act of collegiality.  Nominated for the Best Newcomer Award in 2010, the hugely loved and horribly missed friend and colleague was due to perform again this year before he was tragically killed in a car accident on his way back from a gig.  His close friends and fellow top comedians Mark Simmons and Danny Ward decided to fulfil Richards’ Free Fringe performance slot.  They organised a daily comedy mixed-bill show.  More than eighty of the biggest stars of the UK stand-up circuit volunteered to perform, including Frank Skinner, Dara Ó Briain, Jack Whitehall, Shaparak Khorsandi, Adam Kay and Stewart Lee.  With 100% of audience donations going to Gareth’s young family, the heart-warming tribute show quickly became a sell-out hit raising over £18,000 to date.  The Award helps them exceed their target for the Festival of £20,000. 

Police appeal

Police in Edinburgh have appealed for information following a fatal crash in Edinburgh.

Emergency services were called to Stevenson Drive in the Balgreen area of the city around 3.30pm on Saturday, 26 August, 2023 after a crash involving a car and a 70-year-old female pedestrian. 

The pedestrian was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, where she died a short time later. 

The 23-year-old driver of the car, a black Mercedes C-Class, was arrested in connection with a road traffic offence. 

The road was closed while crash investigations were carried out and reopened around 9.50pm.

Officers are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. 

Police Sergeant Jill Kirkpatrick said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the woman who died at this very difficult time. We will continue to support them as our enquiries progress. 

“I’m appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time and saw what happened to get in touch. Drivers with dashcam footage of Stevenson Drive in the time leading up to the crash are urged to review it and bring anything of significance to our attention.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101 quoting reference 2403 of 26 August, 2023.

The Ribbon Building

The W Hotel will open at St James Quarter in November. Despite ongoing wranglings over an illuminated W sign – evident in all of the plans but now unapproved, the W hotel is coming along nicely and will open to the public this November.

Read more here.

Ferry Road

An application has been made for planning permission for 256 homes at 525 Ferry Road a former office site. And comments are due try 15 September.

The whole development is available to view at the developer’s website here.

Weekend Sport

Lee Johnson and Hibs have parted company as a result of a disastrous set of results culminating in a match lost against Livingston, leaving the city team bottom of the league.

Jamie McAllister and Adam Owen have also left with immediate effect.

Chief Executive Ben Kensell said: “The Club has taken the tough decision to relieve Lee Johnson of his duties following a disappointing start to the domestic campaign.

“We wish Lee and his coaching staff all the best for the future and thank them for their efforts.”

David Gray will take charge of the First Team as Caretaker Manager for the immediate future, and be supported by Stuart Garden.

Read all our weekend sports articles here.

Our August issue

Our August newspaper has been out since 1 August, and we are now producing the September paper.

Our cover story is about Mademoiselle Macaron Rachel Hanretty, with a strapline to our exclusive story about Alex Cole-Hamilton, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

Inside there is a feature by George Mair who is writing for us for the first time this month – and loads of sport from both Nigel Duncan and Bill Lothian.

If you would like to receive a copy just a wee bit ahead of everyone else then please subscribe by clicking on the image below. It helps us with the overheads of producing a paper and also ensures that we can keep all of our news output free for all.

(And do read about Rachel and the Barbie story here)

The W Hotel at St James Quarter will open to the public in November 2023 with bookings open now.

The new luxury hotel will be a draw for those who want a little luxury during their stay, or for eating and dining or an energetic space for socialising.

From the Ribbon Building to James Craig Walk and the Quarter House each of the 199 rooms and 45 suites with many outdoor terraces it will offer a new perspective on the city.

Justice + Whiles the interior designers are behind the Scottish design with locally rooted influences.

Agnieszka Rog-Skrzyniarz, Vice President Luxury Brands, Europe, Marriott International said: “With an unrivalled wealth of culture and vibrant arts scene, Edinburgh matches W Hotels legacy of embracing local creativity and talent. This property is set to be a stand-out destination hotel unlike anything else in the city, igniting guest’s curiosity and attracting locals drawn to the unique energy of the W brand.”

On the top floor the SUSHISAMBA restaurant, Joao’s Place cocktail bar and terrace, the chef’s table and outdoor terrace will offer 360 degree views of the city’s skyline.

The W Lounge will feature Gaelic cuisine day and night and there will be access to the W deck.

Ken Millar, General Manager, W Edinburgh, said: “W Edinburgh does more than put you at the centre of Scotland’s historic and culturally rich capital city – it immerses you in the spirit of the festival capital of the world.  We can’t wait to introduce our new, luxury offering to guests and locals alike as we open the hotel for bookings.”

The state-of-the-art event spaces are the perfect platform for inspiration and the world-class Sound Suite empowers musicians, podcasters, to take a stance and be heard, creating a buzz that’s right here, right now.  With more details to be announced over the coming months, W Edinburgh is anticipated to become an evolutionary heartbeat of the city with detail-driven design and impactful programming, coupled with an Away® Spa and FIT® fitness centre.

To book now visit wedinburgh.com or follow on Instagram for pre-opening updates.

Luke McGowan earned Dundee their first cinch Premiership success since gaining promotion last season.

It was Hearts who suffered with a 1-0 defeat on the road which sees them slip to fifth spot in the 12-strong table and the Men in Maroon must lift themselves for their trip to Greece to face PAOK in the return leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off on Thursday.

The 30-yard chip by the 25-year-old winger came after 63 minutes and manager Tony Docherty revealed to BBC Scotland Sport that the player scored a similar goal against Lancashire side Fleetwood in a pre-season friendly.

Docherty, whose men are sixth, said: “I am pleased for him, but more pleased for the squad. They got the reward for all the hard work they have put it.”

For Hearts it is their first defeat of the domestic season and it came after the Jambos made five changes to the side beaten 201 by PAOK in the UEFA Europa Conference League at Tynecastle on Thursday.

Hearts then made three changes at half-time but the goal came and Hearts, despite real pressure, could not break back and the defeat means the Tynecastle side have only two wins on the road in 14 attempts, both against St Johnstone.

Steven Naismith, Hearts’ technical director, said that his men were “really poor”. He added: “We didn’t deserve anything. That was compounded by a terrible goal to lose. We make three substitutions at half-time that impacts the game. We dominate and start creating chances. For whatever reason, we go away from that.”