The Edinburgh Reporter July 2020

July 2020

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Back to the Botanics

Following government guidance, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) has been busy getting ready to reopen again.

There will be new health and safety measures. For example, only members of staff will have access to the famous glasshouses. Visitors must book a slot online in advance of going to the garden to minimise any

queuing and also to make physical distancing possible.

There will be hand sanitiser units at entrances, and some additional temporary toilet facilities are in place.

RGBE staff have been working hard and are really excited about reopening to the public.

Continued on Page 3

Hazel France, Senior Horticulturist PHOTO Martin P McAdam

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Scottish Government moving us out of lockdown cautiously

The Scottish Government has outlined a provisional timetable for the relaxation of lockdown restrictions, but it depends very much on a continued suppression of the virus.

Large gatherings on Portobello Beach and in The Meadows appear to have flouted the guidance which is in place for now.

Taking a holiday may soon be possible, and VisitScotland is busy promoting the staycation which will help revive the tourism industry. The travel limit for leisure and exercise will be lifted and self-catering accommodation will be open along with outdoor hospitality.

While there is also a possibility of air bridges being created to take holidaymakers to foreign climes, that may not yet work out. Some travel operators have cancelled flights and it is all a bit confusing, changing from day to day.

If all goes according to plan, there will be more relaxation around who you can meet and where. From the middle of July children and young people can work off excess energy by taking part in organised outdoor contact sport, and dental surgeries will be able to see patients. Non-essential shops inside shopping centres will be able to reopen, and all childcare providers can offer help to working parents again.

Holiday accommodation, which includes hotels, will be able to fully open from 15 July. At that point the country can also heave a sigh of relief as hairdressers and barbers will reopen, albeit with extra hygiene measures in place.

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NEWS

Letter to the Editor

ABOUT US The month of July usually means school holidays, foreign travel and perhaps even some good weather at home.

This year, it means looking back with sadness for those who have lost loved ones, and looking forward to a bit of an unknown future landscape for everyone.

In this issue we write about the return to school for all pupils, which is almost universally welcomed by parents, particularly those who work.

Many times I have heard about the household bargaining that has had to be done over who could use the wifi or computers.

The return to school might be welcomed by children too, some of whom sadly will have been vulnerable at home.

Voluntary groups have worked wonders in providing cooked meals and supplies from food banks to those families who asked, or were identified as having a need.

The Scottish Government is funding food for those eligible for free school meals throughout the summer. There are 175,000 children and young people in Scotland who get free school food. This figure rose by more than 50,000 during the pandemic, as a result of family incomes and finances being reduced. For assistance the free helpline is 0800 111 4000. The text line is 0800 111 4114. Calls will be routed through local councils.

There have been many calls on government funding. We are involved with one specific aspect.

The Scottish Government has confirmed that The Edinburgh Reporter, as a member of the Independent Community News Network, will benefit from advertising revenue for a planned public health campaign. We are really glad about this as it will help to fill a gap in our income.

I met the leading cast members of the King's Theatre Panto on a hilarious Zoom call and you can read part of that interview on Page 7. There is a podcast version too.

If you look to the right hand side of this page you will see the QR code to take you to the podcast.

We would be very glad to hear from you if you have a business which would like to advertise with us. Or you can sign up to have the paper sent to you direct at home or at your office. And do get in touch if you have any stories for us.

Phyllis Stephen, Editor

Colonies are buzzing Many talented artists live in the Abbeyhill Colonies. We know this to be true, as they have organised the Colony of Artists (COA) exhibition since 2005, when all the resident artists came together for the first time.

Since then they have opened the doors of their homes each September to show off their art. During lockdown they have been very creative.

There are now businesses on Easter Road and London Road with gaily painted shutters.

Closer to home they have created another mural in the COA mural trail.

The murals are part of a wider project to tackle graffiti in the area and COA is working with local businesses whose premises are constant targets. The Colony Houses mural (above) is at Holland House who have generously allowed the use of their car park during COA for the Hive Music and Drinks hub. The design itself is by artist William Mazur inspired by Edd Wellesley Davies's work.

The mural was painted by William Mazur with help from Jenny Haslimeier, Nick Gardner, Christina Robertson and Gill Smith.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Madam, As a Meadows local, it was frankly appalling yet again to see the amount of rubbish left on this beautiful park.

I have contacted both those councillors local to the Meadows and the MSP, calling for a ‘Manifesto for the Meadows’ to address what is a recurring problem.

This looks at: More bins – there is a distinct lack of these and those that are there are overflowing. Those bins to be emptied more frequently. Greater use of litter patrols and on-thespot fines. Greater signage

– calling for people to take pride in the city and to bag and bin their rubbish.

A more general campaign, possibly social media-based to keep costs down – focusing on taking pride in the city and the cost incurred, especially in the current circumstances, on having to clear this rubbish up on a regular basis. This situation will only worsen as the weather improves and I would urge everyone to take pride in their city and do what they can to keep it clean.

Yours etc, Alex Orr

The Edinburgh Reporter is distributed through a network of cafés and businesses.

Some of those are now open again. If you have had your car in any Farmer Autocare branch then you may have received a free copy of our latest paper while visting.

Other places where we usually leave a supply remain closed, including libraries and some

businesses across the

city. The News Media Association has confirmed that newsprint is quite safe. So our alternative network has been to use those volunteers who are distributing meals and food around the city. If you have access to any means of helping us distribute our papers, while adhering to strict physical distancing, then please do get in touch.

It would be a huge help to us.

Putting news in your hands

Editor: Phyllis Stephen editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk 07791 406 498

Dear Madam, I have written to the Council Leader, Adam McVey, about the complaints I have made for the last three years.

These relate to the condition of the footpath in East Claremont Street, as you highlighted in an earlier issue.

Recently one of my neighbours told me that the Council's Pavement Replacement Works' Contractor was out surveying the street. The Contractor advised that the pavement replacement works were scheduled to start on 12th July 2020.

I am pleased about that, but I would have expected the Council to inform me when these long overdue works would be taking place.

Contrary to Cllr McInnes's claim, the Council has not kept me "informed" about this matter. I continue to be concerned by the claim made by one official of the Council that the condition of the footpath did not merit replacement before 2018. Simply not true.

Nothing was done about the dangerous and dilapidated condition of the pavement in East Claremont Street until I relentlessly pursued this issue three years ago.

I am firmly of the view that there has been a dereliction of duty on the part of the council'd Streetscape Surveyor for allowing the footpath to deteriorate to this state.

It should be cause for concern, because if someone had suffered an accident and incurred losses, the council could be held liable for substantial damages.

The hard pressed council tax payer can do without having to fund claims for damages because Council Officers are not being diligent. If anyone at the Council doubts my veracity on the prevailing situation, I should be pleased to take them on a local tour.

I would like to know what the Council is going to do to ensure that this disgraceful and longstanding situation (which I find egregious) does not recur.

I did copy correspondence on this matter to the Community Council and did not receive an acknowledgement or reply.

Yours etc, Shane Carter

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Edinburgh's slavery connections

By Phyllis Stephen Even before the coronavirus lockdown had ended, thousands protested across the world against the police custody death of George Floyd in the US. The focus quickly turned to the matter of statues, with the figure of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol tipped into the harbour by Black Lives Matter (BLM) protesters. In Edinburgh there is a strong history of slavery connections evident in our cityscape, none more so than the statue of Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, which sits atop the 150 feet Melville Monument in St Andrew Square. Green activist Adam Ramsay lodged a petition with the council, and in 2015 he glued a plaque to the monument on which he had inscribed a short explanation of who the "Great Tyrant" was, and the part Dundas played in delaying the abolition of slavery. A committee set up to agree the wording of a "proper’" plaque could not agree the exact form of words. In the wake of the BLM protest in Holyrood Park, Council Leader Adam McVey discussed the wording with one of the members of the plaque committee, equal rights activist, Professor Sir Geoff Palmer. Within days the inscription was agreed.

Cllr McVey said: “ The debate

on how we tackle prejudice as a city is not an event, and not solely focused on our history, but it is relevant for the here and now. It's been a privilege to work with Sir Geoff to help set the historical record straight."

History Professor Diana Paton of The University of Edinburgh said: “Nicola Sturgeon stated that The Scottish Government will seek to lead a national discussion about the implications of Scotland’s involvement in slavery. To be truly

non-colonial education and an end to oppression. We stand with local activists and academics who have dedicated years of their own time, study, passion and resources in researching this. We demand that Edinburgh streets named after people with links to slavery are changed to reflect Black history which is vibrant, diverse and about so much more than slavery. We demand that statues of slavers are removed and replaced with monuments to the people whose stories and lives were stolen."

Professor Sir Geoff Palmer

City inconvenience

Portobello councillor Callum Laidlaw demanded that the council open up public toilets for the "significant numbers of people socialising outdoors in parks and green spaces".

Phase 2 of the lockdown restrictions did not allow for parties on The Meadows or on Portobello Beach, but during the good weather that is just what happened.

Responding to the needs of residents in his own ward, Cllr Laidlaw asked why they could not be reopened with enhanced cleaning procedures in place. He also wanted the layout of public toilets at key pressure points, such as parks and beaches assessed, and social distancing measures introduced.

Cllr Laidlaw said: "It is a sensible response to look at other cities to see what has been done in other areas of the UK. This is something which I think is a pretty reasonable move. I am asking to get these

effective, this national discussion should address not just how Scotland’s past is represented in our streetscapes and museums, but also the long-term implications of that past, for the Caribbean and for race equality in Scotland.”

An unnamed group has 'renamed some streets' saying: "In renaming these street signs we are removing the names of the elite who do not deserve to be honoured for mass atrocities and honouring ideas of freedom,

toilets open again with certain measures in place."

There is a £50 on-the-spot fine which can be levied on anyone relieving themselves outdoors, and Cllr Laidlaw wanted the council to remind the public of this which Convener Adam McVey agreed would be a good idea.

Cllr McVey, said that it was just not possible to open any up of the coucnil owned public lavatories.

He said: "I don't think we can progress opening of these toilets right now. That isn't a matter of opinion, that is a matter of the constraints on us because of the public health guidance, and because of our own capacity. I'm keen that we open these in heavily used areas. This will happen as quickly as it possibly can happen.”

The council will decide on this measure on 9 July. Meantime they are using social media to remind everyone that it is not acceptable to relieve themselves out of doors.

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Back to the Botanics

Continued from Page 1 Ahead of reopening of the Botanics, Regius Keeper Simon Milne, MBE, said: “We look forward to welcoming back visitors to all four Gardens. This connection with the environment is vital for the well-being of all. With the safety of our staff and visitors remaining our prime concern, we have amended operations on all sites to introduce measures that should build trust and confidence. Lockdown has been a difficult time for everyone, caution is widespread and life will remain away from what we regard as normal for some time. Travel restrictions remain in place and, for the immediate future, all four Gardens will be restricted to welcoming their local communities. However, this is a first hugely important step in our return to extended outreach.”

A new measure for the reopening of the Edinburgh flagship Garden is the introduction of time slots tickets, to be booked in advance by visitors. Time slots can be booked online now. Admission to the Garden remains free of charge.

A temporary booking system will enable staff to limit the number of visitors in the Garden at any one time, gradually building capacity when all are comfortable the operational guidelines work.

The George to remain shuttered EXCLUSIVE

By Phyllis Stephen and Stephen Rafferty One of Edinburgh’s most prestigious hotels will remain shuttered until early 2021 as the damaging impact of the Covid-19 epidemic rifles through Scotland’s tourism industry.

The four star The George is in consultation with more than 200 staff over redundancies but The Edinburgh Reporter understands the city institution will not reopen for business later this month when the Scottish Government gives the green light for the hospitality industry to restart.

The George owners, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), earlier confirmed they were consulting with more than 600 staff at their four Scottish luxury hotels which also includes Edinburgh sister hotel Kimpton Charlotte Square.

One of the proposals under consideration is that the George will remain closed until February with staff who are made redundant encouraged to reapply for their jobs next year. It is understood the Kimpton, and the Crowne Plaza Edinburgh which IHG manages, will reopen this year and will be more closely aligned with the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 routemap to recovery.

A hotel source told The Edinburgh Reporter: “The hotel management held a meeting of

furloughed staff and they learned they would all be made redundant.

They were also informed that they will be able to reapply for jobs when the hotel reopens in February 2021.”

The George reopened last October after a major refurbishment, marking its return to the InterContinental Hotels Group stable. The 240-bedroom Grade 2 listed building was originally a collection of five town houses built in the 1780s and has been a hotel since 1881.

A spokesman for IHG refused to confirm plans for The George and said a number of proposals were under consideration. A statement added: “This is a very difficult time for our industry,

The George will remain closed

and we have done everything to protect and retain jobs for as long as possible. Most of our hotels in the Scotland are currently closed and while we are looking forward to welcoming guests back when we can reopen, it will take time for travel and tourism to return to pre-coronavirus levels.

“We have launched a consultation to resize and restructure our teams in three of our Edinburgh hotels, which unfortunately is likely to involve some redundancies.”

In addition to The George, Kimpton Charlotte Square and Crowne Plaza, IHG directly manages the Grand Central and Kimpton Blythswood Square in Glasgow.

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The Edinburgh Reporter

POLITICS

Research could save in the long run

by Gordon Lindhurst MSP I have welcomed a huge funding boost from the UK Government to support financial research led by the University of Edinburgh.

A fund of £55 million was announced by UK Government Business Secretary, Alok Sharma.

It will be used to fund research to understand financial behaviours and address financial challenges such as fair access to credit, property ownership and savings.

The timing of the funding could not be better.

It will allow our highly skilled researchers at the University of Edinburgh to look into how people will be behaving financially.

With the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic set to be felt in the coming months, this funding is very timely.

Challenges will be faced with people spending differently and perhaps not being able to save as much, and we need to know how we can support people with these effects.

Our University of Edinburgh team are world-leading and I look forward to seeing the results of their research in due course.

For editorial and advertising enquiries please email editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk

Voting reform brings more inclusivity

Jeremy Balfour MSP Last month Members of the Scottish Parliament voted unanimously in favour of amendments to the Scottish Elections (Reform) Bill which could make voting easier at future elections for those who are visually impaired.

Having worked alongside the Scottish Government’s Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, Graeme Dey, to pen these amendments and as the convener of the Cross-Party Group on Disability, I was encouraged to see the amendments receive unanimous cross-party support.

The result of these amendments is that a new electronic voting system for people with disabilities will be piloted at the next Scottish Parliament Election, due to happen in May 2021. For hundreds of people who are blind or partially sighted, this may be the first time they are able to vote without requiring help from someone in the polling booth. Over the years there has been significant improvements to the electoral system, becoming more inclusive for those with disabilities, but it would seem that people with visual impairments have been left behind.

Therefore, I celebrate the passing of these amendments, however, I will also continue to call upon the parliament to ensure that no particular group are left behind in future advances to make Scotland more disability-inclusive.

A long haul Exorbitant Fairer greener but let's build interest is just future is what a better future too much is needed Deirdre Brock MSP Restrictions on the pandemic lockdown are easing, people are starting to look forward with some hope, society looks a bit like it is ready to press play again. It looks like the virus is under control, at least, for the present and we can start thinking about the future.

Here’s a thing, though - the future isn’t looking all that bright for a whole lot of people. There are folk whose lives won’t be going back to normal or anything like it for a long time. Some are bereaved - deprived of a loved one in circumstances where they never even got the chance to say goodbye. Likewise some have lost a friend and could only stand in the street to watch the cortege pass by. Others will suffer the long term effects of having the virus - effects we don’t know much about yet. Others have lost their livelihoods - businesses they have built up, swept away in the maelstrom or severely damaged; employers having to cut back on staffing levels; some sectors of the economy shrinking so much it’s difficult to tell when they will recover. Even where businesses have survived the customer base may be smaller because money is tight and fewer folk are in work.

The long haul is still ahead of us. We’ve shown that we can help each other. There is hope, just look at how folk reacted in the darkest of times. Let's hang onto that hope, and look to build a better future.

by Owen Thompson MP I raised the matter of sky high interest rates with the Business Secretary Alok Sharma.

This came to my attention after a Midlothian company was offered a loan through a newly accredited CBILS (Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan) lender, Fleximise, at 14.99% interest.

I also wrote to Mr Sharma calling for the UK Government to cap the interest on CBILS loans in line with the Bounceback scheme at 2.5%.

Emergency loans backed by the government should not be charging sky-high interest rates, leaving cash-strapped companies struggling in debt.

We know thousands of small companies have been turned down by the big banks for the government-backed loan scheme.

The scheme is fundamentally flawed with the banks acting as gatekeepers of who can get help.

Now it looks like the bluechip companies will have received preferential rates while other companies are being left to the wolves.

An interest rate of 14.99% is not acceptable. This is not lifeline support, it is more like scavengers picking the bones of previously thriving companies. At this rate we'll soon have payday lenders like Wonga accredited to offer loans in this government backed scheme.

by Alison Johnstone MSP The Scottish Government must move quickly to invest in green jobs such as projects upgrading homes to make them warmer and more efficient.

The First Minister’s Advisory Group on Economic Recovery warned of a “potential tsunami” of job losses and recommended a job guarantee for young people in Scotland.

The Scottish Greens secured an additional £25m energy efficiency investment earlier this year, and have called for the programme to be upscaled to provide thousands of vital construction jobs.

I raised the issue at First Minister’s Questions. Half of working Scots are concerned about losing their jobs. Thousands already have, so I welcome that the jobs guarantee from our 2016 manifesto now has cross-party support. This needs urgent action, and as the chief executive of Scottish Power said, "reports and plans don’t create jobs".

The jobs we need are in the sectors that will build a fairer, greener future, and one of these is ensuring all homes are warm and energy efficient. Earlier this year the Greens secured tens of millions of pounds for these programmes, but by going further and faster with this investment now, the Scottish Government could create thousands of jobs as well as tackling fuel poverty and the climate emergency.

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Snappers turn island negative to positive

By Stephen Rafferty A dream contract on a Caribbean island which would have pushed an emerging photography business on to new heights ended in a dramatic evacuation because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rod Penn and Jodie Mann believed landing work from a large international client for an advertising campaign for a 5-star luxury resort was the breakthrough which would underpin Pennmann, which they launched last year.

However, just one day after arriving in the Dominican Republic, Rod and Jodie and their creative team of hair, makeup, models and support crew, were forced to return home as international borders closed.

Rod said: “Our big break came when we won a pitch to work on an advertising campaign for a very large international client and we knew this job would catapult our business forwards in so many ways.

“It was by far the highest profile job of our careers and we worked on the project exclusively for a month prior to the shoot. The pandemic seemed to be growing rapidly, and there were reports about borders closing, people being quarantined on ships and in hotels. We were very concerned, but we had our sights and ambitions set on fulfilling this job.

“We made it out to the Caribbean as planned, and started the two-day prep for the production, but sadly on the first day it was decided that there was simply too

much risk of the whole cast and crew being trapped or quarantined on the island, so it was cancelled and we were flown home almost immediately.”

Jodie added: “It was a very close call as the day we began our journey home, America swiftly cancelled all transit visas and we were the last flight allowed to transit in the USA before the border closed. We got home by the skin of our teeth.

“Everyone completely understood and agreed with what was a very difficult decision, but it was a big disappointment for us all. When we arrived back into

the UK, we all had to face the disappointment and the financial anxiety of the looming lockdown.”

Pennmann was launched last June from a studio in Leith after Rod and Jodie decided to leave their jobs as head photographers with fashion and beauty specialists the Makeup Academy. In their first year they worked with local designer brands, a large American client, and shot a campaign for the National Museum of Scotland.

A Scottish Enterprise grant has helped keep the business afloat and the creative pair have devised two online tutorials for

Rod Penn and Jodie Mann of Pennmann agency

Miles Briggs MSP 0131 348 5946 Miles.Briggs.msp@parliament.scot Milesbriggsedinburgh MilesBriggsMSP www.milesbriggs.scot M2.15, The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP

Christine Jardine MP

Telephone Surgeries

In line with Government guidance and to keep people safe, I’m now holding telephone surgeries.

Please call the team on 0131 285 5972 to make an appointment

fashion, beauty and portraiture photographers.

Rod said: “We go into great depth about the methods, tips and tricks we’ve learnt throughout our combined 20-year career, giving our customers a real insight into how to produce high-quality imagery they can be really proud to show to a client.

"We believe that both tutorials compliment each other well, and with practise and studying the techniques that we reveal in each class, a photographer or editor could go from complete beginner to high-level very quickly.” www.pennmann.co.uk/tutorials

NEWS

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Bikes just eat up the miles in Edinburgh Edinburgh Cycle Hire is celebrating achieving 100,000 hires so far this year - 80 per cent as many as the total hires in 2019.

Just Eat Cycles, which is run by Serco on behalf of Transport for Edinburgh, has also seen more than double the number of hires every month compared to last year. The Covid-19 lockdown and good weather are likely to have contributed to the boom, along with several capital streets being closed to other traffic.

The total of 100,000 hires was achieved in June but last year it took until September to reach that milestone. There were a total of 124,000 trips made in 2019.

The scheme also broke its daily hire record on Saturday 20 June with 2,428 trips. These covered a total of more than 8,500 miles - the equivalent of cycling from Edinburgh to Disney World in Florida and back in a day. Trips made so far this year total some 330,000 miles.

Alex Macdonald, General Manager of Just Eat Cycles, said: “Having established a new scheme record days earlier, moving past 100,000 trips marks a key milestone for the scheme in our journey towards getting more people on bikes. We are proud to provide a brilliant service to the city and it is a good moment to thank our fantastic customers for using the scheme. We are looking forward to a busy summer with more records broken.”

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The Edinburgh Reporter

NEWS

Tattoo marches to Buster's tune

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has appointed Major General Buster Howes as its new Chief Executive.

He will be the first Royal Marine to take up the position at the charity, but has a few years experience behind him. He has been a non-executive director of the Tattoo for five years.

Buster’s last military appointment was as Head of the British Defence Staff in the USA, working to the Obama administration. Prior to that, he Commanded the Royal Marines.

He was subsequently the Chief Executive of Here be Dragons, a commercial-philanthropic hybrid, dedicated to the conservation and sustainable development of the Island of Principe, a UNESCO

Biosphere Reserve in the Gulf of Guinea. Most recently, he advised the NHS, helping them to enhance organisational and individual resilience through the coronavirus pandemic.

He succeeds Brigadier David Allfrey who advised last year that he would give up the chief executive role after ten years.

Major General Buster Howes said: “It is an honour to be appointed as Chief Executive of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, an organisation I have been a part of for five years and one which I have admired since I was a wee boy. I have worked alongside David throughout my time as a non-executive director and have witnessed first-hand, his commitment, creativity and

transformation of the Tattoo.

“I’m very much looking forward to taking the reins and I am delighted to be asked to lead a team of talented and dedicated professionals. I have lived and worked in Scotland both as a ‘Bootneck’ and civilian, and I am delighted to embrace and evolve this important part of the country’s heritage.”

The Tattoo has evolved to become a spectacular event celebrating Scottish and military culture and music. WIth an audience of 220,000 at Edinburgh Castle and global TV viewing figures of 100 million each year, it really puts Edinburgh on the map. In recent years it has also included visits to Australia and New Zealand.

Major General Buster Howes

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Mask company Hass it sussed Edinburgh stay-at-home-dad Hass Peymani, set up Screen & Shield after becoming alarmed at the poor quality and unavailability of face masks for his family as he faced lockdown with his wife who was pregnant, and his dad who was in a high-risk category.

Hass had previously set up a successful global video business.

He spent 10 weeks researching the market before launching his #sasMASK brand from home, in the midst of national lockdown.

The #sasMASK is manufactured in Europe and complies with the latest material and layering guidelines for non medical-grade face coverings. It has not only

been designed to be washable, comfortable and affordable, but also comes in more than 30 designs, with this range due to double in size in the coming weeks.

With the wearing of face masks now compulsory on public transport in Scotland, Screen & Shield expects business to boom.

Hass, 40, said: "My family and I were stuck in lockdown and we were shocked to hear how key-workers on the frontline were struggling with PPE shortages.

"I am totally confident our business supplies the best face mask for public use in the UK. Not only are they high quality, three-

Shielding will help community groups

layered and affordable, but as the wearing of masks becomes commonplace, the range of designs allows people to make a choice that matches their own individuality.

“But a fundamental aim of the #sasMASK brand was to create a business model that also benefited charities that support frontline workers and community groups. It seemed to me that – in a health crisis – anyone who was selling masks should be giving back to the community, and especially to those hardest hit.

“I set up Screen & Shield so that 10% of all online sales go to NHS-related charities. But any participating community groups/ charities/influencers buying masks for their network also receive 10% of the sales value – as well as their members also receiving a 10% discount.

“Along with local and national charities, we’ve had the likes of a cheerleading squad, a group of redundant BA staff, a nursery group and a community centre in Somerset all sign up to our community programme. They understand their community will likely buy face masks at some point, and working with us they get high quality products and can also generate funds to put back into their community.

“As we continue to grow the company, I want to generate lots of money for those affected by the pandemic as well as providing a comforting level of protection at the same time."

Keep Scotland All city school children back Beautiful Ten brand new interactive online in August learning courses will be available for young people across Scotland during July.

These new online learning programmes have been developed to provide a fun and enjoyable way for young people to continue their environmental learning during the summer holidays.

The courses cover a range of topics and environmental activities which encourage young people and families to explore the world around them and to think how to protect and improve the places they love.

Included are courses on Eco-Schools, heritage, food and the environment, and climate change, as well as other environmental topics.

Each course consists of a combination of online learning and practical, fun activities, and all those who complete a course will be rewarded with a certificate of involvement.

Registration is now open for each course. www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/ learning

Council £30m funding gap The council's in-year funding gap has been reduced from the previous figure of £56 million to just under £30 million.

According to the Head of Finance, Hugh Dunn, this reduction has been achieved by the council's finance department managing the level of its savings, although it does not yet allow the council to balance its revenue budget. Mr Dunn confirmed that by August the Finance Department will come forward with additional solutions to those produced so far. He answered questions about a BBC report on English councils which may face bankruptcy, explaining that The City of Edinburgh Council had set a three year budget last year, putting it in a better position than some other councils elsewhere. He said that in the various departments of the council there is both the "means and will'" to achieve financial stability.

The council delayed furloughing staff until the middle of June in common with other Scottish local authorities. Mr Dunn also pointed out that there may still be some additional UK Government finance available for the council's homelessness services, but it is difficult for the council to confirm a clear financial position until that finance is made available.

Parking charges, which are a major income for the council, have been reintroduced but the council has not changed its financial projections in this area. So if people pay to park now, some of that may well help the council balance its books.

The Education Secretary, John Swinney, announced a full return to school in August for all pupils in Scotland without any need for physical distancing. This is dependant on the continued suppression of the Covid-19 virus.

The City of Edinburgh Council had prepared a plan for blended and digital learning, allowing half of Edinburgh pupils to be taught in school half of the time. This has now become a contingency plan and will only be put in place if the virus reappears anywhere in the city.

Councillors said their inboxes were full with parents' concerns about the plans to reopen schools for only half the number of pupils at any one time, and how this would affect their children.

The council has set out in its Delivery Phasing Plan the steps it might need to take if they had to deliver part time learning or digital learning.

When the plan was drawn up the council had to envisage that only some pupils would return to school to allow 2 metre physical distancing to be put in place.

Edinburgh TUC said they opposed the sudden change in education policy.

A spokesperson said: "While everyone wishes to see schools operating at full capacity again, and whilst both pupils and staff are anxious to move from home working to being back in classes full time, this statement has been made without any consultation with the relevant union memberships and parent associations and risks undermining progress made so far in reducing Covid-19 infections and deaths in Scotland.

"We believe that any return to school should only take place after proper risk assessments and development of safe working procedures, and the fullest consultation with teachers’ and support staff unions and parents."

There are 49,000 pupils in Edinburgh schools.

Education Convener, Cllr Ian Perry said: "It is a great relief that schools will go back full-time. This threw up difficult issues and now we have more time to address these."

The council has pre-cleaning procedures in place in all schools which have been closed since March. It continues to work closely with NHS Lothian to control any infections, and all schools will also remain vigilant about any pupils and staff developing symptoms of Covid-19.

Council Leader, Adam McVey, said: "It has not been a waste of time to have made preparations for a scenario which has been superceded."

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7

Podcasting pantomime with the kings of the Leven Street stage

By Phyllis Stephen Think of panto in Edinburgh and you inevitably think of Grant Stott, Allan Stewart and Andy Gray. They have been treading the boards each Christmas since 1998 in one show or another.

We also have to include Jordan Young, the newest recruit, who joined the team last Christmas, and is now firmly part of the family. A graduate of Queen Margaret University, he has also appeared in Filth, River City and was in panto with Elaine C Smith in Aberdeen for a number of years.

Allan had just finished the run of his Big Big Variety Show at the King’s, celebrating 60 years in show business, when the pandemic closed the theatre.

Grant and Andy were also in the show which kicked off with Allan singing I’m Still Standing. They are all very adept at poking fun at each other, as well as themselves, but I must reveal that during our Edinburgh Reporter podcast there was a moment when I made Andy Gray cry. Andy had been shielding at home for three months, and when we spoke he had just come back from his first walk outdoors.

It was nothing to do with that,

that made him well up. It was the thought there might be no panto.

Of course it was a bit of a gag, and although they know how to make you laugh, there is a serious side to what the alternatives are if there if this year's panto is cancelled.

Andy calculated how much time they have spent talking and laughing together in the King's dressing room during the intervals over the 20 years or so they have been on stage together. It's easy to understand why - we ran out of time during our call, they had so much to say.

The truth is that nobody knows yet whether audiences will again take their seats in our theatres, or indeed when it will happen. So for the moment the panto boys Zoom together on Thursday nights to keep in touch, and make each other laugh.

Allan is in London with his family where he has made a video with his version of David Bowie’s Space Oddity, recorded in tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore who raised £32.7 million for the NHS. He recorded the charity number at his son David's recording studio, and director Ryan Dewar (Wonder Boy according to Allan) made the video.

With 750,000 viral hits within days he said he was ‘really chuffed’ but he is still in awe of Grant’s video "Save Lives" which is a clever rendition of his trademark, "That’s Fife", accompanied by photos of Edinburgh’s Covid-19 empty streets by photographer, Tom Duffin, and also deftly edited

by Ryan.

So, the panto might be on (Oh, yes it is) and this band of panto villains and dames discuss the wealth of possibilities each Thursday night.

Grant said: “The only form of information I have had from a reliable source was from Fiona Gibson, the new Chief Executive of Capital Theatres on my show.

I asked the question and she genuinely doesn’t know either.

They are following everything closely regarding government and health advice. As it stands nobody knows.”

But there are all sorts of ideas under discussion such as using technology - including the possibility of using canned laughter in an empty theatre while recording.

But panto is very much an in-person experience as Andy

Enter, stage right, with plans for a theatre fit for a king Plans for the redevelopment of The King's Theatre are making progress but like most major projects the £25 million revamp has been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Applications for Planning and Listed Building Consent have now been submitted to The City of Edinburgh Council by Bennetts Associates, the architects charged with breathing new life in to the Tollcross institution.

Opened in 1906, "the King’s" as it is universally known in Edinburgh, is one of the UK’s most opulent theatres and one of the few which is Grade A listed. Now it receives more than 200,000 visitors a year and in addition to hosting important touring productions it welcomes major Edinburgh International Festival shows, alongside the much loved annual Edinburgh Gang Show and sell-out Christmas Panto.

Widely respected Bennets Associates will oversee an ambitious programme to revitalise the Old Lady of Leven Street, ensuring it meets the needs of modern day audiences and performers and to safeguard its reputation for the years ahead.

The interior and exterior of the theatre will be overhauled to enrich audience experience and create a renewed sense of destination. The public will have access to new spaces for the first time and a new flytower and technical infrastructure will allow the artistic programme to be

extended.

Internally, revitalised heritage spaces in the Edwardian building will include the bars and hospitality areas, with foyer areas overhauled but retaining their heritage and charm, and providing flexible and enjoyable entertainment spaces for pre and post-performance.

A learning and participation studio, new stairs and a new box office is scheduled while the installation of lifts will enable visitors with mobility issues to be able to access all areas of the King’s for the first time. A street café with access from Leven Street will add to the day-long buzz in the building.

James Nelmes, Director, Bennetts Associates said: “I am delighted Capital Theatres has chosen to push ahead with the planning application for the King’s Theatre. As someone who has lived a stone’s throw from the King’s for twenty years, like so many others in the city, I am looking forward to not only the reopening of the theatre, but to a time when the building is as busy throughout the day as it is at show time.”

Redevelopment works were scheduled to begin in September 2021, with the theatre closed for 20 months, reopening in summer 2023, however, due to the impact of the coronavirus, Capital Theatres have taken the difficult decision to pause the redevelopment and are looking

at starting the project 12 months later.

Dame Joan Stringer, Chair of Capital Theatres, said: "Like so many, we are responding to unprecedented circumstances.

Both our Project Board and Main Board met recently, during which we considered the impact of the coronavirus on our plans for the King’s redevelopment.

"What is absolutely clear is that we all remain committed to delivering on our plans to redevelop the King’s into a modern venue, celebrating its rich heritage whilst sustaining it for future generations to enjoy.”

Famous stars of stage and screen who have trod the boards at the King’s include Tollcross’s own Sean Connery in a 1959 production of The Sea Shell (he was also a stage hand). In the 1930s celebrated Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova visited with her dance company as did Paul Robeson, Noel Coward and Sir Laurence Olivier. In 1957, legendary opera singer Maria Callas gave one of her few UK performances outside of London in a production of La Sonnambula, while Katharine Hepburn appeared in 1952 in George Bernard Shaw’s The Millionaires.

As part of the revamp you can donate to have a seat named after you or a loved one. Seats in the rear of the stalls are £800 each and fund raised will go direct to redevelopment fund.

Panto zoomers - but not out of choice stressed. He said: “Theatres need to get people in the doors.

That’s why they are there in the first place, and they need to make money. If there is ay kind of social distancing whatsoever it will affect the atmosphere, the number of people in the theatre and ticket prices. There are a lot of decisions to make. It would have to be something that the theatre company and the production company were on board with too.

It would have to look good.”

Jordan added: “The entire thing is that you need the audience

there. If you tried to recreate this on Zoom you could never recreate the timing or what the live feeling really is.”

Andy passionately believes that Scottish panto is a peculiar and unique brand of its own, based as it is on music hall with heaps of drama, great music, as well as beautiful scenery and costumes.

We just have hope that Allan gets to wear his dresses on stage this winter, rather than saving the dressing up for the Zoom calls with the boys. (Oh, yes he will).

Raising the curtain is fun for all Capital Theatres, the independent charity that manages Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre, King’s Theatre and The Studio, has risen to the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic.

Raise the Curtain, a new wide-ranging programme of activities which anyone can engage with online is designed to fill the theatre void.

The programme includes creative play for toddlers and contactless afternoon teas for those a little older.

Contactless Afternoon Parties are intended for people living with dementia, their families and supporters.

In a partnership with Cake My Day, free afternoon teas will be delivered to those taking part.

These will be contact-free delivery to the front door, all in time for the audience to assemble and watch the performance by the Capital Theatres House Band online.

Tea and Jam is Capital Theatres' usual monthly celebration of music making for all ages, which has also moved online.

Professional musician Gus Harrower leads the jam on the last Friday of the month from 11am.

Play Days is for all ages 6+ with instruction in arts and crafts, from costume making to script and lyric writing. On 6 July they have a panto theme.

Wee Creatives is for families with pre-schoolers. The sessions will include craft activities based

on the theatres' upcoming stage shows. There will be how-to videos by different engagement artists with things like making a bird feeder, mixing up your own playdough and also some Zoom sessions which involves more interaction.

There is no charge and booking is first come, first served.

Earlier in the year Capital Theatres put out a call for contributions to Joy to the Moment which will be shown throughout the year.

This was a shout out to all creatives for mini performances to be part of a film for those who are unable to go outside.

The project is the idea of Gracie Irvine, a pupil at The Edinburgh Steiner School, who was worried about people who are isolating or are in care settings. Gracie wanted to find a way to entertain them even though they themselves cannot go outside.

Gracie's call asked for people to record themselves doing something creative outdoors.

This was intended to include dance, music, singing, poetry, comedy, art or anything creative done outdoors. The intention was that anyone from the household could contribute to the video, whether families or flatmates.

The recordings are up to fifteen minutes long and a series of films will be edited and produced from all this creative content. www.capitaltheatres.com

8

The Edinburgh Reporter

FEATURE

Vintage ladies breathing new life in Edinburgh style icons find value in city charity and vintage shops while drawing inspiration from 40s and 50s movie starlets

Heidi Smith

By Stephen Rafferty Vintage dress but not vintage values is how one group of modern women sum up their fascination with fashions from bygone eras.

The members of The Auld Holyrood Club dress in classic clothes stretching through the last century and as far back as Victorian and Edwardian times, but that’s where the poodle skirts, pedal pushers and petticoats stop. To a woman, they would baulk at any suggestion that they subscribe to outdated notions which place women firmly in the home, while the dominant male figure acts as protector and provider.

An international blend of modern career women - sisters, daughters, mothers and grandmothers - their attention to detail and an eye for oh-so-cool garments which have lasted the test of time draws widespread admiration.

Former vet Irene Guerrero, 32, originally from Cadiz in Andalusia, can sometimes be spotted on Portobello Promenade where often there is an atmosphere of times past. It was in making Edinburgh her home that she made the switch to vintage and reproduction clothes, in part because of easy access to a good range of specialist shops.

Irene said: “The pin-up look is something I always wanted to try but I didn’t have the confidence and it was only three years ago that I bought my first reproduction dress. I started buying some original vintage pieces and I treasure all of them. It’s just wonderful to wear something so old and I can’t see any of my modern pieces being wearable in 70 years or more.

“I started with the 1950’s style because it’s easier to find affordable repro clothes, I love how feminine the style is and I discovered the clothes really suited my body shape. I’ve never

Irene Guerrero and Anya Mackay PHOTO darja-bilyk.com

Veronica Schreuder felt good in modern clothes and all my life I’ve been trying to change my body, when all I needed to do is change my style. I love 1940s style too and I move between the two eras, but I can’t resist a full skirt and a petticoat. I really love the style but none of the group feels we were ‘born in the wrong era’ and our mantra is ‘vintage style, not vintage values’.”

For retail worker Irene, vintage has become a lifestyle choice.

“Initially it was a weekend thing but now I dress vintage every day. Vintage style makes me feel more like myself, gives me more confidence and I also love vintage hairstyles which I think really brings the look together,” she said.

Irene collects ideas from social media and particularly Instagram, and rather than imitating the classic looks of film star greats or period drama characters she prefers to follow what regular women wore at the time.

“When I am out people stare – a lot. I guess it's hard for people to think this is your everyday style, but what I enjoy most is when older people tell you that you remind them of their youth and you can see that spark in their eyes, that really makes my day.”

By day Veronica Schreuder, 32, is an archivist at the National Records of Scotland, helping make our historic records available to the public and handling documents from the early 1100s to the present day. Her early fascination with how people lived in the past, what they wore, and the aesthetics of different time periods now manifests itself in how she dresses.

Veronica said: “When I was younger, I really enjoyed looking at pictures of my grandparents in the 40s and 50s. My gran looked so glamorous, both dressed up and in everyday life. She really loved it when I wore vintage dresses and it brought back memories for my granddad of when they would go to dances at the Palais. I wanted to try and emulate what my grandma would have worn which was a quite feminine style, well put together and taking pride in your appearance.”

Veronica borrows ideas from social media and from television hits such as Mad Men, Call the Midwife and Netflix’s glamour-fest Hollywood, but like other vintage veterans she has no time for old-fashioned attitudes. “We are very much modern people and it is

more about taking the aesthetics of that time period and wearing it in a modern world. When I started I decided I wanted vintage right way. There is nothing wrong with reproduction clothes but I went out and bought anything that I thought resembled vintage and ended up with a lot of stuff that I didn’t love. Now, I save my money and look for things that really appeal to me, and I only buy special vintage buys every so often.

“When you buy vintage clothes and put them on, it makes you feel really good about yourself, you hold yourself differently, you feel done up. It’s also an ethical thing, you are giving clothes a new life and a new home and there is a tangible connection to the past.”

Growing up in the 1970s, Anya Mackay loved dressing up for weekend tea parties with her mum and granny and pulling on fake fur coats and hats had a lasting impact which developed as a teenager when she discovered the joy of second hand shops.

Project manager Anya, 46, said: “I quite liked 60s style for a while with its shorter mini dresses, then I lost my way a bit and followed High Street fashions, but I didn’t

feel confident in my body shape because it never matched what was available on the High Street.

“I moved to the east coast and on discovering there was great second hand and vintage shops in Edinburgh, a whole new world opened up to me. I realised that vintage clothing suited me a lot better, it was more body positive and I could celebrate my curves.

“My favourite era at the moment is the 1940s, it is quite elegant and it’s something you can wear on a day-to-day basis. We bought an old Victorian property and restored it, but once all the messy jobs were done I decided to bin all my old chinos and replace my wardrobe bit by bit, and now I dress vintage every day. Life is too short to have your nice items hidden up the back of a wardrobe being saved for a nice opportunity, and I am now at the age where I think ‘sod it, it makes me feel good’, so I might as well just wear it every day.”

With friends she has met in the vintage world Anya meets up with other enthusiasts at vintage fairs, picnics, Edinburgh Fringe shows, museum and lunch trips and even murder mystery events.

She said: “The Auld Holyood Club has teenagers and pensioners

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to auld claes

and people from all walks of life.

It is very international and we have people from Finland, Spain, the United States, Latvia, Poland, Russia and Germany, and it’s nice to meet so many interesting people.”

Fashion makeup artist, Heidi Smith, 17, is one of the youngest members of the Auld Holyrood Club but has been dabbling in vintage 50s style since she was just 14.

She said: “When I first began my fascination was mostly centred around the elegance and femininity of the 1950s and the iconic women of old Hollywood who really made the looks their own. Marilyn Monroe was my biggest influence because I was so intrigued by how she had created an individual persona which epitomised glamour and allure, and this was something I was keen to replicate. As my style has evolved, I’ve found myself really captivated by 1940s fashion and although my everyday style is mainly 40s with some 50s mixed in, I also enjoy dabbling in the 20s, 30s and 60s from time to time, especially when putting together creative looks for online.

I also really admire Rita Hayworth

and I definitely take a lot of 40s hair styling inspiration from her and I find Gene Tierney and Ginger Rogers’ style to be really beautiful. All these women were so glamorous but they were also very talented and paved the way for their own careers through their own dedication and hard work, which is very inspiring to me.”

Heidi has also found that maintaining her vintage approach to life has been helpful during the Covid-19 crisis. “Before the pandemic began I was dressing vintage almost every day, with the off-day being most often on Sundays where I’m in my comfy clothes,” she said.

“I dress vintage around three or four times a week and personally, I’ve found my passion for vintage and sharing my own artistic content on social media has been really therapeutic during this time of uncertainty. Sometimes people ask why I’m ‘so dressed up’ and if I’m going to an event, when in reality I’m just going to Tesco. I think the most important thing about your own self-expression is that if you're not harming anyone else and it truly makes you happy dress however you like!”

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Arusha rushes to open Arusha Gallery on Dundas Street has reopened after staging a virtual exhibition for the last three months.

They are now able to throw open their doors and show Ilona Szalay’s Some Are Born to Sweet Delight, Some Are Born to Endless Night. It is still online just in case you are not yet able to visit the gallery in person, but staff have hung it for display until 12 July.

The gallery has put measures in place to ensure physical distancing and a high level of hygiene to protect clients and their own staff.

Agnieszka Prendota, Creative Director at Arusha Gallery said: “We feel a huge sense of relief and release being able to open up the gallery and share the wonderful work that our artists create with people in person again.

It is a huge step forward.

"Our wonderful audiences and customers have been very supportive throughout this period but I know that we will all feel more joy for being able to come together, albeit within restrictions, to experience our artists’ work first hand and to reawaken parts of our souls that have remained locked up in recent months.

“We are in full mode preparing for the reopening, with a supply of masks, gloves and sanitiser to be accessible at the entrance to the gallery. We will have an A-board outlining the social distancing measures within the gallery where visitors will move clockwise around the exhibition space.

"We have worked out that six people can be in the gallery at any one time. With all of these measures in place though, the atmosphere in the gallery can remain relaxed and open. It’s certainly easier than navigating a supermarket!”

Artis Szalay, a graduate of Central St Martins, describes her exhibition: “In the paintings we see statues petrified and bound on their pedestals.

"Disembodied arms which encircle with dependence and dominance. Broken mythological figures seemingly stunned by their own constraint and ineptitude.

"Gloriously ambivalent gods and goddesses remain coolly indifferent to what seethes below.

And of course ‘the cage’ - the Blakian cage for the robin - the frame itself that holds the image, frozen in postures of pleasure, sensuality, pain, confusion, titillation and torture.”

Art by Ilona Szalay to go on show

Collective observations Collective Gallery at the City Observatory will partially reopen to the public from Thursday 9 July.

The outdoor grounds and viewing platform will be open to visitors and the takeaway coffee kiosk will serve drinks, snacks and picnic food to enjoy in the picturesque surroundings on top of Calton Hill.

A series of works by Tessa Lynch, Turns, will be on view. Tessa collaborated closely with landscape architects Harrison Stevens to develop the communal seating areas throughout Collective, where visitors are invited to congregate and reflect.

Observers Walks and trails for families can be downloaded from Collective's website. This is a series of audio guides created by artists including Ruth Ewan, Patrick Staff and Tris VonnaMichell, all to be listened to in situ.

In the Hillside space, the shop, Collective Matter, will re-open in

a new pop-up form, showcasing items for sale from artists and makers.

Collective will aim to re-open Julijonas Urbonas’ exhibition ‘Planet of People’ in the City Dome from August, with the re-opening of the City Observatory and a return to a full exhibition programme in the autumn. The restaurant, Lookout by Gardener’s Cottage, is ready to reopen as soon as Scottish Government guidelines allow.

Kate Gray, Collective Director, said: “The path back to normality will be challenging to navigate for us and many other charities and small businesses whose revenue has been hit hard in the past few months. As custodians of the site ‘in the common good’ it is in that spirit that we ask you to work with us to bring it back to life." www.collective-edinburgh.art

FEATURE

9

Curations add colour to digital artwork Look out for a special online exhibition as part of ART UK’s Curations initiative.

Art UK is an online platform which allows public collections in the UK to share their artworks with audiences around the world.

Edinburgh has approximately 1000 paintings listed from its wide collection of artworks displayed in the City Art Centre.

Curations are groups of artworks selected, arranged, and published

by Art UK’s community of users – including Front of House Choices from Museums & Galleries Edinburgh.

The exhibition highlights the personal choices of the Culture and Communities Convener and Vice-Convener, as well as members of staff, including Visitor and Monument Assistants, many of whom deliver tours and interpretation to visitors.

Culture and Communities Convener Donald Wilson said: "This wonderful online tool has allowed us to continue to share over 1000 pieces from our collection and is a great reminder of our treasure trove.

"Online is a wonderful way to preserve digital exhibitions and for now it is the next best thing until we can welcome visitors back to the City Art Centre.

"The choices in the exhibition are very personal and showcase a variety of artworks.

"The selections represent our very valued, knowledgeable and enthusiastic front of house team who give tours and share their knowledge with visitors.

"For mine, I selected The Black Hat by Francis Cadell, I’m a fan of the Scottish Colourists and the painting itself was on display in the City Chambers during my time as Lord Provost."

Culture and Communities Vice Convener Amy McNeese-Mechan added: “It was great to browse the collection online, however being asked to choose a favourite from our City Art Centre is almost an impossible task "For my contribution I selected Victoria Crowe’s Italian Reflections (1993) as it contains so many elements I love: the drenched jewel-like colours, the mysterious framed view of a winding road lined with those iconic Tuscan poplars. It was very tough to settle on one, but the beauty of the initiative is I can now curate my very own. I’d encourage everyone to explore the collection for themselves.”

Museums & Galleries Edinburgh is a collection of 13 venues owned and managed by The City of Edinburgh Council. They have around 220,000 objects in their care, only some of which are on display at any time. www.artuk.org

The Edinburgh Reporter

10 BUSINESS

Virtual viewing could be the norm for home buyers seeking a move

Restless residents may be considering a home move after being cooped up in Covid-19 lockdown.

We spoke to Ken Robertson, Head of Residential Property at legal firm Balfour+Manson to find out how the land lies for those feeling the urge to move.

Ken suggested that rather than open viewing of houses on the market, arrangements will be strictly viewing by appointment, allowing sufficient time for viewers to see round. If the owner of the property is present, they will have to stay outside, or maintain physical distancing.

He also suggested that only two people may be allowed to view at any one time.

Virtual viewings have been encouraged recently and potential purchasers will not get to view in person until they have first seen the property on video. But, he admitted that virtual viewing is a bit of a mixed bag with a full video for some properties costing around £250-£300 depending on the size of the house. Ken said: "Generally speaking, prior to the lockdown these did not prove to be overly popular.

"Having said that, our property manager has taken new instructions from a few of our

clients and they have opted for it. So we're waiting to see whether that is actually going to be compulsory for new properties coming on the market."

Ken admits he is not a tech geek, but he has discovered messaging service WhatsApp is invaluable "for a number of things I never used it for before".

He said: "It's been great for certifying documents and that type of thing. So that is another possibility - clients may prefer to do live WhatsApp calls and speak to the prospective owners who can answer any questions around the house and show them what needs to be shown."

Interestingly the pandemic seems not to have overtly impacted on property prices in Edinburgh.

"In our discussions with surveyors they are very much taking the view that they are sticking to past values," he said.

"The way they value a property is historic, it's not what happened last month. It's really what is the trend over the last couple of years, so it's a slow moving ship in terms of adjusting the value.

At the moment, basically, we can pretty much assume that the surveyors are going to adhere to the pre-lockdown valuation." www.balfour-manson.co.uk

Ken Robertson, Head of Residential Property

Surgeons hotel poised for big op A city hotel is to reopen to the public for the first time since it provided a safe haven during lockdown for more than 500 frontline medical workers.

Ten Hill Place will build on its proud lockdown legacy offering a discount staycation deal for other frontline workers all over the UK. Delighted staff will begin a carefully phased reopening from 15 July, after the Scottish Government approved that date for hospitality venues to resume operations.

Scott Mitchell, managing director of Surgeons Quarter, which operates the hotel, said: “We had the privilege of accommodating hundreds of Edinburgh’s frontline health workers at the height of the crisis.

“Now we want to extend a welcome to similar frontline workers from the rest of the UK. Summer holiday plans have

been wiped out for millions of people and foreign travel may still be a long way off. This is an amazing city and many of those who have earned a holiday and want to spend that precious time somewhere special will be looking to Edinburgh. We want to give them an extra reason to visit.”

Ten Hill Place is Edinburgh’s biggest independent hotel and

at the height of the coronavirus pandemic it offered free accommodation and meals to more than 500 exhausted hospital staff in a gesture which cost the hotel owners £100,000.

The £249 deal is for two nights bed and breakfast and a meal and bottle of wine in the hotel restaurant.

Staycation a cut above the rest at Surgeons hotel

AT HOME

Bring a little bit of Edinburgh Leisure into your home.

Online classes, advice and more.

edinburghleisure.co.uk/fitness-at-home

Chester off to Job seekers offered advice racing start Chester Race Company has taken over the management of Musselburgh Racecourse.

East Lothian Council earlier selected Chester Race Company as preferred operator for an initial 10-year period. Musselburgh now joins Chester and Bangor-on-Dee as the third racecourse in the Chester Race Company portfolio.

Chief Executive of Chester Race Company, Richard Thomas, said: “We are delighted to be formally appointed as the new operators of Musselburgh Racecourse.

We are committed to the long term running and success of the racecourse and ensuring its reputation within the local community and Scottish racing is upheld.

“The entire team is excited to begin this new chapter and deliver proposals to maximise the available opportunities for the racecourse. We will look to build upon the pre-existing successes in ensuring Musselburgh continues to deliver an integral experience for visiting horsemen, racegoers and members of the local community alike.”

Musselburgh's Bill Farnsworth, said: “Chester’s management team has an excellent track record and we are delighted to be working with one of the best racecourse teams in the country."

More than half of Scottish workers are worried about their jobs after the pandemic.

The Survation poll fund that 51% of workers were very concerned and six per cent had already lost their job. Benny Higgins, chair of the group advising Scottish Ministers on how to repair the economy, said Scotland faces a "tsunami of unemployment".

Advice.scot, which is operated by the charity Advice Direct Scotland, has launched a dedicated coronavirusadvice.scot service with free and impartial advice on employment, personal finance and housing.

Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Scotland’s national advice service advice.scot, said: "This poll shows that many Scots workers are deeply worried about their jobs following the Covid-19 outbreak.

“With unemployment already on the rise and predictions of a tough recession, it’s little wonder that people are anxious.

“Job uncertainty is troubling at any time, but amid an ongoing public health and economic crisis this is an incredibly difficult period for many families. Our dedicated coronavirusadvice.scot service is constantly being updated with the latest employment advice, and our advisers are on hand to provide free, impartial advice to anyone."

Moving house made easier post Covid-19

Restrictions on housing moves in Scotland have been relaxed.

On 29 June, the Scottish Government relaxed some of the restrictions on house moves that were put in place at the end of March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The following are now allowed: •Visiting estate or letting agents, developer sales offices or show homes.

•Viewing residential properties to look for a property to buy or rent.

•Preparing a residential property to move in.

•Moving home.

•Visiting a residential property to undertake any activities required for the rental or sale of that property.

The Scottish Government has indicated that the process of

moving home will be different to pre-Covid-19. For example, more of the process should be done online if possible (virtual viewings and valuations) and open viewings should not take place.

There will also be additional health and safety precautions and all parties involved will need to follow government guidance on moving house.

Paul Hilton, CEO of ESPC, said: “We have seen significant evidence of rising demand from Scottish property buyers and sellers in recent weeks. Many home movers will be pleased that some restrictions have now been eased. However, the moving process will be different to before Covid-19. As the Scottish Government advises, anyone thinking of buying or selling a property should speak to a solicitor to find out more.”

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The Edinburgh Reporter Best Of . . .

Lighthouse Bookshop's Life Raft This will keep you and the bookshop afloat while the shop is closed. The Lighthouse online shop is accepting all book orders.

Email the titles and the shop will send a payment link and arrange dispatch.

More details on lighthousebookshop.com

Ardgowan Distillery Enjoy the recently released Clydebuilt Coppersmith - a limited edition blend of malts matured in first fill Oloroso sherry casks.

FREE shipping with a branded Glencairn nosing glass.

The Hideout Café A cosy hideout in Edinburgh serving speciality coffee, tea, treats and brunch. Iced lattes and other goodies to sort you out.

Open daily

Roeder & Bell Each week, gourmet parcels of fresh provisions are meticulously curated by the team and packed with glorious things to eat, drink and enjoy, delivered directly to your home. large, small and vegetarian boxes available alongside a well-stocked pantry section roederandbell.com

Queen’s Hall The hall is an independent charity which needs £100,000 each year to look after the building and run outreach projects. If you can send a donation - much needed now.

85-89 Clerk Street, EH8 9JG 0131 668 2019 www.thequeenshall.net

Art & Craft Collective A unique gallery and gift shop experience in Edinburgh's Southside - literally a cornucopia of all media. Join their mailing list and buy art online.

93 Causewayside EH9 1DG 0131 639 9123 artcraftcollective.co.uk

Twelve Triangles If you are desperate for a sweet treat the Brunswick Street and Portobello High Street shops opens at 8.30am until they have sold out of everything. Also delivery next day where possible, minimum order £15. twelve-triangles-myshopify.com

Independent Wine Company A specialist importer of boutique fine wines from Italy. Carefully hand-picked award-winning wines of premium quality sourced direct from the winemakers.

Oleg and Elvira visit every vineyard themselves. Online deliveries available. independent.wine

Rose Theatre Café You don't know what you've got till its scone . . . Mary and Sinead say: "We are open for takeaway, come grab a coffee and a scone, it can be part if your daily walk routine in this crazy new world order." Preorder bread by FB Messenger www.facebook.com/rosetheatrecafe

The Fine Wine Company The Portobello wine shop has stepped up delivery of wines and spirits, even champagne if you feel like it. Adam and Alex Rankine are also helping us by distributing our papers. Delivering to EH7, EH15 and EH21 at the moment. Shop open from 10am to 6pm thefinewinecompany.co.uk

The Eco Larder Zero waste shop on Morrison St. Matt in Edinburgh manned the shop, but his wife and co-owner, Stephanie ran the website from Bute - and looked after her mum.

Show them some love and buy their products now. Ask about soapnuts. Collect/Cargo bike deliveries www.theecolarder.com

Something Fishy Independent fishmonger providing quality fresh and cured fish. At the beginning oof lockdown there was some question over availability but this wee shop has kept going.

Use Schop to have your fish delivered.

16a Broughton Street EH1 3RH 0131 556 7614

Schop This is an easy, convenient and eco-friendly alternative to a supermarket shop. Working in partnership with independent retailers, Tim at Schop offers to deliver a huge range of great quality food and drink straight to your door. schop.co

Craig Banks Tailoring Bespoke tailoring for men. Craig's focus is on making the highest quality personally tailored attire that others will aspire to. His pyjamas and dressing gowns will make your video calls so stylish!

45 Thistle Street EH2 1DY 0131 226 7775 craigbankstailoring.com

Love Your Business Love Your Business networking club, which is relaxed, informal and good fun, is now online on the last Thursday of the month with a host of inspiring speakers sharing their entrepreneurial journey’s and invaluable business tips. www.lybnetworking.com and Facebook @howtolyb

Craigie's Farm Shop Online ordering of fruit and vegetables, quality butchery and dairy products and what they call 'indulgent treats'.

The farm shop is open but you can choose safely online, and either have your order delivered, or go to collect it. craigies.co.uk

The Glenturret Shop Four individually hand crafted Glenturret glass baubles filled with different single malts.

It is the perfect gift to send to any whisky lover, and of course you can do this, or order a bottle or two for yourself online. theglenturret.com

Roots They are offering veg boxes with zero contact delivery and collection options. Free delivery in certain cases. Support local business!

18 William Street EH3 7NH 0131 225 6376 munch@rootsedinburgh.co.uk

Cater Edinburgh Chef Barry Bryson is running a solo home delivery service with a choice of classic dishes. Examples include: Spiced lamb tagine, cottage pie, salmon and hake fish pie. Delivered with heating instructions.

Barry@cateredinburgh.com Tel 07961 573 658

Broughton Place Hair and Beauty Friendly boutique city salon.

Owner and stylist Juliet is always happy to discuss your needs and deliver a highly professional service. They specialise in long hair and tape in hair extensions.

0131 556 4478 2a Broughton Place EH1 3RX www.broughtonplacehair.com

0131 552 5289 40-42 Queen Charlotte St EH6 6AT www.thehideoutcafe.co.uk

shop.ardgowandistillery.com

The Edinburgh Reporter

12 FEATURE

Baargain haircut from sheep shearer Morag

balding pate in order.

When The Edinburgh Reporter happened to pass by, in Leith, David, who usually pays £60 for a haircut, revealed he had brought pizza and sparkling wine in exchange for Morag's trim. They had already started when we got there, so sadly we have no "before" photo to show you. Thankfully for the rest of us, hairdressers are reopening in the middle of this month.

David wasn't sheepish when his flowing locks reached crisis point.

Unable to get a haircut during lockdown, he asked his friend Morag to tidy up his coiffure.

Originally from Lewis, Morag admits she is not a qualified hairdresser but has lots of haircutting experience.

She honed her tonsorial skills while shearing sheep, and then graduated to keeping her father’s

David and Morag PHOTO Martin P McAdam

Edinburgh Collected

Across 1. Small piece of live coal (5) 5. Passage between rows of seats (5) 8. Dates as reckoned according to fixed points (8, 5) 9. Catalogues items one after another (5) 10. White, like Tintin's dog ? (5) 11. Presentations again, in court, for example (13) 12. Perfect form (5) 14. Male head of religious order (5) 16. To trouble somebody or put them out (13) 17. A literary style or type (5) 18. Go in (5)

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SUDOKU

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STR8TS

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How to beat Str8ts – Like Sudoku, no single number 1 to 9 can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. 2 1 4 Each compartment must form a straight 6 4 5 a set of numbers with no gaps but it can be 4 5 in any order, eg [7,6,9,8]. Clues in black cells 4 3 6 2 remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight.

3 5 2 1 Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’ 2 1 3 are formed.

© 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

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Down 1. Surpass (5) 2. Old-fashioned light seen at zebra crossings (7, 6) 3. Steps of a ladder (5) 4. People responsible for productions of plays (5, 8) 5. Very deep chasm (5) 6. The opposition ministers (6, 7) 7. Written composition (5) 12. Sugar-based cake covering (5) 13. Spear-like weapon (5) 14. Nimble (5) 15. Possessive pronoun (5)

This photo shows an outing to Cramond on the 41 bus, which set out from the Dean Village in Edinburgh's West End. Gail Featherstonehaugh contributed the photo to Edinburgh Collected in Dean Village Memories and it shows left to right Della Marshall of Dean Path, Gayle, Michael Brash of 3 Dean Path, Edward Marshall of Dean Path, and Ina Copeland who lived in Leith, enjoying themselves paddling in the sea at Cramond.

Edinburgh Collected is an online community photo archive managed by Edinburgh Libraries. Add your own memories to help preserve the city’s history, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.

Edinburgh Collected will add your contributions to the ‘Edinburgh 2020 – coronavirus pandemic' scrapbook. www.edinburghcollected.org

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© 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

Crossword by David Albury Answers on page 14

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org for Sudoku and www.str8ts.com for Str8ts.

If you like Str8ts and other puzzles, check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store.

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FOOD 13

theedinburghreporter.co.uk

Juliet's Food Diary - going for the full bhoona

by Juliet Lawrence Wilson I came across someone the other day who claimed that no matter now hard they try, they simply cannot cook. I think it would be more accurate to say that they either didn’t enjoy or are too lazy to cook. Despite what many chefs might have you believe, cooking is pretty easy. Making an emulsified sauce is a bit tricky, but a basic sugo, béchamel or gravy isn’t particularly skilful or taxing. Many people simply can’t be bothered.

Well, our apathetic chums are keeping takeaways afloat.

We fancied a socially distanced curry the other night and although we can knock up a decent version, nothing quite beats the real thing. The spices simply taste fresher, and butter, or to clarify, ghee, is used in an abundance I’d fail to deliver without feeling the blood drain from my left arm.

We opted to try Shezan on Union Place, which is usually where I might drop in for a curry after going to the cinema or Playhouse Theatre across the road. I can only give a sigh these days and wonder when an area so vibrant and bustling is going to be fully revived again. I wouldn’t say my family are particularly big eaters but with Indian food you do

want a bit of variety, so after the usual poppadums and really nice pickles, we opted for a Special Karahi Chicken Bhoona which was rich and pleasantly spicy with a lovely aroma of fresh ginger. My mother always chooses a Korma but slightly upped the ante by going for a Shahi Korma, which isn’t unlike the usual, but with the addition of mixed roasted nuts - definitely a much more interesting dish. The owner Shahid recommended I try the Old School Lamb Curry which ended up being right up my street. Pretty spicy without a searing heat, slow cooked and super rich. We also treated ourselves to a small mixed grill and the usual rice and sweet pashwari naan. The food was all absolutely superb and one thing that stood out for me was the quality of the meat, not only in the flavour but the fact it was cooked to perfection. I’d highly suggest you try for yourself and hopefully it will soon be a curry that's part of a big night out and not only a quiet one in. Shezanedinburgh.com A bank manager once told me that fortunes can be made during a financial crisis. I’m not sure about mega riches just yet but Hannah Gould, on forced sabbatical from a job in organising festivals, has embraced the stove and founded what’s already proving to be a hit, The Stockbridge Mac and Cheese Company. The Mac comes au naturel or with fancier additions of wild garlic pesto, caramelised onions and even jalapenos and chilli cheese. Specials and sides available. Gluten free and vegan options. Order on Facebook.

Mac and Cheese Stockaree style

Mac and Cheese know their onions

Korma karma

Shezan naan

Cooking with Barry Barry Bryson is one of Scotland's leading private chefs. www.cateringedinburgh.com Instagram chef.caterer.edinburgh Twitter: @barrybryson Scottish Strawberry Gazpacho A perfect summer dish that involves no actual cooking is just the ticket for good weather days and the Scottish strawberry season. This recipe takes around 20 minutes, needs an hour to infuse and then you are ready to enjoy this classic taste of Scottish/Spanish inspired sunshine.

Serves: 4 large bowls Ingredients: 10-12 tomatoes on the vine, remove the seeds and pulp so you have the nice juicy skins and juice 1 red onion finely diced 200g of Scottish strawberries, washed, hulled, chopped, leave a couple for garnish 3 celery sticks washed and chopped 2/3 cloves finely chopped really fresh garlic 2 medium sized red peppers,

seeded and chopped 1 tin of good quality chopped tomatoes 2 tablespoons tomato puree 300ml of cold vegetable stock (ham stock works too.)

50ml cider vinegar or red wine vinegar Two tablespoons of honey 2 teaspoons of smoked sweet paprika 75ml good quality olive oil 1 tea spoon cayenne pepper Rock salt Garnish: basil or parsley Scottish strawberries Spanish olive oil Start by placing your strawberries, tomatoes, chopped red onion, garlic, celery and peppers into a food processor (or you can hand chop this all brunoise, very small dice but use a v sharp knife) then pulse it until you have a nice rustic salsa, don’t over-do this though, keep it chunky. Next pass the tinned tomatoes and puree through a sieve into the mix in the food

Scottish strawberry gazpacho processor so the pure juice is added to the mix, but the chunky bits left out and discarded, or use some Big Tom or similar. Pulse once again and pour into a bowl.

Now use whisk or wooden spoon and add in your veg stock, olive

oil, vinegar, honey, spices and a touch of seasoning, and cover with clingfilm and place in a fridge to infuse for around an hour. Remove from fridge and ladle into bowls, garnish with herbs, olive oil and strawberries and enjoy.

Chef B

arry B

ryson

The Edinburgh Reporter

14 FEATURE

Bronze bards broke the mould Words and photos by Martin P McAdam Statues have featured a lot in the news recently especially in relation to Black Lives Matter protests. In the Edinburgh statuescape there is a lack of many featuring women. We recently discovered four heads

at Lochside Crescent celebrating Scottish Literary greats. Two of the bronze heads are of prominent women - Jackie Kay (sculpted by Michael Snowden) and Naomi Mitchison (sculpted by Archie Forrest). The other two are Norman MacCraig and William Sydney (WS) Graham.

Jackie Kay (b. 9 November 1961), is Scotland’s Makar, or national poet until 2021. Born to a Scottish mother and Nigerian father, she said that growing up in Scotland, she “got beaten up quite a lot” because of her mixed heritage.

Adopted by a Scottish couple (Helen and John Kay) and raised in

Bronze statues of Jackie Kay and Naomi Mitchison.

Hat tricks for staycation shade

By Stephen Rafferty Hats off to Edinburgh milliner Sally-Ann Provan who is turning heads with the launch of her new summer collection.

The ‘Solis’ range of summer straw hats is perfect wear for those enjoying the sun at home or opting for a stay-cation holiday.

Sally’s hats are wedding favourites and often feature at Royal Ascot, Royal garden parties and other special events, but the lockdown has given her time to create a collection of timeless wearable casual straw hats that will last for summers to come.

After an Honours degree in Jewellery, Sally trained in couture millinery under the late Queen Mother's milliner, and in theatrical millinery with The Royal Opera House.

Her clients include HRH The Duchess of Cambridge and HRH Princess Beatrice, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, mezzo soprano Katherine Jenkins, ITV’s Charlotte Hawkins, Edith Bowman and the BBC. She is Scottish Opera's milliner, and other clients include Scottish Ballet and The Royal Lyceum Theatre. She also worked on the Robert de Niro film 'The Good Shepherd' and the stage musical 'The Lion King'.

With no access to a model or hair and make-up artist, Sally made a rare appearance in front of the camera to model her own collection.

Known for her beautifully crafted

handmade hats and headpieces, she said: “I wear my hats all the time and although I’m very nervous anywhere near a camera, my clients encouraged me to give it a go.”

Sally applied her own make-up and styled the shoot with pieces from renowned womenswear boutique Jane Davidson, linens from Elizabeth Martin Tweed, and jewellery from Carla Edwards, Kaz Robertson and Pauline Edie.

She added: “The lockdown has been particularly hard on small business and I wanted to help highlight some of the amazing

talent and shops in Edinburgh.”

The shoot was only made possible by calling on the talents of professional commercial and fashion photographer Alistair Clark, who happens to be Sally’s husband.

During the Covid-19 lockdown Sally has been working behind closed doors and accepting online orders. Visits to her Edinburgh Hat Shop and Studio will resume when possible in Phase 3 of the Scottish Government routemap, with consultations resuming in Phase 4. www.sallyannprovan.co.uk

Glasgow, in her memoir Red Dust Road she refers to herself as “part fable, part porridge”.

In October 2012, before we knew of Colin Kaepernick and “taking the knee”, Kay wrote about kicking racism out of football.

Hear My Pitch remembers Arthur Wharton, the first black professional footballer to play in a UK football league. Wharton, was born in Ghana, his father was half-Scottish and half-Grenadian.

He came to England in 1882. By 1894 was playing for Sheffield United. Jackie read her poem on the pitch before kick-off at a Sheffield United v Portsmouth match on 29 October 2012. The team are passionate supporters of the Kick It Out campaign, since 1993. This works with the football authorities, professional clubs, players, fans and communities to tackle all forms of racism and discrimination. Kay recently revealed that she worked for several months as a cleaner for the novelist John le Carré and that being a cleaner was great training to be an author: “You’re listening to everything. You can be a spy, but nobody thinks you’re taking anything in.”.

Naomi Mitchison née Haldane, (1 November 1897–11 January 1999) was a hugely prolific and controversial Scottish author.

Perhaps her most well known work is The Corn King and the

Spring Queen (1931) - a vast novel encompassing a mixture of history, folklore and magic.

In 1916 she married Gilbert Richard (Dick) Mitchison a lawyer and Labour MP. Following the success of The Corn King, she and her husband purchased Carradale House in Kintyre. She spent most of the years of WWII at Carradale and became deeply involved in the local community.

In this period she transitioned to poetry and created The Alban Goes Out, a long narrative poem describing a night spent fishing with the Carradale fishermen.

Mitchison was no stranger to controversy. Commissioned in 1932 to write a guide for children and parents to the modern world, it became An Outline for Boys and Girls and Their Parents. While critics loved it, it was criticised by conservatives and religious leaders for alleged Soviet leanings and lack of emphasis on God and religion. She also authored We Have Been Warned, published in 1935. Its depiction of rape, free love and abortion horrified and alienated many in polite society.

Mitchison traveled extensively and was a frequent visitor to Botswana, where she was made a tribal mother (Mmarona) to the Bakgatla people. Mucking Around, published in 1981, is an account of her global adventures across 50 years and five continents.

The Edinburgh Sketcher Mark, The Edinburgh Sketcher, runs sketching workshops from various sites around the city including the city centre, the New Town and Leith.

Mark will teach you his tips and techniques for sketching quickly

on the go in a relaxed and and no experience necessary step by step guide. Book online via his website below and you could soon be capturing the world around you in ink and watercolours. edinburghsketcher.com

Solis hat range putting summer in the shade

Crossword Answers by David Albury Across: 1 Ember, 5 Aisle, 8 Calendar years, 9 Lists, 10 Snowy, 11 Reappearances, 12 Ideal, 14 Abbot, 16 Inconvenience, 17 Genre, 18 Enter.

Down: 1 Excel, 2 Belisha beacon, 3 Rungs, 4 Stage managers, 5 Abyss, 6 Shadow cabinet, 7 Essay, 12 Icing, 13 Lance, 14 Agile, 15 Their.

Shore and tell by Edinburgh Sketcher

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Leith Walk - a sea of green and white

Mercer - get your predatory hands off Hibernian Football Club

By John Hislop For Hibs fans of a certain age, Saturday 14 July 1990 – 30 years ago this month – will resonate strongly. It was the day that Hearts owner Wallace Mercer finally admitted defeat in his attempt to take over city rivals Hibs.

Mercer’s humiliating climb-down was a tremendous victory for the club, its fans and the Hands Off Hibs campaign, possibly only surpassed by the events of 21 May 2016, when Hibs ended a 114 year drought and brought the Scottish Cup home to Leith.

Growing up in the Borders, I had no affinity to any football team. A Hearts supporting neighbour lured me to Tynecastle where I shivered through a boring 0-0 draw and put up with the overwhelming smell of hops from the nearby brewery before, thankfully, my sister took a fancy to Peter Cormack and took me to Easter Road.

That was on 14 October 1967 and I fell in love with Hibs that day. I know the date as I still have the programme which cost 6d. We stood in the old south enclosure next to the dugout and my breath was taken away at first sight of the massive two-tier old east terracing as we watched Hibs beat Dunfermline 2-0, with Cormack scoring from the half-way line.

From that day on I have never missed a Hibs game at Easter Road that I was able to go to.

I was lucky enough to grow up watching Turnbull’s Tornadoes and have never seen a better brand of football anywhere in the world. It was poetry in motion. I was at the greatest game in history on New Year’s Day 1973 when Hibs beat Hearts 7-0 and also at the East Fife game a few days later when the great John Brownlie suffered a broken leg. It was downhill from that moment, with the 1970s ending in relegation.

In 1987 there was a glimmer of hope when David Duff took over from Kenny Waugh and I risked divorce by spending my life savings on buying shares. A golden generation of youngsters including John Collins, Mickey Weir, Paul Kane, Gordon Hunter and Eddie May, were augmented by top-quality signings such as Andy Goram, Stevie Archibald and Murdo MacLeod, but it was apparent that all was not well in the boardroom.

I was one of the first to lose faith in Duff and Jim Gray and let them know as they were walking round the pitch during the Morton game when Andy Goram scored from inside his own box.

Sure enough, a series of

disastrous business deals left the club open to a hostile takeover and Wallace Mercer was quick to take advantage with his so-called “vision for the future” that would see one Edinburgh side challenge the Old Firm dominance and the “end of tribalism” in the city.

In reality, everyone knew that the move was a take-over bid with the aim of acquiring Easter Road and the substantial property owned by the club. The fact that he swanned round the capital in a maroon coloured Jag with the personalised number XX1 - or Double Cross One - hadn’t gone unnoticed.

Speakers at a packed Hands off Hibs rally, included the great Pat Stanton, Jimmy O’Rourke and Joe

John Hislop

theedinburghreporter.co.uk Baker, who famously kissed the Easter Road turf, raising the roof of the East terracing. If Joe had told us to invade Gorgie at that moment we would have done so.

The biggest roar came when Kenny McLean warned Mercer: “Keep your predatory hands off Hibernian Football Club”.

The afternoon ended with an emotional rendering of You’ll Never Walk Alone by The Proclaimers and we all left the stadium determined to save the club.

Politicians and councillors got involved and popular Leith MP Ron Brown promised to raise the issue with both the Monopolies Commission and the Office of Fair Trading. Two London-based Hibs fans, Brian Rogan and Tony Connor, along with Hearts fan and former First Minister Alex Salmond, presented a copy of a petition to Margaret Thatcher at 10 Downing Street. Unfortunately, the Iron Lady was running late as she was having lunch with Nelson Mandela and the massive crowds outside waving ANC flags were persuaded to chant ‘Hands off Hibs’ whilst waiting on the great man appearing.

Supporters staged a five weeklong picket of the Bank of Scotland’s headquarters on the Mound, (Mercer’s bankers), and the campaign even got an airing on Blue Peter when presenter John Leslie, against the orders of his bosses, appeared on screen wearing a Hands Off Hibs t-shirt.

A Battle Bus containing amongst others Gordon Strachan and The Proclaimers joined the Leith Festival Gala Parade and at a packed Usher Hall rally chaired by politician Margo MacDonald, Hearts legend John Robertson disobeyed Mercer’s order not to attend.

Unable to get his "predatory hands" on enough shares and with the Bank of Scotland pulling out, Mercer’s attempt to end tribalism had backfired spectacularly and on that Saturday in July 1990, generations of Hibs fans drew a collective sigh of relief. If Mercer had got his way the magnificent traditions of Hibernian Football Club would now be consigned to the history books, and me and thousands of other Hibees would never have experienced that unforgettable weekend in May 2016 when Leith was transformed in to a sea of green and white.

SPORT 15

Uncertainty and anxiety for Hearts

by Mike Smith Hearts traumatic experience of season 2019/20 has followed them to season 2020/21 but with one significant difference.

Last season Hearts were for the most part, quite awful, and despite some of those of the maroon persuasion being in denial, the Gorgie men seemed destined for relegation and at least a season in the Championship – which is where owner Ann Budge came in six years ago.

Her proposal for league reconstruction was rejected by the SPFL and the club joined forces with Partick Thistle - who were also relegated unfairly - to bring a legal action which is due to be heard in the Court of Session.

Hearts are looking to be reinstated to the Premiership and Thistle to the Championship. If not, they will ask for substantial compensation.

If neither are forthcoming the drastic action could be to force a delay to the Premiership starting on 1 August, which would be catastrophic for Scottish football.

Clubs in the Championship won't start league games until October.

The trauma the coronavirus pandemic has inflicted on the world puts Hearts current woes into perspective, but the uncertainty of which division Hearts will be in at the start of the new season has added to the anxiety of the Hearts support.

The Scottish Rugby Union has said it would make BT Murrayfield available to Hearts, and this would certainly help with any social distancing measures that may be required when clubs do return and fans are allowed back inside grounds.

But with the greatest respect, the prospect of facing Alloa Athletic on a wet and windy Wednesday evening at the home of Scottish Rugby will do little to entice Hearts supporters to part with their hard-earned cash.

With any luck, this time next year Hearts will be preparing for a return to the Premiership after winning promotion. But a tough 12 months beckons first.

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