Stockbridge is often criticised for having more cafés than it can bear.

Two Children Coffee’s instant success seems to have debunked this view. Though some debate remains over which side of the Stockbridge / Comely Bank ‘border’ it lies on, there’s little doubt that it has already attracted a significant number of regulars since opening in mid April.

Have other cafés in the area been deprived of business? This isn’t necessarily a zero-sum game. Cafés have spread more and more into our communities, as places to socialise, chill, study and work. In some cases, they are taking over the role played, historically, by pubs. It’s highly likely that there remains further scope for café culture to spread and for the UK to ‘continentalise’ further.

Good espresso is not something that can be done consistently without a lot of effort. Many cafés in Edinburgh which have expanded have found it difficult to maintain standards. In part, this is due to the shortage of (well-trained) baristas in the city, as evidenced by the numerous ads appearing in café windows seeking experienced staff. Brexit has also played a role, as many baristas working in Edinburgh were from the EU – especially Mediterranean countries. These are countries with a much longer tradition of good coffee. Coffee quality may have been diluted by Brexit.

A genuine coffee culture has only emerged over the last 15 years or so in the UK. As cafés have become ever more numerous, customers are becoming even more discerning. Specialty coffee has, in the last decade, entered the mainstream. The expansion of places such as Cairngorm, Fortitude and Artisan Roast attest to this. Specialty coffee is no longer the preserve of a clique. The cafés themselves have become less austere places, with more comfortable seating. Some of the snobbery over coffee has also eased, though a commitment to excellence has been retained. Places such as Modern Standard (Bruntsfield) and Mo Beans (Easter Road) have deliberately sought to ‘democratise’ specialty coffee. Two Children very much connects to these trends. It has attracted a wide range of customers, across generations, thanks to its welcoming atmosphere.

A nice feature of Two Children is the variety of seating options; booths, banquettes, larger tables, and more relaxed seating at the front. On warm days, the café is able to fully open the front section, allowing customers to sit inside but still enjoy the fresh air. The place is commendably spacious and airy, almost cavernous in character. Two Children rarely feels crowded even when very busy, as it often is. It matches the size and scale of the big chains, though has a much fresher feel. The décor is very sleek, with some distinctly Scottish touches (such as in the choices of dried flowers along the wall). Some of the furniture looks as if it is from Catalog interiors a couple of doors down.

The very busyness of Two Children reminded me of buzzing student haunts such as Kilimanjaro (Southside) and Union Brew Lab (next to Old College). Indeed, Two Children uses the same beans as Kilimanjaro, by specialty coffee pioneers Square Mile Roasters, based in East London. More specifically they are ‘Red Brick’ espresso, which has deep, lingering fruity notes with a sweet finish. Another parallel with Kilimanjaro are the individual booths at the back of the café. These are ideal for readers, laptoppers (and perhaps those on dates). These likenesses suggests the involvement of Edinburgh coffee pioneer, Jon Sharp.

Most importantly, the coffee is made with far greater care and attention than you usually get in the chains, where barista standards are inconsistent at best. The cortado I was served was balanced and smooth. Food wise, they offer a variety of typical brunch favourites; things which have been poached, scrambled and smashed. There’s a definite focus on freshness and fruitiness, and they also offer a range of tempting smoothies. The roar of the smoothie maker added to the mid-afternoon hubbub.

Those who find Two Children to their liking will hope that it lasts much longer than chocolate specialists Ocelot whose elegant, minimalist café closed very suddenly last year, leaving a gaping hole in this row of businesses. Two Children is already a popular destination in Comely Bank/ Stockbridge.

Two Children Coffee, 124b Raeburn Place, EH4 1HG.

When a shop unit in Morningside became available, Paper Tiger owner, Michael Apter, jumped at the opportunity.

Now there are three branches of the independent card and gift shop in Edinburgh, the most recent taking the space on Morningside Road occupied by Paperchase until the chain’s demise. And the shop has been redecorated with a lovely tiger design on the side window by artist Catherine Rayner.

Michael said: “I am indebted to Catherine Rayner for taking my very basic idea, and turning it into something very special that has brought tears of delight to my eyes. I sincerely hope that, like Augustus, the tiger, you can also find your smile at Paper Tiger. We have Catherine’s very special baby wear range on the shelves of the new shop alongside her cards and books.

“The support of our suppliers and their reps and agents has been both spectacular and very emotional. We work with over 200 makers, illustrators, designers, and publishers, and their delight in our growth has been an amazing experience for me. I can’t namecheck them all, but we are blessed to have our industry behind us all the way. Thank you.”

The shop has everything that you have come to expect from the local retailer with a wide range of cards, wrapping paper and gifts.

https://www.papertiger.co.uk/

An employment tribunal has found that a former social worker for Edinburgh Council was left ‘humiliated and traumatised’ after being discriminated against by bosses because of her race.

The City of Edinburgh Council has been ordered to pay £28,000 to the former employee who was subject to “entirely unreasonable” treatment – which it was said a person from the UK wouldn’t have experienced.

The tribunal was left “astonished” at the way managers acted toward the Lithuanian national, who was “on the verge of tears or in tears” whilst giving evidence last month.  

The council said it is “currently considering the outcome of the tribunal and any steps we need to take”.

Sandra Stanyte, who lodged the claim, began working for the council at the beginning of 2022 but was soon put under investigation and moved to a different role, after bosses were informed she wasn’t yet registered with the regulatory body for Scottish social workers – despite being previously advised by an official she would have a year from commencing the job to become registered.

She later resigned over the matter and said grievances she raised about her treatment were not followed-up,  she had been kept in the dark over the nature and time frame of the investigation and “the levels of stress being experienced by her had not been acknowledged”. 

The tribunal concluded her decision to quit was “because of that discriminatory treatment” and that there was no clear reason why a disciplinary was necessary in the first place.

Carey Fuller, the senior acting council officer who oversaw the probe, was said to be “unconsciously motivated by Ms Stanyte’s Lithuanian nationality” as the tribunal “could not determine any other reason for the treatment”.

The ex-council employee qualified in her home country and had already worked as a social worker in Northern Ireland for nine years.

Despite this, she was required to get her qualifications assessed by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) – a process which the claimant was told could be completed within 12 months “from commencing work”.

However, upon checking the status of her registration in February last year, the SSSC replied saying she “should not be practising as a social worker” as her qualification had not yet been assessed.

The tribunal found this was “in conflict with her understanding and what she had been told” and the claimant was given “no indication that she could not take up that role”. 

Ms Fuller “considered phoning the police” and went on to write a letter informing Ms Stanyte an investigation would commence into allegations which could amount to gross misconduct and theft and fraud, without giving any details of the claim made, the tribunal heard. 

After being temporarily moved to another role in a different team that did not require SSSC certification, she quit her job with the council citing work related stress. 

A report setting out the judgement said she was “quite unwell”and had only remained at work “as she discovered she would not be entitled to occupational sick pay”. It went on to say she was “deeply impacted” by the affair and “had difficulty sleeping and eating” and also lost weight. 

Following her probe, Ms Fuller, who “decided she would be the nominated officer in overall charge of the disciplinary procedure and would decide in the matter” upheld the allegation against Ms Stanyte. 

However the report added it made “no reference to the specific allegations of theft and fraud which had originally been made or set out in what, if any, way the claimant had breached the various codes previously referred to”. 

The tribunal concluded Ms Fuller “displayed a mindset towards the claimant where it appeared that she did not believe what she was being told”.

This mindset was “on the basis of the claimant’s nationality,” it found. 

A staff member caught up in the saga told the judge that a previous similar situation involving a nurse who was “more responsible” for her lack of registration “had not been subject to any detrimental treatment”. 

The Tribunal “was certainly of the view that [the council’s] conduct was entirely unreasonable,” the judgement read.

It added: “The tribunal was astonished that any employee would be treated by a local authority in the way in which the claimant was treated, still less an experienced professional social worker who had only recently moved to this country

“It formed the view that the treatment was so wholly unreasonable in so many respects on so many occasions, that incompetence or a lack of compassion or understanding was not the reason for the treatment.

“It seemed to the Tribunal that Ms Fuller was unconsciously motivated by the claimant’s Lithuanian nationality as it could not determine any other reason for the treatment.

“It seemed to the Tribunal as incredible that Ms Fuller would have acted in a similar manner towards a Scottish social worker with the experience of the claimant where an issue with that person’s registration arose and where they were provided with an explanation as to how that had arisen.

“The Tribunal could not accept that [the council] would have had the same disregard for the welfare of a social worker in such circumstances were the person from the UK.

“The Tribunal was satisfied that the claimant resigned because of the disciplinary investigation, the failure to address her grievance and her transfers at short notice. 

“The Tribunal has found that all of these acts were acts of discrimination, the claimant resigned in response to these acts and therefore her dismissal amounted to act of discrimination.

“The claimant was humiliated by her treatment and is clearly still significantly impacted by the treatment.”

The council was ordered to pay Ms Stanyte £28,664.93 compensation. 

An Edinburgh City Council spokesperson said: “We’re committed to creating an environment that recognises and values the diversity of all colleagues and people using our services – and to protecting them from discrimination. 

“We’re currently considering the outcome of the tribunal and any steps we need to take.”

by Donald Turvill, Local Democracy Reporter.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.

It is now a year until Edinburgh can begin to enforce the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) which is in place in the city centre.

The LEZ was introduced a year ago although there is a two year grace period before penalty charges are imposed.

NHS Lothian back the council’s move to improve the air quality in the city which they say will have a positive impact on health and well-being.

Edinburgh still has some way to go before it meets the World Health Organisation’s targets. Reducing air pollution is especially important for those most vulnerable to the impacts of air pollution, including children, older people and those with underlying health conditions.

Overall compliance with the LEZ emissions standards has increased from 48% to 78% in the last six years. Lothian Buses is 100% compliant and Heavy Goods Vehicles are 86% compliant. But more than half of diesel cars and a third of light goods vehicles (including vans) traveling on the main roads into Edinburgh do not comply with the new requirements.

Cllr Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “As Glasgow begins to enforce its LEZ, and with one year to go until our own LEZ comes into force, it’s a chance to reflect on the reasons for introducing an LEZ in Edinburgh.

“Research has shown that air pollution negatively affects everyone’s health and we have a responsibility to address this. In two weeks, we’ll mark Clean Air Day, which this year focuses on the fact that poor air quality not only affects our physical health, but our mental health too.

“By restricting the most polluting vehicles in the city centre the LEZ will create a healthier, more welcoming place to be – and we’re expecting benefits to spread across the wider city.

“I’m encouraged by the fact that compliance with our emissions standards continues to increase, and I’d like to thank people making the switch to cleaner modes of transport. However, there’s still work to be done, and over the next year we’ll be supporting even more people to consider greener, more sustainable ways to travel. I want to use the extra year Edinburgh has to get ready for this change, and ensure residents and businesses are fully prepared.”

Dona Milne, Director of Public Health, NHS Lothian, said: “The links between transport and health are clear and the LEZ will help to improve health and wellbeing and reduce inequalities for the people of Edinburgh.

“Tackling air quality, alongside commitments in the City Mobility Plan and associated draft Action Plans, will have multiple benefits. Health and wellbeing will be improved as a result of reduced levels of air and noise pollution; improved road safety; more inclusive opportunities for people to travel by walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport; and the increased vibrancy of local communities and economies.”

Clean Air Day takes place on 15 June 2023.

The city’s biggest sports and leisure provider has lots of activities to keep the kids active and entertained this summer.

Edinburgh Leisure is offering a range of sports camps and fun activities for children and families to enjoy at different venues across the city.  Whether your child is crazy about climbing, silly about soft play or they simply love to swim, Edinburgh Leisure has it covered. 

Their summer activities programme covers swimming, diving, tennis, soft play, climbing, gymnastics and more geared towards ages 3 to 18 years.  From week-long sports camps to just a fun way to spend an hour, there’s something for everyone. 

Full-day holiday clubs
Looking for a fun-packed week of sport, arts, games, and activities from a trusted provider? Each of their clubs has a sporting speciality, including multi-activity, multi-sports, aquatics, gymnastics, and racquets. Bookable by the day or the week, Edinburgh Leisure offers an early drop off and late pick up available at no extra cost.

Half Day Camps
Don’t need full day camps? Don’t worry! Edinburgh Leisure has week-long half-day holiday clubs running from 9am – 1pm.

Edinburgh Leisure’s Multisport Camps, at Gracemount Leisure Centre, is aimed at 8 years+, and puts the emphasis on the ‘multi’.  Children can look forward to trying a range of sports, as well as trying out different arts, challenges, games, and educational activities. 

Edinburgh Leisure’s Gymnastics Camp – Stage 2, is available at Tumbles at Portobello.  This half-day gymnastics camp is for the more experienced little gymnast and will allow your budding ‘Beth Tweddle’ or ‘Max Whitlock’ to develop their skills on vault, beam, bars, and floor, as well as having fun on trampolines, a fast track, a tumble run and in foam pits.

Summer Coaching
If you’re looking for your child to perfect or learn a new skill, then their summer coaching offering is for them.  There’s everything including climbing, gymnastics, Gym Nippers (perfect for pre-schoolers), swimming, diving, tennis and match play.  

And it isn’t just the kids who get to have all the fun. This summer, Edinburgh Leisure is offering Adult Beginner and Improver swim lessons at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre and Leith Victoria Swim Centre. 

And for adults who want to dive into something more challenging, they’re offering hour-long bookable adult-dive sessions, suitable for divers currently attending the Edinburgh Leisure Adult Divers and Masters sessions. Divers will work with a qualified level 2 coach on a variety of skills and techniques on the poolside at theRoyal Commonwealth Pool, and on the 1m, 3m and platforms.  

Summer activities for all the family
Wherever you’re at on the map, Edinburgh Leisure has something fun and active for all the family to enjoy together including Aquadash, Badminton, Clip ‘n’ Climb, Soft Play, Family Swim Sessions, Taster Climbing sessions, Table Tennis and Tennis, across lots of our venues in Edinburgh. 

You can even try your hand at Pickleball, the world’s fastest growing sport. New to Edinburgh Leisure, it’s a hybrid of ping pong, tennis, and badminton. Book on the Edinburgh Leisure app under social sports or online. Pickleball can be played at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre, the new Meadowbank Sports Centre, and Craiglockhart Tennis Centre.

As the biggest club in town, with50+ venues across the city, which includes 1 world-class climbing centre; 12 superb swimming pools, 32 tennis courts; and 141 sports pitches, Edinburgh Leisure has built a reputation as a trusted sports and leisure provider who will guarantee your kids an adventure of fun this summer.

Head to Edinburgh Leisure’s blog to find out more.

Go to www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/summer-holiday-camps for more information and to book.

Stuart Reid first visited Edinburgh as a young art student participating in Edinburgh Arts ’73, invited by renowned artist, gallerist and impresario Richard Demarco.

Now he is celebrating the fifty years since then by opening his Edinburgh studio space for a public showing of his artwork, as an independent fringe event during the inaugural New Town Art Month and Dundas St Art Walk.

Included in the show are drawings created for his massive project ‘zones of immersion’ – a 150 metre long glass mural separating two underground platforms at Toronto’s Union Station (www.stuartreid.ca).

More than 40 works will be on display, and Reid will be giving an artist’s talk on Saturday 10 June at 2 pm.

The opening night viewing is Wednesday June 7th,  6 – 8:30 pm.  From 8 – 11 June the hours open to the public are 1-5 pm. All are welcome.

The Edinburgh Boiler Company (EBC) is encouraging people to transition more quickly into renewables by installing hybrid heat pumps for free.

Grants of up to £7,500 are available from the Home Energy Scotland Scheme for eligible homeowners looking to replace their natural gas boilers with heat pumps.

The capital-based firm has pledged to do what it can to help with the lowering of domestic emissions and will absorb any additional costs that installations in regular-sized homes may accrue.

Operations director Dougie Bell believes the initiative underlines the company’s commitment to renewable energy.

He said: “We want to make hybrid heat pumps as affordable as possible and accessible for as many people as possible. Helping homeowners reduce their carbon emissions is a key focus for us this year. If there is a financial cost for us doing this, then so be it.

“Using a hybrid heat pump takes advantage of renewable energy extracted from the air and can be a very efficient way of heating homes and providing hot water.

“People who have a hybrid air source heat pump system will have reliable heat all year round and they can take comfort knowing they will always be using the cheapest, most efficient option.

“Incorporating a renewable source of energy in this away helps people reduce their carbon emissions of their home, making it more climate-friendly, as well as their own personal carbon footprint.”

A hybrid heating system integrates a gas boiler with an air source heat pump, using smart technology to automatically determine the most energy efficient system to use based on current energy prices, outdoor temperatures, and indoor heat capacity.

By making the most out of both systems, hybrid air source heating improves energy efficiency and safeguards homes from potential price increases on both electricity and gas, reducing a reliance on the unpredictable national grid and lowering energy bills.

Homeowners can apply for a standalone grant of £7,500 from the Home Energy Scotland Scheme to install heat pumps. Previously, applicants were required to sign up for a loan before they qualified for this funding but now have direct access to the money. Replacing the cashback element of the previous Home Energy Scotland funding offer with a standalone grant was pledged in the 2022-23 Programme for Government.

The Home Energy Scotland service, and associated funding, is managed by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) on behalf of Scotland’s national public energy agency, Heat & Energy Efficiency Scotland.

Chris Cadden and Jake Doyle-Hayes were both injured in the bruising Edinburgh Derby with Hearts at Tynecastle last Saturday, Hibs final game in the cinch Premiership.

Cadden was stretchered off in the 81st minute and has subsequently had surgery on his Achilles. A Hibs spokesman said that the surgery went well, however, the right-back will be out for a significant period of time.

Jake also came off with a shoulder issue. Having been assessed closely by Hibs team, the Irishman has damaged his shoulder girdle. The spokesman said: “We’re hopeful that he will be back available for the start of the 2023/24 campaign.”

Manager Lee Johnson commented: “Firstly, I would like to wish Cadds (Cadden) and Jake a speedy recovery. Everyone is devastated for Cadds and I know he will be going through a difficult time.

“As staff and players, we have to rally around him and give him as much support as possible. We have a first-class medical department at the club that will help him through his recovery and ensure he comes back fitter and stronger.

“With Jake, this type of injury was the best-case scenario. Unfortunately, it looks like he will miss the start of pre-season, but we know how determined he is to return as quickly as possible, so he can have a big impact for us next season.”

Armadale stages two meetings this weekend. Stellar Monarchs Academy face highly-rated Oxford Chargers in the National Development League on Friday (7.30pm) followed by the latest round of the British Youth Championship (with 44 races) on Saturday (1.30pm).

Monarchs Academy will be at full-strength with heat leaders Kyle Bickley (pictured), Jacob Hook and Adam Roynon who have ruled the roost at home so far this season. Indeed, Roynon hasn’t been beaten at Armadale this season.

Oxford No 1 Jordan Jenkins is a real danger and is backed by Henry Atkins and Academy team manager, Scott Wilson, said: “Oxford will present our toughest test of the season at Armadale so far.

“They bring a strong heat leader trio of Championship riders (and Premiership in Jordan Jenkins case) so our heat leaders will have to be at their best.

“The match could be won and lost in the second string and reserve berths and our lads in these positions haven’t all clicked at the same time so far.”

The Saturday event will feature 39 riders and 44 races (including the finals of the five categories – 500cc, 250cc, 125cc, Support, and Women’s).

In the women’s event one interesting entrant is Celina Liebmann, probably the most impressive female rider for a long time who has ridden with success in SGP2 (the World Under-21 final).

The other three entrants include British No 1 Katie Gordon and this will be the fourth time the British Youth Championship has staged a round at Armadale.

Both of this week’s meetings will be live streamed. Details on www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk.

STELLAR MONARCHS ACADEMY: Kyle Bickley (captain), Mickie Simpson, Adam Roynon, Alex Spooner, Jacob Hook, Dayle Wood, Kyran Lyden.

WSRA CHARGERS (To be confirmed): Jordan Jenkins (captain), Jacob Clouting, Henry Atkins, Jody Scott, Ryan Kinsley, guest for Luke Kileen, Kelsey Dugard.

In a major step marking its 50th anniversary, the charity which helps women and children at some of their lowest points, Edinburgh Women’s Aid (EWA) has just purchased its own property which will become a new refuge space to use.

At present EWA have 29 refuge spaces in the capital, and the newest addition means they now have spaces in all four localities in the city. These are safe places where women, with or without children, can escape abusive situations and use as a stepping stone. The addresses of all refuges are not disclosed for fairly obvious reasons – they are intended to be a safe space, and a meantime response before permanent housing is secured.

CEO of Women’s Aid, Linda Rodgers, prefaces what she tells me with caution. She said it is on the one hand quite nice to celebrate the 50th anniversary of EWA in this way, but she would really prefer that their services were no longer needed.

She said: “This is the first fully owned refuge by EWA. We have photos of the inside, and it is in a part of Edinburgh where we did not previously have a safe space. The house is currently being decorated ready for the first family.

“We are entering a whole new era for EWA and I think this builds on the amazing women who started this with with a vision that we continue to have – a vision of a world without domestic abuse. But in the meantime we’ll do everything we can to make women’s and children’s lives better.”

The money to buy the home came from the charity’s reserves, built up over the years, and now the property will also create an income stream for the charity from rent paid by the occupants. (some will be entitled to housing benefit) Linda was proud to say that the charity had bought the property outright.

Linda continued: “We didn’t want the money just sitting in a current account, and thought that actually it would be something so powerful for the organisation. It is a two bedroom property and will become a single family refuge. Our other properties tend to be quite large where women share the kitchen and living room, and often a bathroom as well, depending on the size of the property. We have learned from women over the years that they would prefer not to live in shared accommodation.

“One of the big things about domestic abuse is about finding yourself again and feeling confident in yourself as a mother. There is value in sharing in that people have been through the same experience, but there can also be tensions and difficulties.

“We plan on running the new place as a single occupancy, and so it will probably be for one woman with children.”

The charity works with around 2,000 women a year, not all of whom require refuge, but all with different support needs. So asked if this purchase was “enough” Linda replied that of course it wasn’t. She said: At the moment I would say no it’s not enough, we could always do with more, but I think that to add another space on to the 29 we already have is fantastic.”

EWA has refuge workers who spend quite a lot of time settling women into refuge. They will visit regularly, making sure women have enough information about the local area, perhaps even doing the first supermarket shop with them.

At present in Edinburgh the housing situation is quite difficult, as there is a shortage of suitable homes. In terms of the contract which EWA has with the council the new house will – just like all their other refuges – be classed as “temporary accommodation”. But Linda thinks that any one family might be in one of their refuges for anything between six months and a year benefitting from all the other support packages that EWA can provide.

Proactive approach

The charity is also taking a proactive approach by speaking to the local authority about the types of property they are currently using, and asking if there is any merit in exchanging these at any point. It may for instance be better for the council to have a larger home available for rent while EWA might benefit from two smaller properties instead.

The other properties which the charity uses are leased from the council or other housing associations. One property is a standalone block of six flats with a community room and an office space with a sleepover room for a member of staff to use if needed. Others are flats for single women – perhaps without any children.

The charity knows from their own research that it is important to the women they hep that they have the same EWA staff member accompanying them on their journey. So their 50 members of staff are now organised according to customer need rather than any other classification. Some of the staff are based in the office running the helpline, and others may only work part time, but most of the 50 are out and about offering the help and assistance that is still needed.

The EWA board is clear that it will consider all options, reviewing its ownership of the new property in due course and deciding whether or not to buy any more.

In this 50th year of Edinburgh Women’s Aid you can help by attending any of the EWA events which they have planned. Keep up to date with them on social media – the links are below.

And you can help with fundraising by signing up to their Challenge 50. Their aim is to raise £50,000 and you can raise the money in any way you like around the theme of the number 50. Linda herself is running 5K every day for 50 days.

There is more information on the JustGiving page here.

https://www.edinwomensaid.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edinbwa/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edinwomensaid

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EdinWomensAid

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/edinburgh-women-s-aid/

The furniture school in Haddington is staging its graduate exhibition between 14 and 17 June 2023.

The students will graduate from the school’s nine-month long professional course which is regarded as a training ground for exceptional woodworkers. The students learn essential skills to establish their own furniture making business during their studies which cover design techniques as well as marketing strategies.

This year’s graduates include students from India, Chile, Thailand, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Malta, UK and Ireland.

Tom Fraser, Principal, said:  “Our annual Graduate Exhibition is a celebration of the exceptional effort and dedication our Professional Course students have demonstrated over the last 9 months. 

“The course is intensive and a one-of-a-kind in the UK, and every year we are astounded at the creativity and talent our students showcase in their final designs. 

“This is a chance for visitors to witness the very best in up-and-coming global furniture design talent – and you can even go home with one of the stunning designs if one catches your eye.” 

Tickets are free but time slots must be booked in advance.

Visit the website to book: https://chippendaleschool.com/furniture-making-courses/the-chippendale-school-graduate-exhibition-2023/ 

For anyone who is unable to attend in person, the Exhibition will also be showcased online on the School’s website, Facebook and Instagram channels. 

Johnnie Walker Princes Street (JWPS) is introducing STIR which is a combination of cuisine and cocktails devised in collaboration with Chef James Close and his wife and Head of Pastry, Maria Close owners of restaurant Raby Hunt in Co Durham.

The idea is to have small-bite plates served alongside curated cocktails created by the JWPS head bartender Miran Chauhan. The collaboration will they say redefine the concept of whisky and food pairing.

Each cocktail has a unique story. There is the Hedgerow Aquavit, created from berries foraged near the Glenkinchie Distillery, and a Cliff Edge Vermouth using botanicals from the Four Corners of Scotland distilleries.

The two Michelin star duo James and Maria have created six small bites to match the cocktails. The Aguachile Oyster bite has “rich umami intensity” and the Green Apple is sweet indulgence.

Miran Chauhan, Head Bartender at Johnnie Walker Princes Street, said: ‘We see STIR as the portal to a new world of whisky and food combinations, in the heart of Edinburgh at Johnnie Walker Princes Street. James and I have a shared obsession for flavours and techniques and together we’ve created an enticing and highly original taste experience for everyone to enjoy.”

James Close, two Michelin-starred-Chef of Raby Hunt Restaurant, said: “We approached this challenge with the same energy and enthusiasm as we always do, creating a set of signature dishes that derive from a single ingredient, inspired by a global adventure. And then just like Miran does with his cocktails, we bring layers and textures together to tell a unique story through taste.”

Back in Edinburgh for the collaboration, James is returning to the capital after living in Scotland as a young man, when he worked in the menswear department of House of Fraser, in the very building that is now Johnnie Walker Princes Street Edinburgh.

There are three flights included in STIR:

The Four Corners Cocktail Flight takes guests on a beautiful journey exploring the Four Corners of Scotland distilleries, Glenkinchie (Lowlands), Cardhu (Speyside), Clynelish (Highlands) and Caol Ila (Islands), with each one integral to blending Johnnie Walker whisky. The combination is a complete experience carefully curated to highlight the landscape of the distillery, with locally grown and foraged ingredients from the naturally occurring flora and fauna.

The Seasonal Cocktail Flight allows guests to take a short trip, experiencing a rotation of exclusive whiskies and seasonal ingredients, selected by the Johnnie Walker Princes Street team. The Spring Season highlights the unique Johnnie Walker Princes Street Spring blend.

The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Cocktail Flight is an opportunity to savour this iconic whisky in an unexpected way. The cocktail is paired with the most exquisite small bite, a luxurious moment of indulgence for Johnnie Walker Blue Label connoisseurs.

Reservations for STIR are available now and can be made online johnniewalkerprincesstreet.com from 17:30PM, Wednesday – Saturday

Edinburgh Trams say their committed, highly skilled team with a passion for customer service is ready to help everyone make the most of the extended tram service.

In the days leading up to the launch of services to Newhaven on 7 June at noon, members of Edinburgh Trams’ Customer Relations team will be on hand to answer any questions members of the travelling public may have about the network.

As well as providing a fast response to queries posted online and through the operator’s social media channels, they have been to key locations, including Edinburgh Airport for chats with customers old and new.

David Lawrence, Customer Relations Officer, said: “As we look forward to the first trams to Newhaven, we’re committed to delivering ‘Excellence for Edinburgh’ by ensuring both residents and visitors are up to speed on an exciting new era for the city’s tram network.

“By stationing members of the team at the airport, we can also welcome visitors to Edinburgh as soon as they arrive and we’re delighted to play a vital role in promoting the city’s many attractions, and how the tram can help them get around during their stay.”

The ‘Customer Relations’ team can be reached via the live chat on the operator’s website and further details can be found here.

Edinburgh Trams Customer Relations Supervisor Alice Farmer added: “Providing an exceptional customer experience has always been key to our success, and with the Trams to Newhaven project reaching its final stages we’re looking forward to helping even more people to benefit from our award-winning tramway!

“As well as providing essential information on the new route, they’re also offering advice on securing the most cost-effective travel deals by taking advantage of a wide range of value-for-money ticket offers.”

There are some exceptional individuals giving their time to make u3a a joy for its 400,000 members.  

u3a is a movement where those who are no longer in full time employment can share skills, make friends and have fun.

From rock music to archaeology, there’s something for all curious minds to enjoy.

Ann Keating, of Edinburgh u3a, recently brought together hundreds of members for Off the Wall, a festival of learning and creativity at Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland. 

She explained why volunteering is such an important part of the u3a experience. She said: “Volunteers are instrumental in bringing people together and getting people to enjoy things they might not have thought they would have enjoyed doing.  

“It’s a co-operative movement, it’s something which we can all take an active part in.  

“u3a is a means of continuing to learn, continuing to live, continuing to enjoy life. Every day you learn something new and meet new people. It’s a wonderful way of stretching out your social network and meeting people who enjoy doing the same things as you.” 

Ann features in a short video filmed at Hadrian’s Wall, about the impact of volunteering at u3a:

Retired teachers Alastair and Zoe Fleming lead the Geology Group, at Oban u3a. They travel by ferry and car to make the journey from their home on the tiny Scottish island of Luing, to Oban on the mainland, loaded up with projectors, screens and equipment for fascinating field trips.  

Zoe said: “We do different things all the time. We show slides, people can catch up, it’s quite a social group. People just join in and get what they want out of it.” 

The couple love volunteering for the u3a and Alastair admits, “We do this as much for our own benefit as anyone else’s!” 

There is no lower age limit to join u3a and it costs, on average, less than £20 per year to join. There are more than 1,000 u3as across the UK with many hundreds of different interest groups – everything from Egyptology to crafting. You can also join the Interest Groups Online.

To find out more, visit www.u3a.org.uk 

Scotland-based intersectional feminist theatre company Stellar Quines announce the return of their innovative and intersectional feminist podcast – Quines Cast, hosted by Caitlin Skinner and Hannah Lavery (who just happens to be the Edinburgh Makar). 

Returning for season two this May, each Quines Cast episode will be recorded as a live event in front of an audience – held at local arts venues in Glasgow and in Edinburgh.

These are the details of the Edinburgh events:

At Traverse Theatre

Wednesday 7 June – LOSS

7.30pm – 8.30pm

Reflecting on the personal and political impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic three years on, LOSS will explore our experience of living in a time of collective grief – how do we cope, what have we gained and lost, and how do we thrive from here? Apphia Campbell (Black is the Colour of my Voice) will debut a new play alongside author Catherine Simpson (One Body – When I Had a Little Sister), accompanied by spoken word artist Catherine Wilson Garry, author of Another Word for Home is Blackbird, with ethereal Scottish folk music from Rachel Sermanni. 

At Summerhall 

Friday 23 June – EDUCATION

7.30pm – 8.30pm – with disco until 11pm

Accompanied by a post-show disco from DJ Arusa Qureshi, Angie Strachan – 2023 Scottish Poetry Slam Champion – musician Emma Pollock, and playwright and drag performer Nelly Kelly will probe and converse the facets of our modern education system and its treatment of women/non-binary people. What would a feminist approach to learning look like? How do we create a society that values curiosity? 

Artistic Director and CEO of Stellar Quines Caitlin Skinner said: “Hannah and I are delighted to be returning for a summer season of Quines Cast. Bringing fierce and fantastic folk together to air the issues that mean the most to us, exploring how we want to live, the society we want to live in and how we might bring that about. We’re looking forward to welcoming our audiences to coorie in.”

After the final live recorded event, the Quines Cast will be edited for weekly audio release during July. Available to listen via all the usual podcast platforms including Spotify and Apple, audiences across Scotland and the UK will be able to tune into a month’s worth of vibrant, feminist-centred podcast content – bringing the conversation directly to you.

A bid by homeowners to add a rooftop balcony to their beachside home has been called in by a local councillor after planners recommended that permission would be refused.

Applicants Paul and Julie Harrison want to replace dormer windows on the second floor of their home in North Berwick, East Lothian, with an L-shaped extension which would allow a bedroom to be added in the space together with a balcony.

And they have submitted photographs of other ‘roof scapes’ on their seaside street to support their claims the plans are not out of place in the area.

Planning officers described the proposed addition to the house on Forth Street, in the town’s conservation area, as something which “would radically change the appearance of the building” as they recommended the application for refusal.

Cllr Carol McFarlane who represents the ward where the house is situated has called in the application to be decided by elected members at next week’s planning committee.

She said she called it in because “there are other similar developments close by that have been approved and none of the permanent residents have raised objections about this application.”

A supporting statement on behalf of the applicants, which has been lodged with the council, they said: “We would also note that there has been only one objection to the proposals, from the owner of the ground floor flat, who is non-resident, but is opposed to any external changes. ”

Planning officers said they had received two objections to the plans with claims it was a ‘radical’ change and have a harmful impact on the look of the street.

They also said they had received one letter supporting the proposal.

The applicants included a number of images of houses near their own, including one next door, which have added extensions to the roofs changing the view of the properties from the beach.

Planning officers recommended the plans for refusal saying: “The proposed L shaped dormer would be an inappropriate addition to the roof of the building that would radically change the appearance of the building and would neither
preserve nor enhance but would be harmful to the character and appearance of the building and harmful to the character and appearance of this part of the North Berwick Conservation Area.”

By Marie Sharp, Local Democracy Reporter.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.

Full council meeting begins today at 10am

Today the monthly meeting of all 63 councillors takes place in the CIty Chambers.

In the papers for today’s meeting there is an Agenda, Motions and and Questions and Answers – questions asked by councillors of the various Conveners.

One question to the Culture Convener has uncovered the possibility of the new owners of the Filmhouse (Caledonian Heritable, Kevin Doyle’s company who also numbers The Dome and Archerfield in East Lothian in his portfolio) leasing back to parties who wish to run it has a “cultural film venue”.

The property was bought recently from the Administrators of Centre for Moving Image (CMI) a charity which was the umbrella organisation for Edinburgh International Film Festival and which went into liquidation last year. The price paid was £2.65 million which is small change for Mr Doyle, whose Archerfield Estate alone is worth a reputed £55 million.

Another question shows that the city is not increasing its recycling rates with a slight dip from 67.6% in 2020/21 to 66.1% this year.

Cllr Vicky Nicolson who is the SNP group Social Care spokesperson has raised the matter of a £430,000 salary for an interim appointee to the role of Director of Adult Social Care. This salary will not cover the entire job just vacated by Judith Proctor who resigned from her position as Chief Officer of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board following a damning report by the Care Inspectorate. The Inverleith councillor says that this is twice the salary for half the job.

And a question by Green councillor Chas Booth asks how many planning applications for a change of use for a property to a Short Term Let (for which there are new planning rules) have been received and refused.

In answer there were 66 applications in quarter one 22/23 of which 14 were refused and one was granted. In Quarter one this year there have been 20 applications of which only 2 have been granted. This has led to the Edinburgh Green Group totting up the numbers in the answer and concluding that holiday let landlords must be ignoring the law. They say that out of the estimated 5,000 holiday lets in Edinburgh, only 604 have applied for planning permission to make their position legal.

Cllr Ben Parker, Co-Convenor of Edinburgh Green Councillors, and a member of the council’s housing committee, said:”It is simply outrageous that more than eight out of every ten holiday let operators in the capital are choosing to effectively ignore the law by not seeking planning consent. We know that holiday lets are contributing to the city’s housing crisis by driving up rents, and the control area was introduced to try to address that. Those struggling to find an affordable home will be sickened by these new figures. Green councillors will continue to take action to try to redress the balance of holiday lets in Edinburgh and advocate for homes for communities, not private profit.”

Cllr Cammy Day the Council Leader has raised the matter of cyclists employed by food delivery companies whose employers do not provide them with safety equipment such as lights. He has suggested a joint campaign with the Police on promoting safe cycling at work.

And in good news, there are congratulations for Spartans and for the North Edinburgh Community Festival.

Follow the meeting from 10am by clicking here or watch the recording afterwards.

Today at Hidden Door

The bad thing about Hidden Door is that it only lasts for five days. The good thing is that today is one of the days.

Today from 1pm at the former Scottish Widows building on Old Dalkeith Road there is a full programme

1:00pm – Doors Open (free entry until 5pm)
6:00pm – The Environments Open (on a loop until late)
6:15pm – Berta Kennedy (Music, Cabaret Stage)
6:30pm – The Micro Band (Music, Loading Bay Stage)
7:00pm – Bibi June (Spoken Word, Poetry Stage)
7:15pm – Azamiah (Music, Cabaret Stage)
7:30pm – Fiona Robertson (Spoken Word, Poetry Stage)
7:30pm – Flasher (Music, Loading Bay Stage)
8:30pm – AKU! (Music, Cabaret Stage)
8:30pm – Jay Whittaker (Spoken Word, Poetry Stage)
8:30pm – Solar Panel (Music, Basement)
9:00pm – Butch Kassidy (Music, Loading Bay Stage)
9:30pm – Exterior (Music, Basement)
10:00pm – Hot 8 Brass Band (Music, Cabaret Stage)
10:00pm – Samedia Shebeen (Music, Club Space)
11:30pm – BUTHO THE WARRIOR (Music, Club Space)
11:45pm – O. (Music, Cabaret Stage)
1:00am – Close

Buy your tickets here.

Sheppard calls for portaloos in Portobello

The Edinburgh East MP has called upon the council’s Chief Executive to spend £4,000 on installing portaloos in Portobello this summer to avoid the distress to his constituents of people using alleyways and gardens to relieve themselves.

Sports news

There is a lot happening in Edinburgh based sport this week – read more over here.

And on Saturday the horses will line up to race for the Edinburgh Cup at Musselburgh – where lots of entertainment is planned for later in the day.

How to subscribe to The Edinburgh Reporter

All of our content is free to access but if you would like to support us and also get your own copy of our monthly paper delivered to you each month then you can subscribe here.

The paper is always on the streets on the 1st of each month – and so our sparkly new June paper is out today.

Cick on the front page photo below to subscribe – if you are quick then we will post one to you beginning from this month.

And if you have any stories then do get in touch editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk

Care and Repair Edinburgh, part of the Age Scotland family, is calling for more handy volunteers this Volunteers’ Week who could help make a big difference to the lives of older people.

The charity has been serving Edinburgh’s older and disabled community for more than 30 years and completes around 6,000 jobs every year in homes across the city to enable older people to remain safely and independently in their own homes for as long as possible. Care and Repair Edinburgh offer a range of different services from electrical repairs, key safes, small joinery jobs and draught proofing.

Times are tough right now for older people in our communities with the cost-of-living crisis biting hard. The charity is looking for volunteers who enjoy DIY and making a real difference to the lives of older or disabled people in Edinburgh to donate their time to help carry out handy jobs to enable them to live as comfortable and safe as possible in their own homes.

Allison Strachan, head of Care and Repair Edinburgh, said: “Our handypeople volunteers make a positive impact on the lives of older and disabled Edinburgh residents. Something as simple as changing a lightbulb, hanging a picture, or fixing a curtain rail can mean so much to an older person living on their own.

“Volunteers’ Week is a great time to recognise and thank volunteers for the huge contribution they make. We have the privilege of seeing first-hand the huge difference our team of 20 volunteers can make on the lives of older people across Edinburgh on a daily basis and know that there is so much work that simply wouldn’t be possible without their ongoing passion and generosity.

“Volunteering is a great chance to contribute to your local community and build new relationships with people who really value your help.

“So, if you have the necessary skills and have a few spare hours each week, we’d be delighted to have you as part of our team!”

You can apply to become a volunteer by visiting www.cre.scot/vounteer or by calling us on 0131 337 1111.

The Scottish Fiddle Orchestra have a lively programme of traditional Scottish music to perform at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on Saturday 10 June 2023.

The 80-strong orchestra – led by conductor, Blair Parham – will share the stage with special guests, The Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton Trio, for an evening of world-class entertainment.

This year, the orchestra is celebrating the music of Orkney and Shetland, with traditional pieces from the Northern Isles at the heart of their performances.

Ross Ainslie’s mum Aileen has been part of the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra for 32 years, and the Usher Hall concert will allow both of them to perform together on stage for the first time.

The Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton Trio, featuring Jenn Butterworth on guitar, will bring their renowned repertoire of original tunes to the event, as well as performing some special pieces with the orchestra.

Ross and Ali met at the Vale of Atholl pipe band when they were 12-years-old, before going on to play in many leading Scottish bands including Treacherous Orchestra, Old Blind Dogs and Shooglenifty.

After years playing in different bands and line ups, the pair decided to concentrate on creating music together, releasing their albums Symbiosis and Symbiosis II in 2016 and 2018, and appearing on a multitude of festival line-ups. Ross’s piping shot into the international spotlight earlier this year when he welcomed Snoop Dogg to Scotland with a rendition of Still D.R.E. on the pipes which made news around the world.

At the Usher Hall, music lovers of all ages can expect to enjoy toe-tapping reels and jigs, lively strathspeys and marches, poignant slow airs and well-known favourites performed by the skilled members of one of Scotland’s foremost traditional music organisations. The proceedings will be hosted by MC for the evening, Robert Lovie.

Bob Diament, chair of the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra, said: “This June we will be going on a musical journey from Edinburgh to the Northern Isles and back – without getting our feet wet, and we hope you can join us! We can’t wait to perform at the iconic Usher Hall once again – the audience in Edinburgh are always amazing, and we’re delighted to be joined by the incredible Ross Ainslie, Ali Hutton and Jenn Butterworth. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic evening of live music led by our skilled conductor Blair Parham, with Robert Lovie overseeing proceedings.”

Ross Ainslie said: “It’s an honour to be sharing the stage with my mum and the wonderful Scottish Fiddle Orchestra for the first time this June. A lot of my first public performances out with the pipe band were with various fiddle orchestras that my Mum played with so will be really nostalgic to be playing in that setting again, especially at such an amazing venue!”

The Scottish Fiddle Orchestra is a charity run by volunteers and is fully self-supported. The orchestra makes donations to other musical-related charities and partner pipe bands. Bucket collections at all of the orchestra’s events allow them to support medical charities and the RNLI.

The SFO’s Usher Hall performance starts at 7.30pm on Saturday 10 June 2023. Tickets are priced between £7.50 – £25 and are on sale now at this link

Each month Jerry Ozaniec, Membership Secretary of the Old Edinburgh Club compiles a list of the notable dates in history. There are quite a few in June, some pretty and some pretty gruesome.

Compiled by Jerry Ozaniec, Membership Secretary of the Old Edinburgh Club, membership@oldedinburghclub.org.uk

Hidden Door opened on Wednesday with an ambitious series of immersive performances – Environments – all site specific.

The festival organisers think that everyone might spend around 90 minutes in this area before accessing the rest of the entertainment.

Music from Porridge Radio, Hot 8 Brass Band, Max Cooper, NiNE8 and Pillow Queens began the five days of the festival at The Complex at 15 Dalkeith Road.

There is more than music with poetry, spoken word and a collection of visual art on display.
From 31 May to 4 June, audiences will be invited into the building to witness its transformation from an office space into a spectacular, atmospheric festival of music, performance and art.

Environments: collaborative projects

Environments, which run on all five nights of the event, will create a structured journey for the audience to explore The Complex, with several surprises along the way.

Responding to the vast interior spaces, Hidden Door has commissioned stand-out artists from last year’s festival to create a series of Environments for the audience to explore as they venture deeper into the former office building. Featuring live music, dance, film projections, set design and even opera, each Environment is a unique collaboration bringing together some of the most visionary emerging artists to talk about our natural world in a unique and imaginative way.

Audiences will start their journey in the post-nuclear wasteland created by choreographer Róisín O’Brien and composer Rowan McIlvride where a dance piece will take place.

They will then find themselves in a mountain environment inspired by neighbouring Arthur’s Seat, brought to life by recent Duncan of Jordanstone art graduate Zoe Gibson. Working with dancer Kai Tomioka, she will  explore the impact of conflict.

In the next Environment, opera singer Stephanie Lamprea is working with musician Tom Green and visual artist Oana Stanciu to create an Anthropocenic Garden, exploring themes of extinction.

Meanwhile, in a forest of moveable trees, Beijing Dance Academy graduate Yuxi Jiang will bring her contemporary take on Chinese folk dance to create a piece meditating on The Last Leaf on Earth.

As the audience explore deeper into the venue, they will encounter the Sea Bed, courtesy of artist Alliyah Enyo.

Finally, they will end up deep in the geological depths of the earth and its distant past, curated by Edinburgh electronic music producer Exterior with a roster of DJs and musicians featured. 

The audience will experience a surprise element, guided on their journey with performance created by dance theatre maker Tess Letham and costumed by Cleo Rose McCabe.

The Environments run on a loop from 6-9pm every night.

Music

An eclectic mix of bands will be filling three performance spaces at this year’s Hidden Door, bringing almost every genre of music to the event.

Indie rock band Porridge Radio, Grammy-winning Hot 8 Brass Band, electronica and techno producer Max Cooper, radical pop collective NiNE8, and Irish rock band Pillow Queens will take to the Cabaret Stage on each of the five nights.

Also performing in the former canteen will be post-punk outfit Pozi, doom jazz trio AKU!, jazz collective Corto.alto, alt-pop singer Berta Kennedy, Edinburgh band Dinosaur 94, and post-punk electronica Sweaty Palms.

The space will end each night with a party hosted by brass band Blue Giant Orkestar, sax and drums duo O., and utopian synth duo Free Love, with more to be confirmed.

Down in the Loading Bay stage, indie band DEADLETTER, rap artist Bemz and alt musician Rozi Plain will entertain audiences. Over the five days, they’ll be joined by indie band Wombo, American rock band Flasher, hip hop artist Billy Got Waves, rapper and singer Jelani Blackman and outsider pop outfit The Micro Band.

The space will also host six bands selected through an open call, who will perform for audiences during the day on Saturday and Sunday before the event becomes ticketed. They are Goodnight Louisa, Peplo, Blush Club, Josephine Sillars, Rhona Macfarlane and Blair Coron.

In the Club Space, music label Paradise Palms, Afro-Latin club night Samedia Shebeen and women and non-binary DJ collectives Sisu and EPiKA will each host residencies showcasing their roster of talent, bringing a late night party to every day of the festival, which runs until 1am each night.

Visual art

On display inside The Complex will be visual art from a wide range of artists practising in Scotland, much of which will explore the same issues as the Environments.

A series of interactive installation pieces from Becky Hunter, Chell Young, Elvey Stedman, Evie Rose Thornton, Kirsten Millar, Scott Hunter, and Soorin Shin will explore ideas of climate change and industry.

Also on display will be photography from Emily Nicholl, abstract art from Iain H Williams, industrial art from James Sinfield, an installation from Jo Fleming Smith, object art from Joan Smith, textile art from Laura Lees, etchings from Madeline Mackay, found billboards from Martin Elden, ice-inspired hangings from Mary Walters, ink drawings from Natasha Russell, sculpture from Ross Andrew Spencer, paintings from Ryan Cairns, and sculpture from Tim Taylor.

Work from recent art school graduates Aimee Finlay, Alice Sherlock, Amy Kim Grogan, Ben Caro and Kat Culter-MacKenzie, Ciaran Cannon, Coire Simpson, Dhira Chakraborty, Irene Aldazabal, Leah Wood, Sarah Phelan and Shae Myles will also be on display.

Spoken word

This year’s poetry and spoken word programme will showcase a diverse group of new and developing performers from across Scotland and beyond.

On the first day of the festival, writer, poet and researcher Caitlin Stobie will share her writing, and Clare O’Brien will present her work inspired by the natural world and the creatures that wander through it. Queer writer and spoken word poet Gray Crosbie makes their return to Hidden Door, as does Sean Wai Keung presenting his reflections on identity and migration.

Thursday 1 June sees poet and performance maker Bibi June present post-apocalyptic stories on climate change, while actor and poet Rupert Smith takes inspiration from Shakespeare into his work. Jay Whittaker will perform her irreverent, unsentimental poems looking at mortality, illness and loss.

On Friday 2 June, Irish poet Éadaoín Lynch will perform from their debut poetry pamphlet, and Genevieve Carver will present her work in response to dolphins, porpoises and seals. British-Sudanese lyricist and performance poet Zaki El-Salahi will take to the stage, and Sal will perform her work entangling trans and chronically ill experiences with organic processes of decay and birth.

Saturday sees queer Latinx writer Andrés N Ordorica share his writing on the diasporic experience, and Ross McCleary performs his piece advocating for refilling of the Nor Loch. Edinburgh-based US poet Allie Kerper will also perform.

The last day of Hidden Door will have performances from Scottish-Canadian poet Patrick James Errington, and Glasgow’s Oliver Robertson. Janette Ayachi will share her musings on searching landscapes and human connection, and Elspeth Wilson will celebrate joy from a marginalised perspective.

Details of the full programme, including performance days, can be found on the Hidden Door website.

Hidden Door is supported by Creative Scotland, the City of Edinburgh Council and the PRS Foundation’s Open Fund for Organisations. Our 2023 partners include The List, Paradise Palms, Sisu, Samedia Shebeen and 432 Presents.

Tickets are available via hiddendoorarts.org/tickets or from Citizen Ticket.

At Thursday’s council meeting Cllr Vicky Nicolson has questioned the “indefensible” salary being offered to an interim appointee who will be recruited to Director of Adult Social Care.

Chief Executive of The City of Edinburgh Council, Andrew Kerr, OBE, said that the person taking up the appointment would  ‘primarily focus on the delivery and leadership of the adult social care portfolio of the Health and Social Care Partnership and drive forward the Improvement Plan’.

The SNP say the job will be half of the job which Judith Proctor, the Director of the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership and Chief Officer of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board, quit following a damning report by the Care Inspectorate, and will attract twice the salary – “one of the most expensive public sector appointments in Scotland’s history”. The Integration Joint Board has a deficit of £35 million which the council have said is being tackled successfully.

SNP group Social Care spokesperson, Cllr Nicolson said: “I can’t look my constituents in the eye and tell them that this appointment is a good use of public money. This is indefensible. When money is desperately needed to fix the problems in Health and Social Care in Edinburgh, residents and staff will rightly condemn this scale of pay when Edinburgh is failing to provide care and clawing back millions in self-directed support payments.

“Edinburgh’s services need proper reform and health services and social care services need to be properly integrated or the City will remain in crisis. Savings proposals are coming forward to date and I lack confidence that the current approach provides any real change. Throwing obscene amounts of money at one role, I feel, will undermine relations with staff, undermine progress and undermine the integration work needed to move people from receiving crisis care to early intervention care.  Preventing people needing costly crisis interventions is the only way we will get the significant service improvement required and bring the budget back under control.” 

An Edinburgh MP is putting pressure on the city council to pay for portable toilets at Portobello Promenade this summer to avoid beachgoers using ‘alleyways and private gardens’ as open toilets.

Tommy Sheppard called for an end to the “awful scenes witnessed by residents and seafront businesses” as a result of a lack of public toilets at the beauty spot.

The Edinburgh East MP said installing portaloos during the two busiest months of the year would cost just under £4,000, warning the council it was a “public health and sanitation issue that cannot be ignored”.

In a letter to the council’s CEO he said recent warm spells had resulted in public urination and defecation around the beach ‘in alleyways and even in people’s private gardens’ and warned things would only get worse as it got into summertime.

Calls have previously been made for toilets at Portobello Baths to be made available to the public – however Edinburgh Leisure said last year this would cost around £2,000 a week and funds were not available.

Now Mr Sheppard is urging the local authority to explore other options to ensure facilities are put in place in time for the peak season – and has obtained a quote from a portable toilet provider for a block of six over eight weeks for £3,928.

“My reason for obtaining a quotation is quite simple: to stress to the council that additional toilet capacity could be provided for a comparatively small price when you consider the impact this is having on the community,” he said.

“The awful scenes witnessed by residents and seafront businesses in Portobello have become increasingly unacceptable in recent summers. The distress caused cannot be overstated; no one should have to clean up after another human being in this way. This is a public health and sanitation issue that cannot be ignored.

“By allocating funds for the installation of free to use loos, the council will not only address the distressing scenes we’ve seen in recent summers but also prioritise public health and preserve the reputation of Portobello as one of Scotland favourite family seaside destinations.

“Residents, small businesses, and visitors to Porty deserve better.”

Writing to Edinburgh City Council’s chief executive Andrew Kerr, the MP argued that his solution “could go a long way to reducing the distress of my constituents and the strain exerted on council officers’ time and resources by the large number of complaints about visitors  to the beach relieving themselves in public”.

by Donald Turvill, Local Democracy Reporter.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.

Rory McIlroy will return to the Genesis Scottish Open from July 13 to 16 with tickets on sale now at etg.golf/GSOTickets 

The global star will tee up at the Renaissance Club in East Lothian (pictured) for his eighth appearance in Scotland’s national open after winning his first events of the 2023 season on both sides of the Atlantic, including a maiden Rolex Series title in Dubai.

The four-time Major winner is included in a field which includes world No 1 Scottie Scheffler and Major champions Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose and Justin Thomas, defending champion Xander Schauffele, European Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton, PGA TOUR winners Sam Burns, Max Homa, Im Sungjae and Séamus Power and Scotland’s top player, Robert MacIntyre.

McIlroy will play the Scottish Open in the week before The Open at Royal Liverpool, where he lifted the Claret Jug in 2014.

McIlroy said: “I’m pleased to be able to add the Scottish Open to my schedule again this season. The Scottish fans have always been very supportive of me.”

The Scottish Open is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR, counting on both the Race to Dubai Rankings in partnership with Rolex and the FedExCup, and boasts Genesis, the luxury automotive brand from South Korea, as title sponsor. 

A range of ticket options are available and premium hospitality packages for all four tournament days sold out in advance in 2022.

Glasgow Clan have confirmed Jason Morgan as the club’s new head coach and head of hockey operations.

The 46-year-old native of St John’s, Newfoundland, has previously coached in Germany, Denmark, Hungary and Romania and during his time in Denmark, Morgan coached the Aalborg Pirates during their inaugural Champions Hockey League campaign in 2018/19.

The Canadian enjoyed success in the Erste Liga, winning three play-off championships, two league titles and the Romanian Cup with DVTK Jegesmedvek and SC Csikszereda.

Morgan also had an impressive playing career in the National Hockey League with the Los Angeles Kings, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild and he iced in nearly 600 games in the American Hockey League with eight different clubs.

Michael O’Rourke, Clan’s new owner, said: “From the outset of our search we wanted to bring someone to the club that had previous coaching and hockey operations experience to compliment the team of people we already have in place.

“Jason comes to the Clan following an impressive playing career in North America and Europe. Since hanging up his skates and moving into coaching, his success in the Erste Liga, as well as coaching Aalborg in the Champions Hockey League, has impressed us.”

Morgan commented: “I’ve heard great things about the Clan organisation, the city of Glasgow, Scotland as a country and the tremendous fans that turn up in huge numbers to support the team week after week.”

Player recruitment and planning for the 2023/24 season at Braehead is well underway with season tickets on sale from Thursday, June 1. Clan are sponsored by Aspray Glasgow West.

PICTURE: inside Braehead on match night by Nigel Duncan

One of Edinburgh’s Indian and Bengali restaurants, Ignite, has attracted its fourth award in just six months.

Ignite has now been named ‘Indian Restaurant of the Year’ in the Scotland Prestige Awards 2023/2024. These awards “recognise small and medium-sized businesses that have proven to be the best in their market over the past 12 months.”

Previously this month, LUXlife magazine named Ignite ‘Best Indian & Bengali Restaurant 2023 – Edinburgh’ in its 2023 Restaurant and Bar Awards.

The restaurant was also recognised as ‘highly commended’ in the Asian Restaurant Awards, in the category of Asian Restaurant of the Year, announced at the awards ceremony held at the Sheraton Hotel on 1 November last year.

And that’s not all, Ignite was also announced as a Tripadvisor 2022 Travelers’ Choice Award Winner, also in November last year. This accolade is awarded to restaurants that “consistently deliver amazing experiences” and have earned positive reviews and ratings over the past year. Tripadvisor reported that Ignite was in the top 10% of restaurants worldwide.

The restaurant is a stalwart of the Edinburgh dining scene, having first opened its doors 19 years ago. It has gone from strength to strength over the years, attracting a string of rave reviews. Some of its most popular dishes include King Prawn Ceylon (a hot dish prepared with onion, coconut and spices), Simikot Lamb (a western Nepal dish of sliced barbecued lamb marinated in special ingredients and cooked with mincemeat, onion, ginger, garlic and fresh coriander) and Sabzi Nentara (mixed vegetables in a delicate sweetish and sour sauce with a touch of fresh herbs and spices).

Ignite’s owner, Mohammed Khan said: “We’re delighted to receive another award – we always aim to deliver the very best dining experience for our customers and it is a great pleasure to be recognised for this.”

1. Ignite 272-274 Morrison Street (0131 228 5666) and www.igniterestaurant.co.uk
2. Open for dinner and takeaways Tuesday to Sundays

As we reported last week, Wardie Bay has become Scotland’s newest bathing water approved area.

This follows a decision by Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition Màiri McAllan to designate it for the 2023 season. 

The decision, along with Fisherrow Sands in East Lothian becoming the first bathing water to be re-designated, is a boost for the shore along the southern shore of the River Forth – and brings the total number of Scottish bathing waters to 89. 

The Scottish bathing water season begins on 1 June and runs until 15 September, with 1,500 water samples taken by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) staff at bathing waters around the country. These are analysed in its accredited laboratories, and the results posted online. Once the season is finished each bathing water will receive an official classification for 2024. 

Application for designation 

The application for bathing water status was submitted by Wardie Bay Beachwatch and The Wild Oneswho demonstrated that a large number of bathers use the water and there was community support for designation. Edinburgh Council supported the designation, accepting required duties around signage and beach cleaning. 

Màiri McAllan, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition said: “As a result of our investment in protecting and improving bathing waters across Scotland we now have the highest number of designated Bathing Water sites ever, with 98% passing bathing water quality standards and more rated as ‘excellent’ than ever before. 

“However, we are not complacent. We continue to work closely with SEPA and Scottish Water to monitor and improve water quality on our designated beaches and in our designated lochs, to ensure that as many people as possible are able to enjoy them throughout this summer and beyond.”  

Ruth Stidson, SEPA’s Principal Scientist for bathing waters, said: “It’s great news, especially for the local community, that Wardie Bay has been designated for the 2023 season by the Cabinet Secretary – and with Fisherrow re-designated, Scotland now has 89 bathing waters, more than any previous year.   Designation of waters large numbers of people use for bathing over the summer months means they can be monitored, protected and, if necessary, improved. 

“We’ve seen huge improvements in water quality at bathing waters over the years, and SEPA will continue this journey – through targeted regulation and working with others to achieve significant investment. This way we’ll ensure that visitors to our bathing waters, especially the thousands that live within a short walk or bike ride of our urban bathing waters, can continue to enjoy Scotland’s stunning blue spaces.”  

Win for Wardie Bay 

During 2022, SEPA sampled and reported water quality at Wardie Bay due to high community usage of the beach and an active application for bathing water designation. Our evidence indicates that WardieBay is expected to meet bathing water standards. Now designated by the Cabinet Secretary, the beach will be formally monitored and receive an official classification for 2024. 

Karen Bates, Wardie Bay Beachwatch, said: “It has taken much time and effort to achieve this result for the #wardiebay4bathingwater campaign. We can finally be delighted that Wardie Bay is to be a protected bathing water. 

“We are grateful to Cabinet Secretary Mairi McAllan for her progressive decision and for support from Council members who surmounted the obstacles to designation at this complex site. We are grateful too that SEPA published the essential information for Wardie swimmers in 2022. Thanks particularly to all those who help protect Wardie Bay, who signed the petition, took part in the campaign film and contributed to the applications.” 

Cllr Scott Arthur Environment Convener, City of Edinburgh Council, said:“This is great news for the wellbeing of our residents and visitors who enjoy taking a dip in this great stretch of Edinburgh’s coastline. I’d like to thank the users of Wardie Bay for helping it join Portobello on Edinburgh’s riviera as a bathing water beach. 

The water will continue to be monitored by SEPA, and I’d encourage you all to do your bit to keep it and the beach clean and protect nature there by taking your litter home with you, or use a local bin. Please also, remember to pick up after dog too, if you have one.  

“Of course, you can also enjoy the beaches and support local traders along our coast at Portobello, Silverknowes and Cramond.” 

Local outdoor spaces are integral to our physical and mental health and managing them well can improve well-being and other social and cultural benefits for local communities and visitors alike.   

SEPA takes water samples over the full three and half months of Scotland’s official bathing water season, and after analysis the results are posted online. Pre-season sampling is carried out during May.

Wardie Bay Beachwatch are planning a celebration next week.

Hibernian FC has confirmed its retained list of players following the conclusion of the 2022/23 cinch Premiership season, but there is one more to add to this list with speculation that Millwall are still keen to sign Kevin Nisbet.

Read more about Kevin Nisbet here.

Certainly three members of the Club’s First Team squad will leave this summer.

Aiden McGeady, the experienced winger, made 14 appearances for the Club and set up two goals.

McGeady said: “I’ve enjoyed my time at Hibs and wish the lads, supporters, and the staff all the best for next season.”

This summer also ends Kevin Dabrowski’s six-year spell with the Club. The now 24-year-old goalkeeper progressed through Hibs’ youth ranks and made seven First Team appearances.

“Hibs will always mean a lot to me,” said Kevin. “I had a special relationship with the supporters and will always be thankful for the way they welcomed me into the Club. I wish everyone at Hibs nothing but the best in the future.”

Finally, Mikey Devlin has also departed the Club. Despite only making one appearance, Mikey’s experience and personality had a huge impact on the dressing room during his short spell.

“I’d like to thank the manager and the staff for building me back up and allowing me to trust my body again,” said Mikey. 

“I was going through a challenging time, so I’m so grateful for that. I’d also like to thank the lads for the way they welcomed me in; it was a great dressing room to be a part of.”

Alongside this, Hibernian FC would also like to thank CJ Egan-Riley, Will Fish, Matthew Hoppe, and Mykola Kuharevich who return to their parent clubs. As mentioned by Lee Johnson in the media, the Club are exploring the options to retain some of the loans. 

Hibernian FC’s Director of Football Brian McDermott commented: “I would like to thank Aiden, Kevin and Mikey for their commitment and effort during their time with us. I wish them all the best for the future.”

Young forward Ethan Laidlaw has been offered a new deal by the Club. Goalkeeper Tom Carter and full-back Josh McCulloch have left both left the Academy.

Players released

Kevin Dabrowski

Mikey Devlin

Aiden McGeady

Tom Carter

Josh McCulloch 

Returns to parent club at end of loan

CJ Egan-Riley

Will Fish

Matthew Hoppe

Mykola Kuharevich

First Team players under contract in 2023/24

David Marshall

Murray Johnson

Lewis Miller

Marijan Čabraja

Paul Hanlon

Chris Cadden

Lewis Stevenson

Rocky Bushiri

Kyle Magennis

Jake Doyle-Hayes

Jair Tavares

Joe Newell

Jimmy Jeggo

Ewan Henderson

Josh Campbell

Martin Boyle

Kevin Nisbet

Harry McKirdy

Elie Youan

Nohan Kenneh

Christian Doidge

Elias Melkersen

Daniel Mackay

Bruce takes us into his and our Backstreets and Badlands.

Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street band appeared shortly before 7pm. With a shout out from the Boss of “EDINBURGH” they galloped into a fast-paced No Surrender. Prove It All Night was one from a selection played from his 1978 classic Darkness On The Edge Of Town that almost stole the show early on.

Little Steven Van Zandt brings his evocative backing vocals while rocking a beautiful purple Rickenbacker. A sax break from Jake Clemons hit the spot, and after delivering he followed it by looking over the Boss’s shoulder. Springsteen answered Clemons with a tight, gritty guitar solo. The end coda dynamics between Springsteen and Van Zandt gave us one of many thrilling moments of a what suggest is the best night of the tour so far. 

Max Weinberg is a powerhouse behind the kit and a pleasure to watch during Candy’s Room where his booming authority is all over the track. The Celtic boom of Death to My Hometown tells us much about ‘us and them’ and the distance between rich and poor.

There were moments when Springsteen turned Murrayfield into a massive outdoor church throughout The Promised Land or when he spoke about the death of old bandmate and friend George Theiss from 1960s group The Castiles. Before Last Man Standing his words fall like a sermon that touches the hearts of the 67,000-strong audience.

Jake plays a stormer during Kitty’s Back, a beautiful loose rendition of the 1973 cut is delivered in Edinburgh before a memorable cover of The Temptations Nightshift which takes flight during the three-hour set. For the last quarter, we journey with Bruce for a nostalgic trip into the Backstreets and Badlands of his and our past. On the former Roy Bittan, who also provided keys on David Bowie’s Station to Station, is a delight to listen to.

The Boss and Stevie front up together again for a storming version of The Rising. The encore featured a string of big hitters and classics, among them Glory Days where old friends draped their arms over shoulders. Families kissed and hugged during Born To Run and lovers held each other close during Bobby Jean.

Like Bruce, all are aware of the frailties of life while celebrating the joys on this hot summer night in the city that called out those “vanished and gone.” It was Springsteen’s first visit to Edinburgh since the Spring of 1996 for a solo acoustic performance during The Ghost of Tom Joad tour.

He promised not to leave it as long as next time. While rumours abound that this might be the last time, others suggest the Boss is going to keep the show on the road into 2024.

He remains the best there is in the business, it’s hard to think of another contemporary who can blend a sense of the divine with rock n’ roll and working life so poignantly, the connection lingered long into the hot summer night, long after the band had left the stage. 

Bruce Springsteen And The E-Street Band Murrayfield Stadium, 30 May 2023