The Edinburgh Reporter January 2022

Linehan on Duty

Fergus honoured for

Edinburgh Festival work

Here’s hoping… Thai Express Clock this

City leaders outline

aspirations for 2022

New restaurant bunks

down at St James

Keeping time for 200 years

in Edinburgh

Hibby New Year

Looking back over season’s

highs and lows

Page 3 Page 12 Page 17 Page 20

Page 23

January 2022

EDINBURGH’S FREE LOCAL NEWSPAPER...A CAPITAL READ FROM START TO FINISH

2022...

Light at the end of

the rainbow?

We ask if there is room for a renewed

sense of optimism in the year ahead

Read more on pages 12-13

Tom Duffin

2 NEWS

Planning News

Developments in progress across the city

Editorial

I THINK we all hope for change this year. It is

two years since the first cases of Covid-19

were identified and then, within a couple of

months, the world tumbled into lockdown

after lockdown, waiting for only a few

months for the first vaccine to be delivered.

Now we are all anxious to get the third or

booster dose to beat the new fast-spreading

Omicron variant, and the capacity of the

booster programme has significantly

increased. Mass vaccination centres are to

reopen at EICC. It is not quite clear to me

writing this what the regulations will be when

it is read. Certain events are having to change

their plans along with the latest guidance

from the government and the scientists.

It is perhaps difficult to look ahead with

any degree of certainty amid the barrage of

case numbers, but I thought we could set the

challenge for some people in the city to at

least have a go. On our middle pages you will

read a range of views from business people

and others in Edinburgh who answered that

call - perhaps inevitably with a backward

glance to the couple years behind us.

As always at the beginning of a new year it

is a time to ramp up the exercise or introduce

keep fit and we have some tips to help you to

maintain progress on Page 9.

John Hislop, a lifelong Hibs fan, has had a

look back at the Easter Road team and its

highs and lows this past year. Read his round

up on Page 23. Food and drink plays a very

big role in the life of our food writer, Juliet,

who flags up some new places if you are out

and about. on Page 17.

Edinburgh is full of people who are high

achievers, and we are pleased to have stories

of those who have “done good” on our

pages. I very much enjoyed speaking to

Julia Cross, MBE, who when faced with ill

health resorted to teaching her beloved

Taekwondo to others.

Finally a plea to shop local - and if possible

to support our advertisers. Without them we

would not be able to produce this

newspaper, and many of you tell us you look

forward to reading it each month. We enjoy

the experience of producing it - it is quite

different from our website (but we

recommend that you also read that!)

Phyllis Stephen, Editor

BRINGING THE NEWS TO YOU

THERE ARE 6,000 copies of the Edinburgh Reporter distributed

through a network of city businesses and public buildings.

The paper is usually distributed at Stockbridge Market on the first

weekend of the month.

You will find copies at Farmer Autocare, Summerhall, Art & Craft

Collective, EICC, LifeCare on Cheyne Street, Coffee Angels, Rose

Theatre Café, The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and Western General

Hospital, and some city supermarkets.

If you can, then please subscribe to have your copy delivered to

you each month. It helps us to cover the overheads of bringing the

news to you in print and online.

We distribute door to door on some selected streets. If you would

like us to include your street then please suggest it to us.

ter.ooo/subscribe

GET IN

TOUCH

TODAY!

Covid-19: the numbers...

THE NEWER OMICRON variant

had a tenfold increase in the

number of cases during the first

week it was identified. Soon after

more than 90,000 cases were

identified in one single day in the

UK, leading to changes in the

defence against the pandemic.

Booster vaccinations have been

increased, and physical distancing

measures reimposed. The First

Minister made an address to the

nation stating that in Scotland

cases could rise to around 15,000

For advertising and

editorial enquiries

please email:

editor@the

edinburgh

reporter.co.uk Donate anchor.fm YouTube

WORK HAS BEGUN at the Queen Margaret University site

to create a new junction on the A1, providing access from

both directions. The university is delivering an Innovation

Hub in the Edinburgh Innovation Park in a partnership with

East Lothian Council. Expect “traffic management” around

here as the works will not be completed until December.

An online consultation about the proposed mixed use

redevelopment of the former Leith Walk Tramway depot has

been running over the Christmas period and will end on 3

January. cwpleith.com

The council is ploughing on with the development at

Granton Waterfront and has advertised on Public Contracts

Scotland for a development partner. Over the next decade or

so this will create a new coastal town with 3,500 new net

zero carbon homes. There are many constituent parts to the

Waterfront all of which will have green credentials at the top

of the wishlist.

A planning application is likely to be made next month

for the redevelopment of Ocean Terminal (visual on left)

where the owners, Ambassador Group intend to demolish

one part of the car park, open up views from the building to

the Royal Yacht Britannia and follow the principle of the 20

minute Neighbourhood already adopted by the council. The

plan is to create a pedestrian centred waterfront with a

mixed use community around it.

per day. In the last quarter of 2021

cases had been running at around

3,000 or so a day.

The number of those vaccinated

with the first dose in the UK has

now risen to an impressive 52

million people (and counting)

which is around 90% of the UK

population over the age of 12. But

perhaps the most sobering

number is that around 1,000

people in the UK are currently in

hospital beds which have a

mechanical ventilator.

About us...

We write about news relating to the Edinburgh area. If you

have any news, or if you would like to submit an article or

photograph for publication then please contact us

Editor: Phyllis Stephen

Designer: Felipe Perez

Photos: Martin P McAdam

/EdinReporter

edinburghreporter

@EdinReporter

theedinburghreporter.co.uk

07791 406 498

editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk

3

Fergus honoured

Festival Director’s work recognised with award

Fergus Linehan’s

handprints in the

quad at City

Chambers

Fergus accepting The Loving Cup from

the Rt Hon Lord Provost

The Edinburgh Reporter

Honorary degree for

Booker winner Stuart

HERIOT WATT University

bestowed an honorary degree

on the Booker prize-winning

author, Douglas Stuart.

Stuart studied at the

university, achieving a BA

Honours in Textiles in 1998. He

used his learning during his first

career in fashion, working as a

Senior Designer for Calvin Klein

and Ralph Lauren before

becoming the Head of Design at

Gap Inc and then later at Kate

Spade.

His debut novel, Shuggie

Bain, became a best-seller and

Stuart was only the second Scot

to win the coveted Booker prize

last year.

Shuggie Bain has also been a

finalist for over twenty

international literary awards,

including the National Book

Award, The Pen Hemingway

Award, The Orwell Prize and the

Andrew Carnegie Medal. The

Scots vernacular will be

translated into 39 languages.

Stuart's second novel, Young

Mungo, is to be published in the

Spring.

Douglas said: “I am truly

humbled to receive this

recognition. Higher education

transformed everything for me.

It opened up possibilities that I

would never have dreamt were

possible. My time studying at

the Galashiels campus gave me

all the skills I carry with me in

life, and allowed me to express

myself in not one, but two

creative fields. I will be forever

grateful to the educators at

Heriot Watt who noticed my

potential, who believed in me

when I didn't always believe in

myself, and who guided me

onwards when I was unsure of

the path before me."

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

THE 2021 EDINBURGH AWARD honoured Fergus

Linehan, the Director of the Edinburgh International

Festival for the last seven years. Linehan refreshed the

festival, introducing light projections, and contemporary

musicians such as Jarvis Cocker and Mogwai into the

mix. He extended the reach of the festival by using

venues such as Leith Theatre, and with outreach work

with schools in Craigmillar and Leith.

The Rt Hon Lord Provost, Frank Ross held a reception

for Mr Linehan with invited guests at the City Chambers.

The Lord Provost said: “This year the recipient’s work has

helped gain national and international recognition for

Edinburgh. We honour Fergus Linehan who receives the

15th Edinburgh Award in honour of his outstanding

contribution to Edinburgh’s cultural heritage.

“Fergus began his career in the theatre producing

many shows and going on to direct the Dublin

Theatre Festival.

“This year he arranged it so that people could enjoy the

festival from the comfort of their own homes. And three

large bespoke venues were introduced at Edinburgh

Academy Junior School, Edinburgh Park and the

University of Edinburgh’s Old College Quad, providing

more space for audiences to enjoy performances.

Throughout his time as Festival Director, Fergus has done

much to promote Edinburgh to the world. His dedication

and passion for the arts and for our city as a whole, the

people and its legacy is an inspiration to us all. It is for

this reason that I am so delighted that the people of

Edinburgh have acknowledged his contribution and have

chosen Fergus to receive the Edinburgh Award 2021 - an

honour which he truly deserves.”

Emeritus Professor Joe Goldblatt delivered a short

oration. celebrating Mr Linehan, suggesting that Fergus

should survey the room because “these are all the people

who love you, who admire and respect you”.

Professor Goldblatt said: “Fergus deployed his

laser-like vision to help artists and their grateful

audiences to come together in a way this city and country

has never experienced before. His conceptions of the

major outdoor spectacles at Edinburgh Castle, Usher Hall

and Tynecastle Stadium catapulted the Festival to a new

level of relevance - and I would argue has ensured greater

resilience for our future years. Our honouree is one of the

world’s greatest matchmakers, as he and his associates

have successfully made the world’s greatest drama, music,

dance and other art forms for the first time in our city’s

history the ultimate providence of all of our citizens.”

Linehan, who intimated that he will leave his post after

the 2022 Festival, said: “Thank you for this honour.

Normally I get to go out and be alongside the best

performers in the world and go out to sell their shows. I

never am the show, and it is difficult to be the show

because it is not what I am used to doing. I am honoured,

but am conscious that the city is honouring not just our

festival but all the festivals over the past two years. It has

been a hell of a period.

“My father was the Arts Editor at The Irish Times and

he got me the Edinburgh bug. Then by my mid twenties it

had got under my skin, and I began an annual pilgrimage

to the festival. I had the joy of having a hit show on the

Fringe at The Traverse. For anyone who has had that joy,

they will know how incredibly motivating it is.

“Edinburgh is unlike anything else in the world. It is

the greatest show on earth, but it is also one of the great

cultural achievements of local government not just in

Scotland but in the world.

“Local governments from all over the world come and

ask what is the secret - and of course it did all start here.

It was the commitment and vision of the Lord Provost at

the time, John Falconer, who really pushed this through.

“It has been an honour for my wife Sophie and me to

contribute to Edinburgh’s Festival.

“I am truly humbled to be in the list of the people

outside who have received this award before - Tom

Farmer, Ann Budge and Ricky De Marco all brilliant

hard-working people who quietly pushed themselves and

those around them to just make the life of the city better.”

4 NEWS

Green light for change

Lorna

Slater

MSP

Climate change central to government policy making this year

By LORNA SLATER MSP

2021 WAS ANOTHER hard year for a lot of us.

Many lost friends and family to the pandemic,

we were in and out of lockdown, and the rise of

a new Covid variant made it a particularly

difficult holiday period.

It was also a year of political challenges. It

saw the COP26 climate conference, which,

despite the hype, ended with the world’s biggest

polluters caving to the interests of the fossil fuel

industry. It was a disappointing end to an event

that promised the earth, and a betrayal of

Julia Cross, MBE,

receiving her

award from the

Rt Hon Lord Provost

young people and activists who are doing all

they can to prevent climate catastrophe.

Despite the challenging backdrop, I remain

stubbornly optimistic that 2022 can be a year

when we can make real, positive change in

Scotland and beyond.

Last May, my Scottish Greens colleagues and

I entered into a co-operation agreement with

the Scottish Government. We are putting

people and the climate at the heart of

policymaking, and, over the course of 2022, you

will begin to see many of the positive changes

that we are influencing and introducing.

One of the biggest changes that I’m most

proud of will come at the end of January, when

everyone aged 21 and under will have access to

free bus travel. This is a big step in our efforts to

tackle the climate emergency. It is a policy

which will open up Scotland and improve the

lives of the many young people who need to

travel for education, leisure and work.

As of April, we will also be doubling the

Scottish Child Payment, which will be worth an

additional £500 a year to parents and will help

to mitigate some of the damage done by Boris

Johnson’s cruel Universal Credit cut. Tackling poverty and Scotland’s role in the

climate crisis are our priorities nationally, but

my Green colleagues and I also want to do it

here in our communities.

This May we will be standing more Green

candidates than ever in the local elections. In

Edinburgh we are hoping to win a record

number of councillors. We have a great team of

candidates, including more women and

disabled people. It is a chance for Edinburgh to

lead the way in establishing the kind of green

change that benefits people and the planet.

After the last two years, we need to make

sure that the society we build is a fairer, greener

and better one than what came before. We can’t

go back to an unsustainable status quo. I hope

that 2022 will see us transitioning away from

the pandemic and towards a future that is better

for everyone.

Road safety

improvements

MBE for high-kicking Black Belt Julia

JULIA CROSS, MBE, is a 6th

Degree Black Belt in

International Taekwon-Do

Federation, an International

Instructor, six times World

Champion (the only person to

have achieved this) and 15

times European Champion.

She remains the most

honoured person in Taekwondo,

having competed since the

age of eleven when her father

introduced her to the sport.

Already inducted into the

Hall of Fame, Julia’s latest

honour was an MBE bestowed

in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday

Honours. She chose to receive

her honour from the Rt Hon

Lord Provost, Frank Ross, at the

City Chambers where her

family, friends and students

could join her for an evening

celebration.

Sadly, Julia is no longer able

to compete due to her health.

She used to take part in both

“Patterns” (a kind of ballet

where a set sequence of

movements has to be followed

and the competitors are judged

against one another) and

“Sparring" which is the martial

Julia with her

many medals

art version of the kicking sport.

She now awaits knee surgery

following two replacement hip

operations (one of which she

had only several weeks before

going on to win another

European title).

Julia founded a Taekwondo

school in South Queensferry

and students regularly take

part in European competitions.

THE COUNCIL already had plans to improve

the road crossing over Lanark Road at

Kingsknowe Park by improving the existing

traffic island and providing a larger central

pedestrian refuge.

However, in light of strong demand from

the community for a signalised pedestrian

crossing on Lanark Road, and as part of their

wider active travel improvements there as

part of Travelling Safely, the council has

agreed to permanently replace the existing

traffic island with a signalised pedestrian

crossing. This will be at Lanark Road adjacent

to Kingsknowe Park, with the aim of

providing safe access to the local park and

playing grounds. Designs for this crossing

are currently being drawn up and the council

are hoping to deliver it during the 2022/23

financial year.

There is also a further crossing planned at

Hailes Gardens.

5

Going around

The Edinburgh Reporter

in circles

Council proposals do not fit the bill

Martin P McAdam

John Hope Gateway at The Botanics

Disabled rights

activist, Hugh Munro

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

FOLLOWING PROTESTS by disabled driver,

Hugh Munro, Edinburgh council has

redesigned the arrangements for blue badge

parking at the Royal Botanic Garden

Edinburgh which it plans to install in January.

The latest design, chosen from four

possibilities created by roads officers, increases

the number of blue badge spaces to 13 by

creating four new parking spaces within the

semi-circular areas on both sides of the road at

the John Hope Gateway. These deeper bays will

be set 4.5 metres back from the road to create a

safe space to get in and out of vehicles. The

council says it will offer new protected spaces

for disabled people at ground level, but Mr

Munro says these new arrangements are

“nothing new” and wholly unsuitable.

Mr Munro said: “This still does not consider

that the disabled person might be the driver.

Even if these are deeper bays, the driver still

has to exit on the main road and in my case

with sticks I have to get round the door to get

on to the pavement. The only safe way if the

council really value disabled people or the

vulnerable. “I feel that the council is not

listening and have made no changes and I am

still in the position as a disabled driver that I

cannot access the Botanics.”

Letter to the editor

The neglect of our off road paths

Madam,

Miles and miles of paths, hidden from roads, mostly tree-lined, 100% shielded from

4-wheeled vehicles are certainly one of the most appreciated "glories of Edinburgh".

In daily use by mums with prams and walking toddlers, pedestrians strolling with dogs,

couples chatting, cyclists cruising, runners exercising, even seniors seen zinging along on

zimmers. Yet these paths are often reduced to half-width by leaves turned into sodden mud,

entwined with ivy vines, out-of-control brambles and the general muck of weeds.

Does the City Burgh take no responsibility for keeping clean and tidy these paths of many

miles? (50 miles?)

Paths that are in daily use by thousands of rate paying members of the public.

NO RESPONSIBILITY to clean and clear path obstruction from leaves, muck, mud and

snow tidily to the robust edging stones laid many years ago.

These paths could be kept safe, secure and clean at all times during the year - as A

PRIORITY - as a THANK YOU to past burgh forethought.

Yours etc, Gerald Della-Porta

6 NEWS

Dispel the myths

World Hypnotism Day aims to remove misconceptions while

promoting the benefits of hypnotism in making positive change

By STEPHEN McMURRAY

WORLD HYPNOTISM Day is held every year

on 4 January to promote the benefits of hypnosis

and to answer any misconceptions about

hypnosis, such as losing control. Few people

may be aware of the role a University of

Edinburgh graduate played in the development

of hypnotherapy - one who is known as the

father of modern hypnosis.

James Braid was born in the parish of

Portmoak, Kinross-shire in 1795. He was

apprentice to Leith Surgeons, Thomas and

Charles Anderson and at the same time attended

the University of Edinburgh and was awarded

the diploma of Licentiate of the Royal College of

Surgeons of the City of Edinburgh.

After obtaining this diploma, he went to work

as a surgeon in Lanarkshire and Dumfries,

before relocating to Manchester. It is rumoured

that Braid first got interested in what we now

call hypnosis by watching a performance by

French mesmerist demonstrator Charles

Lafontaine, where participants were put in a

trance like state

Mesmerism was named after German doctor

Franz Mesmer, who believed what he called

animal magnetism was an invisible natural force.

He considered that this force could heal and by

helping people into a sleep like state the body

would induce this healing force. At first Braid

dismissed Lafontaine as a charlatan, though he

sought to investigate this phenomenon.

Braid did believe these participants had

indeed entered a different state, though he

thought it was unlikely that magnetism was

responsible as Lafontaine claimed. He went on

to conduct a number of experiments on himself

and others and found he could induce an altered

state of consciousness through trance and by

holding an object in front of the eyes.

In 1842, Braid published a book called,

‘Neurypnology or The Rationale of Nervous

Sleep Considered in Relation with Animal

Magnetism’. Braid was convinced that this trance

Community grants deadline looms

THE PORTOBELLO and Craigmillar

Neighbourhood Network invite

applications from constituted

community and third sector groups

that carry out services which

benefit people living in the

Portobello and Craigmillar areas.

The Community Grants fund

application form as well as the

guidance notes are available at

www.edinburghpartnership.scot/

get-involved/portobellocraigmillar-community-grantsfund/1

state was a form of sleep and named it hypnosis

after the Greek god of sleep, Hypnos. Though, it

is later thought he regretted this name as he

found that participants could display features of

hypnosis, such as amnesia could be induced

with no sleep.

James Braid utilised hypnotherapy alongside

his surgical work, helping people with a number

of issues, such as; rheumatism, spinal injuries,

strokes, and nervous disorders. He remained an

interest in hypnosis until his death in

Manchester in 1860.

Hypnotherapy continued to be developed and

the great American Psychologist Milton

Erickson mainstreamed the use of hypnotherapy

The funding opportunity is for

local communities to use in many

ways such as:

• Start - up grant for new groups

or community projects

• Buying a new piece of equipment

for your group

• Improving or developing your

community groups activities

• Raising awareness of your

groups activities

• Finding out about the needs in

your community

• Small scale projects that enhance

quality of life and complement

other improvements in that area.

• Supporting projects which

progress the aims of the Locality

Improvement Plan (LIP)

The Portobello and Craigmillar

NN Community Grant fund totals

£22,637 and the maximum

amount that constituted

groups may apply for is £3000.

The application process is now

live and will close on Wednesday

12 January at noon. Any

applications received after the

within medical environments in the twentieth

century. Hypnotherapy is often misunderstood,

with people being concerned that they will lose

control and behave like a participant in a stage

hypnosis show. People who participate in these

shows are exhibitionist types who choose to

perform in that manner. Hypnotherapy is very

different. The hypnotherapist makes positive

suggestions to make positive changes. There is

evidence that hypnotherapy is successful in

helping people with many issues, including;

stopping smoking, losing weight, and managing

chronic pain.

Stephen McMurray is a Clinical

Hypnotherapist based in Edinburgh.

deadline will not be accepted.

The funding panel will aim to make

a decision on the week beginning

24 January.

Email the application to

communitygrantfundpcnn@

ea.edin.sch.uk or post to Iain

Twaddle, Lifelong Learning Team,

Craigmillar and Portobello

Community Grants C/o Castlebrae

Community High School, 2A

Greendykes Road Edinburgh

EH16 4DP

Safer spaces

for wildlife

ANY REAL Christmas trees can be

repurposed in January to make a safe

haven for wildlife in gardens.

In an effort to encourage sustainability,

the garden centre Dobbies has

announced some tips.

Dobbies’ Horticultural Director, Marcus

Eyles said: “Choosing a real tree is one of

the most-loved Christmas traditions, and

we want to encourage people in

Edinburgh to be mindful of how they can

recycle their cut real trees once the

festivities are over.

“Cut real Christmas trees can be a great

tool when it comes to creating a safe

place for wildlife to shelter during the

winter months, so we’re delighted to

show people how they can make use of

their trees once the Christmas

decorations have come down.”

Fay Vass, Chief Executive of British

Hedgehog Preservation Society said:

“We’re delighted that Dobbies are

shining a light on ways in which people

can create a safe space for hedgehogs

and other wildlife in their gardens.

Hedgehog numbers are in decline, and

they have recently been added to the UK

Red List as a species that is vulnerable to

extinction. We all need to play our part in

improving their habitat and we hope

people will take advantage of these tips

to help create a safe place for wildlife in

their gardens.”

Marcus outlined ways that a real cut

tree can be reused in the New Year:

• Remove the tree from your house

carefully to stop any loose needles from

dropping. Marcus recommends wearing

thick gloves to protect your hands.

• Using a good quality pair of secateurs,

starting from the top remove each

branch as close as possible to the

main stem.

• Stack the branches together four or five

pieces high and place onto soil or leaves

under large shrubs, trees or hedges.

• Repeat this process until all the

branches are used. This will provide a

great shelter for small animals and

insects to protect them from the worst

of the winter weather. Marcus points

out that the needles and branches will

breakdown over time to produce

organic matter than will enrich the soil.

• For the main trunk of the tree use a

pruning saw to cut into 30cm lengths,

which can then be stacked to make a

mini log pile which is a great habitat for

wildlife to shelter in.

www.dobbies.com

8 NEWS

City leaders’ hopes...

20 Minute

Neighbourhood

strategy

Climate change, transport, new schools and housing to the fore

CLLR ADAM MCVEY

Climate change has dominated the

news headlines for much of 2021.

COP26 was the most important

event hosted in these islands in recent time,

trying to avoid climate disaster and secure our

planet’s future.

While it took place in Glasgow, we did all we

could as a council and as Scotland’s capital city

to ensure we were on the pitch, supporting and

playing as full a part as possible in the global

conference. During the year Edinburgh also

became the only city in Scotland to be awarded

with the highest rating for climate action, in

recognition of the steps the council is taking to

manage the capital’s environmental impact.

In 2022 Edinburgh will continue to work

towards our Net Zero 2030 ambition. The 2030

Climate Strategy for the city was launched last

month.This policy will act as a living document,

will guide our greener, fairer, climate ready

future for the city and is supported by an

implementation plan to achieve Edinburgh’s

ambitious climate goals. It also sets out how we

will measure outcomes and impact. Our

environmental impact work is underway and

along with any changes to the strategy, will be

given further consideration in 2022.

CLLR CAMMY DAY

We are living through very challenging

times. But, working with the local

community, great progress is being

made to deliver our £1.3 billion project for one

of the most sustainable, vibrant new coastal

towns in Scotland at Granton Waterfront.

Last year, in partnership with Edinburgh

College, we illuminated the gas holder as a

beacon of light while work progresses in the

area. It was great news that we have been

awarded £16.5 million UK Government levelling

up funding to help to restore the B-listed

structure and create an exciting public space.

Spades are very much in the ground.

Councillors have given us the green light to

progress plans for phase one of the development

and delivery of initial projects including Western

Villages with around 388 much needed

affordable homes and 56 homes for sale. Work

to restore the Edwardian Granton Station to

become a creative and cultural hub is underway

and social enterprise charity WASPS will move

in this summer to operate it. Looking forward to

2022 progress already looks encouraging. We are

on track to secure planning permission for

around a further 217 affordable homes at

Silverlea behind Granton Station.

This well-connected and environmentally

friendly regeneration project is one of the seven

strategic development sites in the Edinburgh

and South East Scotland City Region Deal and

will help us to be net zero carbon by 2030.

CLLR LESLEY MACINNES

As we look beyond the pandemic, our

next challenge will be the increasingly

urgent threat posed by climate change.

Thankfully, work is underway to address this,

and with motor traffic making a significant

impact on our carbon footprint, looking at how

we travel around the capital is vital.

Our City Mobility Plan sets out a

comprehensive, ten-year plan to deliver a truly

sustainable, connected transport system. We’re

already making strides with several of the

actions planned to boost public transport use,

encourage walking, wheeling and cycling and

cut congestion, amongst other outcomes.

Trams to Newhaven is taking shape and by

the end of this year will begin test runs along the

route. In February we unveiled striking designs

for the transformation of George Street. In the

coming weeks we’ll be breaking ground on the

City Centre West to East Link, the biggest piece

of cycling infrastructure the city has seen.

As we move into 2022, we’ll be looking to the

future of Travelling S afely schemes, and how we

can extend their lifespan. We’re hoping to

introduce our ambitious Low Emission Zone in

the spring, and will begin the installation of

electric vehicle charging points for residents

around the city.

These are just a few of our ambitious plans for

the future, which will benefit residents in the

next year, and for generations to come.

CLLR IAN PERRY

The impact of the pandemic has never

been more starkly felt than by our

young people and their families across

the city. We have continued with learning and

teaching thanks to the fantastic efforts of all the

staff working in our schools who have gone

above and beyond.

They have been given amazing support by

so many other teams in the Council including

their Lifelong Learning Service and Social

Work colleagues – it’s been a real Team

Edinburgh effort.

It is so important for our children to equip

them with the skills they will need for later life.

Our investment in new schools and educational

settings will gather pace in 2022 despite the

effects of the pandemic on the construction

industry. We have new or replacement schools

due to open at Castlebrae, St Crispin’s, Victoria

Primary, and Canaan Lane, in addition to major

works at Darroch and Boroughmuir.

This activity is all part of our financial

commitment as part of Edinburgh’s ambitious

new school building programme which includes

more than £500 million planned investment

over the next decade.

THIS YEAR, The City of Edinburgh

Council committed to a 20-minute

Neighbourhood strategy. This approach,

used worldwide, is a way of delivering

services within communities in a

sustainable way. For Edinburgh it means

that residents should be able to meet

their daily needs within 20 minutes of

their homes by walking, using public

transport, wheeling, or cycling. While this

is a new for Edinburgh, I’ve been

thinking about it for a long time in terms

of personal resilience. Eleven years ago, I

was run over by a lorry driver when I was

cycling to work. I spent two years on

crutches. This had a dramatic effect on

my ability to move around

independently. While I didn’t own a car at

the time, I couldn’t have driven anyway.

Luckily, I live in a compact

neighbourhood, Portobello, that had

then, and still has, nearly everything that

I needed. I was only five minutes’ walk

from the doctor, the pharmacy, and the

dentist. I could access the local library

easily and quickly. The supermarket, the

post office, the fishmonger, and the

greengrocer were all within easy reach. I

could get to the bus stops without too

much effort, essential for regular trips to

the hospital. The taxi rank, also close by,

was a great comfort if the buses were

late. Living in a high-density friendly

neighbourhood was also essential for

my mental health. There was always a

friend or neighbour dropping by to

invite me for a coffee or offering to carry

things that were too heavy or impossible

on crutches.

There are many reasons to promote

20-minute Neighbourhoods, from

reducing our impact on the environment

through to tackling loneliness and

ensuring everyone can easily access the

public services they need. For me, it

meant retaining independence through

a difficult and traumatic time.

Kirsty Lewin, Spokes Porty

9

Bear with us

Giant pandas Yang Guang and Tian Tian stay for another two years How to stick to

By OLIVIA THOMAS

THE GIANT pandas at Edinburgh Zoo, Yang

Guang and Tian Tian will stay for another two

years - but there will be no possibility of panda

cubs being born in Scotland.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland

(RZSS) has announced a new deal with the

China Wildlife Conservation Association which

means that the pandas will only return to China

at the end of 2023.

The pandas arrived with much fanfare in

December 2011 but sadly there has not been

any pitter patter of not so tiny panda paws to

date. There have been many attempts at

breeding over the years without success.

David Field, RZSS chief executive, said, “We

are thrilled that Yang Guang and Tian Tian will

be staying at Edinburgh Zoo for two more years.

“Through co-operation with our partners in

China, we have had many successes over the

past ten years in terms of technique exchanges,

scientific research and public engagement.

“Yang Guang and Tian Tian have helped

millions of people connect with nature, so it is

fantastic that they will be with us a little longer

before we say goodbye, especially as the

pandemic has made it much harder for people

to visit them.

“We also hope that international travel

restrictions will ease over the next two years,

meaning our giant panda keepers will be able to

travel with Yang Guang and Tian Tian to China

and help them settle into their new homes. This

will be ideal as they both have strong bonds

with our panda team.”

The charity has confirmed that breeding will

not be attempted during the final two years of

the giant pandas being in Edinburgh.

“A cub would have generated even more

interest in giant pandas and given Tian Tian a

wonderful opportunity to be a mother again,

after she gave birth in China.” said Field.

“However, natural and artificial insemination

breeding attempts have not been successful and

now is the time to move on and just enjoy

having Yang Guang and Tian Tian with us for

two more years.

“We are very proud of the contribution we

have made to giant panda breeding research

alongside our partners at the University of

Edinburgh and our findings have been of

Giant panda Yang Guang

real benefit to international efforts to protect

the species.”

Plans will be made to convert the giant panda

habitat at the zoo for a new species to arrive.

“We are facing a biodiversity crisis and it is

vital that we expand our work to protect more

endangered animals around the world,”

Field said.

“It is encouraging that the status of giant

pandas in the wild has been moved by the

IUCN from endangered to vulnerable thanks to

conservation efforts in China. However, their

conservation still faces many challenges, so we

will continue to make a substantial annual

donation to support this work while Yang

Guang and Tian Tian remain with us.

“Many other animals still face the threat of

extinction and we are excited about working

with a new species at the zoo. We will decide on

the species over the next year, with a crucial

factor being how we can support conservation

in the wild.”

fitness goals

IT’S EASY TO talk yourself out of staying

fit, so here are a few tips from Mikey

Meechan, Gym Instructor at the Royal

Commonwealth Pool on how to keep to

your fitness goals.

Be realistic and don’t run before you

can walk – Build up gradually with bouts /

intervals of intensity and rest. Get a feel

from your first few sessions then gauge

what can be increased or maintained.

Initially, set yourself small goals like weekly

targets, then monthly goals. Sign up to an

event or a challenge with a realistic

training programme.

Do it for you. It is you who will get the

results and the health and mental benefits

of physical activity.

Variety is the spice of life - Take part in

different activities like swim, aerobics /

circuit class, Yoga / Pilates, weights class or

an indoor cycle class. This helps work

different muscles, and staves off boredom

caused from doing the same thing.

Save the date. Diary your exercise and

keep to it as you would other

appointments – make this your time.

Buddy up and make it social - Share the

experience with a friend, member of family

or colleague. This creates an accountability

to you as well as your training partner.

Exercising in groups can be more inspiring

and motivating as well as social.

Use an app, exercise tracker such as

MyZone or diary to monitor. Recording

what you have done can motivate you

especially when you see the improvements

in the number of repetitions, distance

travelled or how close you are to achieving

the World Health Organization’s guide for

physical activity (150mins of moderate

intensity or 75 mins of high intensity

per week).

Ask for help – Ask gym staff to help

you plan a programme, to support you

on a 1-1 basis.

Reward and review – When you

reach your initial goal, set yourself a new

challenge by reviewing your programme

with one of the helpful gym staff.

Change is good and will ensure you

still to your goals.

Win a day out with Ian Rankin and explore the city’s literary heritage

FOREVER EDINBURGH has

launched a new competition

offering a pair of literature

lovers a once-in-a-lifetime

prize – the chance to explore

Edinburgh’s literary heritage

accompanied by one of

the city’s famous writers,

Ian Rankin, OBE.

Packed with character,

Edinburgh’s towering spires,

atmospheric Old Town and

closes have inspired some of the

world’s best-loved writers, from

Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir

Walter Scott to Irvine Welsh,

Alexander McCall Smith and J.K.

Rowling. Edinburgh became the

world’s first UNESCO City of

Literature in 2004.

As part of The Story Never

Ends campaign run by Forever

Edinburgh, the competition will

see the winners walk in the

footsteps of Edinburgh’s

world-class writers and enjoy a

unique ‘author’s-eye view’ of the

city in the company of Ian

Rankin, creator of the acclaimed

Inspector Rebus novels.

Having toured the city’s

literary hotspots with the Rebus

author, the winner and their

plus one will then join him for a

refreshment in his favourite

watering hole, the Oxford Bar.

The pub, well-known to

Inspector Rebus fans, is located

in the city’s New Town, an area

that dates back 250 years.

Travel, accommodation and

meals are included in the prize.

Enter until 9 January www.

edinburgh.org/competition

11

CANDERSONS SWEET SHOP

HERIOT GALLERY

LEITH WALK POLICE BOX

LOVE YOUR BUSINESS

BIRTHLINK THRIFT SHOP

Debbie Anderson invites you to take

yourself back to your childhood with

all the traditional jars of sweets in her

shop. Chewits and fudge will take you

back a decade or two. Open from

10am except Mondays.

102 Leith Walk EH16 5DT

0131 554 1401

Newly established gallery in the New

Town art district which will feature

curated group shows and solo shows.

The owners promise it will be

”challenging and compelling art”.

Innovative new works and a collection

of art books to buy.

www.heriotgallery.com

Very reasonable rates allow start-ups

to use this small pop-up space as the

first rung on the ladder. From food to

political parties and all manner of

organisations in between. Have a look

at their pop-up garden when you visit.

Croall Place EH7 4LT

hello@leithwalkpolicebox.com

Love Your Business networking club is

relaxed, informal and good fun, and is

currently online on the last Thursday

of the month with a host of inspiring

speakers sharing their entrepreneurial

journeys and invaluable business tips.

www.lybnetworking.com

Facebook/howtolyb

Donate unwanted items to the shop

on Gilmore Place knowing that they

will find a new home. Very little ever

goes to landfill. Visit the shop to pick

up a copy of our latest paper and also

to admire their innovative and

ever-changing window displays.

birthlink.org.uk

NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION

DI GIORGIO’S CAFFE & BAR

SCHOP

CRAIG BANKS TAILORING

SALENTO

Subscribe today and have your own

copy of The Edinburgh Reporter

delivered to your front door from next

month. - in a compostable envelope. A

payment of £30 a year will help to

support local independent news.

ter.ooo.subscribe

Di Giorgio’s have lots of cakes and

slices, coffee with a smile and pasta

and lasagne to go. Morning rolls and

ciabattas are also available, but this is

brownie heaven and do ask about

their birthday cakes.

Open 7 days 10-4pm

1 Brandon Terrace EH3 5EA

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 saving you a journey.

schop.co

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 or

working from home very stylish.

0131 226 7775 • 45 Thistle Street

EH2 1DY • craigbankstailoring.com

Beautiful wee shop on Dundas Street

packed to the gunwales with lovely

Italian goods all handmade. Lynne

parcels them with great care in the

shop’s trademark turquoise tissue and

ribbons. New must see website will be

online in January.

www.salentoshop.co.uk

STEPHEN MCMURRAY

INDEPENDENT WINE COMPANY

BIRCH TREE GALLERY

ART & CRAFT COLLECTIVE

THE COBBLED ROASTERY

Stephen is a Clinical Hypnotherapist

available for virtual or in person

sessions. He uses hypnotherapy and

Neuro Linguistic Programming to help

you make changes and achieve your

goals. Manage chronic pain, stop

smoking or manage stress.

stephenmcmurray.com

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 personally. Free UK delivery

- same day delivery to Edinburgh

available. www.independent.wine

The gallery focuses on original

paintings, prints and fine crafts

inspired by nature. Wide price range to

accommodate various budgets. The

gallery will reopen on 11 January after

the break. Open Tuesday to Saturday

11am-4pm.

birchtreegallery.co.uk

A unique gallery and gift shop in

Edinburgh’s Southside - a cornucopia

of all forms of art. Buy handmade art

and craft from independent artists.

Linsay says: “If we don’t have it, we can

probably find it for you.”

artcraftcollective.co.uk

0131 629 9123

Vlad and Scott have a unique style at

48 Thistle Street with great coffee and

above average chat. The pair have just

celebrated a year in business at their

city centre micro roastery. Coffee also

available to order online if you are

working from home.

cobbledroasters.co.uk

ARDGOWAN DISTILLERY

BROUGHTON PLACE HAIR

THE WATERSHED

STOCKBRIDGE MARKET

TORRANCE GALLERY

For the whiskly lover, buy Ardgowan

Shipwright online - described by

whiskymaker Max McFarlane as “a

sumptuous dram”.Special offer

includes free Glencairn glass and

either whisky marmalade or a slate

coaster while stocks last .

shop.ardgowandistillery.com

A luxurious, elegant salon with a very

happy and friendly atmosphere where

the aim is to make your experience

relaxing, enjoyable and glamorous.

Appointments essential.

Tel 0131 556 4478

2a Broughton Place EH1 3RX

www.broughtonplacehair.com

The floating café with outdoor seating

is owned and run by Lindsay and sits

just next to the Leamington Lift Bridge

on the canal. With their range of

smoothies and coffees accompanied

by macarons and a host of other treats,

it is not to be missed.

EH3 9PD

You may know about Leith (Saturdays)

and Stockbridge (Sundays) Markets

but did you know that you can order

online and pick up all of your shopping

at once? Using the NeighbourFood

site you simply choose what you want,

pay and then collect your shopping.

www.neighbourfood.co.uk/markets

The Torrance Gallery on Dundas Street

will be offering a fantastic varied

programme of exhibitions in 2022,

kicking off with work by Fee Dickson

from 15 January to 5 February.

Join their mailing list for details

of each show.

torrancegallery.co.uk

12

FEATURE LOOKING FORWARD

The year

ahead...

With the challenges of the last two years still impacting, and new

Covid-19 restrictions brought into effect last month, it is difficult to

look ahead with either optimism or enthusiasm. Edinburgh’s business

people speak to Phyllis Stephen about their hopes for 2022

MICHAEL APTER

PAPER TIGER

THE WEST END has always reflected the changing nature

of Edinburgh - the Waldorf Astoria Caledonian Hotel used

to be a railway station. The huge new Haymarket Edinburgh

office development used to be a goods yard, the Johnnie

Walker Experience was formerly a department store,

alongside a nightclub that used to be a Post Office. The city

changes, but Edinburgh remains a highly desirable place to

live and work. You can live and work in the West End, and,

irrespective of changes in working patterns, these new

additions to the area will bolster the Monday to Friday

working population of the city. They also add to the visitor

numbers, as do the various new hotels that have opened in

the area in recent years.

There is a long way to go before Edinburgh sees the

visitor numbers enjoyed prior to the pandemic, but the

challenge is city wide. A city needs people.

That requires a cohesive and purposeful approach to

bring our local audience local and national back to the city

in greater numbers, to ensure that the festival programmes

are properly supported, and that visitors see a clean, well

presented and vibrant city centre. It is essential that

businesses work together with local and national

governments to fly the flag for Edinburgh and Scotland on

the global stage.

PAUL HILTON

CEO OF ESPC

LAST YEAR was going to be a standout year for ESPC, as it

marked our 50th anniversary. 2021, like 2020, was an

unprecedented year for the property market - although in

different ways. Pent-up demand meant activity levels

boomed, as buyers sought homes that accommodated a

variety of changing requirements.

One of the biggest changes was an increase in the

virtual-first approach for properties. More than 190,000

virtual tour views took place on espc.com and we expect

this approach to remain popular.

We expect demand to even out, to bring us a year similar

to 2019 – that is to say, a healthy market that appears less

frenzied than recent times, as we return to relatively normal

living. This assumes that there are no new Scottish

Government interventions, like the 2021 Land and

Building Transaction Tax suspension, which accelerated

demand. We expect “modest” Bank of England interest rate

rises, to dampen the effects of inflation, but the effects of

this on the housing market remain to be seen. With a rise

in inflation, but not on the savings interest rate, we will

continue to see savers considering buy-to-let properties

as an investment opportunity.

MAX MILLS

DIRECTOR OF RESIDENTIAL SALES, RETTIE & CO

WE HAVE OBSERVED:

• The whirlwind of the last 18 months in residential

property in Edinburgh

• Demand outstripping supply due to lack of stock

• The best homes selling for bigger premiums than we

have seen before

• Edinburgh is now a destination and people are flocking

here to call it home

• More top end transactions are being entered into

• Edinburgh is no longer seen as “inexpensive”

• The best agents are working their little black book and

getting creative. Off market deals are happening across

the Edinburgh market

• There is a flight to quality - sellers are now looking to

entrust their sale with the most experienced firms

• We have all had to up our game, embracing new

technology and better customer service has served us

well through Covid

Edinburgh is better insulated than most parts of Scotland

from any headwinds but such has been the growth in 2021,

there will likely be a “pause for breath” here too before long

- this is the usual pattern in Edinburgh in recent years

-spurt of growth followed by consolidation and then

take-off again.

SARA THOMSON

FOUNDER OF LEITH COLLECTIVE

FIRST UP we will be launching an “old for new” amnesty

for those hoping to declutter in the New Year. Whether it’s

toys or gadgets, people can bring their unwanted goods to

our store where someone else can take them away for free

and put them to good use. It’s all about promoting a circular

economy and keeping things out of landfill and in use for

as long as possible.

Next, we will be unveiling our new sustainable online

marketplace which will provide a platform for crafters,

makers and artists to connect with eco-conscious

consumers.

Finally, we’ll be keeping everything crossed that the

Covid restrictions will continue to ease so we can bring

back our upcycling workshops, and arm locals with

practical tips and inspiration on how to breathe new

life into old items.

JUNE PEEBLES

EDINBURGH LEISURE

THE YEAR 2020 was memorable (for all the

wrong reasons) and 2021 proved to be equally

We will be launching an ‘old for new’ a

hoping to de-clutter in the New Year. W

gadgets people can bring their unwant

Max Mills, Director of

Residential Sales,

Rettie & Co, below

memorable as we continued to navigate our way through

this pandemic. Coronavirus just keeps on giving….

It’s important we stay focused on to the positives in life.

For me this includes: the success of the vaccine roll out, the

support Edinburgh Leisure has received from the City of

Edinburgh Council, the support we’ve received from our

customers and that we’ve been able to re-open.

We introduced operational changes in response to

Covid-19, all intended to keep our customers and

employees safe. I am also aware that some changes made it

more challenging for some to access our services. And that’s

the last thing I want.

Amidst the changes, what has not altered is our

commitment to support as many people as possible to be

active. In 2021 we faced resourcing issues and our building

projects have been beset with delays due to Covid-19 and

supply chain issues. I’m not expecting these issues to resolve

themselves quickly. We must continue to adapt and respond

as best we can.

Like me I know many of you eagerly await the re-opening

of Warrender Swim Centre and the new Meadowbank

Sports Centre. There is some uncertainty around the

completion dates for both projects, but we will confirm

opening dates as soon as possible. The wait will

be worth it!

Here’s to a healthier new year. Stay active,

stay healthy and discover the positive

benefits of physical activity. And remember

– we will get through this!

13

also see it being a key component in the return of business

tourism to Edinburgh. The hotel is expected to create over

200 jobs when it opens in 2024, and overall, we expect the

hotel and hotel school to provide significant job creation

and economic benefit to the city.

The hotel school and training academy will

partner with Edinburgh College, offering a career

path for students and trainees and providing a

pipeline of talent for Scotland’s leisure and tourism

industry. Together with Edinburgh College, we

forecast that it will train up to 200 people every year.

DONALD ANDERSON

PLAYFAIR PR AND FORMER COUNCIL LEADER

mnesty for those

hether it’s toys or

ed goods to our store.

JIM ORR

CHAIR OF TRUSTEES, FOMBL

SARA THOMSON

FRIENDS OF THE Meadows and Bruntsfield

Links (FoMBL) have continued their important work

in the park.

The installation of a toilet block on Middle Meadow

Walk in the summer was great news, having been a

priority for FoMBL over recent years. On hot sunny days

the local paths and back streets become temporary toilets

to the annoyance and disgust of local residents. The

Friends are very grateful to the council and the local MP

and MSP (Messrs Murray and Johnson) for this

development which seemed to follow a particularly nasty

drunken brawl recorded on camera.

FoMBL installed a new table tennis table in the east part

of the Meadows and are looking to fund another one. It’s

completely free and was very popular when it appeared.

New information boards will soon be installed covering

some the history of the area such as the international

exhibitions from 100+ years ago and some of the

commemorative pillars which can be seen around the

entries to the park.

The long running saga that is the restoration of the

Jawbones may finally be coming to an end sometime

soon. Reports that they would be re-installed last year

were unfounded, but it seems it will finally happen in 2022

- well over ten years since they were taken down.

fombl.org.uk

Sara Thomson founder of Leith

Collective, above

Model of the Virgin Edinburgh

Hotel, top right

EICC welcomed back in-person

conferences, below

MARSHALL DALLAS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE, EICC

M&G REAL ESTATE is funding a new hotel and hotel

school, which is being delivered by Qmile Group as part of

its £350 million Haymarket Edinburgh development. The

Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) will

operate the 350-bedroom 4-star hotel under a franchise

agreement with Hyatt Hotels Corporation, with the hotel

addressing the conference delegate demand issues the EICC

has historically faced.

Not only is the hotel integral to the future of the EICC –

as it will assist us in fulfilling the demand for delegate

accommodation, thus securing more conferences - but we

TWO CHEERS FOR a Brave New 2022. It’s been a long and

tough battle with Covid, but despite the onslaught of

another wave brought about by the Omicron variant, and

hospitality taking yet another massive hit at the busiest time

of the year, there may be some light at the end of the tunnel.

A wave of exciting new upscale hotels is about to open

including the new ‘W’ at St James Quarter, a new Virgin

Hotel at Victoria Street and of course the Gleneagles

Townhouse in St Andrew Square. In Princes Street a wave

of investment means new hotels and restaurants are filling

the gaps left by department stores. Won’t that be wonderful.

Other city centres may face fiercer struggles, but

Edinburgh’s strong economy looks set to save it from the

worst of the rapidly changing face of retail.

So, with vibrant jobs market and strength and depth

across a variety of key sectors Edinburgh should bounce

back - and well in 2022. The only cloud on the horizon

comes in the wake of yet more Covid variants. So, two

cheers just now, but hopefully 2022 can be the year when

we really do get back to normal. I’ll drink to that.

DENZIL SKINNER

CO-OWNER, DENZIL SKINNER & PARTNERS

SOME 200 years after it was created, the West End is a

special historic and peaceful place with an interesting cross

section of independent retailers and bars who now occupy

the premises which remain largely unaltered. We are a

village, business owners greet and look out for each other, a

family offering a genuine form of retail which has died away

in the larger modern retail settings of the major streets. We

share in a great Facebook platform with the residents of the

area which adds to that sense of community, visit

Edinburgh West End Residents & Businesses .

Along with many others life has been tough for us but as

we move into 2022 perhaps we can see a new optimism. We

wait to welcome office staff back so they can grab a bite

from the great selection of coffee shops or to meet for a

drinks in a bar after work, we’re here and awaiting you. As

more and more of the properties are being converted back

into residential homes we have brilliant, individual privately

owned clothes shops, hairdressers, stationers , jewellers,

opticians, florists, couture and even an acupuncturist; you

name it and here you will find all you need as originally

conceived over two centuries ago.

Come and visit the truly distinctive West End village,

where you will receive a very warm welcome.

14 NEWS

Edinburgh

Leisure is hiring

Musselburgh Racecourse chairman Charles Barnett

(left) and Neil Boyd, Managing Director UK,

Ian Macleod Distillers toast Edinburgh Gin deal

Cin Cin to gin deal

Musselburgh Racecourse sign Edinburgh Gin up once more

By STEPHEN RAFFERTY

EDINBURGH GIN has strengthened its

relationship with Musselburgh Racecourse

with a three year extension to a six-figure

sponsorship deal.

As official gin provider to the East Lothian

track, Edinburgh Gin’s portfolio will be available

throughout the racecourse’s bars and restaurants

and will be presented as prizes to all winning

racehorse owners on each race day.

The agreement also includes sponsorship of

The Edinburgh Gin Race Day in May, which

features The Edinburgh Cup in a six race

£100,000 programme, when The Edinburgh Gin

Experience Marquee will be installed in a

prominent position at the course.

The racecourse will tailor Edinburgh Gin

products to suit each bar and a further element

of the deal includes sponsorship of the individual

Owner, Trainer and Jockey Championships over

both the Flat and Jump seasons.

Musselburgh Racecourse’s Senior Operations

and Commercial Manager, Sarah Montgomery,

said: “We are thrilled to have secured a fresh

three year sponsorship deal with Scotland’s

leading gin brand and to have the opportunity

to support a premium offering at each of our

race days.

“Since if was established in 2010, Edinburgh

Gin has been at the forefront of the gin

revolution and pushes boundaries and breaks

down conventions, all qualities which are shared

by Musselburgh Racecourse, so this is an ideal

partnership in so many ways.

“Our Edinburgh Cup meeting on 21 May is

one of our seasonal highlights and we look

forward to working with Edinburgh Gin to make

that a day to remember for racing fans and

Edinburgh Gin fans alike.”

Ian Macleod Distillers’ UK Managing

Director, Neil Boyd, said: “We at Edinburgh Gin

are delighted to renew our sponsorship with

Musselburgh Racecourse. We have enjoyed an

excellent relationship over the years and

following the uncertainty of the last 18 months it

is wonderful to be back and to be able to look

forward to an exciting partnership ahead.”

Musselburgh Racecourse is widely recognised

as one of the UK’s most stylish and progressive

racecourses and stages 28 meetings over the Flat

and Jump seasons each year.

To book tickets for the Edinburgh Gin Raceday

on Saturday 21 May, please visit here:

www.musselburgh-racecourse.co.uk/

view-fixture/the-edinburgh-cup-2022

HAVE YOU GOT what it takes? If you’re

looking for a career change or searching

for a new role, are passionate about

sport, good at communicating with

people and can offer good customer

service, Edinburgh Leisure has

opportunities. As a charity, Edinburgh

Leisure is dedicated to keeping people

in Edinburgh active and well. They run

over 50 sport, leisure and school

venues including swimming pools,

golf courses and Europe’s biggest

indoor climbing wall.

Making a positive impact on people’s

health and wellbeing is at the heart of

what Edinburgh Leisure does and it takes

a big team to deliver this ambition with

everyone playing their part.

They employ around 900 staff across

the Lothians in roles ranging from leisure

attendants to multi-sport coaches, gym

supervisors, greenkeepers, venue

managers, and in support roles including

marketing, HR, IT, and finance. They also

have volunteers, who are at the heart of

their Active Communities programmes.

As an employer, they pride themselves

on providing a supportive and enjoyable

work environment that their team are

proud to be a part of. They offer a

generous rewards package, staff

discount scheme and the option to join

their Group Personal Pension Fund.

And while some roles will require

certain qualifications that isn’t always a

requirement. For some jobs such as

coaching, they have trainee schemes,

where, if you display a passion for

encouraging young people to be active

and learn new skills, they will offer the

training and support for unqualified

individuals to become a qualified coach.

It could be the start of a new career.

If you have what it takes for a career

within a sport and leisure environment,

including enthusiasm and genuinely

enjoy working with people, Edinburgh

Leisure will support you with the

necessary training and encouragement

to pursue a long and fulfilling career.

Health

start-ups

will be

incubated

By KENZI DEVINE

TWENTY START-UPS have been

selected for The Venture Builder

Incubator 2.0 - an incubator

programme at the University of

Edinburgh aimed at developing and

commercialising academic

entrepreneurship.

The programme, which is supported

by Edinburgh Innovations, the

University’s commercialisation service,

have chosen eight start-ups which are

operating projects in the field of

cancer. This is a new partnership

between the university and Cancer

Research UK supporting PhD students

and researchers in developing ideas to

combat the disease.

The cancer-focussed ventures

include NanoTara, who are exploring

a method for early cancer diagnosis

with magnetic nanorobots.

Others include Zoforia Technologies,

developers of an online wellbeing

platform for children, and Quas,

Charlotte Waugh,

Edinburgh Innovations

a healthy, plant-based non-alcoholic

beverage.

Charlotte Waugh, Enterprise and

Innovation Programme Lead at

Edinburgh Innovations, said: “We are

delighted to welcome some of the

most promising entrepreneurial

students in Edinburgh and leading UK

academic researchers to participate in

Venture Builder Incubator 2.0. We look

forward to supporting these ventures,

helping commercialise their ideas to

transform them into world-leading

businesses., building on our ambition

to establish Edinburgh as Data Capital

of Europe.”

15

Pushing the boat out

GUESTS WILL BE spending the

night aboard Leith’s latest hotel

from mid-January according to

General Manager, Bruce

Macbride. Bruce explained that

the beautifully finished interiors

are almost all the handiwork of

owner, Alan Pedley, who was

involved in the £5 million

refurbishment of MV Fingal,

the other floating hotel in

Leith managed by Royal

Yacht Britannia.

The Ocean Mist was built in the

19890s as a fisheries trawler by

the Admiralty and has had some

VIP owners in her time, including

the Guinness family who used her

as a pleasure boat and Joseph

Hobbs, an Angus distillery owner,

who used her to transport whisky

to California during Prohibition.

There will be 17 cabins aboard

but there will be no restaurant or

kitchen created as the owners

would like guests to patronise the

on shore businesses. The Ship on

the Shore will provide a cooked

breakfast for guests or deliver a

continental breakfast to them to

enjoy in their cabins.

Bruce said: “I am going to keep

a lot of the food and drink buying

as local as I can, there are so many

spirits in the Leith area that we

can use, so the bar will be stocked

with drinks like Lind & Lime and

Port of Leith sherry and port.”

Recruitment is underway to fill

the staff positions now available.

Martin P McAdam

Preparation for education

NEWBATTLE ABBEY College are

holding two drop-in Information

Sessions on Wednesday 12 January

from 12.30pm to 3.00pm and

5.00pm to 7.00pm. The sessions are

targeted at anyone interested in the

Preparation for Further Education

course starting 24 January. Covid

restrictions will be in place, but it

might also be an opportunity to look

around the college and grounds.

The Preparation for Further

Education course is aimed at adults

who are looking at returning to

education or who may be thinking of

signing up for college this year.

Learning and Teaching staff will be

available to chat with potential

students on the course content.

Information on bursaries and

funding will also be available.

Roddy Henry, Principal said:

“Many people who want to get back

into formal education are unsure

how to take the first step. For a whole

variety of reasons, going to college or

university can seem quite

overwhelming, or may even seem

impossible. At Newbattle Abbey

College we understand just how

daunting that first step can be. We

Newbattle

Abbey College

specialise in providing a supportive

and understanding environment that

recognises where you are, and helps

you get to where you want to be,

whatever your background or

circumstances. Our Preparation for

Further Education course is a great

way to ease back into formal

education for anyone who has been

out of it for a while. You don’t need

to have any qualifications to apply,

and we will work with you to help

identify your next steps. If you are

thinking about getting back into

education, we would really love to

hear from you.”

This course is run in partnership

with Midlothian Council and

provides transition support for adults,

especially those who have been out of

education for some time. It also

offers the opportunity to progress to

either further education or, after

additional study, higher education.

The course may also be of interest to

young adults wishing to expand and

develop their qualifications.

No formal qualifications are

required for the course, and it is

offered on both a residential and

non-residential basis.

For more information contact the

college on 0131 663 1921 or email

office@newbattleabbeycollege.

ac.uk

Stuart Pender, David Alexander and Andrew Seldon

Lomond Group’s big deal

LOMOND GROUP, has become

the largest lettings and estate

agent in Scotland after acquiring

DJ Alexander.

The move, which was supported

by Lomond Group’s private equity

partner LDC, brings Lomond Group’s

portfolio of managed properties to

9,500 in Scotland, and significantly

strengthens the company’s presence

in the central belt. It was the Group’s

24th acquisition last year and means

it now manages more than 30,000

properties throughout the UK.

Stuart Pender, Group Chief

Executive of Lomond Group, said:

“DJ Alexander is a highly respected

agency in the Scottish central belt

with a reputation for excellence in

the industry. We are delighted to

bring the brand and its people into

the Lomond Group, significantly

strengthening our presence in

Edinburgh and Glasgow. The

acquisition emphasises our focus on

consolidating fragmented regional

markets to enhance the proposition

our sector offers to clients while

maintaining a local, on-the-ground

approach which brings significant

benefits to landlords and tenants.”

Managing Director at DJ

Alexander, David Alexander, added:

“Anyone who has ever worked with

me over the last 40 years knows how

driven and passionate I am. I thank

them from the bottom of my heart

in helping to establish a trusted and

recognisable brand across central

Scotland. I will take the same drive

and passion to the Lomond Group

and look forward to playing my part

in establishing it as the UK’S number

one agent.”

16 FOOD AND DRINK

Café review: Gooseneck Café

CROSSWORD

Compiled by David Albury

Theatre of creams

Grindlay Street coffee shop is worth a gander

By CHARLIE ELLIS

ENJOYING A SUPERB location

with stunning views up to the Castle,

Gooseneck Café has been part of

Edinburgh’s specialist coffee scene

since early 2019.

Run by husband and wife pair

Lucy and Matthew this airy and

elegant coffee house has contributed

to the revitalisation of an often

overlooked quarter of the city. Indeed

being “slightly off the beaten track’’

was one reason they chose the site.

Matthew said: “It’s busy but

manageable for the two of us”. The

pair have experience of running

cafés, having spent time at Patisserie

Florentin in Stockbridge, so felt ready

to open their own place.

They spent some time examining

possible coffee options. After trying a

range of Edinburgh based roasters,

they finally settled on Sacred

Grounds, an Arbroath based

speciality coffee roastery which

started in 2015. As Matthew said:

“We tried a lot of local places, many

were good but Sacred Grounds coffee

really stood out. Sacred Grounds

have been really supportive in terms

of offering advice and training…

we’re really happy with the choice we

made.”

The Ethiopian we tried (in

Gooseneck’s stylish bright yellow

takeaway cups) produced a really

rich and smooth flat white.

The Covid-19 pandemic has

clearly put many cafés under threat,

with several retrenching or folding.

With much of Gooseneck’s custom

coming from the staff and visitors to

the Lyceum Theatre across the road,

the loss of these customers for a

lengthy period was a big blow.

Footfall has dropped markedly in

this area of the city, with the usually

busy Saltire Court on Castle Terrace

very quiet, with so many working

from home.

So far, thanks to a combination of

government grants and an

understanding landlord, the café has

survived the storm. Matthew and

Lucy have been heartened by the

support they’ve received from other

local businesses and said: “Lots of

people have popped in giving us their

support - there’s a nice communal

feel around here.”

Though custom hasn’t matched

normal levels, they’ve had a regular

flow. Indeed they were nicely busy on

the Saturday lunchtime we visited.

The use of the nearby Castle Terrace

carpark as a Fringe venue and weekly

farmers’ market has given the area a

boost.

In addition to coffee (and Eteaket

teas), Gooseneck also offer a range of

tempting baking (check out their

Basque cheesecake!) and savoury

dishes (quiches, soups etc), all

prepared in-house. The shop itself is

an elegant space with classy décor.

The walls are currently adorned with

fine pen and ink artworks by

illustrator Hannah Kelly (the art is

for sale). Like nearby Brew’d,

Gooseneck is another highly

welcome addition to the coffee scene

in this part of Edinburgh.

22 Grindlay Street EH3 9AP

ACROSS

8 Footwear (4)

9 Taking very little food or drink (10)

10 Range of mountains, especially in

Spain (6)

11 One who seeks to improve moral

behaviour (8)

12 A star-like symbol used in

printing (8)

14 Withdraw from office or job (6)

16 Warning shout in golf (4)

17 Encouraging shout (5)

18 Submerge under water (4)

19 Cut out parts of a document

deemed to be offensive (6)

21 Type of brown sugar (8)

23 Not feeling very well (3-5)

26 Find the position of something (6)

27 One who organises public

entertainment (10)

28 The Greek God of Love (4)

DOWN

1 Shop with multiple branches (5-5)

2 Bring back (8)

3 Highly seasoned sausage,

often served in thin slices (6)

4 Old Russian ruler (4)

5 One who goes on nautical voyages (8)

6 Liquid measurements (6)

7 Improve the health or condition of

someone (4)

13 Work dough with the fingers (5)

15 All individuals produced at a particular

stage of development (10)

17 Inattentive, lacking responsibility (8)

18 A tooth on the rim of a driving

wheel (8)

20 Safe and sound, locked up (6)

22 Well matured with age (6)

24 Reknown, celebrity status (4)

25 Very uncommon (4)

ANSWERS

Across: 8 Shoe, 9 Abstemious, 10 Sierra, 11 Reformer, 12 Asterisk, 14 Resign, 16 Fore, 17 Cheer,

18 Sink, 19 Censor, 21 Demerara, 23 Off-color, 26 Locate, 27 Impresario, 28 Eros.

Down: 1 Chain-store, 2 Retrieve, 3 Salami, 4 Tsar, 5 Seafarer, 6 Litres, 7 Cure, 13 Knead, 15

Generation, 17 Careless, 18 Sprocket, 20 Secure, 22 Mellow, 24 Fame, 25 Rare.

Harvey Nics says Sláinte!

HARVEY NICHOLS hopes to get

into the spirit of Burns Night with

a special menu to be served in

their Forth Floor Brasserie from

24 to 29 January.

The meal will begin with Cullen

Skink made with North Sea

haddock, followed by the

traditional haggis, neeps and

tatties. This will be served with

Stornaway black pudding bon

bons, crispy parsnips and a

caramelised onion jus. The

pudding is also a traditional one

with raspberries, whisky, oats and

honey cream combined into a

Cranachan. And to round off the

meal a dram of Glengoyne 10

Year Old Single Malt can be

served. £25 per person for three

courses or £30 with a dram.

17

Kitchen openings

All aboard for tasty double decker experience at new St James Quarter restaurant

I HOPE SANTA was good to you all. I

had a well deserved Christmas Day, also

known as freedom day, due to being holed

up for a previous ten days with the

dreaded virus. Ah well, I was well stocked

with whisky and enjoyed the occasional

hot toddy to wash down the Nurofen

Plus. Quite the combination, just stay off

the social media when you’re high as a

kite, that’s my advice.

We return to an old dawn and a

miserable day. Hogmanay ushers in the

most dismal part of winter and offices

aren’t even open to share the under-themistletoe

scandal of the festivities. Having

spent much of my working life at home

on my tod, I was delighted to be invited to

sample the concept of The Neighbourhood.

Set within the elegant Bruntsfield Hotel,

it’s a lovely concept for lonely folks. For a

mere £10 a day you can enjoy unlimited

tea or coffee, a workspace and wifi. There’s

a pet friendly outdoor garden with heated

pods and I can attest that their food and

drink offerings are also splendid. A super

place to moan about restrictions and

lament who was last chucked off Dancing

On Ice. Thebruntsfield.co.uk/

theneighbourhood

Hardly a week has gone by when a new

restaurant hasn’t opened up in the new St

James Quarter. One of the latest, Thai

(Above left) Thai

Express’s Uzma and

Sachin Pattani

(Above right) Glen

Moray Homecoming

Edition launches

DESPITE being an out and

out epicurean when it

comes to good food, I am

partial to the odd dish of

quinoa, which, I assure

you, can be very tasty.

Quinoa, pronounced

Keen-Wa (so you don’t

have to make a plonker of

yourself in Real Foods) is

high in amino acids. It

counts as a protein source,

it’s high in fibre so very

filling and can replace rice

as a lower calorie option.

However if cooked badly

Express Kitchen, features fresh zingy food

cooked in an open kitchen (closed

kitchens are beginning to look slightly

suspect these days), great drinks and

“double decker” seating. More like dining

bunk beds, really. It’s the sort of thing kids

will love and if you’re on a hot date you

can ask, “Top or bottom?” with nary a

raised eyebrow.

Sadly, I had to miss the launch of Glen

Moray’s Homecoming Whisky. Sponsors

can taste like horrid mush.

There are ways to avoid

this. It ought to be well

rinsed, allowedto drain for

a few minutes, then

toasted in a hot pan, to

add a little colour. You

want to add twice the

amount of liquid and

simmer uncovered until it

is absorbed. Cover and

leave for five minutes and

you should have a nice

fluffy texture. Quinoa is

basically flavourless so

add in some of the cooking

of Edinburgh Rugby, their new limited

edition bottling is a 15-year-old single

malt, fully matured in sherry casks at the

distillery in Elgin. Some of my supportive

pals were quite astounded at me missing

such a do, as there might have been

opportunities to chat up some rugby

players whilst drinking whisky. To be

honest I’d be more interested in flirting

with their dads these days. Whilst

drinking whisky...

liquid. I cook mine in

vegetable stock but you

could also add soy sauce,

lime juice ,Sriratcha sauce

- just about anything that

might give it a bit of a kick.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup quinoa

• 2 cups chicken stock

• ½ teaspoon cumin

• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes

• 1 head broccoli

• 2 sweet red peppers

• 1 red onion

• Salt and pepper

• Olive oil

• 100g crumbled feta

• 2 tablespoons chopped

fresh mint

Cook the quinoa as above,

adding the cumin and

chilli flakes to the cooking

liquid. Meanwhile chop the

broccoli and peppers into

large chunks and cut the

onion into wedges. Season

and drizzle with olive oil.

Roast in a medium oven

until caramelised and

cooked, about 15-20

minutes, turning half way.

Pre incarceration my daughter and I

enjoyed a whirl and cold tushie on Lidl on

Ice, the altogether more charming version

of the often cursed Christmas ice rink. A

mulled wine and mince pie was only

£5.50 at the Lidl hut and £3.50 for a mince

pie and hot chocolate. One hot chocolate

and crepe set me back a whole £10 at the

Christmas market. Not for the first time

did I think I’m in the wrong business...

Juliet Lawrence Wilson

VEGETABLES, FETA, AVOCADO AND MINT SAUCE (serves two)

Toss the vegetables with

the quinoa and serve with

crumbled Feta and fresh

mint.

FOR THE DRESSING

• 1 ripe medium avocado

• 200 ml plain yoghurt

• 1 clove garlic

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 tablespoons fresh mint

leaves

Place all the ingredients

into a blender and whiz

until smooth. Season to

taste.

18 WHAT’S ON

CULTURE • LITERATURE • EVENTS • MUSIC • MUSEUMS...

Amazing gift

Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 was launched with Scottish story icons Dennis the Menace and Mary, Queen of Scots sharing their tales

with Luke Winter of the Story Wagon – a touring space offering creative writing, traditional storytelling and story sharing activities –

which is taking part in Scotland's Stories – Community Campfires event, led by Scottish Book Trust. They were joined by Rocco Cesari, 8,

and Francesca Cesari, 5, at The Kelpies in Falkirk.

Tell me a story

Cultural festival turns new page in year-long programme of events

THERE ARE MORE than 60 events planned for

this year as part of the Year of Stories 2022.

These include book festivals, a musical

programme, beloved cartoon characters and a

new fresh look at Scottish culture and heritage.

The programme is Scotland-wide, with some

Edinburgh based events taking place in the

summer including:

Edinburgh International Film Festival which

will bring Scotland’s Stories On Screen to

exciting places and spaces

Edinburgh International Book Festival which

presents Scotland’s Stories Now – proving

everyone has a story to tell with tales gathered

from across the country and then shared at the

flagship event.

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh will host

a journey of stories inspired by plant life.

The Scottish Storytelling Centre and Edinburgh

UNESCO City of Literature Trust present

Figures of Speech. This will allow prominent

figures to reimagine our most important

stories, sparking new dialogues.

Edinburgh Festival Carnival will showcase

the cultural heritage and migration stories of

their community partners through the creation

of new costumes and choreographed dances.

Involving participants from four diverse ethnic

communities – including those with Indian,

Latin American and Caribbean heritage – these

joyful and celebratory carnival stories will be

performed at four local community parades

and the annual city centre celebration. The

community carnivals are planned for

Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre, Links

Gardens, the Garden of Reflection, Tranent,

Whale Arts and Edinburgh Festival Carnival

on Princes Street.

In Traditional Tales for Tiny People early

years children and families will be treated to

participatory storytelling and live music events,

featuring some of Scotland's finest emerging

talent at Holy Cross Church, Quality Street,

Davidson's Mains.

Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “2022 is

the year we celebrate Scotland’s Year of Stories.

Storytelling and celebrating our unique

oral history tradition has never been more

important as we continue to respond to

the impacts of the pandemic.

“We must ensure our Scotland’s stories are

preserved and celebrated. 2022 will have

something for everyone from some of the

biggest cultural events of the year taking place

at the Edinburgh festivals, to small community

festivals in our towns and villages.

“I’m looking forward to celebrating the very

best in Scottish storytelling talent throughout

2022 - which will be absolutely vital to our

continued culture recovery.”

Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 will begin on

1 January and run until 31 December.

www.visitscotland.com/year-of-stories

Join the conversation #YS2022 and

#TalesOfScotland

NATIONAL MUSEUMS Scotland have

acquired a trio of very rare silver objects

created in Scotland in the 1600s. The

quaich, trumpet bell and mazer, are

important examples of 17th century

Scottish craftsmanship and have been

donated to the National Collections by

Ron and Rosemary Haggarty.

The silver quaich is an item of 17th

century luxury, elaborately engraved with

tulips and exotic birds. It is one of the

finest remaining pieces by skilled

Aberdeen goldsmith William Scott and its

diminutive size suggests that it was used

to share potent beverages such as whisky

or sherry.

The Bell of Cowcaddens Mazer is the

earliest of the three silver items, made in

Edinburgh c.1613-15. Mazers were also

once popular communal drinking vessels

but only nine Scottish examples are

known to survive and just two made

entirely from silver. The Cowcaddens

Mazer was owned by the Provost of

Glasgow and would have been passed

from person to person to secure bonds of

friendship and political alliances.

Once mistakenly identified as the neck

of a silver vase, the silver trumpet bell is

now known to be the only surviving

section of a long ceremonial trumpet. This

particular example is engraved with the

coat of arms of the Cassillis family from

Ayrshire and would have been used

during state and civic rituals. It is one of

just three Scottish trumpets from the

1600s still in existence.

Lyndsay McGill, Curator of Renaissance

& Early Modern Scottish History at

National Museums Scotland said: “Scottish

marked silver from the 1600s is scarce,

especially examples of this quality. These

objects are hugely significant,

representing the capability and skill of

Scottish silversmiths and revealing more

about a fascinating period in Scottish

history. We are delighted to accept this gift

and thank both Rosemary Haggarty and

her late husband Ron for their remarkable

contribution to the National Collections.”

19

Forest Lab will

have you listening

to the trees

Richard Blake

Gogh figure!

A starry walk-thru exhibition with summertime sunflower selfies

VAN GOGH ALIVE, the hit exhibition will

continue its world tour with a stop at

Edinburgh's Festival Square.

Described as “the world's most-visited

immersive, multi-sensory experience”,

Van Gogh Alive exhibits the life and work

of the Dutch artist.

More than 3,000 images are spectacularly

presented with stunning detail, including works

such as Starry Night, Sunflowers and lesserknown

paintings that were inspired by Van

Gogh's love of Japanese wood prints.

The exhibition has already welcomed millions

of visitors in 75 cities around the world - and

was dubbed as London's must-see cultural event

of Summer 2021.

Created by Grande Experiences, Van Gogh

Alive will take place in Edinburgh from 17

March to 17 July.

Bruce Peterson, Owner of Grande

Experiences, said: "After mesmerising a global

audience of more than eight million people and

selling-out cities all over the world, including

Rome, Sydney and of course our most recent

location at Kensington Gardens in London,

we’re incredibly excited to be bringing Van

Gogh Alive to Scotland’s capital city. This is

an unforgettable cultural experience for all

the family.”

State-of-the-art SENSORY4 immersive

gallery technology displays Van Gogh’s work in

a kaleidoscope of colour. Set to an evocative

classical score that is delivered via a highfidelity

3D sound system, the combination of

sound, visuals and aromas of Provence will give

visitors the sensation of walking right into the

paintings as if they are living and breathing.

Visitors can create their own souvenirs

within a life-sized walk-in representation of

Van Gogh’s ‘Bedroom in Arles’ painting and

the iconic ‘Sunflower selfie room’ – a 360°

mirrored room complete with thousands of

sunflowers that have delighted Instagram

feeds the world over.

Lyndsey Jackson, of the Fringe Society's

ticketing agency, said: "We are delighted to be

the ticketing partnering for Van Gogh Alive

when it arrives in Scotland for its inaugural

opening. This is such a prestigious event, we are

sure Scottish audiences will embrace having

such an impressive, immersive digital art

experience in Edinburgh which appeals to many

different communities from families, schools,

tourists and culture vultures, through to Van

Gogh aficionados. Our experience of managing

the Fringe’s Box Office annually and a host of

other events through the year will ensure

a smooth customer journey for all ticket

purchasers, which is all part of having

a great day out.”

Tickets - £22 for adults, £15 for children and free

for under 5s. Tickets can be purchased online at:

https://vangoghaliveuk.com/edinburgh

The outdoor venue will allow visitor numbers to

be controlled for Covid-19 purposes.

AS PART of Manipulate Festival,

look out for the light installation on

The Meadows each evening for a couple

of hours from 24 January to 4 February.

This is described as an “abstract

light display” projected onto some

of the trees.

The artist behind it - videographer

Mettje Hunneman - plans to use an

e-bike to transport her gear to The

Meadows. The e-bike is equipped with

projection gear, solar panel and

all-terrain tyres and is designed to

literally explore new territory - from

urban green spaces to rural areas and

deep inside the forest.

There is sound but it will only be

audible to someone using headphones

as the sound file is accessed using a

QR code.

Since 2005 Hunneman has

established a creative practice in

Scotland and is now based at Custom

House in Leith. She has previously

produced large scale projections for

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, Leith Theatre,

Pianodrome, Edinburgh Mela and many

Fringe shows.

Forest VIDEOLAB organises a series of

unique site-specific public artworks

using immersive video projections with

original soundscapes.

The reason? To question our place

in nature.

www.mettjehunneman.co.uk/forest-videolab

All in the

family

John Henry

Lorimer

exhibition

presented

by great

niece

AN EXHIBITION dedicated

to Scottish artist John Henry

Lorimer (1856-1936) is

already open at The City Art

Centre (CAC).

When the artist’s works

were displayed at Kirkcaldy

Galleries and at the CAC

members of the public

said these were their

favourite paintings in

the galleries’

permanent collections.

Lorimer’s

“Grandmother’s

Birthday” also known

as “Bénédicte” was

the first painting by a

Scottish artist bought by

the French Government.

The painting, usually

stored at the Musée d’Orsay,

will be displayed along with

one of the chairs which it

features.

There is an audioguide

presented by the exhibition

co-curator Charlotte Lorimer

(pictured left) who is the

artist’s great niece. It includes

dramatised readings of family

letters and memoirs,

performed by Clive Russell,

George Lorimer, Ed Wade,

Natasha Jobst and Sarah

Haynes. It also includes twelve

original poems by Christine de

Luca, each inspired by a

different painting by John

Henry Lorimer and original

music by Delilah Montagu.

Culture and Communities

Convener Cllr Donald Wilson,

said: “I’m delighted that the

City Art Centre is able to

showcase this fantastic

exhibition of the rarely seen

works of John Henry Lorimer.

It’s incredible to think this is

the first exhibition dedicated

to him since his passing in

1936. Reflections: The light and

life of John Henry Lorimer will

take visitors on a journey of his

work through five themes of

light, identity, family, femininity

and home. Not only will it be

an opportunity to celebrate his

work, there are pieces from

both public and private

collections, the majority of

which have not been on public

display in decades.”

Culture and Communities

Vice-Convener Cllr Amy

McNeese-Mechan said: “We’re

excited to be exhibiting the

first retrospective of John

Henry's work. A technically

gifted, but somewhat

forgotten artist, this is a chance

for audiences to discover his

work and learn about the artist

himself and the role he played

in Scottish art history.

Alongside the exhibition there

will be a programme of events

and we look forward to

revealing more details soon.”

Reflections: The light and life of

John Henry Lorimer at the City

Art Centre until 20 March.

Admission is free

20 FEATURE CAPITAL COLLECTIONS

Clock watching is

just capital

The famous Balmoral Clock one of the many city

clocks maintained by James Ritchie & Son

A

recently added exhibition on

Capital Collections, the image

library for Edinburgh is quite

unique, and offers insight into

one of the best known family

businesses in the city.

It is a family photo album loaned to the

library for digitisation by David Ritchie Watt

who is a descendant of clockmaker, James

Ritchie. The Ritchie family was a significant one

who put their mark on all areas of the city from

swimming pools to parks and landmarks.

Visitors and residents alike are familiar with

the clock on the Balmoral Hotel and the floral

clock in Princes Street Gardens. Some of you

might be familiar with the clocks where you live,

say in Morningside or Tollcross. All these clocks

have one thing in common, they were all made

by clockmakers, James Ritchie & Son.

James Ritchie was born c1780 and although

Clockmakers James Ritchie has

been keeping time in Edinburgh for

more than two hundred years

and is one of the city’s

oldest businesses

he was not born in Edinburgh, he started his

career in watchmaking around 1799 when he

was apprenticed to James Howden who had a

successful business at 3 Hunter Square. He

started his own business at 29 Leith Street in

1809 and in 1819 took over the business of

Joseph Durnward at 2 Leith Street, who had

qualified in his trade in 1775. And so began

the start of the Ritchie firm.

James Ritchie was admitted as a Burgess of

Edinburgh on 18 April 1814, as his wife Sarah

who he had married in 1804 was a native of

Edinburgh. By 1838, the business had moved

to 25 Leith Street occupying the shop at

ground level and three basement flats which

were used as the workshops for over 100 years.

In 1839 at the age of 11, his son Frederick was

admitted as a partner and all their clocks were

inscribed James Ritchie & Son.

The mechanical side of clockmaking gave way

to the increasing use of electricity and the

Ritchies were leaders in this new field. Alex Bain

who invented the first electric clock and

Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the

telephone, were among the Ritchies’ friends.

Before Bell went to America, he fitted a

The company

flourished under

Frederick’s

leadership and it

gained worldwide

reputation

communication system up in the family home

allowing Mrs Ritchie when entertaining her lady

friends to tea in the drawing room, to summon

the maid from the basement. She didn’t require

anything, she just wanted to impress her friends.

The company flourished under Frederick’s

leadership and the firm gained a worldwide

reputation in 1861 for their construction of

the One O’Clock Gun time system. A master

clock on Calton Hill was linked by an

overhead electric cable to a clock at

Edinburgh Castle. This enabled the One

O’Clock gun to be fired automatically at one

o’clock. The electric cable linking the cable to

Calton Hill was 1,225 metres long. It passed

over the Waverley Valley without any support

at a height of 73 metres.

Frederick died in 1906 and the business

continued with William his eldest son

managing a new branch shop at 131 Princes

Street. Two other sons of Frederick, James and

Leone continued working in the main shop in

Leith Street. Leone continued to run the

business until retiring in 1953.

With the sale of the shop in Leith Street,

his nephew, Bertie Mitchell continued the

business from a shop in Little King Street.

Later the firm moved to larger premises at

56 Broughton Street.

Bertie was the last family member to run the

company. It continues, still bearing the name

and in 2019 moved to new premises in the

Drum Estate on the outskirts of the city.

There are more than 20,000 pictures to

explore in Capital Collections.

With thanks to Tales of One City where this

article was first published.

ter.ooo/JamesRitchie

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21

SPORT

23

Highs and lows

We look back at a rollercoaster

year for the Hibees, with five

Hampden trips, four European

games, third place in the

league, two giant screens and

one change of manager

By JOHN HISLOP

TRADITIONALLY January always

started with an Edinburgh derby,

but this year Hearts were in the

Championship so Hibs settled for a

home game against their nearest

top-flight rivals, Livingston. The

game was played at an empty

stadium and it was probably just as

well for manager Jack Ross as

Livingston took the honours with a

comfortable 3-0 victory.

Ross was busy in the transfer

market bringing in Matt Macey,

Chris Cadden and Jackson Irvine

before another 3-0 defeat, this time

at the National Stadium to St

Johnstone didn’t improve the mood

amongst the fans. January ended

on a sad note with the deaths of

former players John Grant and

Duncan Falconer.

February was better with three

successive victories against St

Mirren, Aberdeen and Hamilton

Academical and highly rated

youngster Josh Doig was rewarded

with a new long term contract.

The highlight in March was an

away victory over Ross County

thanks to goals from Martin Boyle

and Kevin Nisbet who caught the

eye of Steve Clarke and was called

up for the Scotland national team.

Scott Allan returned to training

following a period of illness and

joined Inverness Caledonian

Thistle on loan.

April - a memorable penalty

shoot-out victory over Motherwell

after a 2-2 draw to reach The

Scottish Cup semi-final. Promising

young goalkeeper Kevin Dabrowski

signed a new two-year deal.

In May, Josh Doig was named

SPFL Young Player of the Year,

Matt Macey signed an extended

deal replacing Ofir Marciano

and winger Daniel McKay joined

from Inverness.

A Scottish Cup semi-final victory

over Dundee United ended the “big

game bottlers” tag aimed at Ross

but it returned after another Cup

Final defeat to St Johnstone at an

empty Hampden.

No rest for Doig and Mackay

who were called up to the Scotland

Under-21 squad in June whilst ‘Sir’

David Gray announced his

retirement. Fraser Murray joined

Kilmarnock and highly rated

Jake Doyle-Hayes joined the club

from St Mirren.

In July 2,000 fans were allowed

back into the stadium to see Hibs

beat Arsenal 2-1 in a pre-season

friendly. Hibs cruised past

Andorran side Santa Coloma in the

second qualifying round of the

inaugural Europa Conference

League. Jack Ross signed an

extension to his contract until

summer 2024 and Hibs announced

that USA international Chris

Mueller had signed a pre-contract

to join from Orlando City next year.

Ben Kensell joined after three years

in the role of Chief Operating

Officer at Premier League side

Norwich City.

Another European tie awaited

Ross’s side in August against HNK

Rijeka but a 1-1 draw at Easter Road

was followed by a 4-1 defeat in

Croatia and the adventure was over

for another year. Martin Boyle was

Player of the Month for August .

Christian Doidge picked up a

long term injury leaving Hibs light

up front and James Scott joined on

loan from Hull City. He was joined

by England Under 20 international

Nathan Wood from Middlesbrough

and Dylan Tait from Raith Rovers

for an undisclosed fee.

September was the Edinburgh

derby, but the much awaited fixture

ended in a drab 0-0 draw. Two state

of the art big screens were installed

Jake Doyle-Hayes

on the attack

Ian Jacobs

at both corners of the East Stand.

and Paul McGinn was called up to

the Scotland squad.

October was a disaster for Hibs

with four successive defeats to

Rangers at Ibrox, Dundee United at

Easter Road, Aberdeen at Pittodrie

and Celtic at home and November

wasn’t much better until that

glorious half-hour at Hampden

when “Starman” Martin Boyle

scored a hat-trick to knock

Rangers out of the League Cup and

ensure a fifth Hampden trip in a

calendar year. Former player and

manager Bertie Auld sadly passed

away and Steve Kean joined as

Academy Director.

In December after a lacklustre

defeat at the Tony Macaroni Arena

Hibs surprisingly dispensed with

the services of Ross with Gray

taking over as interim boss.

Just as we went to press,

38-year-old Shaun Maloney was

confirmed as new Hibs’ manager in

a three and a half year deal.

Businesses

back winners

By RICK WILSON

THE UNDER-17 footballers of

Edinburgh’s Redhall Star Youth FC have

given new meaning to the phrase

“backing winners”.

In a triple whammy to match one of

their 3-0 victories, they have won the

sponsorship backing of three footballkeen

companies.

When playing home games at Redhall

Park, the team’s red-and-black shirts and

jackets will display the logo of Fanbase,

whose new technology “brings fans

together to give them the experience

they deserve”.

The sponsor of their white away kit is

the relatively new but hugely popular

Pizzeria 1926 of Dalry Road.

And BoHa Gloves is quite a catch

on the goalkeeping front, as they will

be the respected name behind the

goalie’s gloves.

“We’re absolutely delighted to have

these excellent companies on board,”

said Mick Bianco, one of the squad’s

three coaches. “We will try our very best

to repay their confidence in us.”

Currently fourth in the Division One

League of the South East Region Youth

Football Association and also doing well

in cup games, Redhall Star have their

eyes on the top spot. So their sponsors

could be backing winners too.

Volleyball

duo are

game for

pizza deal

CIVERINO’S HAVE signed a

sponsorship deal with Beach

Volleyball players, Lynne

Beattie and Mel Coutts as

the Team Scotland pair train

for the Commonwealth

Games in Birmingham 2022.

In a deal secured by

Glasgow-based agency GRM

Marketing's sponsorship

platform, Sponsor Lead,

Civerinos and Team Beattie/

Coutts will work together to

raise awareness around the

sport of beach volleyball in

Scotland and Civerinos will

support the local team who

train on the beach in front of

their Portobello Pizza Bar,

Prom Slice.

Civerinos CEO Michele

Civiera said: "We are

incredibly proud to sponsor

these two local heroes,

who are really putting

Portobello on the map

with their journey to

Birmingham Commonwealth

Games 2022.

“Watching the team train

right in front of our Prom

Slice pizza bar has been a

privilege, and this

partnership is a real

no-brainer.

“Being part of the

community is incredibly

important to us, and we

know that our local beach

volleyball team will do

Porty proud.

“We can't wait to start

working with these amazing

athletes and contribute to

their success at the

Commonwealth Games.

“Watch this space, big things

are coming.”

The Edinburgh Reporter January 2022

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