The Bridge Inn Linlithgow welcomed schoolchildren to enjoy a slice of Buzzworks life by hosting a series of pizza making events.

Youngsters from Springfield Primary School in the town were invited to take part in the first of three cookery sessions with the guidance of the venue’s head chef Jamie Turberfield.

Hosted in The Bridge Inn’s restaurant, it is hoped that the sessions will allow local children to learn a little about hospitality, get creative with their toppings and make their own delicious pizzas, all whilst sharing the experience with classmates and teachers.

Jamie McFadyen, The Bridge Inn General Manager, said: “Our first pizza making session this year was a huge hit with the kids, who had the chance to pick out their own toppings and create their very own pizza masterpiece to enjoy among friends.

“Food has the power to bring people together, and our special community event has proved that. Watching the kids get creative with their toppings and enjoying their pizzas with big smiles on their faces was a wonderful experience for all.

“We may have provided the dough and toppings, but it was the children who brought the magic to our restaurant. Our community is at the heart of everything we do at The Bridge Inn and we look forward to more opportunities to engage with local schools in future.”

Buzzworks Holdings, one of Scotland’s leading hospitality groups, is set to host two further school sessions again in May, as part of a series of community engagement events being held at its much-loved Linlithgow pub and restaurant.

The Bridge Inn is a family-friendly restaurant and pub that offers a wide range of dishes all day, including hearty breakfasts, light lunches, burgers, open sandwiches, mouthwatering classics such as fish and chips and beef pie, and of course, pizzas.

Anyone looking to apply or find out more about current chef / kitchen vacancies at The Bridge Inn, or any other Buzzworks venue across Scotland, should visit www.buzzworksholdings.com/careers or check out the Buzzworks People Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn pages.

For more information about The Bridge Inn’s menu, offers and events, please visit the restaurant’s website at www.thebridgeinn-linlithgow.co.uk

The Cameo Cinema is to show all of Wes Anderson’s previous films as double bills during May and June just before his next film is released.

Click on any of the images below to buy tickets.

The Director has announced that the latest film Asteroid City will be shown at Cannes in May and then released in June. Asteroid City is a science fiction romantic comedy-drama film directed and co-produced by Wes Anderson with a stellar cast including Scarlett Johannsen and Brian Cranston among the less well-known. The cast list is a veritable who’s who in Hollywood.

The screenplay was written by Anderson from a story by Anderson and Roman Coppola.

The film follows the transformative events that occur at an annual Junior Stargazer convention in 1955.

Edinburgh school pupil, Rachel Mason, has been awarded a “Coronation Champion Award” by King Charles and Queen Camilla for her voluntary work at Bridgend Farmhouse. 

“I feels amazing to receive the award,” said Rachel. “I’ve been a volunteer in the café at Bridgend Farmhouse community centre for just over a year and I absolutely love it.”

Rachel is one of 500 Coronation Champions across the UK, and one of only two in Edinburgh.  More than 5,000 people were nominated for the award in a number of categories, including service to the community, service to young people, service to sport or the environment. 

Rachel works every Saturday at Bridgend. “My role involves liaising with other volunteers about how we are going to run the café that day, to make it an enjoyable and welcoming space. Many of our volunteers have learning difficulties or mental health problems but we manage to overcome our difficulties to work as team.

“I look forward to seeing our regular customers. It’s an opportunity for me to provide some company and friendly chat to people within our community who may be isolated or just appreciate seeing a friendly face.”

The other Edinburgh Coronation Champion is Hannah Beaton-Hawryluk, chair of the Ukrainian Community Centre. 

The acts being promoted at Summerhall on Thursday create a packed Fringe programme which the venue will host from 3 to 27 August.

There is music, theatre, dance, and visual art in the mix, and two thirds of the programme is led by women and/or gender nonconforming people. The venue says it is presenting work “exploring themes of human connection, Queerness, racism, colonialism and joy”. And the list of shows, acts and performers appearing in the “mad, magical building” is long.

The artist who performed on Thursday morning was a woman dressed up to look like a giant vulva, all somehow totally unsurprising to the press at the Fringe launch. Berlin’s Aurora Nova returns with Growler/Where Ye From. Growler is an 82-year-old, drum-banging, shamanic vulva storyteller who is ready to tell the audience every thought that flashes in front of her eyes (and did).

There are international acts from Finland, Taiwan, South Korea, Iceland, Latinx America, Poland, and Denmark. And there are works exploring identity, human connection, racism. colonialism, the immigrant experience and many overarching Queer themes.

Among the music programme Kathryn Joseph, Auntie Flo and Eyes of Others will be just a very few of the acts who appear live. Nothing Ever Happens Here, alongside Summerhall’s long standing collaborators: 432 Presents, World Headquarters, DF Concerts, Jamie Pettinger at EHFM, and Nick Herd at Braw Gigs, have a bumper-edition of artists to get audiences dancing.

Summerhall is not like any of the other Fringe venues. It has a reputation for being more daring, and just more everything, and it prides itself in being a year-round venue rather than an August pop up.

Summerhall Chief Executive, Sam Gough, said in his opening remarks: “Summerhall we feel is so important to the infrastructure the Fringe. It continues to be that safe space that allows and encourages all artists to experiment to take those risks, tell their stories and share their experiences. For some Summerhall is the start of their career and their journey. But for many it’s a home, it’s a place to return to in order to be amongst similar minded creative practitioners and friends, all of whom trust us to look after them and give them that vital platform for their work.

“Among the headline grabbing topics always the escalating cost of living and the price of accommodation. We are under no illusion how hard it is. But amongst all this noise, we still have artists to support we still have audiences to provide a rich programme for, and if we lose sight of who the Fringe is for the artists may stop coming. We have to support those who make the Fringe the Fringe and it is those that we should be projects protecting and nurturing”

We were greeted this morning by Dee Mulroney performing the act which she has also created, Growler /Where Ye From? The 82-year-old shamanic vulva will not be to everyone’s taste, and that is part of the beauty of Summerhall. Some of their acts will shock you, others will entertain you and some will make you cry.

The management at Summerhall are placing the artists front and centre in their minds. They have introduced the Support the Artist Ticket Scheme – an option which would add £2 to each ticket – and that additional sum will go to the artists with no fees or commission.

There is also the Lanyard drinks scheme which will make small batch hand-crafted gin and beer from Pickering’s Gin and Barney’s Beer available to performers and workers.

Sam Gough said: “All performers and all staff from all venues across the city Big or small, can show their lanyard and staff pass and enjoy responsibly of course.”

Summerhall Surgeries’ will provide opportunities for artists to share unfinished work amongst their peers and the industry, both local and international, and have an opportunity to feedback discuss and make sure their ideas are ready before committing to a Fringe run.

Summerhall’s visual arts programme is bustling with work for both the Festival itself, alongside Summerhall’s permanent exhibitions. Curated by Samantha Chapman and Scott Hunter, Synthesis was the result of an international cultural exchange programme between Scottish-based artists Oana Stanciu and Danielle Macleod, and Japanese artists Gak Yamada and Yuichiro Higashi. A diverse exhibition of Female Artists responding to the theme of ‘Women, Art & Inequality’, There Is Something In The Way challenges linear conventions in collaboration and in dismantling ongoing barriers faced by women artists.

Tickets on sale from Thursday 5 May via summerhall.co.uk 

Pick up a programme at Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, EH9 1PL and it will be online from 5 May. For now a full list of the shows is below – and we hope to bring you our selections soon.

Full theatre programme

• A Spectacle of Herself, Laura Murphy
• Bird, Amina Khayyam Dance Company
• You & Me, Amina Khayyam Dance Company
• An Alternative Helpline for The End of The World, Katrine Turner 
• An Interrogation, Ellie Keel Productions. Written by Jamie Armitage
• Anything That We Wanted To Be, Adam Lenson
• Arcade, Darkfield
• Bacon, HFH Productions
• Bakla, max Percy + Friends
• Blub Blub, Trunk Theatre Project
• Blizzard, Emily Woof
• Chicken, Sunday’s Child
• Club Life, Fred Deakin
• Creepy Boys, Scantily Glad Theatre
• Distant Memories of the Near Future, David Head
• Do Rhinos Feel Their Horns or Can They Not See Them Like How We Can’t See Our Noses?, Gangguan!
• Concerned Others, Tortoise in a Nutshell
• Eclipse: Kill The Cop Inside Your Head, Subira Joy
• Eclipse: OommoO, Lula Mebrahtu
• Eclipse: Pilot, Eclipse Theatre Company
• Eclipse: Marvellous and the Sunshine City Boys, Eclipse Theatre Company
• Eclipse: Siapa Yang Bawa Melayu Aku Pergi? (Who Took My Malay Away?), Faizal Abdullah
• Eclipse: Waiting For A Train At A Bus Station, Mwansa Phiri
• Eclipse: Weathervanes, Jian Yi in Association with Summerhall
• Fool’s Paradise, Britt Plummer
• Good Morning, Faggi, Perplex Theatre Company
• Grief Lighting: A Satire in 78 Slides, Paper Mouth + Wicked Good Productions
• Growler / Where Ye From?, Aurora Nova
• Gub Smacked, Leyla Josephine & Colin Bramwell
• Gunter, Dirty Hare 
• Gusla, Lubuski Teatr
• Help Yourself, Emma Ruse Productions, Jess Brodie and Victoria Bianchi
• Her Green Hell, TheatreGoose
• Helios, Wright&Grainger
• High Steaks, Elonia Productions
• Horizon Showcase: The Talent, Action Hero and Deborah Pearson
• Horizon Showcase: The Trauma Show, Demi Nandhra
• Horizon Showcase: Always Already, Haranczak / Navarre Performance Projects
• Horizon Showcase: A Crash Course in Cloudspotting, Raquel Meseguer Zafe / Unchartered Collective
• Horizon Showcase: Bodies, Ray Young
• Hysterical, Olivia Hall and Carrie Rudzinski
• James Rowland: Piece of Work, Attic
• iCON, Sian Clarke
• Klanghaus: Darkroom, KlangHaus
• Klanghaus: InHaus, KlangHaus
• Lightning Ridge, Catherine Wheels
• Lorenzo, Ben Target and Soho Theatre
• Lovefool, National Theatre of Luxembourg
• Mass Effect, HIMHERANDIT Productions
• Nomad, Gözde Atalay & Tucan Riot
• Nan, Me & Barbara Pravi, Hannah Maxwell
• Oat Milk & Honey, MO-KO Piano & Circus
• Oh My Heart, Oh My Home, Casey Jay Andrews
• Playing Latinx, Guido Garcia Lueches & MarianaMalena Theatre
• Ramalama Ding Dong, Roshi Nasehi
• Sad, Brigitte Aphrodite & Quiet Boy
• Sensuous Governing, Sisters Hope
• Rewind, Ephemeral Ensemble
• Sea Words, Olly Gully in association with NTA Productions
• Soldiers of Tomorrow, Aurora Nova presents The Elbow Theatre
• Slash, Emily Allan and Leah Hennessey
• Summer Camp for Broken People, REcreate Agency and Grace Dickson Productions
• Stuntman, SUPERFAN
• Terre, Deborah Shaw
• The Death & Life Of All Of Us, Victor Esses
• The Early Word, John Hegley
• The Fish Bowl, Fish Bowl Productions
• Wait!, Haddangse
• Welcome To The Big Show, Gara
• What You See When Your Eyes Are Closed / What You Don’t See When Your Eyes Are Open, Mamoru Iriguchi
• The Gods The Gods The Gods, Wright&Grainger
• When We Died, Alexandra Donnachie and Carbon Theatre
• Who Killed My Father, Surrogate Productions
• Will Pickvance: First Piano On The Moon, Will Pickvance
• Without Sin, Without Sin
• You Are Going To Die, Adam Scott-Rowley
• First Thing (Work in Progress by Daniel Kitson), Daniel Kitson
• Polko, Angus Harrison 
• England & Son, HOME Manchester & Tin Cat Entertainment
• Salty Irina, Broccoli Arts
• Lady Dealer, Grace Dickson Productions
• The Last Show Before We Die, Hotter Project
• Heart, Jade Anouka
• Strategic Love Play, Paines Plough, Soho Theatre, Belgrade Theatre, in association with Landmark Theatre
• Bullring Techno Makeout Jamz, Ellie Keel Productions and Paines Plough
• Later, Paines Plough and Friends

Full dance programme

• A Couple of Humans, From Start to Finnish in association with Tsuumi Dance Theatre
• Elvis Died of Burgers, BLINK Dance Theatre
• Insomniac’s Fable, Agit-Cirk with Makeshift Company
• Party Scene, THISISPOPBABY
• Papillon, Helen Simard & We All Fall Down Interdisciplinary Creations
• Taiwan Season: The Way Back, The Way Back
• Taiwan Season: World in a Word, Double & Cross Theater Group
• The (Hong) Kong Girls, PK Wong, Alice Ma & Justyne Li
• Woodhill, LUNG and The North Wall 

Full live music programme

• Kathryn Joseph
• Mull Historical Society + Very Special Guests: Randolph’s Leap
• We Were Promised Jetpacks 
• Lost Map 10th Anniversary Party
• Breabach
• Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble
• Withered Hand
• Soul Foundation
• Deafheaven
• An Evening of Joy with Francis Daulerio, Louis Abbott, Kris Drever & More
• Thumpasaurus
• London Astrobeat Orchestra
• BC Camplight
• Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours with The Transatlantic Ensemble
• Buck Meek
• Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band
• Optimo Espacio w/t Eyes of Others
• Magic Nostalgia
• Club Sylkie
• Femergy
• Auntie Flo – Live Set
• 249’s Ramshackle Queer Party For All 
• Messenger Sound System
• MICROSTERIA

Full visual arts programme

• SYNTHESIS, Oana Stanciu, Danielle Macleod, Gak Yamada and Yuichiro Higashiji 
• Weathervanes, Jian Yi in association with Summerhall
• Makeshift, Nicky Hodge, Paul Keir, Alan Shipway
• There Is Something In The Way, Angela Ford Lubna Kerr, Edyta Majewska and Gail McLintock + Scottish Female Creatives
• Kiosk, Charlie Stiven
• Still Moving, Owen Normand 

Police are appealing for information after a robbery in Granton on Wednesday 3 May 2023.

Around 10.45 pm, a 59-year-old man was sitting at the bus stop in Granton Square, between West Granton Road and West Harbour Road, when he was approached by a man who threatened him with a knife and stole his rucksack containing a laptop and personal items.

The suspect is described as black, in his 20s, 5 ft 9 in tall, of skinny build and wearing a black hoodie tied tightly around his face, and he ran off towards Granton Crescent Park.

Detective Constable Cam McDonald, Costorphine CID, said: “I would ask anyone who was in the area and who either saw the robbery or a man fitting the description in the area between 10.30 pm and 10.45 pm to get in touch with police.

“I’d also be keen to hear from anyone driving in that area around the time, if they have dash-cam, to check it in case it has captured any footage that may assist our investigation.”

Information can be passed to police via 101 quoting reference number 4484 of Wednesday, 3 May 2023 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh prepares for the Coronation of their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla by flying the official Coronation flag to mark the historic occasion.

The red flag, which is over 3.5 meters wide, will fly from Britannia’s main mast for all to see. 

To further ‘dress’ the ship, Britannia’s Maintenance Team Manager Tony Smith, and his trusted team, hoist Britannia’s maritime signal flags into place, stretching the full length of the ship from bow to stern. The bright maritime flags are used to ‘dress’ the ship in times of celebration. 

On April 16 1953, The Royal Yacht Britannia was launched from John Brown’s Shipyard in Clydebank, Glasgow, to start over 44 years of faithful service to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and The Royal Family. 

70 years on, Britannia is berthed in Leith, Edinburgh, and welcomes more than 300,000 visitors per year who step aboard to explore this iconic ship and the illustrious role she proudly played in British history. 

King Charles III, then known as Prince of Wales, first stepped aboard Britannia when he was 6 years old in 1954. The Prince of Wales and his sister, Princess Royal, made the maiden voyage on board the brand-new Royal Yacht to Malta to meet their parents, HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip, who were in Tobruk on Royal duties. During the next four decades Britannia became one of the most famous ships in the world as it visited over 600 ports in 135 countries, travelling over one million nautical miles. 

All photos Tony Marsh

Hibernian FC have announced this morning that Brian McDermott has been appointed as the club’s Director of Football.

The 62-year-old was appointed after an extensive recruitment process and will begin working with the Club immediately.

McDermott will work closely with First Team Manager Lee Johnson and have a strong focus across the recruitment of players and football operations such as scouting, analysis, sports science, and medicine. He will also work closely with Steve Kean on the development of our Academy and player pathway.

With tons of experience in the game, McDermott made over 300 appearances as a player and managed almost 500 games, including leading Reading to promotion to the English Premier League.

He has also spent five years as Arsenal’s International Senior Scout, was Chief Scout at Reading, and supported Celtic’s recruitment team through video scouting. He has also been a football and business consultant, and mentored managers in the English Football League working with the LMA (League Managers Association).

Alongside this, the 62-year-old has been a strong voice and leading discussions on mental health.

Chief Executive Ben Kensell commented: “We are delighted with the appointment of Brian McDermott after a long and extensive process.

“We are conscious that this appointment has taken some time, which is partly due to the sad passing of our late Chairman Ronald J Gordon, but we also wanted to make sure that we had the right steps in place and a thorough process, to make sure we’ve got the right person in the door.

“Brian joins us with substantial experience in the game and has worked across numerous different roles across a Football Club on the sporting side, which sets him up perfectly for this role. We also wanted someone that has a strong recruitment bias, and he has that in abundance having scouted across the world for some high-level clubs.

“Brian’s background, contacts, and experience will be vital as we continue to move the Club forwards.”

Brian McDermott said: “I’m delighted to join such a great, community-orientated club like Hibernian FC.

“I scouted Hibs games many times in the past and have always been taken by the fantastic atmosphere at Easter Road.“I am very grateful for this opportunity. Having met the Chairman, the Board of Directors, Executives, Lee Johnson, all the staff, and understanding more around the culture of the Football Club and the objectives, I’m really excited about the challenge.”

Stellar Monarchs Academy are looking to make progress towards the play-offs as they square-up to Kent Royals in their second home match at Armadale this Friday (7:30).

Kent have a top class No 1, experienced Ben Morley, one of the best in the National Development League, plus two of last year’s Armadale Devils. Their captain is Tom Woolley, skipper of the Armadale team last season, so he knows the West Lothian track well, as does their guest rider Danny Phillips standing in for the injured Nathan Ablitt.

These three will give the Academy top men plenty to think about. Kyle Bickley (pictured), Jacob Hook and Adam Roynon dominated the last home match against Belle Vue and are expected to be to the fore once more.

Roynon, who grabbed a four-rid,e full maximum in the previous match, said: “Kent have a good spearhead but, as long as we can nullify the rest of the team’s performance, we should pick up another home win which gets the ball rolling for the rest of the year.”

The team go on the road next weekend against Workington Comets as the Cumbrians return to the sport.

Friday’s match will be live streamed for those who cannot attend, details on www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk.

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

KELLOW ASSOCIATES ROYALS: Ben Morley, Rhys Naylor, Tom Woolley (captain), Joe Alcock, Danny Phillips, Sam Woolley, Connor King.

At Bridgend Farmhouse on Saturday

The Big Open Mic takes place on Saturday from 2-10pm with the café open from 11-4pm and a BBQ at 5pm. You can choose your slot and then grab the mic and sing or play whichever instrument you have to hand to celebrate Edinburgh TradFest which runs until Monday.

And if you want to know what else is on over the next three or four days at TradFest then click here.

Ring for The King

A church near you may be ringing for The King on Saturday as he is getting ready to go to Westminster for the Coronation.

St Mary’s Cathedral on Palmerston Place will definitely be ringing their bells from 9.30am until 11am. We are sure that the bellringers at St Cuthbert’s on King’s Stables Road will set their bells pealing but there is little news about where and when other campanologists will be doing their thing.

If you know of any then do share the news with us in the comments below.

Local MP meets with Prime Minister

Joanna Cherry, KC,MP, met with the Prime Minister on Wednesday to urge him to help Afghani women judges and prosecutors and save them from the Taliban.

Read more here.

Trams shortlisted

Following a series of wins over the past year, Edinburgh Trams is on the shortlist for the prestigious title of Operator of the Year at the Scottish Transport Awards. The company has also been shortlisted in three other categories.

Read other here.

Subscribe to The Edinburgh Reporter

Our new edition of The Edinburgh Reporter newspaper is out today. You can read it online on our website from today, on PressReader, or to be sure of your own personal copy, then buy a subscription over here on our shop (or click on the image below). We post out copies to all of our subscribers ahead of 1st of the month. If you subscribe anytime from today until 10 May then we will also send you a copy. And thank you if you take out a subscription.

Joanna Cherry, KC, MP, met with the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak on Wednesday to push for help to save female Judges and prosecutors trapped in Afghanistan.

The meeting coincides with publication yesterday of direct testimony from former women judges in Afghanistan gathered by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

There are approximately 100 women and their families trapped in Afghanistan in hiding, and in daily fear for their lives. They have received death threats, and their former homes have been raided by the Taliban looking for them.

Ms Cherry also presented a petition on the matter in the House of Commons this afternoon, and confirmed that this petition while it mirrored one signed online by 56,000 people, was signed by Roddy Dunlop KC, Dean of the Faculty of Advocates. You can watch that on Parliament TV here.

The MP for Edinburgh South West said: “The accounts from these women is harrowing, they have been living in daily fear for their lives since the Taliban ceased back power in Afghanistan. One woman has already been found and murdered. I have urged the Prime Minister to help them. He understand their perilous situation and we had a productive meeting which I hope will bring results.

“The women are at risk directly from Taliban and from the men they helped to prosecute who have been freed from prison.

“We encouraged female prosecutors and female judges in Afghanistan stood up for the rule of law and for a more inclusive and equal nation. Those left behind are in mortal danger.”

It was in March that Ms Cherry asked the Prime Minister in the House of Commons for the meeting. She said then: “With the encouragement of the British Government, female prosecutors and female judges in Afghanistan stood up for the rule of law and for a more inclusive and equal nation. Those left behind are in mortal danger. Last year I met senior officials at the Foreign Office, who were open to making a specific case for at least some of those women to be relocated to the United Kingdom, but nothing has happened since then. This dire situation requires a prime ministerial intervention, so I am not asking to meet the Prime Minister’s officials or his Ministers; I am asking him directly whether he will meet me to see what we can do for these women.”

The Prime Minister replied: “I am very happy to meet the hon. And learned Lady. She will know that we take our obligations to those who helped and served in Afghanistan extremely seriously, through both the Afghan relocations and assistance policy and the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme. We have already brought 20,000 refugees from Afghanistan to the UK and worked closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and others on those legal routes, but I would be happy to meet her to ensure that we are targeting our compassion and generosity on the people who most need it and not those who are coming here illegally.”

Lothian MSP, Foysol Choudhury, has reacted to the claim by a former member of the Scotland cricket team that everyone should think twice about speaking out about racism.

Mr Choudhury is adamant that racism needs to be tackled not only in sport but also in wider society.

Mr Choudhury is the first Bangladeshi born MSP elected to The Scottish Parliament, and is also Chair of Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council.

Former Scotland international cricketer Qasim Sheikh told the BBC that people should ‘think twice’ before speaking out about racism in sport.

Mr Choudhury said: “Qasim’s comments show just how widespread and unacceptable this problem of racism and discrimination is, not just in sport, but in wider society.

“It is saddening to hear of the abuse Qasim has faced on social media, simply for speaking about his experiences.

“Our society should be encouraging these conversations so that we can uncover and address problems which plague our society, but instead overwhelming social media abuse sadly sets the example to young children that it is dangerous for them to speak about their experiences of racism.

“This problem needs to be tackled both in wider society and in sport, including cricket.

“It is simply unacceptable that Qasim was treated how he was and that, after facing racist abuse, he was discouraged from reporting this at Cricket Scotland and was told he should ‘count himself lucky’ to be there.

“These actions from Cricket Scotland are yet another example that it was indeed institutionally racist, as the Changing the Boundaries Report found last year.

“However, not enough has been done to dismantle this institutional racism since the publishing of the Report.

“There are reports that the newly formed equality, diversity and inclusion working group has only met once since the publishing of the Report.

“This is simply not enough progress and seems to demonstrate a lack of dedication to quickly and effectively de-weed Cricket Scotland of its failures and institutional racism.

“This problem does not need a tick-box exercise in PR, it needs concrete and immediate action.

“Sport should be a space which fosters inclusion, diversity and acceptance, a place where there is accountability and people can raise legitimate concerns without being told they are ‘troublemakers’.

“Unless commitment and intention to remove institutional racism can be demonstrated, Cricket Scotland’s reports on the progress of this issue will not be worth the paper they are written on.

“Action is needed now, and I implore Cricket Scotland to take it for the sake of players, young athletes and wider society in general.

“I have previously met with representatives from Cricket Scotland and Running out Racism and I will be extending an invitation to meet up with them again, so that we can all continue to work together to stamp out racism in sport.”

Edinburgh Trams is on track for an award at an event being held to celebrate excellence in the Scottish transport sector.

Following a series of wins over the past year, Edinburgh Trams is now on the shortlist for the prestigious title of Operator of the Year at the Scottish Transport Awards. The company has also been shortlisted in three other categories.

A state-of-the-art tram simulator, which has allowed the operator to familiarise drivers with the new line to Newhaven, impressed judges in the Technology and Innovation category, while its value-for-money ‘Day Tripper’ deal and a ticket app have earned a place amongst the finalists for the Excellence in Travel Information and Marketing Award.

The operator’s successful implementation of an ambitious carbon emission reduction plan has also been recognised in the Contribution to Sustainable Transport category.

Lea Harrison, Edinburgh Trams Managing Director commented: “To be shortlisted across so many categories just shows how committed we are to delivering ‘excellence’ for Edinburgh as we prepare for an exciting new chapter in the history of the network.

“This represents another major vote of confidence in the team as we get closer to launching services to Leith, Ocean Terminal, and Newhaven, and is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved.”

The winners of the Scottish Transport Awards, which are supported by the Scottish Government, Transport Scotland, Network Rail and The Railway Industry Association, will be announced during an event at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow on 22 June 2023.

As we approach the Coronation, some in Scotland have been considering the alternatives to monarchy and unelected heads of state.

One of those groups is Our Republic, (the Scottish campaign for a Republic) who are holding a rally on Calton Hill on Saturday afternoon challenging the Coronation and proposing an elected Head of State who is accountable to the people, and who might replace the unelected head of state, the King.

Speakers will include Tommy Sheppard MP for Edinburgh East, Lorna Slater Lothian MSP, and independent Edinburgh councillor, Ross McKenzie.

Another group considering the future of the monarchy is the Scottish Green Party which held a discussion event recently demanding a national debate about the issue.

With a one-sided audience there was good-natured discussion among people with the same view at the event held in Summerhall. It was a party event convened by the “only pro-republican party in The Scottish Parliament”.

John Hall who is Treasurer of Our Republic, was a member of the panel. He explained what he believes needs to be done after saying that Our Republic had basically begun with conversations on Twitter during lockdown. These were not party political conversations but a group of like-minded people wanting to talk about possible change. And now the organisation is trying to talk more about the possibility of a republic and also how to bring it about – which he said is not easy in a country with an “uncodified constitution”. One of the first things the group has tried to do is get rid of any need for swearing allegiance to the monarch on entering parliament, but it turns out that is reserved to Westminster and The Scottish Parliament cannot make the change at all.

Hall said: “How do we get people active? There are two things that you need to do. The first one is that you need to talk about it, you need to share these ideas, you need to go out there and talk to people. And that is the first way in which you activate yourself – you go out to the rallies, like the rally on May 6th at 3pm on Calton Hill.

“But also, you just get involved, come talk to Our Republic, make sure that people in the Green Party know that you care about this issue, make sure that you vote on these issues, make sure that you talk about these issues, and you bring them to the surface in meetings.

“That way people know that it’s important to you, and when they know it’s important to you they act on it, that’s how you activate your elected representatives.

“And the second is we need to make sure that we’re talking about ways in which we’re moving forward. We need to start the process of moving forward, we need to be asking the questions, we need to be holding our elected representatives to account to answer these questions.

“And we do that by making a lot of noise and talking about it and activating the channel and attending rallies and making them aware that it is important.”

Assa Samaké-Roman is a French citizen and journalist. She was also on the panel, saying she found the idea of a monarch “quite strange”. She said: “The fact that someone was just born in the right place, has immense wealth, immense privilege, and is supposed to represent a whole nation, I find this very problematic. I think this is when I think about what it means to be a citizen of a republic. I think that we have this collective consciousness that we are, what binds us is the fact that we are political people, we make decisions together as citizens and the people we elect as head of state, they’re one of they are supposed to be one of us, but just one citizen, they don’t sit above us, and we have no deference towards them.

“One of the lame arguments in favour of the monarchy is, you know, it’s, it’s a sign of stability, it’s continuing the stability, and I’m thinking having lived in the same country in the past five or more years, it is very unstable.”

She urged more of a party atmosphere in the movement towards a republic with “optimism and joy” to make this a successful protest.

Asked who she would choose as a president she said: “I’ve always thought in my wildest dreams, it could be Jackie Kay. I love that woman – she is one of the reasons I love this country so much. She has a sense of humour and of course was chosen as Makar.”

Patrick Harvie Green MSP said that both he and Lorna Slater as government ministers had been offered tickets for the Coronation in London which they have declined.

He said: ” I told them I was washing my hair…” He also explained that as ministers they had both agreed to abide by the ministerial code which prevents them, for example, from either confirming or denying that the monarchy has written to The Scottish Government trying to influence a piece of legislation. He admitted it may not happen as often as people may think, but it is the fact that it is secret and unaccountable that he feels leads to mistrust.

He also questions the King’s true environmental stance when he relies on aviation while conducting the business affairs of the Royal Family and at the same time making speeches about climate change.

And Harvie held up the example of the Irish president Michael D Higgins addressing The Scottish Parliament so eloquently as an opportunity that the UK is missing out on. Monarchs cannot speak politically about matters, and neither can the Irish president. But Patrick narrated how the president engaged the MSPs in the audience and talked about the possibility of transitioning to a stable society in a very powerful speech. And he said this contrasted badly with a speech made by The Queen at the Opening of Parliament the next again week in which there was no substance at all.

He continued: “I do not wish ill on people as individuals. But Charles is in his mid seventies. He is going to be in this office for some time, but nowhere near as long as the last monarch. His son will be monarch for a longer period of time. But we have this window between the Coronation and the next succession. I think that gives us a window of opportunity to be talking – not just because he is less popular than Elizabeth was – but because there is a sense of change. If change is on the agenda we should be able to shape that change.

“The idea that the the UK’s, current political status quo is so fragile so incompetent in itself that it needs to wrap itself up in all of this pomp and ceremony and, and propaganda, I think tells us something about the fact that it is not as permanent as it pretends to be.

“All we need is to know that we have permission to discuss this, to debate this and to decide this question. I think increasingly, the idea of those dwindling cohorts who do line the streets when the monarchy passes or when the Royal Family are in town, I think they will increasingly feel like a remnant of a bygone era, an era that probably shouldn’t be much missed. I think this change is likely to come about during the lifetimes of the people in this room.

“I think we have the responsibility not just to bring that about but to shape it and decide what kind of shape it is going to be and what will constitute us as a genuinely democratic society in the future.”

Asked who he would propose as a president along the model that they adopt in Ireland where Michael D Higgins holds the office, he said he would agree with the selection of Jackie Kay. But jokingly he said he always “crowbars” a reference to Doctor Who into any speech. He suggested that when Ncuti Gatwa steps down as Doctor Who he could become the President of Scotland. But he would also like to hear about possible candidates who have their roots in their communities rather than people with a political background.

Green MSP, Lorna Slater, chaired the meeting. Ms Slater is originally from Canada which is a constitutional monarchy with the British sovereign as head of state. The country remains one of the 16 members of the Commonwealth and if the monarchy was to be removed as head of state then all 10 provinces would have to agree.

The Scottish Greens are clear that as a party they do not think the monarchy should be allowed to continue (and that the House of Lords should be abolished). Both Ms Slater and Maggie Chapman MSP will address the rally on Saturday.

Ms Slater introduced the event by asking some pertinent questions. She said: “In the context is enormous wealth ever harmless? Is vast wealth harmless? Can we afford billionaires? I am of the opinion that it is harmful, that it creates a distortion in the power dynamic, that it distorts democracy.

“You cannot have vast wealth and an effective democracy living side by side because people with vast wealth can distort that democracy. Especially if they are the monarchy who have special privileges and who can write letters to the government.

“For this one family their role is determined by their bloodline, and we treat the rich differently.”

Ms Slater continued: “This is clearly an idea whose time has come. There is a clearly an appetite for this conversation clearly among young people. I think we as a party can be bolder about having the conversations about the harms caused by the monarchy. We are the party of the environmentalist, but also equality, democracy and sustainability are part of our value system.

“And one of the most exciting things about Scottish independence is that we get the opportunity to look at our constitution. But the UK with an unwritten constitution does not allow us that opportunity.”

Maggie Chapman MSP said: “We talk about living in a democracy – indeed many people think we do. But the reality does not reflect that: the UK does not elect its head of state. There are no processes for accountability for those who find themselves in positions of privilege and power simply by accident of birth. 

“We should elect our leaders, and they should always be accountable to the people – the citizens – they serve. Having an unelected head of state who reigns over their subjects is totally incompatible with this principle.

“The polls show an overwhelming indifference, with more and more people questioning why we need this extravagant and archaic form of governance. We can do much better. We can have a Scottish republic built on the principles of equality, solidarity and liberty, and that embraces diversity and peace.

“Throughout the Commonwealth there are countries starting to plan for a post-monarchy future. I hope that an independent Scotland can do the same.”

Homage of the People

Everyone on the day of the Coronation is invited to join in the new Homage of the People by saying either to themselves or out loud at the appointed time (when invited by the Archbishop of Canterbury to do so): “I swear that I will pay true allegiance to Your Majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law – so help me God.”

In the order of service there is a point at which the Archbishop will then say “God Save the King” and all are asked to reply “God Save King Charles. Long Live King Charles. May the King live forever.”

The Coronation of King Charles III is costing the UK taxpayer an estimated £100 million.

Will you be swearing allegiance? Do let us know in the comments below.

Detectives in Edinburgh have renewed an appeal for information in connection with an attempted murder in Davidson Mains.

The incident happened on Main Street around 12.05am on Friday, 21 April, 2023.

A 20-year-old had been in a pub on Main Street and left the premises at around midnight.

Soon after exiting the building, three men, dressed in dark coloured clothing and balaclavas, attacked the man with a weapon.

He was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh by ambulance with serious injuries.

Enquiries have established a dark coloured 4×4 vehicle, possibly a Range Rover, closely followed by a smaller light coloured car and a further light coloured vehicle were driving from Quality Street onto Main Street around 12.01am on the date of the attack.

A cyclist also travelled from Cramond Road South onto Quality Street at the time and returned minutes later.

Detective Inspector Kevin Tait said: “None of these vehicles were involved in the attack but they passed the area shortly before or while the incident was ongoing.

“The occupants may have information which could help our investigation so if this was you please get in touch and speak to our officers. If you believe this was you and you have kept dashcam footage then again we would be keen to review this.

“I would also urge anyone else who may have information about the incident but has not yet spoken to police to get in touch as soon as you can.

“Anyone with information or dashcam footage is asked to contact officers on 101 quoting incident 0010 of 21, April, 2023. Alternatively, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.”

Edinburgh residents are invited to join the Scottish Land Commission online at its latest virtual public meeting.

The meeting aims to give people the opportunity to talk about their local land, sharing the issues and questions they may have, and to find out about the Commission’s work to make more of Scotland’s land.

The informal meeting is one of a number which are being held – from Caithness and Sutherland to Dumfries and Galloway, and from Aberdeen to Skye, Raasay and Wester Ross – to learn about residents’ views on the land in their local areas, and give the public a better understanding of the Commission’s work on land reform and the role of land in creating a successful Scotland.

Chair of the Scottish Land Commission, Andrew Thin, said: “Land is at the heart of Scotland’s identity, economy and communities, so it matters that it is owned and used in a fair and productive way.

“We are keen to meet with people across the country to discuss the work we are doing to deliver change so that the ownership and use of land realises Scotland’s potential.”

The meetings cover a wide range of topics – from modernising land ownership and transforming vacant and derelict land, to housing, land rights and responsibilities, and the work of the Tenant Farming Commissioner.

Andrew Thin added: “We want to speak with as many people as possible and are using online meetings to make that happen. Advances in technology have made virtual meetings much more accessible to a majority of the population, and we would encourage people to join us from the comfort of their own home to discuss how we can make more of Scotland’s land for Scotland’s people.”

The free event is being held online on Wednesday 17 May 2023 at 7:00 pm and all Edinburgh residents are welcome to attend.

Book your free place now on the Scottish Land Commission’s website at: landcommission.gov.scot/Edinburgh

The leader of the SNP Humza Yousaf has confirmed the appointment of a new auditor for both the party and the SNP Westminster group’s accounts, over six months after Johnston Carmichael quit the job.

The appointment of AMS Accountants comes 28 days before the 31 May deadline to file the accounts at Westminster. The leader of the group Stephen Flynn MP has stated he is confident they will now meet that deadline, although Mr Yousaf admitted it was “challenging”.

If accounts are not filed by that date the party risks losing £1.2million of public funding known as ‘Short Money’, financial assistance provided to opposition parties to support their parliamentary business.

Mr Yousaf said ““We take our statutory obligations extremely seriously, so it is welcome news that AMS Accountants Group will complete the accounts for both the party and the SNP Westminster group. 

 “There is hard work ahead, but it is really encouraging to have them on board as we work towards challenging deadlines. 

 “I am very grateful for the work of our new party treasurer Stuart McDonald in securing the auditors’ services. 

“I also wish to thank our previous auditors Johnston Carmichael for their professional work over many years.” 

The appointment will bring some relief to Mr Yousaf who will be hoping to re-direct attention away from the SNP’s internal troubles, however the police investigation into party finances remains ongoing.

Homebuyers who have always dreamed of living by the sea can reserve now and move in in time for summer, with a range of new Barratt Developments’ properties available near the coast in Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Barratt Developments – which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes – is encouraging first time buyers and downsizers to take advantage of the homebuilder’s cost-saving initiatives and find their new ideal home, located a stone’s throw away from a number of coastal walks and beaches.

An array of two and three-bed properties at Cammo Meadows in Edinburgh, The Strand in Portobello and St Clements Brae in Wallyford, East Lothian are now ready to be moved into ahead of the warm weather, with each development less than a ten-minute drive from golden sands.

Located close to the City Bypass, the properties are perfect for first time buyers looking for work-life balance or those downsizing to quieter surroundings.

To make the move seamless, Barratt Developments, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, is currently offering buyers £1,000 for every £20,000 spent, plus flooring included. This cash from the initiative can be used towards a deposit, mortgage repayments or moving costs. A number of selected homes also include upgraded options.

In addition to a high-quality finish, buyers can expect their home to be energy efficient. According to Barratt Developments’ Tackling the Cost of Living Crisis – 2023 Report, more than 55% of Scots are considering buying a new build home to save on energy bills.

The recent ‘Watt a Save’ report from the Home Buyers’ Federation (HBF) showed that around 84% of new builds have an energy efficiency rating of A or B, compared to just 4% of existing housing in the UK. Thanks to advanced systems and technologies, all Barratt homes are now up to 63% more energy efficient, which could save homeowners up to £3,100 per year on bills.

Anne Ross, sales director at Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes East Scotland, said: “Location is key when we build our homes, so we’re proud to be able to offer a selection of ‘ready-to-move-into’ properties in some of the most popular areas in Edinburgh and the Lothians.

“These homes are perfect for first time buyers or downsizers looking to mix the hubbub of the capital with suburban living. If people reserve now, they can be moved in in time for summer and the process is made even easier with our current incentives – which include mortgage repayments and flooring, in addition to improved energy efficiency. Homebuyers are urged to move quickly, as we expect these homes to be snapped up fast.”

Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes in the North and West of Scotland also have limited availability on homes ready to move into before summer.

https://www.barratthomes.co.uk/new-homes/scotland-east/

A 19-year-old man has been arrested following enquiries into the serious sexual assault of a 20-year-old woman in Princes Street Gardens.

The incident occurred around 3.45am on Monday 1 May, 2023. The gardens were closed to the public on Monday while police conducted their investigation.

Enquiries are ongoing.

by Sarah Boyack MSP for Lothian.

“The world is experiencing unprecedented levels of extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and a loss of biodiversity. Failure to act now will pose a threat to human health, food security, and economic stability.

“I am proud of the world-leading climate legislation the Scottish Parliament passed in 2009 and 2019. However, we urgently need to see the SNP/Green Scottish Government deliver on our climate targets right now, not in a decade.

“Scottish Labour is clear: we need stronger action now – the climate emergency demands it.

“Last year’s damning UK Climate Change Committee Report highlighted the need for the Scottish Government to provide a quantified plan for how its policies and plans will achieve the emissions reductions to meet the 2030 target. An obvious priority given the cost-of-living crisis would be insulating our homes and installing renewables. That would lower people’s bills and create local jobs – a win win.

“Although the Covid-19 travel restrictions made it possible for Scotland to meet the 2020 interim target, we’ve seen hundreds of bus services withdrawn meaning as people are returning to workplaces, they won’t have decent public transport options. Without urgent action now, we run the risk of having unattainable future targets.

“Disappointingly the SNP/Green Government is doing what they do best: focusing on rhetoric and PR stunts, instead of being an effective government using the powers to transform people’s lives.

“The same report mentioned the lack of cooperation and coordination between the Scottish and UK Government, which could prove detrimental for both UK’s and Scotland’s plans for decarbonisation.

“The Tories and the SNP have let their constitutional obsession get in the way of much needed climate action.

“The SNP/ Green Government want to brand themselves as a progressive alternative to the Tories, as a coalition of parties that cares for both people and planet.

“However, their incompetence speaks louder than words.

“Let’s look at the Deposit Return Scheme, for instance. Scottish Labour has consistently supported the principle of Deposit Return Scheme from the beginning – as part of our drive towards net zero we need action to boost recycling rates. Unfortunately, the scheme proposed by the Scottish Government is simply not good enough. It has caused massive pressures on businesses and recycling companies, many of whom have faced uncertainty and stress about the details of the scheme.

“In April, I wrote to Humza Yousaf and asked him to take the responsibility for the shambolic Deposit Returns Scheme off Lorna Slater.

“His response was unproductive and highly political – he refused to engage in a constructive dialogue and listen to the concerns raised in my letter.

“The SNP might be in a crisis but Humza Yousaf and his Government have a duty to the people of Scotland; to our coastal and island communities that will experience the acute impact of the climate emergency and urban communities at risk of flooding; to the young people who worry about their future; to the oil and gas workers who need a just transition – we owe it to all of them to act now.”

Friends Group

Join the Friends of Montgomery Street Park at their AGM at Hillside Bowling Club on 30 May at 8pm(enter down the stairs at 9a Brunton Place). This is a voluntary group which seeks to improve the park for everyone’s benefit.

They would like any new members to join them and get involved in community action. No experience is necessary just some enthusiasm.

Read more here.

Ross wants transparency from the SNP Leader about the party’s finances

Douglas Ross the leader of the Scottish Conservatives will ask again for a statement from the First Minister about the SNP finances.

Despite the fact that Mr Ross would not answer questions about the membership of the Scottish Conservatives or the whole party, he thinks that the SNP should exercise greater transparency on party and government affairs.

Read more here

Landlord refused leave to appeal

The name Mark Fortune is well known to many unhappy tenants in Edinburgh. He has enjoyed a good lifestyle while in the past few years more than 40 of his tenants banded together to prevent him from renting out properties in Edinburgh.

He was prevented from being a landlord ten years ago – the first landlord who failed to get on the Landlords Register – but used a variety of persona to get round the ban. He also tried to use holiday let paperwork rather than short term leases – which give the tenant more rights.

Last month the Upper Tribunal refused Mr Fortune (who is sole director of Edinburgh Holiday & Party Lets Ltd) leave to appeal against an earlier decision finding that the landlord was in breach of keeping properties in good repair. The original action was raised by The City of Edinburgh Council, so now the landlord must abide by the original court decision which ordered them to put a properly at Gillespie Crescent into good repair. The flat in question was found to be “not fit for human habitation”. The court decision is here.

Read more about Mark Fortune and the investigation here on The Ferret website.

No Mow May

At the Botanics they are giving nature a chance by following the No Mow May initiative – Plantlife’s annual campaign to give nature a helping hand. This means that their Living Lawn in Edinburgh which extends to 1000 square metres has been planted for nature and will not be cut until later summer or early autumn.

There will be mown pathways to encourage visitors to enjoy the area which has 37 species of grass and wildflowers.

Curator of the Living Collection, David Knott, commented: “The Living Lawn, which is part of the Edinburgh Living Landscape initiative, was sown in 2019 using a seed mix which includesAnthyllis vulneraria (kidney vetch), Bellis perennis (common daisy), Rumex acetosella (sheep’s sorrel) and Thymus polytrichus(thyme). Living Lawns are excellent at encouraging and enhancing biodiversity, only need cutting every three to four weeks during the summer months and are more tolerant of extreme weather conditions so they can withstand long dry spells.’’

Subscribe to The Edinburgh Reporter

Our new edition of The Edinburgh Reporter newspaper is out today. You can read it online on our website from today, on PressReader, or to be sure of your own personal copy, then buy a subscription over here on our shop (or click on the image below). We post out copies to all of our subscribers ahead of 1st of the month. If you subscribe anytime from today until 10 May then we will also send you a copy. And thank you if you take out a subscription.

The Scottish Conservatives are to renew their calls for a statement from Humza Yousaf on the state of the SNP’s finances at Holyrood on Wednesday.

Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross will lead a debate in parliament in which the Conservatives – as Holyrood’s main opposition party – will demand greater transparency from the SNP on party and government affairs.

The debate comes against the backdrop of Operation Branchform which is investigating the SNP finances. Two arrests have been made – Peter Murrell and Colin Beattie MSP – but both men were released after questioning without charge

The Scottish Conservatives say that “legitimate questions” must be addressed by the First Minister because if there is an “imminent threat to the SNP’s viability” as a legal entity, it would have obvious consequences for the government.

In addition, they claim that addressing the ongoing crisis within his party is distracting Humza Yousaf from his duties as leader of the Scottish government.

Douglas Ross’ motion – which will be debated during the Scottish Conservatives’ party business time – draws comparisons between the secrecy shown by the SNP in party matters and their lack of accountability and transparency in government. It calls for more openness in both areas. 

A number of journalists speaking to Mr Ross over recent days have asked whether the Conservatives will disclose their membership numbers – which the party continues to decline to do. It was initially the question over the truth about the number of SNP members which led to the resignation of the former Chief Executive, Peter Murrell.

Mr Ross said: “These questions are not going away for the First Minister and SNP leader, who recently had to step in as the SNP’s acting treasurer. 

“He cannot stick his fingers in his ears and claim this is not a matter for his government – as well as his party – especially if the SNP were to face bankruptcy or an imminent threat to their viability.

“This is clearly also a government matter if the First Minister is compromised, his hands are tied, or if he has been kept in the dark about his party’s affairs – as was the case with the resignation of the SNP’s auditors.

“Right now, the real priorities of Scotland are being ignored by him and the SNP government because they are distracted by the meltdown in the party.

“The unacceptable secrecy that has characterised the SNP in government – on ferries, the Lochaber smelter, the Salmond affair and many others – is equally evident in its internal financial scandal, and it has to stop. 

“The public must have confidence that Humza Yousaf is treating this investigation as seriously as possible and this debate gives him the opportunity to address these questions in full.”

The motion reads:

S6M-08764 Douglas Ross: Transparency of Scotland’s Governing Party—That the Parliament believes that the First Minister, as leader of the governing party of Scotland, should make a statement to the chamber of the Scottish Parliament about the governance of the Scottish National Party (SNP); agrees that these are matters of public interest and should be properly scrutinised and debated in the national parliament; notes that the Scottish Government has lacked transparency and openness in its administration of government across Scotland; calls, therefore, on the Scottish Government to end its pre-release access of statistics, deliver a more transparent budget process, give arm’s-length bodies control over information publication, publish a transparency list of public sector officials who earn more than the First Minister, set swifter publication dates for ministerial expenses and transport dates and improve scrutiny of breaches of the ministerial code, and condemns the SNP for its lack of candour about its membership and governance, and for its abject failure to concentrate on the priorities of the people of Scotland.

The Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal Joint Committee approved a delivery plan in March which has now been published on its website.

The document – the Regional Prosperity Framework Delivery Plan – sets out the ways in which the £1 billion investment generated by the deal will be used to deliver its various ambitions – Green Regeneration, Infrastructure for Recovery and Prosperity, Visitor Economy and Culture and Data Driven Innovation Economy. It follows the Framework published in 2021, and states that the regional partnership has flourished since the deal was signed in 2017. Since then many “acute external pressures” have strained the partnership and this delivery plan is a form of response to these.

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, Peter Mathieson explained to a press gathering recently it is the university which is at the forefront of the last target – to make Edinburgh and the surrounding areas the data capital of Europe.

• The Data-Driven Innovation (DDI) Initiative is being worked upon in Edinburgh and Midlothian. (There are two other key parts – Green Regeneration and Visitor Economy and Culture.)

The DDI is a group of innovation hubs at both University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University bringing researchers together to find ways of making data help with innovation. The website explains: “Innovation starts with an idea. Turning an idea into reality needs partnership. So the DDI initiative is striving to help researchers collaborate with businesses, charities, and the public sector, at the crossroads of data science, research, and real-world challenges – where exciting innovations take place.”

This 20-year economic framework has a lofty vision: “to become the data capital of Europe. We will ensure the social and economic benefits of this capability extend to all. All sections of the community will have the opportunity to develop the key skills that will help to end inequalities in our society. We will protect our environment and make best use of our extraordinary built and natural assets, ensuring that the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region delivers a just transition to a net zero economy. Our institutions, ancient and modern, will deliver positive outcomes that enhance our local, national, and international reputation“.

Read the report here:

Borders success story targets fresh growth after hitting major milestone.

An accountancy firm has clocked up 40 years in business and has increased its turnover from £200,000 in the 1990s to more than £4 million today.

Accountancy firm Douglas Home & Co says it is thriving in its 40^th year, serving a growing client list across Scottish and English borders towns, Cumbria, Northumberland and around its newest office base in Edinburgh.

Established in 1983 with the opening of a small office in Kelso and on Berwick-upon-Tweed’s quayside by accountant Andrew Douglas Home, the firm now employs 70 staff across seven offices with a six-strong board of directors overseeing seven specialist services.

Its expertise in agriculture, estates, hospitality, tourism and professional services is in demand from small and medium sized businesses, land and estate owners and sole traders.

Much has changed over the last four decades but the firm’s ethos has remained the same – to deliver professional proactive personalised accountancy and tax advice to its 3000+ client roster.

Douglas Home & Co Managing Director, Darren Thomson, said: “It’s incredible to see the growth of the firm since Andrew started the business in 1983. Forty years advising some incredible businesses and individual clients across Scotland and England is a significant milestone and we are looking forward to the next 40 years and beyond of the same.

“Being ahead of the curve has really helped that growth and making the best use of latest technologies to be as efficient and cost effective as possible for our clients was an important chapter for us. We first invested in computers back in 1989 when they each cost around the price of a new car.

“On top of that, major investment in tech has been crucial in providing complex advice to clients who themselves are adapting their business models to meet present-day challenges.”

Following the retirement of founder Andrew Douglas Home in 2003, the thriving practice has been in the hands of Alan Drummond, who led the team of directors for several years, and who chose to strengthen the board with the appointment of Darren Thomson, Mike Johnston, Caroline Tice, Sheryl Macaulay, and Victoria Ivinson. Darren is now at the helm of the ship as Managing Director, steering it towards further growth and success over the coming decades.

The firm’s success can be measured not only in longevity but in the consistent growth of annual turnover – increasing from around £200,000 in the early 1990s to £1 million by 2010 and exceeding the £4 million mark at the turn of this decade. Most importantly of all, client satisfaction has always been held in the highest regard over the forty years which has ensured excellent service delivery on all levels.

Darren added: “Financial success and security is important for any business, but we also pride ourselves on the strength of our client relationships, with a good number dating back to the founding of the firm.

“We have also been very focused on investing in staff and improving individual’s professional and commercial know-how to create teams which match the growth in the size of our business and meet clients’ expectations.

“It has been some journey over the past 40 years and it has been incredible to watch Douglas Home & Co adapt and thrive in the ever-changing industry – we can’t wait to see what the next 40 bring.”

Headquartered in Kelso, Douglas Home & Co has offices in Alnwick, Edinburgh, Haddington, Hawick, Melrose and Penrith. In addition to offering core accountancy and tax services, the firm has teams specialising in audit and assurance, business compliance, personal estate planning and IT services.

https://www.douglashomeandco.co.uk/

The Roxburgh

The first bar my parents took me to was at the Roxburgh Hotel, in the days there was also the George Hotel bar and Madogs: that was your lot for a drinkypoos on George Street. The Roxburgh Bar was run by Edinburgh legend Michael Coyle who entertained regulars with tales of celebrity encounters and naughty jokes. Michael made the best Bloody Mary in town, not that I ever tasted one (I was eight years old at the time). He’s still a lovely fellow and it’s something of a tragedy there’s no bar in Edinburgh run by such a personality. He made every customer feel like a million dollars.

I went to an event at the Roxburgh, now one of the Kimpton Group with a sad longing for yesteryear, however I had a fabulous time at their ‘social hour’. All the hotels in the group do this: at five o’clock residents have two hours to enjoy complimentary drinks and canapés. The wine was lovely and the canapés delicious and generous, a splendid way for residents to begin their evening. The setting of the Garden Room was fresh and elegant and the atmosphere had quite a buzz with holiday makers and business people meeting up. I was there to sniff Essence of Harris Candles and have never craved smelly combustibles more, they were beyond delightful and I type to the exotic aroma of their Huisinis Pink Pomelo. They’re the perfect host/ess gift when you next get invited to a dinner party. Sublime.

If, like me, you think the 1980s was twenty years ago, you’d be surprised to know that Hendersons, the original vegetarian restaurant, turns 60 this year. The first residency at Hanover Street was one of Edinburgh’s few iconic eateries and a trailblazer for veggie dining at a time when hippies and bohemians could afford to live in the New Town and Stockbridge, and celebrities like Sir Ian McKellen and Woody Harrelson dined there.

Sadly, due to Covid, the restaurant shut down but has risen, phoenix style, in a new location at Brunstfield Links. Barrie Henderson, grandson of the founders, has captured the legacy and with some of the chef team from the former restaurant created a fresh space with, as you would expect, a passion for good, fresh cooking along with a commitment to environmental sustainability. They’ve a series of events coming up, including an introduction to foraging, sustainable wine evenings and live music. Personally, I hate live music in restaurants and am not at all outdoorsy. However a forage gives a long walk a delicious purpose. 

Republican Chipotle Marinade

On 6 May, living in a Conservative and royalist area, I must temper my Republican notions. A Coronation Quiche I will not be baking. Why do they patronise us with such shoddy dishes? Go all out with a Fricassee of Swan accompanied by a Martini of Baby Roe Deer Tears: that, I would respect. I’ll enjoy the day off and host the first BBQ of my life. Here’s my recipe for Republican Chipotle Marinade: 

1 tin chipotle peppers, such as La Constena

1 tablespoon olive oil

Juice of one lime

½ teaspoon cumin

1 roughly chopped red onion

2 garlic cloves

Pinch salt and freshly ground pepper

Pinch smoked paprika

1 tablespoon honey

Whizz the lot in a blender, marinate whatever meat you like for up to 24 hours, or baste on aubergine, butternut squash or potatoes. 

CASK & BARREL

Many people ask me where to go for lunch in Edinburgh? My answer’s always the same: the Cask and Barrel pub at the bottom of Broughton Street to sample some of the best home-cooked food in Edinburgh. Gail does a fantastic Mince and Tatties and is (like Michael, mentioned above) an Edinburgh legend. There’s no better value meal in town and you’ll congratulate yourself for being in Edinburgh’s best run pub and meeting one of the city’s loveliest ladies and true cooks.

I’m signing off from these pages and swapped my digs in the ex prostitution zone in Leith for the glorious countryside of the Scottish Borders where I wake up to birdsong. What a racket: I’ve put in several noise complaints to the local police.

And to diners everywhere: stop making an idiot of yourself tasting the wine – and tip the staff well.

Ahead of the Coronation on Saturday Their Majesties, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla visited Westminster Hall at the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday.

They attended a reception with Members of both Houses and members of parliamentary staff.

Their Majesties were met at the Palace of Westminster by the Speaker, Lord Speaker and other senior parliamentary officials.

The King also met with Members with shared parliamentary interests including agriculture, business and communities, with the Queen Consort meeting parliamentarians with interests in literacy, domestic violence and osteoporosis.

The ship which tipped over in Imperial Dry Dock in March has been righted, apparently by the dock owners, Dales Marine.

We asked Dales Marine for any comment but they replied: “At the moment we are unable to provide any update to the Petrel or provide any details of ongoing works.”

It appears that the ship has been moved with the help of cranes, and that the work began on Monday.

The RV Petrel moved onto its side on 22 March resulting in a multi-agency response coordinated by Police Scotland.

All casualties were confirmed as being removed from the area by the early afternoon, and Dales Marine confirmed that everyone was accounted for.

The ship is owned by the US Navy when it “dislodged from its holding and fell to its side, injuring a number of shipyard workers”.

A spokesperson for the US Navy said just after the incident: “The Navy is working closely with the shipyard and on-site authorities. Our thoughts and prayers are with those injured and their families, with hopes for a quick and full recovery.”

One of the victims spoke about the incident last week. Constantin Pogor, a Romanian national who was working on the Petrel disclocated his elbow and fractured his pelvis as a result of the ship moving suddenly. The 48-year-old said:

“I heard a loud noise, felt movement and I just had this reflex reaction to try and hold onto something but I didn’t get to grab onto anything.

“I flew from one side of the bridge to the other and landed on my right side and hit my ribs on a metal beam.

“I must have passed out because I remember just sort of coming to – that’s when I realised my elbow was dislodged.

“A colleague then tried to move me – it was realty painful and that’s when I realised that although I could move my legs, something was wrong in my hip.

“I still don’t even know what actually happened that day to cause the ship to fall.

“I know Dales and HSE are involved in some kind of investigation and I’ve now sought my own lawyers to investigate independently on my behalf too and I think there’s a lot of other people onboard who’ve done the same.

“But I want to shed light on what happened to me just so people back home know I’m relatively okay.

“It was scary at the time – especially when you’re not able to speak the same language.

“But I’m being looked after now, have a translator and I’m focused on my recovery.”

Solicitors Digby Brown say they are assisting a number of people injured in the incident.

Plans to build two new barns on a farm in East Lothian were described as a ‘Trojan Horse’ by a councillor amid concern they would become part of a theme park proposed for the land.

The application for the sheds at East Fortune Farm was granted by councillors after the landowners said their lease of their current storage sheds had run out and they needed to move to the new buildings.
However the plans brought 59 letters of objection from members of the public who claimed the buildings were the first phase in a proposal to move popular family attraction East Links Family Farm from its current location near Dunbar to the site.
And local councillor Jeremy Findlay said: “I believe these sheds are just a Trojan horse for what is coming and as some of the other objectors have pointed out are far too large for a farm of this size and are being done on prime agricultural land.”
The application lodged by the Brand family who own East Fortune Farm was for two sheds – one 49 metres by 12 metres and 6 metres high, the other 24 metres by 12 metres and the same height.
Objectors pointed out that proposals for East Links farm to move to the same land included two similar barns in the same spot as part of the park.
However planners said that the application was for agricultural sheds and any change of use would have to come back to the council for planning.
Planning convenor Norman Hampshire reminded councillors they could only determine the application in front of them, which was for two agricultural sheds on the land.
He said: “We can’t take into consideration something which may happen in the future. This planning committee will determine any future application but it is not relevant to today’s discussion.”
It was announced in February that East Links operators were talking to the Brand family about moving the park to their land with its lease at West Barns due to run out in a few years.
A Pre Application Notice was lodged with the council with a future planning application expected.
The committee approved the sheds application by nine votes  to one with Councillor Findlay against.

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.

A bid to force land owners to sell part of their sites to operators of what will be one of the world’s largest offshore windfarms is facing protests from the owners of East Lothian’s nuclear power station.

SSE Renewables are behind the Berwick Bank Wind Farm project, which will bring energy onshore at Skateraw and then require a connection into the National Grid at Branxton, near Torness.
But their application to Scottish Ministers for a Compulsory Purchase Order to be approved has brought objections from Torness Power Station operators EDF, as well as Network Rail and private land owners.
The objectors raise concerns about the speed in which the order was submitted, a lack of time given to them to respond, the ‘excessive’ land requirements included and the loss of prime agricultural land.
Network Rail said it objected because the proposed route for cables involved railway land but added negotiations with the applicant were ongoing to try and come to an agreement.
However EDF said the order was ‘premature’ arguing that the wind farm had not received consent yet and the need for compulsory purchase was not yet established.
The Torness operator added the impact on the power station had not been adequately addressed saying “The project will have an operational impact and an impact on the defueling of the Torness Nuclear Power Station.
The wind farm has asked Scottish Ministers to approve the Compulsory Purchase Order to allow them to acquire the rights and land to “construct, operate and remove electricity transmission lines, plant and ancillary infrastructure between Mean Low Water Springs at Skateraw and the Grid Connection Point at Branxton”.
In a statement the firm said the order would affect four private landowers who would be required to sell land with a further ten ordered to give permanent rights to use the land to them and seven private landowners who will have temporary rights created over their land.
In total 15 objections have been lodged to the order on behalf of landowners, EDF, Network Rail and other local businesses which will be impacted.
ScottishPower has also lodged objections amid concern the project could impact on its £1.3billion Eastern Link work.
Scottish Ministers will hold a public inquiry unless the company is able to come to an agreement with concerned parties which lead them to withdraw their objections.

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.

Up to 21,000 adults living in Midlothian cannot afford to turn on the heat in their homes to keep warm or eat a balanced meal, according to a new report.

The figure comes from an independent study which was ordered by the local authority’s Cost of Living Task Force which was set up last summer.
Among the report’s initial findings, it estimated that between 17,000 and 21,000 adults cannot afford to turn their heating on to keep their home warm; 21,000 cannot afford to eat balanced meals;  8,000 went hungry due to lack of money in the last month; 8,000 missed a priority payment over the last three months and 16,000 have had their mental health/ health negatively affected.
Between 28,000 to 34,000 adults also admitted to being worried about energy bills.
Midlothian has the highest growing population in Scotland, with the 2021 figure of 94,680 adults and children expected to rise to more than 103,000 in the next five years.
The findings of the study are included in a report which goes before councillors next week.
The report looks for the go ahead to create a ‘cost of a school day’ policy, looking at ways to further support families struggling to cope.
It will also include a school meal debt policy, with officials seeking permission to write off £32,000 of unpaid school meal fees in the face of the ongoing cost of living crisis.
The report lists the actions already set up by the Cost of Living Taskforce using £1.36m of Covid Recovery Funds to support people struggling to cope.
They included establishing a Heat and Eat fund for those unsuccessful in Scottish Welfare Fund applications, warm and well hubs providing warm space, hot drinks and soup, funding Woodburn Pantry and supporting other foodbanks or similar projects.
A report setting out more recommendations, actions and next steps for dealing with the cost of living crisis will be brought back to the taskforce in the next few months.

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.

Today in the House of Commons, SNP MP, Drew Hendry, raised the question of UK government guidance to Scottish Ministers about overseas travel with the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly.

Mr Cleverly issued guidance to UK diplomats last month, suggesting that any foreign travel by Scottish ministers would be subject to approval from Westminster.

The SNP say that the value of The Scottish Government’s international activity was demonstrated with the announcement of a Japanese company’s intentions to build a new subsea cable factory in the Highlands. The announcement, from Sumitomo Electric Industries, came following a three day visit to Japan by Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, Neil Gray MSP.

Drew Hendry MP said: “Tory guidance urging UK diplomats to curb the ability of Scottish Government Ministers arranging meetings with their overseas counterparts will have a disastrous impact on Scotland’s ability to secure foreign investment if acted upon.

“Scottish Government Ministers should be free to build links abroad and fly the flag for Scotland, after all we know that with such visits comes great opportunities to create new jobs and investment in Scotland.

“The announcement just last week from Sumitomo Electric Industries is concrete proof of that – why then is the UK government so intent on sabotaging investment in Scotland?

“It’s clear the petty politics of the Tories comes before securing economic success and links with the rest of the world – concepts that must seem alien to a Tory government that is imposing an economically disastrous Brexit on Scotland, backed by Brexit-supporting Labour. 

“The only party standing up for Scotland on the world stage and promoting an outward looking, progressive nation is the SNP, and it’s clear we can only continue to do that with the full powers of independence.”

Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, responded following a question put by Mr Hendry in the House of Commons (“Scottish Government Minister, Neil Gray MSP and Scottish Development International and HIA have proved that direct engagement works for Scotland by securing £300 million manufacturing investment – manufacturing investment in subsea cables in the renewables industry working with Sumimoto in Osaka – it’s a game changer that is welcomed across the Highlands. Why does the Foreign Secretary seek to sabotage such vital economic activity by instructing UK diplomatic staff to hinder Scottish Government direct engagement?)

Mr Cleverly replied: “The competencies of The Scottish Government and the reserved position of the UK Government are clear. You are absolutely clear. And I would say to him and the House that Scotland has an excellent advocate overseas – it’s me.”

You can watch the exchange from this point in the afternoon’s proceedings here: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/707bbf3c-363e-4c20-be3c-3a529a59d917?in=15:20:45

Desiree Brock MP also asked Mr Cleverly this: “Will the Foreign Secretary explain exactly how on earth he thinks the diplomatic staff now to be overseeing meetings between Scottish Ministers and Ministers from other countries and Governments will prevent discussion of whatever topics his Government decide are forbidden? Given that foreign direct investment growth was so much higher in Scotland than the rest of the UK last year—14% against the rest of the UK’s 1.8% —why does he think that such draconian interference is useful or necessary?”

The Foreign Secretary responded: “I would have thought that Scottish Ministers were better served ensuring that the people of Scotland are supported, rather than seeing health outcomes head in the wrong direction and seeing tax rates head in the wrong direction. I can assure the hon. Member that every one of the diplomatic staff in the FCDOpromotes Scottish interests overseas. I am very proud of the work that our officials do from Abercrombie House, which is part of our UK headquarters in Scotland. I can assure her that, when it comes to promoting Scotland’s interests overseas, we continue to do so at all times.”

We asked The Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture about this matter when we met him recently.

He said: “Well I’ve got a job to be getting on with and my job is is to promote Scotland internationally and I think there are huge advantages in doing that.”

At the time we spoke to the Minister the advice was newly revealed and he admitted he was a bit unsure of it. He said: “I’m not really what is being said because the Scottish Government under the SNP and other other parties previously worked very hard to promote Scotland internationally. That’s what they did, that’s what we’re doing and that’s what we’re going to continue doing in the future. I’m happy to work with the UK Foreign Office when they’re working in Scotland’s interests and in the meantime we’re going to do what we’ve always done which is to promote Scotland at home and abroad.”

Since then Mr Robertson has written to the Foreign Secretary. Read about that here.