The East of Scotland women’s over-50 padel team excelled by reaching the semi-finals of the UK inter-county championships in Bristol.

Captained by Desni McIntosh the team topped their group then overcame Wiltshire in the quarter final.

A semi-final match against eventual winners Surrey proved a bridge too far for the East but with 20 teams competing a marker had certainly been laid down for future attempts.

Besides Desni McIntosh there was also a Scotland cap for Ashley Mears at the Home Nations over-50 Padel Championships earlier this year, finishing runners-up to Ireland.

The East team – left to right – Ashley Mears, Fiona Livingston, Desni McIntosh, Juliet Shaw and Mhairi Wrench.

Just eight months after being founded Dalkeith Pétanque Club have realised a dream to visit a heartland of the sport in South West France and consolidate links with the Midlothian town’s Jarnac “twin”.

A group from the club, who operate adjacent to Dalkeith Bowling Club, will travel to the Burgundy region on 31 May and take part in matches and competitions with the Jarnac club which has an astonishing 70 pistes and 240 players as well as Angouleme.

While the Dalkeith club is much smaller by comparison they have moved quickly to become established thanks largely to chair-person, Sandy Howden.

When Sandy got the bug for pétanque, also known as French boule, he successfully petitioned local councillors to release funding from a local Environment Fund with the help of an eight page brochure he compiled as a first step towards creating a £14,000 piste.

Also, he is the architect of a nine team Lothian and Borders League which got underway recently.

The Edinburgh Reporter noted in December it was a dream of club members to visit Jarnac but things have happened quickly.

Sandy said: “Out-of-the-blue a formal invitation to visit arrived which was too good to turn down even at short notice.

“We are also hoping to return in August when the formal twinning arrangement involving Dalkeith and Jarnac is celebrated.

“Our club is going from strength to strength with 49 members including 19 women and there are military veterans that play three times each week.

“We are grateful to the bowling club for their support and take pride in contributing to local charities including Dalkeith Museum which recently lost funding.

“In addition to playing pétanque our hosts have arranged a bus tour of the region and barbecues for us while visiting.”

We’ve just had a week of gloriously sunny weather.

On Wednesday, the Deeside town of Aboyne recorded a temperature of 24.4C, making it the hottest day of the year so far.  Of course, it didn’t last and Thursday was decidedly cooler.  That’s the trouble with climate change, it’s changeable, which makes us doubt it’s happening at all, or at least that we don’t need to do much about it. 

But science is relentless. This week the Independent Committee on Climate Change declared that our preparations for the effects of droughts and floods and storms was “too slow, or stalled, or heading in the wrong direction.”  We’ve fallen into a slough of despair on climate, rowing back on our commitments to cut carbon emissions. It’s all too difficult.

The Scottish Government has given up its annual target on cutting greenhouse gases. It followed England in postponing the switch to electric cars and household boilers. It’s cut its tree-planting programme. It’s dropped its “presumption” against new oil and gas developments. An opinion poll among SNP voters has found that 52 per cent would like to see the party drop its opposition to nuclear power, such is the growing doubt about renewables.

Even conservation groups are losing heart in the switch to wind and wave. This week five of them, including the RSPB and The National Trust, have spoken out against plans for a large wind-farm (307 turbines) off the Berwickshire coast. They say thousands of seabirds would be killed by flying into the turning blades.

Yet the evidence is mounting that climate change is coming to Scotland. Last month’s wild fire on the Island of Arran destroyed 15,000 newly planted trees, just one of over 100 wild fires reported to the fire service. This week, we’ve had unusually warm spring weather and we’ve had mosquitos found as far north as Shetland for the first time.

You would think that climate fear may have persuaded us that the ending of oil refining at Grangemouth this week was a welcome step along the “transition”  from fossil fuels to renewables. You would think that both governments would be ready with a plan to convert the site into the promised “renewables hub”. But so far Project Willow has only outlined nine possible ideas – including hydrogen production, and clean aviation fuel – and they’ve had tentative inquiries from only 66 firms.  None of these will be ready for the 400 workers who will be laid off over the next year. Both governments, of course, are blaming each other.

Last month, I thought the culture war between sex and gender was over with the ruling from the Supreme Court that sex meant biological sex not chosen gender.  Since then though, we’ve had interim guidance from the Equality Commission that trans-women should not be allowed into female toilets and changing rooms, causing schools, hospitals, sports clubs, restaurants etc to wonder how they should provide for trans-women. 

The Green MSP Maggie Chapman landed herself in trouble when she hit back at The Supreme Court, accusing it of “bigotry, prejudice and hatred.” She was very nearly expelled from the parliament’s equalities committee but was saved by the three SNP members.

The battle of the sexes took a delightful turn when it was announced that the Glenurquhart Highland Games this summer will stage “the first ever heavy events” for women, including throwing the weight, hammer and shot and tossing the caber.  The Royal Highland Games Association may be disputing that “first ever” claim, since it ran women’s heavy events at Airth last summer. But clearly the traditional belief that only a biological man can toss a caber is being overtaken by events.

A couple of woman from England, Miriam Payne and Jess Rowe, have just set out to row across the Pacific Ocean from Peru to Australia.  But I wonder if it’s bigoted or prejudiced to wonder if they will be overtaken by three brothers from Edinburgh who have embarked on the same journey. Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean hope to complete the voyage in 120 days, arriving in Sydney at the beginning of August.  Both teams are completely unsupported, carrying their own supplies and catching what they can on the way, including rain-water. 

The Maclean brothers are raising funds for clean water projects in Madagascar, an island often devastated by droughts and floods. There is no doubt in countries like Madagascar that climate change is under way and that we in the west should be doing more about it.  

Scotland’s top bluebell woods are peaking up to a fortnight earlier than usual this year thanks to the sunny weather.

Spectacular carpets of the violet-blue flowers – dubbed “nature’s fireworks” – are already appearing across the central belt.

Experts expect sites further north to peak early in the coming days rather than mid May onwards, if the trend continues.

Conservation charity Woodland Trust Scotland said prolonged sun may have triggered “peak bluebell” between a week and two weeks earlier than usual in some places.

Trust spokesman George Anderson said: “Scotland’s bluebells usually peak around the middle of May, with southern sites a little earlier and northern ones a wee bit later. But this year we are seeing the flowers romp ahead of their usual timetable.

“Prolonged spells of sunny weather may have been the trigger but we don’t know for sure. It looks like things are running at least a week earlier than usual and perhaps even a fortnight in some places.”

Scotland’s bluebells provide one of nature’s most spectacular events, with their appearance across the country credited with giving people a mental health boost.

Woodland Trust Scotland, which cares for over 8000 hectares of land in Scotland, said bluebell woods were “there to be enjoyed by all”.

But they urged people to look after displays and not trample on the sensitive plants in search of selfies and picture perfect picnic spots.

The charity warned that going off paths to pose for photos among the delicate flowers could cause entire colonies to die out and threaten displays for future years. It can take up to seven years for a trampled area to recover.

Mr Anderson added: “The sights, sounds and smells of a bluebell wood never fail to lift the spirits. We urge everyone to enjoy them without threatening their future, and that means staying on paths to avoid trampling them.

“The plants must pack a lot of work into a very short few weeks and it can be catastrophic for them to be crushed or trampled now. So, we ask everyone enjoying bluebells to keep to existing paths and leave them to do their glorious thing undisturbed.

“Don’t wade into the blossoms to take a photo and don’t stand among the plants to have your photo taken. Keep dogs on paths too and let them run around somewhere else while the bluebells are out.”

Bluebells — also known as wild hyacinths — thrive in old broad-leaved woodlands where trees are far enough apart to allow light to reach the ground.

The iconic blue-purple flowers traditionally begin blooming in the warmer south and spread north as the season progresses.

Around half of all bluebells in the world are found in the UK and Scotland’s native species (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) is protected.

Because they are strongly associated with ancient woodland, carpets of bluebells in a wood are likely to signify the wood is also ancient.

Spanish bluebells also flower at this time of year but are simple to differentiate from native species. The Spanish bluebell is more upright with flowers on both sides of the stem, while the British bluebell leans over, weighed down by its flowers all on one side.

In Scotland, the harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) is also referred to by many people as the “Scottish bluebell”.

Craig Halkett described the 3-1 victory over Ross County at Dingwall as “a massive win”.

The defender admitted to Hearts TV that it has been a tough week for everybody involved with the club and the 29-year-old added: “Everyone will be honest enough to say that the season has not been anywhere near what we had hoped.

“Today (Saturday) was an important win. We knew, coming up here (to Dingwall), it would not be easy. The boys have trained well all week and the boys dug in deep. We started well, found ourselves a goal behind. We showed great character, scored some goals and got three points.

“It was important. We had a good number of fans who came up and we put on a good performance and made sure we won the game.”

He admitted that not making the top six in the William Hill Premiership was disappointing and “hugely frustrating” for everyone, but added: “We want to finish the season as high as we can and look forward to next season.”

PICTURE: Craig Halkett (left) in training   

Edinburgh 24 Bath 39

This monumental fixture was made all the better for both teams as they fought for their first final in over ten years.

The two teams opened the game with good intensity, but Edinburgh did well to repel any Bath efforts. Bath seemed to lack accuracy for the first half and did not look like themselves in the early stages.

Harry Paterson unfortunately exited the field early in the first half for a HIA, which he failed. This is concerning for Paterson as this will be his second head injury this season.

Cameron Redpath then luckily avoided ten minutes on the sidelines after a big hit on Hamish Watson in the fifth minute.

The first real scoring opportunity came from an excellent break by Ali Price who stormed past Russell. After an unlucky kick of the ball he failed to regather it.

Edinburgh had the chance to to put themselves in the lead just six minutes in but a lapse in concentration for Thompson meant the ball hit the right-hand side post and went out for a Bath 22m drop out.

An unusual, dropped ball from Jamie Ritchie allowed Bath to set themselves up in the corner. One lineout, one phase, and Sam Underhill barrelled over for the opening score.

Russell attempted to float the ball wide, but it was intercepted and eventually lead to a yellow card for inform winger Will Muir – leaving his side with 14 men for the next ten minutes.

Pressure through Goosen and then a nice kick into the Bath 22 meant Russell incorrectly struck a clearance kick. Bath switched off for a second and Edinburgh didn’t need a second invitation. They took the quick lineout and a couple two on ones put substitute Tuipulotu in bring it to seven points each.

Only twenty minutes in the momentum had not quite settled yet with some impressive attacking awareness by the Edinburgh backs and dominate scrummaging from the Bath pack. It was a matter of who could keep the other out for the longest at this point.

With Bath dominating possession and territory, they were able to pin Edinburgh on their line with Edinburgh initially holding strong. Some big carries by Bath, however, led to hooker Tom Dunn smashing his way over. Bath now had control on the pitch and the scoreboard.

Edinburgh’s heads were not down though, as Bath gave up another unnecessary penalty, no cards this time, but Thompson did convert for another three points.

It was a balanced opening exchange, with inaccuracy being Bath’s downfall and missed opportunities from Edinburgh. In the end though Finn Russell and his side edged out the home team with a try and some excellent control across the pitch.

HT: EDINBURGH 10 – 12 BATH

Bath continued to cause themselves problems as just 3 minutes into the second half De Glanville slapped the ball down during a scoring opportunity for Darcy Graham. The fullback received Bath’s second yellow card and a penalty try was awarded for Edinburgh.

The Hive was erupting every chance they could, and it was no different upon the ref going against his on-field decision to deny Bath a try. This felt like the wind had been taken out of Bath’s sails slightly as they had another chance in the same spot, but Edinburgh held strong once more.

Bath quickly patched themselves up though and the third time was the charm; Bath finally got something for their efforts. A strong driving maul got Dunn his second of the match and pull Bath in front.

Bath was magnetised to the top left corner, after a few phases Barbeary managed to spin his way over the line, putting a big hole in Edinburgh’s chances of finding their way back into the game.

Bath opted for the posts instead of the corner only once following another unsuccessful attempt at the line. Finn Russell twisted the knife further as he scored another three points.

Edinburgh continued to show they will not sit down as some electric phases led to Thompson spotting a gap to dart through. Price was waiting on his shoulder and was able to wrestle it down even after being met with a strong resistance.

The intensity of the game skyrocketed in the final 15 minutes with both teams fighting for everything. A big cause of that was Bath’s bench coming on and making an instant impact. An obvious one of note being Alfie Barbeary, whose work rate was incredible, chasing kicks, making big hits, breaking the gain line constantly.

It wasn’t long before Edinburgh found themselves defending on their line again and just as they did all game they defended with pride. However, it was not enough, after several phases replacement hooker Niall Annett burrowed over beside the posts.

Will Muir showed the Hive why he is on form as he galloped down the left side touchline only to be stopped at the try line and give a one-handed offload to Guy Pepper who dived over.

Bath had shut the game down long before this, but their final try was the cherry on top that broke Edinburgh fans hearts at home once again.

Paddy Harrison nearly picked up a consolation try in the dying embers of the game, but he was unfortunately caught in touch. Nothing more coming from Edinburgh for the remainder of the time.

FT: EDINBURGH 24-39 BATH

MOTM: Sam Underhill

Yellow Cards:

Edinburgh –

Bath – W.Muir (14”), T.De Glanville (43”)

Scoring timeline (Edinburgh first): 0-7, 7-7, 7-12, 10-12,17-12, 17-19, 17-24, 17-27, 24-27, 24-34, 24-39, FT

Attendance: 7,989

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)

Edinburgh – P.Schoemann(B.Venter 53”), E.Ashman(P.Harrison 55” ), D.Rae(J.Sebastian 43”), S.Skinner(M.Sykes 60”), G.Gilchrist (C), J.Ritchie, H.Watson(B.Muncaster 61”), M.Bradbury, A.Price(C.Shiel 76”), R.Thompson, H.Paterson (M.Tuipulotu 3”), J.Lang (B.healy 79”), M.Currie, D.Graham, W.Goosen

Bath – B.Obano(Thomas du Toit 48”), T.Dunn(N.Annett 57”), W.Stuart(A.Griffin 66”), Q.Roux(A.Barbeary 48”), C.Ewels (R.Molony 63”), G.Pepper, S.Underhill, M.Reid(T.Hill 48”), B.Spencer (Louis Schreuder 76”)  (C), F.Russell, W.Muir, W.Butt, C.Redpath, J.Cokanasiga(Ciaran Donoghue 70”), T.De Glanville

Concerned residents will form part of a liaison group which is being set-up to monitor blasting at a busy quarry on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

This follows decisions by the City of Edinburgh Council to approve an extension to Ravelrig Quarry near Balerno.

City councillors also voted to allow the operators to increase the blasting level, despite objections from local residents who are worried about the long-term impact, and an agreement of by the quarrying company, Tarmac, that no increase in blasting levels is necessary for continued operation.

Tarmac plan to start mining quarrying rock under a parcel of land to the south of the current site and Edinburgh councillors argued that material from the quarry was vital to help solve the city’s current housing crisis.

Tarmac say that the quarry, which was opened in 1984, has almost exhausted the rock in its current location, and they told the city council’s Development Management Committee that mining would have to stop “within a couple of years” if permission was not granted.

Balerno Community Council (BCC) will also be represented on the liaison group and Richard Henderson, chair of BCC, said that the group would aim to establish a shared understanding of key planning conditions, protect the well-being of the local community and ensure that any development proceeds in a fair, transparent and accountable manner.

He also said that BCC recognise the importance of Ravelrig Quarry both locally and nationally and confirmed that they have been working closely with Tarmac and local residents over the past three years.  

Henderson added: “We know that Tarmac have made a big investment in developing the monitoring processes which are helping minimise the impact of the quarry activities.

“We are very grateful for that, and we are also now working with Tarmac to develop a Good Neighbour Agreement in relation to future operation of the site.”

As part of that process, a web-based system is to be developed to provide more public information on each blast.

Henderson added that the city council will attend any liaison group meetings if asked to do so and said: “The liaison group will be able to assist in the continuing work directed at further minimising any remaining nuisance.” 

Last month, Tarmac advised the city council that blasting operations, including in the extension, could continue to operate within the levels which applied until 30 April. 

QUARRY SITE: general view of Ravelrig near Balerno. Picture by Nigel Duncan

CLOSE UP VIEW: Ravelrig Quarry taken from the main gate. Picture Nigel Duncan

Liam Fox admitted that the last week had been a difficult one for the club but the players still secured three valuable points in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory at Ross County in the William Hill Premiership.

Skipper Lawrence Shankland (pictured) netted twice in 18 minutes either side of the half-time break and Alan Forrest added a third eight minutes from the end of regular time as the Jambos recovered from the loss of an early goal.

Ronan Hale shocked the travelling support in the crowd of 4,181 at the Global Energy Stadium with his opener after 26 minutes, a goal set up by Nohan Kenneh.

It was Beni Baningime who laid on Shankland’s leveller after 40 minutes and Kenneth Vargas was involved in the second and go-ahead goal after 58 minutes.

Forrest made sure following a pass from Shankland after 82 minutes following a mistake by The Staggies and interim manager Fox commented: “There is a natural disappointment when County scored, but we asked them to be brave and pass the ball. That can be difficult, but I am delighted with the response.”

Fox revealed to BBC Sport Scotland that the squad worked on the structure of the team in training in midweek and also in the creation of chances and he added: “Lawrence Shankland will score goals wherever he plays.”

Ross County manager, Don Cowie, said losing the goal just before the break was a blow, but County conceded what he termed “a poor goal” and then made a mistake and were punished.

He added: “There is no point in feeling sorry for ourselves. We have to get ready for a massive game next week.”

Ross County travel to play St Johnstone next Saturday while Hearts entertain Motherwell (15.00) who made sure of top flight football next season by beating Dundee 2-1 on Tayside, despite being down to ten men.

John Koutroumbis was red carded with ten minutes of normal time left as the Fir Park side recovered from being a goal down through Antonio Portales after 31 minutes.

Tom Sparrow levelled after 59 minutes and Tawanda Maswanhise scored the winner one minute into injury time with a header at The Scot Foam Stadium at Dens Park.

Motherwell have 45 points and top the relegation group with Hearts two points adrift and Kilmarnock on 41. They beat St Johnstone 2-0 in Perth and are at home to Dundee next Saturday. Dundee are four points adrift of the Rugby Park side while Ross County, who are at St Johnstone next Saturday, have 35 points and St Johnstone prop up the table on 29.  

Hibs’ hopes of a third-place finish took a massive boost this afternoon with a well-deserved 3-1 victory over fifth place Dundee United at a packed Easter Road. 

Hibs head coach David Gray makes two changes from the side that suffered their first defeat of 2025 losing 1-0 to Aberdeen last weekend. 

Striker Kieron Bowie and midfielder Josh Campbell dropped to the bench, with Junior Hoilett and Myko Kuharevich utaking their place. 

Dundee United’s boss Jim Goodwin has made three alterations from his side’s heavy defeat by champions Celtic. 

Midfielder David Babunski, striker Jort van der Sande and centre-back Declan Gallagher replaced Glenn Middleton, Ruari Paton and Allan Campbell. 

There was a minute’s applause ahead of kick off in memory of former goalkeeper Jim Herriot. 

Hibs opened the scoring in the third minute when Hoilett found Chris Cadden on the right wing. Cadden’s cross to Boyle in the middle was intercepted by United defender Gallagher but the ball got caught under his feet and the Hibs attacker took advantage knocking the ball into the net from close range. 

Hibs should have doubled their lead moments later following a mistake in the visitor’s defence but keeper Jack Walton produced a superb double save to deny Kuharevich and Hoilett, 

But the second goal arrived in the 19^th minute following more hesitation in the United defence which allowed Kuharevich to pick up on the half way line before a wonderful solo run ended with a great strike which flew into the net off the post. 

Hibs continued to dominate but were unable to extend their lead and the players left the field to a standing ovation. 

Goodwin replaced Babunski and Van der Sande with Kristijan Trapanovski and Glenn Middleton. 

The substitutions paid off within minutes when Will Ferry’s corner from the right was mishit by Khuarevich and Trapanovski made no mistake from close range. 

United then started to dominate possession and had a penalty claim denied when Ross Docherty went down in the box under a challenge Nectarios Triantis but he was immediately booked for diving. A VAR check confirmed that the referee was correct. 

Ryan Strain cleared off his own line to thwart Josh Campbell before Hibs wrapped up the three points in the dying minutes when substitute Bowie found Nicky Cadden and his perfect cross was headed home by Dwight Gayle. 

After the final whistle Gray told BBC Scotland: “The result was the most important thing – the reaction from the players to the defeat last weekend. 

“Everyone was looking to see how this Hibs team would bounce back and I got that today. 

“Credit to Dundee United in the second half, they got a bit of a foothold in the game and we lose a really poor goal. 

“The players showed me massive character to make sure we saw the game out. It was a massive team performance.” 

Hibs: Smith, O’Hora, Levitt, Boyle, C Cadden, Iredale, Obita, Hoilett, Triantis, Rocky, Kuharevich. 

Substitutes: Burski, Miller, Ekpiteta, Alasana, N Cadden, Bowie, Moriah-Welsh, Campbell, Gayle. 

Dundee United: Walton, Strain, Sevelj, Babunski, Ferry, Sibbald, Adegboyega, Dalby, Van der Sande, Docherty, Gallagher. 

Substitutes: Richards, Trapanovski, Fiorini, Moult, Middleton, Fotheringham, Paton, Campbell, Cleall-Harding. 

Police are appealing for information following a fatal crash on the A70 near Kirknewton, Edinburgh.

The crash happened around 11.35pm on Friday, 2 May, near the junction for the B7031 and involved the drivers of a blue Skoda Octavia car and a black Mercedes Vito taxi and a cyclist.

Emergency services attended and the driver of the car, a 46-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene. The taxi driver was taken to hospital and later discharged. The cyclist did not require medical treatment.

The road was closed for crash investigation work and re-opened around 9am on Saturday, 3 May.

Sergeant Grant Hastie said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the man who has died.

“Our enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and we are asking anyone who saw what happened to get in touch.

“We are particularly keen to trace a second taxi driver who may have witnessed this crash.

“Anyone with relevant dash-cam footage is also asked to contact police.”

If you can help please call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 4689 of Friday, 2 May, 2025.

The departure of original Sex Pistols’ bassist and songwriter, Glen Matlock, is now widely regarded as one significant reason the Pistols imploded shortly after the release of their debut album, Never Mind The Bollocks.

That record in 1977 helped thrust punk into the mainstream and is still heralded as a classic. Matlock, however, is on his way for a Scottish tour to celebrate a long career working with the likes of Blondie and the Faces as well as his solo work. Before the Sex Pistols headline in Glasgow at a punk-all-day event in June, Matlock will be touring with his solo band after his most recent long player Consequences Coming and an autobiography Triggers: A Life In Music were both well received by fans and critics. 

As well as Glasgow and Aberdeen he will return to Edinburgh’s Voodoo Rooms where he previously performed Iggy Pop’s Lust for Life album in 2023.

The record simmered away as a music fan favourite and was given a shot in the arm nearly 20 years later when the lead track ‘Lust For Life’ featured in Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting film, highlighting the album’s kudos among Edinburgh’s young working-class of the late 1970s and early ‘80s.

The city’s Hibernian FC play the track before kick-off with an accompanying video on the big screen. The 2023 show was attended by Irvine Welsh and featured legendary Blondie drummer, Clem Burke, on drums. The news of his death from cancer in April was a shock.

Matlock explained: “We’ve been friends for fifty years. it’s been weird because he would stay with me whenever he was in London and I would stay at his place in L. A when I was over there. Just wandering around the house (since his death) has been a little bit odd. Clem and I were cut from the same cloth. When Debbie (Harry) got Covid the dates were postponed and we ended up kicking about New Jersey where he was from and where his old man lived and worked. He had an American version of my upbringing really.”

Burke was that rare example of someone in the music industry that no one had a bad word to say about while being highly regarded as one of rock n’ roll’s greatest drummers.

Glen said: “He was a fantastic showman and drummer. He would instigate things and make them happen. When I went to America last year he put the band together for me and brought in people like Kathy Valentine (Go-Gos) and Gilby Clarke (ex-Guns N’ Roses). He adds that while Blondie has a new album ready to be released the future is uncertain. “I don’t know what will happen, I knew Clem had been ill for a little while and Blondie had been put off, there’s a new Blondie album in the can but I don’t know what will happen and now the Pistols stuff has come up.”

The return of the Sex Pistols is going from strength to strength despite John ‘Johnny Rotten’ Lydon not being in the line-up. Frank Carter whose punk credentials were cemented with Gallows and Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes was drafted in to join three of the original Pistols and his performances have helped attract a new generation of fans.

“I could be cynical and say we are helping everyone relive their youth but that’s not true,” explained Matlock. “With Frank being in the band it helps and the music we did is timeless really, we sound like we did (almost 50) years ago.”

John Lydon has slammed the reunion saying “I am the Pistols and they’re not” and left the media under no illusion about how he feels. Matlock added that “it was Steve’s band. We were all the songwriters and we all did our bit. It would never have happened without any one of us. The problem is John won’t give anyone else any credit which is why we are where we are now. He still can’t think it through …. but he can do what he likes. He comes across as bitter and twisted while we are all having a laugh, making some good money and sending everyone home with a smile on their face.”

So does that mean there will never be a reunion with Johnny Rotten? “Never say never. It’s sad the way it’s unfolded, life is short and the hourglass of time is dripping away for us. Who wants to sit at home thinking about what could have been?” 

Matlock originally left the Pistols to make way for the late Sid Vicious on bass. While he became a punk icon, especially after his premature death, the band imploded leaving Steve Jones to admit that if Matlock had remained in the Pistols they would have made more records.

With former disagreements now put to rest is there likely to be more music?

“I don’t know but nobody is saying ‘no’. We’re not like The Beatles in A Hard Day’s Night. When I first saw that I did think they all lived in the same house. On tour now we have breakfast together and get on the same flights and trains in Japan and that’s quite a novelty since the days of yore. Steve Jones came round the other day to watch QPR (v Swansea) I’m a QPR fan, he likes to bet on everything. We got beat (2-1) so he went home with £10 of mine in his pocket.”

When I ask Matlock about the guitarist’s football leanings he compared him to the memorable cigar-smoking Scottish character in a camel coat Charlie Endell (Iain Cuthbertson) from the 1970s television series Budgie also starring Adam Faith.

“When Steve lived in London he would watch QPR, Fulham and Chelsea. When he moved to L. A the team doing best was Chelsea so he had a better chance of watching them on TV and ended up more of a Chelsea fan. He was like Charlie Endell who Budgie was always falling fowl of, he’d say ‘Why do you put yourself through it all Budgie? Why don’t you just be like me and support the winning team?” 

Glen Matlock will play The Voodoo Rooms Edinburgh on Tuesday 20th May

Hibs on-form striker Kieron Bowie is hoping that some coaching tips from teammate Dwight Gayle will help him catch Scotland manager Steve Clarke’s eye. 

Ironically, Gayle arrival at Easter Road was due to Bowie picking up a hamstring injury sustained on Scotland Under-21 duty last September, forcing him to miss four months of the season. 

Many fans questioned whether the former Newcastle United striker who once cost £10m would still have the hunger to contribute but their fears proved unwarranted and his winning goal at Tynecastle on Boxing Day made him a huge fans favourite. 

Speaking after scoring a double against Dundee in the final fixture before the split, Bowie said:  “Gayley, being a striker as well, gives little pointers now and then. 

“He’s not constantly trying to coach but he’s giving me, Rudi (Molotnikov) and the younger lads pointers of what we should do and what we can do in certain situations.  

“For now, Just watching him in training, you can see he has a lot of quality.  

“You can tell what he’s done in his career and take bits off his game and add it to yours.” 

Hibs paid £600,000 to bring Bowie back to Scotland last summer and he is now desperate to help repay some of that fee by helping Hibs secure a European spot which would culminate an amazing turn round in fortunes for David Gray’s men who were stranded at the foot of the table in December. 

He added: “Playing in Europe is an ambition. At the start of the season no one was thinking about that.  

“Everyone was talking about us getting relegated so to have an opportunity of even being involved is brilliant.”  

When asked about his international chances, Bowie added: “Yes definitely. There’s a wee chance there eventually but I’m just trying to get back to full fitness. 

“I’m still not there yet and it’ll probably be next season before I’m fully myself – but I’m trying to do as best as I can. I’ve shown glimpses of what I can do but to actually do that I need to build full fitness – I’ll get there. 

“It’s like playing catch-up, isn’t it? Everyone else has had a pre-season and I’ve not had that then I’m coming back, doing runs and stuff like that.” 

The Stellar Monarchs made it over the line tonight for their first home win of the season by a narrow 46-43 margin, largely thanks to a memorable personal performance by Victor Palovaara.

Team manager Alex Harkess said “I’m very pleased we won obviously but we didn’t half make it hard for ourselves. We only had two riders who won a race but Victor won six of them! I was very sorry he didn’t get his maximum because he deserved it. We need improvement elsewhere in the side.”

The Swedish reserve won heats 2, 4, 8, 12, 14 and the last heat decider against top Bandits Cook and Kemp on a night neither he nor the home fans are likely to forget.

The racing fell short of the high standard set the previous week but the closeness of the scores kept things tense. Both sides can look back on heats in which they might have scored additional points.

Oskar Polis had been the star of the show for Monarchs the previous weekend but it would not be fair to expect that level of performance every week this early in his UK career on a track which he admits to not having mastered yet. He did make the start in his second ride ahead of Drew Kemp but he spun off on the first corner.

Heat 12 should have been an opportunity for a home advantage and at the first running Swedes Palovaara and Grahn were away. Dayle Wood seemed to fall on his own at the first bend but the referee called all four back, and in the restart Grahn was held at the back.

Justin Sedgmen was the only other Monarchs’ race winner, taking heat 1 and heat 13. In the latter race he was brought down by an uncharacteristically rash inside passing move by Craig Cook, who (after some delay) was excluded. That gave Monarchs the chance of the first of two successive 4-2s – Palovaara dropping his only point in the heat 13 rerun in which he piled pressure on Kildemand for second spot.

Palovaara finished the job with a tapes-to-flag win in the last heat decider, but Sedgmen though well placed in the early stages was pegged back by Cook and Kemp.

For their part Bandits will rue the last place Cook opened with and his heat 13 exclusion, plus a failure to take an advantage of what seemed a certain 5-1 in heat 7. With Polis excluded Matt Marson was left on his own, but Kemp and Hagon tangled up when well clear and all they could get was a 3-2. 

Kemp was outstanding for Berwick, backed up by Cook, Kildemand and their gritty captain Danyon Hume. They did get the aggregate bonus though they would probably need to win at Glasgow to progress in the competition.

Edinburgh Monarchs played Berwick Bandits on 2 May 2025 at Armadale Stadium.

Result Details

Edinburgh Monarchs (46): Justin Sedgmen 10+0, Kye Thomson 5+3, Jonatan Grahn 3+1, Paco Castagna 5+1, Oskar Polis 2+0, Victor Palovaara 19+0, Matt Marson 2+0

Berwick Bandits (43): Craig Cook 7+1, Danyon Hume 8+1, Sam Hagon 2+0, Drew Kemp 12+1, Peter Kildemand 10+0, Dayle Wood 3+1, Jack Smith 1+1

Edinburgh tennis pro Jacob Fearnley is reaping further benefits from the outstanding start to his career – world No 509 a year ago, and now he is pushing the top 50 – with a direct acceptance announced for one of the top Wimbledon warm up tournaments.

It has been announced that the former Colinton junior and Merchiston Castle School tennis graduate will play in the Lexus ATP 250 tournament in Eastbourne from June 21-28.

“I made my ATP Tour debut in Eastbourne last year, so this is an event that is special for me” Jacob, the British No 2, told the Lawn Tennis Association website, adding: “I love competing on the grass, I think it’s a great surface for my game so hopefully I can challenge for more success this year.

“Getting to compete in front of your home fans is always an incredible feeling and being on the south coast in Eastbourne makes it one of the most unique events in the calendar.

“Winning the title in Nottingham last summer, in my first tournament out of college, gave me a huge amount of confidence and it’s helped me get where I am today. I love competing on the grass, I think it’s a great surface for my game so hopefully I can challenge for more success this year.”

Fearnley burst on the scene last summer after winning his first ATP Challenger Tour title in only his first event out of college in Nottingham. The 23-year-old came through qualifying to become the fourth Briton to win the trophy, which helped him secure a wild card to Wimbledon.

Not only did Fearnley pick up his first Grand Slam win on his singles debut at SW19, he went on to take a set off seven-time champion Novak Djokovic on Centre Court in front of a packed out crowd.

The Texas Christian University graduate has soared up the rankings ever since. He finished the 2024 season with four ATP Challenger titles and broke into the ATP top 100 in just his first six months on tour.

So far this season, he’s had his best run at a major to date – reaching the third round at the Australian Open, made his Davis Cup debut for the Lexus GB team in Japan and qualified for two ATP Masters 1000 events in Miami and Madrid. He’s now up at a career-high ranking of world No.68.

Now with a full season under his belt, more experience on the grass and having established himself on the ATP Tour, Fearnley will be one of the players to watch in Eastbourne this summer.

For the moment Jacob’s pre-occupation is the clay court season with direct acceptance to the upcoming Italian Open followed by the French grand slam event.

In Rome he will want to cast aside any frustration from bowing out of the Madrid Open against Grigor Dimitrov when, in a second set tie-break to level the match, uncharacteristic errors undermined his display at critical times including two backhands into the net and an overhit forehand to give the Bulgarian his conclusive match point.

In some respects one that got away after battling his way back into the match with the aid of an exquisite backhand smash and a superb stretch volley but Jacob can take encouragement from running the experienced former ATP Tour champion so close and knowing he is more than comfortable in such company.

Hibs striker, Kieron Bowie believes the team have ‘four cup finals’ to play for before the end of the season but the players have to take each game one at a time.

The 22-year-old spoke to the media ahead of tomorrow’s crucial William Hill Premiership fixture with Dundee United.

Hibs go into it off the back of a narrow defeat to Aberdeen, which ended their tremendous 17-match unbeaten run.

“Saturday was disappointing and it wasn’t how we wanted the game to go. We haven’t felt that feeling of losing in a long time, so we need to make sure we get a reaction from that. We have felt that on the training pitch this week, it has been a really good week of training and we are confident we can get back to winning ways.

“We have got four cup finals left, that is the way we see it. We need to take each match one at a time and try to take as many points as we can.”

This is the fourth meeting between Hibs and Dundee United this season, with previous fixtures producing plenty of drama and goals. The last of which was at Tannadice as the Hibs came from behind to win 3-1, with Bowie on target.

“To come away from that game with a 3-1 victory last time out was brilliant, but there was nothing between the teams on the day. Dundee United are a really strong team and we can’t take anything for granted.

“Dundee United have done really well this season, they got promoted this season and have been pretty much in the top six the full season. They are good at what they do well; they are strong from set-pieces, they like to get the ball into the box and look for Sam Dalby who has scored a lot of goals this season.”

With four games to go, Hibs currently sit third place – joint on points with Aberdeen and three clear of Dundee United, with everything still to play for.

“We need to get back to winning ways, I am sure the fans will expect that after going a long time without losing a game. It has been a weird feeling, but we need to just keep doing what we are doing.

“We’ve been third for a while now, we know that pressure that comes with this position – and we just need to try and keep ourselves there. Europe is in the back of our heads, but we need to take it one game at a time and make that dream become a reality.”

A lack of public toilets around Edinburgh’s Haymarket station has led to “significant levels of public urination” and the abuse of local staff, it has been claimed.

New public toilets in Haymarket are being proposed to tackle a shortage in the city’s West End.

And a local café owner has welcomed the move, saying he has faced huge costs and the abuse of his staff by people looking to use his facilities.

Joanna Mowat, a Conservative councillor for the City Centre ward, is proposing that public toilets that were meant to be constructed years ago finally get built.

The old public toilets off Morrison Street were knocked down when a large new development opposite Haymarket Station got underway.

The council included a requirement that public toilets be built on the site when it sold the land to the developer, but this has not been done so far.

Murat Oztas, owner of the Troy café on Dalry Road, says he and his staff face regular harassment from locals trying to find a restroom.

And, it costs him money – he says abuse of the restroom led to him having to spend over £5,000 in refurbishments last year.

Oztas told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We have too many people taking advantage of the toilet. Some people get aggressive.

“It costs a couple grand to maintain this. I’m a local small business.

“A couple months ago, I didn’t let someone in [to use the restroom], and he just started running in.

“He threw something out [in the toilet], they blocked it. Nobody cares.”

He said he had previously been part of a council scheme which saw the city give business owners £500 in order to make their toilets publicly available.

But Oztas found offering the toilets to the public to be much more costly than that due to the expense in providing loo roll and provisioning cleaning supplies, as well as the extra time pressure managing locals wanting to use the toilet added for staff.

He says he is happy to help if somebody with a medical condition needs his restroom, but that he is exasperated with the wider public trying to use it for free.

Cllr Mowat has put forward a motion to the next full Edinburgh Council meeting asking new toilets to be built – and asking why it has taken so long.

It reads: “No public toilets are present in the current scheme being developed despite the burden still existing on the site. 

“The nearest public toilets are at the West End of Princes Street Gardens – a considerable distance away from a busy station and tram stop used by people making their way back from events with large crowds at Tynecastle and Murrayfield.

“Unfortunately, this leads to significant levels of public urination which is unpleasant and unhygienic.”

She points to new build public toilets being introduced in the Meadows and Inverleith, and says all possible steps should be taken to introduce something similar in Haymarket.

And she asks for the next meeting of the Culture and Communities Committee to include a report to explore building new toilets, including a consideration of a pay-to-use model, and for more information on why toilets have not yet been built.

Oztas says that new public toilets would be helpful – but he would want them to be hygienic, as he worries unpleasant smells could drive customers away from the area.

By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter

Detectives investigating a number of linked violent incidents in the east and west of the country are continuing to target those responsible.

A further four people have been arrested in the past week bringing the total to twenty four.

On Friday, 2 May, Glasgow officers carried out warrants at four properties in the north of the city and Govan and arrested two men, aged 20 and 32.

The 20-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with a wilful fire-raising on Wellington Road, Bishopbriggs on Tuesday, 8 April, 2025.

The 32-year-old man was arrested and charged with a breach of peace linked to serious and organised crime in connection with an incident which took place at Castlebay Street, Glasgow on Wednesday, 16 April, 2025.

Both men are due to appear in Glasgow Sheriff Court on Monday, 5 May, 2025.

This is in addition to two arrests which took place on Balmore Road in the early hours of Thursday, 1 May. Officers carrying out pro-active patrols in the area spotted two men acting suspiciously. A vehicle was then stopped and searched and two men, aged 18 and 43, were arrested and charged. Both appeared in Glasgow Sheriff Court that same day.

A number of warrants were also executed in the east of the country on Friday, 2 May, and a number of items including cash and mobiles were seized. Enquiries remain ongoing.

Meanwhile, local officers continue to reassure the public with intelligence-led patrols to disrupt the activities of criminals in our communities.

Detective Chief Superintendent David Ferry said: “The high number of arrests made during this investigation highlights the ongoing work that officers have been doing to target those responsible for these attacks.

“While the number of incidents has decreased since we started this investigation I want to make it clear that we will not stop until we bring those responsible for this criminality to justice.

“The support of our communities is absolutely vital when it comes to tackling serious organised crime, preventing violence and getting justice for victims. Your information really can make a difference.

“If you know anything about who is responsible for these dangerous and abhorrent acts, please do the right thing and speak to us.”

Anyone who can assist our enquiries is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 0562 of Friday, 21 March, 2025.

Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.

Police are appealing for information following a fatal crash on the A70 near Harburn, West Calder.

Around 8.45am this morning, Friday, 2 May, officers received a report of a crash involving the driver of a white Vauxhall van and a cyclist.

Emergency services attended and the 65-year-old male cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed.

The road was closed to allow for investigations to take place and re-opened around 3.30pm.

Sergeant Fraser Mitchell said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the man who died. Our enquiries into the circumstances are ongoing.

“I am appealing for anyone who saw the crash who hasn’t already spoken to officers to get in touch.

“I would also ask anyone who was in the area at the time and may have dash-cam footage which could assist to contact us.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 0749 of 2 May, 2025.

David Gray has seen a reaction in training from his players on Saturday as they prepare to face Dundee United in the William Hill Premiership tomorrow.

Hibs were beaten by Aberdeen last weekend, a result which ended the Club’s 17-game unbeaten streak in the league.

With just four games left, and with everything to play for, Gray said: “It’s been positive this week. We were conscious after the game that we left that feeling of disappointment and came in on Monday making sure everyone is fully focused on bouncing back as quickly as possible.

“I’ve seen a reaction in training, and these are all massive games. This is the stage of the season where everyone is desperate to play and to take the team forward.

“I’ve been quick to remind the players why we were successful in that run we had and what it took to get us there. We need to take that into the game on Saturday.”

Dundee United were beaten heavily by the Scottish Champions last weekend, but are just three points behind Hibs in the league table.

Gray doesn’t think their result, though, will have much bearing on the game on Saturday.

“Celtic can do that to anyone, we know that. This weekend will be a difficult game. Both teams have everything to play for and there’s four cup finals left now.

“We’re at home, we want a reaction, and want to bounce back. We need to be on the front foot.

“Like I said, it’ll be a difficult game, you think about the games we’ve played against Dundee United and the fact they’ve been in the top six all season because they’re hard to beat. They’re very well coached and we expect that again.

“If we can play to the levels we can, then we give ourselves a chance to get three points.”

Gray also provided a fitness update on Lewis Miller and Elie Youan.

Youan has been recovering from a toe injury for a few weeks now, whilst Miller missed the Aberdeen game with a knock.

The duo returned to full team training earlier this week, and the head coach discussed their availability.

“Elie joined training later on this week, as did Lewis Miller, which is great, they’re getting fit at the right sort of time.

“We will have to see how they go, though, because they’ve not had a lot of training this week. They’re back around the group, which is good news.”

The Scottish FA are launching a new ‘Trailblazers’ initiative to identify and honour women who represented Scotland at international level between 1972 and 1997 and did not receive an official cap for their appearances. 

These years marked a pivotal time in the development of the women’s game, and the SFA are committed to ensuring that the contributions of all players during this period are formally recognised. 

This campaign is part of an ongoing efforts to celebrate the history and heritage of women’s football in Scotland, and to acknowledge the trailblazers who paved the way for future generations. 

More than 30 players have already received retrospective caps over the last two years as the SFA continue on our journey to identify as many women as possible who’ve represented Scotland since the pioneers of 1972. 

If this applies to you, or to someone you know, please contact the SFA’s research partner Dr Karen Fraser at:  karen.grunwell1@stir.ac.uk 

The SFA would like to identify the following players who are already verified, and caps are ready to be awarded: 

Player name                               Debut match 

Margaret Morrison       26 April 1975 

Claire Thomson         26 September 1976 

Agnes Reilly            29 May 1977 

Marion Leitch           29 July 1978 

Elaine Murphy           29 July 1978 

Pat Robinson            2 June 1979 

Linda Campbell          2 June 1979 

Josie Cameron          27 April 1980 

The next retrospective caps awards ceremony will take place pre-match at the Scotland v Austria Nations League match on Friday, 30 May. 

POLICE SCOTLAND UPDATE 3/5/25 We can confirm 15-year-old Savanna Smith who was reported missing on Thursday, 1 May, 2025 has been traced. Thank you to everyone that shared our appeal.

Police in East Lothian are appealing for information that would help them locate 15-year-old missing person Savanna Smith.

She is missing from the Dunbar area and has ties to Edinburgh, Cockenzie, Musselburgh and Prestonpans.

She is about 5’2, slim build with long light brown/blonde hair.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “If you know Savanna’s whereabouts please call 101 and quote reference 0175 of 2nd May.”

Artisan Roast was one of the pioneers of specialty coffee in Edinburgh.

Opening in 2007, they now have four shops across the city (plus a kiosk on Little King Street), and a well respected roastery in Peffermill. Their first café, on Broughton Street, remains popular to this day. Deservedly so.

Rising uniformity

One thing that is distinct about this café is its aesthetic, which is markedly different from most specialty coffee places in the city. Most of them have a fairly similar character these days, with Scandi-minimalism to the fore. Most places have become far sleeker with more of a sense of intentional design. This has driven a certain uniformity to coffee shops, with some of the chains joining in, typified by the ‘indy chain’ Blank Street, which recently arrived in the city (Victoria Street and Princes Street). The sort of cluttered quirkiness found at Artisan Roast on Broughton Street is now rare.

In Edinburgh, Leith – based SPLINTR commercial interior design has led the design trends. With their ‘uncomplicated, thoughtful and contemporary design’ they have been involved in a great number of contemporary cafes and eateries. Though their designs are bespoke, there are common features such as the wood used and table design. Origin Coffee next to Old College has the distinction of being ‘twice-SPLINTR’ed’. SPLINTR did the interior for its predecessor Brew Lab, as well as the recent revamp following Origin’s move there. The two interiors manifest different specialty coffee eras. Brew Lab had a darker, more industrial vibe, while Origin is sleeker and softer, with greater mainstream appeal.

A democratic space

In this context, Artisan Roast on Broughton feels like a survivor from a previous era. No cool minimalism here. It’s more like a slightly scruffy old-fashioned pub. The open plan aspect encourages conversation between the baristas and the punters. Interactions often take place between customers; which is rare in most places. On a recent visit, an exchange about the best Western Isles to visit broke out across four tables (Arran was the unanimous verdict).

The tables are a little bit wobbly, and nothing quite fits. Yet, this may make it a more democratic type of place. This is evident in the clientele. When entering some of the more stylish and trendy specialty coffee places, I’m struck by the social narrowness, with a pronounced bias to the younger generations. It sometimes feels as if an invisible forcefield keeps out the over-45s. This is not evident at Artisan Roast.

We might see a café like Artisan Roast as more of a pub, in contrast to the trendier places which have a similarity to a city centre wine bar. It’s a place to drop into and feel immediately relaxed. I recently found myself there just before the heavens opened. Sitting near the window, sipping a well-crafted cortado, I felt snug as I watched the torrents start to stream down the emptying street. A great port in a storm.

A step back in time

The place is a slight step back in time. The music pulsing through the stereo is generally classic 60s and early 70s rock; Stones, Doors, Led Zep, Cream etc. Some of the customers may have been around during the era they were originally released! More broadly, the place has a slightly bohemian feel. On two of my last three visits, I have seen Robert McDowall, Director of Summerhall sipping his Americano, conversing on varied topics. That’s the sort of older, cultured vibe the place has. Among the customers there seems to be less of a focus on screens; I’ve seen several people reading physical newspapers, while the copies of magazines and newspapers in the rack seem to be well thumbed. Again, a sense of a step back from the modern world, away from digital overload.

The furniture might be described as shabby chic, all of it has seen plenty of wear and tear. It evidently wasn’t designed with a cafe in mind. However, highlighted by the pew in the front section, there is lots of creditable repurposing going on in the place. This is inline with the original speciality coffee vibe, which had a primary focus on the contents of the cups, not providing a comfortable, immaculate setting.

Artisan Roast has four locations around the city. The differences between them suggest a significant amount of managerial autonomy. This is evident in the interiors. Though a similar size, the Bruntsfield has a different, less cluttered feel. There, they’ve done a good job of maintaining the character of the place, with a very tasteful refit that highlights the traditional slatted wooden interior. Their Leith Walk and Stockbridge cafes are marked by their airiness and the amount of sunshine that streams into them.

What about the coffee?

I’ve detected some variety in quality across the branches, though I feel there has been more consistency in recent months. I would pick out the Bruntsfield branch as serving the very best among the four, though the Broughton Street branch also seems consistent. The baristas here seem to show the proficiency and focus needed to extract the crema laden goodness from the beans. The beans themselves are highly rated, with many customers who brew at home sourcing theirs here. A range of their freshly roasted beans (including their popular Janszoon and Cobblestone blends) are available in shop, alongside a range of coffee making equipment.

In addition to good coffee, they offer something a little bit different in terms of atmosphere and aesthetic. They add something different to the scene; a break from uniformity, and ubiquitous minimalism. Such places have a greater warmth and are more welcoming to a range of customers. One defining aspect of specialty coffee is an embrace of a variety of flavour profiles. This is in contrast with Italian espresso, which has a very uniform flavour profile. It’s good to see that some variety in the character of cafes is being maintained by eccentric little places such as the Broughton Street branch of Artisan Roast.

Artisan Roast, 57 Broughton Street, EH1 3RJ

Campaigners fighting to save the café in a West Lothian care home complex have just weeks to come up with plans. 

The deadline for proposals to come forward for the Bathgate venue is 27 May councillors and members of West Lothian’s Integration Joint Board have been told. 

The IJB heard this week that there have been two requests for additional information and viewings of the café requested. The advertisement has been viewed over 31,000 times. 

The campaign group Save Rosemount Café has asked the Health and Social Care Partnership to take the closure off the table and work with West Lothian council on a long-term solution. 

The café in the Rosemount Gardens care complex is open six days per week but currently operates at a loss of £100,000 per year because of a lack of custom.  

Local councillors who have fought the plan believe the café has been chosen as ‘low hanging fruit’ and question what effective savings would be. 

The proposal would see staff relocated to other council venues. After a march meeting which first tabled the closure as part of the IJB budget cuts local SNP councillors Pauline Stafford and Willie Boyle had asked: “With a no redundancy policy where do the staff go and who picks up the cost of transferring them somewhere else. Where is the real saving?” 

Robin Allen, senior manager older people services, told this month’s meeting of the IJB: “The IJB agreed to review Rosemount café two months after 25 March 2025, with a review and update provided at the end of the first month, and to agree that the facility will be closed if no viable expressions of interest have been received at the end of this period.” 

He added: “The opportunity for a local community group or local business to take over the running of the café was publicised on the West Lothian Council Facebook page and at the café site, prior to the meeting of IJB on 25 March 2025.  

“An updated advertisement was published on 14 April 2025 noting that IJB is inviting organisations/groups interested in leasing the café at Rosemount Gardens in Bathgate to come forward.  

“Independent providers, social enterprises or voluntary organisations who would be interested in operating the café were urged to get in touch.  

“There have been two requests for additional information and viewings of the café requested. The advertisement, which has been viewed over 31,000 occasions, will remain live until 27 May 2025.”  

In a report to the Board Mr Allen added that a campaign group named, Save Rosemount Café, contacted Alison White, the director of the Health and Social Care Partnership on 22 April expressing their concern about the proposed closure of the café.  

The group requested that the IJB remove the saving for the year 2025/26, to allow time for stakeholder consultation and development of partnership working between West Lothian Council and community organisations “to find a sustainable solution to maintain this vital service”.  

The group also asked that the IJB use the next month to fully scrutinise the financial figures of the café, consider the wider community benefits it brings. 

Board member John Innes asked what would happen if no viable proposal came forward before the Board meets again in June. He was told that the venue would close as part of the 25/26 budget proposals. 

Union representative Stevie Dunn asked if more information could be made available on the proposals to find work places for staff. 

 “What are the plans for the staff in the event that the cafe closes. I suppose they’ll have to be managed under organisational change. Is that the proposal? 

Mr Allen said: “There are four FTE and five individuals involved. We considered what options were available and worked with colleagues in Property Services to identify alternative positions for those individuals to move to before the March meeting. With the two-month deferment we will need to pick that up again.”  

He added that should a new operator be confirmed the issue of Tupe (Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, which ensures that employees typically continue to work for the new employer under the same terms and conditions as they had with the previous employer could be considered.   

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

The first museum dedicated to contemporary Palestinian art in Europe is in Edinburgh. The new museum, in the New Town will occupy a roughly 1,100-square-foot space in an 1810 building  on Dundas Street, formerly the Arusha Gallery.

It will be part of the Palestine Museum US, founded by Palestinian American businessman Faisal Saleh. Located in Woodbridge, Connecticut, the museum opened its doors in 2018, becoming the first in the Americas devoted to Palestinian art. 

Saleh was born in El-Bireh (Ramallah), to a refugee family from the pre-1948 Palestinian village of Salameh (Jaffa). Arriving in the United States in 1969 at age 17, he earned a BA in Economics and an MBA in Business Management and founded several companies. 

Saleh said: “We chose Scotland as the first European location for our museum expansion because of the strong support provided by the Palestine solidarity movement. Many Scottish volunteers have stepped forward to welcome our new presence and offer to help manage and promote our programming. We are grateful for this support and look forward to collaborating with Scottish artists and cultural organisations.

“Palestinian artists have long faced challenges in exhibiting their works in the Western world. We are determined to tell the Palestinian story to a global audience. If that means creating our own museums to do so, then so be it”. 

Saleh hopes the museum will challenge dominant narratives and showcase the rich cultural heritage of Palestine. He also believes the museum is “crucial in the face of Western media’s persistent negative coverage of Palestine and the alarming cancellations of Palestinian events”.

The first show will feature Palestinian art of the past decade in a variety of media by artists from different generations. This includes 81-year-old Nabil Anani, who is regarded as a key founder of the contemporary Palestinian art movement, Sana Farah Bishara, a Nazareth-born sculptor based in Haifa, and Samia Halaby, who won a special mention at last year’s Venice Biennale. Recent works by Gaza-based artists, among them Mohammed Alhaj and Maisara Baroud will also be shown.

Saleh said: “It is heart warming to experience the Scottish hospitality. Edinburgh, with its rich cultural heritage and international art scene, is the perfect location for our expansion. The city’s August festivals provides a unique opportunity to showcase Palestinian arts and culture to a global audience”.

“We believe that our presence in Edinburgh will not only promote Palestinian arts and culture but also contribute to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Palestinian narrative. We look forward to working with our Scottish partners and friends to make this vision a reality.”

Fundraising event  on 1 May at 7pm at Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge

Palestine Museum Scotland opens on 17 May at 13a Dundas Street.

Police were called in to investigate after a village pond was ‘dredged’ by a digger during nesting season in East Lothian.

Angry residents in the village of Athelstaneford raised the alarm after spotting the work being carried out at Garleton Pond on the outskirts of the community.

The pond, which is home to moorhen and coots every year, had been surrounded by trees and hedgerow prior to the work.

Countryside rangers were accompanied by wildlife police officers on a visit to the site where they said ‘advice was issued’ to those involved.

Now East Lothian Council has urged land owners to check before carrying out any work in wildlife areas, particularly during breeding seasons.

A council spokesperson said: “Our advice to anyone carrying out work in the countryside is to seek professional advice in advance to ensure work will not disturb any species at key times such as nesting.”

Locals living in the village were stunned to see the work being carried out on the land last month.

One resident said: “When it was pointed out they shouldn’t be doing the work as it was nesting season they didn’t respond.

“This pond has been a popular spot for locals for many years and we look forward to seeing the birds there each year. It is devastating because regardless of any action taken, the damage has now been done – it can’t be undone.”

Another resident added: “There is plenty of advice out there about when not to do this kind of work and the impact on wildlife but clearly that was just ignored. It is very upsetting to see.”

The bird nesting season in Scotland runs from March to August and it is an offence to ‘intentionally or recklessly disturb’ any wild birds while they are actively nesting.

The pond lies in the shadow of Garleton Castle, which is a scheduled monument dating back to the 16th century. It is not clear who carried out the work, but Police Scotland confirmed it had spoken to those involved.

A police spokesperson said: “On Thursday, 10 April, we received a report of concern relating to work being carried out to a wildlife pond near Athelstanford in East Lothian. Officers attended and suitable advice was given.”

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

An increase in fly-tipping at bin stores across West Lothian has caused concern about a boom in rat sightings, councillors have been told. 

Local area committees have heard that the bin stores have become a “free for all”, with rats seen around piles of black bags and furniture dumped. 

The council acknowledged there are issues and said that the problems were fuelled by a “thoughtless minority”.  

At Whitburn Local Area Committee Councillor Mary Dickson said she had been receiving regular complaints about the number on black bags being dumped at bin stores and at flats and many householders reported seeing rats. 

Some of the worst offending has been along Longridge Road with bags of household rubbish dumped, also along the Clutrig Burn on the southern boundary of the town. She also highlighted fly-tip sites such as the old Labour club. 

Councillor Dickson: “We need to look at how many bins there are at flats – a lot of the complaints I get are people talking about rats being in and out the bins. I know a lot of people do recycle but there are some who just don’t care, and it’s the rat issue that’s causing the problem.” 

Eirwen Hopwood from Operational services said: “The general public are getting fed up with fly-tipping. That’s why we are getting a lot more reports. 

 Cllr Dickson said: “One of the reasons with the increased in fly-tipping is that people cannot get access to recycling centres if they don’t have access to a car?” 

Across in East Livingston and East Calder councillors have had similar complaints. Chair of that local area committee Councillor Danny Logue said this week: “There’s a lot of people fly-tipping near the new bin stores; there’s a lot of rubbish. I’ve seen a sofa and a cooker, and various bags of rubbish. 

“It seems to be a free for all. Does that happen in other areas?” 

David Lees from Operational Services told the meeting: “Bin stores are a concern throughout West Lothian. Part of it is possibly due to bins being full or contaminated, and people in the properties are thinking they are doing the right thing, leaving bags next to bins.” 

He added: “Waste teams have been looking at certain areas and working with Housing staff, putting out letters to tenants making them aware that they should not be leaving bags.”  

A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: “We have issues with communal bins stores around West Lothian caused by the actions of a small, thoughtless minority. 

 “The majority of residents use the shared bins correctly, but when the minority choose to contaminate bins, or leave bags or fly-tipping in front of the bins and prevent access for our staff and vehicles, it causes issues for everyone. The property manager is then responsible for clearing any waste that prevents our staff from emptying the bins. 

“We would encourage local residents to recycle and use communal bins stores responsibly, so they do not become an issue for everyone else. Anyone who has evidence of those using bin stores for illegal fly-tipping can report it to us via https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/flytipping. 

The spokesperson added: “Rats are commonly found across the UK including West Lothian and can live in any environment that provides them with food, water and shelter. Making sure areas such as communal bins do not become over-flowing can avoid providing rats with the kind of conditions that could help them become an established problem.” 

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

Prestonpans boxer Josh Taylor will return to the ring, headlining the Land of the Brave event at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow on Saturday, 24 May. 

And after spending his entire career at 140lbs, Taylor will make his official welterweight debut against the relentless WBO European champion Ekow Essuman. 

Botswana-born Essuman – the 35-year-old nicknamed The Engine – has won 21 and lost one in his professional career and is the former British and Commonwealth welterweight champion. 

Hibs fan Taylor (19-2, 13 KOs), now 34, has signed with promoter Frank Warren’s stable for his first fight since losing a rematch to Jack Catterall in May 2024. 

He is the former undisputed world champion at super lightweight, but decided to move up a weight after being edged out on points in the rematch of his controversial encounter with Jack Catterall in early 2022. 

And on the undercard former European bantamweight champion Lee McGregor (15-1-1, 11 KOs) will face undefeated former British champion Nathaniel Collins (15-0, 7 KOs)n an all-Scottish showdown for the prestigious WBC Silver championship. 

Edinburgh born McGregor last fought on 21 December 2024 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as part of the undercard for the heavyweight world title rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury where he defeated Isaac Lowe via unanimous decision. 

And the Hearts fan is hoping to make it a double celebration that day because the Scottish Cup final will take place at Hampden Park. And if Neil Critchley’s men can overcome Aberdeen in the semi-final there will be 20,000 plus fellow Jambos in town. 

Tickets for Land of the Brave are available from ticketmaster.co.uk

Urgent clarity is needed on the possible impact a supreme court ruling on trans women will have on Edinburgh council services, councillors have warned.

Five councillors have put forward motions for the next full meeting of Edinburgh Council on the topic, with many asking the city to affirm rights for trans people and all seeking clarity on what the ruling means for the city.

The ruling found that trans women are not legally women for the purposes of the Equality Act, meaning that sex-based protections can only be applied to people who are born female.

However, judges said the Equality Act still provided trans people with protections against discrimination.

For councils, this has created a lack of clarity on how some services will have to be provided going forwards, including the provisioning of toilets in schools and other council-run public facilities.

Interim guidance has been offered by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), a public body which interprets and enforces equalities law.

It says that trans women cannot use restrooms provided for biological men, and trans men cannot use restrooms provided for biological women.

Another recent ruling at the Court of Session in Edinburgh has found that schools must provide single sex toilet facilities.

The two rulings together mean that Edinburgh may have to scramble to retrofit many existing school bathrooms and revise plans for schools in planning or under construction, as many school toilets are unisex.

The EHRC is expected to provide a firmer picture on the situation by the end of June, when it is set to put proposed official guidance to ministers for approval.

Council leader Jane Meagher addressed the situation in her leaders’ report and in a motion.

Labour councillor Meagher said: “The judgement is not a triumph of one or more groups at the expense of another, and that I remain absolutely committed to ensuring Edinburgh remains a warm and welcoming city for all.”

In her motion, she called for the council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee to get a report from council officers on the consequences of the ruling for the council.

Another motion, put forward by Liberal Democrat councillor Euan Davidson, says that the court ruling will cause ‘significant worry’ for parts of the LGBTQ+ community and could have a ‘significant impact’ on a range of council services.

It says the city should reaffirm its commitment to making Edinburgh a welcoming place for the LGBTQ+ community.

It also asks the city to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion through its social media channels.

And the SNP leader, councillor Simita Kumar, put forward a motion which said the city should “recognise the complexity and sensitivity surrounding this issue and its implications for many within our community.”

Her motion also asked the city to “[extend] its solidarity to everyone feeling vulnerable”, and said trans people and women were “too often portrayed in opposition to one another.”

Green councillor Kayleigh O’Neill put forward a motion calling on the city to recognise the ‘significant concern’ the ruling has given trans people in the city.

Councillors Davidson, Kumar and O’Neill all welcomed expected efforts by officers to get a better understanding of the ruling, and Cllr Davidson called on Cllr Meagher to write to the EHRC for more clarity on the council’s legal obligations.

Meanwhile, Conservative councillor Marie-Clair Munro put forward a motion calling for the city to make sure it is compliant with another recent ruling.

The Court of Session in Edinburgh recently found that state schools in Scotland must provide single sex toilets for pupils.

Her motion calls on officers to evaluate the city’s school estate to determine where single sex toilets need to be adopted.

And, it also asks that single sex toilets are included in schools currently in planning or under construction.

By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter

After the Great War a band of bowls -playing railwaymen decided to form their own club and, renting a plot of ground on the fringes of the extensive Portobello marshalling yards, laid out their green, converted an old carriage into a clubhouse and launched their venture under the banner of Portobello and District LNER club. 

This year, now bearing the more family friendly title of Brunstane Bowling Club , their enterprise celebrates 100 years of bowling during which it has developed into prominent members of the Edinburgh bowling community, competing in a wide range of events. 

Among the achievements of the past century, pride of place goes to Brunstane’s pioneering work in women’s bowling. Within the first 10 years the railwaymen had welcomed women’s participation, with their own President and full rights on the green – a position not matched in many clubs even by the turn of this century. Brunstane were founder members of the Scottish Women’s Bowling Association, the East of Scotland WBA and the Edinburgh Association.  

A decisive turning point in the club’s journey came when the club bought their green and clubhouse from British Rail, LNER’s successors, in 1988, a transaction – piloted by East Edinburgh MP Dr Gavin Strang – which allowed the club to develop, building a fine new clubhouse with extensive facilities and improving the green from “challenging “ to one of the best in the area, fit to host major competitions. 

Over a week in the season, Brunstane fields teams in the Edinburgh BA League, the Edinburgh Retired Men’s BA and the South Edinburgh SBA, while the ladies compete in the EBA Monday League, the SEBC Tuesday Leaguer and the Forth League on a Friday, as well as several inter-club encounters. There is also a wide range of internal club competitions. 

The centrepiece of Brunstane’s centenary celebrations will be in the month of June when, over four Saturdays, the club entertain guest rinks drawn from the Portobello area, the wider Edinburgh bowling community, local associations, and even farther afield, in friendly competition and post-match hospitality. 

Club Ladies President Linda Middleton said “This is a momentous time for Brunstane as we celebrate our 100^th birthday. We can look back to humble beginnings and thank the generations of bowlers, men and women, whose hard work and enterprise has raised us to our present comfortable position. 

“For now, it is time to party and we invite all our friends and neighbours in the bowling world to join us in the celebrations. The emphasis will be on friendly and we intend to prove ourselves good hosts and hostesses”. 

Lochview Court at Dumbiedykes – lifts still out of order

Jim Slaven of the Dumbiedykes Working Group has written an open letter to the Chief Executive of The City of Edinburgh Council, Paul Lawrence, about the lifts in the high rise buildings in Dumbiedykes which are still NOT WORKING.

Incredibly one has been broken down since last July. Residents warned the council that having only one working lift would only lead to the other being overused and risk it breaking down.

Elderly residents are unable to leave their homes and while residents are helping each other the assistance from the council is woeful, with no timescales or plans for repairing the lifts.

A residents meeting was held on Monday evening and it was agreed then that a letter would sent to the CEO at the council.

Mr Slaven writes in the open letter: “While many residents in Lochview Court are Council tenants, others are renting from private landlords. One landlord was told, in writing, as far back as 30th October 2023 that the Council vote to replace the lifts in Dumbiedykes high rise was from that date legally binding. As the period to appeal had expired. The letter also states “I’ll write to you again in the next few weeks with details about the programme of works and the next steps.” 

“If a legally binding decision was taken by Edinburgh Council 18 months ago why has the work to replace the lifts not commenced?”

The letter addresses many aspects of living right next to The Scottish Parliament while being an area which is ignored by the council. The council’s sale of buildings nearby such as St Anne’s in Cowgate and the lease of the South Bridge Resource Centre to the Fringe Society for a peppercorn rent all come in for criticism.

Read the full letter here.

This is not simply one-sided criticism of the council – although there is a lot of that in the letter – it is also a repeat of the offer to help with citizens getting together to take action – rather than just telling the council what it is getting so wrong.

Pitch to Plate

Everyone is invited to next week’s Pitch to Plate: Multicultural Meal 2025, hosted by the Hibernian Community Foundation in partnership with Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society SABS.

This special gathering offers a warm, homemade meal while fostering compassion, community, and a sense of belonging — especially for New Scots and vulnerable families facing hardship. In the spirit of unity and shared humanity, your presence and support can make a real difference.

Taking place during the organisation’s anniversary week, this event is a meaningful opportunity for people of all backgrounds to come together, celebrate shared values, and support those in need. A spokesperson said: “If you know anyone who may benefit, please do encourage them to come along. All are welcome.”

• ·   Date: Tuesday, 6 May 2025
• ·   Time: 6pm – 8pm (Doors open at 5.50pm)
• ·   Address: Hibernian Community Foundation, The Famous Five Stand, Easter Road Stadium, EH7 5QG 

Bellfield Porty

The crowdfunder for Bellfield Porty’s Big Build has raised £162,515. This will help to raise more finance and will also count towards the improvements planned for the community building.

Around 30,000 people visit during one year, but the realisation was that so much more could happen at Bellfield if they had more usable space. They plan to remove the Celebration Foyer, the ground floor pews and dais and move the pulpit. The ground floor will be levelled and resurfaced and two new kitchens and toilets will be created. An upper floor is in the plans and proposals to repair the stained glass windows and install secondary glazing.

Keep up to date with their news on Facebook.

Edinburgh World Heritage Event.

Edinburgh World Heritage (EWH) are holding a panel discussion on 8 May at 6pm in Riddle’s Court at 322 Lawnmarket.

This is being held to mark World Heritage Day and will deal with the thorny issue of tourism – again.

How does the delight in working in such an historic and magical location marry with the crowds blocking pavements, myriad accents and languages to understand and assist, and extra effort to keep calm and smiling when you are asked for the 40th time that day “how do you get to the Castle?”

Join Hazel Johnson, Director of the Built Environment Forum Scotland and Edinburgh World Heritage Trustee, as she poses questions to a panel from local organisations. Julie Trevisan-Hunter is the Marketing Director for The Scotch Whisky Experience based up by the Castle which was created when 19 individual Scotch whisky companies jointly invested money towards showcasing the Scotch whisky industry to international visitors. 

Keira Brown, Communications and Community Manager (and acting Director) of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust is on the panel. Since being the first designated City of Literature, the Trust’s goal is to build a strong literary community in Edinburgh, and Scotland, where literature is valued, and internationally connect to global literature communities. Based halfway down the Royal Mile within the iconic John Knox House, is it an ivory tower or a beacon of inspiration? 

And what of the New Town? Tommy Zyw, Director at The Scottish Gallery, from the Georgian side will aim to put his side of the story – is it far enough from the Festival footfall, but still in town enough for spontaneous visitors? The clientele may be different, but is the connection to the streets outside a different feeling to those in the Old Town? Is our city working for those working in it? Does it fulfil, does it spark joy or frustration and irritation as a place to work and live?

Buy tickets here.

Birthlink Thrift Shop has moved

The new Birthlink Thrift Shop has closed at Lochrin Buildings – but opened at 43 Bruntsfield Place for “all your thrifting needs”. The final window display was a sight to behold – with a nod to the window which manager Neil created with 1,000 paper cranes here is a display featuring keys – and the charity has now set up in the new premises.