The Edinburgh Reporter July 2020
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July 2020
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk
Back
to the
Botanics
Following government guidance,
the Royal Botanic Garden
Edinburgh (RBGE) has been busy
getting ready to reopen again.
There will be new health and
safety measures. For example,
only members of staff will
have access to the famous
glasshouses. Visitors must book
a slot online in advance of going
to the garden to minimise any
queuing and also to make physical
distancing possible.
There will be hand sanitiser units
at entrances, and some additional
temporary toilet facilities are in
place.
RGBE staff have been working
hard and are really excited about
reopening to the public.
Continued on Page 3
Hazel France, Senior Horticulturist PHOTO Martin P McAdam
Scottish
Government
moving us out
of lockdown
cautiously
The Scottish Government has
outlined a provisional timetable
for the relaxation of lockdown
restrictions, but it depends very
much on a continued suppression
of the virus.
Large gatherings on Portobello
Beach and in The Meadows
appear to have flouted the
guidance which is in place for now.
Taking a holiday may soon be
possible, and VisitScotland is
busy promoting the staycation
which will help revive the tourism
industry. The travel limit for leisure
and exercise will be lifted and
self-catering accommodation
will be open along with outdoor
hospitality.
While there is also a possibility
of air bridges being created to take
holidaymakers to foreign climes,
that may not yet work out. Some
travel operators have cancelled
flights and it is all a bit confusing,
changing from day to day.
If all goes according to plan,
there will be more relaxation
around who you can meet and
where. From the middle of July
children and young people can
work off excess energy by taking
part in organised outdoor contact
sport, and dental surgeries will be
able to see patients. Non-essential
shops inside shopping centres will
be able to reopen, and all childcare
providers can offer help to working
parents again.
Holiday accommodation, which
includes hotels, will be able to
fully open from 15 July. At that
point the country can also heave a
sigh of relief as hairdressers and
barbers will reopen, albeit with
extra hygiene measures in place.
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2 NEWS
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NEWS 3
ABOUT US
The month of July usually means
school holidays, foreign travel and
perhaps even some good weather
at home.
This year, it means looking
back with sadness for those who
have lost loved ones, and looking
forward to a bit of an unknown
future landscape for everyone.
In this issue we write about the
return to school for all pupils,
which is almost universally
welcomed by parents, particularly
those who work.
Many times I have heard about
the household bargaining that has
had to be done over who could use
the wifi or computers.
The return to school might be
welcomed by children too, some
of whom sadly will have been
vulnerable at home.
Voluntary groups have worked
wonders in providing cooked
meals and supplies from food
banks to those families who
asked, or were identified as having
a need.
The Scottish Government is
funding food for those eligible
for free school meals throughout
the summer. There are 175,000
children and young people in
Scotland who get free school
food. This figure rose by more
than 50,000 during the pandemic,
as a result of family incomes
and finances being reduced. For
assistance the free helpline is
0800 111 4000. The text line is
0800 111 4114. Calls will be routed
through local councils.
There have been many calls
on government funding. We are
involved with one specific aspect.
The Scottish Government has
confirmed that The Edinburgh
Reporter, as a member of the
Independent Community News
Network, will benefit from
advertising revenue for a planned
public health campaign. We are
really glad about this as it will help
to fill a gap in our income.
I met the leading cast members
of the King's Theatre Panto on a
hilarious Zoom call and you can
read part of that interview on Page
7. There is a podcast version too.
If you look to the right hand side of
this page you will see the QR code
to take you to the podcast.
We would be very glad to hear
from you if you have a business
which would like to advertise with
us. Or you can sign up to have the
paper sent to you direct at home
or at your office. And do get in
touch if you have any stories for
us.
Phyllis Stephen, Editor
Editor: Phyllis Stephen
editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk
07791 406 498
The Edinburgh Reporter
Colonies are buzzing
Many talented artists live in the Abbeyhill Colonies. We know this to be
true, as they have organised the Colony of Artists (COA) exhibition since
2005, when all the resident artists came together for the first time.
Since then they have opened the doors of their homes each September
to show off their art. During lockdown they have been very creative.
There are now businesses on Easter Road and London Road with gaily
painted shutters.
Closer to home they have created another mural in the COA mural trail.
The murals are part of a wider project to tackle graffiti in the area and
COA is working with local businesses whose premises are constant
targets. The Colony Houses mural (above) is at Holland House who
have generously allowed the use of their car park during COA for the
Hive Music and Drinks hub. The design itself is by artist William Mazur
inspired by Edd Wellesley Davies's work.
The mural was painted by William Mazur with help from Jenny
Haslimeier, Nick Gardner, Christina Robertson and Gill Smith.
Letter to the Editor
Dear Madam,
As a Meadows local, it was
frankly appalling yet again to see
the amount of rubbish left on this
beautiful park.
I have contacted both those
councillors local to the Meadows
and the MSP, calling for a
‘Manifesto for the Meadows’
to address what is a recurring
problem.
This looks at: More bins –
there is a distinct lack of these
and those that are there are
overflowing. Those bins to be
emptied more frequently. Greater
use of litter patrols and on-thespot
fines. Greater signage
The Edinburgh Reporter is
distributed through a network of
cafés and businesses.
Some of those are now open
again. If you have had your car in
any Farmer Autocare branch then
you may have received a free copy
of our latest paper while visting.
Other places where we usually
leave a supply remain closed,
including libraries and some
businesses across the
– calling for people to take pride
in the city and to bag and bin their
rubbish.
A more general campaign,
possibly social media-based
to keep costs down – focusing
on taking pride in the city and
the cost incurred, especially in
the current circumstances, on
having to clear this rubbish up
on a regular basis. This situation
will only worsen as the weather
improves and I would urge
everyone to take pride in their city
and do what they can to keep it
clean.
Yours etc, Alex Orr
Putting news in your hands
city. The News Media Association
has confirmed that newsprint
is quite safe. So our alternative
network has been to use those
volunteers who are distributing
meals and food around the city. If
you have access to any means of
helping us distribute our papers,
while adhering to strict physical
distancing, then please do get in
touch.
It would be a huge help to us.
We write about news relating to Edinburgh and the immediate area.
We welcome contributions to our website and newspaper.
Letter to the Editor
Dear Madam,
I have written to the Council
Leader, Adam McVey, about the
complaints I have made for the
last three years.
These relate to the condition of
the footpath in East Claremont
Street, as you highlighted in an
earlier issue.
Recently one of my neighbours
told me that the Council's
Pavement Replacement Works'
Contractor was out surveying the
street. The Contractor advised that
the pavement replacement works
were scheduled to start on 12th
July 2020.
I am pleased about that, but I
would have expected the Council
to inform me when these long
overdue works would be taking
place.
Contrary to Cllr McInnes's claim,
the Council has not kept me
"informed" about this matter. I
continue to be concerned by the
claim made by one official of the
Council that the condition of the
footpath did not merit replacement
before 2018. Simply not true.
Nothing was done about the
dangerous and dilapidated
condition of the pavement in
East Claremont Street until I
relentlessly pursued this issue
three years ago.
I am firmly of the view that
there has been a dereliction of
duty on the part of the council'd
Streetscape Surveyor for allowing
the footpath to deteriorate to this
state.
It should be cause for concern,
because if someone had suffered
an accident and incurred losses,
the council could be held liable for
substantial damages.
The hard pressed council tax
payer can do without having
to fund claims for damages
because Council Officers are not
being diligent. If anyone at the
Council doubts my veracity on the
prevailing situation, I should be
pleased to take them on a local
tour.
I would like to know what
the Council is going to do to
ensure that this disgraceful and
longstanding situation (which I
find egregious) does not recur.
I did copy correspondence on
this matter to the Community
Council and did not receive an
acknowledgement or reply.
Yours etc, Shane Carter
@EdinburghPolice
Following incidents of disorder
in Edinburgh recently, officers are
appealing to the public to refrain
from gathering in large groups.
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Edinburgh's slavery connections
By Phyllis Stephen
Even before the coronavirus
lockdown had ended, thousands
protested across the world against
the police custody death of George
Floyd in the US.
The focus quickly turned to
the matter of statues, with the
figure of slave trader Edward
Colston in Bristol tipped into the
harbour by Black Lives Matter
(BLM) protesters. In Edinburgh
there is a strong history of
slavery connections evident in
our cityscape, none more so than
the statue of Henry Dundas, 1st
Viscount Melville, which sits atop
the 150 feet Melville Monument in
St Andrew Square. Green activist
Adam Ramsay lodged a petition
with the council, and in 2015 he
glued a plaque to the monument
on which he had inscribed a short
explanation of who the "Great
Tyrant" was, and the part Dundas
played in delaying the abolition
of slavery. A committee set up to
agree the wording of a "proper’"
plaque could not agree the exact
form of words. In the wake of the
BLM protest in Holyrood Park,
Council Leader Adam McVey
discussed the wording with one
of the members of the plaque
committee, equal rights activist,
Professor Sir Geoff Palmer. Within
days the inscription was agreed.
Cllr McVey said: “ The debate
City inconvenience
Portobello councillor Callum
Laidlaw demanded that the council
open up public toilets for the
"significant numbers of people
socialising outdoors in parks and
green spaces".
Phase 2 of the lockdown
restrictions did not allow for
parties on The Meadows or on
Portobello Beach, but during the
good weather that is just what
happened.
Responding to the needs of
residents in his own ward, Cllr
Laidlaw asked why they could
not be reopened with enhanced
cleaning procedures in place. He
also wanted the layout of public
toilets at key pressure points, such
as parks and beaches assessed,
and social distancing measures
introduced.
Cllr Laidlaw said: "It is a sensible
response to look at other cities to
see what has been done in other
areas of the UK. This is something
which I think is a pretty reasonable
move. I am asking to get these
on how we tackle prejudice as a
city is not an event, and not solely
focused on our history, but it is
relevant for the here and now. It's
been a privilege to work with Sir
Geoff to help set the historical
record straight."
History Professor Diana Paton of
The University of Edinburgh said:
“Nicola Sturgeon stated that The
Scottish Government will seek to
lead a national discussion about
the implications of Scotland’s
involvement in slavery. To be truly
Professor Sir Geoff Palmer
toilets open again with certain
measures in place."
There is a £50 on-the-spot fine
which can be levied on anyone
relieving themselves outdoors, and
Cllr Laidlaw wanted the council
to remind the public of this which
Convener Adam McVey agreed
would be a good idea.
Cllr McVey, said that it was just
not possible to open any up of the
coucnil owned public lavatories.
He said: "I don't think we can
progress opening of these toilets
right now. That isn't a matter of
opinion, that is a matter of the
constraints on us because of
the public health guidance, and
because of our own capacity. I'm
keen that we open these in heavily
used areas. This will happen as
quickly as it possibly can happen.”
The council will decide on this
measure on 9 July. Meantime they
are using social media to remind
everyone that it is not acceptable
to relieve themselves out of doors.
effective, this national discussion
should address not just how
Scotland’s past is represented in
our streetscapes and museums,
but also the long-term implications
of that past, for the Caribbean and
for race equality in Scotland.”
An unnamed group has
'renamed some streets' saying:
"In renaming these street signs
we are removing the names of
the elite who do not deserve to
be honoured for mass atrocities
and honouring ideas of freedom,
The George to remain shuttered
EXCLUSIVE
By Phyllis Stephen and Stephen
Rafferty
One of Edinburgh’s most
prestigious hotels will remain
shuttered until early 2021 as the
damaging impact of the Covid-19
epidemic rifles through Scotland’s
tourism industry.
The four star The George is in
consultation with more than 200
staff over redundancies but The
Edinburgh Reporter understands
the city institution will not reopen
for business later this month when
the Scottish Government gives
the green light for the hospitality
industry to restart.
The George owners,
InterContinental Hotels Group
(IHG), earlier confirmed they
were consulting with more than
600 staff at their four Scottish
luxury hotels which also includes
Edinburgh sister hotel Kimpton
Charlotte Square.
One of the proposals under
consideration is that the George
will remain closed until February
with staff who are made redundant
encouraged to reapply for their
jobs next year. It is understood the
Kimpton, and the Crowne Plaza
Edinburgh which IHG manages,
will reopen this year and will be
more closely aligned with the
Scottish Government’s Covid-19
routemap to recovery.
A hotel source told The
Edinburgh Reporter: “The hotel
management held a meeting of
non-colonial education and an end
to oppression. We stand with local
activists and academics who have
dedicated years of their own time,
study, passion and resources in
researching this. We demand that
Edinburgh streets named after
people with links to slavery are
changed to reflect Black history
which is vibrant, diverse and about
so much more than slavery. We
demand that statues of slavers
are removed and replaced with
monuments to the people whose
stories and lives were stolen."
furloughed staff and they learned
they would all be made redundant.
They were also informed that
they will be able to reapply for
jobs when the hotel reopens in
February 2021.”
The George reopened
last October after a major
refurbishment, marking its return
to the InterContinental Hotels
Group stable. The 240-bedroom
Grade 2 listed building was
originally a collection of five town
houses built in the 1780s and has
been a hotel since 1881.
A spokesman for IHG refused
to confirm plans for The George
and said a number of proposals
were under consideration. A
statement added: “This is a very
difficult time for our industry,
The George will remain closed
Back to the
Botanics
Continued from Page 1
Ahead of reopening of the
Botanics, Regius Keeper Simon
Milne, MBE, said: “We look forward
to welcoming back visitors to all
four Gardens. This connection
with the environment is vital for
the well-being of all. With the
safety of our staff and visitors
remaining our prime concern,
we have amended operations on
all sites to introduce measures
that should build trust and
confidence. Lockdown has been
a difficult time for everyone,
caution is widespread and life
will remain away from what
we regard as normal for some
time. Travel restrictions remain
in place and, for the immediate
future, all four Gardens will be
restricted to welcoming their local
communities. However, this is a
first hugely important step in our
return to extended outreach.”
A new measure for the reopening
of the Edinburgh flagship Garden
is the introduction of time slots
tickets, to be booked in advance
by visitors. Time slots can be
booked online now. Admission to
the Garden remains free of charge.
A temporary booking system will
enable staff to limit the number of
visitors in the Garden at any one
time, gradually building capacity
when all are comfortable the
operational guidelines work.
and we have done everything to
protect and retain jobs for as long
as possible. Most of our hotels in
the Scotland are currently closed
and while we are looking forward
to welcoming guests back when
we can reopen, it will take time
for travel and tourism to return to
pre-coronavirus levels.
“We have launched a
consultation to resize and
restructure our teams in three
of our Edinburgh hotels, which
unfortunately is likely to involve
some redundancies.”
In addition to The George,
Kimpton Charlotte Square and
Crowne Plaza, IHG directly
manages the Grand Central and
Kimpton Blythswood Square in
Glasgow.
4
POLITICS
The Edinburgh Reporter
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Research
could save in
the long run
by Gordon Lindhurst MSP
I have welcomed a huge funding
boost from the UK Government to
support financial research led by
the University of Edinburgh.
A fund of £55 million was
announced by UK Government
Business Secretary, Alok Sharma.
It will be used to fund research to
understand financial behaviours
and address financial challenges
such as fair access to credit,
property ownership and savings.
The timing of the funding could
not be better.
It will allow our highly skilled
researchers at the University
of Edinburgh to look into how
people will be behaving financially.
With the economic effects of the
Covid-19 pandemic set to be felt in
the coming months, this funding is
very timely.
Challenges will be faced with
people spending differently and
perhaps not being able to save as
much, and we need to know how
we can support people with these
effects.
Our University of Edinburgh
team are world-leading and I look
forward to seeing the results of
their research in due course.
For editorial and advertising
enquiries please email
editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk
Voting reform
brings more
inclusivity
Jeremy Balfour MSP
Last month Members of the
Scottish Parliament voted
unanimously in favour of
amendments to the Scottish
Elections (Reform) Bill which
could make voting easier at future
elections for those who are visually
impaired.
Having worked alongside the
Scottish Government’s Minister
for Parliamentary Business and
Veterans, Graeme Dey, to pen
these amendments and as the
convener of the Cross-Party Group
on Disability, I was encouraged
to see the amendments receive
unanimous cross-party support.
The result of these amendments
is that a new electronic voting
system for people with disabilities
will be piloted at the next Scottish
Parliament Election, due to happen
in May 2021. For hundreds of
people who are blind or partially
sighted, this may be the first time
they are able to vote without
requiring help from someone in the
polling booth. Over the years there
has been significant improvements
to the electoral system, becoming
more inclusive for those with
disabilities, but it would seem that
people with visual impairments
have been left behind.
Therefore, I celebrate the passing
of these amendments, however,
I will also continue to call upon
the parliament to ensure that no
particular group are left behind in
future advances to make Scotland
more disability-inclusive.
A long haul
but let's build
a better future
Deirdre Brock MSP
Restrictions on the pandemic
lockdown are easing, people are
starting to look forward with some
hope, society looks a bit like it is
ready to press play again. It looks
like the virus is under control, at
least, for the present and we can
start thinking about the future.
Here’s a thing, though - the
future isn’t looking all that bright
for a whole lot of people. There
are folk whose lives won’t be
going back to normal or anything
like it for a long time. Some are
bereaved - deprived of a loved
one in circumstances where
they never even got the chance
to say goodbye. Likewise some
have lost a friend and could only
stand in the street to watch the
cortege pass by. Others will suffer
the long term effects of having
the virus - effects we don’t know
much about yet. Others have lost
their livelihoods - businesses they
have built up, swept away in the
maelstrom or severely damaged;
employers having to cut back on
staffing levels; some sectors of
the economy shrinking so much
it’s difficult to tell when they will
recover. Even where businesses
have survived the customer base
may be smaller because money is
tight and fewer folk are in work.
The long haul is still ahead of
us. We’ve shown that we can help
each other. There is hope, just look
at how folk reacted in the darkest
of times. Let's hang onto that
hope, and look to build a better
future.
Exorbitant
interest is just
too much
by Owen Thompson MP
I raised the matter of sky high
interest rates with the Business
Secretary Alok Sharma.
This came to my attention
after a Midlothian company was
offered a loan through a newly
accredited CBILS (Coronavirus
Business Interruption Loan) lender,
Fleximise, at 14.99% interest.
I also wrote to Mr Sharma calling
for the UK Government to cap the
interest on CBILS loans in line with
the Bounceback scheme at 2.5%.
Emergency loans backed by
the government should not be
charging sky-high interest rates,
leaving cash-strapped companies
struggling in debt.
We know thousands of small
companies have been turned
down by the big banks for the
government-backed loan scheme.
The scheme is fundamentally
flawed with the banks acting as
gatekeepers of who can get help.
Now it looks like the bluechip
companies will have received
preferential rates while other
companies are being left to the
wolves.
An interest rate of 14.99% is not
acceptable. This is not lifeline
support, it is more like scavengers
picking the bones of previously
thriving companies. At this rate
we'll soon have payday lenders like
Wonga accredited to offer loans in
this government backed scheme.
Fairer greener
future is what
is needed
by Alison Johnstone MSP
The Scottish Government must
move quickly to invest in green
jobs such as projects upgrading
homes to make them warmer and
more efficient.
The First Minister’s Advisory
Group on Economic Recovery
warned of a “potential tsunami”
of job losses and recommended a
job guarantee for young people in
Scotland.
The Scottish Greens secured an
additional £25m energy efficiency
investment earlier this year, and
have called for the programme to
be upscaled to provide thousands
of vital construction jobs.
I raised the issue at First
Minister’s Questions. Half of
working Scots are concerned
about losing their jobs. Thousands
already have, so I welcome that
the jobs guarantee from our 2016
manifesto now has cross-party
support. This needs urgent action,
and as the chief executive of
Scottish Power said, "reports and
plans don’t create jobs".
The jobs we need are in the
sectors that will build a fairer,
greener future, and one of these
is ensuring all homes are warm
and energy efficient. Earlier this
year the Greens secured tens
of millions of pounds for these
programmes, but by going further
and faster with this investment
now, the Scottish Government
could create thousands of jobs as
well as tackling fuel poverty and
the climate emergency.
Snappers turn island negative to positive
By Stephen Rafferty
A dream contract on a Caribbean
island which would have pushed
an emerging photography
business on to new heights ended
in a dramatic evacuation because
of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rod Penn and Jodie Mann
believed landing work from a
large international client for an
advertising campaign for a 5-star
luxury resort was the breakthrough
which would underpin Pennmann,
which they launched last year.
However, just one day after
arriving in the Dominican Republic,
Rod and Jodie and their creative
team of hair, makeup, models and
support crew, were forced to return
home as international borders
closed.
Rod said: “Our big break came
when we won a pitch to work on
an advertising campaign for a
very large international client and
we knew this job would catapult
our business forwards in so many
ways.
“It was by far the highest profile
job of our careers and we worked
on the project exclusively for a
month prior to the shoot. The
pandemic seemed to be growing
rapidly, and there were reports
about borders closing, people
being quarantined on ships and in
hotels. We were very concerned,
but we had our sights and
ambitions set on fulfilling this job.
“We made it out to the Caribbean
as planned, and started the
two-day prep for the production,
but sadly on the first day it was
decided that there was simply too
much risk of the whole cast and
crew being trapped or quarantined
on the island, so it was cancelled
and we were flown home almost
immediately.”
Jodie added: “It was a very
close call as the day we began
our journey home, America swiftly
cancelled all transit visas and
we were the last flight allowed
to transit in the USA before the
border closed. We got home by the
skin of our teeth.
“Everyone completely
understood and agreed with what
was a very difficult decision, but
it was a big disappointment for
us all. When we arrived back into
Rod Penn and Jodie Mann of Pennmann agency
the UK, we all had to face the
disappointment and the financial
anxiety of the looming lockdown.”
Pennmann was launched last
June from a studio in Leith
after Rod and Jodie decided
to leave their jobs as head
photographers with fashion and
beauty specialists the Makeup
Academy. In their first year they
worked with local designer brands,
a large American client, and shot
a campaign for the National
Museum of Scotland.
A Scottish Enterprise grant
has helped keep the business
afloat and the creative pair have
devised two online tutorials for
fashion, beauty and portraiture
photographers.
Rod said: “We go into great
depth about the methods, tips and
tricks we’ve learnt throughout our
combined 20-year career, giving
our customers a real insight
into how to produce high-quality
imagery they can be really proud
to show to a client.
"We believe that both tutorials
compliment each other well, and
with practise and studying the
techniques that we reveal in each
class, a photographer or editor
could go from complete beginner
to high-level very quickly.”
www.pennmann.co.uk/tutorials
Bikes just eat
up the miles in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh Cycle Hire is
celebrating achieving 100,000
hires so far this year - 80 per cent
as many as the total hires in 2019.
Just Eat Cycles, which is run by
Serco on behalf of Transport for
Edinburgh, has also seen more
than double the number of hires
every month compared to last
year. The Covid-19 lockdown and
good weather are likely to have
contributed to the boom, along
with several capital streets being
closed to other traffic.
The total of 100,000 hires was
achieved in June but last year
it took until September to reach
that milestone. There were a total
of 124,000 trips made in 2019.
The scheme also broke its daily
hire record on Saturday 20 June
with 2,428 trips. These covered
a total of more than 8,500 miles
- the equivalent of cycling from
Edinburgh to Disney World in
Florida and back in a day. Trips
made so far this year total some
330,000 miles.
Alex Macdonald, General
Manager of Just Eat Cycles,
said: “Having established a new
scheme record days earlier,
moving past 100,000 trips marks
a key milestone for the scheme in
our journey towards getting more
people on bikes. We are proud to
provide a brilliant service to the
city and it is a good moment to
thank our fantastic customers for
using the scheme. We are looking
forward to a busy summer with
more records broken.”
Miles Briggs MSP
0131 348 5946
Miles.Briggs.msp@parliament.scot
Milesbriggsedinburgh
MilesBriggsMSP
www.milesbriggs.scot
M2.15,
The Scottish
Parliament, Edinburgh,
EH99 1SP
Christine
Jardine MP
Telephone Surgeries
In line with Government
guidance and to keep people safe,
I’m now holding telephone surgeries.
Please call the team on 0131 285 5972 to
make an appointment
6
NEWS
The Edinburgh Reporter
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk FEATURE 7
Tattoo marches to Buster's tune
The Royal Edinburgh Military
Tattoo has appointed Major
General Buster Howes as its new
Chief Executive.
He will be the first Royal Marine
to take up the position at the
charity, but has a few years
experience behind him. He has
been a non-executive director of
the Tattoo for five years.
Buster’s last military
appointment was as Head of
the British Defence Staff in the
USA, working to the Obama
administration. Prior to that, he
Commanded the Royal Marines.
He was subsequently the Chief
Executive of Here be Dragons, a
commercial-philanthropic hybrid,
dedicated to the conservation
and sustainable development of
the Island of Principe, a UNESCO
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Biosphere Reserve in the Gulf of
Guinea. Most recently, he advised
the NHS, helping them to enhance
organisational and individual
resilience through the coronavirus
pandemic.
He succeeds Brigadier David
Allfrey who advised last year
that he would give up the chief
executive role after ten years.
Major General Buster Howes
said: “It is an honour to be
appointed as Chief Executive
of The Royal Edinburgh Military
Tattoo, an organisation I have
been a part of for five years and
one which I have admired since
I was a wee boy. I have worked
alongside David throughout my
time as a non-executive director
and have witnessed first-hand,
his commitment, creativity and
Mask company Hass it sussed
Edinburgh stay-at-home-dad
Hass Peymani, set up Screen &
Shield after becoming alarmed at
the poor quality and unavailability
of face masks for his family as he
faced lockdown with his wife who
was pregnant, and his dad who
was in a high-risk category.
Hass had previously set up a
successful global video business.
He spent 10 weeks researching
the market before launching his
#sasMASK brand from home, in
the midst of national lockdown.
The #sasMASK is manufactured
in Europe and complies with
the latest material and layering
guidelines for non medical-grade
face coverings. It has not only
Shielding will help community groups
been designed to be washable,
comfortable and affordable,
but also comes in more than
30 designs, with this range due
to double in size in the coming
weeks.
With the wearing of face masks
now compulsory on public
transport in Scotland, Screen &
Shield expects business to boom.
Hass, 40, said: "My family and
I were stuck in lockdown and
we were shocked to hear how
key-workers on the frontline were
struggling with PPE shortages.
"I am totally confident our
business supplies the best face
mask for public use in the UK. Not
only are they high quality, three-
transformation of the Tattoo.
“I’m very much looking forward
to taking the reins and I am
delighted to be asked to lead a
team of talented and dedicated
professionals. I have lived and
worked in Scotland both as a
‘Bootneck’ and civilian, and I am
delighted to embrace and evolve
this important part of the country’s
heritage.”
The Tattoo has evolved to
become a spectacular event
celebrating Scottish and military
culture and music. WIth an
audience of 220,000 at Edinburgh
Castle and global TV viewing
figures of 100 million each year,
it really puts Edinburgh on the
map. In recent years it has also
included visits to Australia and
New Zealand.
Major General Buster Howes
layered and affordable, but as
the wearing of masks becomes
commonplace, the range of
designs allows people to make
a choice that matches their own
individuality.
“But a fundamental aim of the
#sasMASK brand was to create
a business model that also
benefited charities that support
frontline workers and community
groups. It seemed to me that – in
a health crisis – anyone who was
selling masks should be giving
back to the community, and
especially to those hardest hit.
“I set up Screen & Shield so
that 10% of all online sales go to
NHS-related charities. But any
participating community groups/
charities/influencers buying
masks for their network also
receive 10% of the sales value
– as well as their members also
receiving a 10% discount.
“Along with local and national
charities, we’ve had the likes of
a cheerleading squad, a group
of redundant BA staff, a nursery
group and a community centre
in Somerset all sign up to our
community programme. They
understand their community will
likely buy face masks at some
point, and working with us they get
high quality products and can also
generate funds to put back into
their community.
“As we continue to grow the
company, I want to generate lots
of money for those affected by the
pandemic as well as providing a
comforting level of protection at
the same time."
Keep Scotland
Beautiful
Ten brand new interactive online
learning courses will be available
for young people across Scotland
during July.
These new online learning
programmes have been developed
to provide a fun and enjoyable way
for young people to continue their
environmental learning during the
summer holidays.
The courses cover a range
of topics and environmental
activities which encourage young
people and families to explore the
world around them and to think
how to protect and improve the
places they love.
Included are courses on
Eco-Schools, heritage, food
and the environment, and
climate change, as well as other
environmental topics.
Each course consists of a
combination of online learning
and practical, fun activities, and all
those who complete a course will
be rewarded with a certificate of
involvement.
Registration is now open for
each course.
www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/
learning
Council £30m
funding gap
The council's in-year funding
gap has been reduced from the
previous figure of £56 million to
just under £30 million.
According to the Head of
Finance, Hugh Dunn, this reduction
has been achieved by the council's
finance department managing
the level of its savings, although
it does not yet allow the council
to balance its revenue budget. Mr
Dunn confirmed that by August
the Finance Department will come
forward with additional solutions
to those produced so far. He
answered questions about a BBC
report on English councils which
may face bankruptcy, explaining
that The City of Edinburgh Council
had set a three year budget
last year, putting it in a better
position than some other councils
elsewhere. He said that in the
various departments of the council
there is both the "means and will'"
to achieve financial stability.
The council delayed furloughing
staff until the middle of June
in common with other Scottish
local authorities. Mr Dunn also
pointed out that there may still be
some additional UK Government
finance available for the council's
homelessness services, but it is
difficult for the council to confirm
a clear financial position until that
finance is made available.
Parking charges, which are a
major income for the council, have
been reintroduced but the council
has not changed its financial
projections in this area. So if
people pay to park now, some of
that may well help the council
balance its books.
All city school
children back
in August
The Education Secretary, John
Swinney, announced a full return
to school in August for all pupils
in Scotland without any need
for physical distancing. This
is dependant on the continued
suppression of the Covid-19 virus.
The City of Edinburgh Council
had prepared a plan for blended
and digital learning, allowing half
of Edinburgh pupils to be taught
in school half of the time. This has
now become a contingency plan
and will only be put in place if the
virus reappears anywhere in the
city.
Councillors said their inboxes
were full with parents' concerns
about the plans to reopen schools
for only half the number of pupils
at any one time, and how this
would affect their children.
The council has set out in its
Delivery Phasing Plan the steps it
might need to take if they had to
deliver part time learning or digital
learning.
When the plan was drawn up
the council had to envisage that
only some pupils would return to
school to allow 2 metre physical
distancing to be put in place.
Edinburgh TUC said they
opposed the sudden change in
education policy.
A spokesperson said: "While
everyone wishes to see schools
operating at full capacity again,
and whilst both pupils and
staff are anxious to move from
home working to being back in
classes full time, this statement
has been made without any
consultation with the relevant
union memberships and
parent associations and risks
undermining progress made so
far in reducing Covid-19 infections
and deaths in Scotland.
"We believe that any return to
school should only take place
after proper risk assessments
and development of safe working
procedures, and the fullest
consultation with teachers’ and
support staff unions and parents."
There are 49,000 pupils in
Edinburgh schools.
Education Convener, Cllr Ian
Perry said: "It is a great relief that
schools will go back full-time. This
threw up difficult issues and now
we have more time to address
these."
The council has pre-cleaning
procedures in place in all schools
which have been closed since
March. It continues to work closely
with NHS Lothian to control any
infections, and all schools will also
remain vigilant about any pupils
and staff developing symptoms of
Covid-19.
Council Leader, Adam McVey,
said: "It has not been a waste of
time to have made preparations
for a scenario which has been
superceded."
Podcasting pantomime with the
kings of the Leven Street stage
By Phyllis Stephen
Think of panto in Edinburgh and
you inevitably think of Grant Stott,
Allan Stewart and Andy Gray. They
have been treading the boards
each Christmas since 1998 in one
show or another.
We also have to include Jordan
Young, the newest recruit, who
joined the team last Christmas,
and is now firmly part of the
family. A graduate of Queen
Margaret University, he has also
appeared in Filth, River City and
was in panto with Elaine C Smith
in Aberdeen for a number of years.
Allan had just finished the run
of his Big Big Variety Show at
the King’s, celebrating 60 years
in show business, when the
pandemic closed the theatre.
Grant and Andy were also in the
show which kicked off with Allan
singing I’m Still Standing. They
are all very adept at poking fun at
each other, as well as themselves,
but I must reveal that during our
Edinburgh Reporter podcast there
was a moment when I made Andy
Gray cry. Andy had been shielding
at home for three months, and
when we spoke he had just come
back from his first walk outdoors.
It was nothing to do with that,
that made him well up. It was the
thought there might be no panto.
Of course it was a bit of a gag, and
although they know how to make
you laugh, there is a serious side
to what the alternatives are if there
if this year's panto is cancelled.
Andy calculated how much
time they have spent talking and
laughing together in the King's
dressing room during the intervals
over the 20 years or so they have
been on stage together. It's easy
to understand why - we ran out of
time during our call, they had so
much to say.
The truth is that nobody knows
yet whether audiences will again
take their seats in our theatres,
or indeed when it will happen. So
for the moment the panto boys
Zoom together on Thursday nights
to keep in touch, and make each
other laugh.
Allan is in London with his
family where he has made a video
with his version of David Bowie’s
Space Oddity, recorded in tribute
to Captain Sir Tom Moore who
raised £32.7 million for the NHS.
He recorded the charity number at
his son David's recording studio,
and director Ryan Dewar (Wonder
Boy according to Allan) made the
video.
With 750,000 viral hits within
days he said he was ‘really
chuffed’ but he is still in awe of
Grant’s video "Save Lives" which is
a clever rendition of his trademark,
"That’s Fife", accompanied by
photos of Edinburgh’s Covid-19
empty streets by photographer,
Tom Duffin, and also deftly edited
by Ryan.
So, the panto might be on (Oh,
yes it is) and this band of panto
villains and dames discuss the
wealth of possibilities each
Thursday night.
Grant said: “The only form of
information I have had from a
reliable source was from Fiona
Gibson, the new Chief Executive
of Capital Theatres on my show.
I asked the question and she
genuinely doesn’t know either.
They are following everything
closely regarding government and
health advice. As it stands nobody
knows.”
But there are all sorts of ideas
under discussion such as
using technology - including
the possibility of using canned
laughter in an empty theatre while
recording.
But panto is very much an
in-person experience as Andy
Enter, stage right, with plans for a theatre fit for a king
Plans for the redevelopment of
The King's Theatre are making
progress but like most major
projects the £25 million revamp
has been delayed by the Covid-19
pandemic.
Applications for Planning and
Listed Building Consent have
now been submitted to The City
of Edinburgh Council by Bennetts
Associates, the architects charged
with breathing new life in to the
Tollcross institution.
Opened in 1906, "the King’s" as it
is universally known in Edinburgh,
is one of the UK’s most opulent
theatres and one of the few which
is Grade A listed. Now it receives
more than 200,000 visitors a
year and in addition to hosting
important touring productions
it welcomes major Edinburgh
International Festival shows,
alongside the much loved annual
Edinburgh Gang Show and sell-out
Christmas Panto.
Widely respected Bennets
Associates will oversee an
ambitious programme to revitalise
the Old Lady of Leven Street,
ensuring it meets the needs
of modern day audiences and
performers and to safeguard its
reputation for the years ahead.
The interior and exterior of
the theatre will be overhauled
to enrich audience experience
and create a renewed sense of
destination. The public will have
access to new spaces for the
first time and a new flytower and
technical infrastructure will allow
the artistic programme to be
extended.
Internally, revitalised heritage
spaces in the Edwardian
building will include the bars
and hospitality areas, with foyer
areas overhauled but retaining
their heritage and charm, and
providing flexible and enjoyable
entertainment spaces for pre and
post-performance.
A learning and participation
studio, new stairs and a new
box office is scheduled while the
installation of lifts will enable
visitors with mobility issues to
be able to access all areas of the
King’s for the first time. A street
café with access from Leven
Street will add to the day-long
buzz in the building.
James Nelmes, Director,
Bennetts Associates said: “I
am delighted Capital Theatres
has chosen to push ahead with
the planning application for the
King’s Theatre. As someone who
has lived a stone’s throw from
the King’s for twenty years, like
so many others in the city, I am
looking forward to not only the
reopening of the theatre, but to a
time when the building is as busy
throughout the day as it is at show
time.”
Redevelopment works were
scheduled to begin in September
2021, with the theatre closed
for 20 months, reopening in
summer 2023, however, due to
the impact of the coronavirus,
Capital Theatres have taken the
difficult decision to pause the
redevelopment and are looking
at starting the project 12 months
later.
Dame Joan Stringer, Chair of
Capital Theatres, said: "Like
so many, we are responding to
unprecedented circumstances.
Both our Project Board and Main
Board met recently, during which
we considered the impact of the
coronavirus on our plans for the
King’s redevelopment.
"What is absolutely clear is
that we all remain committed
to delivering on our plans to
redevelop the King’s into a modern
venue, celebrating its rich heritage
whilst sustaining it for future
generations to enjoy.”
Famous stars of stage and
screen who have trod the boards
at the King’s include Tollcross’s
own Sean Connery in a 1959
production of The Sea Shell (he
was also a stage hand). In the
1930s celebrated Russian ballet
dancer Anna Pavlova visited
with her dance company as did
Paul Robeson, Noel Coward and
Sir Laurence Olivier. In 1957,
legendary opera singer Maria
Callas gave one of her few UK
performances outside of London
in a production of La Sonnambula,
while Katharine Hepburn appeared
in 1952 in George Bernard Shaw’s
The Millionaires.
As part of the revamp you can
donate to have a seat named after
you or a loved one. Seats in the
rear of the stalls are £800 each
and fund raised will go direct to
redevelopment fund.
Panto zoomers - but not out of choice
stressed. He said: “Theatres
need to get people in the doors.
That’s why they are there in the
first place, and they need to
make money. If there is ay kind
of social distancing whatsoever
it will affect the atmosphere, the
number of people in the theatre
and ticket prices. There are a lot of
decisions to make. It would have
to be something that the theatre
company and the production
company were on board with too.
It would have to look good.”
Jordan added: “The entire thing
is that you need the audience
Capital Theatres, the
independent charity that manages
Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre,
King’s Theatre and The Studio,
has risen to the challenge of the
coronavirus pandemic.
Raise the Curtain, a new
wide-ranging programme of
activities which anyone can
engage with online is designed to
fill the theatre void.
The programme includes creative
play for toddlers and contactless
afternoon teas for those a little
older.
Contactless Afternoon Parties
are intended for people living
with dementia, their families and
supporters.
In a partnership with Cake My
Day, free afternoon teas will be
delivered to those taking part.
These will be contact-free delivery
to the front door, all in time for the
audience to assemble and watch
the performance by the Capital
Theatres House Band online.
Tea and Jam is Capital Theatres'
usual monthly celebration of
music making for all ages, which
has also moved online.
Professional musician Gus
Harrower leads the jam on the last
Friday of the month from 11am.
Play Days is for all ages 6+ with
instruction in arts and crafts, from
costume making to script and
lyric writing. On 6 July they have a
panto theme.
Wee Creatives is for families
with pre-schoolers. The sessions
will include craft activities based
there. If you tried to recreate this
on Zoom you could never recreate
the timing or what the live feeling
really is.”
Andy passionately believes that
Scottish panto is a peculiar and
unique brand of its own, based
as it is on music hall with heaps
of drama, great music, as well as
beautiful scenery and costumes.
We just have hope that Allan
gets to wear his dresses on stage
this winter, rather than saving the
dressing up for the Zoom calls
with the boys. (Oh, yes he will).
Raising the curtain is fun for all
on the theatres' upcoming stage
shows. There will be how-to
videos by different engagement
artists with things like making a
bird feeder, mixing up your own
playdough and also some Zoom
sessions which involves more
interaction.
There is no charge and booking
is first come, first served.
Earlier in the year Capital
Theatres put out a call for
contributions to Joy to the
Moment which will be shown
throughout the year.
This was a shout out to all
creatives for mini performances to
be part of a film for those who are
unable to go outside.
The project is the idea of Gracie
Irvine, a pupil at The Edinburgh
Steiner School, who was worried
about people who are isolating or
are in care settings. Gracie wanted
to find a way to entertain them
even though they themselves
cannot go outside.
Gracie's call asked for people
to record themselves doing
something creative outdoors.
This was intended to include
dance, music, singing, poetry,
comedy, art or anything creative
done outdoors. The intention was
that anyone from the household
could contribute to the video,
whether families or flatmates.
The recordings are up to fifteen
minutes long and a series of films
will be edited and produced from
all this creative content.
www.capitaltheatres.com
The Edinburgh Reporter
8 FEATURE
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk
FEATURE 9
Vintage ladies breathing new life in to auld claes
Edinburgh style icons find value in city charity and vintage shops
while drawing inspiration from 40s and 50s movie starlets
Heidi Smith
By Stephen Rafferty
Vintage dress but not vintage
values is how one group of modern
women sum up their fascination
with fashions from bygone eras.
The members of The Auld
Holyrood Club dress in classic
clothes stretching through the
last century and as far back as
Victorian and Edwardian times,
but that’s where the poodle skirts,
pedal pushers and petticoats
stop. To a woman, they would
baulk at any suggestion that they
subscribe to outdated notions
which place women firmly in the
home, while the dominant male
figure acts as protector and
provider.
An international blend of modern
career women - sisters, daughters,
mothers and grandmothers - their
attention to detail and an eye for
oh-so-cool garments which have
lasted the test of time draws
widespread admiration.
Former vet Irene Guerrero, 32,
originally from Cadiz in Andalusia,
can sometimes be spotted on
Portobello Promenade where often
there is an atmosphere of times
past. It was in making Edinburgh
her home that she made the
switch to vintage and reproduction
clothes, in part because of
easy access to a good range of
specialist shops.
Irene said: “The pin-up look is
something I always wanted to try
but I didn’t have the confidence
and it was only three years ago
that I bought my first reproduction
dress. I started buying some
original vintage pieces and I
treasure all of them. It’s just
wonderful to wear something
so old and I can’t see any of my
modern pieces being wearable in
70 years or more.
“I started with the 1950’s
style because it’s easier to find
affordable repro clothes, I love
how feminine the style is and
I discovered the clothes really
suited my body shape. I’ve never
Veronica Schreuder
felt good in modern clothes and all
my life I’ve been trying to change
my body, when all I needed to do is
change my style. I love 1940s style
too and I move between the two
eras, but I can’t resist a full skirt
and a petticoat. I really love the
style but none of the group feels
we were ‘born in the wrong era’
and our mantra is ‘vintage style,
not vintage values’.”
For retail worker Irene, vintage
has become a lifestyle choice.
“Initially it was a weekend thing
but now I dress vintage every
day. Vintage style makes me feel
more like myself, gives me more
confidence and I also love vintage
hairstyles which I think really
brings the look together,” she said.
Irene collects ideas from social
media and particularly Instagram,
and rather than imitating the
classic looks of film star greats
or period drama characters she
prefers to follow what regular
women wore at the time.
“When I am out people stare – a
lot. I guess it's hard for people to
think this is your everyday style,
but what I enjoy most is when
older people tell you that you
remind them of their youth and
you can see that spark in their
eyes, that really makes my day.”
By day Veronica Schreuder, 32,
is an archivist at the National
Records of Scotland, helping make
our historic records available
to the public and handling
documents from the early 1100s
to the present day. Her early
fascination with how people lived
in the past, what they wore, and
the aesthetics of different time
periods now manifests itself in
how she dresses.
Veronica said: “When I was
younger, I really enjoyed looking at
pictures of my grandparents in the
40s and 50s. My gran looked so
glamorous, both dressed up and
in everyday life. She really loved it
when I wore vintage dresses and
it brought back memories for my
granddad of when they would go
to dances at the Palais. I wanted
to try and emulate what my
grandma would have worn which
was a quite feminine style, well put
together and taking pride in your
appearance.”
Veronica borrows ideas from
social media and from television
hits such as Mad Men, Call the
Midwife and Netflix’s glamour-fest
Hollywood, but like other vintage
veterans she has no time for
old-fashioned attitudes. “We are
very much modern people and it is
Irene Guerrero and Anya Mackay PHOTO darja-bilyk.com
more about taking the aesthetics
of that time period and wearing it
in a modern world. When I started
I decided I wanted vintage right
way. There is nothing wrong
with reproduction clothes but I
went out and bought anything
that I thought resembled vintage
and ended up with a lot of stuff
that I didn’t love. Now, I save my
money and look for things that
really appeal to me, and I only
buy special vintage buys every so
often.
“When you buy vintage clothes
and put them on, it makes you feel
really good about yourself, you
hold yourself differently, you feel
done up. It’s also an ethical thing,
you are giving clothes a new life
and a new home and there is a
tangible connection to the past.”
Growing up in the 1970s, Anya
Mackay loved dressing up for
weekend tea parties with her mum
and granny and pulling on fake
fur coats and hats had a lasting
impact which developed as a
teenager when she discovered the
joy of second hand shops.
Project manager Anya, 46, said:
“I quite liked 60s style for a while
with its shorter mini dresses, then
I lost my way a bit and followed
High Street fashions, but I didn’t
feel confident in my body shape
because it never matched what
was available on the High Street.
“I moved to the east coast and
on discovering there was great
second hand and vintage shops
in Edinburgh, a whole new world
opened up to me. I realised that
vintage clothing suited me a lot
better, it was more body positive
and I could celebrate my curves.
“My favourite era at the moment
is the 1940s, it is quite elegant and
it’s something you can wear on a
day-to-day basis. We bought an old
Victorian property and restored it,
but once all the messy jobs were
done I decided to bin all my old
chinos and replace my wardrobe
bit by bit, and now I dress vintage
every day. Life is too short to have
your nice items hidden up the back
of a wardrobe being saved for a
nice opportunity, and I am now
at the age where I think ‘sod it, it
makes me feel good’, so I might as
well just wear it every day.”
With friends she has met in the
vintage world Anya meets up with
other enthusiasts at vintage fairs,
picnics, Edinburgh Fringe shows,
museum and lunch trips and even
murder mystery events.
She said: “The Auld Holyood Club
has teenagers and pensioners
and people from all walks of life.
It is very international and we
have people from Finland, Spain,
the United States, Latvia, Poland,
Russia and Germany, and it’s
nice to meet so many interesting
people.”
Fashion makeup artist, Heidi
Smith, 17, is one of the youngest
members of the Auld Holyrood
Club but has been dabbling in
vintage 50s style since she was
just 14.
She said: “When I first began
my fascination was mostly
centred around the elegance and
femininity of the 1950s and the
iconic women of old Hollywood
who really made the looks their
own. Marilyn Monroe was my
biggest influence because I was
so intrigued by how she had
created an individual persona
which epitomised glamour and
allure, and this was something I
was keen to replicate. As my style
has evolved, I’ve found myself
really captivated by 1940s fashion
and although my everyday style
is mainly 40s with some 50s
mixed in, I also enjoy dabbling in
the 20s, 30s and 60s from time
to time, especially when putting
together creative looks for online.
I also really admire Rita Hayworth
and I definitely take a lot of 40s
hair styling inspiration from
her and I find Gene Tierney and
Ginger Rogers’ style to be really
beautiful. All these women were
so glamorous but they were also
very talented and paved the way
for their own careers through their
own dedication and hard work,
which is very inspiring to me.”
Heidi has also found that
maintaining her vintage approach
to life has been helpful during
the Covid-19 crisis. “Before the
pandemic began I was dressing
vintage almost every day, with
the off-day being most often on
Sundays where I’m in my comfy
clothes,” she said.
“I dress vintage around three or
four times a week and personally,
I’ve found my passion for vintage
and sharing my own artistic
content on social media has been
really therapeutic during this time
of uncertainty. Sometimes people
ask why I’m ‘so dressed up’ and
if I’m going to an event, when in
reality I’m just going to Tesco. I
think the most important thing
about your own self-expression is
that if you're not harming anyone
else and it truly makes you happy -
dress however you like!”
Insta @auldholyroodclub
Arusha rushes to open
Arusha Gallery on Dundas Street
has reopened after staging a
virtual exhibition for the last three
months.
They are now able to throw
open their doors and show Ilona
Szalay’s Some Are Born to Sweet
Delight, Some Are Born to Endless
Night. It is still online just in case
you are not yet able to visit the
gallery in person, but staff have
hung it for display until 12 July.
The gallery has put measures
in place to ensure physical
distancing and a high level of
hygiene to protect clients and their
own staff.
Agnieszka Prendota,
Creative Director at Arusha Gallery
said: “We feel a huge sense of
relief and release being able to
open up the gallery and share the
wonderful work that our artists
create with people in person again.
It is a huge step forward.
"Our wonderful audiences
and customers have been very
supportive throughout this period
but I know that we will all feel
more joy for being able to come
together, albeit within restrictions,
to experience our artists’ work first
hand and to reawaken parts of our
souls that have remained locked
up in recent months.
Art by Ilona Szalay to go on show
Collective Gallery at the City
Observatory will partially reopen
to the public from Thursday 9 July.
The outdoor grounds and viewing
platform will be open to visitors
and the takeaway coffee kiosk will
serve drinks, snacks and picnic
food to enjoy in the picturesque
surroundings on top of Calton Hill.
A series of works by Tessa
Lynch, Turns, will be on
view. Tessa collaborated closely
with landscape architects Harrison
Stevens to develop the communal
seating areas throughout
Collective, where visitors are
invited to congregate and reflect.
Observers Walks and trails for
families can be downloaded from
Collective's website. This is a
series of audio guides created
by artists including Ruth Ewan,
Patrick Staff and Tris Vonna-
Michell, all to be listened to in situ.
In the Hillside space, the shop,
Collective Matter, will re-open in
“We are in full mode preparing
for the reopening, with a supply of
masks, gloves and sanitiser to be
accessible at the entrance to the
gallery. We will have an A-board
outlining the social distancing
measures within the gallery where
visitors will move clockwise
around the exhibition space.
"We have worked out that six
people can be in the gallery at
any one time. With all of these
measures in place though, the
atmosphere in the gallery can
remain relaxed and open. It’s
certainly easier than navigating a
supermarket!”
Artis Szalay, a graduate of
Central St Martins, describes her
exhibition: “In the paintings we
see statues petrified and bound on
their pedestals.
"Disembodied arms which
encircle with dependence and
dominance. Broken mythological
figures seemingly stunned by their
own constraint and ineptitude.
"Gloriously ambivalent gods
and goddesses remain coolly
indifferent to what seethes below.
And of course ‘the cage’ - the
Blakian cage for the robin - the
frame itself that holds the image,
frozen in postures of pleasure,
sensuality, pain, confusion,
titillation and torture.”
Collective observations
a new pop-up form, showcasing
items for sale from artists and
makers.
Collective will aim to re-open
Julijonas Urbonas’ exhibition
‘Planet of People’ in the City
Dome from August, with the
re-opening of the City Observatory
and a return to a full exhibition
programme in the autumn. The
restaurant, Lookout by Gardener’s
Cottage, is ready to reopen as
soon as Scottish Government
guidelines allow.
Kate Gray, Collective Director,
said: “The path back to normality
will be challenging to navigate for
us and many other charities and
small businesses whose revenue
has been hit hard in the past few
months. As custodians of the site
‘in the common good’ it is in that
spirit that we ask you to work with
us to bring it back to life."
www.collective-edinburgh.art
Curations
add colour to
digital artwork
Look out for a special online
exhibition as part of ART UK’s
Curations initiative.
Art UK is an online platform
which allows public collections
in the UK to share their artworks
with audiences around the world.
Edinburgh has approximately
1000 paintings listed from its wide
collection of artworks displayed in
the City Art Centre.
Curations are groups of artworks
selected, arranged, and published
by Art UK’s community of users –
including Front of House Choices
from Museums & Galleries
Edinburgh.
The exhibition highlights the
personal choices of the Culture
and Communities Convener
and Vice-Convener, as well as
members of staff, including
Visitor and Monument Assistants,
many of whom deliver tours and
interpretation to visitors.
Culture and Communities
Convener Donald Wilson said:
"This wonderful online tool
has allowed us to continue to
share over 1000 pieces from our
collection and is a great reminder
of our treasure trove.
"Online is a wonderful way to
preserve digital exhibitions and for
now it is the next best thing until
we can welcome visitors back to
the City Art Centre.
"The choices in the exhibition
are very personal and showcase a
variety of artworks.
"The selections represent our
very valued, knowledgeable and
enthusiastic front of house team
who give tours and share their
knowledge with visitors.
"For mine, I selected The Black
Hat by Francis Cadell, I’m a fan of
the Scottish Colourists and the
painting itself was on display in
the City Chambers during my time
as Lord Provost."
Culture and Communities Vice
Convener Amy McNeese-Mechan
added: “It was great to browse the
collection online, however being
asked to choose a favourite from
our City Art Centre is almost an
impossible task
"For my contribution I selected
Victoria Crowe’s Italian Reflections
(1993) as it contains so many
elements I love: the drenched
jewel-like colours, the mysterious
framed view of a winding road
lined with those iconic Tuscan
poplars. It was very tough to settle
on one, but the beauty of the
initiative is I can now curate my
very own. I’d encourage everyone
to explore the collection for
themselves.”
Museums & Galleries Edinburgh
is a collection of 13 venues
owned and managed by The City
of Edinburgh Council. They have
around 220,000 objects in their
care, only some of which are on
display at any time.
www.artuk.org
10
BUSINESS
The Edinburgh Reporter
Virtual viewing could be the norm
for home buyers seeking a move
Restless residents may be
considering a home move after
being cooped up in Covid-19
lockdown.
We spoke to Ken Robertson,
Head of Residential Property at
legal firm Balfour+Manson to find
out how the land lies for those
feeling the urge to move.
Ken suggested that rather than
open viewing of houses on the
market, arrangements will be
strictly viewing by appointment,
allowing sufficient time for viewers
to see round. If the owner of
the property is present, they will
have to stay outside, or maintain
physical distancing.
He also suggested that only two
people may be allowed to view at
any one time.
Virtual viewings have been
encouraged recently and potential
purchasers will not get to view
in person until they have first
seen the property on video. But,
he admitted that virtual viewing
is a bit of a mixed bag with a full
video for some properties costing
around £250-£300 depending on
the size of the house. Ken said:
"Generally speaking, prior to the
lockdown these did not prove to be
overly popular.
"Having said that, our property
manager has taken new
instructions from a few of our
A city hotel is to reopen to the
public for the first time since it
provided a safe haven during
lockdown for more than 500
frontline medical workers.
Ten Hill Place will build on its
proud lockdown legacy offering a
discount staycation deal for other
frontline workers all over the UK.
Delighted staff will begin a
carefully phased reopening
from 15 July, after the Scottish
Government approved that date
for hospitality venues to resume
operations.
Scott Mitchell, managing director
of Surgeons Quarter, which
operates the hotel, said: “We had
the privilege of accommodating
hundreds of Edinburgh’s frontline
health workers at the height of the
crisis.
“Now we want to extend a
welcome to similar frontline
workers from the rest of the
UK. Summer holiday plans have
clients and they have opted
for it. So we're waiting to see
whether that is actually going to
be compulsory for new properties
coming on the market."
Ken admits he is not a tech
geek, but he has discovered
messaging service WhatsApp is
invaluable "for a number of things
I never used it for before".
He said: "It's been great for
certifying documents and that
type of thing. So that is another
possibility - clients may prefer to
do live WhatsApp calls and speak
to the prospective owners who can
answer any questions around the
house and show them what needs
to be shown."
Ken Robertson, Head of Residential Property
Surgeons hotel poised for big op
been wiped out for millions of
people and foreign travel may
still be a long way off. This is an
amazing city and many of those
who have earned a holiday and
want to spend that precious time
somewhere special will be looking
to Edinburgh. We want to give
them an extra reason to visit.”
Ten Hill Place is Edinburgh’s
biggest independent hotel and
Staycation a cut above the rest at Surgeons hotel
Interestingly the pandemic
seems not to have overtly
impacted on property prices in
Edinburgh.
"In our discussions with
surveyors they are very much
taking the view that they are
sticking to past values," he said.
"The way they value a property
is historic, it's not what happened
last month. It's really what is
the trend over the last couple of
years, so it's a slow moving ship
in terms of adjusting the value.
At the moment, basically, we can
pretty much assume that the
surveyors are going to adhere to
the pre-lockdown valuation."
www.balfour-manson.co.uk
at the height of the coronavirus
pandemic it offered free
accommodation and meals to
more than 500 exhausted hospital
staff in a gesture which cost the
hotel owners £100,000.
The £249 deal is for two nights
bed and breakfast and a meal
and bottle of wine in the hotel
restaurant.
Chester off to
racing start
Chester Race Company has
taken over the management of
Musselburgh Racecourse.
East Lothian Council earlier
selected Chester Race Company
as preferred operator for an initial
10-year period. Musselburgh now
joins Chester and Bangor-on-Dee
as the third racecourse in the
Chester Race Company portfolio.
Chief Executive of Chester Race
Company, Richard Thomas, said:
“We are delighted to be formally
appointed as the new operators
of Musselburgh Racecourse.
We are committed to the long
term running and success of
the racecourse and ensuring
its reputation within the local
community and Scottish racing is
upheld.
“The entire team is excited to
begin this new chapter and
deliver proposals to maximise the
available opportunities for the
racecourse. We will look to build
upon the pre-existing successes in
ensuring Musselburgh continues
to deliver an integral experience
for visiting horsemen, racegoers
and members of the local
community alike.”
Musselburgh's Bill Farnsworth,
said: “Chester’s management team
has an excellent track record and
we are delighted to be working
with one of the best racecourse
teams in the country."
Restrictions on housing moves in
Scotland have been relaxed.
On 29 June, the Scottish
Government relaxed some of
the restrictions on house moves
that were put in place at the end
of March due to the Covid-19
pandemic.
The following are now allowed:
•Visiting estate or letting
agents, developer sales offices or
show homes.
•Viewing residential properties to
look for a property to buy or rent.
•Preparing a residential property
to move in.
•Moving home.
•Visiting a residential property to
undertake any activities required
for the rental or sale of that
property.
The Scottish Government has
indicated that the process of
Job seekers
offered advice
More than half of Scottish
workers are worried about their
jobs after the pandemic.
The Survation poll fund that 51%
of workers were very concerned
and six per cent had already lost
their job. Benny Higgins, chair
of the group advising Scottish
Ministers on how to repair the
economy, said Scotland faces a
"tsunami of unemployment".
Advice.scot, which is operated by
the charity Advice Direct Scotland,
has launched a dedicated
coronavirusadvice.scot service
with free and impartial advice on
employment, personal finance and
housing.
Andrew Bartlett, chief executive
of Scotland’s national advice
service advice.scot, said: "This poll
shows that many Scots workers
are deeply worried about their jobs
following the Covid-19 outbreak.
“With unemployment already on
the rise and predictions of a tough
recession, it’s little wonder that
people are anxious.
“Job uncertainty is troubling at
any time, but amid an ongoing
public health and economic crisis
this is an incredibly difficult period
for many families. Our dedicated
coronavirusadvice.scot service is
constantly being updated with the
latest employment advice, and our
advisers are on hand to provide
free, impartial advice to anyone."
Moving house made
easier post Covid-19
moving home will be different to
pre-Covid-19. For example, more
of the process should be done
online if possible (virtual viewings
and valuations) and open viewings
should not take place.
There will also be additional
health and safety precautions and
all parties involved will need to
follow government guidance on
moving house.
Paul Hilton, CEO of ESPC,
said: “We have seen significant
evidence of rising demand from
Scottish property buyers and
sellers in recent weeks. Many
home movers will be pleased
that some restrictions have
now been eased. However, the
moving process will be different to
before Covid-19. As the Scottish
Government advises, anyone
thinking of buying or selling
a property should speak to a
solicitor to find out more.”
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk THE BEST OF... 11
The Edinburgh Reporter Best Of . . .
Lighthouse Bookshop's Life Raft
This will keep you and the
bookshop afloat while the shop
is closed. The Lighthouse online
shop is accepting all book orders.
Email the titles and the shop will
send a payment link and arrange
dispatch.
More details on
lighthousebookshop.com
The Hideout Café
A cosy hideout in Edinburgh
serving speciality coffee, tea,
treats and brunch. Iced lattes and
other goodies to sort you out.
Open daily
0131 552 5289
40-42 Queen Charlotte St EH6 6AT
www.thehideoutcafe.co.uk
The Eco Larder
Zero waste shop on Morrison St.
Matt in Edinburgh manned the
shop, but his wife and co-owner,
Stephanie ran the website from
Bute - and looked after her mum.
Show them some love and buy
their products now. Ask about
soapnuts. Collect/Cargo bike deliveries
www.theecolarder.com
Ardgowan Distillery
Enjoy the recently released
Clydebuilt Coppersmith - a limited
edition blend of malts matured in
first fill Oloroso sherry casks.
FREE shipping with a branded
Glencairn nosing glass.
shop.ardgowandistillery.com
Twelve Triangles
If you are desperate for a sweet
treat the Brunswick Street and Portobello
High Street shops opens at
8.30am until they have sold out of
everything. Also delivery next day
where possible, minimum order
£15.
twelve-triangles-myshopify.com
Something Fishy
Independent fishmonger providing
quality fresh and cured fish. At the
beginning oof lockdown there was
some question over availability -
but this wee shop has kept going.
Use Schop to have your fish
delivered.
16a Broughton Street EH1 3RH
0131 556 7614
Roeder & Bell
Each week, gourmet parcels of
fresh provisions are meticulously
curated by the team and packed
with glorious things to eat, drink
and enjoy, delivered directly to
your home. large, small and vegetarian
boxes available alongside
a well-stocked pantry section
roederandbell.com
Independent Wine Company
A specialist importer of boutique
fine wines from Italy. Carefully
hand-picked award-winning wines
of premium quality sourced direct
from the winemakers.
Oleg and Elvira visit every vineyard
themselves. Online deliveries
available.
independent.wine
Schop
This is an easy, convenient and
eco-friendly alternative to a supermarket
shop. Working in partnership
with independent retailers,
Tim at Schop offers to deliver a
huge range of great quality food
and drink straight to your door.
schop.co
Queen’s Hall
The hall is an independent charity
which needs £100,000 each year
to look after the building and run
outreach projects. If you can send
a donation - much needed now.
85-89 Clerk Street, EH8 9JG
0131 668 2019
www.thequeenshall.net
Rose Theatre Café
You don't know what you've got till
its scone . . . Mary and Sinead say:
"We are open for takeaway, come
grab a coffee and a scone, it can
be part if your daily walk routine
in this crazy new world order." Preorder
bread by FB Messenger
www.facebook.com/rosetheatrecafe
Craig Banks Tailoring
Bespoke tailoring for men. Craig's
focus is on making the highest
quality personally tailored attire
that others will aspire to. His
pyjamas and dressing gowns will
make your video calls so stylish!
45 Thistle Street EH2 1DY
0131 226 7775 craigbankstailoring.com
Art & Craft Collective
A unique gallery and gift shop
experience in Edinburgh's Southside
- literally a cornucopia of all
media. Join their mailing list and
buy art online.
93 Causewayside EH9 1DG
0131 639 9123
artcraftcollective.co.uk
The Fine Wine Company
The Portobello wine shop has
stepped up delivery of wines and
spirits, even champagne if you feel
like it. Adam and Alex Rankine are
also helping us by distributing our
papers. Delivering to EH7, EH15
and EH21 at the moment. Shop
open from 10am to 6pm
thefinewinecompany.co.uk
Love Your Business
Love Your Business networking
club, which is relaxed, informal
and good fun, is now online on the
last Thursday of the month with a
host of inspiring speakers sharing
their entrepreneurial journey’s and
invaluable business tips.
www.lybnetworking.com and
Facebook @howtolyb
AT
HOME
Bring a little bit of Edinburgh Leisure
into your home.
Online classes, advice and more.
edinburghleisure.co.uk/fitness-at-home
Craigie's Farm Shop
Online ordering of fruit and
vegetables, quality butchery and
dairy products and what they call
'indulgent treats'.
The farm shop is open but you can
choose safely online, and either
have your order delivered, or go to
collect it.
craigies.co.uk
The Glenturret Shop
Four individually hand crafted
Glenturret glass baubles filled with
different single malts.
It is the perfect gift to send to any
whisky lover, and of course you
can do this, or order a bottle or two
for yourself online.
theglenturret.com
Roots
They are offering veg boxes with
zero contact delivery and collection
options. Free delivery in certain
cases. Support local business!
18 William Street EH3 7NH
0131 225 6376
munch@rootsedinburgh.co.uk
Cater Edinburgh
Chef Barry Bryson is running a
solo home delivery service with a
choice of classic dishes. Examples
include: Spiced lamb tagine,
cottage pie, salmon and hake fish
pie. Delivered with heating instructions.
Barry@cateredinburgh.com
Tel 07961 573 658
Broughton Place Hair and Beauty
Friendly boutique city salon.
Owner and stylist Juliet is always
happy to discuss your needs
and deliver a highly professional
service. They specialise in long
hair and tape in hair extensions.
0131 556 4478
2a Broughton Place EH1 3RX
www.broughtonplacehair.com
12
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8
9 10
11
12 13 14 15
16
FEATURE
Baargain haircut from
sheep shearer Morag
David wasn't sheepish when his
flowing locks reached crisis point.
Unable to get a haircut during
lockdown, he asked his friend
Morag to tidy up his coiffure.
Originally from Lewis, Morag
admits she is not a qualified
hairdresser but has lots of
haircutting experience.
She honed her tonsorial skills
while shearing sheep, and then
graduated to keeping her father’s
David and Morag
PHOTO Martin P McAdam
Across
1. Small piece of live coal (5)
5. Passage between rows of seats (5)
8. Dates as reckoned according to fixed
points (8, 5)
9. Catalogues items one after another (5)
10. White, like Tintin's dog ? (5)
11. Presentations again, in court, for
example (13)
12. Perfect form (5)
14. Male head of religious order (5)
16. To trouble somebody or put them
out (13)
17. A literary style or type (5)
18. Go in (5)
17 18
balding pate in order.
When The Edinburgh Reporter
happened to pass by, in Leith,
David, who usually pays £60 for a
haircut, revealed he had brought
pizza and sparkling wine in
exchange for Morag's trim. They
had already started when we got
there, so sadly we have no "before"
photo to show you. Thankfully for
the rest of us, hairdressers are
reopening in the middle of this
month.
Crossword by David Albury Answers on page 14
Down
1. Surpass (5)
2. Old-fashioned light seen at zebra crossings
(7, 6)
3. Steps of a ladder (5)
4. People responsible for productions of plays
(5, 8)
5. Very deep chasm (5)
6. The opposition ministers (6, 7)
7. Written composition (5)
12. Sugar-based cake covering (5)
13. Spear-like weapon (5)
14. Nimble (5)
15. Possessive pronoun (5)
The Edinburgh Reporter
Edinburgh Collected
This photo shows an outing to Cramond on the 41 bus, which set out from the Dean Village in Edinburgh's West
End.
Gail Featherstonehaugh contributed the photo to Edinburgh Collected in Dean Village Memories and it shows
left to right Della Marshall of Dean Path, Gayle, Michael Brash of 3 Dean Path, Edward Marshall of Dean Path,
and Ina Copeland who lived in Leith, enjoying themselves paddling in the sea at Cramond.
Edinburgh Collected is an online community photo archive managed by Edinburgh Libraries. Add your own
memories to help preserve the city’s history, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.
Edinburgh Collected will add your contributions to the ‘Edinburgh 2020 – coronavirus pandemic' scrapbook.
www.edinburghcollected.org
STR8TS
Easy
7 3
4
6 9 4
1 9 3 4
8
9
2 3
4
7
5 2 8
3 7 8
7
How to beat Str8ts –
Like Sudoku, no single number 1 to 9 can repeat in any row
or column. But... rows and columns are
divided by black squares into compartments. 2 1 4 5
Each compartment must form a straight - 6 4 5 3 2
a set of numbers with no gaps but it can be
in any order, eg [7,6,9,8]. Clues in black cells
4 5 2 1
remove that number as an option in that row 4 3 6 2 1 5
and column, and are not part of any straight.
Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’
are formed.
3 5
2
2
1
1
3
4
© 2020 Syndicated Puzzles
SUDOKU
4
9 3 7
8 9 6 3
3 7 9 2
9 6 4 5
2 5 7 9
8 3 6 2
2 8 5
5
To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering
numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3
box contains every number uniquely.
For many strategies, hints and tips,
visit www.sudokuwiki.org for Sudoku
and www.str8ts.com for Str8ts.
Tough
If you like Str8ts and other puzzles, check out our
books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store.
© 2020 Syndicated Puzzles
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk FOOD 13
Juliet's Food Diary - going for the full bhoona
by Juliet Lawrence Wilson
I came across someone the other
day who claimed that no matter
now hard they try, they simply
cannot cook. I think it would be
more accurate to say that they
either didn’t enjoy or are too lazy
to cook. Despite what many chefs
might have you believe, cooking is
pretty easy. Making an emulsified
sauce is a bit tricky, but a basic
sugo, béchamel or gravy isn’t
particularly skilful or taxing. Many
people simply can’t be bothered.
Well, our apathetic chums are
keeping takeaways afloat.
We fancied a socially distanced
curry the other night and although
we can knock up a decent version,
nothing quite beats the real
thing. The spices simply taste
fresher, and butter, or to clarify,
ghee, is used in an abundance
I’d fail to deliver without feeling
the blood drain from my left arm.
We opted to try Shezan on Union
Place, which is usually where I
might drop in for a curry after
going to the cinema or Playhouse
Theatre across the road. I can
only give a sigh these days and
wonder when an area so vibrant
and bustling is going to be fully
revived again. I wouldn’t say my
family are particularly big eaters
but with Indian food you do
Cooking with Barry
Barry Bryson is one of Scotland's
leading private chefs.
www.cateringedinburgh.com
Instagram chef.caterer.edinburgh
Twitter: @barrybryson
Scottish Strawberry Gazpacho
A perfect summer dish that
involves no actual cooking is
just the ticket for good weather
days and the Scottish strawberry
season. This recipe takes
around 20 minutes, needs an
hour to infuse and then you are
ready to enjoy this classic taste
of Scottish/Spanish inspired
sunshine.
Serves: 4 large bowls
Ingredients:
10-12 tomatoes on the vine,
remove the seeds and pulp so you
have the nice juicy skins and juice
1 red onion finely diced
200g of Scottish strawberries,
washed, hulled, chopped, leave a
couple for garnish
3 celery sticks washed and
chopped
2/3 cloves finely chopped really
fresh garlic
2 medium sized red peppers,
want a bit of variety, so after the
usual poppadums and really nice
pickles, we opted for a Special
Karahi Chicken Bhoona which was
rich and pleasantly spicy with a
lovely aroma of fresh ginger. My
mother always chooses a Korma
but slightly upped the ante by
going for a Shahi Korma, which
isn’t unlike the usual, but with
the addition of mixed roasted
nuts - definitely a much more
interesting dish. The owner Shahid
recommended I try the Old School
Lamb Curry which ended up being
right up my street. Pretty spicy
without a searing heat, slow
cooked and super rich. We also
treated ourselves to a small mixed
grill and the usual rice and sweet
pashwari naan. The food was all
absolutely superb and one thing
that stood out for me was the
quality of the meat, not only in the
flavour but the fact it was cooked
to perfection. I’d highly suggest
you try for yourself and hopefully
it will soon be a curry that's part of
a big night out and not only a quiet
one in. Shezanedinburgh.com
A bank manager once told
me that fortunes can be made
during a financial crisis. I’m
not sure about mega riches
just yet but Hannah Gould, on
forced sabbatical from a job in
organising festivals, has embraced
the stove and founded what’s
already proving to be a hit, The
Stockbridge Mac and Cheese
Company. The Mac comes au
naturel or with fancier additions
of wild garlic pesto, caramelised
onions and even jalapenos and
chilli cheese. Specials and sides
available. Gluten free and vegan
options. Order on Facebook.
seeded and chopped
1 tin of good quality chopped
tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato puree
300ml of cold vegetable stock
(ham stock works too.)
50ml cider vinegar or red wine
vinegar
Two tablespoons of honey
2 teaspoons of smoked sweet
paprika
75ml good quality olive oil
1 tea spoon cayenne pepper
Rock salt
Garnish: basil or parsley
Scottish strawberries
Spanish olive oil
Start by placing your
strawberries, tomatoes, chopped
red onion, garlic, celery and
peppers into a food processor
(or you can hand chop this all
brunoise, very small dice but
use a v sharp knife) then pulse it
until you have a nice rustic salsa,
don’t over-do this though, keep
it chunky. Next pass the tinned
tomatoes and puree through a
sieve into the mix in the food
Mac and Cheese know their onions
Korma karma
Scottish strawberry gazpacho
processor so the pure juice is
added to the mix, but the chunky
bits left out and discarded, or use
some Big Tom or similar. Pulse
once again and pour into a bowl.
Now use whisk or wooden spoon
and add in your veg stock, olive
oil, vinegar, honey, spices and a
touch of seasoning, and cover with
clingfilm and place in a fridge to
infuse for around an hour. Remove
from fridge and ladle into bowls,
garnish with herbs, olive oil and
strawberries and enjoy.
Mac and Cheese Stockaree style
Shezan naan
Chef Barry Bryson
14
FEATURE
The Edinburgh Reporter
Bronze bards broke the mould
Words and photos by Martin P
McAdam
Statues have featured a lot in
the news recently especially in
relation to Black Lives Matter
protests. In the Edinburgh
statuescape there is a lack of
many featuring women. We
recently discovered four heads
Bronze statues of Jackie Kay and Naomi Mitchison.
By Stephen Rafferty
Hats off to Edinburgh milliner
Sally-Ann Provan who is turning
heads with the launch of her new
summer collection.
The ‘Solis’ range of summer
straw hats is perfect wear for
those enjoying the sun at home or
opting for a stay-cation holiday.
Sally’s hats are wedding
favourites and often feature at
Royal Ascot, Royal garden parties
and other special events, but the
lockdown has given her time to
create a collection of timeless
wearable casual straw hats that
will last for summers to come.
After an Honours degree in
Jewellery, Sally trained in couture
millinery under the late Queen
Mother's milliner, and in theatrical
millinery with The Royal Opera
House.
Her clients include HRH The
Duchess of Cambridge and HRH
Princess Beatrice, First Minister
Nicola Sturgeon, mezzo soprano
Katherine Jenkins, ITV’s Charlotte
Hawkins, Edith Bowman and the
BBC.
She is Scottish Opera's milliner,
and other clients include Scottish
Ballet and The Royal Lyceum
Theatre. She also worked on the
Robert de Niro film 'The Good
Shepherd' and the stage musical
'The Lion King'.
With no access to a model or
hair and make-up artist, Sally
made a rare appearance in front
of the camera to model her own
collection.
Known for her beautifully crafted
at Lochside Crescent celebrating
Scottish Literary greats. Two of
the bronze heads are of prominent
women - Jackie Kay (sculpted by
Michael Snowden) and Naomi
Mitchison (sculpted by Archie
Forrest). The other two are
Norman MacCraig and William
Sydney (WS) Graham.
Hat tricks for staycation shade
handmade hats and headpieces,
she said: “I wear my hats all
the time and although I’m very
nervous anywhere near a camera,
my clients encouraged me to give
it a go.”
Sally applied her own make-up
and styled the shoot with pieces
from renowned womenswear
boutique Jane Davidson, linens
from Elizabeth Martin Tweed, and
jewellery from Carla Edwards, Kaz
Robertson and Pauline Edie.
She added: “The lockdown has
been particularly hard on small
business and I wanted to help
highlight some of the amazing
Solis hat range putting summer in the shade
Jackie Kay (b. 9 November 1961),
is Scotland’s Makar, or national
poet until 2021. Born to a Scottish
mother and Nigerian father, she
said that growing up in Scotland,
she “got beaten up quite a lot”
because of her mixed heritage.
Adopted by a Scottish couple
(Helen and John Kay) and raised in
talent and shops in Edinburgh.”
The shoot was only made
possible by calling on the talents
of professional commercial and
fashion photographer Alistair
Clark, who happens to be Sally’s
husband.
During the Covid-19 lockdown
Sally has been working behind
closed doors and accepting online
orders. Visits to her Edinburgh
Hat Shop and Studio will resume
when possible in Phase 3 of the
Scottish Government routemap,
with consultations resuming in
Phase 4.
www.sallyannprovan.co.uk
Crossword Answers by David Albury
Across: 1 Ember, 5 Aisle, 8 Calendar years, 9 Lists, 10 Snowy,
11 Reappearances, 12 Ideal, 14 Abbot, 16 Inconvenience, 17 Genre,
18 Enter.
Down: 1 Excel, 2 Belisha beacon, 3 Rungs, 4 Stage managers, 5 Abyss,
6 Shadow cabinet, 7 Essay, 12 Icing, 13 Lance, 14 Agile, 15 Their.
Glasgow, in her memoir Red Dust
Road she refers to herself as “part
fable, part porridge”.
In October 2012, before we
knew of Colin Kaepernick and
“taking the knee”, Kay wrote about
kicking racism out of football.
Hear My Pitch remembers
Arthur Wharton, the first black
professional footballer to play in
a UK football league. Wharton,
was born in Ghana, his father was
half-Scottish and half-Grenadian.
He came to England in 1882. By
1894 was playing for Sheffield
United. Jackie read her poem
on the pitch before kick-off at a
Sheffield United v Portsmouth
match on 29 October 2012. The
team are passionate supporters
of the Kick It Out campaign, since
1993. This works with the football
authorities, professional clubs,
players, fans and communities
to tackle all forms of racism
and discrimination. Kay recently
revealed that she worked for
several months as a cleaner for
the novelist John le Carré and that
being a cleaner was great training
to be an author: “You’re listening
to everything. You can be a spy,
but nobody thinks you’re taking
anything in.”.
Naomi Mitchison née Haldane,
(1 November 1897–11 January
1999) was a hugely prolific and
controversial Scottish author.
Perhaps her most well known
work is The Corn King and the
The Edinburgh Sketcher
Mark, The Edinburgh Sketcher,
runs sketching workshops from
various sites around the city
including the city centre, the New
Town and Leith.
Mark will teach you his tips and
techniques for sketching quickly
Shore and tell by Edinburgh Sketcher
Spring Queen (1931) - a vast
novel encompassing a mixture of
history, folklore and magic.
In 1916 she married Gilbert
Richard (Dick) Mitchison a lawyer
and Labour MP. Following the
success of The Corn King, she
and her husband purchased
Carradale House in Kintyre. She
spent most of the years of WWII
at Carradale and became deeply
involved in the local community.
In this period she transitioned
to poetry and created The Alban
Goes Out, a long narrative poem
describing a night spent fishing
with the Carradale fishermen.
Mitchison was no stranger to
controversy. Commissioned in
1932 to write a guide for children
and parents to the modern world,
it became An Outline for Boys
and Girls and Their Parents. While
critics loved it, it was criticised
by conservatives and religious
leaders for alleged Soviet leanings
and lack of emphasis on God and
religion. She also authored We
Have Been Warned, published in
1935. Its depiction of rape, free
love and abortion horrified and
alienated many in polite society.
Mitchison traveled extensively
and was a frequent visitor to
Botswana, where she was made
a tribal mother (Mmarona) to the
Bakgatla people. Mucking Around,
published in 1981, is an account
of her global adventures across 50
years and five continents.
on the go in a relaxed and and
no experience necessary step by
step guide. Book online via his
website below and you could soon
be capturing the world around
you in ink and watercolours.
edinburghsketcher.com
By John Hislop
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk SPORT 15
Leith Walk - a sea of green and white
Mercer - get your predatory
hands off Hibernian Football Club
For Hibs fans of a certain age,
Saturday 14 July 1990 – 30 years
ago this month – will resonate
strongly. It was the day that Hearts
owner Wallace Mercer finally
admitted defeat in his attempt to
take over city rivals Hibs.
Mercer’s humiliating climb-down
was a tremendous victory for
the club, its fans and the Hands
Off Hibs campaign, possibly only
surpassed by the events of 21 May
2016, when Hibs ended a 114 year
drought and brought the Scottish
Cup home to Leith.
Growing up in the Borders, I had
no affinity to any football team. A
Hearts supporting neighbour lured
me to Tynecastle where I shivered
through a boring 0-0 draw and put
up with the overwhelming smell
of hops from the nearby brewery
before, thankfully, my sister took a
fancy to Peter Cormack and took
me to Easter Road.
That was on 14 October 1967 and
I fell in love with Hibs that day. I
know the date as I still have the
programme which cost 6d. We
stood in the old south enclosure
next to the dugout and my breath
was taken away at first sight of
the massive two-tier old east
terracing as we watched Hibs beat
Dunfermline 2-0, with Cormack
scoring from the half-way line.
From that day on I have never
missed a Hibs game at Easter
Road that I was able to go to.
I was lucky enough to grow up
watching Turnbull’s Tornadoes and
have never seen a better brand of
football anywhere in the world. It
was poetry in motion. I was at the
greatest game in history on New
Year’s Day 1973 when Hibs beat
Hearts 7-0 and also at the East
Fife game a few days later when
the great John Brownlie suffered
a broken leg. It was downhill from
that moment, with the 1970s
ending in relegation.
In 1987 there was a glimmer
of hope when David Duff took
over from Kenny Waugh and I
risked divorce by spending my
life savings on buying shares. A
golden generation of youngsters
including John Collins, Mickey
Weir, Paul Kane, Gordon Hunter
and Eddie May, were augmented
by top-quality signings such as
Andy Goram, Stevie Archibald
and Murdo MacLeod, but it was
apparent that all was not well in
the boardroom.
I was one of the first to lose faith
in Duff and Jim Gray and let them
know as they were walking round
the pitch during the Morton game
when Andy Goram scored from
inside his own box.
Sure enough, a series of
disastrous business deals left the
club open to a hostile takeover
and Wallace Mercer was quick to
take advantage with his so-called
“vision for the future” that would
see one Edinburgh side challenge
the Old Firm dominance and the
“end of tribalism” in the city.
In reality, everyone knew that the
move was a take-over bid with
the aim of acquiring Easter Road
and the substantial property
owned by the club. The fact that
he swanned round the capital in
a maroon coloured Jag with the
personalised number XX1 - or
Double Cross One - hadn’t gone
unnoticed.
Speakers at a packed Hands off
Hibs rally, included the great Pat
Stanton, Jimmy O’Rourke and Joe
John Hislop
Baker, who famously kissed the
Easter Road turf, raising the roof
of the East terracing. If Joe had
told us to invade Gorgie at that
moment we would have done so.
The biggest roar came when
Kenny McLean warned Mercer:
“Keep your predatory hands off
Hibernian Football Club”.
The afternoon ended with an
emotional rendering of You’ll Never
Walk Alone by The Proclaimers
and we all left the stadium
determined to save the club.
Politicians and councillors got
involved and popular Leith MP
Ron Brown promised to raise the
issue with both the Monopolies
Commission and the Office of
Fair Trading. Two London-based
Hibs fans, Brian Rogan and Tony
Connor, along with Hearts fan
and former First Minister Alex
Salmond, presented a copy of a
petition to Margaret Thatcher at
10 Downing Street. Unfortunately,
the Iron Lady was running late as
she was having lunch with Nelson
Mandela and the massive crowds
outside waving ANC flags were
persuaded to chant ‘Hands off
Hibs’ whilst waiting on the great
man appearing.
Supporters staged a five weeklong
picket of the Bank of
Scotland’s headquarters on the
Mound, (Mercer’s bankers), and
the campaign even got an airing
on Blue Peter when presenter
John Leslie, against the orders of
his bosses, appeared on screen
wearing a Hands Off Hibs t-shirt.
A Battle Bus containing amongst
others Gordon Strachan and
The Proclaimers joined the Leith
Festival Gala Parade and at a
packed Usher Hall rally chaired
by politician Margo MacDonald,
Hearts legend John Robertson
disobeyed Mercer’s order not to
attend.
Unable to get his "predatory
hands" on enough shares and with
the Bank of Scotland pulling out,
Mercer’s attempt to end tribalism
had backfired spectacularly and
on that Saturday in July 1990,
generations of Hibs fans drew a
collective sigh of relief. If Mercer
had got his way the magnificent
traditions of Hibernian Football
Club would now be consigned to
the history books, and me and
thousands of other Hibees would
never have experienced that
unforgettable weekend in May
2016 when Leith was transformed
in to a sea of green and white.
Uncertainty
and anxiety
for Hearts
by Mike Smith
Hearts traumatic experience
of season 2019/20 has followed
them to season 2020/21 but with
one significant difference.
Last season Hearts were for the
most part, quite awful, and despite
some of those of the maroon
persuasion being in denial, the
Gorgie men seemed destined for
relegation and at least a season
in the Championship – which is
where owner Ann Budge came in
six years ago.
Her proposal for league
reconstruction was rejected by the
SPFL and the club joined forces
with Partick Thistle - who were
also relegated unfairly - to bring
a legal action which is due to be
heard in the Court of Session.
Hearts are looking to be reinstated
to the Premiership and Thistle to
the Championship. If not, they will
ask for substantial compensation.
If neither are forthcoming the
drastic action could be to force a
delay to the Premiership starting
on 1 August, which would be
catastrophic for Scottish football.
Clubs in the Championship won't
start league games until October.
The trauma the coronavirus
pandemic has inflicted on
the world puts Hearts current
woes into perspective, but the
uncertainty of which division
Hearts will be in at the start of
the new season has added to the
anxiety of the Hearts support.
The Scottish Rugby Union has
said it would make BT Murrayfield
available to Hearts, and this would
certainly help with any social
distancing measures that may
be required when clubs do return
and fans are allowed back inside
grounds.
But with the greatest respect, the
prospect of facing Alloa Athletic
on a wet and windy Wednesday
evening at the home of Scottish
Rugby will do little to entice Hearts
supporters to part with their
hard-earned cash.
With any luck, this time next
year Hearts will be preparing for
a return to the Premiership after
winning promotion. But a tough 12
months beckons first.
#Staysafe
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