Tony Hand believes his injury-hit Murrayfield Racers squad put up a fantastic display against a quality Telford Tigers squad in the National Ice Hockey League, North Cup, in England.

The Murrayfield men travelled with only 12 skaters due to injury and illnesss and Dundee Comets star John Dolan – who was in Birmingham for a wedding – made a guest appearance and scored a goal and set up two other strikes.

Aaron Robertson, Daniel Abercrombie and veteran Martin Cingel, returning after a three-week lay-off, also scored.

Hand is Racers’ director of hockey and he said: “The guys were fantastic and I couldn’t ask for any more from them.”

The squad, he said, are learning from playing quality sides and they realise how smart then need to be with the puck to play at this level.

Meanwhile, Racers are next at home on Sunday, November 18 when Solway Sharks visit.

The new funding announced by The Scottish Government, The City of Edinburgh Council and Festivals Edinburgh today was born out of the City Region Deal, but this cash injection does not include any UK Government money in the way the City Region Deal does.

That deal is worth £1billion to the capital and the immediate council areas. You can read more about it here.

The announcement was made at St Bride’s Community Centre this morning to tuneful accompaniment from a young jazz trio and the Linten Adie Community Singing Group who usually rehearse at St Bride’s each Tuesday.

St Bride’s will become a new jazz performance centre which will allow the Jazz and Blues Festival to operate 365 days a year. They will work on the puppets and costumes for their carnival from here and will also take their work out to others in the city.

The funding was welcomed by all and in particular the Culture Convener Councillor Donald Wilson who said : “Edinburgh is the Festival City but we must constantly work at that and invest in it. It is easy to look at Edinburgh as it is today as this great cultural centre and think that somehow this all happened by itself. Well of course it didn’t.

“It is things like this which makes these things happen. It works internationally and locally. St Bride’s is very close to my heart and the project involving St Bride’s and the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival epitomises what this funding is about. It has various elements which have come together to make this a perfect way to take the festival forward. It is a clarification of the role and importance of the festivals going forward.

“The festivals were deliberately designed to be a platform for the flowering of the human spirit.

“This is a deliberate attempt to actually direct the benefits of the festivals, both cultural and economic to the communities and citizens of the whole of Scotland and of course visitors too. It is an attempt to spread it out and to widen it and to increase the diversity of participation in the event. That is why I am so passionate for example about this because it is not just a geographical widening of the festivals but it is also an unlocking of potential

“The potential of this building is very clear. It is a very successful community centre.

“You can see as you go about the centre how busy it is and it is very lively, but the very potential has slipped in recent years.

“The potential here is enormous and was largely unused. This allows the Jazz Festival to go forward in ways it would not otherwise have been able to do. This money allows this to happen.”

He continued : “This is the biggest reorganisation of the festivals, the biggest unlocking of potential. It is hugely important for the festivals. The benefits will be felt across the whole of Scotland.”

Scotland manager Alex McLeish has named his squad for the crucial upcoming UEFA Nations League double-header, as his side looks to secure a playoff place for UEFA Euro 2020.

No Edinburgh based players have been included although former Hibs’ duo John McGinn and Steven Fletcher are listed along with former Hearts trio Jon McLaughlin, Craig Gordon and Callum Paterson.

Squad

Goalkeepers
Craig Gordon (Celtic)
Allan McGregor (Rangers)
Jon McLaughlin (Sunderland)

Defenders
Michael Devlin (Aberdeen)
Scott McKenna (Aberdeen)
Charlie Mulgrew (Blackburn Rovers)
Stephen O’Donnell (Kilmarnock)
Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
Graeme Shinnie (Aberdeen)
Kieran Tierney (Celtic)

Midfielders
Stuart Armstrong (Southampton)
Ryan Christie (Celtic)
James Forrest (Celtic)
Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth)
Gary Mackay-Steven (Aberdeen)
Kevin McDonald (Fulham)
John McGinn (Aston Villa)
Callum McGregor (Celtic)
Callum Paterson (Cardiff City)

Forwards
Steven Fletcher (Sheffield Wednesday)
Oliver McBurnie (Swansea City)
Matt Phillips (West Bromwich Albion)
Johnny Russell (Sporting Kansas City)

UEFA Nations League
Albania v Scotland
Saturday, 17 November, kick-off 7.45pm
Loro Borici Stadium, Shkoder

UEFA Nations League
Scotland v Israel
Tuesday, 20 November, kick-off 7.45pm
Hampden Park, Glasgow

The Hibs’ Player of the Month Award has made a return for the 2018/19 season and is sponsored by Newtown Décor, with voting now open for October’s competition

Each month the club will be asking Head Coach Neil Lennon and his coaching staff to nominate four players.

The supporters will then have the opportunity to have their say on the winner.

Ryan Porteous and Efe Ambrose have won the awards for August and September respectively, and now the voting for October’s Newtown Décor Player of the Month is open.

Fans can select from the following players:

Martin Boyle

Flo Kamberi

Stevie Mallan

Lewis Stevenson

Voting will remain open for two days and will close at 12pm on Thursday 8 November when the winner will be announced. Supporters will be able to vote via the club website.

The importance of the Hibernian Academy to the first team has been highlighted by an early season report compiled by the Football Observatory, a research group within Switzerland’s International Centre for Sports Studies, and covered the period from 01/7/18 to 30/10/18.

Over 30% of the minutes played in the league by Hibs players have been by players trained by the club for at least three seasons between the ages of 15 and 21.

The report covers 31 top-flight European leagues, with Hibernian showing the highest percentage of any UK top-flight team for minutes played by club-trained players.

Ryan Porteous and Oli Shaw have continued their development this season, with Ryan featuring in seven league games this season and Oli in eight.

Jamie Gullan has also made the breakthrough to the first team in recent weeks, making his league debut against Hamilton Accies in October, while Lewis Allan started against Livingston.

Other Academy players such as Sean Mackie and Maciej Dabrowksi have been involved in the first team squad without making an appearance.

This is complimented by established first team players Paul Hanlon, Lewis Stevenson and Steven Whittaker, who all came through the Hibernian Academy.

You can find the full dataset HERE.

A summary of Scottish teams can be found below:

Hibernian: 30.22%

Hamilton Accies: 26.59%

Celtic: 25.59%

St Mirren: 24.31%

Aberdeen: 16.32%

Motherwell: 15.82%

St Johnstone: 13.34%

Rangers: 10.65%

Livingston: 7.71%

Dundee: 7.63%

Kilmarnock: 4.44%

Heart of Midlothian: 2.43%

The Scottish SPCA is appealing to animal lovers in Scotland to donate tinned and sachet cat and dog food for the hedgehogs in their National Wildlife Centre in Fishcross.

Scotland’s animal welfare charity rescued over 9,600 wild animals last year.

Centre Manager Colin Seddon said, “We are constantly caring for a large number of hedgehogs but this number rises over the winter months.

“We currently have over 150 in our care, most of which will be staying with us until the new year and because of this, we are struggling to keep up with the demand for cat and dog food.

“The majority of the hedgehogs are late litter youngsters that have not yet stored enough body fat to survive hibernation and are often found out during the day looking for food, which is alarming as hedgehogs are nocturnal.

“In 2017 Fishcross cared for 1,470 hedgehogs which came in as a result of strimmer injuries, orphans, dog attacks, late litter juveniles and more.”

Tinned or sachet cat or dog food can be handed into the Wildlife Centre located at Fishcross, Clackmannanshire FK10 3AN, or the nearest Scottish SPCA Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre between 10am and 4pm (closed Tuesday). Alternatively, products can be purchased from the wildlife centre’s Amazon wishlist – http://amzn.eu/3DrbLqg

Police have praised the support of the public and partner organisations following a successful Halloween and Bonfire Night policing operation.

Between Wednesday 31st October and Monday 5th November, reported antisocial behaviour in the city fell from 747 incidents in 2017, to 552 incidents in 2018. This equates to 195 fewer calls and a reduction of 26%.

Overall offences involving fireworks within the Capital also fell by 11% in comparison to the previous year, meaning 28 less incidents arose.

Reports of small disorder, disturbances and reckless behaviour were reported, primarily in the North West and North East of Edinburgh, with small pockets of antisocial behaviour arising in the South West and South East.

Seven vehicles parked in the West Pilton area sustained various levels of damage and this is now being investigated by officers at Drylaw Police Station.

In the North East, a 53% reduction in calls relating to Bonfire Night offences were received on Monday 5th November, with the North West recording a 35% fall in antisocial behaviour during this evening, in comparison with Bonfire Night 2017.

Nine arrests were made on the evening, with eight relating to culpable and reckless conduct and breaches of the peace, and a further on an outstanding warrant. Three youths were also charged for the illegal possession of fireworks.

Officers on patrol last night successfully invoked 13 dispersal zone warnings across the North East of the city to appropriately address issues relating to large groups of youths gathering and prevent any large-scale disturbances arising in these areas.

While there were a number of reported incidents where attempts were made to target police and other emergency service personnel, no officers were injured and no police vehicles were damaged during the evening.

Comparitively, Sunday 4th November 2018 saw 56 reported ASB incidents and 19 fireworks offences, compared to 157 and 146 respectively for Sunday 5th November 2017. This equates to a 64% reduction for antisocial behaviour and an almost 87% reduction for crimes involving fireworks.

The 4th November 2017 resulted in 106 antisocial behaviour calls made to police and 25 reports of fireworks offences. The 4th November this year saw 56 calls made to police for antisocial behaviour and 19 for fireworks incidents. This reflects a 47% and 24% respective reduction for these offences.

Most significantly, all incidents within Edinburgh were dealt with by local resources, with no requirment to deploy Operation Moonbeam’s national and specialist resources.

Chief Superintendent Gareth Blair, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh said: “Firstly, I want to thank the public for their overwhelming support of our policing operation over the past week. There has been a genuine sense of community spirit by the public and a real willigness to help us prevent Edinburgh experiencing mass disorder over Bonfire Night.

“To those within our communities who did experience any form of criminality linked to Bonfire Night, I want to assure you that all of these incidents are being robustly investigated and if those responsible are not already in custody, we will be doing all we can to bring them to justice.

“The deployment and use of our resources for Bonfire Night 2018 was the culmination of a year of detailed planning between police, City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and other key partners. However, there are undoubtedly still lessons to be learned and we will now take on board our observations from this year as we begin planning for next year.

“It is really important to note as well, that as a single force, Edinburgh Division had access to a range of specialist capabilities and officers that were, thankfully, not required. The police response to all incidents during the Bonfire Night weekend and on the evening of Monday 5th November were all dealt with by local officers from across the city.”

In a three partner arrangement among The Scottish Government, The City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Festivals the Platform for Creative Excellence (PLACE) programme will provide £15 million funding over five years.

This money will be used to support local national and international projects and it is described as a game-changer in the festivals world. At an event this morning at St Bride’s the PLACE programme was explained as a co-investment programme which is a tangible legacy of the 70th anniversary season. The funding will be used to programme innovation, allow mentoring and creative development programmes to develop and to engage with communities, schools and young people.

Following the 70th anniversary of the Festival last year this will refresh the programmes and allow the festivals to be more diverse and global.

Community engagement will become much more important and global partners will hook up with local enterprises here in Edinburgh to widen their creative development. Scottish and international writers will work together to explore world politics and share inside stories of their journeys.

Major exhibitions from organisations like the Edinburgh International Science Festival will be created and then exported for use around the world.

Schools will be involved in developing the skills of pupils and teachers with a new schools programme called Inspiring Generations. It will bring world class theatre and dance into schools with year round artist engagement.

A nationwide film programme of curated screenings, workshops and masterclasses will involve young people from all over Scotland.

The Fringe will work with 31 charities in Edinburgh’s socially excluded communities, producing new public artworks in some and in St Bride’s where we were this morning there will be a new jazz performance centre. This will offer rehearsal space and there will be an open access music hub at the heart of the Gorgie/Dalry community.

Cabinet Secretary for Culture Tourism and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop said : “The investment is about ensuring Festivals can continue to develop and innovate so they can be world leading in a competitive market, to share the cultural experiences of the Festivals more widely across Scotland and to help more residents and communities of Edinburgh to be part of the Festivals city.”

Our festivals attract a huge audience akin to that attending a FIFA World Cup according to a recent study. The audience is half Scottish and the other half is made up of visitors to Scotland. The economic impact is £313 million each year with the majority of that being spent in the accommodation and tourist sector.

The purpose of using the PLACE programme is to ensure that the festivals are developed as key national assets with the hope that more jobs will be created, more money brought into the economy and our country’s international creative reputation much enhanced.

The initial funding announcement is for £5.8 million for the first three years of the PLACE programme with a possible further £4.2 million in 2021/22. Festivals will support this with £5 million bringing the total funding package to £15 million.

Scotland’s forthcoming Nations League fixtures with Albania and Israel may be important regarding the fortunes of the national team but, inevitably, they are playing havoc with the domestic fixtures.

November will be the famine before the festive feast for Hearts.

The penultimate month of the year sees Craig Levein’s side play just three games in the Ladbrokes Premiership – and only one of these is at Tynecastle. The Maroons travel to Celtic Park to face the league champions at the beginning of the month followed by their sole league game at Tynecastle – against Kilmarnock on 10 November. They then travel to Paisley to take on St Mirren on 24th November.

Contrast this with the fixtures for December when Hearts are scheduled to play seven league games; Rangers, Motherwell and Hamilton Academical are due to visit Gorgie while the Maroon Army will be on the march to St Johnstone, Livingston – this fixture will be on Friday 14 December – and Aberdeen before the quick manoeuvre to Easter Road to play Hibernian on 29 December.

It will be a test of endurance for the players. But at least it enables the Hearts support to escape the perils of Christmas shopping

Gorgie residents are invited to attend Public Information Days at Stenhouse Church of Scotland today and tomorrow (6 and 7 November, 2pm-7pm) held by Scotmid and developer and operator Structured House Group to discuss revised plans for the proposed redevelopment of the existing store.

The draft plans that were submitted in July for a mixed-use proposal for the site of the store with managed student accommodation have been amended after input and feedback following the public consultation.

Alongside Manson Architects and Structured House Group, Scotmid has worked closely with Edinburgh City Council and were receptive to feedback from the Edinburgh Urban Design Renewal and the Planning Department about reducing the amount of student apartments by almost 10%.

This development will be the first of its kind in Scotmid’s 159-year history – something that excites the Society’s Head of Property, Development and Facilities, Maurissa Fergusson.

Maurissa Fergusson said: “We’re excited about the plans for the new store and we want to share this information with the local community.

“The proposed state-of-the-art store will include the latest CO2 refrigerant and energy-saving technologies as well as a new expanded range of popular products.

“We’re proud to be at the heart of the Gorgie landscape and we’ve served the local community for over 150 years – our aim is for that to continue with an improved state-of-the-art store that the area can be proud of.

“Scotmid’s core purpose has always been to serve our communities and improve people’s everyday lives, so we understand how vital it is for the local community to be engaged during every step of the process.

“We look forward to welcoming everybody from the Gorgie area to these Public Information Days, so that we can share information, ideas and co-operate fully to ensure this project is beneficial to the local community.”

Brian Smith, Operations Director at Structured House Group which will also manage the student accommodation, said: “By amending our proposals, we have taken on board the feedback received from experts and Edinburgh Urban Design Panel. 

“Our ambitions continue to be to invest in the city and to work in partnership with Scotmid to enhance an important local store for the community with the added benefit of bringing more customers through our student footfall.

“Our student residence will be managed by our in-house property-arm BOHO to ensure that we build for the long-term, get to know our neighbours, and are an integral part of the local community. Our refreshed proposals strive to meet the needs of the local community and address any issues raised. We look forward to bringing economic benefits and new investment of £15million to the city while enhancing the character and appearance of Gorgie Road.”

Manson Architects has worked to incorporate the new state-of-the-art store with a mixture of studio and cluster type apartments with 100% cycle storage and amenity space.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend the Public Information Days where refreshments will be provided.

Main photo of proposed Gorgie Road redevelopment

Scot Gemmill has named an 18-man Under-20s squad for the upcoming friendly match against Turkey later this month.

The squad includes three Edinburgh based players, Ryan Porteous and Oli Shaw of Hibs and Callumn Morrison of Hearts.

Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson is included in the squad following an impressive recent run of form, which has included goals in his last two outings for the Dons.

Squad

Goalkeepers
Cammy Gill (Dunfermline Athletic)
Robby McCrorie (Rangers)

Defenders
George Johnston (Liverpool)
Ross McCrorie (Rangers)
Tom McIntyre (Reading)
Calvin Miller (Dundee)*
Ryan Porteous (Hibernian)
Iain Wilson (Kilmarnock)

Midfielders
Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen)
Michael Johnston (Celtic)
Callumn Morrison (Heart of Midlothian)
Harvey St Clair (Venezia)
David Turnbull (Motherwell)

Forwards
Bruce Anderson (Aberdeen)
Ben House (Reading)
Connor McLennan (Aberdeen)
Fraser Preston (Sheffield Wednesday)
Oli Shaw (Hibernian)

Under-20 International Friendly
Scotland v Turkey
Saturday, 17 November
Murcia, Spain

Furious Hibs’ fans took to social media last night to complain about comments made by former SFA Chief Executive Gordon Smith about Neil Lennon’s behaviour at Tynecastle.

Smith claimed that Lennon was wrong to have reacted to the supporters behind him in the Main Stand when the referee’s assistant flagged Hearts’ late ‘goal’ as offside.

With the fans celebrating, Lennon smiled and gestured for them to calm down before being struck by a coin.

After claiming that Lennon was wrong, Smith then defended Kilmarnock’s striker Kris Boyd who celebrated scoring against Aberdeen by doing a ‘big belly’ gesture in response to persistent comments about his weight, right in front of the visiting supporters, describing the incident as a ‘laugh’

Hibs’ fans described Smith’s comments as ‘incredible’ and labelled him an ‘idiot’ and a ‘slaver’ although most agreed that Boyd’s behaviour did not merit criticism.

Fellow pundit and former Hearts and Hibs midfielder Michael Stewart defended Lennon.

Smith told BBC Sportsound: “The way he (Lennon) is treated is disgraceful, it’s so bad.

“I would consider him a friend, I know Neil well, but my point about it was, you should not be reacting or going to the crowd.

“When players score a goal, why do they get booked when they go to the opposition fans?

“It’s because they’re trying to avoid anyone inciting the crowd, they can’t even celebrate a goal nowadays because they’re being told not to do it.

“It should be the same for managers, just ignore the people.

Neil was wrong, in my opinion, to react to the incident that happened with the Hearts fans.

“And I would say that any manager should be the same.

“The reaction to it was terrible, but that’s not the point. The point is that any manager, it should be a regulation in the game that any manager should not react to the fans.”

Stewart then asked: When Boydy runs up to the Aberdeen fans, was that a laugh and a joke?”

Smith replied: “That was kind of a laugh, yeah.”

Stewart said: “How is that different from Lennon?”

Smith added: “Because he was at home and he didn’t go off the field.”

Stewart then pointed out that Lennon didn’t leave the dugout when the goal was chopped off.

Smith replied: “He was right in front of the away fans.”

Smith previously incurred the wrath of the Hibs’ fans following his condemnation of the supporters following the Scottish Cup final victory over Rangers at Hampden in 2016.

The Hibs’ fans demonstrated their support of Lennon by unfurling a banner in tribute to him and chanting his name during Saturday’s home game against St Johnstone.

THE SEARCH to find the brightest and best innovations to help people with disabilities has been launched by a leading care provider.

The Blackwood Design Awards are an annual celebration of cutting edge designs and adaptations which help people with disabilities live their lives independently.

The Awards are open to all, with talented amateurs having as much chance of success as a seasoned pro, as both simple and high-tech designs are welcome.

With a rich history of success, it has featured entries including the ‘S’up Spoon’, which enables people with shaky hands to eat more easily, as well as a design for glasses which allow visually impaired runners to follow a running track.

Max Brown, Chair of Blackwood, said: “We’re blown away year after year by the quality of entries we receive.

“The brilliant designs and ideas have an amazing impact on the lives of people with disabilities and we’re really proud to be able to give them the prominence they deserve and in some cases, provide the designers with a platform to take their ideas into production.

“We’re open to judging as many designs as possible. It’s such a privilege to work in an industry where so many people are dedicating themselves to improving the lives of others.”

The Blackwood Design Awards celebrate ideas and concepts from everyone.

There are three categories of Award; Best Collaborative Project by a University or Institute of Higher Learning, Best New Concept and Best New Product.

Regular BDA sponsors, Kingdom Gas, are returning to the competition once again and are joined for the first time by Triodos Bank. Thanks to their combined support, the total prize package is set to be worth thousands of pounds!

Winners from last year’s Awards include Andrew Taylor, for his specially-designed guidance system for visually impaired athletes and the University of Stirling for its Iridis app, which helps users improve living spaces for people with dementia.

Max continued: “The broad range of winners we’ve had over the years shows that people shouldn’t be put off because their design is simplistic or because they’re not part of a huge design team.

“We’re always delighted to judge all designs and are really proud to see the incredible success past entrants have gone on to.”

The competition has a rich history of finding success, with entries from all over the globe, from Canada to South Korea.

Entries should be submitted no later than 12 April 2019, and entrants will be notified that their submission has been received.

Shortlisting of entries will be completed by 26 April 2019 and if selected as a finalist, entrants will be asked to make a final pitch to the judging panel via Skype or in person.

For more information and to enter, visit: www.bespoken.me and select the BDA icon on the front page.

An Edinburgh based rocket company has announced that it is working with an experienced engineer to create the first totally private space launch in the UK.

At the Reinventing Space conference in London, Skyrora confirmed it has acquired the FARISpace project, led by acclaimed British rocket engineer, Richard M Brown.

FARISpace is now being reconfigured in order to carry a larger payload under the name ‘SkyHy’.

SkyHy extends the range of Skyrora’s launcher portfolio with a two-stage hydrogen peroxide hybrid rocket which is built and ready to launch. If the vehicle blasts off from the UK, it would be the highest commercial launch to take place here as part of the new space race, building upon the success of company’s inaugural test launch last summer.

The completely British technology has an engine that has been tested a number of times.  It uses the kind of powerful, reliable technology that can be transferred for Skyrora’s orbital requirements, capable of multiple restarts and orbital manoeuvrability. The company feels it fits perfectly with their technological plan, as it aims to capture its share of the fast-growing small satellite launch market.

Daniel Smith, Director at Skyrora, explained : “The chance to acquire this ingenious technology was ideal for us, as it blends seamlessly into our overall strategy as the fastest and most cost effective way to gain practical experience of suborbital launches with a non-guided rocket, while testing the peroxide propellant that we’re already distilling here in the UK.

“As it is a helium pressurised, hydrogen peroxide hybrid, it uses two of the working fluids we will be using in our future orbital vehicles. The engine system can be used for our future steps, taking us towards our next big milestone of launching a guided suborbital vehicle.

“It’s the perfect bridge between the Skylark inspired test rockets which we’ve worked on previously, to our ultimate bi-liquid launch vehicle. Now we have an unguided suborbital rocket ready to be launched, it’s a great opportunity for us to work closely with regulators, get a feel for spaceport activity and gain more real launch experience, while testing critical aspects of our future systems such as telemetry, tracking, ground operations and safety procedures.

“We’re delighted to be working with an engineer as esteemed as Richard and are excited to utilise his design in the next stage of our company’s development.”

Richard M Brown has a strong record of success with ambitious rocket and jet-related projects. His Gillette Mach3 Challenger rocket bike, the subject of its own BBC documentary, attained a fastest ever speed for motorbikes in 1999, and he has continued to excel in a number of other ambitious space projects.

Smith added: “SkyHy is capable of near-space flight and can reach around 100km altitude, providing a valuable test case for us. We’ve opened discussions to launch from the UK, but we’re not ruling out an international launch for this one if it cuts out delays. The key factors for us will always be safety, cost-effectiveness and a swift, responsive time to launch”

“In the meantime, our engineers are working with Richard to repurpose and enhance the vehicle, helping an innovative British product do what it was made to do. With payload enquiries already coming in, we simply can’t wait to see it fly!”

Skyrora is developing launch vehicle technology that builds on previous rocket systems aiming to reduce the cost of launches with proven technology and advanced engineering methods.

The firm draws on Britain’s launch heritage and hopes to build a robust supply chain while creating new employment opportunities to inspire the next generation of talent.

SNP MSP Ben Macpherson has urged businesses in Edinburgh Northern and Leith to sign up to the Scottish Living Wage, as part of Living Wage Week which runs until 10 November.

The Scottish Living Wage is independently calculated, based on the cost of living – with the real Living Wage rising by 25p this year to £9, higher than the minimum wage of £7.83 for workers over the age of 25.

At the moment there are 275 accredited Living Wage employers in Edinburgh, and 78 of those have a place of business in Edinburgh Northern and Leith.

Ben Macpherson has written to employers in Edinburgh Northern and Leith, encouraging them to explore the benefits of accreditation. Research shows that paying the real Living Wage improves staff morale and retention, as well as productivity and company reputation in the community.

He said: “The real Living Wage can make a huge difference to both workers and employers, supporting strong economic growth and vibrant communities.

“For business, paying the Living Wage makes sense – it’s an investment in people, and all the evidence shows that it leads to increased productivity and better staff retention.

“It is very disappointing that the UK Government did not use last week’s Budget to raise the National Living Wage, extend it to all workers and end discrimination against young people. With low pay one of the main drivers of in-work poverty, it is vital that employers who can pay the real Living Wage, do so.

“I appreciate that there are multiple challenges and various costs to running a successful business. However, I would strongly encourage employers in Edinburgh Northern and Leith to to look into the benefits of becoming an accredited Living Wage employer, as we continue to strengthen inclusive, sustainable economic growth in Scotland.”

New energy efficient street lights are set to be rolled out across the Capital from later this month, generating savings of £54 million for the city over 20 years.

The move follows a successful 2012 pilot project and follow-up scheme in 2014 to replace around 7000 obsolete lanterns in Edinburgh with Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights. These ‘white light’ technology lamps give off a clearer light and can last for more than 20 years, compared to existing lights’ current life span of just two to four years.

The crisper light and new technology enhance community safety by making CCTV images clearer and by allowing light levels to be varied.

The Council has approximately 65,000 street lights, costing around £3m in energy alone every year. Energy costs continue to rise and the current lanterns are becoming obsolete, making them harder and costlier to maintain.

To pre-empt these increases, £24.5m* is being spent on upgrading all the city’s street lights; replacing inefficient lanterns with modern, energy efficient and environmentally friendly ones. This will achieve savings for the taxpayer of £54m over 20 years.

Transport Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “Residents in the pilot areas for the new lights overwhelmingly said that they preferred the crisper, brighter light to the orangey glow of the old, inefficient street lights. As well as saving the city millions of pounds, replacing the old lights will help cut our CO2 emissions in Edinburgh and comply with Scottish Government energy efficiency legislation.

“We’re gearing up now to introduce energy efficient street lights to streets and communities right across the Capital. We’ll make every effort to minimise disruption to residents and businesses throughout and will target information locally as the roll-out comes to different wards.”

A dynamic street lighting monitoring and control system (CMS) will also be installed, giving much greater, centralised control over the city’s lighting. The CMS will provide real-time monitoring and reporting to identify and track faults, which will cut the number of residents’ complaints about broken street lights and remove the need for street lighting staff to undertake night-time scouting work to identify faulty lights.

It will also track actual energy consumption, submitting information directly to the Meter Administrator and increasing the accuracy of energy billing.

The ward-by-ward rollout of energy efficient street lights is due to start in Ward 7 (Sighthill / Gorgie) in w/c 12 November.

*Borrowing of £24.518m was approved by Full Council on 19 November 2015. The project is anticipated to deliver revenue savings of £3.6m and avoid costs of more than £54m associated with increasing energy prices.

Travel Technology SME, TravelNest, will be creating over 80 skilled jobs in Edinburgh by investing £7 million to establish its operations in the capital.

Public Finance and Digital Economy Minister Kate Forbes announced today that TravelNest has secured £2.3 million in R&D and RSA grant funding from Scottish Enterprise as a contribution towards this investment to accelerate its growth.

TravelNest offers a platform that allows vacation rental hosts to access smarter hands-free marketing. The product offers frictionless set-up and uses data and technology to make marketing decisions for its users that will result in high performance for their properties.

With the potential to become Scotland’s next unicorn (a unicorn is a tech start-up company with a $1 billion market value), the R&D project will focus on improving data flow from TravelNest to its partners, building intelligence to increase the performance of customers’ marketing and increasing efficiency of customer on-boarding.

Kate Forbes said: “Companies with innovation at the heart of their business, like TravelNest, are critical to the Scottish economy.

“That’s why the Scottish Government is supporting businesses to take advantage of the opportunities that come from our established strengths in innovation and technological change.

“The £2.3 million R&D and RSA funding from Scottish Enterprise will help TravelNest to realise its growth aspirations and supports our vision of a Scotland that stimulates innovation, welcomes investment and promotes its digital industries.”

Doug Stephenson, CEO of TravelNest commented: “To achieve our goal of winning in a global market, we need to move extremely quickly. Speed is critical in all aspects of our business, product development, customer acquisition, recruitment and so on.

“By moving fast in these areas, we will increase our probability of achieving that goal. This grant, along with equity investment, will help enable that.

“We’re excited about the future we’re building for ourselves here in Edinburgh. We have built an exceptional team here and will continue to maintain a high talent bar as we grow.”

Michael Cannon, Head of Innovation Grants, RSA and Open Innovation at Scottish Enterprise said:

“TravelNest is a fantastic example of a young, innovative company with global ambitions to be a leader in its market.

“This news is further evidence of Edinburgh’s credentials as an attractive location for technology businesses, with the city named the most active tech innovation community outside of London in the UK Tech Innovation Index.

“We look forward to helping TravelNest scale up and create more inclusive, sustainable jobs for Scotland’s people.”

Edinburgh welcomes some of the world’s top cancer researchers to the city on Thursday for a Meeting of Minds.

St Andrews-based charity Worldwide Cancer Research is hosting the key event and they researchers have £4m to earmark for pioneering research projects.

The group will sift through ideas from scientists from 20 countries to identify the projects that will potentially have the greatest impact on the lives of people with cancer.

With an average research project costing around £200,000, the group will have to select around 20 from 130 projects.

Applications received include those from Argentina, Norway, Singapore and Scotland and cover topics ranging from how cells repair DNA to new immunotherapy techniques.

The charity claim research has helped to double cancer survival rates in the UK and developed better ways to prevent, diagnose and stop cancer sooner.

Dr Helen Rippon, chief executive of Worldwide Cancer Research, said: “Our Meeting of Minds is the most important date in the charity’s calendar.

“The cancer researchers all give up their time to review applications. They do this because they believe in ensuring that our supporter’s money is used in the most impactful way possible. They truly are heroes in and out of the lab.”

Dr John Maher, clinical senior lecturer at King’s College London, will chair the meeting and said: “Worldwide Cancer Research is unique as the only UK-based charity that funds research into any type of cancer, anywhere in the world.”

Scotland’s animal welfare charity expects to care for over 100 grey seal pups of various ages over the course of the autumn/winter season. This year any seals that they rescue will carry Harry Potter themed names.

Centre Manager Colin Seddon said, “Grey seals come ashore to give birth in autumn and winter which is why we see such an increase at this time of year.

“We are urging the public not to approach seal pups which have come ashore and to keep dogs on a lead in case they frighten them into the water.

“If you spot a pup with a white coat on a public beach, please contact our animal helpline as chances are, it is in trouble and needs our attention.

“Grey seal pups which no longer have a white coat may still need our assistance if they are on a public beach for more than four hours, or have visible signs of injury, such as bleeding, glued together eyes or generally looking unwell.

“The public should contact our animal helpline and an operator will be able to assess the situation.

“If a seal pup looks and acts healthy it should be left alone.”

Anyone who discovers an injured or distressed wild animal should call the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999.

To stay up to date on the seals brought into the Scottish SPCA wildlife centre, follow #SSPCASealSquad on social media.

WINTER OFFER TO WOO CITY GUESTS AT THE TOWNHOUSE!

The Townhouse Aberfeldy, a small boutique B&B for couples with its own ‘Upstairs Restaurant’, is currently running a winter accommodation offer which takes the price of a three night stay, in a double room, (with full Scottish Breakfast), from £237 to £177.75.  This works out at only £59.25 per night.

The two night stay in a double is available for £134.30 or £67.15 per night, (normally £158), and also includes breakfast.

The B&B was given a new lease of life in 2015 by local businessman Blair Girvan, and his team, who redeveloped the historic building and former Palace Hotel in Breadalbane Terrace, Aberfeldy, into a stylish fifteen bedroom boutique B&B, with its own “Restaurant Upstairs”.

The businessman said : “We’ve worked hard, over the past three years, to build an excellent reputation for boutique B&B accommodation for couples, together with offering a stand alone restaurant which excels in offering well priced meals using local produce.”

Blair purchased the building in 2012 after selling his family’s garage, which lay adjacent to The Townhouse, to the Co-op retail group. He explained : “We offered a similar package for summer bookings which was very well received, and saw us run at over 80% occupancy, which is excellent for a business of our size and scope.”

The building, dating from the 1880’s was once a twenty three bedroom hotel, but was remodelled it into a far more manageable and more modern, B&B.

He continued : “Some of the original rooms were far too small for a modern hospitality business, and not all of them had room for an en-suite. I came up with the layout design myself, and then got my architect to draw it up properly, submitting it for planning.”

The completed layout created a stylish entrance hallway with rooms, restaurant, named aptly “The Upstairs Restaurant”, and lounge bar above, retaining many character features.

Originally planning only to offer a boutique B&B, it was the approach from locally based chef Lee Patrick, who used to work as Head Chef at The Inn on the Tay at Grandtully, that changed Blair’s mind to also offer a restaurant.

Blair said : “As well as working locally, Lee used to have his own restaurant called Café D’Amour. He had loads of experience and ideas, and contacted me to offer his services.

“We realised we could actually have a pretty nice restaurant as another strand to the business. To be honest, we were already thinking that our upstairs dining room and lounge were far too nice to use solely as a breakfast room. The Upstairs Restaurant was born. We concentrated on making the B&B aspect work first, and then opened the restaurant in September 2015. Lee is still with us, helping me grow the food side. I’m so glad he took the initiative!”

With it being very apparent in the business that teamwork, and finding the right staff, is key for Blair, he is keen to pay tribute to Craig Jamieson, and David Montgomery, his hotel managers.

“David, or Monty as we call him, has been with me for about four years now. He came on board just before we opened to help with the set up of the hotel, and general running of it once we opened. He is very much our public facing manager who is great with customers.”

Blair added : “Craig has been with us for about a year and a half now, brought in as we were getting really busy and needed some extra help. He has since taken over some of my responsibilities, so I can spend more time on other things. They are both great guys, and I think we all make a very good team.”

“I have twelve members of staff in all, with a Spaniard who joins us in the Summer months,” said Blair. “Pretty much everyone else is from the immediate area. A really nice aspect is that virtually all of them walk to work.”

It’s surely another sign, if it were needed, that The Townhouse is absolutely nailing it, when it comes to presenting a local, “healthy” rural business!

www.townhouseaberfeldy.co.uk

The Townhouse Aberfeldy has prepared two seasonal recipes from its Upstairs Restaurant for you to try at home

Quick Smart Venison sautéd with Spring Cabbage – Serves 4 or 2 greedy people!

8 slices of Venison, cut across the grain from the leg, shoulder, haunch or loin

2 Smoked Bacon rashers chopped small

45g Unsalted Butter

1 Head of Spring Greens very thinly sliced

2tbs of Beef Stock

A few Black Onion Seeds (Nigella Seeds)

1tbs Veg Oil

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Place the Venison slices between 2 sheets of clingfilm and bash them with a rolling pin until thin, max of 5mm.

In a large frying pan cook the Bacon in 30g of the Butter until crisp, then add the greens and stock. Cook, stirring until the greens are tender, season to taste, transfer to a warm dish and scatter the onion seeds on the top and cover.

Heat the Veg oil and remaining butter in a large frying pan, season the Venison and add to the pan. Fry over a medium-high heat for 30 seconds on each side and serve alongside the Greens.

The Townhouse Lava Cake – Serves 6

170g Dark Chocolate finely chopped

170g Unsalted Butter

170g Light Brown Sugar

85g Plain Flour

6 Eggs Beaten

For Ramekins – 30g Soft Butter

30g Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Prepare 6 Ramekins by brushing them with butter and then dusting with the cocoa powder, make sure to tap out all the excess powder.

Melt the chocolate with the butter, combine the sugar with the flour. Mix the melted chocolate with the eggs followed by the flour & sugar mixture.

Divide between the ramekins and refrigerate for a minimum of an hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 180c, bake for 15 – 20 mins on the middle shelf of the oven or until the edges are firm and the centre is slightly runny. Leave to rest for 2 mins before turning out and serve at once with a good quality vanilla ice cream.

A police investigation is underway after a cashier was threatened by a man armed with a meat cleaver during a robbery at a bookmakers shop in Hopetoun Street, Bathgate around 7.20pm on Friday 2nd November.

More than £100 and a Scottish Poppy Appeal tin were stolen after a female workers were targeted by a man who had previously been playing a gaming machine in the shop.

The man, who had bloodshot eyes and was smelling of cannabis, approached the counter before producing the meat cleaver and demanding she hand over the money in a plastic bag.

Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

The suspect is described as a white man in his late 20s to early 30s.

He is around 5ft 10in to 6ft with a slim build, blue/green eyes that appeared bloodshot and brown greasy hair that was short at the sides and longer on top.

He was wearing a grey wind breaker style jacket, a black scarf, black jogging bottoms and black trainers with white soles.

Detective Inspector Paul Batten of Livingston CID said: “This was a frightening attack which has left a female member of staff badly upset.

“We are eager to trace the man responsible as soon as possible.

“I would ask anyone who was in the Hopetoun Street area on the morning on Friday, November 2 and saw anything suspicious, to get in touch with us immediately.”

In 2019 it will be 40 years since the Queen’s Hall became one of Edinburgh’s favourite music venues.

Since then many musicians and other acts have graced the stage there and entertained audiences.

Chair of the Board Nigel Griffiths introduced some of the programme for the year at an event this morning when Blue Rose Code entertained the small audience.

Dr Griffiths explained that the hall has just emerged from the scaffolding which shrouded almost £1 million of works to the outside. Now they will turn their attention to inside where a new sound system will be installed.

The full programme is now on the Queen’s Hall website and we have included the listing below.

Events begin on 12 January when John McCusker introduces a house bank including names like James Mackintosh, Ian Carr, Ewen Vernal, Michael McGoldrick and Louis Abbott (Admiral Fallow) with special guests, so far, Roddy Woomble (Idlewild), Kathleen MacInnes, Phil Cunningham, Adam Holmes, Daoiri Farrell, Heidi Talbot and Rachel Sermanni. More guests are to be announced.

The Queen’s Hall is a registered charity (SC012294) with limited funding from The City of Edinburgh Council, and relies on donations from private individuals, trusts, foundations and corporate sponsors to boost ticket and bar income. This allows them to bring world-class musicians to the hall and carry out a year-round programme of community and engagement work.

As part of this work is Homecoming 2: The Return of Mackay’s Memoirs on 4 March. In 1999, Martyn Bennett was commissioned to write a special piece of music commemorating the centenary of Broughton High School to be performed by students at The City of Edinburgh Music School (CEMS). The piece was performed at the opening of The Scottish Parliament and a recording of it was completed the day Martyn died. Four of the original musicians – Maeve Gilchrist (clarsach), Ben Duncan (pipes), Adam Clifford (percussion) and Dave Lloyd (beats and loops) – return to perform the piece in this very special concert with CEMS Chamber Orchestra.

For jazz fans there will be the BBC Big Band on 30 March with Claire Martin OBE. The programme will include standards made famous the female jazz legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday.

On 6 July 2019 there will be a commemorative concert when multi-award-winning Scottish pianist Steven Osborne will perform with one of the world’s finest cellists Alban Gerhardt, presenting a programme of Schumann, Brahms, De falla, Debussy and Ravel.

Blue Rose Code announced the return of his fabulously successful Fringe show This is Caledonian Soul on 19 August 2019 when he will play cult, iconic and classic Scots song with his own emphasis and style. There will be accompaniment from a 14 piece band and some very special guests.

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra maintain their home at the hall and will also perform there during the year.

Further classical highlights include a dedicated anniversary concert by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) on 24 October (details to be announced in early 2019) and a return for the popular festival of chamber music, Winterplay on 16 February, directed by Susan Tomes.

The SCO have called The Queen’s Hall home since 1979 and were instrumental, along with the Scottish Baroque Ensemble (now the Scottish Ensemble) and the Scottish Philharmonic Singers in helping to raise £850k in 1977 to turn the Church of Newington and St Leonard’s into the established venue it is today.

QH@40 will take place throughout the year – a series of adventures in music with curated performances in four strands (jazz, folk, pop/indie and experimental) in partnership with guest curators.

The first of these to be announced is Jazz, curated by Tommy Smith and supported by Creative Scotland. For the first time in many years, Tommy will be showcasing one of his most acclaimed pieces Beasts of Scotland on 18 April with his Sextet, narration by Tam Dean Burn and support from Square One.

On 13 June he reunites with pianist Brian Kellock and Gaelic singer Kathleen MacInnes, with support from the Fergus McCreadie Trio. Details of other events in the jazz and other strands will be announced in early 2019.

Evan Henderson, Chief Executive of The Queen’s Hall said : “We’re really pleased that Creative Scotland understands what we are trying to achieve by introducing these new strands to our programme, as we embark on the journey that will take The Queen’s Hall’s into the next stage of its life. We’re committed to developing ambitious events which push the boundaries of music genres, partnering with musicians and artists who are the best in their field who wouldn’t be able to take artistic risks without Creative Scotland’s support.”

Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland, commented: “Next year The Queen’s Hall will be in a great position to look back on everything it has achieved across the 40 years but also to look ahead to a dynamic new position at the heart of Edinburgh’s live music scene. Alongside the major refurbishment of the building, the anniversary programme has the potential to open up this much loved venue to new audiences. Creative Scotland is delighted to support an artistic vision that will breathe life into and broaden horizons of the capital’s music calendar.”

Tickets for most events are on sale now

Southside of the Tracks: 40 years of traditional music at The Queen’s Hall, Sat 12 Jan
Curated by Scotland’s foremost fiddle player, John McCusker and featuring a stellar line-up of singer-songwriters, including Roddy Woomble (Idlewild), Kathleen MacInnes, Heidi Talbot, Phil Cunningham, Rachel Sermanni, Adam Holmes, Daoiri Farrell and more. Supported by Ettrick Trust.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/southside-tracks

Neil & Liam Finn, Fri 18 Jan
The Crowded House front man and son perform their new album Lightsleeper.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/neil-liam-finn

Arod Quartet, Mon 21 Jan
First New Town Concert of 2019. Other concerts during the year include a conclusion to Paul Lewis’s two-year recital programme.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/arod-quartet 

Christian Zacharias, Thu 24 Jan
Acclaimed pianist performs in support of the East Neuk Festival Endowment Fund.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/christian-zacharias

Apollo & Daphne, Tue 5 Feb
The first Dunedin Consort concert of 2019 with other concerts throughout the year including the Matthew Passion. http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/apollo-daphne

Jazz Scotland: Belgian Jazz, Thu 7 Feb
Details to be confirmed.

Jimeoin, Sat 9 Feb
Brilliantly observed, ever-evolving and hilarious comedy from the Irish-Australian.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/jimeoin

Winterplay, Sat 16 Feb
An all-day festival of beautiful chamber music directed by Susan Tomes (piano) with Erich Höbarth (violin), Philip Higham (cello), Janice Galloway (spoken word), Robert Philip (talk) and Monica Wilkinson (children’s workshop). Featuring Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Suk and Schubert. Supported by Harriet’s Trust.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/winterplay-2019-seasons-music-and-words

Dolly Alderton (Everything I Know About Love), Sat 23 Feb
The award-winning journalist and podcast host launches the paperback copy of her bestselling book. http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/dolly-alderton-everything-i-know-about-love-live

Collabro, Fri 1 Mar
Popular vocal quartet stop off en route to the Royal Albert Hall.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/collabro

The Edinburgh Highland Reel & Strathspey Society annual concert, Sat 2 Mar
A varied programme of traditional Scottish fiddle music.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/edinburgh-highland-reel-strathspey-society-annual-concert

Homecoming 2: The Return of Mackay’s Memoirs, Mon 4 Mar
Celebrating the 20^th anniversary of Martyn Bennett’s commemorative piece, four of the original musicians (Maeve Gilchrist, Ben Duncan, Adam Clifford and Dave Lloyd) will perform the stunning composition alongside pupils from the City of Edinburgh Music School.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/homecoming-2-return-mackays-memoirs

Midge Ure, Sun 10 Mar
‘Songs and Stories’. Midge will play with Cole Stacey and Joe O’Keefe (India Electric Company) and answer audience questions. http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/midge-ure

Naturally 7 with Edinburgh Schools Jazz Orchestra, Thu 14 Mar
As part of the Resonate series of concerts in conjunction with the City of Edinburgh Instrumental Music Service, the ESJO get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to support America’s foremost a cappella group who have shared a stage with Michael Bublé and Coldplay. In partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council Instrumental Music Service.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/naturally-7

Scottish National Jazz Orchestra presents Norse Myths with Arild Andersen and Paolo Vinaccia, Sat 23 Mar
Details to be confirmed.

UFO Final tour, Fri 29 Mar
50^th anniversary and final tour for the hard rock band.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/ufo-last-orders-50th-anniversary-tour

BBC Big Band feat Claire Martin OBE, Sat 30 Mar
Multi award-winning jazz vocalist and radio presenter, Claire Martin OBE, joins the internationally acclaimed BBC Big Band for a unique celebration of the legendary ladies of jazz including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Judy Garland and their contemporaries. Supported by Sam Breadon (a member of The Queen’s Hall).
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/bbc-big-band-featuring-claire-martin-obe

Hairy Bikers, Fri 5 Apr
An epic night of cooking and conversation from Si King and Dave Myers.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/evening-hairy-bikers

Jenna Reid & Harris Playfair with Mr McFall’s Chamber, Sun 7 Apr
One of Shetland’s finest and most accomplished modern-day fiddlers, Jenna Reid, is joined by long-time accompanist Harris Playfair and the genre-defying string ensemble Mr McFall’s Chamber in a sumptuous double-bill of musical mastery.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/jenna-reid-and-harris-playfair-mr-mcfalls-chamber

Julian Clary’s Born to Mince tour, Wed 10 Apr
In this outrageously camp new show, Clary bares his soul as never before in the interest of light entertainment. http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/julian-clarys-born-mince-tour

Wilko Johnson with Glenn Tilbrook, Fri 12 Apr
The original Dr Feelgood guitarist and founding member of Squeeze share the bill.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/wilko-johnson-special-guest-glenn-tilbrook

Tommy Smith Sextet: Beasts of Scotland with Square One, Thu 18 Apr
Beasts of Scotland is inspired by the late Edwin Morgan’s poetry created to describe the characteristics of Scottish wildlife. Smith revisits one of his most successful and compelling pieces for the first time in many years, a suite of musical portraits which crackles with jazz spontaneity with narration by Tam Dean Burn. Supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and Medici Advisors. http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/tommy-smith-sextet-beasts-scotland [link live on Monday, 10am]

Lake Street Dive, Sun 21 Apr
The multi-genre band from Boston, Massachusetts showcase their new album.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/lake-street-dive

Tim Garland: Weather Walker, Fri 10 May
Three world-class virtuosi (Garland, Jason Rebello and Yuri Goloubev) at the height of their creative powers perform material born from Tim’s love of the natural world. The music uses folk song and some unconventional atmospheric devices.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/tim-garland-weather-walker

Neu! Reekie!, Sat 11 May
Details to be confirmed.

Tommy Smith, Brian Kellock & Kathleen MacInnes plus Fergus McCreadie Trio, Thu 13 Jun
Tommy’s enduring partnership with pianist Brian Kellock has produced outstanding albums and enthralled audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. They’re joined for part of this concert by Kathleen MacInnes, one of the great voices in Gaelic singing. Supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and Medici Advisors.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/tommy-smith-brian-kellock-kathleen-macinnes [link live on Monday, 10am]

40^th Anniversary Concert: Steven Osborne & Alban Gerhardt, Sat 6 Jul
To celebrate the opening of The Queen’s Hall by HM Queen Elizabeth II on 6 July 1979, multi-award-winning Scottish pianist Steven Osborne and one of the world’s finest cellists, Alban Gerhardt, will perform a one-off concert with a programme of Schumann, Brahms, De falla, Debussy and Ravel. http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/steven-osborne-and-alban-gerhardt [link live on Monday, 10am]

Henning Wehn: Get On With It, 1-4, 8-11, 15-18, 22-25 Aug
With his lack of transferable skills and belief in practice makes perfect, the German Comedy Ambassador has bosched out yet another show. Following on from his sold-out success in 2015 and 2017 we’re delighted to welcome him back to The Queen’s Hall for the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/henning-wehn-get-it

This is Caledonian Soul presented by Blue Rose Code, Mon 19 Aug
Ross Wilson (aka Blue Rose Code) with the help of a 14-piece band and some very special guests, attempts to answer the question, ‘What is Caledonian Soul?’ by offering his unique take on generations of cult, iconic and classic Scots song.
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/caledonian-soul [link live on Monday, 10am]

Ben Elton, Fri 4 Oct
Details to be confirmed.

Scottish Chamber Orchestra Anniversary Concert, Thu 24 Oct
Details to be confirmed.

Edinburgh Light Orchestra Annual Concert, Sat 9 Nov
Details to be confirmed.

Ardal O’Hanlon – The Showing Off Must Go On, Fri 15 Nov
Acclaimed stand-up from the star of Death in Paradise, Father Ted and My Hero (BBC).
http://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/ardal-ohanlon-showing-must-go

The Queen’s Hall: www.queenshall.net / 0131 668 2019.

Hibernian Ladies Head Coach Grant Scott described the players’ performance in yesterday’s superb 8-0 victory over Motherwell to secure the SSE Scottish Women’s Cup as ‘terrific’.

Jamie-Lee Napier scored a hat-trick, Abi Harrison scored twice before going off with an injury whilst Lauren Davidson and Cailin Michie both scored one each. The remaining strike was an own goal.

After the final whistle Scott told Hibernian Media: “Overall, the team were absolutely terrific.”

“We got ourselves into a really good position so early and it was always going to be so difficult for Motherwell to come back from that.

“We had to be professional when we were playing against a team from the league below, even though we think their quality is good enough for SWPL 1, I’m just delighted with the way that we took the game to them.

“Because we’ve got that message into the players this week about going in to do the job first and foremost, then giving Motherwell respect for what they have achieved this season, but we knew if we took care of business that we would turn out winners.

“The players deserve credit for going and doing the job.

“The first half performance was really good. Getting the first goal really helped and it settled us down. The team retained the ball well, moved it about well the movement was great and they were absolutely clinical when they got chances.

“Again, the goals were shared about the team. Jamie got a hat-trick and we also had goals from Abi and a few others too.

“It’s brilliant winning the double. I get a lot of credit for where the team are and how they are doing, but I’m at pains to say that the groundwork has been prepared by a lot of other people.

“There’s staff in the background underpinning what the girls are doing every single night of the week. There’s the previous coaches who have signed a lot of these players that have got a winning mentality within the group and they deserve as much credit as I do.

“I’ve taken on the group. I love being here and working with them. It’s the most enjoyable thing I’ve done in football.”

One of Scotland’s most dedicated health care professionals has had her contribution to the field recognised at the annual Scottish Health Awards 2018.

Dr Caroline Calvert, a partner at Bruntsfield Medical Practice in Edinburgh, has been awarded the ‘Doctor Award’ for her commitment and passion to her job and providing excellent NHS care for people in Scotland.

Dr Calvert was applauded for her exceptional skills as a doctor and her care and compassion towards her patients. She was nominated for the award by a patient who said: “I have been fortunate to know many fine doctors, nurses and health professionals who are a credit to the NHS; but none more so than my wonderful GP, Dr Caroline Calvert – a partner at Bruntsfield Medical Practice, Edinburgh, who has worked with me since she joined the practice in 2008.”

Dr Calvert picked up her award on an evening where the achievements of NHS staff, support workers, volunteers and specialist teams from across Scotland were celebrated through 17 diverse categories. The awards recognise their significant contribution, hard work and dedication to the delivery of high quality health care throughout Scotland and are run by the Daily Record and in partnership with NHSScotland and the Scottish Government.

David Dick, editor of the Daily Record and Sunday Mail, said: “Every year across Scotland, thousands of healthcare professionals and volunteers dedicate their lives to providing the best possible care to the people of Scotland. Our Scottish Health Awards once again provided us with a chance to recognise and celebrate the hard work and commitment of the teams and individuals, whose contribution often goes unrecognised.”

The 17^th annual Scottish Health Awards 2018, the most prestigious awards ceremony for professionals across NHSScotland and their partners, were hosted by top comedian Fred MacAulay, and were held on Thursday night (1 November) at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange.

The Senbla Concert Orchestra will provide the orchestral backdrop to British Christmas cinematic classic, Love Actually at the Usher Hall in early December. The RSNO is also performing there on two evenings with music from the movies and a special Christmas concert.

Directed by Richard Curtis and originally released in cinemas in 2003, Love Actually tells ten separate yet interweaving stories of love around Christmas time. The full, live orchestra will perform Craig Armstrong’s evocative score, with the film being projected onto the Usher Hall’s huge screen.

Begin the holiday season by experiencing Love Actually with  live orchestral backing on 8 December 2018 at 7.30pm.

The Snowman will take you on his magical journey through the winter sky. Enjoy this special showing of the festive classic on the large screen on 21 December, accompanied live by the RSNO and narrated by guest presenter Jamie MacDougall. Perfect for the whole family, join us for our Christmas party filled with seasonal favourites, carols old and new – and, of course, a chance for everyone to sing along!

On 16 November the RSNO will reunite with the legendary film label Varèse Sarabande to celebrate its 40th anniversary in style, with live performances of music from some of the greatest TV shows and films ever made.

Varèse producer Robert Townson is joined by conductor Diego Navarro and an exciting group of superstar composers – including the legendary Patrick Doyle and Rachel Portman – as the orchestra looks back on some of the label’s greatest highlights.

There will be tributes to Jerry Goldsmith (Alien), Elmer Bernstein (To Kill a Mockingbird) and Alex North (Spartacus), plus blockbuster television themes (Game of Thrones) and movies (The Goonies, Back to the Future, The Matrix, The Abyss, The Iron Giant, Terminator 2, The Last of The Mohicans and Stargate).

• Tickets available now at www.usherhall.co.uk

RSNO at the Movies Varèse Sarabande 40th Anniversary Concert

7:30pm, Friday 16 November

Tickets: £49.00, £38.50, £29.50, £19.00

Diego Navarro – Conductor

Sara Andon – Flute

Robert Townson – Presenter

RSNO Chorus

Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Love Actually Live on Screen

7:30pm, Saturday 8 December

Tickets: £43.45 – £71.50

Senbla Concert Orchestra

RSNO Christmas Concert (featuring The Snowman)

7:30pm, Friday 21 December

Tickets: £49.00, £38.50, £29.50, £19.00

Matthew Hamilton – Conductor

Jamie MacDougall – Presenter

RSNO Junior Chorus

RSNO Chorus

Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Join in some festive fun with Santa and work off those mince pies

Santa’s been in training for his busiest time of year by paying a visit to Edinburgh Leisure’s soft plays and venues, burning off his excess energy and all those calories he’s going to consume this December. He’s been spotted practising his descending skills on the climbing walls at Ratho and making a splash at ‘The Commie’.

You can join in Santa’s festive celebrations at Tumbles at Portobello and at Clambers at The Royal Commonwealth Pool, while getting active too.  From rocking around the Christmas tree to Christmas parties, breakfasts and teas and burning off all that Christmas excitement across the city’s soft play venues, there’s plenty to keep kids active this festive season.

Tumbles at Portobello, 20 Westbank Street  EH15 1DR

Tumbles Christmas party

Get set to show off your best dance moves at the Tumbles Christmas disco and party, with arts and crafts, face painting and a buffet bag.  Santa will be visiting and there’ll be gifts for all good boys and girls.

9th December

15.00 – 17.00hrs

Cost: Children – Non-members-£10 per child / Members-£9 / Under 12 months- £5

To book: 0131 669 0878 / info.tumbles@edinburghleisure.co.uk

 Clambers at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, 21 Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh EH16 5BB

Breakfast and afternoon tea with Santa

Enjoy breakfast or afternoon tea in the Clambers’ party room whilst making reindeer dust; writing a letter to Santa with the elves, before visiting Santa to receive a present. This will be followed by a 45-minute soft-play session.

Children’s breakfast: Box of cereal, yoghurt, a mini bread roll with chipolata sausages (veggie sausages are also available); Christmas cookie, and diluting juice.

Adults’ breakfast: Hot roll, tea or coffee and a mince pie

Children’s tea: Finger sandwiches, Christmas cookie, mini muffin, crisps and diluting juice

Adults’ afternoon tea: Sandwiches, mini scone, mini tray bakes and tea or coffee

Friday, 21st/Saturday, 22nd/Sunday, 23rd December

Breakfast: 9.00-10.30hrs;  or

Afternoon tea: 12.00-13.30hs and 14.00-15.30hrs

Cost: Children – Non-Members-£14.00 / Members-£12.00 / 0-11 months £5.00

Adults – 7.00

To book: 0131 667 7211 / info.rcp@edinburghleisure.co.uk

What: Clambers Christmas Party

Join in the Christmas fun at Clambers with their annual festive party. Work off all that excess energy and enjoy 2-hours of soft play and lots of other fun activities including face painting, tattoos, disco, games, and arts and crafts and receive a present from Santa.  Don your best Christmas jumper and/or Christmas outfit to be in with a chance of a prize.

Thursday, 20th December 2018

16.00-18.00hrs

Cost: Children – Non-Members-£10.00 / Members-£9.00 / 0-11 months-£5.00

To book: 0131 667 7211 / info.rcp@edinburghleisure.co.uk

For further information visit www.edinburghleisure.co.uk

Alex and Daniela Vickers own a swimming pool business down south, but they came north to Scotland to find their dream holiday home at the 5 star Kenmore development.

Living in an urban environment like Edinburgh has its advantages, especially when you are still one of the working population, but sometimes you just want to get away from the hubbub to a more peaceful environment. That’s where owning a holiday home in the country can come in very handy!

For business owners Alex and Daniela, buying a holiday home at Balloch Park, Mains of Taymouth, Kenmore, has been, in their own words, “the best decision we’ve ever made.”

The couple, from Bedfordshire, run a swimming pool and hot tub business, Azure Pools Ltd, and wanted an “escape” holiday home property they could visit as often as possible.

With a friend who comes up to Kenmore every year and who loves the area, Alex and Daniela were soon tempted to head north on a hunt for a holiday home. As Daniela explained, they had been keen on buying in Perthshire for some time, but were not sure where to start.

She said : “We were staying in a rental property near Kenmore, and decided to see what the Balloch Park development had to offer,” she said. “We went into the office at Mains of Taymouth, and mentioned that we wanted somewhere really quiet and peaceful with a lovely setting. On our very first visit to the site we realised that Balloch Park ticked all the boxes, and we pretty much fell in love with it at first sight.”

The couple viewed the show lodge, and as the development was at a very early stage, were able to take their pick of the available plots, opting for a riverside lodge with the most incredible views, overlooking the River Tay.

“Not only do we have easy access to the River Tay, but the view from our lodge window is absolutely beautiful,“ said Daniela. “The lodge has been built to a high standard and has all the features we need. We added a log burning stove which is cosy for the winter months. Our dog, Maggie, a Pug, Chihuahua Cross, loves it here.”

“We’re really pleased with the service from Mains of Taymouth – everyone is super friendly and helpful, especially owner Robin Menzies, which made everything for us so much easier and enjoyable,” she added.

Daniela said : “We’ve had the lodge since August 2017 when we first moved in, so just over a year. We came up four times last year and we have been up three times already this year. We want to be able to come up as much as possible. We haven’t ever regretted our decision to buy here at all.”

Prices at Balloch Park, a residential, holiday and buy to let development, are from £179,000 for stunning, built to order lodges, created from sustainable timber. A choice of two and three bedroom lodges are available.

Individually designed and built by award winning local builder, Blairish Restorations, Mains of Taymouth’s in house builders, the lodges are complete with large and airy living/dining/kitchen areas, sleek custom built kitchens with stainless steel appliances, floor to ceiling windows, and stunning aspect ceilings with skylights. The spacious plots and give plenty of scope to enhance the lodge with outdoor living.

The development enjoys an idyllic location to the east of the main Mains of Taymouth estate with Drummond Hill on one side and the banks of the River Tay on the other. The market town of Aberfeldy is just six miles away with easy access to Scotland’s Central Belt. Edinburgh and Glasgow are each around an hour and a half away.

All owners at Balloch Park are given preferential access to Mains of Taymouth’s many facilities such as the nine hole golf course and the riding stables.

“Sales are progressing very well here at Balloch Park, with phase one more than half way sold,” said Estate Manager Peter Bancroft. “Come and view our fabulous new show lodge with its superior specification, internal finishings and stunning contemporary layout, guaranteed to impress all who view.”

Peter added : “We have sold, so far, to a mix of downsizers and those wishing to acquire a holiday home, many of whom do live in big bustling cities.  We are also on the money with our comprehensive buy to let holiday package, aimed at investors. Our in house team can offer you a professional, fully managed lettings and maintenance service, making ownership stress free.”

Contact Peter Bancroft, Estate Manager, on 01887 830226. More information here www.ballochpark.co.uk  email atinfo@ballochpark.co.uk.

At the beginning of October the site where the Royal Bank of Scotland used to be on Dundas Street was put up for sale.

It is now called New Town North and extends to almost 6 acres, or the size of six football pitches. That analogy is interesting as there used to be a football pitch to the rear of the site next to George V Park where St Bernard Football Club played.

The site has a bit of planning history behind it as an application for a largely residential development was submitted, then subsequently revised, and finally withdrawn at the beginning of August 2018.

It was in November 2016 that plans were first lodged for demolition of the building and redevelopment of the site.

Many objections were lodged by locals and groups including Historic Environment Scotland and the local community council. The New Town and Broughton Community Council report that they are not entirely unsurprised that the bank has withdrawn its application. They admit that they do not have any regrets about the withdrawal of the amended plans but they are disappointed that no consensus was achieved even after a considerable period of time and after so much consultation.

The community council were most concerned about the impact of a residential scheme on local schools, but they are now most worried about the fact that the building is ’empty and increasingly forlorn’. They remind us that this could be a unique opportunity to add value to the area with a site of this size and location.

So any buyer will have to go through the expensive and time-consuming business of lodging a new Planning application, and the community council hope that this includes a masterplan for the site as a whole rather than as a piecemeal development.

RBS has said that they withdrew the applications as they were not going to be the developers of the site. It has probably been a costly business thus far.

James Thomson of Cushman & Wakefield who are marketing the site for sale encourages new ideas for the area. He told The Edinburgh Reporter that there are many options for the development of such a large site and that their marketing campaign had already got to the end of its first stage. He told us there is good strong interest and the eventual use was still wide open. He suggested that buyers might look at a straightforward residential development, but that it would equally lend itself to a mixed use development, or even a hotel.

Whether or not any development will have the same look as the New Town around it in the future depends on the buyer and the plans they manage to get approved.

Mr Thomson said : “Opportunities to complement a design icon are very rare. New Town North will be the natural extension of Edinburgh’s New Town, and a fantastic chance to create a premium development in the city centre. We are looking forward to seeing the market’s creativity at work.”

New Town North is adjacent to the New Town, which dates from the 18th century when it was first developed as part of architect James Craig’s vision and was the largest planned city development of its day. It is still said to be the best-preserved example of Georgian town planning and was granted UNESCO World Heritage Status in 1995.

In the past the New Town North land has had a number of uses – as a Victorian water theme park complete with a rowing machine capable of seating up to 60 people and a giant see-saw, as home to St Bernard’s Football Club and a greyhound track. In 1978 RBS commissioned their first building on site, the office and data centre at 34 Fettes Row, with their final development on the site completed in 2009. RBS relocated staff from the site last year to its purpose-built headquarters in Gogarburn.