Hibs’ long-serving defender Lewis Stevenson wants to finish this season’s league campaign on a high but anticipates a tough game against Celtic at Easter Road this afternoon.

Victory at Pittodrie for the first time in nine years secured third place but Stevenson believes that the club has not had the credit they deserve for this achievement.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the game Stevenson said: “It’s going to be tough. Celtic played well on Wednesday night and the pressure is off them with nothing really to play for, but they still have some top top players.

“We want to finish the league season on a high. It’s been a fantastic season and sometimes I think the team has not had the credit it deserves. Other teams have been talked about and it’s kind of overshadowed our performance but to get into the cup final and finish third for the first time in 16-years shows how far we have come and how well the manager and his staff have done.

“Since he (Jack Ross) has come to the club whether I’ve been playing or not been playing he has been fantastic. I don’t think anyone within the Training Centre has got a bad word to say about him.

“Organisation wise, tactically motivationally, man management he is up there with the best I have worked with. He is a massive part of how much success we have had this season.

“I’ve played in some great teams here and some not so good as well but this team is up there with the best I’ve played with.”

It will be an emotional 90-minutes for Scott Brown, one of Lewis’s former team mates who will play his last game for Celtic after a wonderful career with the Glasgow giants.

Stevenson added: “It’s quite nice that he end his career at Celtic at Easter Road but he’s not retired. I think he will have a few games left in him at Aberdeen. He’s been a fantastic captain and a fantastic person. What he has achieved at Celtic is unbelievable. He was brilliant for me when he was here. He helped me in the changing room and is just a fantastic player. I’ve always had a soft spot, even when he went to Celtic, a rival club,  I’ve always wanted him to do well.

“I think he’s only two or three years older than me but by the time I came through here he had already played about 100 games.

“He must be the most successful Scottish player, winning wise at least since I’ve been playing. He has that switch from being a jokey figure that would do anything for you until he gets on that pitch then he is steely and determined. I’ll congratulate him after the game about how well he has done.

Hibs’ Head Coach Jack Ross has backed Paul Hanlon’s claim for a place in Scotland’s Euro 2020 squad following his consistency of performances for the club this season.

The 31-year-old defender won his one and only cap against the Czech Republic back in October, although he was an unused substitute for a friendly against the Netherlands under interim manager Malky Mackay in 2017.

He was overlooked by the national team boss as the Scots kicked off their World Cup qualifiers last month but he has been a rock in the heart of the Hibs’ defence, helping the club to third place in the table and he is hoping to end the season with another Scottish Cup medal to add to the one he picked up five-years ago which would help to bring him to the attention of Scotland boss Steve Clarke.

Ross said: “Paul earning his cap this season and being involved in the Scotland squad was a well-deserved reward for his performances, not just this season but throughout his time at Hibs. He’s a player that I only really appreciated how good an all-round footballer he is when I get to work with him every day.

“His temperament, attitude and professionalism are outstanding bit just his qualities as a player. He is a really good player and I think his consistency of performance this season on the back of being involved in the national team squad has meant that should any opportunities that arise that he is still very much in the manager’s thought. I think he understands that there are players who are maybe ahead of him at the moment within the squad but maintaining that performance level gives him the best possible chance should it arise.“

Hanlon has put such thought to the back of his mind however and is just determined to end the season in style.

He said: “It’s always been an ambition of mine to play for my country and luckily enough with the form I’ve had this season, it’s brought me that this year. I’m delighted to get that cap and to know that you are in or around the manager’s thoughts. Every player says the same but it is really all about performing well for Hibs and Hibs being successful. That’s a big part of it as well.

“Being part of a successful Hibs team will undoubtedly help my chances so that’s my main focus, to try and finish the season strongly, cement third place and see how far we can go in the cup and if that leads to anything else in terms of international recognition that I’d be absolutely over the moon, but I know first and foremost that I need to be doing it for Hibs.”

Scotland start of the tournament on Monday 14 June against the Czech Republic at Hampden then four days later travel to Wembley to face England. On Tuesday 22 June 2021 they return to Hampden to face Croatia.

The top-two from each group qualify along with the four best third-placed teams.

Stuart Knox and Alex from Edinburgh’s GSA Bathroom Specialists will be on your TV screens at the end of May appearing in Channel 5’s Dream Kitchens and Bathrooms.

The programme is hosted by Mark Millar of DIY SOS fame, and the Edinburgh company who have just finished the tiling at the new Civerino’s in Portobello, features in the fifth episode which will air on 25 May 2021.

The duo set up their business in 2009, and while they have worked together for years, neither of them have ever been on TV before. They are eagerly waiting for their TV debut when their work on three bathrooms in one house is in the spotlight.

The bathroom specialists were approached by the show’s production company who had seen examples of their bathroom makeovers on Instagram. Stuart keeps the firm’s social media up to date and in this instance that paid off handsomely.

The house at Gallolee in Edinburgh which is shown in the programme is owned by Billie Jo Harris (29) and Tarek Hamad (39) who works as a producer in the video game industry. They have lived there for three years, with their 8-year-old daughter, Rhianne, and their five cats.

Tarek and Billie decided that it was time to change the outdated bathrooms which they had inherited when they bought the house.

Billie said: “The main bathroom had an abundance of storage and cupboards that we did not need. There was something wrong with every bathroom – we have a main bathroom, an ensuite and a downstairs shower room.

“I did a lot of research on Facebook and Google and came across GSA Bathrooms and just loved their work. I got in touch with Stuart and from the first he was brilliant to deal with, so helpful and I knew he was the right guy for the job.

“Then Stuart got in contact with us and said that a TV company had asked to film one of his jobs – they needed an exciting project and he suggested us. It was mainly because of the Jacuzzi bath which was made to order for us in Italy. There were some delays in getting that bath here to Edinburgh, and when it arrived it was a lot bigger than we thought it would be, so it was a struggle. Stuart and Alex had to carry it up the stairs and in the middle of doing so they had to cut out a bit of the ceiling to get it in – but of course they repaired the hole.

“At one point I was at the bottom of the stairs and the bath was resting on one guy’s shoulder while they were sorting out the ceiling.

“All of our bathrooms have a monochrome theme – black, grey and white. They are quite neutral, but with lots of different combinations.

“When the crew arrived to film it was really good fun, and an experience that we had never had before. For Stuart and Alex I think it added extra pressure when the guys were working. And of course it was all happening during the pandemic, and so we had to make sure the house was well ventilated and that everyone was socially distanced.

“Filming lasted for a couple of weeks on and off, thankfully not all the time, but as and when they decided they needed some shots.”

And the overall result?

Billie said: “I am overjoyed. It has transformed our bathing experience and our house. It is so comfortable and easy to keep clean, and there is not a single flaw. GSA did a fantastic job. Their attention to detail was everything, and nothing was too much. Stuart and Alex came back and made a change to the downstairs bathroom we asked for when we had used it a few times. They were incredible and so friendly – in fact we are still in touch with them. They have become friends.”

Stuart explained that he is very particular about all the jobs the company does, measuring everything more than once and ensuring that any new sanitary ware will fit in place. In this house the owners wanted to install the jacuzzi bath upstairs, and he explained there were a couple of problems with the bath. One was that it was coming from Italy, the second was it was “pretty big”.

Mark Millar who presents the programme was on set for a day, and Stuart said Mark was pretty concerned about the size of the new bath.

Stuart said: “Mark gave us advice, and he was particularly concerned about the size of the bath, so we taped the footprint out to show him that it would work.

“It did turn out how I expected. I am pretty particular about my jobs but my main concern was getting this bath into the property.

“Five of us had to get it into the bathroom and we had to be quite close

“That wasn’t the only problem – we had to be quite mindful of our language.

“It was a strange experience to have somebody constantly filming our work, and we had about three to four days of filming, along with guys from a number of other trades – tilers, plasterers etc.

“The tilers, KK Tiling from Edinburgh, were under huge pressure as these were pretty rare marble wall tiles. It got to the stage where this was the last tile in the whole UK which was 1200mm by 600mm and luckily it worked.”

This year’s Scottish Cup Final programme is sure to become a collectors’ ‘must have’ for all Hibs and St Johnstone fans.

The official matchday publication of the 2020-21 Scottish Cup Final at Hampden Park on Saturday, 22 May is a spine-bound A4 size commemorative publication available for £6, plus £1.99 post and packaging to a UK address.

There is also a £10 option with free postage which gives you the chance to have your name published within the programme on a Roll of Honour for fans of both sets of clubs. There will also be a donation given to the Scottish Football Partnership Trust, one of the Scottish FA’s charity partners.

The programme is jam packed with features from both teams as Liam Craig and Martin Boyle take you inside the dressing room and give you an insight into their teammates.

Both managers also have their say on the season’s showpiece event as well as other insightful features written by well-known Scottish journalists.

This edition will be posted out first class on Thursday, 20 May, which should allow for delivery before the game. However, this cannot be guaranteed as it is in the hands of the Royal Mail and services vary from region to region.

It can be purchased here:

*Overseas deliveries will incur an increased P&P charge, which will be calculated based on the delivery address provided.

Hibs have confirmed that they will not be distributing the 300 tickets they received for the Scottish Cup final after the Scottish Government confirmed that Glasgow should remain in level 3 lockdown for the next 10-days.

Earlier this week both clubs were given permission to take 300 supporters and Hibs, after keeping 60 for players and staff intended to ballot season ticket holders on Monday.

This will no longer take place and the game will go ahead without fans.

A statement on the club website reads: “Hibernian FC this evening received clarification from the Scottish FA that – owing to the Scottish Government’s decision that Glasgow should remain in Level 3 lockdown for at least the next ten days as a precaution against higher levels of covid 19 infections – the Cup Final on May 22nd must now be played behind closed doors, with no fans present.

“Consequently, the Club is unable to provide any tickets other than for those essential to the playing of the match.”

Police Scotland’s Positive Action Team will be hosting an online information/recruitment event aimed at people from Minority Ethnic communities across Scotland.

This event will give attendees and their families a fantastic opportunity to hear from serving Minority Ethnic officers and their experiences as a police officer in Scotland as well as the opportunity to ask questions.

The event will also focus on the recruitment process and the training, with a unique insight in to life at the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan from a Minority Ethnic perspective.

It will take place on Saturday 5th June 2021 between 10am – 12pm

To sign up, please contact the following email address:

recruitmentpositiveactionteam@scotland.pnn.police.uk

The Scottish Cup final between Hibs and St Johnstone on Saturday 22^nd May is now likely to be played without any fans being present.

The Scottish FA are waiting on clarification from the Government on whether fans will be allowed into Hampden for the game after the First Minister announced today that Glasgow would remain in level three.

Earlier this week it was announced that the number of spectators able to be hosted in the approved areas of the stadium would be 600 in total – 300 per club.

Hibs announced that 60 of these tickets would be allocated to players and staff and the remaining 240 would be allocated via a ballot amongst season ticket holders on Monday 17^th May.

Level three restrictions however are clear that no spectators will be allowed into stadiums and people should not enter a level three area from a level two area.

Michelin-star chef, Tom Kitchin, cooked up a storm at a high-profile Edinburgh development, describing the designer kitchens as ideal for creating home-cooked family meals.

To celebrate local Scottish producers and the reopening of Edinburgh’s lively hospitality scene, Kitchin collaborated with CALA Homes (East) for a cook along at its Boroughmuir development in Bruntsfield.

The Masterchef guest judge regular demonstrated how home cooks could replicate restaurant-quality dishes from home, using local ingredients from his favourite suppliers across the city.

On the menu was Scottish salmon fillet from Welch fishmongers in Newhaven, with peas, lettuce, radish and broad beans.

More than 4,500 users tuned in on Facebook and Instagram to watch the decorated Chef cook live from the show apartment.

Tom is the Chef Proprietor of four businesses across Edinburgh and East Lothian (The Kitchin, The Scran & Scallie, The Bonnie Badger and Southside Scran). Scotland’s youngest winner of a Michelin star, he took the opportunity to thank CALA for helping to shine a light on Edinburgh’s hospitality industry and local suppliers.

He said: “Edinburgh’s hospitality scene is so vibrant with so many ventures going on. For years we were the laughing stock – culinary wise – and now we can showcase some of the world’s best restaurants.

“It’s so different to other cities – it’s the most beautiful – and it’s a city that makes you smile. Each area is so unique.

“The restaurants we have in the Kitchin group are in such different parts of Edinburgh. I love being in The Kitchin in Leith, it has a totally different vibe to the Southside. But the great thing is, regardless where you are, you can get around the whole city so easily.

“I’ve really enjoyed cooking in a CALA kitchen. It has all the modern appliances you need – and is perfect for creating a home-cooked family meal.”

Chef Kitchin gave the show home kitchen, designed by Kitchens International, a grilling at the event, making full use of the integrated Siemens appliances throughout – bringing the meal together on the Siemens induction hob, located on a kitchen island – an ideal setting for entertaining.

Philip Hogg, Sales and Marketing Director with CALA Homes (East), said: “This event was a first for us and it surpassed all of our high expectations – it was an honour to have one of Scotland’s most renowned chefs cook in our kitchens.”

CALA offers buyers a range of homes and apartments across its three Edinburgh developments. Boroughmuir, in the heart of Bruntsfield, Waterfront Plaza in Leith, and The Crescent, located near Haymarket.

To find out about CALA’s developments across Edinburgh, visit https://www.cala.co.uk/edinburgh/

An NHS pay deal which offers an average increase of 4% to NHS staff in Scotland will be immediately implemented after the majority of NHS unions voted to accept it.

The increase covers 16 months, and has been backdated to 1 December 2020 in recognition of an exceptional year of significant pressure for staff. This will be paid as well as the £500 thank you payment for health and social care workers.

The government points out that this is the most generous increase anywhere in the UK, benefiting around 154,000 employees covered by the ‘Agenda for Change’ NHS pay and grading system – including nurses, paramedics and allied health professionals, as well as domestic staff, porters and healthcare support staff plus other front line health workers. Staff should expect to receive the payments, including the backdated uplift, this summer.

Staff on pay bands 1 to 7, which accounts for almost 95% of Agenda for Change staff, will receive at least a 4% pay rise compared to 2020/21. This means that those employees on the lowest Agenda for Change pay point will get a 5.4% increase and those on the highest pay points will receive uplifts of £800.

The UK Government’s submission to the NHS Pay Review body (PRB) provided for a £250 uplift for staff earning less than £24,000 and 1% for all other NHS Agenda for Change staff.  Assuming the Department of Health in England maintains its current position, staff in Scotland will be considerably better off in 2021-22.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am delighted that unions representing a majority of NHS staff have voted to accept our offer of a pay rise of 4% on average. We all rely on the hard work and dedication of NHS Scotland, and never more so than during this pandemic. This pay rise, the biggest pay uplift for NHS staff since devolution recognises the unwavering commitment of NHS Scotland staff.

“If the Department of Health sticks with the offer it has proposed, staff in Scotland will be considerably better off in 2021-22 than their counterparts in England.

“This has been an exceptionally challenging year for our health service and I am delighted that the Scottish Government has been able to recognise the service and dedication of our healthcare staff. On behalf of us all, thank you for all you have done and for all you continue to do.”

Green councillors have called on The City of Edinburgh Council education officers to allow primary-age children to defer for another year, and fully fund nursery spaces due to coronavirus disruption.

Each year a number of families whose children are due to start school before the age of five contact Edinburgh City Council seeking to defer the start of primary school for a year and to secure funding for a further year in a pre-school setting.

Children who are not five until the following January or February automatically get Scottish government funding for a deferred year if they apply, but those whose fifth birthday falls between August and December are funded on a case by case basis by the council.

From 2023, children born from August to December will also be able to get deferred early learning and childcare places funded by the Scottish Government, and some Scottish local authorities are already allowing parents to automatically defer until the following primary school intake year.

However, the council is still only allowing this on a ‘case by case’ basis, and now the city’s Green Party councillors want education chiefs to automatically allow parents to defer, due to the disruption caused to nursery learning over the course of the pandemic.

Cllr Mary Campbell said: “Starting primary school is a huge milestone in a child’s life. Every year councillors get messages from families who are concerned their child is not ready to start school.

“Thanks to the hard work of the Give Them Time campaign, the government has recognised these concerns and, from 2023, will fund children under five who need to stay in nursery an extra year.

“But this does nothing for the families who are worried for their child right now.

“After a difficult year of disrupted learning, and with families struggling to access other services, I felt something needed to be done.

“That is why I brought this proposal to the council education committee.

“I’m calling for the council to immediately fund all families who have already applied for another year of nursery.

“Crucially, I’m also asking that Edinburgh seeks to prepare for the change in 2023 now, so that families most in need of support can take advantage of the new funding.

“I really hope all councillors will get behind this proposal and provide reassurance to these families at this stressful time.”

The Green Party motion will be heard at a meeting of the council’s education committee on Tuesday 18 May 2021. The papers for the Education Committee can be found here.

Transition Edinburgh (TE), the group behind community-led activities and events to promote a climate neutral capital by 2030, is always ready with some advice.

The group suggests that one of the ways to help achieve this goal is through food choices. TE point out that a plant-based diet, using seasonal, locally grown produce as much as possible reduces carbon footprint. And while many people do enjoy meat there are vegetarians who are just as healthy without eating animal protein.

TE suggest these actions:

ACTION: Have more meat free days. Beware of intensively farmed meat. Grass fed Scottish meat is less damaging to the environment.

ACTION: Grow your own local vegetables. You can start really small with a tub of cress on a window sill. Or you can go the whole cabbage in your garden or joining with others in a community growing project.

Online Friday food growing at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) Workshops. Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC) runs a regular food growing educational group with RBGE. Every Friday from 1:30-2:30pm, a RBGE staff addresses themes such as, planning your plot, composting, companion planting, pests and diseases and more. Email cfc@elrec.org.uk to find out more.

Search for “Community Gardens” which will locate local examples. The Field at Duddingston is one example.

Edible Edinburgh covers many aspects of food and growing produce      

https://transitionedinburgh.org.uk/

“We’re putting the recovery first,” was the election slogan all parties could agree on. And now the election is over and the new members of The Scottish Parliament have taken their oath of office, the work has begun. 

The first minister Nicola Sturgeon began the SNP’s fourth term with a further lifting of the Covid restrictions. From Monday, we are allowed to have family and friends around for afternoon tea, not just in the garden but at the kitchen table. Up to six people from three households can mix indoors. We are even being given permission to hug one another.

The virus is in retreat. Daily cases are down to around 200.  Deaths are down to about one a day, taking the overall total to 10,104.  But there are worrying places where case numbers are still too high, notably in Morayshire and in Glasgow Southside.  We have also recorded 30 cases of the new Indian variant.  The test and protect officers and the scientists are swooping in to try to contain these outbreaks and stamp out any resurgence of the virus.

The “recovery” is now more about the economy than anything else. And this week the talking point has been the two-metre distancing rule.  Pubs, restaurants, hotels, cinemas, theatres are reduced to 20 per capacity because of the rule, making it unviable for many of them to re-open.  Schools have already abandoned the rule and the government is having to think again.

There’s certainly a lot to recover from. The Scottish economy reduced last year by 9.6 per cent.  1,200 retail stores closed. The licensed trade reckons its workforce will fall by 10 per cent this year.  This week we got a warning that the iconic McVitie biscuit factory in the east end of Glasgow may close, with the loss of nearly 500 jobs.  The official unemployment figure of 4.4 per cent hides the impending jobs crisis with over 300,000 workers being supported by the UK Government’s furlough scheme, but only till October.    

It’s true that Boris Johnson included some measures in The Queen’s Speech on Tuesday which will help the Scottish economy recover – a few hundred million pounds for skills training, social and environmental projects. But it is hardly on the scale of a New Deal and the rhetoric of the speech was all about preserving the “most successful political and economic union in history.” 

Indeed in the immediate aftermath of the SNP’s victory, the Prime Minister promised there would be a new spirit of partnership with the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  But it’s hard to see how this will work, given that the elections in England signalled that it is heading in a very different political direction to Scotland, pro-Brexit and pro-Tory. 

The SNP of course don’t have an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament. With 64 MSPs, they are just one short.  This led to a curious situation at Holyrood on Thursday when none the parties wanted to lose a voting member by putting up a candidate for Presiding Officer.  The stalemate was finally broken by the Greens agreeing to let one of their 8 MSPs take the job. So Alison Johnstone was duly elected, by 97 votes to 28. She was the sole nominee.

As that election was taking place, an extraordinary street-scene was being played out in Nicola Sturgeon’s Southside constituency in Glasgow.  UK immigration officers swooped on a block of flats and detained two men, locking them into the back of a van.  It prompted a protest by hundreds of people who surrounded the van, one protestor lying down beneath it, preventing it from moving. Police were called and, for most of the day, there was an uneasy standoff, with the crowd chanting: “Let our neighbours go.”  Finally, the two men were released into the care of their lawyer, Aamer Anwar.

Ms Sturgeon said afterwards that the action by UK immigration officers was unacceptable. “To act in this way, in the heart of a Muslim community as they celebrated Eid, and in an area experiencing a Covid outbreak, was a health and safety risk.”  

It was another example of the misunderstandings that the UK government seems to have about Scotland. As one of the placards being waved during the street protest said: “Scotland welcomes refugees.”

Indeed we need immigrants all kinds, especially after our exit from the European Union.  We’ve heard in recent days from the tourism and fruit-farming industries that one of the major the obstacles to the recovery is a shortage of migrant staff.

As to recovery of a different kind, in our natural resources, a report out this week from The Scottish Government found that 78 per cent of plants, animals, insects in so-called protected areas are in “a good condition or on the road to recovery.”  However, on closer inspection, you find that a third of the trees, a third of the birds and almost half of the marine mammals are not in a good condition.  The reasons are over-grazing, invasive species and, most of all, climate change. 

And we all know what we must do about that.

The EdinTravel team at The City of Edinburgh Council has produced the list of where you are likely to encounter diversions delays and temporary traffic lights next week.

If you need up to date travel news then follow them on Twitter here.

And if you encounter any delays or roadworks not on the list then you are asked to get in touch with them.

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The latest figures detailing the number of people diagnosed with Covid-19 in the 24 hours to 14 May 2021 in Scotland are shown below, although it should be noted that for the second time this month the figures from the UK Government testing sites may be under-reported. The figures will be amended by tomorrow.

For a few weeks now it has been expected that on 17 May 2021 Scotland will move into Level Two allowing people to meet indoors in small groups with a proposed further move to Level 0 on 7 June 2021. The First Minister confirmed that for most parts of the country this is the case, except for Moray where the incidence of new cases is four times higher than elsewhere in Scotland. The incidence is 23 new cases per 100,000 of population across most of Scotland. There is also now a rise in numbers in Glasgow which is causing concern.

Level Two restrictions means that groups of eight people from up to eight households can meet outdoors, and people can meet in each other’s homes including for overnight stays. Up to six people from three households can meet indoors from Monday 17 May.

International travel will be allowed from Monday 17 May on the basis of a traffic light system, but the First Minister urges caution and staycationing. Those entering from red list countries must go to a quarantine hotel. From tomorrow Turkey Malidves and Nepa will be included on that . Those on the amber list must self isolate at home and take two PCR tests.

Those entering from the green list must also take a PCR test. The green list is the same as the rest of the UK, allowing a four nations approach. The countries include Australia, Brunei, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Iceland, Israel and Jerusalem, New Zealand, Portugal (And Azores and Madeira), Singapore, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, ascension and Tristan de Cunha.

Portugal has since said it is not admitting anyone from outside the EU – which includes anyone from the UK.

As at 9 May, 10,104 deaths have been registered in Scotland where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, according to statistics published by National Records of Scotland (NRS) on Wednesday.

In the week 3 May – 9 May, seven deaths were registered that mentioned COVID-19 on the death certificate, a decrease of 12 deaths from the previous week.

You can also see the latest numbers laid out visually on the Travelling Tabby website here. It is updated at 3pm daily.

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Edinburgh City fans can now order their copy of Sons View, the Dumbarton FC’s official matchday programme, for the Playoff Final second leg on Thursday, May 20.

The programme carries a little bit of history, as it will be the first ever produced for a meeting between Sons and the capital club.

Orders should be emailed to Tommy Hughes at tommyhughes@blueyonder.co.uk stating your name, address and number of programmes you require for each game.

Payment should be made via Paypal to Tommy at tommyhughes@blueyonder.co.uk using friends and family, this will avoid fees.

Alternatively post your order to:

Sons View Order

Dumbarton Football Club

C&G Systems Stadium

Castle Road

Dumbarton

G82 1JJ

All programmes are sent in a hardbacked envelope and cost £2.50 each plus the following postage:

1 copy – £1.90

2 copies – £2.15

3 copies – £2.40

Adding 25p per additional programme if you are ordering more than three.

A team of amateur footballers from an east Edinburgh neighbourhood are seeking a permanent place to call home and are asking the council for help.

The Bingham Athletic Football Club has submitted a bid to The City of Edinburgh Council to take over the lease of the Bingham Pavilion, and are crossing their fingers for a positive result next week.

The Pavillion’s lease is currently held by a private club who have refused to share the facility with the local Bingham lads. But the Bingham team believe that people from the local area should have access to and ownership of this local resource.

 Team manager Reece Taylor said: “The team currently has no access to the Pavilion as the lease is exclusively held by a private football club which charges fees to join. That means we have had to lead quite a nomadic and precarious existence, practising in places that just aren’t fit for purpose.

“As most people know, Bingham is one of the most deprived areas in Scotland, so it isn’t an option for most of these lads to pay membership fees or travel further afield to other areas. By gaining permanent access to the Pavillion, the group will have the opportunity to practice in a proper area and play games which friends, family and the local community can actually attend.”

 “The club is being supported by the Scottish charity Community Renewal who have been active in the area since 2016.

Staff member Cris Thacker explains more: “Everything we do in the neighbourhood starts with listening to what the community of Bingham, Magdalene and The Hays want for their area and then supporting them to achieve those aspirations themselves. We have been working closely with the football club and have assisted them in writing the bid. We will also provide ongoing support, should their bid be successful.”

The bid has also received a massive show of support from Scottish international footballer and former local lad, Mark Mcnulty who added:  “As a budding footballer growing up in Bingham, I know how important it is to have something that is accessible, so, I fully support the bid. I hope that maybe some of these young guys can go on to have the career I have enjoyed.”

 Reece, Cris and all the team now have their fingers crossed that the tender will be awarded in their favour.

Rangers FC’s Steven Gerrard has been announced as the 2020/21 Scottish Premiership Glen’s Manager of the Season.

Rangers who remain undefeated in the 2020/21 season crossed the finishing line early – more than two months ago.

Gerrard’s men are now only one game away from being declared league ‘Invincibles’, with only Aberdeen standing in their way as the clubs go head-to-head for the final time tomorrow.

Colin Matthews, CEO of Glen’s owner the Loch Lomond Group, said:“You can in no way, shape or form, fail to be impressed with Rangers this season. Ever since the first game against Aberdeen back in August, you could tell Rangers were a force to be reckoned with. Steven Gerrard has done an outstanding job and fully deserves the Glen’s Manager of the Season award. Congratulations to him, his colleagues and his squad, who I am sure are all bursting to lift the Premiership trophy tomorrow.”

Gerrard said: “I am delighted to receive this award on behalf of my coaching staff and back room team. Our relentless pursuit of success has ensured we have achieved our 55th league title for Rangers. It is a privilege to manage this 150 year old institution and I know how much this title win means to our fans across the world. I am grateful for the support I’ve received from the board, particularly our Chairman. I believe we have much more work to do, and success can come again, if we continue to strive for better.”

Hibs today confirmed its decision on the allocation of 300 tickets for the Scottish Cup Final on May 22nd.

There will be an allocation of 60 tickets for players and staff so that their families can be in attendance to watch them participate in a National Cup Final.

All of the remaining tickets will all be distributed to Season Ticket Holders by ballot.

A proportion of these will be for hospitality season ticket members, and these will also be distributed by ballot.

Greg McEwan, Interim Chief Executive of Hibernian FC said: “We wish all of our supporters, and in particular the season ticket holders who have given us such amazing backing this season, could be with us on May 22nd.

“Unfortunately, the allocation agreed is small.

“We felt it fair to allocate tickets to the playing squad who have performed throughout the season, for family members to see them play in the final, and all of the rest are going to season ticket holders.

“We know that many will feel disappointed, and for that we are sorry, however we are sure supporters will understand the situation.

“Everyone at the Club, Jack and his staff, the players, all of us, will be doing our best to bring the Cup back to Easter Road as the best way to reward the amazing loyalty and support we have been shown.

“Good luck to everyone in the ballot.”

Season ticket holders will be invited to apply for a ticket through the ballot and more information on this process will be issued by email to season ticket holders as well as posted on the club website.

The ballot process will open on Monday 17th May.

Gloucestershire Constabulary is appealing for help to locate a boy who has been reported missing since leaving an address in Chipping Campden.

Concern is growing for the welfare of Jack Langhorn, 15, who was last seen leaving an address on Porter Close on Sunday, 2 May, 2021 at 8.30pm.

It is believed Jack travelled to Cumbria and then on to Scotland and is now in Edinburgh, possibly in the Leith area of the city.

Jack is thought to be travelling on public transport and on foot.

He is described as being of a pale white complexion, 5ft 8ins tall, with short red hair, and of a slim build.

When last seen Jack was wearing a black woolly beanie hat with a white motif on the front, black body warmer, grey top, and dark tracksuit bottoms.

Police are appealing for anyone who has seen him or knows of his whereabouts to call Gloucestershire Constabulary on 101 and quote incident 396 of 2 May.

Art Walk Porty events are taking place in May.

‘Assemble 1’ series of events:

Saturday 15 and Saturday 22 May: ‘Peripheri’ a two-part walk exploring the undefined areas that mark out the edges of the city, linking Portobello with Wardie Bay and Granton, merging place, materials and the act of walking, led by artist, Stephanie Whitelaw. 

Sunday 23 May, 11am: ‘Walksy’ walking app launch with walk led by Art Walk’s founder, Rosy Naylor, exploring the post industrial and changing environments around Western Portobello, Fishwives Causeway, Figgate Park and Baileyfield. Meet at The Kilns.

Sunday 23 May, 3pm: ’The Neighbouring Orchard’ online event with artist Annie Lord as part of the Urban Tree Festival. Join Annie to hear about how the orchard has evolved, and how this year’s 120 or so planted trees are growing across Portobello, Craigmillar and Musselburgh, all based on varieties of apples once grown in historical orchards across this part of Eastern Edinburgh.

Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 and Saturday 29/Sunday 30 May: 11am to 4pm: Residency artist, Jenny Pope, creates an installation for inside one of the two remaining bottle kilns, as part of her ongoing ‘Material Land’ residency, which will focus on the physical labour of firing and operating the kiln as part of this new installation. The usually closed kiln will be open to the public over these two weekends, with accompanying talk from Jenny on Saturday 29 May, 2pm.

More information here: www.artwalkporty.co.uk

Hibs’ Scottish Cup final opponents St Johnstone are facing an ongoing situation with Covid-19 and the self-isolation process.

The team meet Livingston on Saturday with a European place at stake then travel to Hampden seven days later to face Jack Ross’s men.

Scott Boyd, Head of Football Operations said: “The Football Club can today confirm that we face an ongoing situation with Covid-19 and the self-isolation process.

“We are in constant dialogue with the SFA and the Scottish Government about this current situation.

“As always, the health and wellbeing of everyone at the Football Club will be our priority.

“On a positive note, we are delighted to welcome back a number of our senior players into the group and they will be available for selection against Livingston on Saturday.

“We will keep our supporters updated if we need to share further information.

“Callum and the players will now focus on Saturday’s vital game and we also look forward to the Scottish Cup Final.”

Today is the last chance for Hibs’ fans to take advantage of the club’s six-month Direct Debit payment option to buy a season ticket.

Almost 6,000 people have already done just that in the space of less than four weeks, ranging from those who have renewed their season tickets at Easter Road to those who have bought theirs for the first time.

Season ticket sales will be suspended from 3pm today for a short time to allow this change to be made.

That will then be replaced with a four month Direct Debit option available to supporters renewing before 15th June.

Fans opting for this method of payment, will receive an official confirmation that their Direct Debit instruction has been set up by email within three working days.

They will receive at least 10 working days’ notice in advance of your account being debited.

The company name that will appear on their bank statement will be BPS Re Hibernian Football Club.

Direct Debit payments for the six instalment option will be taken on Friday 28th May, Monday 28th June, Wednesday 28th July, Monday 30th August, Tuesday 28th September and Thursday 28th October.

The four instalment option payments will be due to be taken on Monday 28th June, Wednesday 28th July, Monday 30th August and Tuesday 28th September.

The North Bridge was identified as needing some repair in 2014. That is why there has been a net underneath the A listed structure since then, with loose material removed from the underside.

In 2017/18 engineering firm Balfour Beatty were appointed to assess what needed to be done in a scoping exercise, and were later awarded the contract to refurbish the structure which carries traffic and people over the Waverley Valley and links the Edinburgh World Heritage Site of the Old and New Towns.

The last time the bridge was repaired was in 1933 when the concrete deck which still exists was put in place.

Balfour Beatty have released some photos showing the progress they are making behind the hoarding which obscures it from view.

The steel girder bridge was constructed between 1894 and 1897 by Sir William Arrol who built the Forth Bridge, and replaced a masonry bridge north of the valley allowing development of the New Town.

The works conducted have been considerable, including removing all redundant utility pipes and restoring the King’s Own Scottish Borderers War Memorial located on the east plinth of the south pier.

The bridge will be completely restored and maintained for current and future generations by the time the work is complete in 2023. The project team has inspected sections of the bridge not seen since it was constructed over a century ago. Some more work has been uncovered than first anticipated, meaning the repair project is also more extensive.

The works to North Bridge include

• repairing, grit blasting and repainting structural steelwork
• repairing, grit blasting and repainting cast iron façades
• repairing the underside of the bridge’s concrete deck and installing corrosion monitoring
• repairing and improving to the footway paving and underdrainage
• repairing the waterproofing membrane and carriageway
• improving the structural drainage systems
• replacing the steel secondary structures over the abutments and piers with reinforced concrete slabs
• removing all redundant utility pipes and ducts and rationalising those services that remain
• replacing expansion joints
• restoring and repairing the King’s Own Scottish Borderers War Memorial located on the east plinth of the bridge’s south pier
• installing & improving access provisions for future inspection and minor maintenance
• all temporary scaffolding required to access the structure.

Macduff and Inverarity Morton are two of the best known names in food and drink. Now they have announced that they are both going to open retail shops for the first time at the Bonnie & Wild Food Hall at St James Quarter.

Macduff sell the best of Scottish meat, and Inverarity Morton the best in alcohol. Both firms are drawn to the new set up by its commitment to sustainability, local sourcing and quality.

MacDuff 1890, which traces its origins back to the year 1890, supplies premium quality beef, lamb and pork to butchers, chefs and caterers across the UK and overseas. The Wishaw-based business sources from a small network of quality assured family-run farms, and counts some of Scotland’s best-known chefs and restaurants among its customers, including chefs Scott Smith at Fhior, Roberta Hall at The Little Chartroom, Fred Berkmiller at l’escargot bleu, Stuart Ralston at Noto and Aizle, and Neil Forbes at Café St Honoré. 

Andrew Duff, Managing Director of MacDuff 1890, said: “The farms we source from are among the finest in the country. The knowledge of animal welfare and rearing is best-in-class, meaning these animals have the best quality of life possible, while providing produce of the highest quality and complete traceability from farm to plate. 

“Bonnie & Wild and MacDuff 1890 share similar commitments to quality, sustainability and provenance, and it’s these shared values that have encouraged MacDuff 1890 to make the leap into launching its first retail venture, something we have been considering due to demand from Edinburgh residents and restaurants. To go in alongside our close friend and customer Peter McKenna at The Gannet is very fitting. I’m excited that MacDuff 1890 will be a key element of this ambitious Food Hall.”

“Bonnie & Wild and MacDuff 1890 share similar commitments to quality, sustainability and provenance, and it’s these shared values that have encouraged MacDuff 1890 to make the leap into launching its first retail venture, something we have been considering due to demand from Edinburgh residents and restaurants. To go in alongside our close friend and customer Peter McKenna at The Gannet is very fitting. I’m excited that MacDuff 1890 will be a key element of this ambitious Food Hall.”

Inverarity Morton, which today began advertising for a Manager for its new retail concept, is Scotland’s leading independent wines and spirits merchant and is renowned for supplying the on-trade across the country. The Bonnie & Wild bottleshop will be Inverarity Morton’s first foray into retail in the capital. 

Sales Director Steve Annand said: “We all know how difficult the past 15 months have been for the hospitality sector but it’s uplifting to see renewed confidence now emanating, albeit cautiously, from colleagues in the trade. Bonnie & Wild’s exciting Scottish Food Hall in the heart of Edinburgh has definitely got people talking about getting back out to licensed premises to meet friends and family and enjoy the best food, drink and hospitality Scotland has to offer.

“We desperately wanted Inverarity Morton to be a key part of Bonnie & Wild since the idea was first mooted, both as a supplier and as a concessionaire partner by way of the Inverarity Morton bottle shop. Like Bonnie & Wild, and indeed every business taking a space in the venue, we are committed to sourcing from producers who are passionate about the quality of their product, whether it’s a craft spirit producer, a family owned vineyard or a well established distillery.”

These two are the latest additions to the newest Food Hall in town, Bonnie & Wild, which will open on 24 June 2021 at St James Quarter.

James Withers, Scotland Food & Drink Chief Executive, said: “There is a lot of excitement about the Bonnie & Wild Food Hall. As Scotland’s hospitality and retail sector recovers from the pandemic, this will be a fantastic, new opportunity to showcase Scotland’s food and drink industry right in the heart of the capital. It is great to see another two businesses becoming partners, and it will be producers and suppliers who are passionate about what they do that will bring such character and quality to the Food Hall. 

“After a tough year, this is yet another sign that Scotland’s food, drink and hospitality sector has reasons to be very hopeful and excited for what lies ahead.”

Following an increase in antisocial behaviour at Ocean Terminal recently, local police officers will be carrying out focused patrols in the area.

Community Inspector Colin Fordyce of Craigmillar Police Station said: “We’ve seen an increase in antisocial behaviour incidents at Ocean Terminal recently involving groups of youths.

“One of our priorities in Edinburgh is dealing with disorder and antisocial behaviour. We will be focusing our patrols in and around Ocean Terminal to tackle the issue with a zero tolerance approach. Enforcement action will be taken if anyone is identified as being involved in any criminal behaviour.

“Our local residents and businesses have had a tough enough time recently, and it’s not acceptable for them to have to put up with the reckless behaviour of a small minority of youths intent on causing trouble.

“I ask that all parents and carers speak with their children and young people about the impact that antisocial behaviour has on others. If you see any criminality in the area, call 101, or 999 in an emergency to help us hold offenders to account. Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Edinburgh City have announced that no fans will be allowed into Ainslie Park for the Play Off final first leg against Jim Duffy’s Dumbarton on Monday night.

The game will be shown live on BBC ALBA.

The news was announced in a statement on the club’s website which read: “Yesterday we advised that we were awaiting guidance on whether it would be possible to have fans at Ainslie Park for our Play Off final first leg against Dumbarton on Monday night.

“Having now received advice and clarification from all the relevant authorities we are disappointed to confirm that based on the requirements for social distancing, it will not be possible to allow fans back in for this match. We have worked as hard as we can to assess the feasibility however logistically, given the requirements for social distancing and for green, amber and red zones, there is no safe way that Ainslie Park can be configured to allow supporters into Monday’s match. We thank Spartans Community Academy, as well as the Joint Response Group, Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government for their advice and assistance.

“We appreciate this is not the news our fans would be hoping for; however, the match will be shown live on BBC Alba kick off at 7:35pmand will be available on our streaming channel www.ecfctv.com with free access for our season ticket holders.”

“As restrictions continue to ease, we look forward to welcoming our fans back next season.”

The Scottish Government has today confirmed that a two metre physical distancing configuration must be used during the Scottish Cup final, not the 1.5m configuration that will be in operation for UEFA EURO 2020.

At two metre physical distancing, the number of spectators able to be hosted in the approved areas of the stadium reduces to 600 in total – 300 per club.

The SFA have notified both finalists, Hibs and St Johnstone and while the number is less than anticipated they look forward to a limited number of fans attending the cup final. 

Hibs issued a statement in the club website: “Hibernian FC today confirmed that approval granted by the Scottish Government means up to 300 Hibernian fans will be able to attend the Scottish Cup Final on May 22nd.

“The Club is considering the fairest and best way to distribute the tickets and will let supporters know tomorrow.

“Thank you for your patience.”

The Edinburgh Short Film Festival (ESFF), postponed from last year,will be one of the first film festivals to screen live in cinemas in the UK this year.

During the first weekend of June there will be twoprogrammes per day starting at 5.00pm and 7:30pm at Summerhall.

A spokesperson for the organisers said: “We’re thrilled to bring a programme of outstanding short cinema, award winning short films including Academy Award nominees, award winners at SXSW and Palme D’Or nominees, BAFTA winners and many other outstanding short films from home and across the globe.

“the festival will feature films ranging from Cambodian Drama and documentary from Sierra Leone to Slovenian Animation, Ukrainian drama, Scottish comedy and everything in between.”

The postponed 2020 ESFF runs from Friday 4 June to Sunday 6 June 2021 and is your one chance to see one of the strongest short film programmes in the UK.

Tickets are scarce and only available online.

ESFF JUNE TICKETS here

Scottish Green MSP for Lothian, Alison Johnstone, has been named Presiding Officer this afternoon at The Scottish Parliament.

Scottish Greens co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater said:“We congratulate Alison Johnstone on her election, and we are confident that she will be an even-handed moderator as Parliament addresses the pressing challenges that Scotland faces over the next five years.”

Only one nomination was received.

The Edinburgh Reporter offers our most sincere congratulations to Ms Johnstone.

She said: “I am very proud to be in this position. For those of you who don’t know I joined Scotland Forward in the late nineties. It is such a very important place for me. I then took a job with Robin Harper and it has been an absolute privilege to be a Green MSP over the years.

“Here today I have been afforded a great opportunity and a great privilege. We face various challenges. We are just coming out of the pandemic and it is a challenging time for us all. It is the duty of parliament to make sure that everyone in Scotland has the best lives they can. I want to encourage a culture of open debate.

She mentioned that there are more women, some disabled people and more from all sorts of backgrounds in the Holyrood Chamber. But she said: “I think we need to get to a point where we mirror those in our streets and our neighbourhoods.”

Dovecot Studios has announced a Wedding Open Day for couples to meet handpicked suppliers and realise their wedding dreams and explore the former Victorian Bathhouse turned Tapestry Studio.

Dovecot Studios is a unique and inspiring wedding venue for those looking for something a bit different. A former Victorian Bathhouse, and currently one of the few operating tapestry studios in Scotland, Dovecot is an exclusive hire venue with a maximum of 12 events being held on the Weaving Floor each year.

Located in the heart of Edinburgh’s historic Old Town, Dovecot Studios is a landmark centre for contemporary art, craft and design, and a venue unlike any other.

The incredible historic building may serve as your inspiration to further decorate to your taste. On the day a selection of handpicked suppliers will be on hand to help you realise your wedding dreams.

From their larger spaces such as the Weaving Floor and Viewing Balcony, to a selection of more intimate spaces of The Meeting Room and Ladies Baths they have a wide variety of spaces to accommodate your special day.

The Wedding Open Day will have various safety measures in place including timed entry, a one-way system, sanitising stations, and the use of face-coverings.

Wedding Open Day
Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh
Saturday 19 June – Sun 20 June 2021
10am – 5pm

Images courtesy of Dovecot Studios