The Edinburgh Reporter April 2022

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If you ever have a pair of shoes
that you love and you don’t want
to throw them out then bring
them to me. I can breathe life into
your old shoes!
since he was eight weeks old and since there was no
family to take him he is coming to live with me.”
Darren has 25 years retail experience mostly in the
luxury world. He said: “I worked for Cruise, Harvey
Nichols and wanted to translate that into having my own
shop. For my 30th birthday I went to New York where I
saw amazing dog boutiques and I opened my shop in 2014.
“It is about ensuring owners give their pets the best. It
is about a full care package and so we recommend good
vets, groomers, and our biggest focus is about ensuring
that we sell the best food. Our shop is for personal
shoppers only, although we invite email inquiries.”
CATHIE PURVES
Ruby Rose
28 Rosebrun Terrace EH12 6AW • 0131 305 2188
CATHIE PURVES is so passionate about her shop that
she is going to give up her day job.
She opened Ruby Rose two and a half years ago in the
former bank building selling UK brand Frenchic paints,
and up cycling furniture, with the mantra that she wants
“to give second hand furniture a second chance”.
She runs workshops for those who want to upcycle
their own items, with only two people spending a whole
day with her learning the process from prepping to
painting. And free advice is all a part of Cathie’s very
personal service.
She also undertakes commissions. Asked to renovate
a 100-year-old mahogany piano for a client, which
had been painted bottle green in the fifties and white
in the seventies with acrylic paint which had turned
yellow, she used the water-based paints she sells which
are safe for both animals and children. She advised the
client on the best shade of white to repaint it in a
sympathetic restoration.
Cathie particularly likes decoupage, saying: “It adds a
bit of character to the piece and gives it a third
dimension. But apart from that we save people -
including the council - money as we reduce the amount
NIALL MENZIES
6. Darren Donaldson of House
of Hound
7. Vigo Deli
8. Ruby Rose for upcycling
9. The Murrayfield
10. Eva and Umit of
Roseburn Café
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of second hand goods which go to landfill. During
lockdown we were allowed to deliver paint so people
could undertake projects at home helping their self
esteem and their mental health.”
The crafty Cathie currently works in a law firm as a
law accountant, but will be finishing up soon to make her
hobby into a full-time business.
NAZIM TEK
Vigo Delicatessen
2a Roseburn Terrace EH12 • 6AW Tel 0131 467 5589
NAZIM TEK AND his son Ali run the established
business of Vigo Delicatessen in Roseburn. Ali told us
this is really an old place with about a decade of business
but they are putting their own stamp on it.
The café’s reputation for a good value lunch has
continued making it a great lunch stop on the way from
Water of Leith Visitors Centre to Stockbridge. The Spicy
Mexican Chicken Wrap with Cheese Salsa Chicken
Bacon Pesto Wrap with Tomato & Mozarella is a
favourite order.
Vigo are famed for their wraps, baked potatoes and
freshly home made soups as well as “one of Edinburgh’s
finest coffees”. Everything is fresh and the welcome from
the Tek family and their three members of staff is always
a friendly one.
The Chatter ‘n Natter table is Table 2 where people
who are dining alone, but who might like to have a chat
can sit down and enjoy a conversation with whoever is
sitting there or anyone who joins them afterwards.
DAMIAN OKRAGLY
The Murrayfield Bar & Kitchen
57-59 Roseburn Terrace EH12 5NQ • 0131 281 2639
DAMIAN OKRAGLY, manager of The Murrayfield Bar &
Kitchen says the best thing about the bar and restaurant
is their location which is handy for locals and also all the
sport fans going to BT Murrayfield.
This is the main spot for people on match days when
customers come from all over to enjoy their “relaxed
menu of sharing plates” which change according to the
seasons. The restaurant is beginning to notice a marked
increase in customer numbers now that the weather is
better and Covid restrictions have relaxed.
During December 2020 owner Chris Doherty took
over and then spent about seven months revamping the
premises. The Murrayfield then opened in the summer of
2021 to welcome their first customers.
Damian who has managed the restaurant for a year
just loves the Chicken Balmoral with Whisky sauce
which is a firm favourite on the menu, but many
customers order their signature fish and chips. But for
the meat lover the 21-day Dry-hung Beef Cheek &
Stilton Pie with creamy mash sounds delicious.
There will be a separate menu offering deals for local
residents and some further renovations with new tables
and chairs are planned.
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EVA PAPADAKI
Roseburn Café
8 Roseburn Terrace EH12 6AW • 0131 313 0331
EVA PAPADAKI who is Greek has run the Roseburn
Café along with her business partner Umit Celik who is
from Turkey since December last year. Eva laughed as
she told me about their nationalities but it is clearly a
partnership that works from the number of customers
enjoying brunch during our visit. Although their venture
is new, they both previously worked at the Roseburn and
the café has been a fixture for three decades.
Their clientele is one where people who began as
customers now bring their children and grandchildren.
The menu has remained largely unchanged maintaining
their high quality of food and service.
Asked what the best thing on the menu is, Eva has no
doubt - it is the Roseburn special Scottish breakfast,with
two fried eggs, sausages, beans and chips.
The café is known for its generously sized portions all
served on platters. Eva said their fish and chips is
popular at other times of the day and they have a
children’s menu. Their takeaways are very popular and
orders can be phoned ahead.
THALLON SOULIS
Thallon Soulis Hairdressing
21 Roseburn Terrace, EH12 5NG • 0131 337 1760
Thallon Soulis has owned and run his shop on Roseburn
Terrace for 49 years, and moved to live locally a few
years ago.
After completing his apprenticeship at André Bernard
on Rose Street during its heyday, Thallon left there at
18 reckoning that he had learned enough to open his
own shop.
He explained that hairdressing was the perfect
profession for him as he could hardly read and write
when he left school. His friend who worked part time at
Salon Henry had a scooter with all the mirrors that
Thallon admired very much. So it was as a result of that
friendship that he took his first steps in the business.
He found the ideal spot on Roseburn Terrace, and still
trades there decades later. He said: “It was a slow start,
but halfway through my career I had seven people
working for me for about twenty years. I love cutting and
perming hair. I do have the skills to colour hair but it is
just not my thing.”
Ricky (pictured) enjoys colouring hair as well as
styling, and he is the one to ask for if you need an updo
for something special.
Thallon said: “Ricky and I have complementary skills,
but I guess my clients are now a little older. They were all
about 40 or so when we started out.. “We are a longestablished
reliable business with good service and good
value for money. We like to attract the client back again.”
It is clear that having worked here for so long he
knows most people passing by - many shouting hello as
we had a chat outside his salon.
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