Each month Jerry Ozaniec, Membership Secretary of the Old Edinburgh Club, compiles a list of significant dates in the history of the capital. These are the important dates from history to know about this May.

1st In 1589, the King (James VI) and the Queen (Anne of Denmark) landed at Leith. And in 1612, the council instructed the treasurer to build and equip a song school in the Over Kirk yard in the same place where there was one many years before. Also in 1644, the burgh council renewed the order forbidding the wearing of plaids around and over the heads of women which was a custom adopted by strumpets, whores, and other indecent women to appear respectable.

2nd In 1597, bonfires lit up the night sky above Holyrood on the arrival in Leith of King James VI and his new Queen, Anne, daughter of the King of Denmark.

3rd In 1544, major hostilities in what Walter Scott later named ‘The Rough Wooing’ began with an attack on Edinburgh led by the Earl of Hertford and Viscount Lisle pictured below.

5th In 1508, the provost, bailies, and council ruled that Fleshers should have their stalls and stands protected by stout canvas awning and the meat on sale covered with proper wrapping; also, that those selling the meat should be appropriately dressed with clean aprons.

6th In 1544, a letter sent to Lord Russel, Lord Privy Seal of England, the writer stated that “It was determined … utterly to ruin and destroy Edinburgh with fire. This we did not fully achieve … However we set fire to three or four parts of the town.” And in 1870, Sir James Young Simpson, who pioneered the use of chloroform in childbirth, died in Edinburgh. Also in 1941, a 1,000-pound bomb was dropped on Milton Crescent and 100 incendiaries at Jewel Cottages; four were killed and two injured.

7th In 1589, Anne of Denmark was crowned Queen of Scotland at Holyroodhouse. And in 1674, following an agreement with the town council, Mr Peter Braus, a Dutch engineer, began work on a project to bring water from Tod’s Well at Comiston in a three-inch-diameter pipe. Also in 1711, philosopher and historian David Hume was born in an Edinburgh tenement; he attended Edinburgh University from the age of twelve. Finally in 1890, James Nasmyth, engineer and inventor of the steam hammer (who was born at 47 York Place, Edinburgh), died.

8th In 1366, at Holyrood Abbey, a Council was held in which discussion over a peace with England took place; it was agreed that the assessment to raise money for the King’s ransom should be voluntary; the Scottish Mint was also ordered to strike new coins for this purpose. And in 1826, Sir Henry Duncan Littlejohn, surgeon, forensic scientist, and public health official, was born in Edinburgh.

9th In 1911, the famous illusionist The Great Lafayette died in a devastating fire at the Empire Palace Theatre in Edinburgh on Nicolson Street (now the site of the Festival Theatre). https://movingimage.nls.uk/film/1620 And in 1957, a massive fire at Bell’s Brae in the Dean Village destroyed the premises of the largest theatrical costumiers outside London.

10th In 1506, King James IV issued letters ordering proclamations to be made at the Mercat Cross prohibiting the packing and parcelling of goods or merchandise in Leith and in the Canongate, or the shipment of goods until the same were examined in Edinburgh and Customs duty paid to the burgh. And in 1562, the marriage of John Fleming, 5th Lord Fleming, to Elizabeth Ross, one of Mary’s Ladies-in-waiting, took place; the celebration took place in part on an artificial loch specially constructed for this in the area in Holyrood Park known as Hunter’s Bog. Also in 1809, Andrew Bell, who was born in Edinburgh and co-founded the Encyclopaedia Britannica, died. Finally in 1843, Robert Adamson established his photographic studio at Rock House, Calton Hill Stairs in Edinburgh; he later teamed up with David Octavius Hill to form one of the most famous photographic duos ever.

11th In 1660, a report delivered to the council on St Paul’s Work recommended that a seat be provided for the children in the community loft; that there should be five residents and the children sent there be divided among them; that beds and other necessities should be provided for the children; and that the boys should be apprentices for seven years and the girls for five.

12th In 1905, a notice from the public health office outlines what measures were taken at the port of Leith in the wake of the first cases of bubonic plague being discovered as they scrambled to stop rats from getting onto vessels; it was established the family had the dreaded bubonic plague and officials wasted no time in taking measures to stop it from spreading further; tragically, the man (named as John Hughes) died but his wife and children survived; remarkably, not one of the 30 other residents in the tenement contracted the disease.

13th In 1870, Sir James Young Simpson, the West Lothian physician who pioneered the use of chloroform in childbirth, was buried in Warriston cemetery; the day had been declared a holiday in Scotland, and more than 100,000 people lined the streets of Edinburgh to see the funeral cortege pass by.

15th In 1567, Mary, Queen of Scots married James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, her third husband; the marriage took place according to Protestant rites in the Great Hall at Holyrood.

16th In 1402, at a Council-General held in Edinburgh, King Robert III (whose Christian name was John) officially pardoned the Duke of Albany (Robert, the king’s next younger brother) and the Earl of Douglas for the death of David Stuart, Duke of Rothesay (the king’s son and heir apparent); N.B. Since the troubled reign of King John Balliol, the name John was considered unlucky for a King of Scots.

17th In 1532, King James V established paid judges to sit as the Court of Session, the highest civil court in Scotland. And in 1590, Anne of Denmark was crowned Queen of Scotland in the Abbey Church at Holyrood. Also in 1617, King James VI returned to Edinburgh for the first time since 5 April 1603. Finally in 1870, pioneering photographer David Octavius Hill died; he is buried in Dean Cemetery beneath a sculpture of him created by his wife Amelia Paton.

18th In 1843, after intense debate, 121 ministers and 73 elders led by Dr David Welsh, the retiring Moderator, quit the Church of Scotland General Assembly at Edinburgh’s Church of St Andrew in George Street, to form the Free Church of Scotland.

19th In 1589, Anne of Denmark, Queen of Scotland, made her formal entry into Edinburgh with great pomp and joy. And in 1815, Catherine Thomson “Kate” Hogarth, later wife of English novelist Charles Dickens and mother of his ten children, was born at 8 Hart Street, Edinburgh.

20th In 1747, Edinburgh-born James Lind began a controlled experiment which demonstrated that citrus fruits could prevent scurvy, a disease contracted by sailors on long voyages; the lime juice which eventually became standard issue to British sailors gave rise to the term “limey” as a name for a Brit overseas. And in 1856, Helen Hopekirk, pianist and composer, was born in Portobello.

21st In 1650, James Graham, Marquis of Montrose, was executed by hanging at the Mercat Cross; his head was removed and stood on the “prick on the highest stone” of the Old Tolbooth outside St Giles Cathedral until the beginning of 1661. And in 1874, the foundation stone of St Mary’s Cathedral was laid by the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry; inside the stone was placed a bottle containing a copy of the Trust Deed, the Edinburgh Post Office Directory, Oliver and Boyd’s Almanac, newspapers, and coins.

22nd In 1691, the council granted permission to Mr Mathias Fase, a Dutchman, to exhibit 3 Turkish people (a man, a woman, and a little boy) at any location in the Canongate. And in 1859, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, was born in Edinburgh at 11 Picardy Place.

24th In 1853, the Adelphi Theatre in Broughton Street was completely destroyed by fire.

25th In 1726, the first circulating library opened in Edinburgh. And in 1859, the last performance at the Theatre Royal in Shakespeare Square was staged. Also in 1896, the Foundation Stone of the New North Bridge was laid.

27th In 1661, Archibald Campbell, 8th Earl and 1st Marquis of Argyll, was beheaded on the Maiden at the Mercat Cross; his head replaced that of Montrose, his royalist enemy, on the Tolbooth. And in 1928, Thea Musgrave, composer of opera and classical music, was born in Barnton.

28th In 1573, the siege of Edinburgh Castle finally ended. And in 1811, Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, died in Edinburgh at the age of 69; Dundas was a lawyer and politician whose professional career led him into disrepute, ending with him becoming the last ever person to be impeached in the House of Lords; his deft and almost total control of Scottish politics during a long period when no monarch visited the country, led to him being pejoratively nicknamed King Harry the Ninth; he became infamous for obstructing moves to bring about an end to the slave trade in the 1790s. Also in 1905, construction of the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh commenced.

29th In 1687, the Order of the Thistle was founded by King James VII; he directed that the Abbey Church at the Palace of Holyroodhouse be converted to a Chapel for the Order of the Thistle; however, he was deposed in 1688 and the Chapel had been destroyed during riots; the Order did not have a Chapel until 1911, when one was added onto St Giles High Kirk in Edinburgh.

30th In 1936, Portobello Open Air Pool was opened at a cost of £90,000.

31st In 1878, Eugene Chantrelle, a Frenchman, was executed by hanging within Calton Jail for poisoning his wife, Elizabeth. And in 1962, the Gaumont cinema in Edinburgh was destroyed by fire. Also in 2014, Trams formally returned to Edinburgh streets.

Find out about joining the club by emailing membership@oldedinburghclub.org.uk 

Plans to expand Straiton Retail Park onto derelict land once earmarked for a visitors’ centre for a historic glass firm have been given the go ahead. 

The application by Lansdowne Investment will see two new buildings built on the land behind the Asda store at the site. 

Midlothian council’s planning committee heard the new premises will include a mixed use with shops, businesses and even a large leisure space along with nearly 300 car parking spaces. 

A report on the proposal said the land involved was once home to an Edinburgh Crystal warehouse and the firm had been granted planning permission to build a visitors’ centre and offices on it 20 years ago. 

However within a year of permission being granted the firm, which operated from the 19th century had gone into administration. 

The new plans were recommended for approval by council planners despite objections from Loanhead Community Council who raised concerns about road safety and the addition of more retail stores to the already packed park. 

However the community council was happy to support part of the proposals which involved business units and a leisure facility adding that they would ” support a DIY store with garden centre”, a report by planners said. 

Planners recommended approval saying: “The proposed development is situated within the allocated area of the Straiton Commercial Hub and will be in keeping with the scale, character and appearance of the surrounding area.” 

It was approved unanimously. 

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

A martial arts charity has been formed in Edinburgh and is assisting youngsters and adults alike come to terms with physical and mental health difficulties.

The Edinburgh Combat Project, which has a major fund raising gala dinner arranged for the Capital next month, actually has its roots in a small Polish town where Pawel Zakrzewski grew up struggling to cope with the tragic death of his father before moving to Scotland with his family.

Aged just five and too young to understand grief Pawel’s pain turned to anger. He lashed out, got into fights and struggled to contain his emotions.

Then Pawel discovered martial arts and the lessons it provided are being channelled into helping others with similar experiences.

Now 33-year-old Pawel has gone from angry teen to mentor, coach and founder of a charity launched in collaborated with Daniel, his brother.

So far they have impacted the lives of over 50 young people and adults and this is only the beginning for a charity operating out of shared car wash premises in Slateford.

Pawel hopes to broaden out into satellite stations around the country with the help of the dinner set for the Balmoral Hotel on Friday, 30 May.

The sad fact is, he says, that there is no shortage of potential recruits.

Some 168 hours of free training are currently provided each week.

Pawel says:

“In a class of 25 only about three participants are not receiving complimentary membership but I don’t want anybody to be suffering stigma.”

“I know how bad it made me feel taking all the benefits (of martial arts training) especially in the small town of Waltz (pop. 24,000) where everybody seemed to know everybody.

“Among the disciplines we offer are boxing, Thai boxing and Brazilian ju-jitsu and it is a seven day-a-week operation.

“Depending on the success of the dinner we would hope to provide more for the participants.

“Already 145 tickets have been sold which means there are 65 left.”

For more information go to https://theecpcharity.com  or to register your interest in the Gala dinner see – pawel@theecpcharity.com

Hibs head coach David Gray and Hibernian Women’s head coach Grant Scott have been nominated for their respective PFA Manager of the Year awards.

Gray has been nominated for the SPFL Manager of the Year award after his side’s excellent turnaround in form.

Gray equalled the Club’s longest post-war unbeaten run in the Scottish top-flight, and in the process picked up three Scottish Premiership Manager of the Month awards.

Hibs currently sit third in the William Hill Premiership with just four games remaining.

Gray has been nominated alongside Brendan Rodgers at Celtic and John McGlynn at Falkirk for the award.

Scott has been nominated for the SWPL Manager of the Year award.

Scott’s side have been in magnificent form throughout the 2024/25 campaign and are currently top of the SWPL table, two points ahead of second-placed Rangers.

Over the course of the year, they have produced a string of eye-catching performances, including wins over fellow title challengers Rangers, Celtic, and Glasgow City – as well as reaching Sky Sports Cup Final in March.

Scott has been nominated for the SWPL award alongside Rangers Women’s Head Coach Jo Potter, Glasgow City Head Coach Leanne Ross, and Motherwell Women Head Coach Paul Brownlie. 

The overall winners will be announced on Sunday 4 May, at the PFA Scotland Awards dinner at the Hilton Hotel, Glasgow.

A man who threatened to kill and burn the home of an employee who asked for extra Covid furlough payments has been granted permission to run a business in Edinburgh.

Keith Pham, owner of Saigon Memoire at 14 South St Andrew Street, was granted a personal licence at an Edinburgh Council committee meeting on Monday.

Pham, 58, pled guilty to breach of the peace at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in 2023 after threatening a furloughed employee at a business in the city he used to run.

According to a representative of Police Scotland, the employee had come to him asking for 100% of his pay to be compensated, rather than the 80% offered by the Covid furlough scheme.

In response, Pham pushed the employee against the wall, and told him “I will kill you” and “I will burn your house to the ground”.

At present, the restaurant is operating under the personal license of a friend of Pham’s, who his solicitor Alistair Macdonald said was a “temporary” measure.

Macdonald said that, at the time Pham’s legal action was underway, he was living in Vietnam, having moved back there after a divorce and the loss of his businesses.

Pham used to run several different businesses in the city, including one at the current location of Saigon Memoire.

Macdonald said Pham had not intended to return to the running of businesses in the city at the time, which influenced his decision to plead guilty.

Pham also told councillors that his guilty plea was in part due to the expense of travelling from Vietnam to attend court hearings rather than an admission of guilt.

He said the cost of travelling back to Edinburgh for court hearings cost £1,000 each time, while he was told the fine he would face for the charge if he pled would be in the area of £400.

Macdonald said Pham had attended court on three different occasions, but that forward progress was not being made in the case due to either the claimant not being present or an interpreter not being available.

He also said Pham denies that the physical element of the altercation took place, but accepted some kind of argument took place.

He was fined £360 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after his plea.

Liberal Democrat councillor Louise Young told Pham: “To know that a person can retain their composure under stressful situations and not rise to abusive behaviour is an important characteristic of a person who is in charge of a licensed premises. It is not insignificant.

“However, I also do recognise that Keith has had a clean record apart from this one incident, and that this incident was not actually alcohol related, but a matter of disagreement during this Covid salary situation.

“It was now some time in the past. I feel that those points for me more than balance out the concern.”

The council’s licensing board proceeded to agree Pham should be granted a licence by a vote of four to two.

By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter

Feedback from the grassroots community around Scotland will help shape the direction of the male adult domestic rugby season going forward. 

Scottish Rugby received more than 600 feedback submissions over the course of February and March and has committed to engaging with key stakeholders in the club game to review the male adult season structure on an annual basis going forward. 

A number of key themes have emerged loud and clear throughout the engagement: 

Start dates matter: There’s a growing appetite to review when the club season begins. The majority of the feedback suggests earlier starts — potentially in late summer — to make the most of better weather and lighter evenings, while still maintaining a proper off-season for recovery. 

Breaks in the calendar: Many expressed support for planned breaks during the season. Structured non-rugby weekends were seen as vital — not just for physical recovery, but also for maintaining long-term engagement in the game. 

International windows: The question of playing through these periods drew opinions on both sides. While some welcomed uninterrupted league flow, others highlighted reduced availability and split focus during these international weekends. It’s clear there’s a need for balance — and flexibility — when it comes to managing the domestic calendar alongside the international stage. 

Public holidays: Almost universally, players and volunteers supported a proper festive break in December and early January. A scheduled pause over the holidays isn’t just sensible from a player welfare point of view — it also gives everyone involved in the game a chance to step back and recharge. 

Regional league redraws: Travel remains a major talking point, particularly for clubs in rural or remote areas. Long journeys week after week can stretch squads, budgets, and commitment. Many voiced support for redrawing regional leagues to better reflect geography and reduce unnecessary strain. 

What’s next? 

This review is only the beginning. Feedback will inform the next phase of discussions and planning, with the goal of making practical, player-friendly, and sustainable changes to Scottish Rugby’s male adult season structure in season 2025/26, but also to future seasons. 

Scottish Rugby’s Head of Competitions and Compliance, Vicky Cox said: “Firstly, I’d like to thank everyone for their insights, which have been honest, thoughtful, and above all, passionate about the future of our game. This feedback is shaping meaningful discussions about how we design a season that not only supports player welfare but strengthens rugby at every level. 

“We’ve seen some key themes emerge from this engagement, and we’ll look to get confirmation on addressing some of these as we go forward with this process.” 

On Friday, 25 April, 2025, police officers in Edinburgh carried out a targeted initiative aimed at cracking down on the illegal use of off-road and electric bikes.

Uniformed and officers in plain clothes, road policing officers and specialist support officers, carried out patrols in the Roseburn Park, Crammond and Pilton areas in response to community concerns.

Officers received several reports of a bike being ridden by youths in and around the Marine Drive area. Officers attended and carried out enquiries, resulting in a 15-year-old male being arrested and charged in connection with theft and road traffic offences. The bike, which had previously been reported stolen from Albert Street in Edinburgh, was recovered.

During this initiative a 23-year-old man driving a van in Pilton was issued with a fixed penalty notice for a road traffic offence.

Detective Sergeant Will Dickson, of the Community Investigation Unit, said: “We continue to respond to community concerns regarding antisocial behaviour and the illegal use of vehicles.

“Patrols using both uniform and plain clothes officers are ongoing to enforce road traffic laws, keep the public safe and deter those intent on causing damage or annoyance through the use of bikes.

“I would ask anyone who uses an off-road motorbike to use it safely and within the law.”

Anyone with concerns or information regarding this type of anti-social behaviour should contact Police Scotland via 101 or make a call anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

In addition Community Officers seized an off road bike at the Pentland Hills.

Voting is now open for the Hibernian FC End of Season Awards night which takes place on Sunday 11 May.

Hibs supporters can vote for three Men’s First Team awards that will be handed out on the night.

Fans can vote for the following categories:

• Men’s Player of the Year
• Men’s Young Player of the Year
• Men’s Goal of the Season

Watch our ten nominations for Men’s Goal of the Season on the club’s website:

Supporters can also vote for our Men’s Player and Young Player of the Year for the 2024/25 campaign.

Please note, voting closes on Friday 2 May at 23:59. 

In total, there will be ten awards handed out on the evening at Easter Road as we look back on some of the best moments of the 2024/25 campaign. 

The full list of awards can be found below.

Men’s Player of the Year – sponsored by Caledonian Heating & Plumbing 

Women’s Player of the Year – sponsored by Linn Botanic Gardens

Men’s Young Player of the Year – sponsored by JB Contracts 

Men’s Players’ Player of the Year – sponsored by Redpath and McLean

Special Recognition Award – sponsored by AAA Coaches 

Men’s Goal of the Season – sponsored by Owen Gibb & Sons Ltd

Women’s Goal of the Season – sponsored by MGM Timber

Staff Member of the Year – sponsored by The Gordon Family 

Moment of the Season – sponsored by LNER 

Academy Player of the Season – sponsored by The Gordon Family 

Please note, tickets for the event are sold out

Scottish fine art photographer, Soo Burnell, has turned her focus to Japanese culture for a new exhibition, building on her acclaimed poolside collections – which included historic Edinburgh swimming pools.

At the Onsen, A Journey Into Stillness, takes place at Edinburgh’s Saorsa Gallery from 3-11 May, and is an opportunity to see 40 new pieces by an artist who is highly praised for her “striking images” (Stephanie Wade, Editor, IGNANT).

Soo has long had a fascination with the atmosphere and beauty of the places we create for bathing as well as the rituals and traditions they embody. Her photography has a sense of mystery, drawing viewers into mesmerising parallel worlds.

Soo said: “I’ve been desperate to visit Japan for as long as I can remember. I’ve been fascinated by Japanese culture and the beautiful architecture, shrines and gardens.

“After shooting so many Victorian baths in Scotland, the rest of the UK and Europe, I was fascinated to dive deeper into the Japanese tradition of bathing and the importance of these warm healing waters.”

Last September’s trip to Japan aimed to explore the country’s onsens, bathhouses fed by natural hot springs, often volcanic, and which much-loved placed for leisure and relaxation.

These are places for healing the body and the mind (a therapeutic practice called toji). Hot spring towns (akin to spa towns in Europe) flourished in the Edo period 1603-1868.

Soo also visited sentos, traditional bathhouses, which are communal but with separate areas for men and women.

The onsen and sento are architectural opposites: one white and calm with arched windows and natural light, the other of dark wood. The create very different moods yet both are calm and peaceful with the constant sound of running water.

The trip took a year of planning and research with Soo eventually selecting seven locations that she wanted to visit.

The photography itself required time, and care, with Soo collaborating closely with her models so they were perfectly posed and presented to catch the calm and stillness of the bathhouses.

While the new collection stands in contrast to her poolside collections, there are common threads and themes.

Soo said: “I loved the pastel colour palette of the sentos, and the stories told through the murals, which were incredibly detailed.

“Also, they feel central to the communities they serve, reminding me of the historic swimming pools from my poolside collections – spaces that encouraged gathering, whether as families going to swim together or with people from the wider community.”

Eilidh Adams has described being nominated for two separate PFA Scotland awards as a “special feeling”.

Already selected in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year alongside goalkeeper Erin Clachers, Hibernian Women’s number nine is now up for both the Young Player of the Year award and Player of the Year award.

Scoring 24 goals and providing five assists has, unsurprisingly, earned Adams a spot on the two shortlists – a feat she takes a lot of pride in. 

“It’s really nice to be nominated for both awards,” she told HibsTV.

“I wasn’t expected to get nominated for either of them, so to then be nominated for both is really nice.

“It’s a special feeling to be recognised by other players in the league that you play against week in, week out. It feels really good. 

“I think obviously it’s a very nice feeling but it’s not necessarily something I look at at the start of the season. But when it does happen it certainly feels good and it definitely helps me.”

The 21-year-old, who made her senior Scotland debut earlier this year off the back of her tremendous performances for Hibs, is already looking forward to trun-in. 

With five league matches remaining, the first of which is the visit of Motherwell to Meadowbank on Wednesday evening, Adams is keen to put awards to the side to focus on her team’s title push. 

“Without how the team’s done this season, and the hard work of the team, it would be very different. I think I need to give them all a lot of credit to them as well.

“I think the hard work of the team has got me this recognition.

“There’s a big task at hand given how the league looks, so it’s just about concentrating on each game and the next game that comes, and focusing on that and then maybe celebrating at the end of the season.”

Murray demands action on e-scooters and e-bikes

Ian Murray MP has written to Angela Constance, the Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, demanding urgent action to tackle the misuse of e-scooters and e-bikes across South Edinburgh.

The Edinburgh South MP said he has been contacted by a growing number of concerned residents about the dangerous and antisocial use of these vehicles, which are often seen travelling at high speeds on pavements or tearing up grass in public parks like the Meadows. 

“People are telling me they feel unsafe in their own communities,” he said. “It’s not uncommon to see riders travelling far too fast, wearing masks, and using e-scooters or bikes that go well beyond the legal limits for power and speed. It’s putting pedestrians, especially older people and those with disabilities, at real risk. Many of these bikes are not even legal to use in Scotland due to being overpowered, yet they are sold with impunity, with many owners not even realising they own an illegal vehicle. While the recent arrests and action by Police Scotland is welcome, more needs to be done to solve this problem”. 

In his letter, Murray raises concerns that enforcement is not keeping pace with the growing problem. He’s asked what action the Scottish Government is taking to:

• Improve enforcement and penalties against misuse;
• Support police officers with updated guidance on pursuit;
• Crack down on the sale of illegal high-powered vehicles;
• Provide Edinburgh’s police force with the resources needed to respond following the record funding settlement given by the UK government in the last budget. 

Mr Murray added: “This isn’t about stopping people from using green transport – it’s about making sure it’s done safely. Local residents have had enough of the damage and danger caused by illegal and reckless use of these vehicles. Our Police do an amazing job, but after the announcement by the head of the Scottish Police Federation this week that there are ‘not enough’ officers to get a grip on crime, the Scottish Government needs to step in and work with the council and police to deal with this.”

REPAIR (Edinburgh) still fighting

REPAIR (Edinburgh) is a group of parents who have children with additional special needs. In their newsletter below they explain that once more they had to make another deputation to the Education Committee at The City of Edinburgh Council about the closure of Holiday Hubs. These facilities are a lifeline for many of the families.

There is also a debate at Holyrood on 8 May.

If you would like to then there are details of how to lobby your MSP on the group’s Facebook page.

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Children in temporary accommodation

Parliamentary Questions submitted by Miles Briggs MSP for Lothian have shown that the number of young people placed in temporary accommodation each year in Edinburgh is growing.

Figures from The Scottish Government reveal that the number has grown 96% in seven years: rising from 2,982 to 5,873.

The figures, provided by the Minister for Housing, Paul McLennan, also show that the national total has increased more than 20% in the same period.

Edinburgh now represents 18% of young people placed in temporary accommodation each year despite being home to only circa 9.5% of Scotland’s population.

Recent statistics published by Shelter Scotland show that more than 3,500 children are currently living in temporary accommodation in Edinburgh, more than the total number in Wales (2,823).

Mr Briggs said: “Tragically, these figures are not surprising. Edinburgh has a nothing less than a child-homelessness disaster on its hands. It is completely unacceptable that thousands of children are faced with this situation in our city every year.

“The government must seriously address the fact that Edinburgh is experiencing a totally disproportionate rise in the number of young people being placed in temporary accommodation, much of which is not fit for purpose.

“This has been a clear trend for the best part of a decade now and yet the SNP, who talk such a big game on housing, have completely failed to make a difference.

“I fully stand behind organisations like Shelter Scotland who have called on policymakers to provide more family homes and improve the quality and safety of temporary accommodation.”

Lunch at Little Chartroom

On 11 May, Roberta Hall McCarron will be hosting the first in a series of seasonal supper clubs to celebrate her debut cookbook, The Changing Tides.

Exclusively for the occasion, a spring themed meal will be served family style along one table. The tickets will be priced at £65 per person with two sittings at 1pm and 6:30pm. The menu will feature a selection of starters including Flatbreads, Smoked mackerel pâté, Sunflower seed dip, and Asparagus & bagna cauda, followed by a Roasted guinea fowl with sides of ricotta stuffed courgette flowers & Romanesco, peas & bacon. For dessert, a strawberry & elderflower sundae. Bookings are available through The Little Chartroom website.

The Little Chartroom launched a new lunch deal available Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The set lunch menu will be priced at £49 pp and will be run alongside the usual five-course menu. Changing according to the seasons, an example menu includes:

• Bread
• Milk bread, Loch Arthur cheddar, Marmite
• Starter
• Sweetcorn custard, black garlic, mushroom XO, leek, corn nuts
• Main
• Chicken breast, crispy thigh, courgette
• Or
• Cod, seaweed butter sauce
• Both served with Asparagus, Jersey royals & aioli
• Roasted courgette & truffle Pecorino
• Dessert
• Strawberry floating islands, elderflower custard, almond

Eurovision 2025

The Eurovision Grand Final 2025 on the 17^th May is to be shown in more than 100 cinemas across the UK, including Everyman Edinburgh and Vue Edinburgh Omni Centre.  

It’s going the be the ultimate viewing party, from the front room to the big screen, giving people the chance to celebrate the iconic song contest with friends at the cinema.

Full details in the below release, tickets and cinemas can be found athttps://www.songcontestincinemas.co.uk/tickets/

In a Scottish Conservative-led debate on Wednesday, MSPs will highlight both the importance that road transport plays in fuelling Scotland’s economy and the damage which the Tories allege SNP policies are causing.

Shadow transport secretary, Sue Webber, will point to what she describes as the negative impact of Low Emission Zones (LEZs) on businesses and individuals in big cities in Scotland, as well as the “proliferation of controlled parking zones and exorbitant fines”.

She wants ministers to scrap their plans to introduce 50mph speed limits on single carriageway roads, and increase the rate of resurfacing of Scotland’s roads as well as future-proofing the charging network for electric vehicles (EVs).

Ms Webber said: “The SNP must stop viewing car drivers as bogeymen and end their war on Scotland’s motorists.

“The insidious, drip-drip effect of anti-car policies is hampering our economy and connectivity and punishing already hard-pressed Scots.

“LEZs are a cash cow for councils desperate to make up for a shortfall in funding caused by the SNP’s savage cuts to their budgets, while motorists are also faced with the expansion of controlled parking zones and eye-watering fines.

“At the same time as being charged more, drivers are having to contend with more pothole-scarred roads and snail-paced roadworks. The SNP need to get their act together and ensure roads are upgraded far more quickly.

“Their ludicrous plans to introduce 50mph national speed limits are just another example of how out-of-touch the SNP are.

“If SNP ministers want motorists to play their part in an affordable transition to net zero, they must dramatically improve and expand Scotland’s woefully inadequate EV charging network.

“The Scottish Conservatives will always stand on the side of motorists, in contrast to the left-wing parties at Holyrood who treat them with contempt.”

But ahead of the debate Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell said that if we are to reduce the number of cars on our road we must ensure that transport is “affordable and accessible for all”, says “.

Mr Ruskell said: “Scotland is on the road to climate chaos. We’ve known for decades that to tackle the climate emergency, we need to cut car use, but SNP and Labour governments have failed to act.

“Transport emissions remain the largest source of pollution in Scotland, and private car use makes up a huge share of that, but action has been lacking. Just last week, the Scottish Government scrapped their target to reduce car journeys by 2030.

“We need to ensure that public transport is always affordable and accessible. That means cheaper trains and buses, better connections for rural communities, and an end to spending on new unnecessary road building schemes.

“Scottish Greens have been working to make your commute cheaper by scrapping peak rail fares whilst in government, securing a bus fare cap and introducing free bus travel for young people.

“We all benefit from having less cars on the road. It means cleaner and safer streets and communities and less congestion misery for commuters.

“There are many who want to play their part in reducing our carbon emissions, but the cost is simply too high for them.

“We need to deliver even more radical change to make public transport more accessible for all, and that can only be delivered with more Scottish Greens in Holyrood.”

From Narnia to Paris, a former mining town to a hotel in Memphis, journey far and wide courtesy of Edinburgh’s stages this month, where fantasy, politics, private lives and an explosive can-can await

Eight weeks, it’s a long old season for any show coming to Edinburgh these days, but if anything can put bums on seats for that length of time it’s Moulin Rouge! The Musical. It reminds me of the good old days when the first UK tour of Les Miserables opened at The Playhouse in 1993 – and stayed for the best part of five months. It was followed two years later by The Phantom of the Opera, which ran for a record-breaking nine months – 23 September to 19 February, 1994. I have great memories of hosting a weekly late night Pub Quiz for the cast and crew of Phantom. Starting just before midnight and finishing around 2am, they were wild nights with a fun company. Both productions involved major get-ins and remodelling of the theatre, based on what has been done to London’s Piccadilly Theatre, home of the West End production, it’s sure to be a spectacular transformation. Think windmills and elephants. Moulin Rouge! (until 14 June) continues its run at The Playhouse all this month.

Running time 2 hours 45 minutes including interval. Tickets £15-£145 here. 

Another spectacular production coming to the city this month is The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (13-17 May), which stops off at the Festival Theatre for a week. Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime as the West End smash-hit production invites you to step through the wardrobe and into the magical kingdom of Narnia, where a world of wonder awaits.

Join Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter as they meet new friends, face dangerous foes and learn the lessons of courage, sacrifice, and the power of love.

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of CS Lewis’ classic novel, this acclaimed production, which became the highest grossing one week touring play in the history of the Liverpool Empire recently, is only at the Nicolson Street theatre for eight performances, so book now.

Running Time 2 hours 15 minutes including interval. Tickets £25-£48, here.

From Narnia to a former mining town, National Theatre of Scotland’s Keli (13-17 May) marks 40 years since the miners’ strikes. Keli is the story of a fiery, sharp-witted teenager in what was once a mining town. Coal means little to Keli, but the mines left music in the blood of this place and its people. As the best player her brass band has ever had, music is easy for Keli – everything else is a fight. Feeling trapped by small-town life, the pressure mounts and when the chance arises to change everything, can Keli keep a lid on it all? A gripping show about community, creativity, and music, Keli is set to a live brass score by Ivor Novello winner Martin Green with each performance including an appearance from a full brass band… march on either Whitburn Band or Kingdom Brass. Who will you see?

Running time 2 hours including 20 minute interval. Tickets here £15-£35 here.

Just sneaking into May’s Must See Theatre picks by the skin of its teeth is another Lyceum production, The Mountaintop (31 May-21 June). It’s April 3, 1968 and in room 306 of the Lorraine Motel, Memphis, it is Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s last night on Earth. Exhausted from a life on the road, hoarse from testifying day after day, all he wants is a coffee and some cigarettes, then room service arrives in the form of Camae, a motel maid with the face of an angel who smokes, drinks, and curses like a sailor while giving King a run for his money.

Re-imaging the man behind the legend on the eve of his assassination and pulling away the mask of his public façade to reveal his private turmoil, discover the conflict in the life of a family man and martyr, desperate to finish what he started. Set during the height of America’s Civil Rights Movement, Katori Hall’s Olivier award-winning play confronts life, death and the idea of legacy and stars Caleb Roberts as Dr Martin Luther King Jar, with Shannon Hayes as Camae. 

Running time TBC. Tickets £16-£35 here.

Finally, this month, over at The Traverse and other venues around the city, the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival (24 May-1 June) celebrates its 35th year with an exciting lineup of performances.

Presenting some of the world’s best theatre and dance for young people and their families, this year’s festival features 13 productions from seven countries and features circus, dance, puppetry and theatre.

With many of the productions chosen to appeal to both children and adults, family pleasers this year include Grown Ups and Double You, featuring adults behaving badly with hilarious consequences.

The Festival opens with Family Day on 24 May, a day packed with free pop-up performances, artist installations and activities for families in the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street. 

It’s a Saturday night in Edinburgh’s Cowgate and the streets are buzzing with revellers.

Jah Wobble walks on stage and gives a strongman pose while sporting a ‘Dub Specialist’ T-shirt. There will be no argument from the trade descriptions act there. For opening number Albatross the East-End Londoner plonks down in a seat with the Fender P like punk royalty. He was after all one of the originals and given his name by Sid Vicious because the late Sex Pistol couldn’t say John Wardle.

The set tonight is Metal Box in Dub which delves into Wobble’s time with John Lydon in Public Image Ltd. The material allows Martin Chung and former Siouxsie and the Banshees guitarist Jon Klein soon get to work on those choppy razor-like riffs. Watching them all lock into a groove is sublime.

Memories finds versatile and jazzy keyboardist George King delivering flourishes reminiscent of Ray Manzarek from The Doors. Klein delivers something much closer to the jagged spirit of the original and together both styles complement each other well. Two young couples down the front dance as if their lives depended on it while older fans at the back nod along in approval.

It’s an arresting moment when Wobble stands up to deliver the opening speech from William Shakespeare’s Richard III: “Now is the winter of our discontent” he bellows into the mike. You could hear a pin drop as he conveyed the short spoken word performance with aplomb while throwing a few laughs in before the opening bass rumble of Poptones. The affecting circular riff fills the entire space as people begin to move and sway again getting lost in the moment. We are taken back to the autumn of 1978 and treated to two versions of PiL’s first single Public Image.

Fan favourite Swan Lake gets a roar of approval, the infectious dub groove with Klein’s unorthodox style brings just the right amount of dissonance. An epic performance by a true punk original and genre-hopping pioneer. They don’t make geezers like this anymore. 

Jah Wobble And The Invaders Of The Heart, at La Belle Angele

Wealthy Edinburgh residents could be asked to chip in more money to help with projects around the city, after councillors agreed to look into setting up a fundraising team.

The proposal brought forward by Liberal Democrat councillor Lewis Younie, who highlighted frustration at major projects aimed at improving the city for residents, often being delayed or scrapped due to a lack of funds.

And he highlighted Edinburgh’s “fantastic record of philanthropy and generosity among its residents, right across the city”, as he urged colleagues to support investigating the formation of a fundraising team.

Council officials have now been tasked with bringing back a report on how “a fundraising team to support specific council projects” might work, and how it could be organised.

Introducing his motion to members of the Finance and Resources Committee on Tuesday, Cllr Younie said: “I think we have a very generously minded citizenry, we have people who would want to contribute to making the city a better place to live.”

Conservative councillor Phil Doggart took issue with the proposal, suggesting it could be seen as an attempt by councilors to avoid taking “hard decisions” around which projects to fund.

In an amendment opposing the motion he warned that “the increase in costs imposed by the UK government and the on-going underfunding from the Scottish Government has left City of Edinburgh Council with difficult decisions to take.”

And he said they must “recognise that if Council has inadequate resources, elected members must take those decisions required to close the funding gap by concentrating on priority deliverables.”

“I was surprised when I read this motion,” he said. “It looks like the Lib Dems will do anything to avoid hard decisions.

“If I was a philanthropist looking to do something for the good of the city I would just go ahead and do it, rather than handing over my money to an organisation which could be seen as not massively efficient.

“There are plenty of philanthropists already around the city and it’s quite strange that we would go to try and get them to give money to this organisation, where they would then lose control of the project.

“This motion is unnecessary, it is abdicating our responsibility on this committee, and that is why we are opposing it.”

The proposal was backed by Green councillor Alex Staniforth, who said: “If you look at the statue of Adam Smith outside [the city chambers] the plaque on the back is just a list of the people who paid for the statue, which I think is what he would have wanted. But the point is, it’s a list of people.

“Very often you have a number of people who have a little bit of money to spare who would like to put it towards their community. This idea would allow us to facilitate people who want to collectively put their money towards the benefit of the city. Crowd funding rather than a single philanthropist.

“I think this would allow people to invest in their communities and is worth supporting.”

Committee convenor Cllr Mandy Watt said she felt there was “no harm in asking” for a report on the proposal, and joked “you can never have too many statues of Adam Smith”.

After a vote councillors agreed to pass the motion 9 votes to 2. Part of Cllr Doggart’s amendment, asking that the council “recognises the role played by the private sector in supporting projects around the city for the good of all the city” was accepted.

A report on the possibility of a fundraising team is now set to be prepared for a future meeting of the committee.

By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter

West Lothian may yet have to find millions to meet the increase in National Insurance Contributions introduced last month, it has emerged. 

An update on the Chancellor’s Spring Statement and its effects on West Lothian’s finances delivered to councillors at the Executive suggested some of the cost would be met but there was no clarity as to how much. 

And while certainties were in short supply there was no shortage of political flak around the chamber. 

Asked directly political questions by Conservative and SNP group leaders, Finance director Kenneth Ribbons referred them to his report. 

Damian Doran-Timson, the Conservative group leader pointed to jobs lost, higher prices and an economy in free-fall.  

The SNP leader, Janet Campbell criticised Westminster’s refusal to pay the shortfall to the Scottish Government to meet the NIC costs. There was dispute over how much the Westminster government was prepared tp ut in to save Grangemouth compared with the money to spent at Scunthorpe to save the steel mill and likewise at Port Talbot in Wales. 

Labour’s Tom Conn pointed to the economy the Labour government had inherited from the Tories and suggested that the SNP refused to take difficult decisions. 

It outlined the situation on the potential NIC shortfall. Mr Ribbons said that the Treasury confirmed to the Scottish Government the compensation that would be provided to cover the extra cost of the Employer NICS tax increase for public sector workers. 

However, he indicated that doubts on how much remain. 

The report added: “The Finance Secretary, Shona Robison has stated that the Scottish Government would be receiving ‘a little more than £300 million’, and that the shortfall between the funding and the cost would need to be found ‘within public service budgets”.  

“The Fraser of Allander [Institute], in an article published on 28 March 2025, stated that the exact amount of compensation hasn’t been published anywhere but they believe it to be in the region of £330 million.  

“In an article published following the autumn budget, the Fraser of Allander estimated the cost to the devolved public sector for the employer NICS tax increase to be around £507 million, slightly lower than the Scottish Government estimate of £550 million (or £700-800 million if the increased cost of delivering contracted out services is included).”  

Mr Ribbons added: “Whatever figure is correct, the compensation received will not cover the full cost and the Scottish Government have not set aside any money in contingency for this scenario. This will put even more pressure on future settlements from the Scottish Government, especially for unprotected services.” 

He concluded: “The Spring Statement does not have an immediate impact on the level of funding confirmed for West Lothian Council. 

“In line with other local authorities, the council continues to face substantial budget challenges. A budget gap of £9.7 million remained for 2026/27 and 2027/28. 

“The UK economy’s performance has deteriorated compared to the OBR’s October forecast. This along with global uncertainty with regards to trade tariffs, inflation, interest rates and political conflicts means that it remains a challenging position for the UK economy and public sector spending.” 

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

Communities in West Lothian should benefit financially from solar farms and all other forms of new net zero energy, councillors have agreed. 

The county has been a pioneer in community benefits from wind farm technology having dispensed millions in payments from energy suppliers occupying the county’s five wind farms. 

Now those who live next to newer technologies such as solar farms could see community benefits as Holyrood looks to standardise the practice begun by wind farm owners. 

For almost 20 years communities living close to the wind farms have received   cash payments for projects on an annual basis. 

Councillors agreed that West Lothian represents a model which could be replicated across Scotland as Holyrood looks to develop guidance on best practice in community benefit from net zero energy. 

Councillors backed a response to a Scottish Government consultation from the council’s Community Wealth Building team which calls for all forms of net zero technology to bring community benefits to towns and villages nearby these included wind farms, solar farms, battery storage, Hydro power, hydrogen storage and other developing technologies. 

Council officers are already in discussion with solar farm developers in the county in looking for ways to build community benefits into their long-term plans. 

Clare Stewart, Community Wealth Building Manager, in a report the council Executive said: “Community benefits sit independently of the planning and consenting system and there is no mandatory requirement to provide them, although most developers do. As a result, the amount and way community benefits are distributed varies throughout Scotland.” 

In West Lothian the approach has been where possible to concentrate the wind farm community benefits to within 10km of any development, 70% of funding within 5km and the remaining 30% within 10km. \ 

This has focused on communities and not on other boundaries like Community Council areas.  Funds are distributed through the Community Development Trust to projects in the communities close to the wind farms. 

The Trust is made up of council officials, local councillors, local community members and the energy developers and suppliers if they wish to take part. 

Councillor Tom Conn had, in a previous meeting, asked about the potential community benefits from solar farms in the Linlithgow ward and the need for a standardised agreement on contributions to communities relevant to how they are affected. 

Mrs Stewart stressed that such cases would be taken on a case-by-case level at the moment until Holyrood guidance on good practice is published. She said there are very few solar farms across the country on which to draw comparisons. 

 “We’ll continue to work to with the developers to get the maximum community benefits into our area. Rest assured that officers will also work to get to the best benefits into the community.” 

Councillor Sally Pattle said: “We need more guidance. We have just approved the two solar farms in the Linlithgow ward. We are going to need to look to the future and how we can best get the community benefits from all these different types of renewable energies that are going to be a lot closer to people’s homes.” 

Councillor Pauline Stafford said that to achieve net zero goals by 2050 it was important to bring people into the decision-making process and to give them a “sense of ownership.” that could come from increased community benefit. 

Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick said more community benefit could also mean the planting of more woodlands and wildflower meadow.  He suggested that any guidance should not be the usual light touch, but more robust in securing benefits for communities.” 

West Lothian Development Trust has paid out almost £3m since it was first launched. 

 The fund supports the development of projects in communities within 10km of any windfarm development. Projects should meet one of the following priorities:- 

• Relieve poverty, advance education or social purposes beneficial to an eligible community 

• Promote and encourage environmental improvement or enhancement 

• Secure investment, create employment, implement training, promote or secure sustainable development 

• Provide or assist in the provision of renewable energy 

The Trust administers six grant funds wind  farms at Black Law, Pateshill, Tormywheel, Pearie Law, Harburnhead and Cowdenhead. 

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

An Edinburgh pub owner who violently assaulted a patron he blamed for a campaign of harassment against staff has been allowed to keep his licence.

Murray McKean, who owns and manages The Tourmalet pub on 25 Buchanan Street, was convicted of assault after confronting the barred patron who he said had engaged in an 18 month campaign of harassment against the venue’s staff.

Police sergeant Barry Mercer told councillors the altercation occurred at 10pm on 15 April of last year in the pub’s smoking area, where the barred patron was standing.

According to Mercer, McKean, 57, went outside to confront him, being heard to shout by a witness, “200 yards, 200 yards and me and you will sort it out” before kicking the barred patron, knocking him over.

The patron then stood back up, after which McKean said “let’s f****** go, you f****** deserve it”, shoved him and kicked his right leg, and then struck his head three times, after which the patron fell again.

Police were called, and arrested McKean after reviewing CCTV footage at the pub. He was convicted on 10 January of this year, being fined £300 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, and notified the council on 14 January – within the required 28 day period.

Mercer said McKean was off duty when the altercation took place, and also that he was not under the influence of alcohol.

His licensing solicitor, Alistair Macdonald, told councillors that he had known McKean for “many years”, and that the publican was “seeing red” when the attack occurred.

McKean, who also operates the Ventoux pub on Brougham Street, told councillors: “I made a mistake I deeply regret. I understand that I’ve brought it on myself.”

He further said that the barred patron had harassed and attacked staff at The Tourmalet repeatedly in an 18 month period after he was barred, being arrested by police twice.

In one incident, he said the patron attacked a member of the bar’s staff soon after they had left work, requiring their hospitalisation and six stitches on their forehead.

In another, he said a member of staff had his shirt ripped off his body by the patron.

SNP councillor Catherine Fullerton, who represents Sighthill/Gorgie, told McKean: “What surprised me was that there was no alcohol involved. You were sober, you would expect an attack like that to involve alcohol.

“Surely continuous nuisance or gross provocation should be dealt with by the police, especially in your line of work.”

He replied, saying: “We certainly called in 2022, and several times afterwards. He seems to have the ability to disappear before the police come out.

“Every time he’s been passing our bar, banging on the windows, we always call the police. There’s been multiple occasions, and our first actions were obviously to call the police on those five or six occasions.”

Councillors on the city’s licensing board voted to add an endorsement to McKean’s personal license by a vote of four to one, with Cllr Fullerton dissenting to say that the council should take no action on the matter.

The endorsement does not limit McKean’s ability to act as a licensed person to authorise or supervise the sale of alcohol.

However, if he receives two more endorsements within five years, he will be required to attend a licensing hearing.

By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter

A cafe plan which split a tiny rural village has been given the go ahead despite opposition.

Residents in the village of Carrington, which has just 39 households living in it, submitted more than 20 objections and a petition of 30 signatures in an effort to stop the business opening on the edge of the community.

They argued it would ruin the amenity of their home with a car park planned to be built outside some of their gardens and claimed suggestions it would benefit locals were nonsense.

However a meeting of Midlothian Council’s planning committee today heard local councillors express their ‘disappointment’ at the divide caused by the cafe as they insisted it would be a benefit to the village in the long term.

Councillor Ellen Scott told the meeting: “This application has divided the community quite a lot . I have looked at it from both sides and think it will benefit the village.”

And fellow councillor Douglas Bowen said he hoped the cafe would become a ‘community hub’ in the future.

Residents of a tiny village say more than half of households are opposed to plans to open a café in their quiet community.

The proposal for the café at Carrington Mains Farm was recommended for approval by planning officers and supported by Historic Environment Scotland for bring a 200-year-old farm building back into use.

However while a report to committee said the application received 13 letters of support and 11 against, the meeting heard a further 11 objections had been lodged as well as a petition against the cafe with 30 signatures, in recent days.

Despite this planners said the cafe, which will run four days a week, was an acceptable development in the historic village.

Earlier the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported how villagers had been left angered by the proposal.

Local resident Mark Smith said people who moved into Carrington did so because there was no cafe or shop and it was quiet.

He said: “The stress of knowing this café could be coming is already affecting me. I live here because I enjoy coming home and being able to sit in the garden in the peace and quiet.

“I am concerned this café is going to attract tourists and visitors and the noise impact on such a quiet community will be overwhelming.

“The car park proposed for the café is on a field, behind our house and other residents which will be lost as well. It is unacceptable.”

His partner Shona Hamilton, a community councillor, said more than half the households in the village, which has not had a new home added in more than 30 years,  had objected with only a ‘handful’ supporting the plans.

She said: “We have a village hall which provides a hub for community events and have no need for this cafe. I can’t see how it will be viable if it is the small operation claimed. We fear it is just the start of a new development here.”

The plan to convert the 200-year-old Category B listed farm  workshop into a  cafe was said by the applicants to provide local jobs, local amenity and create a haven for cyclists passing through.

Carrington Mains Farm was built in the early 1800s by the Earl of Rosebery and helped the surrounding village grow and prosper.

In their application to Midlothian Council, representatives from the estate said it was ideally located to attract visitors and provide locals with a much needed service as well as jobs.

They said: “Due to the proximity to Edinburgh and the wealth of tourist attractions available in Midlothian  including designed landscapes and gardens, woodland and riverside walks, the property is in a prime
location to change the use to a café.

“Carrington forms part of the Gilmerton to Carrington Circular cycle route and Moorfoot Edge cycle route. Additional facilities will provide existing users of the foot and cycle network an opportunity to extend their stay.

“The café will benefit the local community as it will create employment
opportunities, support the local economy and be a great facility for the established community.”

The application was unanimously approved.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Police are appealing for information to help trace a missing 16 year old boy from Aberdeen.

Ibrahim Njie was last seen on Saturday, 19 April 2025 leaving his home address in Aberdeen and it is suspected that he has then travelled to Edinburgh.

When last seen he was wearing a black North Face jacket, grey joggers and black trainers.

Anyone with information that may assist in tracing Ibrahim is asked to call Police on 101, quoting incident number 0816 of Wednesday, 23 April 2025.

How often have you walked past them without a glance? 


Throughout Scotland, in towns and villages from Whithorn to Stonehaven, from Inveraray to Kilwinning, there are pillars and obelisks symbolising the unique provenance of individual communities. Yet they mostly go unnoticed or are taken for granted.
 Largely medieval in origin, what is their purpose?

Why are they there in the first place?
 Mercat Crosses are pivotal to the histories of the locations they occupy. They are the practical and often stylish ornaments of a bygone age when they served as the focal points for communities to get together for matters of mutual concern: business and market places, public announcements, prosecutions, even witch trials.

Each and every one of them has a unique story to tell; each and every one of them is deeply embedded within the story and psyche of the localities in which they were erected.
 A year ago, it was the inspiration of the well – known historian Henry Steuart Fothringham to create a photographic record of Scotland’s surviving 237 Mercat Crosses, and to lend them a humorous appeal by making use of the vernacular Scots pronunciation of “Mercat” and the Dutch word “Meerkat”, meaning “a gathering place”, to illustrate them. 


Co-opting authors Charles Kinder Bradbury and Roddy Martine, the result is The Meerkat Crosses of Scotland which combines local histories with photographic illustrations of visitor interest. 


The front cover, indeed, features the Mercat Cross in Edinburgh’s Parliament Square beside St Giles Cathedral when occupied by the Lord Lyon King of Arms and two heralds to proclaim Charles III as monarch of the United Kingdom. Incidentally, Dr Morrow, CVO, CBE, the Lord Lyon King of Arms, was sufficiently amused by the book to have written the foreword. 


With cartoon illustrations by Polish artist Marcin Strzembosz to accompany the lavish use of colour photographs, this is an alternative guide book to Scotland with a quirky appeal for every generation.

The Meerkat Crosses of Scotland by Charles Kinder Bradbury and Roddy Martine (£14.99 + £4 p&p UK) is available from Braykc Publishing www.braykcpublishing.com

Police are appealing for the help of the public to trace a 13-year-old boy reported missing from Clydebank.

Jamal Neves, who has previously been known to travel to Edinburgh, was last seen around 12.30pm on Saturday, 26 April, in the Crown Avenue area of the town.

He is described as black, around 6ft, of slim build with black braided hair. When last seen he was wearing a black Nike fleece, a black body warmer, black jogging bottoms and black shoes.

Sergeant Neil Kilpatrick said: “Concerns are growing for Jamal’s welfare and we need to make sure he is safe and well.

“We are asking anyone who has seen Jamal or knows where he might be to get in touch.”

If you can help please call us on 101, quoting reference 3823 of Sunday, 27 April, 2025.

Hibernian Women’s striker Eilidh Adams has been nominated for two prestigious awards at the 2025 PFA Player of the Year awards.

The 21-year-old has been shortlisted for both the Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year award. 

With 24 goals and five assists to her name this season across all competitions, Adams has been a standout performer in the SWPL.

Recently named in the SWPL Team of the Year, the forward has now been listed amongst three of her competitors in the league across both categories.

SWPL1 Player of the Year shortlist:

• Eilidh Adams – Hibernian
• Emma Lawton – Celtic
• Katie Wilkinson – Rangers
• Samantha Van Diemen – Glasgow City

SWPL1 Young Player of the Year shortlist:

• Eilidh Adams – Hibernian
• Erin Husband – Hearts
• Hannah Jordan – The Spartans
• Laura Berry – Rangers

Children in two primary schools in East Lothian will be directed to use separate toilets in the future after recent court rulings on gender facilities.

Education bosses said the two schools, both built in the last six years, are the only ones in the county with fully gender neutral toilets – all others offer a range of access to pupils.

The changes come after the Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that a woman is defined by biological sex under the Equalities Act, leading to the European Court of Human Rights to issue interim guidance that trans women should not be permitted to use women’s facilities.

And it follows a Court of Session ruling against Scottish Borders Council which was ordered to provide single sex toilets at a school where it had switched to gender neutral facilities only after a challenge by parents.

Wallyford Primary School, which opened in 2019 and Letham Mains Primary School, in Haddington, which opened in 2021, in East Lothian will now have signs put in place identifying the toilets as boys and girls, with disabled loos offering a third option.

The council confirmed the move as elected members met to agree to fund the upgrade of toilets at East Linton Primary School, which already has gender specific facilities which will not need to be changed.

The funding is required to allow the village school to meet demand for a growing pupil roll after the local authority lost out on Scottish Government financial support to build a new school.

Other schools already under construction in East Lothian which has one of the fastest growing populations in the country, will not need any review as they are all already compliant in offering gendered provision, the council said.

A council spokesperson said the changes needed at Wallyford and Letham Mains Primary Schools were straightforward as the design of the facilities allowed for them to be easily re-designated.

And they said work was ongoing to review the impact of the court rulings on schools and policies moving forward.

A spokesperson said: “Our education team will be engaging with school leaders in light of the Court of Session declarator and the Supreme Court ruling to determine if any changes will be required to our policies.”

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Parents Paul and Meghan Godsman are to join the charity cycle challenge, bp Coast to Coast, to raise funds for the charity which helped them after their baby’s early arrival.

Blake Godsman was born in May 2024 nine weeks early and was admitted to the Simpson Neonatal Unit at Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. He was cared for there for nine weeks until he was allowed to go home with his parents. During his stay Paul and Meghan could stay over allowing them to be close to Blake while he was quite ill. This made a huge difference to them.

Paul said: “As much as the neonatal unit is there to care for the babies, there is a huge support need for parents who are navigating this terrifying experience. 

“We were so grateful to stay in one of two parent rooms on the neonatal ward for the first four weeks of Blake’s life when we really needed it. It meant we could wake up and walk along the corridor to be beside him. If we’d been driving home to Linlithgow every night, we’d have been an hour away from the hospital should anything happen. That would have put an even bigger strain on us. 

“Our goal is to raise money to help the unit improve its support for parents, refurbish family rooms and facilities and buy specialist equipment. 

“I was also extremely grateful to my employer bp, which allowed me to have extended leave so I could be with my wife and son while he was being cared for in hospital.” 

The Neonatal Unit is supported by Simpsons Special Care Babies (SSCB), a charity that exists to enhance the support and advice provided by the NHS to families of babies admitted to the unit from across the country.  

Paul has completed the cycle before but Meghan will be undertaking the challenge for the first time. He said: “Although I’ve completed Coast 2 Coast a couple of times prior and seen the incredible amounts of money raised for charity, I’ve never had that personal connection with the charity before but this year I’ll be cycling in a totally different headspace.” 

Meghan added: “When I first went into labour, Paul was with two members of the bp Coast 2 Coast committee cycling in Inverness so it seems fitting that we will now cycle together with Paul’s colleagues to help raise funds for the charity that saved Blake’s life. We were naive to the reality of what it felt like to have a baby in the neonatal unit and we were shocked to learn how common this is for families.

“Before Blake was born, we hadn’t realised there are only three centres of excellence in Scotland for babies requiring complex specialist care and people from across the country must travel to come to these centres in Edinburgh, Glasgow or Aberdeen.  

“Now that Blake is out of hospital and doing well, we want to support the charity that gave him life and make sure other parents who find themselves in a similar position can receive the same support we did and go on to experience parenthood like we are now.” 

Emma Coffey, trustee at Simpsons Special Care Babies, said: “We can’t thank Paul and Meghan and the Coast 2 Coast team enough for selecting SSCB as one of the charities to benefit from this year’s fundraising. It’s thanks to supporters like them that our specialised staff can continue to provide care for the 750 families who attend the neonatal unit each year. 

“Voluntary donations and fundraising are crucial for SSCB and this donation will help us purchase new specialist equipment such as the latest video laryngoscopes, which allow our staff to better visualise the airways of extremely small babies when inserting breathing tubes. This improves time, comfort and safety and ultimately helps save lives. 

“We wish all the riders the best of luck and look forward to hearing how they get on.” 

The cycling challenge is 234 miles through Grantown-on-Spey, the Lecht and Aberfeldy over three days from 6 June 2025. Since it was established 16 years ago it has raised more than £2 million for charity. It is open to cyclists of all abilities with everyone covering their own expenses. Each cyclist must raise at least £1,000 and the fundraising is split between four charities: Russell Anderson Foundation, the Teddy Bear Development Playgroup and Murtle Market by Camphill School, as well as Simpsons Special Care Babies. 

To sponsor one of the four Coast 2 Coast charities, you can select your preferred charity by clicking the link below. 

Russell Anderson Foundation 

Murtle Market by Camphill Schools 

Simpsons Special Care Babies 

The Teddy Bear Development Playgroup

Police are becoming concerned for the welfare of 15-year-old missing person Julia Gradecka.

The teenager is currently missing from Dalkeith where she was last seen on Friday 25th April 2025.

She is described as being about 5’9, medium build and has long brown hair.

When last seen she was wearing a black hooded top, black leggings, black and white body warmer, black and white Converse trainers, and was carrying a black and white Adidas back pack.

She is known to frequent Glasgow, Paisley and North Lanarkshire areas as well as Midlothian, Edinburgh and Livingston.

Inspector Simpson from Dalkeith Police Station said “We would be grateful for any information about Julia’s whereabouts as we want to make sure she is safe. If Julia herself sees this appeal, I would ask that she contact us and/or her parents. Any information can be passed to the police via 101 and quoting incident number 3640 25th April.”

Scottish motorsport star David Coulthard will be at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on 25 September re-living his illustrious career in the company of former McLaren colleague Mika Hakkinen.

Discussion topics will include racing in the same era as legends Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher.

Initially rivals competing for Team Lotus and Williams, the pair became team-mates to power McLaren to the 1998 FIA Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship – the last time the Woking-based squad would win the title until last year. 

They will dissect the defining moments from their careers, from the 32 Grands Prix victories they brought McLaren, the sometimes-controversial team orders and even those moments when on-track clashes added to the tension of competing at the pinnacle of world motorsport. They will also share their thoughts on the 2025 season.

Now an F1 commentator, Coulthard’s time at McLaren saw him finish in the top three in the Formula 1 World Championship on five occasions, scoring 12 Grands Prix victories.

In 2005, Coulthard moved to Red Bull Racing, playing a pivotal role in the team’s development and scoring its first podium finish.  By the time he brought his F1 career to a close at the end of 2008 ‘DC’ had become the highest-scoring British driver of all time with 535 World Championship points.

For more info go to:  www.fane.co.uk/mika-david

Prestonfield House Hotel offers free parking for cars and helicopters, signalling immediately that budget travellers aren’t their typical clientele.

Yet on a fine spring day, my guest and I opted for the humble approach: a Lothian bus ride followed by what was meant to be a short walk. Our distinct lack of map-reading skills transformed this into somewhat of an adventure, including getting lost in a wood as we attempted to navigate toward this five-star hotel sitting in view of Arthur’s Seat’s yellow gorse.

Thankfully, a passing dog walker rescued these damsels in distress, guiding us to a shortcut that led to the sweeping drive, at the top of which sits the magnificent Prestonfield House.

Owned by James Thomson, one of Scotland’s most celebrated independent restaurateurs and hoteliers, Prestonfield sits in Edinburgh’s most secret location – nestled amid a housing estate filled with bungalows and architectural curios. Yet somehow, this unexpected setting only enhances its charm.

The estate spans 20 acres of gardens and parkland, with beautiful Highland cows grazing in the field alongside the entrance. Prestonfield promises – and delivers – opulence, theatrical flair, and luxurious seclusion, sheltering guests from the city’s bustle beyond its grounds.

While Edinburgh offers numerous afternoon tea experiences, Prestonfield’s ranks among the finest, matched perfectly by its sumptuous interiors and impeccable service.

We were greeted at the entrance by Raven, the resident hotel cat—a charmingly dishevelled black short-hair—and Colin, the peacock strutting through the gardens displaying his spectacular plumage in full glory.

Stepping inside Prestonfield House feels like entering a scene from Downton Abbey or a Jane Austen novel. Every corner reveals delightful objects and antiques, with rooms elegantly arranged for dining celebrations.

Prestonfield shares a significant historical connection with rhubarb, having been the first estate in Scotland to propagate the plant in the 18th century. This heritage is celebrated in the aptly named “Rhubarb” restaurant, where the plant continues to flourish in the estate’s kitchen garden.

We were shown to what must be one of Rhubarb’s finest tables, overlooking gardens with beautifully coiffed fir trees encased in pyramid-shaped wooden structures and beds of growing rhubarb.

At Prestonfield, excellence lies in the details—from tactile, armed velvet chairs to beautiful white crockery bearing the signature rhubarb design, silver teapots, and even the powder room’s leopard-print chaise lounge.

Alongside delicate finger sandwiches, savouries, scones, and house-baked cakes, we savoured chilled Billecart-Salmon Champagne while selecting from seventeen beautifully described speciality teas, coffees and hot chocolate.

Despite my grandfather’s history working on an Indian tea plantation, I chose the Rose Petal tea—freshly dried rose petals with aromatic Chinese congou black tea and essence of rose – offering subtle floral notes. My companion selected First Flush Darjeeling, often called “The Champagne of teas,” where the most coveted leaves are plucked during the first harvest.

Prestonfield’s afternoon tea achieves perfect balance between savouries, sandwiches, both plain and fruit buttermilk scones with clotted cream and raspberry jam, and exquisite cakes. They’ve thoughtfully created special menus for vegans, vegetarians, and those requiring gluten or dairy-free options—attention to detail that truly sets them apart.

The staff accommodated my fish allergy by replacing the Lapsang souchong-cured sea trout, avocado, and lime curd on sourdough cracker with a vegetarian sun-dried tomato and avocado oatcake with lime purée, garnished with delicate white edible flowers.

While I rarely choose white bread at home, finger sandwiches somehow demand it. No mass-produced loaves here, but beautiful, doughy homemade white bread worthy of Smeaton Farm free-range egg with Caesar mayonnaise. Among the selections, the spring chicken with lemon and spring onion mayonnaise and the pulled Ayrshire ham with Prestonfield rhubarb and honey relish were standouts.

The cakes elevate the experience to extraordinary heights with imaginative Lilliputian morsels of pure delight. Lemon verbena and lime Battenburg, Earl Grey and chocolate orange mousse, rhubarb and cardamom custard tart, and blueberry, lemon and lavender gateau delivered mouthfuls of ecstasy with every bite.

The Last Sip

Sometimes getting lost leads to the most delightful discoveries. From our woodland detour to the final crumbs of those miniature masterpieces, our afternoon at Prestonfield proved that luxury isn’t always about helicopter landings – sometimes it’s about the journey, the company, and those perfect moments of indulgence. As we reluctantly departed, past Highland cows, Raven the grumpy cat and peacock plumes, we agreed that while the £75 price tag for the Champagne service reflects the five-star setting, the memories created in this secluded pocket of Edinburgh elegance were absolutely priceless.

Prestonfield’s Spring Afternoon Tea is available Sunday–Thursday 12-6:45 pm, Friday and Saturday 12-4 pm.
Spring Afternoon Tea £60 per person
Spring Champagne Afternoon Tea £75 per person

https://www.prestonfield.com/

The final touches have now been put to the renovation of the security hall at Edinburgh Airport where all passengers travelling through may now keep liquids and large electricals in their bags.

This has been a multi-million-pound project to install new security scanners, and these are all now in use.

Eight new scanners have been installed, transforming the security hall by adding an additional two lanes. This completely modernises the process thanks to the new technology, which is also in place at other VINCI Airports as part of their approach to innovation.

The £24 million investment will allow passengers to move through security even quicker than they currently do, while also elevating the level of passenger and staff safety due to the use of 3D functionality.

Liquids still need to be 100ml or under but can remain in bags. This means the airport will no longer issue single-use plastic bags, delivering a sustainability benefit through the project.

Michael Hering, Head of Security at Edinburgh Airport said: “This will be welcome news for the millions of passengers who travel through Edinburgh Airport every year, and we’re glad to be able to complete this project and speed up the process.

“We’ve invested almost £24 million to install this cutting-edge technology to improve the overall experience for passengers, and 97% of passengers are already passing through in under 10 minutes.

“It’s also important to note that our high safety levels have been maintained and improved on due to the 3D technology, meaning it is a faster, more secure process in time for peak summer.”

Police are appealing for information following a crash involving a pedestrian and a black BMW 118i Sport car which was being driven on Ashley Terrace, Edinburgh.

The crash happened around 12.30pm yesterday afternoon, Monday, 28 April, 2025.

Emergency services attended and the 80-year-old female pedestrian was taken the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh with serious injuries.

The female driver did not require medical treatment.

The road was closed and re-opened around 5pm.

Sergeant Paul Ewing said: “Our enquiries remain ongoing to establish the full circumstances of this crash, and I would appeal to anyone with any information to please contact police.

“I’m also keen to speak to any drivers who were in the area at the time and may have dash-cam footage which has captured something of significance.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact 101 quoting incident number 1421 of 28 April, 2025.”