MASK MAKER LORRAINE PRITCHARD and Scottish, Polish, Chinese and Congolese dancers appeared in colourful traditional costume and masks to launch this year’s Pomegranates Festival of international traditional dance which takes
dance alongside world traditional dance practised by New Scots and cultural migrant communities in Scotland.
It is the annual platform for the diverse 250+ individual and organisational members of the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland to teach, learn and perform in new dance theatre
take part in exhibitions, ceilidhs, workshops, walking tours, and talks about traditional dance from Scotland and elsewhere.
This year’s festival theme is masks. Throughout the festival audiences will be invited to experience the power of masks used in different traditions, and reflect on the modern days.
MARCH HERALDS a new beginning with the clocks changing at the end of this month. But sadly it has marked the end for our lovely team of delivery riders at Zedify who had all been made redundant as their parent company went into liquidation. As we went to press new delivery arrangements which align with our ambitions to be as low carbon as possible were being wheeled into place. We hope this means that all 6,000 copies of our paper reach our usual outlets in time for the beginning of March. It is all the more frustrating as the Edinburgh branch was said to be profitable on its own. If you have aspirations to run your own bike delivery company then the Zedify bikes have been donated to the Goodies charity who are selling some of them on Gumtree.
Our exclusive story on page 7 looks at Luxford Burgers, nominated for a High Growth Business of the Year award in Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce’s annual business awards despite liquidation and a £120,000 trail of debt. The largest creditor is you and me – ie HMRC taxes of £80,000 are due - but strangely, as we go to press, the Chamber of Commerce did not deem this situation worthy of a comment.
Our centre pages are devoted to the Business Improvement District, Essential Edinburgh, and their initiative to get you to dine in the many city centre restaurants this spring. There are discounts and deals to be found at all participating venues.
On pages 18-19 Lìam Rudden has been sitting in the dark scribbling notes about the shows you can see and we have four full pages of sport on Pages 20 -23.
I hope you enjoy our look at the news in the capital. Please consider supporting us with a subscription to have your copy of the newspaper delivered to your home or office. HRH King Charles III may not have subscribed as yet, but I am honing my sales pitch. Recognising the value of local and regional news His Majesty has invited me (and a few others) to a reception at Buckingham Palace on the evening of the 26th March. I will report back.
Phyllis Stephen, Editor
Planning news
MIDMAR PADDOCK
The Friends of Midmar Paddock(FMP) between Midmar Drive/Hermitage Drive and Blackford Hill/the Hermitage of Braid want to submit a local place plan to the council to ensure that the area remains accessible open space with the protection of a designation of “green belt, local nature conservation area, special landscape area and open space” in the next edition of the City Plan as it has been in the 2030 plan. www.midmarpaddock.org/consultation
STOCKBRIDGE
Planning permission was granted last autumn for an inflatable sports dome in Stockbridge where locals have now begun a petition to have the structure removed. The dome is used for tennis and padel, but neighbours say it is both unsightly and noisy.
The Grange Club in Stockbridge has two covered padel tennis courts. The club says the padel section is currently full so clearly the sport is popular, but the dome is unwelcome to residents who are bothered by the hum of the fans at night. Planning permission was refused by the council, but the club appealed to Scottish Ministers and the Scottish government reporter, Andrew
Fleming reversed the council’s decision.
Cllr Max Mitchell (Inverleith) said: “It’s another frustrating example of a Scottish government civil servant overruling the decision of democratically elected and accountable councillors. The concerns around the impact on the conservation and residential amenity have sadly come true for those living nearby. I can understand why residents are unhappy especially when the applicant was allowed a second bite at the cherry via an appeal.”
The petition asks for support saying: “We understand the importance of recreational
Same old Lothian Road
THIS PHOTO of Lothian Road looking down towards Princes Street was taken around 1965. Look out for the alcohol advertising and notice the size of the cars, but otherwise not much change. The image was shared by the Living Memory Association through Edinburgh Collected an online community archive maintained by Edinburgh City Libraries. Anyone may contribute their photos. www.edinburghcollected.org
Our news relates to Edinburgh and the immediate area. If you would like to submit an article or photograph for publication then please get in touch.
facilities, however not at the expense of the residents’ peace and the architectural integrity of our neighbourhood. We ask that The Grange Club makes visual adjustments to their structures. A monochrome dull green/ grey finish to the inflatable tennis court balloon and padel courts would be more in keeping with the surroundings of parkland and Victorian and Edwardian buildings. Additional soundproofing in the fan enclosure is needed to remove the noise and return the neighbourhood to the sound of the Water of Leith.”
can also deliver door to door on some selected streets. If you would like us to include your local area then please suggest it to us ter.ooo/subscribe
Editor: Phyllis Stephen
Designer: Tammy Kerr
Photos: Martin P McAdam
Inflatable dome is a nuisance for neighbours
Lothian Road looking north
Alan Simpson
Space oddities under spotlight
EDINBURGH SCIENCE FESTIVAL takes place from the beginning of next month with its base at the City Art Centre on Market Street. The festival aims to educate all ages about the significance of looking after Spaceship Earth.
This year the festival will explore the
Council agree to build new Blackhall Library
By PHYLLIS STEPHEN
BURIED IN THE NEW COUNCIL BUDGET which included the Labour administration proposals as added to and amended by their Conservative and Liberal Democrat supporters, there is a line that £15 million will be set aside for a new Passivhaus library in Blackhall. It is apparent from the council papers that the library will probably not be built until at least 2027.
The existing library has been closed since autumn last year when Reinforced Aotoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) was found in the roof. An update to councillors in November showed that more detailed analysis would be required, but now it appears that the solution will be a new
challenges of living on a planet with finite resources, through the lenses of science fiction and space exploration.
This event will take place in the year NASA’s Artemis 2 spaceship will orbit the Moon in preparation for astronauts hopefully
returning to land there. “Live like an astronaut” is the battle cry of a new movement that urges everyone young and old to learn from the constraints of living on a space station, or a distant planet, where resources are impossibly constrained and
library rather than carrying out any repairs. The council said simply “It is estimated to cost £15m for a replacement.” There are no details attached to this sum or to the £32 million which is being set aside in the capital budget for a new school at Fox Covert.
Blackhall Library has been using facilities at Davidson’s Mains Primary School while the
building remains closed. In September last year the council undertook to engage with residents over the future of the library, particularly as there were other possible locations proposed for the library. It has cost around £1 million to buy a temporary building which was funded from the RAAC capital budget allocated last year.
every gram of material and watt of energy is precious to all of us.The full programme also takes place st other city venues.
From 5-20 April
www.edinburghscience.co.uk/festival/
Job with POPP
Portobello Older People’s Project (POPP) seeks a Project Organiser replacing someone retiring after 12 years. POPP, a Scottish charity, runs a lunch and social club for isolated and lonely older people in Portobello. The club offers members the chance to come together, enjoy a meal, and take part in social activities. It runs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, at the Portobello Baptist Church Hall, and supports up to ten older people a day. The Project Organiser is responsible for running the club, with the help of around 15 volunteers, and also provides administrative support to the management committee.
The post is part-time (20 hours per week £13,528 per annum). The successful person will combine strong organisational and management skills with an understanding of, and empathy for, older people.
Contact POPP’s Chair by 7 March 2025 popp.organiser@gmail.com
Ian Georgeson
Alan Simpson
Blackhall Library will be demolished
Council tax and charges to rise
By JOE SULLIVAN, LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTER
EDINBURGH COUNCILLORS agreed a budget which means that council tax will rise by 8% and there will be increases in charges for many council services. There are promises of new funding for road safety and no cuts to transition teachers.
It comes after eleventh hour negotiations led to a deal between the Labour administration and the Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups. Presenting the budget, Labour councillor and Finance Convener, Mandy Watt, said: “This administration has put forward a balanced budget that prioritises areas that residents say they care about, while staying true to the council’s core commitment of tackling poverty and climate change.”
Labour priorities, such as new funding for schools and an investment in temporary accommodation, survived in the compromise budget.
Liberal Democrats meanwhile got £1.6 million in new funding for road safety, and blocked cuts to transition teachers and pupil support assistants.
And Conservatives won £1 million in funding for reforms to the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board, which delivers health and social care funding.
Further, they secured £0.5m for funding the council’s data analytics team, £0.5m for council enforcement and £0.5m for new funding to support educational attainment.
A notable omission from the budget was substantial new funding for holiday hubs, a
respite scheme for the families of pupils with additional support needs.
Deputations earlier in the day had focused on the scheme, with one parent raising the fact that the yearly time available for each student has shrunk from six weeks to two since 2018.
Edinburgh Council’s former leader Cllr Cammy Day voted for the compromise budget lodged by the administration.
Meanwhile, Ross McKenzie, an independent councillor who was elected as a member of the Labour group in 2022, voted for the Green budget. His efforts to set aside funding for Gorgie Community Farm were not successful, but Cllr Watt hinted there might be room for funding of projects such as this after due diligence is done.
The mood was restrained as the budget was passed, with no celebration of it in the Labour group. Councillors quickly left the chamber after the vote was concluded.
SNP group leader Cllr Simita Kumar said: “This is a weak Labour administration, like its budget, it has zero leadership, a budget void of inspiration and accountability. Studies should be done to examine its merit and label it as the laziest budget in modern times.
“There’s a fake £1.5m underspend in the Labour budget to help buy support from Lib Dems and Tories while selling their morals in return.
“I cannot comprehend the Labour leader and finance convener saying that parents’ views are only opinions and not reflective of the facts –facts which shows that holiday hubs have gone through systematic cuts since Labour took over.
“Not hearing the pleas of families of children
A jewel in the crown
By SARAH BOYACK MSP
OUR CITY IS THE JEWEL in the crown of Scotland’s cultural scene with fantastic venues, festivals, studios and community arts groups but for too long, the Scottish Government has considered it an afterthought; an industry that is so world famous that it must surely be immune to external pressures. The last few years have demonstrated how wrong this assumption is.
The outgoing CEO of the Edinburgh Fringe has called for investment from the Scottish and UK Governments, Summerhall’s long term future is in doubt, and we have seen cultural icons across Edinburgh struggle under the pressure of rising bills and falling ticket sales.
However, the latest news from Creative Scotland has provided a long overdue lifeline. We have seen funding granted to our festivals, the
Lyceum, the Filmhouse, Brunton, Summerhall and much more. We also received the welcome news that Leith Theatre’s future has been secured thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund. It is vital support for a sector that has taken blow after blow in recent years.
I have long championed our cultural sector, including taking a leading role in Parliament to fight for more funding for the Kings Theatre and the Filmhouse. I’ve also been working with stakeholders inside and outside Holyrood to secure the future of the Brunton. I am glad this work has begun to pay off with financial support, but we need more investment going forward.
The Scottish Government cannot look at this round of funding as job done. Instead, this must be the springboard to more investment.
Scotland has the potential to be a world leader in the arts. Edinburgh
with disabilities, life limiting conditions, and additional support needs is the most disastrous decision of today.”
The Green group’s budget proposals received ten votes in total - nine Green councillors and one from Cllr McKenzie.
Cllr Alex Staniforth, the group’s finance spokesperson, said: “The Green budget this year suggested radical new ways of investing in social housing, saw increased spending on climate and poverty initiatives, and proposed actions to make the city safer for everyone.
“But unfortunately Edinburgh’s Labour administration have once again bowed to their unofficial coalition partners in the Liberal Democrat and Conservative parties, and passed a timid budget devoid of ideas.
“This is a missed opportunity for the people of Edinburgh who – facing a much-needed council tax increase – will expect to see positive changes to the city in return.
“Green proposals to improve accessibility, to build more public toilets, and to secure the future of Gorgie Farm, could all have been accepted if the Labour administration was not
so focused on what is best for their own positions rather than the wellbeing of the people they were elected to help.”
Liberal Democrats meanwhile celebrated the budget’s inclusion of their priorities on road safety. The group’s transport spokesperson, Councillor Sanne Dijkstra-Downie said: “Edinburgh Council has simply not been doing enough on road safety. We have a long list of pedestrian crossings still to be delivered.
“There is a host of traffic calming measures sitting on a priority list but with no idea of when, or indeed if they will be put in place. The Council simply has to do better.
“That’s why the key LibDem priority in this year’s budget was to secure a record sum for road safety. We desperately need new funding to get on top of the backlog of road safety projects across the city, especially those around schools.
“We’re delighted our plan got cross party support and was passed by the Council. Every councillor of every party should be pleased that a record £5.7 million will now be allocated this year. The priority now must be to turn this extra funding into delivery on the ground.”
already has a head start. Our arts and culture sector is a key part of Brand Scotland, vital for our communities and our economy. Edinburgh is already a globally recognised
A weak budget and zero leadership, claims SNP
cultural hub, but we must not allow complacency to creep in. I am glad that the Scottish Government has finally begun to recognise the need for investment in Edinburgh’s cultural
sector, but there is much more to do. We must completely reignite our cultural landscape with year-on-year investment. The sector deserves nothing less.
The John Byrne Dome at the King’s Theatre
Anneleen Lindsay
Corra empowering change
By FOYSOL CHOUDHURY MBE, MSP
THE THIRD SECTOR buzzes with innovation and The Corra Foundation is emerging as a key force for change.
At its heart, Corra provides grants to small organisations, forging partnerships and fostering collaboration with a strong community-led approach. But its impact goes far beyond financial support. The foundation works closely with groups like Edinburgh’s Bengali women’s organisation, Mohilia Ogrojatra, empowering and supporting women through business development and second language education.
With a new round of grants totalling £857,000, the foundation is investing in initiatives that enable children and adults to understand, advocate for, and exercise their rights. These funds will be shared among 15 organisations across Scotland, building on earlier funding from 2024.
This strategic investment targets those most vulnerable to rights violations, empowering communities to use the law as a tool for
Edinburgh Sheriff Court news round up
By ALEXANDER LAWRIE
AN EDINBURGH DAD caught in possession of a horror haul of child sex abuse material will be sentenced in March.
Philip Bampton was found to have stored hundreds of images and videos depicting young children being sexually abused by adults on two devices when police raided his home in 2023.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the pictures and videos included male and female children aged between six and 14-years-old. Fiscal depute
and neglected both children in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to their health over an 18-month period.
Harthill, 47, was said to have over-dispensed prescribed medication to one child and on one occasion he issued a threat to kill them during his savage course of conduct.
He also exposed the child to drug misuse, caused them to live in unsanitary living conditions and failed to provide them with adequate food.
transformation. “It is a critical time for human rights in Scotland,” said Carolyn Sawers, CEO of Corra Foundation. “These grants support vital work to help children and adults understand their rights, campaign and advocate together, and use the law to change systems.”
I have lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament to recognise Corra’s efforts to combat racism, including antisemitism, in Scotland through its Racial Equity Grants. These grants provide £10,000 each to four organisations—the Coalition for
Racial Equality and Rights, Edinburgh Interfaith Association, Scottish Council of Jewish Communities, and Urban Community Project - to address issues affecting children, young people, schools, and mental health in the face of racism.
Founded in 1985, with roots dating back to 1810, the Corra Foundation has a long history of supporting disadvantaged communities, and we must recognise the vital role of third sector organisations in fostering a fairer, more inclusive society.
Firefighters involved in cash scam
By MARY WRIGHT
OFFICERS ARE ALLEGED to have fleeced Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) by colluding to claim bogus on-call allowances at an unnamed fire station before the scam was uncovered.
In a separate incident a serving officer was also forced to quit after allegedly stealing from a youth volunteer scheme bank account.
A report states: “During 2023/24
management alerted the ARAC [Audit Risk Assurance Committee] to two separate incidents involving alleged fraudulent activity. The first involved collusion by serving officers to fraudulently claim on-call allowances at a station.
“Police Scotland were alerted to the alleged activity and a fraud action plan was developed.”
Those involved in the scam have since quit.: “The individuals involved in the incident have since resigned
from the service. Following resignations, further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident were progressed following consideration of the matter at the meeting of ARAC.”
The report confirms the second incident as “alleged theft from a third-party Youth Volunteer Scheme bank account by a serving officer. Following investigation a disciplinary hearing was recommended.
Matthew Miller told the court there were 70 files discovered that were rated by specialist police officers as Category A - the most depraved end of the spectrum.
Bampton pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children at his home between December 19, 2022 and November 3, 2023. He was placed on the sex offenders register on an interim basis.
A HEARTS supporter who shouted a shocking racist comment at a rival Hibs’ player during the Edinburgh derby has been fined and banned from attending football matches.
Morris McLean made the racist remark and offensive gestures towards the Hibs defender, Jordan Obita, in the first half of the Scottish Premiership clash at Tynecastle Park on 26 December.
McLean, from Loanhead, was pointed out by fellow Hearts supporters who were left sickened by the comments and he was immediately ejected from the stadium by stewards.
The 46-year-old was subsequently arrested by police officers following the incident during the sold out match.
It is believed McLean uttered the comment at the Hibs star who was celebrating his side’s opening goal in the ninth minute of the match, following a lengthy VAR check.
McLean, 46, pleaded guilty to the “disgraceful” and “unacceptable” offence when he appeared in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on 21 January this year.
AN EDINBURGH MAN who carried out a “devastating” course of abusive behaviour against two children - including inducing one to take drugs without their knowledge - has been banned from having contact with them for life.
Paul Harthill wilfully ill-treated
Harthill from Craigleith also induced the child to take controlled drugs, failed to take them to school and left them unattended for long periods when he had been left looking after them.
The abuse of the child took place between April 2017 and November 2018 at two homes in Musselburgh and Prestonpans in East Lothian.
He will wear an electronic tagging device on his ankle and stay within his home address between 7pm and 7am for the next 12 months, and will have to carry out the maximum of 300 hours of unpaid work and was placed on a social work supervision order for 20 months.
Sheriff Komorowski also issued an £1,800 compensation order and non-harassment orders which will last for an indefinite period.
A TEENAGER who launched fireworks at police during a night of rioting in Edinburgh was given a community payback order and told to carry out 50 hours of unpaid work as punishment.
Dean Gorrie was a member of large mob of masked men who attacked a line of officers with the explore devices during the night of “mass disorder” on Bonfire Night in 2023.
Gorrie, 19, was also caught on CCTV throwing fireworks at terrified members of the public and smashing the windows of a passing public service bus with a brick at the capital’s Niddrie area.
The thug was later identified following an extensive investigation into the disorder and handed himself into a police station seven days after the attacks.
Gorrie pleaded guilty to a charge of culpably and recklessly discharging fireworks at members of the public and police officers when he appeared before Sheriff Komorowski in Edinburgh.
Foysol Choudhury with representatives from Corra at The Scottish Parliament
In the Debating Chamber at Holyrood
New funding for old theatre
By PHYLLIS STEPHEN
LEITH THEATRE TRUST has been awarded the sum of £247,947 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund with a promise of more funding of up to £4.5 million to transform the empty theatre into a cultural venue, and open the doors again.
The initial funding will be used for the theatre’s Back to Life: the theatre that isn’t just a theatre project to develop capital refurbishment plans - which will then unlock the remainder of the funding.
The beauty of the Grade B listed building is evident, even though it shows signs of water damage from a previously leaky roof.
The council has signed a deal with the Trust for a 50 year lease, and based on the security of the lease the Trust can now make real plans for the future, which include a pop up programme in August with the Restless Natives musical already booked.
The newly announced funding package will allow plans for a significant refurbishment to proceed and the theatre might then open year-round for the first time since it was first opened in 1932.
Caroline Clark, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Director for Scotland said: ”We are thrilled to be able to help make plans for a restored and revitalised Leith Theatre a reality. As a historic theatre with nearly a hundred years of stories, creativity and characters there is so much to celebrate and explore in its heritage. Thanks to National Lottery players, Leith Theatre Trust’s plans for the future will be developed with the community ensuring this wonderful theatre has a bright future as a lively venue and as a place for
local people to experience and be involved in the arts, culture and creativity.”
Lynn Morrison, Chief Executive from Leith Theatre Trust said: “We are delighted with this initial support from The National Lottery Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players we can continue to progress our strategic plans to revitalise and reimagine this beautiful heritage building. This is a significant milestone, and I am very proud of the team that has helped realise this ambition, which is one that I have been aiming for since appointment. It will be invigorating working in partnership with the Heritage Fund to develop and bring visibility of such an exciting lottery project to the heart of Leith.”
The building was saved from commercial development two decades ago by a group of local campaigners and the goal is to place it firmly at the heart of Leith life.
The 1932 theatre is impressive, outside more than inside at present, but it has great potential to be resurrected. In the past it has been an International Festival venue. In 2017 it was used as a venue for the Hidden Door Festival, the first time it had been used in thirty years. Artists such as Kae Tempest, Neneh Cherry, Gerry Cinnamon, Jarvis Cocker, Teenage Fanclub, The Fratellis, The Snuts and Young Fathers have all appeared at the theatre in the years since - as has Broadway star of stage and screen, Alan Cumming, who used the stage as a launchpad for one of his signature crowd surfing moments.
During the pandemic Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts ran a kitchen operation from the Theatre and the Thomas Morton Hall producing around 1,000 meals a day for those in need.
And although the supergroup AC/DC is
performing at Scottish Gas
During the Commonwealth Games in 1970 the venue was used as a venue for the weight lifting tournament, and it has also hosted
musicians such as Benjamin Britten and the Amadeus Quartet.
After damage during the Second World War, the building was closed. (The main auditorium has been closed for almost longer than it has been open during its lifetime.)
Dance coach June steps back from director role
By PHYLLIS STEPHEN
AS THE DANCERS REHEARSE for this year’s University of Edinburgh Annual Dance Performance the creative director, June Underwood, is bowing out after 40 years of directing the event.
She is not retiring from her day job at the university but is happy to pass the responsibility for directing the show to someone new.
June said: “When it started we only had around 30 dancers, but now there are 16 groups participating.
“I had just graduated and was putting everything into practice. We had some contemporary dance, some jazz and Scottish country dancing. I used to be a member of an amateur dance theatre group and we helped to augment the programme in those early years.
Then it just kept growing. We got to a point when we had break dancers - but we don’t have any of them at the moment. Styles just come and go - but we will have tango and salsa and also some Bollywood and classic Indian dance.”
June studied physical education but had been dancing since she was three years-old with the traditional ballet and tap lessons, followed by some Highland dancing. She said: “I did that competitively to quite a good standard and then I was
introduced to contemporary dance by by PE teacher and I just fell in love with that. When I got a job here I thought well I’m just going to start our own show. This is unique as there is nowhere on the amateur or professional circuit that has a
performance with so many dance styles in it.”
The 40th Annual Dance Performance takes place at The Pleasance Theatre on 14 and 15 March. eusa.ed.ac.uk/events
A pop up programme will use the theatre this summer
L-R Dancers Sophie McIntosh, Olivia Allen, Camryn Andrews and Leah McGregor June Underwood bowing out
Murrayfield in summer 2025, they performed at Leith Theatre in the 1970s.
Lynn Morrison, Chief Executive and Bob Last, Chair, both of Leith Theatre Trust and Caroline Clark of The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Chamber awards failed business
By STEPHEN RAFFERTY
THE COMPANY BEHIND an award-winning Edinburgh “gourmet” burger chain - which started off in a shipping container - has run aground leaving potential debts of almost £120,000.
Secure Kitchens Ltd, the company which launched Luxford Burgers, was placed into liquidation on 9 January with debts of almost £80,000 due to His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
Despite this, Mr Galpin was shortlisted in the prestigious High Growth Business of the Year Award in Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce’s annual business awards held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on 27 February. Last year he was also crowned “Rising Star of the Year” in the same Chamber of Commerce awards.
After The Edinburgh Reporter brought the anomaly to the attention of the Chamber of Commerce, they refused to comment or to confirm if their awards application process would be reviewed. The High Growth Business of the Year Award sponsor, Royal Bank of Scotland, was asked for comment but referred the matter to the Chamber.
A “statement of affairs” by official liquidator Begbies Traynor showed Secure Kitchens Ltd.’s largest creditor is HMRC who are due £75,661 in unpaid VAT and PAYE, with almost £3,000 also due in respect of corporation tax.
Another 16 creditors include Bookers (£18,812), British Gas (£7,969), City of Edinburgh Council (£6,900), American Express (£5,959) and Borders supplier Shaw’s Fine Meats Innerleithen (£3,402). Smaller Edinburgh creditors include Change Waste (£3,515.08), Pace Print (£373.80) and Caledonian Heating & Plumbing (£312.18).
The Begbies Traynor report showed that total creditors were due £167,637 but with an estimated £48,768 in assets available to preferential creditors, the deficit was £118,869.
Luxford Burgers was started from a shipping container in Leith in 2020 as a “click and collect” and delivery service before opening its first restaurant in St Leonard’s Street in March 2022. A second restaurant in Brandon Terrace opened last September and delivery-only units operated in Glasgow, Manchester, Nottingham and Leeds.
Mr Galpin’s LinkedIn profile states he is
Executive Director of hospitality management business Galpin Group which “owns and operates a portfolio of restaurants across the UK, with a combined gross turnover of £6m+ per annum”.
He said he has launched, acquired and scaled several virtual and physical concepts and that he was a pioneer in dark kitchens and ghost kitchen models, adding: “…I bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the team, thanks to my academic background in politics and my interest in global affairs.”
Alexander Galpin said Secure Kitchens Ltd started to experience cash flow problems in March 2023 and after seeking independent financial advice it was discovered management accounts had been prepared inaccurately and the business was found to be trading at a loss.
Mr Galpin said: “I am proud that because of our actions, we saved 37 jobs (27 of which are Edinburgh-based) and our new trading company has paid over £100,000 to HMRC already. Whilst we leave a shortfall behind in our last trading company, the net total is positive.
“A situation caused by no fault of our own, had to be rectified and the actions we took were tough but necessary: we cut off a limb to save the body. I myself am a creditor of the company to the sum of £20,000 - this was not an action to make a gain for ourselves or to profit.”
Luxford Burgers and the two Edinburgh restaurants are continuing to trade through Got Buns Ltd, a company set up on 14 June 2024 with Mr Galpin and Alexis Bedetti-Dato listed as directors, and Mr Galpin as the majority shareholder with Andrew Hinchcliffe named as a minority shareholder.
Casa Italia now open
By STEPHEN RAFFERTY
SCOTLAND’S ITALIAN COMMUNITY
has a new home in the centre of Edinburgh following a £1.9 million refurbishment programme of the former Old London House in East London Street.
Italy House is shared by the Consulate General of Italy in Edinburgh (CGIE) and the Italian Culture Institute in Edinburgh, which provides a wide range of cultural activities and language lessons.
There are estimated to be around 10,000 Italians living in Scotland - 30% of which live in Edinburgh - and at least 40,000 Scots of Italian heritage.
The inauguration and formal opening of Italy House was attending by senior officials including Giorgio Silli, the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Italy’s Ambassador to the UK Inigo Lambertini, and Alessandro Cattaneo, a member of the Chamber of Deputies - the Lower House of the Italian Parliament.
After the inauguration ceremony, Ambassador Lambertini chaired a meeting of representatives of the Italian community in the UK, which was also attended by Luigi Maria Vignali, the Director General for Italians abroad.
The refurbishment has transformed the existing property into a vibrant and functional space that reflects the rich cultural heritage of Italy and has created modern office spaces, cultural exhibition areas, classrooms and public reception facilities.
The opening of the new headquarters is designed to meet the needs of Italy’s growing community and the increasing demand for consular services as part of a broader strategy to enhance Italy’s presence in the United Kingdom.
The Italian community in the region is expanding, with over 27,000 AIREregistered citizens in Scotland and Northern Ireland, who have successfully integrated into the local social and economic fabric.
Under Secretary Silli said: “The new consular office is further proof of the Government’s commitment to Italians living abroad. This first visit to Scotland during my mandate is an important opportunity to strengthen ties with Italian associations, the Comites, the CGIE, and the local community.”
Italy House
Alexander Galpin pictured centre
Luxford Burgers St Leonard’s St
Make a move on the South Sub
By PHYLLIS STEPHEN
HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY civil engineering students have made a new call for the reopening of the Edinburgh South Suburban rail route which last served passengers in the south of Edinburgh in 1962. Their study has revealed that there is a possible viable project - one which depends on political will to move it forward.
The six-strong team of civil engineers will hold an event on 16 March at The Waiting Room in Morningside to present their findings to the public. They have also set up an online petition urging policymakers to integrate Edinburgh’s South Suburban Line into Edinburgh’s existing tram network with their preferred tram train option.
The students carried out a public survey which revealed significant support from local communities and potential passengers. Spanning 12.3km, the line runs west to east between Scottish Gas Murrayfield stadium all the way to Portobello, passing through key neighbourhoods of Craiglockhart, Morningside, Newington, Cameron Toll, Craigmillar, Fort Kinnaird and Brunstane.
There are six platforms along the route which the students acknowledge would require some renovation. Their plans also propose a further four new platforms at Portobello, Fort Kinnaird, Niddrie Bingham and Cameron Toll.
While the line is maintained by Network Rail and used today for freight transport and the very odd passenger train, the students say that it is an underused asset. The group argue that it would not only benefit passengers but would also help the council to meet its targets to reduce car miles travelled by 30% by 2030.
Corey Boyle, a fifth year Civil Engineering
student from Heriot-Watt University who lives near Morningside Clock, came up with the idea for the final year project. He said: “There have been four feasibility studies in the past, but none since 2008 which predates the opening of Edinburgh Trams in 2014. We believe tram trains are a new viable option to reinstate passenger services. A tram train looks like a tram, talks like a tram, is the same size as a tram, but is sturdier and has more structural integrity. It also has different wheel profiles to run on both tram and railway lines.”
Caitlin Cummings is another team member. She said: “We visited the pilot programme in Sheffield where they have seven tram trains, four of which are in operation. This allowed us to see the different wheel profiles, and the way the tram trains can change from rail to tram track at the flick of a switch. Tram trains started in Germany and there will be some introduced in Manchester soon.”
Another of the students, Natalia Greenan, said their study includes costings showing it will be more economical to begin a tram-train service on existing lines than building an extension to the tramline. She explained their ethos: “We just want to serve the community. Like any good engineering project it should serve the people who are going to use it.”
Transport and Environment Convener, Cllr
Stephen Jenkinson said: “Edinburgh requires an efficient, innovative and interconnected public transport system - to allow us to deal with projected population growth, fulfil our climate responsibilities, drive economic growth, and accelerate developments to respond to our housing emergency.
“I’ve been clear that the North-South tram route is a key part of that, and I’m looking forward to seeing the final Strategic Business Case when it
is ultimately presented to committee. In addition, we are working with partners on how a NorthSouth tram route can connect with other public transport options across the city and the surrounding local authorities and South Suburban Railway is part of this.”
Local MSP, Daniel Johnson, said: “The South Suburban route runs through the middle of my constituency, and I have long thought about how transformational reopening the route to passengers would be.
“I’ve been impressed by the team at HeriotWatt University as their proposal addresses capacity issues that have blocked previous attempts to reopen the route, and using hybrid tram-trains offers a cost-effective solution.
“Edinburgh enjoys good quality public transport in and out of town but there are far fewer links across the city. This proposal would create a direct link between the BioQuarter in the East and the Business Park in the West, and I hope that it is taken seriously.”
@EdSouthSub on X said they hope the new petition gets as many signatories as theirs has in the last five years. A spokesperson said: “In a time of financial constraints it makes sense to utilise existing infrastructure as much as possible. Given the likely high cost (£, time, disruption and CO₂) of a new tram line via the Bridges and to the Royal Infirmary the South Sub proposal needs to be seriously evaluated in comparison of cost / benefit.”
The Heriot-Watt University team during a visit to Rotherham
AI image of how South Suburban could look
L-R Heriot-Watt students Corey Boyle, Natalia Greenan and Caitlin Cummings
The forgotten people in Ukraine
By OLEG DMITRIEV
Oleg Dmitriev, Chairman of Sunflower Scotland, a charity he set up in Edinburgh to help people in Ukraine has sent in an update, explaining that the older people he tries to help on the front line are not living there out of choice. They simply have no money to relocate to safety. The refugee allowance is around £40 a month, but rent for a basic house in a safe city is around £100 a month. Any pensioners in Kharkiv or Kramatorsk could usually only afford a bed in shared accommodation - but these are now no longer safe as they were recently targeted by Russian missiles.
He writes: “I return to the frontline in Ukraine every six weeks or so. Sunflower Scotland helps old age pensioners up in the Kharkiv region, as well as down south in the Kherson area. I go to the isolated villages where some houses have been destroyed, because that’s where people need help. Back in 2022-2023, humanitarian aid was flowing from all over the world. Now in 2025, things have changed. During my last trip to the villages east of Kharkiv, I didn’t see any humanitarian transports any more. In the third winter of the war, the old people know that no one is coming to help you, you are on your own.
“On 2 January my team and I drove three cars loaded with warm boots and warm clothes to help 528 people, in four villages near Vovchansk. In May 2024, Russia opened another front and invaded Vovchansk. This small town of 17,00 people is located just east of Kharkiv.
“After heavy fighting, artillery shelling and dropping bombs from the aeroplanes, Vovchansk has turned into a desert of rubble. People with money ran to Kharkiv, to Kyiv, or to Europe. The poor people - the elderly, the disabled, single mothers with children - had no money to go far. They got scattered across the
nearby villages. That’s why we are helping the Vovchansk region.
“The road was very hard: the first 10 miles from Kharkiv are okay, but then we have to drive through the fields. The track was sticky mud, and we used our 4x4 car to tow our Renault Trafic van all the way. The villages are 15 miles from the front. As you get closer to the battle zone, you need to look out for drones. A kamikaze drone can fly as far as 20 miles and destroy any vehicle, and everyone in it.
“In December and January, Ukrainian newspapers had reports of charity workers killed by the drones. So this danger is real, and
we don’t take it lightly. Kamikaze drones travel as fast as 80 miles an hour. So if you hear the noise of a kamikaze drone, it’s too late. Try to jump out of the car if you can.
“I have been helping frontline villages near Kharkiv since 2022. At the outbreak of the war, Russia occupied all the north-east Kharkiv region. But in September 2022, Ukraine’s soldiers successfully kicked them out in what is known as Kharkiv counter-offensive. Back then, the mood was positive, and people were hoping for Ukraine’s victory. Three winters later, people are scared and depressed. Russia is attacking Kharkiv again: Lyptsi (just 10 miles north of the city), Kupyansk (60 miles east) and Vovchansk (20 miles north-east).
“I used to deliver humanitarian aid all across the Kharkiv region. We would load our cars with bags of food and cleaning supplies, and go east and north. There were thousands of deeply traumatised people everywhere. Some roads are
Fringe Central progresses to the next act
By PHYLLIS STEPHEN
FIFE-BASED ARCHITECTS, Studio LBA, will design the new interior of Fringe Central in the former South Bridge Resource Centre on Infirmary Street.
With the help of £7 million of UK Government funding as well as monies from the Foyle Foundation and SP Energy Networks, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society (EFFS) has taken over the lease of the building and will turn it into a “multi-purpose space”.
This space will combine the Fringe offices and facilities for those performing in and producing shows. The conservation and development project will include the refurbishment
of the category B-listed building and is described as “complex”.
Lynsay Bell Manson, managing director at Studio LBA, said: “We’ve worked on a number of specialist conservation projects and it is fantastic to be appointed by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society to play our part in restoring and modernising a historic building.
“Our design approach is sensitive to the cherished history of the building, so our plans focus on preserving the existing character, whilst upgrading the building’s fabric and accessibility.
“Given the net zero targets for Scotland we’ll be adopting a low energy approach to retrofitting the existing building using sustainable
materials and adding more energy efficient solutions throughout. We’ll also maintain flexibility for the future in our design to ensure the space can adapt to the changing needs of the charity and the Fringe for years to come.”
Shona McCarthy, chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society (who leaves next month) said: “Through funding from the UK Government we’re delighted that we are able to move forward with the long-held ambition of a new, accessible home for the Fringe Society which will benefit artists, community partners and the Edinburgh Fringe through a range of enhanced services throughout the year. We’re delighted to be working
very tough: every village to the east of Oskil river was half-destroyed. People were scared and emotional. The hardest thing for me is when we come to a village, start distributing food, and 30 minutes later we realise we don’t have enough for everybody. In Kozacha Lopan, where Russia fires artillery across the border, I tried to do something for an old man. His house was blown up by an artillery shell, and he lived across the road with his neighbour. I was thinking: how is it to wake up every morning and see that your home, all your life, has turned into a pile of rubble? These isolated villages have no medical facilities, no banks, no social services. To go see a doctor or a dentist, people need to hire a 4x4 car for £80. It is more than their monthly pension of £60.
“Life there is so hard.That’s why we try to help.”
sunflowerscotland.co.uk
with Studio LBA on this project and can’t wait to open the doors to the new permanent Fringe Central later next year.”
EFFS has appointed a design team of Thomas & Adamson as project manager, Montagu Evans as heritage consultant, Will Rudd Davidson as structural engineer and Wallace Whittle as mechanical and electrical engineer.
The former adult learning centre dates back to 1736, but updates to insulation, and accessibility such as the addition of air source heat pumps, accessible toilets, entrance ramp and internal lift will make it more sustainable.
The Fringe said it aims to become a net zero carbon event by 2030.
Destroyed house in frontline village
New Fringe Central
Sunflower Scotland delivered medical items to Shakhtarske town
Sunflower Scotland delivered two defibrillators and Ecoflow
Ruined house in Mala Rogan, July 2022
Local resident picking winter boots and humanitarian aid
Botanics appeal reaches new high
By GEORGE MAIR
A PUBLIC APPEAL for money to help restore some of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s botanical treasures following the “devastation” of Storm Éowyn has topped £100,000.
Meanwhile, a team of specialists from England is helping with the giant clean up effort.
More than 1500 people have donated to the appeal set up by RBGE following the worst storm to hit Scotland in over a decade.
The conservation charity lost hundreds of trees across its four sites including Edinburgh, Benmore in Argyll, Logan in Dumfries and Galloway and Dawyck in the Borders when winds up to 90mph hit the country on January 24.
Experts estimate the cost of repairing the “devastating damage” could exceed £1m.
RGBE’s clear up operation has been boosted by a team of tree experts from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The four highly skilled arborists spent several days at Benmore and Dawyck helping the resident teams to clear fallen trunks and debris, remove dangerous hanging branches and assess the status of remaining trees.
Benmore Botanic Garden near Dunoonhome to a world-famous collection of plants from regions ranging from the Orient and the Himalaya to North and South America - was the worst hit of the four locations with nearly 800 plants including trees and shrubs recorded as lost or damaged.
Over 300 mature trees were lost across the 120 acre site and a further 142 were damaged. These included a 165 foot giant redwood that helped form “one of the finest entrances to a botanical garden anywhere in the world”. The tree, which was planted in 1863, was snapped in half by the force of the wind.
At Dawyck, near Peebles, more than 50 trees were lost during the storm, forcing the season reopening to be delayed for safety reasons.
News from The Old
The Old Edinburgh Club has highlighted some of the significant historical events which have taken place in March in the past.
1 MARCH
In 1567, placards linking Mary Queen of Scots & Lord Bothwell in adultery and in Lord Darnley’s murder began to circulate in Edinburgh. And in 1682, the Advocate’s Library (now known as the National Library of Scotland and situated on George IV Bridge) was opened by its founder, Sir George Mackenzie, the Lord Advocate.
8 MARCH
In 1859, Kenneth Grahame, author of “The Wind in the Willows”, was born
Dawyck has now reopened to visitors while Benmore will reopen on March 1.
Some complex restoration work will take years, however, and a long-term challenge will be to make the Gardens more resilient to an evermore frequent number of severe weather events.
David Knott, RBGE’s Curator of the Living Collections, said: “Our sites at Dawyck and Benmore have been considerably impacted.
“Benmore, in particular, suffered unimaginable damage. The clear up won’t be measured in days or months but years and possibly even a decade in places.
“The big push at Dawyck and Benmore now is to get these gardens open as quickly as possible, so we are very grateful for the additional support of the four arborists from Kew.
“We have a history of supporting one another - we offered similar help as far back as 1987 when Kew’s tree collection suffered significant storm damage.”
Mr Knott thanked members of the public who have donated the huge sum to the RBGE’s Storm Damage Appeal.
Edinburgh Club
in Edinburgh. And in 1940, an artillery shell was fired into Leith from Inchkeith Defensive Battery! Here’s the report: “Several people had remarkable escapes when a 100lb shell crashed through the walls of this house in Leith, Scotland. The shell
He added: “These gardens mean so much to so many people for so many different reasons. This has been evident by the response to our public appeal.
“It’s heartening for the teams across all four gardens that there is that level of public support.”
The RBGE and Kew are part of a wide network under the umbrella of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) Tree conservation.
Last year, a major survey concluded that 38% of the world’s tree species are at risk of extinction and 440 species have fewer than 50 individuals remaining.
RBGE’s Edinburgh and Logan gardens also suffered significant losses. In Edinburgh, a 95ft tall Himalayan cedar planted in 1859 was one of more than 15 trees either “uprooted or damaged beyond recovery”, while over 100 panes of glass were lost from glasshouses.
The capital site was able to reopen to the public just days after the storm, while Logan Botanic Gardens, which was supposed to reopen on February 15, will reopen on March 1 instead.
which had been fired from a costal battery across the bows of a trawler, struck the water, ricocheted, skimmed the housetops, went through a factory roof and struck a house.’; the story “allegedly” was that a young lieutenant arrived on Inchkeith with the Royal Artillery during these dark war years and the gun crew were ordered to fire a salvo across the bows of the trawler; despite the attempts of the gun crew who tried to tell this young officer that the shells were not blanks, the officer dismissed their protests and curtly ordered the crew to fire resulting in the shelling of Salamander Street; thankfully no one was injured; it was amusingly known in Leith as the “Battle of Salamander Street”.
Fans impress Hobbit star
By GEORGE MAIR
SCOTS HOBBIT star Graham McTavish
has told an audience in Edinburgh how some fans of his films are so convincing in their costumes, they could walk straight on to a film set.
McTavish, 64, played dwarf Dwalin in the Hobbit trilogy of films alongside stars like Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins and Ian McKellen as Gandalf.
He is still invited to conventions where fans of the fantasy adventures go to incredible lengths to appear as their favourite characters.
McTavish was among the film and TV stars who attended the tenth Capital Sci-Fi Con at the O2 in Edinburgh earlier this month, organised by the charity Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS).
He said: “I didn’t know about conventions at all until I did The Hobbit. It’s almost like a secret world.
“Some of the dedication they have to their costumes is absolutely incredible. They could walk onto a set and they would be ready to go.”
McTavish starred in the Hobbit trilogy released between 2012-14. He said his other shows, including Outlander and Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, also had fanatical fans.
The annual Sci-Fi convention in Edinburgh has raised over £430,000 for CHAS since 2016.
12 MARCH
In 1971, an explosion at 11.43 AM almost totally destroyed the Bell’s Mills in Dean Village; Bell’s Mills was the last water-powered mill working in Edinburgh.
23 MARCH
In 1597, King James VI drank with the bailies, the council, and the deacons whilst the bells were rung,
trumpets sounded, and drums and whistles played as reconciliation between the King and the people of Edinburgh whose amity had been disrupted the previous December.
And in 1848, Reverend Thomas Burns founded a Free Church Settlement in New Zealand, which later became known as Dunedin; architect Charles Settle was asked to aim to replicate the characteristics of the streets of Edinburgh, with a mixture of grand and quirky designs.
Compiled by Jerry Ozaniec, Membership Secretary of the Old Edinburgh Club, membership@ oldedinburghclub.org.uk
Storm Éowyn damage at RBGE
Tallest tree in the Botanics was a victim
Graham McTavish Chris Watt
Local police inspecting the damage
The scene at Bell’s Mills
Eat Out Edinburgh 2025
A month-long celebration of the city’s best bars & restaurants
March means one thing for food lovers in Edinburgh – Eat Out Edinburgh is back. Following last year’s record-breaking success, with over 18,700 bookings made, the campaign returns bigger and better for 2025. Running throughout March, it brings exclusive deals, discounts, and events across the city centre’s vibrant dining scene. This year, more than 50 venues are expected to participate, offering plenty of opportunities to explore Edinburgh’s diverse hospitality scene, from iconic favourites to exciting new spots.
NEW YEAR, NEW VENUES
If you haven’t yet explored all that Edinburgh has to offer, now’s the time. Eat Out Edinburgh 2025 introduces newcomers to the event including Dishoom, with a Bombay-inspired menu for £29 per person. Situated in the sleek W Hotel, SUSHISAMBA also makes its debut, bringing a fusion of Japanese, Brazilian, and Peruvian flavours with its Samba Express menu, available from £25 for two courses.
Other fresh faces include Roxy Lanes, Manahatta, and The Botanist, each offering a unique take on dining out in the city centre.
Of course, some of your favourite spots are returning. Chaophraya, Lady Libertine, Bonnie & Wild, and BABA are just a few familiar names offering new deals and special menus to tempt your taste buds. Whether you’re after a hearty meal or a stylish drink, the campaign spans key dining destinations from Princes Street to St James Quarter.
CELEBRATE SCOTLAND’S FINEST INGREDIENTS
A highlight of this year’s campaign is the focus on Scotland’s incredible local produce. Participating restaurants will showcase fresh, seasonal ingredients, from Scotland’s finest seafood and Highland beef to artisan cheeses and game. Whether you’re a connoisseur of fine dining or simply enjoy discovering new flavours, there’s something for everyone this March.
CELEBRATING SPECIAL OCCASIONS
Looking for a night of fun in the heart of Edinburgh? Roxy Lanes is the place to be. With bowling, arcade games, and a lively atmosphere, it’s ideal for a friends’ night out or a fun date. Whether you’re celebrating a special
Top right - Le Petit Beefbar serves ethically sourced produce
Above left - Enjoy a monkfish curry at Dishoom
Above right - Upstairs at Dishoom on St Andrew Square
Right - BABA at the other end of George Street on Charlotte Square
Bottom left - Ragu has 20% off for online booking
INCREDIBLE DEALS
For food lovers, there are plenty of tempting offers, whether you’re after a quick bite or a luxurious feast:
DISHOOM: Enjoy a special Bombayinspired menu for £29 per person. Including dishes like Tandoori Chaat, Goan Monkfish Curry, and Makhmali Paneer.
CHAOPHRAYA: Start your day with a delicious breakfast and a mimosa for just £14 – the perfect way to fuel up before a day exploring the city.
RAGU PASTA: Enjoy 20% off the main menu when you book online, available Sunday to Friday, all day and evening, plus Saturdays until 3.30pm.
ROXY LANES: Perfect for a midweek catch-up, offering 20% off Sunday through Wednesday – grab a bite and enjoy the lively atmosphere.
THE BOTANIST: Depending on your mood - two courses (£20) or three (£25), The Botanist offers an incredible deal Monday to Thursday throughout March.
occasion or just want something different, Roxy Lanes offers a great mix of entertainment and delicious food and drink. Plus, with 20% off Sunday through Wednesday, it’s an affordable way to enjoy Edinburgh’s vibrant nightlife.
EXCLUSIVE SUPPER CLUBS AT TOP VENUES
Eat Out Edinburgh introduces a new addition this year: exclusive supper clubs at some of the city’s top venues. These specially curated experiences combine fine dining with socialising, showcasing the best Scottish
ingredients in a relaxed, intimate setting. Perfect for food enthusiasts looking for something a little different, supper club nights will offer unforgettable dining experiences.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
With so many fantastic offers, Eat Out Edinburgh 2025 is the perfect excuse to indulge in some of the best food and drink the city has to offer. With Mother’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and Six Nations rugby making March a busy month, it’s the perfect time to gather with friends, family, or colleagues and enjoy Edinburgh’s hospitality scene. If you’re watching the big match or celebrating mum with a fun day out, Eat Out Edinburgh has something to make every occasion special. Emily Campbell Johnston, Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications at Essential Edinburgh, said: “2024’s Eat Out Edinburgh was a huge success, with tables filled across the city and thousands of people taking advantage of the incredible offers available. With even more exciting venues signing up this year, we can’t wait to welcome more diners to the city centre in March 2025.”
For the latest updates on participating venues and offers, visit www.eatoutedinburgh.com
Top - the fabulous interior at SUSHISAMBA
Top right - The Botanist for Mondays to Sundays
Above - clockwise from top left - Breakfast pancakes at Chaophraya, sweet and sour at Chaophraya, snuggle in at Lady Libertine at Edinburgh Grand and raise a glass
Left 20% off at Roxy Lanes Sun to Wed
St Margaret’s House to be sold
By PHYLLIS STEPHEN
St Margaret’s House at 151 London Road, owned by Caledonian Trust and currently let to Edinburgh Palette, has been put up for sale.
Planning permission is in place for 361 purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) and 107 residential units.
Edinburgh Palette is a social enterprise and charity which supports creative businesses, and for more than 15 years Caledonian Trust has offered them space at subsidised rents. This is however a major asset for the trust, having previously been let to The Scottish Government. The Trust says this development would create a sustainable mixed use neighbourhood as envisioned by the council.
Michael Baynham, Director, Caledonian Trust, said: “151 London Road has been an important asset for Caledonian Trust for many years, and we are committed to ensuring that its redevelopment will benefit both the local community and the wider city of Edinburgh. We recognise the valuable work of Edinburgh Palette and the positive impact it has had on the local creative sector, but we also understand the urgent need for new homes in this area. This development presents a significant
opportunity to help address the city’s housing challenges and support the long-term regeneration of the region.”
Will Scarlett of Scarlett Land, said: “151 London Road is one of the last large-scale sites in Edinburgh available for PBSA development, especially considering recent changes to
planning policies and competing demands for space.
“The implemented student accommodation and residential consent complements the well-established student and residential community in the area, benefiting from excellent connectivity and local amenities.”
Surf park shored up by £1m
By PHYLLIS STEPHEN
A NEW INVESTOR has been announced for the surf park in Ratho. Owner of First Stage Studios in Leith, Jason Connery, son of legendary OO7 actor, Sir Sean Connery, has ploughed £1 million into the largest surf park in Europe. The resort is more than a wave park with a restaurant and accommodation set around it welcoming day guests and those who wish to stay a little longer, with many visitors reported since opening.
Founder of Lost Shore, Andy Hadden, is also collaborating with Mr Connery on a new £25 million commercial development aimed at the creative sector.
Jason Connery said: “Lost Shore Surf Resort is an exciting and ambitious project that brings something truly special to Scotland. It offers incredible opportunities not only for sport and recreation but also for the local economy. Andy Hadden’s vision for the resort is inspiring, and I am pleased to support a business that aligns with my passion for
Scottish enterprise, sport, and culture. The early success of Lost Shore is a testament to the demand for an attraction like this, and I look forward to seeing its continued impact.”
Andy Hadden, Founder of Lost Shore Surf Resort, welcomed the investment, saying: “These funds will help us take the project to the next level. We are thilled to have Jason Connery backing our vision for Lost Shore. This investment underlines the potential of inland surf parks not only as world-class sporting destinations but also
Filmhouse appoint contractors
By PHYLLIS STEPHEN
IT IS ALL BECOMING a bit more real on Lothian Road where Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd have appointed Clark Contracts to carry out the building work necessary to transform the cinema.
Filmhouse, who moved in to the converted church building at 88 Lothian Road in 1979, grew from the Edinburgh Film Guild, showcasing arthouse films and ran as a successful and popular cultural cinema venue for over 40 years . After merging with the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) in 2010, it became part of the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI) but that parent company went into administration in 2022, leading to the closure of Filmhouse, EIFF, and the Belmont Cinema and the sale of the building to Caledonian Heritable.
The Open The Doors campaign was created to preserve Filmhouse, and by July 2024, with support from Creative Scotland and The City of Edinburgh, funding was secured and a 25-year lease signed with plans to reopen under new management.
as drivers of economic growth and community engagement. Lost Shore is designed to be more than just a surf park - it is a place where people can come together, experience the thrill of surfing, and enjoy top-tier amenities that make it a true resort experience.”
Work began last month on upgrading seating with more leg room and better sightlines and also a fourth cinema. The accessibility of the building will be improved as well as acoustics and heating/ventilation.
The foyer will be renovated with new public toilets and a new café bar.
Ginnie Atkinson, chair of Filmhouse said “We are delighted to be working with Clark Contracts on this project. Our experience with the team is very positive and it is exciting to see the plans on paper become a reality with changes happening on a daily basis. We are looking forward to opening again in the summer.”
Gerry Cummins, Director at Clark Contracts, added: “We are excited to be delivering this project to bring the Filmhouse Cinema back to life, we look forward to working with Filmhouse and the design team to deliver the project which will provide a great facility for the public.”
Aerial view of St Margaret’s House near Meadowbank
Lost Shore resort vision is inspiring
Four screens will be created
Jason Connery
Young artists work will be shown at National Galleries of Scotland
By STAFF REPORTER
FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER art created by young artists aged 3 to 18 will be shown at the National Gallery of Scotland. Your Art World is a project to encourage young people to get creative as they will have the chance of their paintings, 3-D sculptures, drawings or videos - any kind of art is welcome - displayed in the gallery which is home to well known paintings such as the Monarch of the Glen.
Siobhan McConnachie, Head of Learning and Engagement, National Galleries of Scotland, said: “I’m so excited and proud to be showcasing the artwork of the talented young artists of Scotland. The response so far has been truly inspiring and we have been so impressed with everyone’s creativity. We can’t wait to see what else is still to come! Your Art World is incredibly important to us at the National Galleries of Scotland as it hands over the creative process to young people and celebrates
their work. Art has its place in every school, home and young person’s life, whether that be encouraging people to think creatively, use it as an expressive outlet or simply for some fun. This project and exhibition truly celebrates that art really is for everyone.”
New entries will be accepted throughout the exhibition and added to the rolling display on the digital screens every month until the end of September. All submissions can be made online.
All 3-18 year olds living in Scotland are invited
Quiet - it’s time for Hippfest
By STAFF REPORTER
THE SILENT FILM FESTIVAL which is centred in the oldest purpose built cinema in Scotland takes place in March.
Hippfest is back from 19 to 23 March at the Hippodrome Cinema in Bo’ness and will celebrate more than a century of films with its programme.
The 15th edition of HippFest takes both at the cinema and online, with selected events available to view online ondemand within a 48-hour viewing window after the in-person screenings.
There is a taste of what is to come with HippFest’s pre-Festival presentations being broadcast on the Falkirk Leisure & Culture YouTube channel.
Tickets are on sale now for the full programme, as well as the HippFest Festival and Weekend Pass.
Festival Director Alison Strauss said: “The team and I are thrilled to be sharing this superlative line-up of silent films presented with unrivalled live music accompaniment. And we want everyone to know that the fun doesn’t end with great films… There are many more immersive treats on offer including excursions, quizzes, guided tours, an exhibition, workshops, talks, an online programme and of course a party! We are proud that HippFest has reached this milestone edition, and can take its place alongside the best arts festivals that Scotland has to offer, cultivating an international and ever-growing
to send their art for inclusion in the exhibition, by sending a photograph of their work to the National Galleries of Scotland’s online gallery. As you can see above some young artists from Redhall School and also North Edinburgh’s LIFT Kids’ Club have already created their displays of drawings and embroideries, sensory works and abstract paintings, but art can be added at any time to the rolling display until the end of September. www.nationalgalleries.org
community of people with an adventurous appetite for extraordinary cinema.”
For full programme information and to book tickets visit the website hippfest.co.uk.
Courtesy of the Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford, The Pride of the Clan (1917)
Forgotten Faces (1928)
Redhall School, Edinburgh Paul Watt
LIFT Kids’ Club, Edinburgh
By Charlie Ellis
Cafēn creates a buzz
Coffee geeks gather at new Dundas Street specialist
CAFĒN SPECIALITY BREW BAR
on Dundas Street has, within a few months, created quite a buzz.
Already it’s built a strong reputation for serving superb quality coffees in a lively, engaging atmosphere. For those with a keen interest in the intricacies of specialty coffee, this is definitely one of the prime destinations in the city.
COFFEE CELEBRITY
Cafēn was particularly busy when large numbers were attracted by the presence of specialty coffee “celeb” Lance Hedrick. He currently oversees international wholesale for Onyx Coffee Lab, “a coffee shop dedicated to the art and science of coffee”. Serious stuff! His guest appearance attracted coffee geeks from around the city, including representatives from a number of leading coffee places in Edinburgh - including The Source and Lowdown. It was fascinating to observe their interactions - and the commentary they offered on the coffees they sampled. It was evidence of the slightly cultish aspect of specialty coffee, as well as the desire to see constant innovation.
I arrived around 3pm, and had a distinct sense of arriving just as
things were starting to settle down.
Cafēn owner Alex admitted that it had been something of “a crazy day”, as he tried to keep things running smoothly. There had been a very long queue in the morning. However, they’d maintained standards and the coffee I was served was just as good as I’d had on calmer days.
THE EXPERT VIEW
Sitting down with the coterie of coffee experts to “chew the cud” was a good way to gauge the state of specialty coffee in Edinburgh. Those I talked to had significant experience as baristas, roasters and coffee tourists (exploring new places through coffee). From them I gathered insights about what they considered the best specialty coffee places in the city to be, and what they look for in a coffee bar. What came through abundantly was the passion they all had about coffee. In particular, they were constantly seeking out new places and trying to connect. Lewis Gilchrist had recently visited Vietnam and Indonesia, discovering all sorts of unique beans and small underground cafés and roasters. Coffee can be a portal into the unknown.
CROSSWORD
By Aldhelm
Iteration, restatement (10)
SOMETHING EXPERIENTIAL
What they really enjoy is the interaction you get when you discover others with a real passion for coffee. These are places looking for something experiential, based on personal recommendations from others with real know-how and passion. On the other hand, when they visited places that didn’t offer that, they found the experience rather deflating. This is a reflection that specialty coffee places these days attract a variety of customers and only some are truly coffee geeks. A big test is trying to determine exactly who they are serving. Who among their customers is looking for that bit extra, something new, perhaps something with a slightly funky flavour profile. This tension between what coffee geeks want and what mainstream punters want is a common theme of discussion on coffee.
However the coffee experts I chatted to all had a sense that there were many others out there who might well enjoy specialty coffee but have not had access to it. Specialty coffee was not, by its nature, something that only a small elite can enjoy. “A lot of people don’t
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know what’s behind those doors”.
A RADICALLY CHANGED COFFEE SCENE
Looking at Itchy Edinburgh from 2008 gives an idea of the changing coffee culture. Published just on the cusp of the rise of specialty coffee, the selection illustrates the changing nature of what we might consider a posh coffee place. The places suggested included Café Florentin (Giles Street) and Elephants on Bagels (Nicolson Square). These Edinburgh institutions were, in coffee terms, wedded to the idea that Italian style espresso was the ultimate in good coffee. Also recommended was The
Prodded (6)
Elephant House, currently in limbo. If it does return, it will be interesting to see whether it, in coffee terms, taps into current trends or sticks to its continental flavour.
A SOURCE OF PRIDE
Places such as Cafēn are raising the bar in terms of standard, adding to an already strong coffee scene in the city. For Andrew Flowers, previously a barista at a top rated place, certain places in Edinburgh are truly “world class”.
Note: The author thanks Lewis and Rhys Gilchrist, Chai, Andrew Flowers, and Lisa Simonis for their assistance with this article.
IN THESE CASH-STRAPPED TIMES, dining out is a treat that should create lasting memories. While exciting new venues constantly emerge on Edinburgh’s vibrant culinary scene, it’s often the establishments that nail both exceptional food and outstanding service that keep diners coming back.
Recently, an experience with an unnamed restaurant (which had garnered praise from a national newspaper for its “food cooked with love”) highlighted how crucial customer service is to the dining experience. Despite the acclaimed cuisine, their frigid response to a booking mix-up and reportedly cold dining space (so chilly that reviewers kept their coats on during lunch) has led our group of six food enthusiasts to take our custom elsewhere. It’s a reminder that even the finest cooking can be overshadowed by poor hospitality.
The winning formula in hospitality is truly the sum of its parts. Beyond exceptional food, it’s about creating an experience through ambience, a thoughtfully curated wine list, attentive yet unobtrusive service, and those finishing touches that elevate a meal into an occasion.
These are some Edinburgh establishments that consistently deliver on all fronts and that I’m happy to return to time and time again.
Divino, part of the Tony Crolla restaurant family and managed by son Alberto,
exemplifies Italian hospitality at its finest. This warm, intimate venue pairs outstanding cuisine with an impressive wine programme featuring an Enomatic system – a state-of-the-art wine dispenser that allows them to offer 32 premium wines by the glass, including unique varieties typically only available by the bottle through their Coravin offering.
The Crolla family really have the whole package nailed, so much so that in one weekend, I visited Divino twice for the most amazing celebratory meal but then again on a Sunday evening for one of their bi-monthly wine tastings, which I can highly recommend. I also visited Vittoria’s for a Sunday lunch, when our plans had to be changed due to a fire alarm in our initial planned restaurant. Their loss, the Crollas’ gain.
Fazenda continues to impress with its Brazilian rodizio concept. While it’s paradise for meat enthusiasts, their extensive salad bar ensures vegetarians and vegans are well catered for. The drinks offering shines with an extensive wine list (including Coravin offerings) and expertly crafted cocktails. Slightly off the beaten path in Tollcross, Yamato delivers exceptional Japanese fine dining. Their extensive menu accommodated my seafood allergies alongside their carefully curated sake selection and elegant design makes it a standout choice for special occasions.
My influence as a food writer came full circle
recently in the most delightful way. An old flatmate, whom I hadn’t seen in a decade, stumbled upon my review of Yamato and was so convinced by my write-up that she booked it for her own belated birthday celebration. What made it even more serendipitous was that we share the same birthday (albeit years apart), and as I scrolled through her social media posts, I couldn’t help but smile – she had ordered nearly every dish I’d recommended. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but seeing my words translate into someone else’s memorable
dining experience? That’s the true reward of having your opinion count.
Dishoom, the Bombay-style establishment that has been drawing crowds since 2017, proves its staying power through consistent excellence.
Their breakfast naan (the Wrestler’s naan is a personal favourite) paired with house-made chai has become a city institution.
Whether visiting for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or cocktails, they’ve mastered the art of making every guest feel valued.
Culinary capers in the capital with Kerry Teakle
Downstairs at Divino
Some pasta with your wine?
Plenty of room for large groups at Fazenda on George Street
Sweet treats at Fazenda
Rodizio carved at the table
Grilled aubergine - yum!
Dishoom
With the World Premiere of Wild Rose, a new stage version of James Robertson’s novel The Testament of Gideon Mack, David Hayman in Death of A Salesman and an encounter with Nessie, March brings a particularly Scottish flavour to Edinburgh stages.
Yee ha! What is it about Glasgow and country western music? The city seems to have an affinity with Nashville that Edinburgh doesn’t - I’m sure more than one Taggart found there’d been a murder at a linedancing club or some such. March’s Must See productions start at the Royal Lyceum with Wild Rose, A New Musical (6 March-9 April), in which that inexplicable relationship is once again explored. Based on the film of the same name written by Nicole Taylor and directed by Tom Harper, the piece tells the story of Rose-Lynn. The only thing that has ever made sense in her life is country music.
Fresh out of jail for past mistakes and bursting with raw talent, charisma and cheek, the free-spirited, want to be singer dreams of escaping Glasgow to make it in Nashville. Marion, her mother, has other ideas, however, and insists she settle down, ditch the fantasy, and focus on raising her two young kids.
Rose-Lynn reluctantly agrees, taking a cleaning job where she finds an unlikely champion in her new boss, Susannah, who helps bring her dream closer than ever. Now Rose-Lynn must decide if risking everything will really pave the road to Nashville.
Described as an uplifting, heart-warming musical about motherhood, dreams, finding your three chords and the truth, Wild Rose features the songs of country western legends such as Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, Wynonna Judd, Chris Stapleton, Caitlyn Smith, The Chicks, and Patty Griffin, alongside the film’s award-winning original song Glasgow (No Place Like Home).
The production, which has already had its run extended, comes with a warning of strong language, making it suitable for ages 14+.
Running time 2 hours 30 minutes, including interval. Tickets £25-£45 https://lyceum.org. uk/events/wild-rose#dates-and-times
Testament of GIdeon Mack
If islands in the stream and the thought of Jolene taking your man, just because she can, leave you saddling up to escape, just around the corner, The Traverse welcomes Dogstar’s new stage production of James Robertson’s acclaimed 2006 novel, The Testament of Gideon Mack (6-8 March). It’s a story of grief and a crisis of faith in society. Meet the generous, energetic, perceptive, ashamed and very Presbyterian Reverend Gideon Mack of Monimaskit - a minister who doesn’t believe in God until the day he falls into a gorge and is rescued by the Devil. Or is he?
Funny, provocative and with a touch of the supernatural, The Testament of Gideon Mack presents a microcosm of small-town Scotland, brought to life by an eight-strong ensemble who evoke the fictional town of Monimaskit’s community as it grapples with Gideon’s revelation that he spent three days with Satan himself. Is Gideon a prophet or a man sent mad by grief?
Running time 2 hours 20 minutes, including interval. Tickets £17 https://www.traverse. co.uk/whats-on/event/the-testament-ofgideon-mack-spring-25
Later this month, at the Festival Theatre, David Hayman makes a welcome and somewhat rare return to the Edinburgh stage in Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, Death Of A Salesman (19-22 March).
Considered by many to be one of the greatest plays of the twentieth century, Miller’s timeless tale takes audiences on a thrilling journey through the final 24 hours of 63-year-old travelling salesman Willy Loman’s life. Filled with his memories, dreams, and struggles, it’s a study of one man’s loss of identity and inability to change, exploring the pressure a father’s expectations on his son, facing the realities of a world in which the ‘American’ dream is unravelling, leaving just betrayal, and abandonment.
Joining Hayman in the cast are Beth Marshall as Linda, Daniel Cahill as Biff, Michael Wallace as Happy, Benny Young as Charley, Gavin John Wright as Bernard, Simon Donaldson as Howard Wagner, Charlene Boyd
as Woman in Boston, Stewart Ennis as Ben, Fay Guiffo as Miss Forsythe, Bailey Newsome as Stanley and Gillian Massey who doubles as Jenny and Letta.
Running time TBC Tickets £22.50-£27.50 https://www.capitaltheatres.com/(2 hours 20 minutes including interval)
Hot on the heels of Willy Loman, and perhaps aptly, it’s the turn of Ghost Stories (26-29 March) to tour to the Nicolson Street theatre. Now, ghostly tales are nothing new to the stage. From Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit to Danny Robins’ 2:22 A Ghost Story, Arnold Ridley’s The Ghost Train to Susan Hill’s The Woman In Black, there’s nothing like a spooky tale to send shivers down the spine on a cold winter’s night... but there’s nothing quite as scary as Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson’s Ghost Stories.
Now more spine-tingling and fantastically terrifying than ever, the West End smash hit is set in a world where the ultimate love-letter to horror is imagined live on stage. When Professor Goodman, arch-sceptic out to debunk the paranormal, embarks on an investigation of three apparent hauntings - as recounted by a night-watchman, a teenage boy, and a businessman awaiting his first child - Goodman finds himself at the outer limits of rationality, and fast running out of explanations. A immersive and electrifying encounter, Ghost Stories is one of London’s best reviewed plays of all time and guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat. Dare you book to see it?
Running time 1 hour 30 minutes. Tickets £22.50-£46.50 https://www.capitaltheatres. com/whats-on/all-shows/ghoststories/2376#tickets
From ghosts to mythical creatures now, but while Nessie (28 March-5 April) might be about Scotland’s Loch Ness monster, there’s nothing scary about this play for all the family at The Studio, behind the Festival Theatre. Suitable for ages 8+, Shonagh Murray’s Nessie has been hailed as a captivating Scottish musical celebrating bravery, friendship and courage. On the scenic banks of Loch Ness lies the town of Bruachness, a place steeped in mystery and folklore, where the local residents live in cautious awe of the legendary Loch Ness Monster, believed to bring misfortune to those who glimpse it. Tales abound of torn fishing nets, capsized boats, and a haunting fog that marks the Monster’s presence. But everything changes when an 11-year-old budding biologist named Mara encounters the Monster - who prefers to be called Nessa, thank you very much - and survives to tell the tale.
As news of Nessa spreads, Bruachness is swept into a whirlwind of Monster Mania. Tourists flock to the town, eager to catch a glimpse of the fabled creature. Amidst the growing frenzy, a mysterious mist descends, and a sinister plot unfolds at the local hydro plant. It’s up to Mara, Nessa, and their aquatic friends to safeguard the loch and its inhabitants. Along the way, they might even uncover the secret of Nessa’s origins.
Running time TBA. Tickets £18.50 https://www. capitaltheatres.com/whats-on/all-shows/ nessie/2415#tickets
Finally, if you’re heading to London for a theatre break, make sure Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell in William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, Much Ado About Nothing (10 February – Saturday 5 April) are on your schedule of shows to see. Hiddleston is Benedick and Atwell is Beatrice in director Jamie Lloyd’s production of the Bard’s savagely funny and beautifully tender battle of wits. If all theatre is a play on words, none can be more so than Much Ado About Nothing, the title referencing the secrets and trickery that are the foundations of the comedy, intrigue, and action that unfold in the play believed to have been written between 1598 and 1599. Set in Messina, it centres on the relationships of two pairs of sweethearts; the first, Claudio and Hero, the second, Claudio’s friend Benedick and Hero’s cousin Beatrice. The wit and banter of the latter pair provide much of the humour. After his acclaimed turn as Caliban, opposite Sigourney Weaver’s Prospero in Lloyd’s recent take on The Tempest, it’s great to see Forbes Masson back at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, this time as Leonato, where he is joined by Mara Huf, Phillip Olagoke, Mason Alexander Park, James Phoon and Tim Steed, Mika Onyx Johnson and Gerald Kyd.
I’ve always believed that theatre has to be accessible to everyone, so it’s good to see the Jamie Lloyd Company has 25,000 tickets at £25 each across their Shakespeare Season at the Theatre Royal, exclusively ear-marked for under 30s, key workers and those receiving government benefits. Nice one, Jamie.
Running time TBA. Tickets £25-£345 https:// ticketing.lwtheatres.co.uk/ event/20640/?date=2025-02
Until April, happy theatre-going and remember, check out all my reviews at MustSeeTheatre. com My Edinburgh stage reviews are also published on theedinburghreporter.co.uk Bests, Liam
Much Ado about Nothing Tom Hiddleston & Hayley Atwell
Funds raised to save golf club roof
A VENERABLE EDINBURGH GOLF
CLUB HAS BEEN SAVED – six months after it was acknowledged to be in a “survival battle.”
Members and friends of the Lochend club, who play on the council owned Craigentinny course, have raised the best part of £40,000 for urgent repairs to the clubhouse roof which threatened its existence.
Captain Stuart Mathie, who still has 12 months of his four year term to serve, is a relieved man, saying:
“At last I can sleep at night again!
“Also, I can cross the threshold of the club without somebody pouncing to sell me a raffle ticket or football bingo card!
“Seriously, it has been a magnificent effort all round and we have raised enough to do both parts of planned repairs above the function room and locker room without having to go back to members.”
It was last September that the Edinburgh Reporter revealed what Mathie described then as dark days – especially with winter approaching.
However, a £100 levy on the 230 strong membership broke the back of the fundraising effort and a grant from their brewery suppliers also was of major assistance.
But the golf community inside and outside of the Lochend club certainly rallied particularly local member Stuart Turner.
Mathie says: “Stuart is MD of Kilgour Wealth Management who have a corporate season ticket for four people at Manchester United.
“In a silent auction that ticket, which included hospitality, raised a four figure sum while former Duddingston GC professional Alastair McLean put up a round on the Gullane
No 1 course for three people plus himself to offer coaching on the way round. That was another big earner.
“But a well wisher who donated a box of two dozen golf balls for a raffle prize was typical of the goodwill we also experienced.”
Now the club are planning a major celebratory function before the golf season begins in earnest on April 1 at a course with connections to the mid 1700s when golfers played nearby at Leith Links
and later migrated across.
Of course having clubhouse facilities are all very well but the playing area needs to be in good condition.
“We are so fortunate to have excellent Edinburgh Leisure green-keeping staff taking a real interest in the golf course” says Mathie, adding “and the Woodland Trust have planted 200 trees to enhance the appearance of the course still further.”
Under-18s Blaze a historic cup winning trail
BOROUGHMUIR BLAZE under-18s have made club history by becoming the first female side to win a Scottish Cup basketball cup final. The Pleasance-based outfit, coached by Bart Sengers and Eden Simpson, travelled to the Regional Performance Centre in Dundee and defeated Gladiators 9-41.
The most valuable player award went to Noura Saleh who contributed 20 points from eight rebounds and three assists.
In the lead up to the final Blaze defeated Sony Centre Fury, 59-88 then West Lothian Wolves, 73-63.
Hopes of a Blaze club double were, however, crushed when the men’s side lost out to Dunfermline Reign in their final.
The winning squad was: Cioamhe Stupart, Clara Dick, Emma Harbisher, Abbi Dolton, Eva Holburn-White, Noura Saleh, Abby Harbisher, Aimie Gaye, Libby Harrison, Roma Millar, Amy Cosgrove and Fleur Gamal.
Beal’s bale at Penicuik
PENICUIK CRICKET CLUB will break new ground in 2025 with a first-ever women’s team.
The side will be led by Phoebe Beal who will be a player/coach around other cricketing commitments.
Still on the distaff side Megan McColl, capped 40 times by the Scottish women’s team, will assist head coach Gary McDaid as the men look to build on a fourth place finish in East Division One last season.
Club secretary Finn Tait said: “Another notable incomer is Kaleb Daley our overseas amateur who will be arriving early April. He plays representative cricket for Central Coast in New South Wales and joins us with quite a high pedigree.”
Daley is an experienced opening bowler and middle order batsman who holds coaching certificates.
Finn Tait was a member of the team which won the (second tier) Scottish Challenge Cup in 2024 by beating Gordonians in a rain affected final at Stenhousemuir, He added: “Our 1st XI have the firm goal to win the league title (and) secondary to that we would love to defend the Scottish Challenge Cup.”
1st XI captain: Richard Adams; 2nd XI captain: Ethan Wood Development XI captain: Damian Smith; club captain: Scott Charleson.
The club’s current major sponsor is Montali Energy Services.
DStewartSports Photography
Boroughmuir Blaze champions line up
Captain Stuart Mathie at Lochend Golf Club
Club secretary Finn Tait
Finn looking ahead to life after rugby
SCOTLAND’S RUGBY TEAM returns to Scottish Gas Murrayfield on 8 March for an encounter with Wales.
And star stand-off Finn Russell is set to have an involvement off the pitch as well as on it.
In looking to business interests beyond his playing days Finn has signed up for event management company IGNITE to provide match day hospitality advice.
Finn says: “IGNITE is committed to creating unique and premium
experiences and that’s what really resonates with me. Rugby is more than just a game - it’s about bringing people together to have a great time - and that’s exactly what this partnership is all about.
“I can’t wait to work with the team ... bring my perspective as an athlete.”
The company will continue to assist the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, named in memory of ex-Scotland rugby cap Doddie Weir as it raises funds to aid research into Motor Neurone Disease.
Marchmont milestone
MARCHMONT CRICKET CLUB, looking forward to their 50th season in the East of Scotland Leagues, kicked off the campaign with a prize-giving for 2024 in 56 North, a West Crosscauseway side restaurant who have been sponsors for some time.
Among the recipients were Jacob Hartley, 1st X1 player of the year for his feat of scoring 339 runs at an average of 31 including 86 not out in the final game at Penicuik to avoid relegation from Division One.
Team captain Sam Dyer made the presentation.
Among others honoured was secretary Padraic Bruell for his administrative work. He received the President’s award
Royalettes major in on huge medal haul
EDINBURGH-BASED
ROYALETTES BATON
TWIRLERS brought home a remarkable haul of 26 medals from the first TwirlSport Scotland Majorettes competition of 2025 in Fife.
The success gives them momentum going into March’s competition.
Among those who were successful - left to right - Ezmai, Mia, Paige, Nicole and Crystal. Front - Syke.
The Royalettes train at St Thomas of Aquins’ High School and are always on the lookout for new members.
from Davi Sardesai, son of Roger, one of the club’s founder members.
Other recipients: 2nd X1 player of the year – Dhiraj Prakash; 3rd X1 player of the year – Navin Chetty; 4th X1 player of the year – Aslam Sk; T20/Last Man Standing competition player of the year – Sam Brynes. Most improved player – Indranil Nath; James Green Memorial Award - Milind Bangar.
In a boost for the season ahead Marchmont welcome back left arm seam bowler Gareth Bevan after two seasons out with an acute knee injury. Also, all-rounder Rohit Parma will return after a spell away.
Boxing at
Portobello Town Hall
SCOTTISH INTERNATIONALIST Aurel Szilagyi will top the bill at 70kgs against a selected opponent from the West of Scotland when the Royal Amateur Boxing Club host a 16 bout show on Saturday, 8 March, at Portobello Town Town Hall (doors open 7pm).
Organiser Junior Burton is excited about some of his club’s youngest prospects including primary school pupil James Neri. Junior says: “As well as James who was outstanding on his last outing another to watch out for is Craig Ferrier at 67kgs as he is a real power puncher.”
New members welcome at Royalettes
Lorem
Team captain Sam Dyer with 1st X1 Player of the Year Ja cob Hartley (right)
Scotland cap Finn Russell
Sky high Hibees
Easter Road women up for cup glory
By JOHN HISLOP
HIBERNIAN WOMEN HAVE THE CHANCE to pick up silverware this month when they face Rangers in the final of the Sky Sports Cup.
The final will take place on Saturday, March 22, kicking off at 3pm at Fir Park Stadium in Motherwell and will be shown live on Sky Sports and NOW.
Hibs secured their place in the final with a 3-0 victory over Aberdeen at Meadowbank on January 19.
Ciara Grant fired Hibs ahead before Eilidh Adams added a second with 15-minutes remaining. Grant wrapped things up just before the end.
Speaking to Hibs TV after the semi-final victory Hibs head coach Grant Scott said: “I’m really proud of the group. It was a tough match as we expected. There are a lot of improvements in the Aberdeen side.
“I’m delighted for the players, the staff, everyone involved, and the Football Club. We have a nice occasion to look forward to.
“I have a lot of respect for Rangers and their manager, they have done good things over the last couple years.
“They are [in the Final] again and are defending their trophy well. It’s one for us to look forward to.”
Rangers beat Celtic to reach the final. Rio Hardy broke the deadlock for Rangers after a corner early in the second half. Katie Wilkinson struck home a free-kick to make it 2-0 before Emma Lawton pulled one back in added time.
Hibernian are currently working on transport options for supporters, pre-match hospitality and sponsorship packages, further information will be shared ahead of the game. Tickets for the match are on sale now through the Motherwell e-ticketing website.
Prices: Adults – £10 – Concessions (U16s) – £4 – Disabled Supporters – £4 – Family Ticket – £25 (two adults and two children)
There will be no formal segregation at the match although Hibs have been been assigned
Calem’s 11 year long rehab
By NIGEL DUNCAN
CALEM NIEUWENHOF has lifted the lid on the 11 months he has spent in rehabilitation after suffering a hamstring injury. It has been tough.
The 23-year-old Aussie thanked his teammates, the staff at Tynecastle and his parents, who jetted over from Down Under, who kept him going through three set-backs and the long months of inactivity.
The talented player signed for the William Hill Premiership club in July 2023 and made his debut on August 5.
Nieuwenhof then made 29 appearances, scoring two goals, before the injury struck.
A torn hamstring was first diagnosed then then it was linked to a troublesome tendon and he had to go under the knife at one stage.
He said: “It has been a long time, and it has been tough. I love the game, I love competing and it is almost a year now but the support from my teammates and the staff here has been tremendous and I can’t thank them enough.
“Initially it was a hamstring injury and the normal recovery from that is from eight to 12 weeks. That was where my head was at initially, but there were re-occurrances and then it involved the tendon. From there it got longer and longer and it was really frustrating. I had set-backs.
the North Section and Section M. Rangers have been assigned Sections C and F. SWPL Managing Director Fion McIntyre said: “I’d like to congratulate both teams for reaching the Sky Sports Cup Final. I’m sure this match will be a great spectacle and showcase the very best in women’s football.
“Its really important that the Sky Sports Cup remains affordable and accessible and our concessions and family tickets continue to provide fantastic value for fans who we are sure will turn out in big numbers.
“There will be lots of family friendly activities happening in and around the stadium and the SWPL encourages all fans to come early to get involved in the activities and enjoy the pre match atmosphere.”
fight
“Now I am feeling good now. I am loving playing again.”
Looking back, he said: “I had to be extremely patient. As a footballer, you want to play football and I had to knuckle down and focus on what I had to do. I feel good in my body and now I need to stay fit.”
The midfielder said he felt like a new singing coming in as he has been out so long and added that the biggest low came when the injury reoccurred when he was close to getting back involved with the first team.
Nieuwenof has been back on the pitch in recent weeks and the last thing he and the coaching staff wanted to do was to go too deep into training and have
Josh lands West Ham deal
By JOHN HISLOP
Josh Landers has followed in David Gray’s footsteps after sealing a £100k move to English Premier League side West Ham United last month.
The former Peebles High School pupil had been at Hibs since the age of nine. He was just 14 when he scored his first goal for the under-18s and played in the UEFA Youth League shortly after turning 15.
He made his first-team debut when he came off the bench to replace Dylan Vente in the Viaplay Cup semi-final against Aberdeen.
Landers will play in the Premier League Two for West Ham.
Gray experienced a similar journey as a youngster when he made a £50k move from the Hearts academy to English giants Manchester United in 2004.
Gray said: ““I can relate to it a little bit. When I was 16, I had the opportunity to play in Scotland and stay in Scotland. But the opportunity to go down south was something I decided to take.
another set-back.
A decision was made to give him a little extra time and he said: “Now I am back I want to say fit.”
“I had just done my standard grades and then left school. I’d gone down a couple of times beforehand to get an idea of what I was going to be doing and where I was staying.
“I lived in digs with a family that I still speak to, Marion and John – a massive part of my life between 15 and 18 before I moved out.
“They taught me how to iron, taught me how to cook, taught me all these things and I’m very grateful for that.
“And it was massive for my mum and dad. I’m now a parent myself so when I think back, I think: ‘How could I let my son leave at 16 and go down south?’
“I can imagine how hard it would have been for them. So I even think back to Josh’s family now. He’s going away down there himself – but it’ll be really good.
“It’s going to be very different for him. He’s away from his family, his friends – living down in London where there is a completely different way of living to what he’s used to from up here.
“I wish him all the best, because it’s a great opportunity for him to really go and try something new – and hopefully kick on and move on to bigger and better things one day.”
HIbernian FC Ian Jacobs
Josh Landers
Calem Nieuwenhof
Nigel Duncan
Austrian ready to grab chance
By NIGEL DUNCAN
MICHAEL STEINWENDER was one of the new players recruited by Hearts during the January transfer window, and the Austrianborn defender is excited by the prospect of developing his career further with the success-hungry capital combine.
The 24-year-old was blown away when he was introduced to fans on the pitch during the Kilmarnock clash, and he has received a warm welcome from players and staff at Tynecastle, helping him settle in. That advice has included little things like where he could put his boots. A small matter, but an important one for a player.
Another major plus here is that that English is spoken. He speaks English well, despite claiming that his English is “not so good”. Don’t believe him. He understands and talks well.
The 1.9m tall central defender revealed that it was a different story when he arrived at his former club in Sweden where the native language was the main means of communication in the dressing-room.
That made it harder for the Eisenstadt-born player to get to know his teammates.
Steinwender first heard of Hearts interest in November, the end of the Swedish season, when he was playing with IFK Varnamo. He
then got to work, researching the Scottish club and he also spoke to connections who had links with the Tynecastle team.
The club’s then lowly position in the William Hill Premiership – they were second bottom of the 12-strong table - did not diminish his interest.
The defender then quizzed club officials about the playing style and where he would fit in and the player was convinced that he could prove his quality in Scotland’s capital. He added: “It was a pretty easy decision.”
Hearts’ set-up, including the medical team and training facilities at The Oriam, have also impressed the 6ft-plus player who said: “Here you have two gyms, you have all the stuff for recovery, you have everything here. This is top class.”
The performance of the players at training has also been noted by the Austrian who stressed: “There were no doubts for me (about coming to Hearts). Every professional soccer player has dreams and my dream is to win. I will do everything I can to do that.
“I always set my dreams very high. I look from game to game and we will try to get as many points as possible and we shall see (what happens).”
He conceded that his knowledge of Scottish football is centred around Celtic, Rangers and
Hearts and he said: “You always hear about those teams, no matter whether you are playing in Austria or in Sweden.”
“Yes, It is a physical league, but I am also physical, I like to play hard so I am looking forward to this, but we are a team who wants to have the ball most of the time and I think my style will suit Hearts otherwise I would not be here.
“When I was very young I used to play with the older ones and always had to go in as hard
as I could.”
The player also revealed that he has played in a number of different positions during his career, including right back, and in teams with varying systems, including playing with a back three. Off duty, this is his first visit to Scotland and Steinwender said: “The first day I landed the city looked amazing and people said the Scottish weather is not too good, but it is not so bad. We only had one day when we had a storm.” That was some day.
Critchley’s focus is on finding the right people
By NIGEL DUNCAN
NEIL CRITCHLEY, Hearts’ head coach, lifted the lid on what it takes to find talent which will fit at the club and then what it takes to convince the a player to sign a contract with the ambitious Edinburgh outfit.
However, the English-born boss, who joined the men in maroon in October, claimed Hearts are a fantastic football club and is an “easy sell” to players. Just ask recent acquisition, Michael Steinwender who joined from a Swedish club.
Critchley explained: “There are big expectations (here), you just have to look at the facilities, the supporter base, the ground. When I have spoken to players they have always been excited and you can see they want to come to this football club. It is a fantastic city.”
It has not been difficult at all to recruit and he said: “In fact, it has been the opposite, and, in my opinion, so it should. We do not need to not sell this football club, we need to speak passionately about Hearts and we need to tell players what we can do for their
careers and how we can help them.
“We need to speak about who we are and what we do and, so far, we have seen the benefits of it in the January transfer window.”
Critchley said it is important the players to know certain parts of the club, the tradition, the history of the football club, and he stressed: “That is really important, and so is making them aware of certain elements of this football club.
“However, I think it is important that you speak from the heart. It is not just about a power point presentation, it is about people and I have got to be able to sit in front of people with Graham Jones (sporting director), with Andrew (McKinlay, chief executive), and look people in the eye.
“You have to have that connection, that feeling that these players are going to be the right type of person, the right people who can come to this football club and be successful.”
There is a demand on the players at Tynecastle, he added, there is an expectation of having to perform and win, and you have to be a certain character.
The English-born coach revealed
that when he is watching players he evaluates if the have what it takes to be a Hearts player, can they come to Tynecastle and perform when it matters. That is critical and vitally important that the club get that right.
Critchley takes in as many games as he can – he was a face in the crowd at the Hamilton v Raith Rovers game for example - but that
is sometimes not possible because of work commitments at Gorgie.
He added: “When I get a chance, I go out and watch. I like watching players, you always see something or see someone, that’s the job. You have a passion for the job and that is what I do.
“It is not always possible. I can’t just disappear for a few days and go
and watch players as we have had a busy schedule. My job has a obligation on me to train and coach the players that are here. That is why you have a recruitment team, that is why you have people around you, however, technology allows you to do certain parts of the job which, previously, would have been different.”
