The Edinburgh Reporter July 2025

Fire Fury Palmer Tribute Wow Factor

Burger Brute Oar Inspiring

July 2025

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

THE MADE IN SCOTLAND SHOWCASE will form an integral part of the Fringe this year with 16 shows backed by The Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund.

The initative began in 2009 and has supported 299 shows to date with an onward touring fund supporting more than 130 productions to visit 50 countries on six continents.

Musician Karine Polwart is pictured in The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh with a sabal palm seedling, a “child” of the original two centuries old sabal tree.

Ms Polwart makes her Edinburgh Fringe debut with “Windblown”, a poignant and tender theatrical tribute to plants, gardeners and grieving. Too old and unsteady to move, too vulnerable to survive on its own, the lofty Sabal palm of Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden reflects on two hundred years of containment, dislocation and human care, as it outgrows its 19th century glasshouse home and approaches its chainsaw demise, making way for a new conservation research facility. The award-winning writer-musician imagines the poetic and musical voice of the old Sabal itself, in an exploration of historical legacies, ecological loss, collective ritual and the multigenerational promise of gardens. The show is on at The Queen’s Hall from 9-13 August.

The partners in the government funded collaboration include the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Federation of Scottish Theatre, Scottish Music Centre and Creative Scotland.

To discover all 16 shows in the  full 2025 Made in Scotland programme see www.madeinscotlandshowcase. com

Editorial

THIS MONTH we are anticipating the thousands of visitors who will come to Edinburgh next month.

We have a mini Fringe guide on pages 8 and 9 to some of the shows we think might make it on to your shortlists. There are too many for us to do much more than dip a toe in the water in our paper where space is limited, but look out for more highlights online. Our front page also highlights the Fringe - and in particular the Made in Scotland showcase - 16 shows supported by The Scottish Government’s Expo Fund. A new literary festival at The Royal Scots Club is sure to attract audiences with Liz Lochhead, Devi Sridhar and Magnus Linklater among the authors to meet - with free tea and coffee - how could you miss it?

In the last few weeks we lost Professor Sir Geoff Palmer, KT, OBE - a true giant in so many fields including his academic career in brewing and distilling. He made his mark in several areas, and was vocal on matters of race and poverty. We have an appreciation of the man who only last July was admitted to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle at a ceremony at St Giles’ Cathedral. His take on receiving the honour was very much seen through the lens of the 14-year-old who travelled to the UK from Jamaica around 70 years ago. He made Edinburgh his home and became Chancellor of Heriot-Watt among his many and varied achievements.

Guy Haslam who compiles our crossword each month has also provided a suite of other puzzles for our readers which can be found on Page 10. (Some readers tell us his crossword is quite hard to solve - do let us know what you think.) Charlie Ellis has been drinking coffee in Greece and reports back with comparisons to the Athens of the North on page 16. As always Kerry has been out eating and drinking - and this month she had an outstanding unplanned evening at the W Edinburgh - read all about it on Page 17. Our local sports coverage is as usual on pages 20 onwards.

We hope you get time to read all our articles and enjoy the calm of July before the festival which is just around the corner.

Phyllis Stephen, Editor

Planning News

ALBANY HOUSE

A planning application has been lodged by Artisan Real Estate to convert a modern 1980s building at the end of Albany Street into a 102 bedroom Premier Inn. 25/02873/FUL

BONNINGTON

STUDENT FLATS

A pre-application notice (PAN) has been intimated for a redevelopment of the James Pringle warehouse site on Bangor Road in

will include Purpose Built Student Accommodation, residential and commercial. There will bea second public consultation on 26 August between 3pm and 7pm at Leith Library. 25/03014/PAN

APARTHOTEL

An application has been made for an 11 unit aparthotel at 254 Leith Walk, including permission to demolish the existing

over several years most of which were withdrawn before determination. This development will include landscaping and cycle parking. 25.02806/FUL

ROSE THEATRE

The long empty Rose Theatre may in future be a 47 room aparthotel if the application lodged by Bomporto Hotels for the former Charlotte Street Baptist Chapel on Rose Street is granted. Plans include a rooftop café/bar. 25/02951/FUL

BLACK SHEEP

Pin the tail on the donkey

THIS PHOTO is possibly of two young boys, William and Nathaniel Cuthbertson. It was taken at Morrison’s Studios, 137 Leith Street in Edinburgh around 1926. We are told the unnamed animal was stuffed. Edinburgh Collected is a searchable online community archive of Edinburgh memories. Anyone is invited to submit their family or other photographs - or indeed other documents - to the archive. Explore the city’s rich history through images and documents. edinburghcollected.org

An application has been made to convert a former bank at 206 Bruntsfield Place into a café - with limited cooking facilities - for Black Sheep Coffee which already has several outlets in the city centre. Comments may be made until 11 July 25/02871/FUL

MILNES BAR

An application seeks to change the exterior of Milnes Bar at 35 Hanover Street at ground and basement levels to a Farrow & Ball colour - Paean Black - with other changes to the internal layout including a revised lighting scheme, replacement of fixed furniture and other redecoration as well as new planters at the entrance. 25/02829/FUL

We 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

Bloomin’ lovely

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

The Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens is all planted up and looking lovely now that the council’s parks department have created the 2025 display which commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB).

The Rt Hon Lord Provost, Robert Aldridge, was joined by representatives from RNIB and visually impaired members of the

community to mark the completion of the new design, which takes three gardeners around six weeks to create.

More than 35,000 flowers and plants are used to create the face of the clock, which will be in bloom until October. This includes plants like antennaria, crassula, echevaria, sedum and saxifrage and annuals such as pyrethrum, begonias and geraniums.

The Lord Provost said: “Seeing the floral clock take shape is a wonderful annual

tradition and this year doesn’t disappoint, with a beautiful display in honour of a worthwhile cause.

“The RNIB provides essential support to blind and visually impaired people, and in 2025 they mark a real milestone with the 200th anniversary of braille. I hope the clock’s design will give people pause to reflect on just how important braille is to all those to use it.

“Thanks to the hard-working parks team

Wester Hailes plays it loud

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

MORE THAN 120 YOUNG MUSICIANS FROM BIG NOISE WESTER HAILES all aged between seven and ten took part in an end of year concert recently.

There were performances from a number of groups under the Big Noise umbrella including the Adult Orchestra and Primary 5 Chamber Group.

The music programme included favourites such as Mattachins, Hot Cross Buns, and The Dodo Song.

Stewart Wilson, head of centre at Big Noise Wester Hailes, said:

“We’re so proud of all of our children, young people, and adult members of our Adult Orchestra – not just for their fantastic performances at our summer concert, but also for all of the hard work and dedication they have shown over the past year.

“The concert was a fantastic opportunity for our children and young people, their friends and family, and other members of the Wester Hailes community to come together to celebrate the end of another school year and another fantastic year of Big Noise in Edinburgh.”

Big Noise is a social change programme which began in Raploch, Stirling in 2008.

Children and young people are taught music after school and they then create a symphony orchestra to support development of life skills such as confidence and creativity.

There are now six centres in Scotland.

Big Noise Wester Hailes launched in 2022 and now works with more than 650 children, young people and their families every week, supporting them to reach their full potential.

who have spent the past six weeks creating the clock, which will be enjoyed by many thousands of people throughout summer.”

The RNIB is the UK’s leading sight loss charity which offers practical and emotional support to blind and partially sighted people, their families and carers.

This year, the charity is marking the 200th anniversary of the invention of braille, a code based on six dots used to represent the alphabet and numbers.

The orchestra entertained at the end of year concert

Alan Simpson Photography

Alarm rings over fire station closure

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

LOCAL POLITICIANS have sounded the alarm over plans to close a fire station.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) altered the public in 2024 that some fire stations have been deemed “not fit for purpose”. This includes the 14 stations in Scotland which are affected by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) panel issues of which Marionville is one, and Crewe Toll in Edinburgh is another.

SFRS has in place temporary supports to reinforce areas of the roofing and continue to regularly monitor these measures; SFRS have said that “In most cases, the safest and most cost-effective solution is to rebuild these stations; it is anticipated that replacing the 14 fire stations with RAAC would cost in the region of £77 million.”

Lothians MSP, Sarah Boyack, said: ““Closing Marionville would severely weaken Edinburgh’s fire services. The outpouring of support for the public petition makes it clear that this move is not welcome by the community.

“The Scottish Government needs to urge the SFRS to think again over these potential closures.

“With fires becoming increasingly common, this is the wrong time to be eroding our emergency services. Marionville is key to local communities as every minute matters in our congested city.”

A petition has been set up by Chris Murray, MP, who suggests that 10 firefighter jobs will be lost if the station closes. Mr Murray said: “I am

deeply concerned that the public will be consulted on the station’s future without any information so far on how the closure would affect their safety. Ten firefighters could lose their jobs, and resources sent further away - and we do not yet have the full information on why, or how. It is clear, from the recent petitions, that the local community is equally concerned and rightfully demanding that this station remains open. As their MP, and alongside Sarah, I will do all that I can to keep Marionville station open and active.”

Lorem

Ben Macpherson, MSP, highlighted the effect of the SFRS plans to close Marionville Community Fire Station with Siobhian Brown, Minister for Victims and Community Safety in

The Scottish Parliament.

He said in the chamber: “The population in Edinburgh, and particularly in the north and east of Edinburgh, is clearly and obviously growing. Last year, when there was a fire at Breadalbane Street in my constituency, fire engines from Marionville fire station were some of the first on the scene, probably saving lives.

“A few weeks ago, when Cables Wynd house in my constituency unfortunately caught fire, fire engines from Marionville fire station were some of the first on the scene, again probably saving lives. In a neighbouring constituency, Hawkhill court unfortunately caught fire, and in many people’s view, fire engines from Marionville fire station undoubtedly saved lives.

“Does all of that not make a compelling case that it is essential to keep a fire station at Marionville or nearby, despite the reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete issues that need to be dealt with?”

The Minister responded that SFRS is undertaking a strategic review with a full public consultation which is now live. She said she has been assured that supporting evidence will be published alongside the consultation. Ms Brown said: “I emphasise that it is about providing an optimal service to maintain community safety and inform final decisions. Robust evidence and data will need to be at the heart of decisions concerning any possible changes following the review.”

Council boss blunders over Tour de France Edinburgh £1.7m funding

By JOE SULLIVAN, LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTER

FUNDING for the Tour de France stage to be held in Edinburgh has been approved by councillors - despite Chief Executive Paul Lawrence failing to first seek approval.

Mr Lawrence admitted that not getting the green light from councillors to set aside £1.7m for the race was “inappropriate and should have happened”.

City councillors got a memo saying that the political group leaders had agreed in October to set aside the funds for the race.

But at a meeting of all councillors, several group leaders said no such decision was made, and that the October meeting was limited to providing them with information.

At the time, SNP group leader Simita Kumar said: “Group leaders were happy for officers to explore this with a decision to rightfully take place in an executive committee.

“There was no agreement from group leaders to authorise any funding – we simply do not have the power to do so within this forum.

“The governance of this decision has

been wholly absent especially when there has been adequate time to bring this decision to committee.”

At a meeting of the Finance Committee meeting Cllr Phil Doggart asked council officers who made the decision on allocating funds for the Tour de France.

Gareth Barwell, Executive Director of Place, said that no binding agreement on the council’s part in the Tour de France had been signed yet, but that there was a deadline of 30 June.

Cllr Doggart said: “I will try that again, and with another extra clause at the end of it. Why was that not brought to councillors, particularly this committee?”

Mr Lawrence said: “I think the report makes plain that it’s the view of senior officers, certainly my view, that that was a mistake, and that that should have happened in that process.

“The report sets out how we are going to remind all colleagues, including myself, actually, that that was inappropriate and should have happened.”

It will also be the first time the race has visited Edinburgh, and the fifth time it has had any of its route inside the UK.

Scott Arthur MP presented the Brownies with their certificates

Fire crews tackling blaze in Anderson Place in March 2024

Alan Simpson Photography

THE 106TH A Edinburgh Brownies went on a litter pick recently.

The pack invited local MP, Dr Scott Arthur, to join them to help

celebrate the unit’s completion of the new Girlguiding ECO award and to present them with their certificates.

The 106th A Edinburgh Brownies are one of the first groups in the city to complete the new award.

Galpin is guilty

By STEPHEN RAFFERTY

EDINBURGH

“burger king”

Alexander Galpin has pleaded guilty to domestic abuse, repeatedly engaging in aggressive behaviour and making offensive remarks to his ex-partner.

Galpin, 24, owner of two Luxford Burgers restaurants, appeared at the city’s sheriff court and admitted to a charge under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018.

Galpin had been in a six-month relationship with the woman but when she fell pregnant in January 2023 it led to a bust-up. He pressured her to have an abortion but she would not consent to that, leading to confrontation and arguments.

The shame-faced Edinburgh University graduate, who was championed as an upcoming business star by Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, hid behind an umbrella as he left the court in Chambers Street.

Procurator fiscal Peter Finnon said that between 1 March 2023 and 31 October 2024 at an address in Hatton Lane, Warriston, and elsewhere, Galpin had engaged in a course of behaviour which was abusive to his ex-partner.

After one row over the pregnancy, Galpin left the Warriston home and his partner followed him to his car. While she was in the passenger seat he drove off with the door open, before it struck a post and the door closed. Galpin is said to have gone to the passenger door and tried to pull her from the vehicle, causing bruising to her arm.

The charge - admitted by Galpin - states that he did repeatedly act in an aggressive manner, and encourage her to make representations in support of the removal of bail conditions, that on one occasion, he seized her by the body, pulled her and caused her to fall on a bed, and that he repeatedly contacted her and made offensive remarks.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court round up

By ALEXANDER LAWRIE

A FORMER SPFL star is due to appear in court accused of deliberately getting himself booked in an attempt to cheat at gambling.

Keaghan Jacobs is alleged to picked up a yellow card on purpose while playing for Livingston in a Scottish Premiership league match against Celtic at the Tony Macaroni stadium in October 2019.

One of the offensive remarks stood out, said Fiscal Peter Finnon. The woman had health issues and while on a call to her doctor to seek help, Galpin contacted her with the message: “Ask if you can get medication for malicious parent syndrome”.

Following the final break up of the relationship in July 2024, Galpin is said to have engaged in what can only be called an “extreme form” of behaviour which included repeatedly phoning and messaging his ex-partner at all hours of the day.

Defence agent Matt Nicholson said that Galpin had found himself in a “very fraught and emotional situation and that he had dealt with it badly.” Galpin has no previous convictions and Mr Nicholson said that as the owner of two restaurants, he had a good income, and if appropriate could pay a financial penalty.

However, Sheriff John Cook called for social inquiry reports and ordered Galpin, of Salvesen Crescent, Edinburgh, to return to court on 1 August for sentencing.

The Edinburgh Reporter revealed in February how Galpin had crashed the parent company of Luxford Burgers - Secure Kitchens Ltd - leaving behind debts of almost £120,000, but kept trading at St Leonards Street and Brandon Terrace by “phoenixing” a new company, Go Buns Ltd

Despite being made aware of the business failure, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce championed Galpin as an exemplary businessman, shortlisting Luxford Burgers for its prestigious 2025 High Growth Business of the Year.

Galpin, who has fathered a second child by another woman, claims on his LinkedIn profile that 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”.

Jacobs, 35, is said to have “acted in a manner whereby he would receive a yellow card for the purpose of enabling or assisting others to cheat at gambling” during the clash on October 6, 2019.

Court papers state McDiarmid, 40, placed the bets “in the knowledge that it had been arranged that Jacobs would act in a manner whereby he would receive a yellow card during the match”.

A FORME R Police Scotland firearms officer accused of perjury by allegedly lying to a high-profile employment tribunal has walked free from court.

Inspector Keith Warhurst, 50, was claimed to have posted an indecent video of topless women to a work WhatsApp group of police sergeants in October 2017.

He was then said to have committed perjury by denying he had sent the images while giving evidence during the employment tribunal involving ex-firearms officer Rhona Malone in August 2021.

Ms Malone had raised concerns over sexism within Police Scotland after receiving an email stating female officers should not be deployed together when there was sufficient male staff on duty.

Following a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court the perjury charge against Warhurst was found by a jury to be not proven.

The jury delivered a not guilty verdict to the charge of Warhurst sending the indecent video to the WhatsApp group.

But the jury did find him guilty of a charge of making a derogatory sexist comment regarding the partner of his colleague and friend PC John Morgan.

He was granted an absolute discharge on that offence by Sheriff Derek O’Carroll.

Following the jury’s verdict Warhurst and his wife quickly left the court building without making comment.

A GREEDY businessman embezzled more than £160,000 from his sister who was suffering from dementia and splashed out on foreign holidays and private dental work.

Architect David Bell, 67, stole the large amount of cash from sister Janet Mann after he and his wife Elizabeth had been made power of attorney of his relative’s affairs.

Bell helped himself to the funds and splashed out in exclusive stores, beauty therapy, dental work and holidays in Cuba and the USA.

Bell pleaded guilty to embezzling £160,998 while acting in the capacity of power of attorney to Janet Mann between April 24, 2012 and January 15, 2020 when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month.

The fiscal said one bank account belonging to Ms Mann had seen “a significant turnover in funds” with with £976,151.61 being transferred out of the account and over £1 million transferred in” between October 2012 and April 2018.

Bell is listed as a director with several business’s including Fouin and Bell Architects, The Earthy School Project, Hopefield Partnerships Ltd, Fouin and Bell Energy Ltd and Zephyr Wind Energy (UK) Ltd.

THE company that owns Edinburgh Airport has been fined £80,000 after a pensioner died following a fall from a lift designed to take disabled passenger from a plane to the ground.

James Young, 81, was travelling home from a holiday on the Greek island of Rhodes with his disabled wife when he fell around five feet while being transported on an airport ambulift.

Mr Young was said to have landed “on his hands and knees” and was rushed to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment following the fall at around 4pm on November 28, 2023.

The OAP was found to have suffered a punctured lung, spine fractures and a fractured pelvis.

He also sustained a flail chest which occurs when adjacent ribs are broken in multiple places.

Mr Young suffered a heart attack two days later and medics came to the conclusion “the totality of his injuries and medical condition were not survivable”.

Mr Young, from Edinburgh, sadly passed away just before 9pm on December 7, 2023.

In sentencing, Sheriff Fiona Sharp said the “isolated incident”

had been “a tragic accident” and noted the ambulift had been inspected by a third party with no defects found on June 9, 2023 and December 8, 2022.

Sheriff Sharp issued Edinburgh Airport Ltd with a fine of £80,000 that was reduced from £120,000 due to the early guilty plea.

A CHARITY worker who embezzled £35,000 from her employers has escaped a jail term. Carole Ferguson transferred the cash into her own bank account over a four year period while employed as a financial officer with the Citizens Advice organisation in Musselburgh, East Lothian.

Ferguson, 60, claimed she carried out the financial scam due to mounting debts. She pleaded guilty to embezzling £35,000 while working as a financial officer with the Citizens Advice between  2015 and 2019 when she appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in April this year.

A MAN who has legally changed his name to Lucifer Of-Darkness has had his case call in court. Mr Of-Darkness is said to have attacked a man by repeatedly punching him to the head during an alleged incident at Waverley train station in Edinburgh.

The 41-year-old, formerly known as Berkani Nahim, is alleged to have caused severe injury to Christopher Jamieson on May 29 this year. There were raised eyebrows and wry smiles when lawyer Julie Torley informed Sheriff Derek O’Carroll her client had officially changed his name during a hearing at the sheriff court on Friday, June 13.

Ms Torley said: “This gentleman is in custody. Firstly My Lord, he has legally changed his name to Lucifer Of-Darkness, by deed poll.

“That’s his official name. First name is Lucifer, and second name is Of-Darkness.”

Sheriff O’Carroll smiled and asked: “Is the Of capitalised?”

Ms Torley replied: “Yes, and there is a hyphen between the Of and Darkness.”

Sheriff O’Carroll added: “So is his surname Darkness, or Of-Darkness”

The defence agent said: “Of-Darkness.”

The sheriff asked fiscal depute Corrie Laouadie to officially amend the complaint to feature the accused’s new name.

The case was continued to trial and Lucifer Of-Darkness, who was not brought to court, was remanded in custody.

Stephen Rafferty

Alexander Galpin hides his shame under a brolly

A warm welcome the Scottish way powered by people like us

IN A QUIET CORNER of Fountainbridge, one Edinburgh family is thriving — going to school, making friends, playing football in the park. Just a few years ago, they arrived in the UK through the Community Sponsorship scheme, a national programme that empowers local people to take the lead in resettling refugees.

Now, the grassroots group that welcomed them, Edinburgh Refugee Sponsorship Circle is breaking new ground again.

Faced with the news that the family’s rented flat was being sold, the group decided not to let instability undo years of community-building. Instead, they’ve launched a radical new housing project - purchasing the property themselves through a community-led trust, ensuring the family can stay rooted in the neighbourhood they now call home.

for the family - and we were really motivated to create an alternative path, not just for them, but hopefully for others too,” says Fae, one of ERSC’s founding volunteers.

“We knew what losing that flat would mean

Community Sponsorship is a UK-wide scheme that enables everyday people — faith groups, book clubs, neighbours, colleagues - to come together and welcome a refugee family to their area. With support from Reset, the UK’s national charity for Community Sponsorship, groups like ERSC receive training, guidance and peer support to walk alongside families as they rebuild their lives. ERSC’s model is particularly inspiring because it shows what’s possible when ordinary people take bold, practical steps — even in the middle of a housing emergency. They remain entirely volunteerrun, powered by shared values and a belief that welcome should last longer than a warm

Now

you want to join or form a sponsorship group, contribute to their housing trust, or simply learn more, ERSC is showing Edinburgh what solidarity looks like in action.

Because welcome isn’t abstract. It’s about homes, schools, neighbours - and people like you.

www.refugeesponsorshipcircle.org/ projects-3

• Interested in Community Sponsorship? Find out more training.resetuk.org/

National Care Inspectorate Commend Care UK’s care home in Colinton

At Cairdean House care home in Colinton, we deliver the highest quality care of any large care provider in Scotland,* so you can feel reassured that your loved one is in safe hands.

Compassionate care, tailored to you

Every team member in Cairdean House care home receive the latest training in all aspects of care. Above all, we’re committed to getting to know your loved one, tailoring their care and lifestyle plan to suit their unique needs and preferences. That’s why Cairdean House achieved a Care Inspectorate rating of Very Good in‘How well do we support people’s wellbeing?’ following a recent inspection.

The Care Inspectorate said “We observed warm and friendly interactions between staff and people using the service. These relationships had supported people to feel at home and be relaxed in the setting. People’s health and wellbeing was monitored well, using a range of charts and processes to ensure their care and support needs were met in the right way.”

Teams you can trust

Cairdean House care home is expertly led, scoring ‘Very Good’ in ‘How good is our staff team.’ Our skilled and compassionate team provide exceptional nursing, residential and dementia care. We also offer specialised end-of-life care. The Care Inspectorate said “staffi ng we observed appeared to be at a good level. One person commented “if they needed anything staff are available.”

“We were immediately impressed by the friendliness of the staff and the atmosphere of the home.” Daughter of resident, 7th January 2025

Placing your loved one at the heart

Leona Thomson, Customer Relations Manager at Cairdean House, says “At Care UK, residents are supported to live each day to the full, whilst enjoying choice and independence. It’s great to see this recognised in our most recent Care Inspectorate report. We are praised for encouraging residents to socialise among suites and our commitment to staying connected with the local community.”

Regular resident meetings mean everyone can have their say on activities, outings and entertainment.

To fi nd out more aboutCairdean House in Colinton, please call us on 0131 608 4916 or visit careuk.com/cairdean-house

Cairdean House care home

185 Redford Road, Colinton, Colinton EH13 9PN careuk.com/cairdean-house

hello at the airport.

they’re inviting others to get involved. Whether

Fae, Gina and Waseem of the Edinburgh Refugee Sponsorship Circle

Professor Sir Geoff Palmer - an adopted son of Edinburgh

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

SIR GEOFF PALMER, KT, OBE, a distinguished scientist, academic and human rights activist has died, aged 85.

He was an adopted son of Edinburgh, coming to the UK from Jamaica aged 14 to join his mother. She had travelled to Britain several years previously as part of the Windrush generation. His passing was marked by comments from many in Edinburgh.

The Rt Hon Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Robert Aldridge, said: “I was deeply saddened to learn of Sir Geoff Palmer’s passing. A tireless advocate for equality and a pioneering academic, Sir Geoff was a true inspiration and will leave a lasting impression on Edinburgh.

“In 2022 I was honoured to present Sir Geoff with the Edinburgh Award in recognition of his academic achievements and his passionate defence of human rights and justice in the city and beyond. His handprints remain immortalised alongside those of other Edinburgh Award recipients and will give passers-by pause to reflect on the huge impact he had here."

HERIOT-WATT

Professor Richard A. Williams, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University, led the tributes to Sir Geoff who was Chancellor of the university since 2021. He said: “Today marks a sad day for this University and for everyone who knew Sir Geoff.

“He was an inspiration not just to me but to colleagues past and present, and countless students around the world. His infectious enthusiasm and passion for education was impossible to ignore and this University was all the richer for having such a strong association with him over the years.

“He will be dearly missed, and our thoughts are with his loved ones at this difficult time.”

DISTINCTIONS

His distinctions were many, but the most recent was becoming a knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (KT), the highest order of chivalry in Scotland. This honour which is in the gift of the King was bestowed upon him in July 2024 at a ceremony in St Giles’ Cathedral.

He found it striking that he was a recipient some three centuries after an Order - The Royal African Company - was established by King James VII. As the first African member, he believed that his admission into the Order of the Thistle marked a watershed moment for Scotland in continuing to reckon with its complicated imperial past.

He said: “In 1697 the Royal African Company existed. The company bought and sold slaves, probably including some of my ancestors. I am sure James VII never imagined that a black person would receive this great honour.”

ACTIVISM

Sir Geoff was a known activist in the areas of

slavery and colonialism. He was gracious during an interview with us last year, saying it was a result of The Edinburgh Reporter video of his speech during the Black Lives Matter campaign in 2020 that the discussion of slavery in the capital was progressed by the council. He claimed that after watching the video from that day Adam McVey, then council leader, contacted him to discuss the possibility of rewriting a new memorial plaque to put at the base of the Melville monument in St Andrew Square. Whether or not that is the case, the debate has progressed and there is a new plaque. Sir Geoff was instrumental in that, drawing on his own life story and his knowledge as a researcher to inform the debate. But it was not without opposition from other academics. He countered those who told him he was wrong by pointing out the importance of research and the truth. He said: “I was taught how to do research. I came from Leicester University where I got my first degree. I was trained in research at Edinburgh and HeriotWatt. I looked at Dundas and at the Scottish history. Others have not for example quoted Pitt the Prime Minister who said Dundas was a gradual abolitionist “prescribing some condition, waiting for some contingency, or by refusing to proceed, till a thousand favourable circumstances unite together”. And gradual abolition meant never. There are similarities with climate change today.”

BREWING AND DISTILLING

He studied for his doctorate at Heriot-Watt University on grain science and technology after graduating from the University of Leicester with a degree in botany. It was in Leicester that he met his wife Margaret. He worked at the Brewing Research Foundation in Surrey until 1977 developing the barley abrasion process which was adopted by many of the UK’s breweries.

He then became the first black professor in Scotland in 1988. He was honoured in 1998 with the American Society of Brewing Chemists Award of Distinction.

In 2021 he received the Pride of Scotland Lifetime Achievement Award and Midlothian MP, Owen Thompson, who was Sir Geoff’s local MP, lodged an Early Day Motion at Westminster to recognise the honour.

BLACK LIVES MATTER

Latterly he became a loud and powerful voice in the Black Lives Matter campaign. He was adamant that the Melville Monument in St Andrew Square should not be pulled down or destroyed. His message was simple - he felt it was important to record the history of the slave trade, and use the statue as a way of teaching children about it, educating them that this must not be part of anyone’s future.

He explained the origins of his activism came from his love of Robert Burns - kindled first in his native Jamaica and afterwards when he moved to Edinburgh and began speaking at Burns Suppers.

Sir Geoff said: “The concept of slavery is that people are superior to other people. That is a myth and a deception. There is no evidence for it. I don’t mind free speech, but free speech in terms of academia must be very, very special because it kills people.

“Slavery is not evidence based and that is why it has caused all this trouble that we have today – because slavery and racism go together.

“We cannot change the past, but we can change the consequence of the past which is baseless, for the better, using education.

“Burns said “A man’s a man for a’ that” and therefore in fact there is no change to my view that we are one humanity, nothing less.”

His speech in Holyrood Park in June 2020, during lockdown, was a response to The Black Lives Matter movement which gathered pace in the wake of George Floyd’s death in the US at the hands of the police. Palmer's speech was an important one and led to the new plaque explaining Sir Geoff’s assertion that Dundas was a “gradual abolitionist”. It was, he said, due to the delay in implementing legislation to abolish the slave trade that Dundas caused the deaths of a further 600,000 slaves.

Sir Geoff told his wife that day in June that he was going to Tesco, but he went to Holyrood Park instead, telling the audience there: “What is very sad is that after 300 years black people are still being killed in the United States in a manner where somebody, a policeman, is kneeling on a person’s neck for the sole reason that he is black. How can we justify that?”

EDINBURGH SLAVERY AND COLONIALISM LEGACY REVIEW GROUP

Sir Geoff was the first chair of the independent Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Group. The Chair, Irene Mosota, told The Edinburgh Reporter that “a great tree has fallen”.

She said: “It’s very sad. What a loss. Sir Geoff will be missed deeply, especially by his family and all who knew him. He was an academic giant and a courageous voice for human rights. If you were in a room with him, you always left feeling a little bit bigger and better. He was generous with his time and wisdom, planting many seeds that will continue

to grow. We will never forget him.

“Some of us wouldn’t have dared to speak or do what we do if it weren’t for him. I will miss him.”

THE EDINBURGH AWARD 2022

At the Edinburgh Award ceremony Sir Geoff Palmer said: “This award is more than a great honour. It is a recognition of all the people whose goodness has contributed to my life and work. I arrived in Edinburgh as a research student in 1964 and I thank The City of Edinburgh Council for all it has done for the community.”

He explained the circumstances of his arrival in his acceptance speech, delivered eloquently, with not a note in sight. He recounted: “I walked up The Mound. There was a smell and I wondered what it was.” He chuckled at this –the smell was of course hops, and beer making was to become his life’s work.

As part of the Edinburgh Award ceremony, Hannah Lavery, the Edinburgh Makar, recited a poem in Sir Geoff’s honour called Toast.

“Let me hold your beer, Sir, while you hand out the champagne (or prosecco) and let me raise a toast to you, trailblazer, truth teller, gauntlet thrower, the parade passes by you great man.”

ELREC

Sir Geoff was Honorary President of Edinburgh and Lothians Racial Equality Council (ELREC). Foysol Choudhury, MBE, MSP, knew him well. Mr Choudhury, who is Chair of ELREC, said: “I’m deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Sir Geoff Palmer. He was not only a distinguished scientist and academic, but also a courageous voice for justice & equality My sincere condolences to his family and all who knew and admired him May his soul rest in peace.

“Geoff wasn’t just my dad’s best friend, he was a father figure to me, took me under his wing as a teen and continued to inspire me his entire life. It’s a huge loss, but I’m grateful for the memories.”

Sir Geoff is survived by his wife, Margaret Palmer, their three children and grandchildren to whom The Edinburgh Reporter offers our most sincere condolences.

Sir Geoff Palmer, KT, OBE

Martin P McAdam

The mystery of Truman Capote

“I’M AN ALCOHOLIC, A DRUG ADDICT, A HOMOSEXUAL, A GENIUS …  I might be all four of these things and also be a saint.”

Truman Capote adored kicking down social conventions and defying the hypocrisies of his era.

An Italian, French and British production at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe evokes the spirit of the author at his peak, when he simultaneously delighted and scandalised US high society with his star-studded 1966 Black and White Ball at New York’s Plaza Hotel.

Guest lists for Capote’s parties featured Audrey Hepburn, Greta Garbo, the Bloomingdales, Peter Lawford and Patricia Kennedy, David Niven, Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood, Hope Lange and many, many more.

In the spirit of the New York masquerade, Fringe audiences are invited to don a mask and take part in the world premiere of Garden Party, Truman Capote’s Black and White Celebration.

This immersive theatrical experience revolves around two mysterious hosts who – following in Capote’s footsteps - stage their own garden party where rich and famous become “dancers in the ballad of hypocrisy”.

Paris-based Kulturscio’k Live Art Collective aim to plunge audiences into a world of

shimmering glamour, smeared by squalid secrets.

Director and performer, Alessia Siniscalchi, said: “At a time when being gay or questioning gender norms was profoundly controversial, Capote embraced and championed the queer.

“This new, immersive production returns us to high society life in that era, its delights, darkness, scandals and the yearning to smash social hypocrisy.”

Along with fellow performers Sean O’Callaghan and Paul Spera, Alessia unveils a dangerous conflict where art and life are closely entwined.

The core of the production turns out not to be the multitude of famous names but hypocrisy, class power, destructive gossip and perhaps even murder.

This is a show for anyone with a love of mystery, original music and immersive writing - where the audience will be plunged into a dark world and introduced to a dangerous conflict in which art and life are closely entwined.

Garden Party, Truman Capote’s Black and White Celebration is on at 4pm daily from 1-9 August.

Bugs Bunny made me do it!

As a young boy growing up in the Philippines Jeremy Rafal had few links to the wider world – until his dad bought a TV and he discovered cartoons.

With no mobiles, home computers, internet or social media, in a place with little in live entertainment and where even telephones were rare this was something truly amazing.

Jeremy adored them all - Bugs Bunny, The Smurfs, ThunderCats, He-Man. But it wasn’t just their adventures which caught his imagination, it was the music.

As a result he learned the piano, becoming ever-more passionate after the family moved to Hawaii, and eventually earning a place on one of the world’s most prestigious classical piano programmes, Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.

But life has been far from straightforward. Aged 10 Jeremy was left devastated by the death of his brother in an accident.

The Boy From Bantay is a solo Edinburgh Fringe show with music (and cartoons) which follows his life, its successes and struggles and

introduces some of the people who have influenced him along the way.

Jeremy said: “Watching cartoons was a huge part of my childhood and that has led me to become a concert

pianist. Come to the show and you’ll meet some quirky characters like my family, piano teachers, friends, and some interesting ones in between.

“This story may be unique to me, but there is something for everybody.” The Boy From Bantay premiered at the New York Fringe where Playbill named it as one of six unmissable solo shows.

The Boy from Bantay runs from 1 to 16 August at 12.35pm.

Little Boxes

WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG JOANN CONDON was written off, body shamed and looked down on for being working class.

Her funny, touching award-winning Edinburgh Fringe solo show Little Boxes is about discovering your true worth, living life to the full – and a deep love of tea.

Freedom started with Top of the Pops in 1982 when Joann marvelled at how Boy George cheerfully defied social norms and expectations. She eventually built a screen and stage career as a comedian and actor, appearing in cult favourite Little Britain and Harry Hill’s Shark Infested Custard.

After becoming a mum, she started to worry about how our lives can be shackled by other people’s judgements and expectations.

She said: “I never really thought about my ‘boxes’ until I saw my three-year-old starting to be put in them herself, especially when she said she wanted to be a boy not a girl.

“There was no problem until other people made it one.

“People wrote me off – thought the only thing I was fit for was leaving school and spending the rest of my life doing a boring desk job.

“I realised that throughout my life I had been put into all sorts of boxes and it was essential for me to break free.”

at 4.20pm.

The spirit of Truman Capote

Brock is pure magic

MARTIN BROCK has a magic charm. He’s an up-and-coming magician whose shows are packed with dynamism and fun.

The Danish performer loves to elicit gasps from the audience, astounding them by making the (almost) impossible happen right in front of their eyes.

But there’s much more too him than that as Martin is a consummate modern showman, mixing angelic charm with a wicked touch of devilry.

He built up an enthusiastic following during his first trip to the Fringe in 2024, and now he’s back with Almost Impossible 2.0: Martin Brock.

And it’s stylish stuff, with innovative magic and world-class sleight of hand.

One moment he’s wooing an audience member with beautiful red roses, the next he’s cheating at poker.

His hallmark is originality – the tricks are visually stunning and have each been developed from scratch (the finale alone took seven years to perfect).

Martin says: “Magic is cool - it can be breathtaking, funny, mysterious and even a little bit wicked as well. That’s why I love it, and that’s what my show is all about.

“It’s fabulous to make the seemingly impossible possible, creating something from nothing. Sometimes I have been perfecting a trick for years, so it’s great to see people’s amazement and laughter when it’s done right in front of their eyes.”

The show uses perhaps the most advanced technology at the Fringe, with cutting-edge video effects and multiple cameras to give every audience member a front-row view of the magic in minute detail.

It’s all woven together with humour, wit and entertaining anecdotes. Even the music is original.

Top international magicians Penn and Teller have praised his “glamorous and polished work”.

Almost Impossible 2.0 is a truly immersive

experience, that is ideal for all the family, and particularly for anyone who wants a fun show that will leave them amazed.

Martin grew up in a small town north of Copenhagen, Denmark, and fell in love with magic at the age of four. Having no one to teach him the craft, at a very young age he had

to develop his own unique effects.

Nowadays he is in worldwide demand, travelling between continents to entertain audiences from every part of the world.

Almost Impossible 2.0: Martin Brock is on from 30 July to 24 August at 4.30pm.

Be entranced with Matt Hale

ZIG-A-ZIG-AH! Smash-hit comedy hypnotist Matt Hale is back at the Fringe with a 90s party hypnoshow! So, slip into your shell suit, feed your Tamagochis and start Livin’ La Vida Hypno with his show Funbelievable! 90s Rewind.

It’s a high-energy feast of fun, powered by iconic 90s bangers from The Spice Girls to Nirvana. With the power of suggestion, audience volunteers will enjoy an on-stage rave reliving the best of a decade which gave us Britpop, Grunge, Girl Power, Pulp Fiction (and Pulp), Friends, Sonic The Hedgehog, Titanic and great cultural classics like The Macarena

and Barbie Girl.

Matt, a multi-award-winning entertainer from Oz, and global viral sensation with more than 150 million views, will, as ever, be bouncing around at the heart of the action.

So, whether you are one of the Shiny Happy People on stage or just revelling in the laughter from your seat it promises to be 60 minutes of unmissable

Matt is appearing at 5pm from 30 July to 25 August

Tickets for all shows edfringe.com

Tragic cost of complicity

OUR BROTHERS IN CLOTH is a bold new play inspired by real stories of clerical child sexual abuse and generational trauma in rural Ireland. It’s set in the sleepy Irish village of Bunderr, where Alan sets out to uncover the truth following the suicide of his brother. Writer Ronan Colfer has based the production on real events affecting his own family.

He says: “This play was born from the stories passed between generations — what was said and what was kept silent. It’s about the cost of complicity, and the fight to reclaim truth in the face of institutional silence.”

Premiering at the Edinburgh Fringe, it marks the 20th anniversary of The Ferns Report — a landmark investigation into clerical child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Ferns, Wexford. Our Brothers in Cloth pays tribute to those who dared to speak, and challenges those still afraid to listen. It is being staged in co-operation with abuse survivor charity One in Four and activist Colm O’Gorman.

Our Brothers in Cloth runs from 31 July to 25 August at 12.15pm.

Witness the unbelievable with Martin Brock

Generational trauma from Ireland

SUMMER PUZZLES SPECIAL

SUDOKU

By Aldhelm CODECRACKER

Fill the squares with numbers so that each row, column and small 3x3 block contain all the numbers from 1 to 9. The first puzzle is medium difficulty, while the second is tricky.

Here are six Edinburgh thoroughfares, reading across, but we’ve put them in code. Each letter has been replaced by the same number throughout. To give you a start, we’ll tell you that 18 = T, and 21 = G.

By Aldhelm

WORDSEARCH

See how quickly you can find all these Edinburghrelated words and names hidden in the grid. They might read across, down, diagonally or backwards.

CASTLE

CITY

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FORTH

FRINGE

HEARTS

HIBS

HILL

HOTELS

IRVINE WELSH

SHOPS

TENEMENTS

USHER HALL VISIT

Looking back in time with The Old Edinburgh Club

5 JULY In 1560, the Treaty of Edinburgh (also known as the Treaty of Leith) was signed, the purpose being that French and English troops would withdraw from Scotland; and Mary and François were to agree to give up any claim to the English crown and recognize Elizabeth as the rightful Queen; the treaty was never ratified by Mary. And in 1820,

Rankine specialised in thermodynamics and his detailed knowledge of the workings of steam engines was sparked by work he carried out as a teenager during study breaks, at the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway where his father worked. Also in 1847, the final run of the Edinburgh to London mail coach took place; henceforth mail would travel by train.

By Aldhelm

27 JULY In 1760, the Scottish School of Design was founded in Edinburgh; it later became the Royal Institution and finally the Royal Scottish Academy.

Compiled by Jerry Ozaniec, Membership Secretary of the Old Edinburgh Club, membership@ oldedinburghclub.org.uk

scientist William John Macquorn Rankine was born in Edinburgh;

Meeting the stars of Dear Evan Hansen

Liam Rudden chats with the duo who will both take to the stage this month

at Edinburgh Playhouse in

the title role - just

not at the same time

Today is going to be a good day... With not one, but two Evan Hansens in the room, that would appear to be a given.

Ryan Kopel and Sonny Monaghan may sport very different looks and have an age gap of six years but they have one important thing in common, both are preparing to play the title role in the new Nottingham Playhouse production of the Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning Best Musical, Dear Evan Hansen.

Kopel stars in the fresh new take on the musical, which will embark on its first UK Tour after opening in Nottingham, while Monaghan is the alternate Evan. Both are excited at the prospect and it’s clear they can’t wait to have an audience.

With musical theatre credits that include Newsies and The Book of Mormon, Kopel landed the coveted role after a three month audition process. He said: “My agent asked me if I’d be interested in Dear Evan Hansen at the start of the year. I said, ‘Yes’, and then did five auditions,the last one being in March. A couple of days later, while on the Underground going home, myagent called to say I’d got the part. I was so excited I had to get off the Tube to scream a little bit.

“Then I realised I was miles away from my stop and would have to walk the rest of the way. That was even more tortuous as I couldn’t wait to see my family and partner’s faces when I told them.”

If Kopel’s casting followed a fairly traditional route, for Monaghan, from Eastbourne, the audition process proved very ‘now’, he landed the part after submitting a video on TikTok, as part of the casting team’s collaboration with the social media platform, which invited users who were interested in being cast in the production

to upload a video of themselves singing any number from the show.

From more than 2,000 submissions, the 21-year-old was one of 36 TikTok users invited to in-person auditions, eventually being cast as a member of the show’s ensemble and as alternate Evan, a role he will perform twice a week, at every matinee.

The 21-year-old explained: “I saw a post asking people to submit a video of themselves singing a number from Dear Evan Hansen through TikTok. I sang Words Fail. Maybe three weeks later I got an email inviting me to an in person audition.”

Three rounds of auditions later, Monaghan was recording a song for his friend’s new musical when he got his good news and, as it was Dear Evan Hansen that first got him into musical theatre while at secondary school, he says receiving the news was “a dream come true.”

“When my agent called and said I’d been offered the alternate Evan, my friend and I had a bit of a celebration,” he admits.

Dear Evan Hansen is the story of an anxious high school kid who wants nothing more than to fit in. The thing is, on his way to fitting in, he didn’t tell the whole truth. And now must give up on a life he never dreamt he’d have. As events spiral and the truth comes out, Evan faces a reckoning with himself and everyone around him.

The musical premiered in Washington, DC, in 2015 before transferring to Off-Broadway and then Broadway a year later. The London West End production followed in 2019 but it was on Broadway that Monaghan, a self confessed fan of the show, first saw the musical during a family holiday to New York. He loved it so much he then went to see the original West End production when it opened. For

Top - Alice Fearn, Richard Hurst, Lauren Conroy, Helen Anker and Ryan Kopel as Evan Hansen

Left - Lauren Conroy as Zoe Murphy with the company

Below left Ryan Kopel as Evan Hansen

Below middle - Vivian Panka as Alana Beck

Below right - Lauren Conroy and Sonny Monaghan as Evan Hansen)

Page 13 top - Ryan Kopel as Evan Hansen), Tom Dickerson and Killian Thomas Lefevre

Page 13 bottom - The company on tour

27-year-old Kopel, it was a very different story.

The actor from Kirriemuir, in Scotland, revealed: “I never saw the original production, but Dear Evan Hansen was such a huge cultural phenomenon when it first came out that I knew all about it without ever really knowing the story.” His introduction to that came during the audition process and with themes including bullying and mental health, he quickly discovered that Dear Evan Hansen deals with some important issues.

He said: “Reading the script during the audition process was very helpful because as much as Ben Platt, the original Evan, was iconic in the role, it was nice to be able to form my own take on Evan. The writing is so good that I really can just trust my instinct to bring what I feel to the character. Usually when you do a musical that has been done before, there’s a set way of doing everything; ‘This is how you say this line,’ and, ‘This is where you stand on the stage for this moment’. We’ve had none of that. We have complete freedom to take the script and create something new.”

‘Staging-wise, everything is different...” chipped in Monaghan, before Kopel continued: “It’s eight years since the Broadway production debuted, which doesn’t sound that long but when you think about it, a lot has changed in that time. The technology we use everyday is so different that much of the script has taken on a whole new meaning. Just looking at the piece from the lens of 2024 has been an interesting experience.”

If the rehearsal period has been invigorating for Kopel, for Monaghan it has been nothing less than hectic. Explaining how having two Evans “in the room” works, he said: “Mainly, it’s Ryan and the principal cast who are in the rehearsal room with director Adam Penford. They create the show. As the alternate Evan, I get brought in once it looks the way they want it to look. Then I work with our associate director to replicate that.”

Kopel grinned and said:“To be fair, that is the

case, but it’s also done that way because Sonny has about 90 million different things to learn. While I’m lucky to be focussing on one character, he has to be in a different room learning the parts of Evan, Connor, Jared and all the ensemble’s moves too. 100 per cent do I have the easy shift... apart from having to do it every night.”

And it’s not just lines, songs and moves the pair have to familiarise themselves with, due to the sensitive themes of the piece, producers have partnered with The Mix, the UK’s leading digital charity for under 25-year-olds, to ensure anyone affected by the issues explored in the show knows where to find support. The Mix has provided training to the cast and creative team on how to appropriately respond to queries from the public, both online and offline, and equip them with the knowledge to direct individuals to the right support channels.

“The Mix is there for anyone who needs to reach out for support,” explained Kopel. “We had a long Zoom with them the very first week of rehearsals where they explained what they did and the way they work. It was an incredible

insight into a world I had no idea about.

“Given the nature of the show, if people struggling with these issues come to see the show, The Mix has given us the information we need to point them in the right direction if they come to the stage door,” added Monaghan, before Kopel continued, “There’s just something about this show that allows people to connect deeply with the characters. Often, they then associate characters with the actor playing them and open up, sharing what they are going through. We take that responsibility incredibly seriously and having that guidance from The Mix is vitally important.”

Despite its themes, Dear Evan Hansen is a beautifully crafted and uplifting piece of musical theatre, one that Monaghan believes will “be a blessing for many, by helping them realise they need to talk to someone.”

Kopel agrees and said: “Ultimately, Dear Evan Hansen is about hope. No matter what happens, what you are going through, its message is that there is always someone to talk to and reasons why you should go on. That’s what I’d like people

to take away from the show.”

Packed with some of the biggest musical theatre songs of the last decade, Dear Evan Hansen has Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the Oscar-winning composers for The Greatest Showman, to thank for its haunting score and both Evans have a favourite song when asked which they enjoy singing most. The anthemic For Forever is Monaghan’s while for Kopel it is Words Fail, he added with a cheeky smile, “I like it because it’s a bit of an emotional catharsis, it doesn’t matter if your voice cracks because you are crying and already an emotional mess.”

Before they head back to rehearsal, there’s one last question: Dear Evan Hansen starts with Evan writing a letter to himself. It begins, naturally enough, with the title of the show followed by ‘Today is going to be a good day because...’ So, what would they write in such a letter to themselves?

“Keeping in line with the show, My letter would say, ‘Dear Ryan Kopel, today is going to be a good day because you can take each day at a time, every hour as it comes’,” says the Scot.

“Mine would read, ‘Dear Sonny Monaghan, today is going to be a good day because this is what and where you want to be and you should know that you have worked hard and deserve to be here’.”

With opening night fast approaching, both admit that despite their reassuring words to themselves, the nerves are sure to kick in on the big night, but even that is a good thing.

“I kind of live in a state of constant nerves anyway,” laughs Kopel, “but nerves before a performance are definitely a good thing. It means you care, so I’ll harness them and let them kick me up a gear...”

“It’s like athletes,” nods Monaghan, “You have to use your nerves and adrenaline to reach your peak performance...” Kopel laughs, “Yes, and then keep it there for another two and half hours.”

Walking the walk 30 years on

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

CHARITY BOSS Nina Barough, CBE, Chief Executive of the Walk the Walk charity which organises the Moonwalk says that while at one point the charity paid out 80p in the £ it is now able to allocate less than 50p in each £1 raised.

Ms Barough explained that the charity has had an “incredibly difficult time since Covid” when they were unable to hold any events. She said: “We’re still - believe it or not - five years later still recovering.”

But the amount which is available to make grants to breast cancer charities does changeand it also depends on how much people raise.

The charity founder said: “People’s ability to raise over the past few years has been less than it was previously. There’s been a lot of financial pressures on everyone which has had a massive impact on all charities, not just us.

“That spreads into events and holding events and then there’s all the health and the safety. It feels a bit endless actually for all of us in every direction at the moment. But I think the important thing is that we are still here, we’re still very relevant and although the work we do has continued to be re-evaluated and changed.”

As the charity gets ready for its last event in Edinburgh before moving to a new as yet unnamed city, the founder of the grant-making breast cancer charity spoke to The Edinburgh Reporter in a wide-ranging interview which

you can read in full online.

The charity began with Nina and a group of her friends travelling to New York and walking in the marathon there while wearing bras. The group of women raised £25,000 which she said “felt like £25 million at the time”. She continued: “At that point it was going to be a one-off never-to-be-repeated event. Of course

Water and wax. No holiday for your ears.

With the warm weather upon us, we are more likely to be taking a plunge. But swimming can sometimes cause water to get trapped in the ear canal, potentially leading to ear wax buildup or infection. If you are experiencing persistent pain, tenderness or hearing loss after swimming, it’s important that you don’t insert anything into your ear canal. That could make things worse. For treatment and advice, book an appointment with Fairfield Hearing. 2 Stafford Street, Edinburgh EH3 7AU 0131 378 5800 fairfieldhearing.scot

here we are 30 years later.” Enter now for Walk the Walk Edinburgh on 6 September either solo or with a team to walk through the night while wearing a decorated bra - and raising some much needed funds for breast cancer charities.

walkthewalk.org

Canon fodder

By STAFF REPORTER

SCOTTISH ENTERPRISE is backing Edinburgh based company, Canon Medical Research Europe, with an award of £3.6 million.

This funding will contribute to the £14 million project which uses AI for faster data analysis to benefit both patients and health services with faster automated routine tasks. This will mean faster patient scanning and allow for better informed decisions for patients.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “Scotland has a long-standing reputation for innovation in health and life sciences, and Canon Medical Research Europe exemplifies that strength. This investment in AI technology has the potential to transform the way we deliver healthcare by speeding up diagnosis, supporting our clinicians, and ultimately improving outcomes for patients.

“I’m proud to see Scottish expertise leading on such cutting-edge developments and look forward to showcasing this innovation on the world stage at Expo 2025 in Japan.”

Canon Medical Research Europe began as Voxar, a spin-out from Edinburgh University in 1994, before being acquired by Canon in 2016. It has since become a centre of expertise in Scotland for AI for medical imaging with a team of over 100 scientists, engineers and clinical experts led

Ushering in the future

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

AS WE WERE GOING TO PRESS there was a high profile opening of University of Edinburgh’s Usher Building at Edinburgh Bioquarter just about to take place.

This is a building where “major advances in health and social care” are being made.

There are 900 researchers, health and care providers and industry leaders all working there harnessing data to address urgent challenges such as the ageing population, childhood wellbeing and the problem of widening health inequalities.

The building was funded with £49.2 million capital funding through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal - mostly from The UK Government with £0.7 million from The Scottish Government.

WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was joined by the Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, Secretary of State for Scotland, and Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Drug and Alcohol Policy and Sport, alongside University staff and students to mark the opening of the state-of-the-art hub.

by Dr Ken Sutherland.

The announcement was made ahead of the Expo 2025 in Osaka where the company was part of a trade delegation.

Dr Sutherland said: “We have a strong focus on AI and automation with the goal of helping clinicians to diagnose and treat more patients. It makes me very proud to think that the innovation we create here is Scotland can benefit the people of Scotland and, through our parent company, the rest of the world.”

CEO of Scottish Enterprise, Adrian Gillespie, said that the project has the potential to transform healthcare in Scotland. He said: “Scotland’s life sciences and healthtech industries deliver lifeenhancing benefits to patients, while making an enormous contribution to our economy – the life sciences sector alone contributes almost £10.5billion annually.

“That is also why we are taking a talented Scottish delegation of healthtech companies to Japan Expo to showcase what Scotland has to offer and to forge new connections that will deliver trade and healthcare opportunities.”

Bute House gathering before Japan trip

Rare Italian Renaissance exhibition fit for a king

By STAFF REPORTER

AN EXHIBITION AT THE KING’S GALLERY this autumn will bring together the widestranging exhibition of Italian Renaissance drawings in half a century, featuring some works which cannot be shown for long periods due to their sensitivity to light.

Drawing the Italian Renaissance at The King’s Gallery will open on 17 October and will explore the way that drawing was a dynamic artform in this artistic period.

With works by Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael and Federico Barocci accompanied by a grotesque head study by Michelangelo, this is an exhibition of the best examples available.

Two Artists in Residence will draw in the gallery on selected days. Both are alumni of Edinburgh College of Art and members of the public will be encouraged to try their hand at drawing with pencils and paper made available.

The King’s Gallery continues to offer £1 tickets to this exhibition for visitors receiving Universal Credit and other named benefits. Further concessionary rates are available, including discounted tickets for young people, half-price entry for children (with under-fives free), and the option to convert standard tickets bought directly from Royal Collection Trust into a 1-Year Pass for unlimited re-entry for 12 months.

Budgie set to drum up a crowd at Stills Automat

By PHYLLIS STEPHEN

THIS MONTH there is a ONE DAY only opportunity on 10 July at 3pm to meet Budgie the former Siouxsie and The Banshees drummer during his whistle stop book tour.

Meet Budgie (otherwise Peter Clarke) at Stills Automat at 23 Cockburn Street where he will be popping in to have his photo taken.

The Edinburgh Reporter readers may be able to persuade the rocker to have their photo taken with him in Scotland’s only analogue photobooth.

Budgie was an era defining drummer in the punk scene of the late 1970s. As a disenchanted teenager at art college in Liverpool he went to London, first joining the all-female group The Slits, afterwards touring with

former members of The Sex Pistols and finally finding a home with The Banshees. He will appear at a Toppings event at Pilrig St Paul's at 7pm the same evening to talk about his glamorous life which he recounts in his autobiography - The Absence - Memoirs of a Banshee Drummer.

Come along on 10 July to say hello.

Meet the Authors - a festival of writing worth reading

By STAFF REPORTER

AT THE ROYAL SCOTS CLUB on Abercromby Place during the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe there will be an exclusive series of intimate author events. Over 12 days, a dozen acclaimed writers will take part, each discussing their latest book, followed by a Q&A and book signing.

Readers may enjoy complimentary tea and coffee as they delve into fascinating topics ranging from Scottish history and art to contemporary satire and global health.

Curated by Alan Taylor, the inaugural Writing Worth Reading festival has been designed to allow audiences to meet the people behind the words and inspire new ideas of their own.

Alan Taylor is a writer, journalist, editor and broadcaster whose books include The Assassin’s Cloak: An Anthology of the World’s Greatest Diarists, Appointment in Arezzo: A Friendship with Muriel Spark and, most recently, Edinburgh: The Autobiography.

Federico Barocci, The head of the Virgin, c.1582 Retouching Madonna

Bartolomeo Passarotti, St Jerome c.1580

Budgie of Siouxsie and The Banshees

By Charlie Ellis

Olympic gold coffee

EDINBURGH got its nickname of “Athens of the North” in the 1700s, however, contemporary Athens and Edinburgh are now very far apart in scale and character.

The glorious ancient zone around the Acropolis is justly world famous but it’s not reflective of the wider city, a dense concrete sprawl largely formed during the 1950s and 1960s population explosion. The population density of Athens is many times higher, creating a far more lively city, while the climate is incomparable. So, very different cities. What about comparisons regarding coffee?

Coffee drinking has long been a habitual part of Greek daily life. By coffee, Athenians generally mean espresso based drinks, using dark roasted Italian-style coffee. This is also the basis of the very popular Freddo (iced) coffees, which dominate during the warmer months. In Edinburgh, by contrast, specialty coffee is where it’s at. Apart from what’s in the cup, what aspects of Athenian coffee culture should Edinburgh look to emulate?

ACTUALLY, WE'RE JUST CLOSING...

The way that most cafés in Edinburgh shut around 4pm is something that bemuses many visitors to the city and frustrates many locals. Café owners suggest that after 3pm demand drops off. However, the advertising executive Rory Sutherland is surely correct in arguing that because customers know that most cafes close around 4,

they don't consider coffee at that time of day. One great joys of Athens are the long evenings. Weather plays an important role here; in Athens it's possible to sit at an outside table for at least 8 months of the year. In Edinburgh, outside of a few weeks, you generally need to be brave to do so. However, the weather need not stop cafes in Edinburgh opening later than they do.

SORRY GUYS, WE'RE FULL AT THE MOMENT

One aspect that becomes apparent through comparison is how much easier it is to find a table in Athens. Most good coffee spots in Edinburgh are consistently busy, with tables at a premium. In Athens, cafes are much larger, so finding tables is rarely an issue. One aspect that helps is that laptop working in cafes are far less common in Athens, so cafés are not clogged up for several hours in the way that they are in Edinburgh (this can make a serious dent in takings for independent coffee shops, who often have to introduce non-laptop tables and times).

The sheer number of cafés in Athens means that you are not far from an alternative spot. From an Athenian perspective, the notion that Edinburgh has too many cafes would be laughable. This includes numerous cafes in residential suburbs, not just ‘destination’ areas. In many areas you will come across traditional kafeniothe equivalent to an old man's pub in the UK. Instead of beer, they generally serve old fashioned Greek coffee, beer, and ouzo. In short, coffee is

CROSSWORD

By Aldhelm

much easier to access, across the city and well into the night. Such a mainstreaming of coffee is only in its early stages in the UK.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Here Athens is the clear winner here. The customer experience in the UK can be mixed. Too often the stress of serving coffee in busy places transmits itself to the customer. In Athens I’ve felt a greater sense of staff really welcoming me, not merely serving me. Edinburgh's cafes and eateries would do well to try and emulate this. Some have excellent customer service but too many don't.

VARIETY AND CONSISTENCY

During four visits to Athens, I’ve been struck by the sheer consistency of the coffee served. However, since the coffee in Athens is mainly Italian style espresso, baristas are dealing with a very consistent product. They don’t need to make daily alterations to the machines and grinders in order to 'dial in' their coffee. With specialty coffee the character of the beans varies a lot. As a result, coffee in Edinburgh can be a little hit or miss, though the general standard is steadily rising (albeit, from a low base). So while Athens scores in terms of consistency, Edinburgh's best places are superior, offering more complex coffees.

IT BECOMES ADDICTIVE

Specialty coffee is starting to make an impression in Athens. The minimal cool of Foyer Espresso Bar in the

ACROSS

7 ANNOY SCREEN (anagram) (4, 7) 9 Proved, shown to be true (8)

____ du Maurier, novelist (6)

Little (5)

Hardened (9)

Muslim fasting season (7)

Illness (7)

Not temporary (9)

Wizardry (5)

(6)

2 Recognition, acknowledgement (10)

3 Tavern (3)

4 Takes apart, removes (8)

5 Short dash (6)

6 Those who listen in (13)

7 Heavy irony (7)

8 Fast driver, colloquially (5, 8)

13 Not discouraged (10)

15 Rant, tirade (8)

17 Annoyed, enraged (7)

19 Gain back (6)

20 Female parent (6)

23 Printing fluid (3)

17 Angered, 19 Recoup, 20 Mother, 23 Ink.

15

13

2 Acceptance, 3 Inn, 4 Detaches, 5 Hyphen, 6 Eavesdroppers, 7 Sarcasm, 8

21 Encore, 22 Criteria, 24 Urban legend.

1

ACROSS: 7 Sean Connery, 9 Verified, 10 Daphne, 11 Small, 12 Toughened, 14 Ramadan, 16 Disease, 18 Permanent, 20

neighbourhood of Pangrati typifies this new trend. Their head barista talked of Athens as a late starter in terms of specialty coffee, with things only getting going around 2014; around seven years or so after the UK. Also attracting good custom is Motiv in the heart of Exarcheia, the centre of political activism in the city. On a busy graffiti-strewn corner, with motorcycles whizzing by, the place buzzes with energy deep into the late evening.

Other specialty hotspots include Mind the Cup in the large, busy suburb of Peristeri. There, drinkers sitting outside sip their coffees in the cool, shaded by a set of large trees. In the same area, Cafeistas is a growing roastery and café. The price of the

coffee at Cafeistas was significantly lower than other places (around 2.5 EUR), reflecting its out of the way location. In general, prices of specialty coffee are fairly near those found in the UK, which given the lower average salaries in Greece, makes such places expensive for Greeks.

REASONS TO VISIT

There are many reasons to visit Athens. Coffee is another reason to go. While Edinburgh is a very different city, it can learn much from the Athenian approach to coffee. Yamas!

Author's note: The author thanks Eva Vaporidis for her assistance with this article.

Magic,

DOWN:

Lawful,

Speed merchant,

Undeterred,

Diatribe,

W Edinburgh’s Sumith else

THERE'S SOMETHING MAGICAL about those unplanned evenings that unfold into extraordinary experiences. What began as a pre-dinner drink with a new friend evolved into one of the most memorable dining experiences I've had in Edinburgh, showcasing the exceptional hospitality that makes our city's food scene so special.

My evening started with Joanne Frette of Swirl Sip and Socialise, whom I'd met earlier this year at a Burns Night Supper at Hotel Du Vin. Joanne offers curated food and wine experiences for visitors to Edinburgh, specialising in restaurant tours and tastings that give guests, often well-heeled Americans, a genuine "sense of place." Her approach makes wine and whisky accessible to everyone, from beginners to connoisseurs, through private tastings, food and wine pairing dinners, and virtual events that connect friends across distances.

We'd arranged to meet at The Spence at Gleneagles townhouse for a quick dinner before I was due to catch up with a journalist friend fresh back from a South American sabbatical. But when Joanne mentioned she'd never visited the W Edinburgh, I suggested we venture up to their 11th-floor Joao's speakeasy bar for one final drink.

Despite arriving early for my dinner reservation, the front-of-house team graciously accommodated us. Tony, behind the bar, treated us to miniature flights showcasing three of their signature cocktails. The drinks celebrate both Brazilian classics and the culture of Joao's community in Liberdade – São Paulo's largest Japanese district outside Japan – alongside a Bossa Nova selection inspired by the international artists who flocked to Brazil in the 1980s.

The venue delivers exactly what Joanne seeks for her clients: that crucial sense of place. With unprecedented 360-degree views across

Scotland's capital, fire pits, and live music, it's where locals and visitors alike can experience Edinburgh from an entirely new perspective.

Knowing the W's reputation for exceptional wine service, I asked if their sommelier was available. Within minutes, Sumith Alahakoon joined us, and what happened next perfectly embodied the W's "Whatever, Whenever" philosophy. Learning that my friend Laura was arriving for dinner, Sumith spontaneously extended an invitation for Joanne to join us, promising "a very special evening." He delivered on that promise spectacularly.

Originally, we'd planned to experience their W Sunset Session on the outdoor deck – a Friday evening tradition from 7-10pm against Edinburgh's stunning skyline – followed by dinner in one of their new glass pod dining experiences overlooking Calton Hill.

However, with the weather not getting the memo that it’s supposed to be summer, the team seamlessly adapted, seating us at a prime window table in the W Lounge with Calton Hill views and easy access to the balcony for those

essential Instagram moments.

The W Lounge showcases Sumith's impressive collection of over 400 fine wines and champagnes, dramatically displayed on a striking wine wall surrounding a dedicated tasting table.

We sampled Executive Chef David Lilley's new Scottish-inspired menu, featuring everything from the snacks which offer Spicy Chorizo Popcorn and Perollo Gordal Olives to small plates like Charcoal Baked Beetroot with goats curd and horseradish, and the large plates of succulent Lamb Rump with potato gnocchi and café au lait sauce, North Sea Spiced Cod and Dry Aged Beef Burger.

But the evening's true star was Sumith himself. With over 40 years of experience, he brings not just extensive wine knowledge but an engaging personality and captivating stories that transform dining into an experience. Rather than simply recommending wines, he took time to understand our group dynamic and selected a red bottle of Cigalus 2021 that perfectly complemented all our chosen dishes while enhancing our chat and connection.

This personal touch elevates the W Edinburgh beyond typical hotel dining. Sumith also offers sommelier-led experiences including the 45-minute New Horizons Wine & Cheese Flight,

where three expertly selected wines pair with artisanal cheeses as he guides guests through the interplay of flavours, textures, and aromas.

For our desserts, a Sticky Date Cake (malted caramel and vanilla bean ice-cream), a palatecleansing Blood Orange Soft Serve (with candied flaked almonds, and vanilla crumble), and a cheese selection, Sumith chose a chilled glass of Kamoizumi Umesha liqueur from Hiroshima.

What struck me most about the evening was how genuine hospitality created unexpected connections. From Joanne's expertise in curating authentic Edinburgh experiences to Sumith's masterful wine service, and the seamless adaptability of the entire W team, it demonstrated why Edinburgh's food and drink scene continues to impress both locals and visitors.

Sometimes the best experiences happen when you least expect them – when professionals passionate about their craft come together to create something spontaneous and special. The W Edinburgh, with its combination of stunning views, exceptional service, and commitment to that "Whatever, Whenever" philosophy, provides the perfect stage for these magical moments to unfold.

https://www.wloungeedinburgh.com https://swirlsipsocialise.com/

Culinary capers in the capital with Kerry Teakle

Inside the stylish W

W Edinburgh has a terrace with a view

Lamb rump with potato gnocchi Wine and cheese flight

Sommelier Sumith Alahakoon

As the calm before the storm of the Festival Fringe envelops Edinburgh, the magical West End beckons

EDINBURGH THEATRES fall into their usual pre-Fringe slumber this month. There’s only one big touring production heading to town in July and that is Dear Evan Hansen at The Playhouse (1-5 July).

The Olivier, Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical is packed with some of the biggest musical theatre songs of the last decade. All his life, Evan Hansen has felt invisible. But when a tragic event shocks the community and thrusts him into the centre of a rapidly evolving controversy, he is given the opportunity of a lifetime - the chance to be somebody else. With a score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the Oscar-winning composers for The Greatest Showman, book by Steven Levenson and direction by Adam Penford, the Artistic Director at Nottingham Playhouse, this brand-new production marks the first time the

Edinburgh’s Mr Entertainment picks his Hot Tickets to see in the Capital and beyond

Dear Evan Hansen is alone on the capital’s stages this month

Dinosaurs and poowhat’s not to love?

Broadway and West End phenomenon has toured the UK. It stars Scottish musical theatre star Ryan Kopel in the title role, with Sonny Monaghan appearing as Alternative Evan at matinee performances.

I caught up with both Ryan and Sonny as they prepared to take Dear Evan Hansen on the road. You can meet them on pages 12 and 13.

Running time 2 hours 40 minutes including interval, tickets https://www.atgtickets.com/ shows/dear-evan-hansen/edinburghplayhouse/

With a dearth of shows in the capital, you could do worse than plan a theatre break this month, and if that means a trip to London, get in early as there’s still time to catch the final week of London Theatre Direct’s Big Summer Theatre.

Now in its second year, the event, which runs until Monday 7 July (keep your eyes peeled though as it was extended by a further week last year), allows you to choose from more than 40 musicals and plays, including The Devil Wears Prada, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Back to the Future the Musical, Clueless the Musical, Matilda the Musical, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and save up to 50% off, with tickets from just £15.

This year, however, don’t just see the on stage magic, experience it with a series of exclusive photo experiences. Now you can step onto the stage after seeing Hadestown, Titanique, Starlight Express, Fiddler on the Roof and The Great Gatsby, to pose for a professional photo moment – have your photo taken on stage after enjoying Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre, snap a pic with a Titanique cast member on the Criterion Theatre stage, toast your West End debut with a complimentary drink and photo op at Fiddler on the Roof, feel like a winner when you race onto the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre stage for a Starlight

Express photo op – no skates required, but a complimentary drink is a must – or join the roaring 20s party with an old sport from the The Great Gatsby cast, as you pose on stage with them at the London Coliseum.

Ready to make your summer unforgettable?

Explore all participating shows and secure your seat at the hottest event of the season. Back in Edinburgh, there’s a chance for little ones to get their introduction to theatre at

The Playhouse when, for one day only, The Dinosaur That Pooped - A Rock Show (24 July) comes to the Greenside Place venue for two performances at 1.30pm and 4.30pm.

When Danny and Dino’s favourite rock band are playing their last ever concert, they go on a quest to get the last two tickets. But with a villainous band manager lurking, nothing goes to plan. Will the band perform? Will Danny rock out? Or will Dino’s rumbling tummy save the day?

Adapted from the No1 best-selling books by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, the whole family will have a poopy good time enjoying a brand, new story for the stage. Featuring new songs by the McFly favourites, Fletcher and Pointer, a lot of laughs and a whole lot of poo.

Running time 1 hour with no interval. Tickets https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/thedinosaur-that-pooped/edinburgh-playhouse/

Now if ever a venue was made to host a production of the work of Transpotting author Irvine Welsh, it surely has to be the old Leith Town Hall Theatre, now better known as Leith Theatre, and that’s exactly what the venue is set to do when it brings Porno (18 & 19 July), to 28 Ferry Road.

Adapted by Davie Carswell from Welsh’s novel of the same name, the stage production of Porno started life as 50 minute one-act play at The Pleasance as part of the 2022 Fringe, however, it’s the full-length version that comes to Leith Theatre, one that has already sold out runs at the Liverpool Olympia, Crewe Lyceum, Manchester Waterside as well as a seven week season at the Art’s Theatre in London’s West End. Porno, the follow up novel to Trainspotting, reveals what has become of Renton, Sickboy, Spud and Begbie some 15 years on from their original exploits. It goes without saying that swearing, drug use and language of a sexual nature are the order of the day, which makes the 13+ advisory seem quite liberal.

Running time 2 hours including interval, Tickets: www.leiththeatre.co.uk/upcoming-events/ porno

Next month, of course, we’ll be spoiled for choice as the Festival and Fringe comes around once again. The  Edinburgh Reporter will once again exclusively publish my Fringe Hot Ticket hit lists. In the meantime you can keep up to date with the shows coming to Edinburgh in August that are catching my eye by visiting www.mustseetheatre.com

Please do keep an eye out for the three shows I’m directing. If you like a supernatural tale or two, Fallen Angel, my new one-man play, and The Omega Factor: By The Pricking Of My Thumbs, by Natasha Gerson and myself, might be right up your street.

If it’s comedy you’re after, check out Hingin’ Oan Fir Googsie, by John McColl, starring River City’s Jimmy Chisholm, will definitely be worth a look.

Until August, happy theatre going,  Liam

Liam Campbell is Angel, in Fallen Angel

Grace can be amazing inspiration

ADAM WILSON, 18, will be among those flying the flag for the Musselburgh based Eskmuthe Rowing Club when the internationally renowned SkiffieWorlds coastal rowing competition takes place in Loch Ryan, Stranraer, from July 6-12.

And Adam has revealed a special source of inspiration - a family connection with Victorian rescue heroine Grace Darling. In 1838, Grace Darling, along with her Longstone Lighthouse keeper father, William, braved a ferocious storm to row in a small coble to the rescue of nine shipwreck victims off the Farne Islands gaining widespread acclaim in the process.

SkiffieWorlds, the World Championship of St Ayles class of coastal rowing, takes place every three years and with record numbers – 2000 rowers from 79 clubs as far away as Australia - will be the biggest ever gathering of wooden St Ayles skiff boats, which are hand built by the competing clubs.

Already a keen rower, Adam Wilson discovered a family connection to Grace Darling while researching his family tree.

He said: “When I found out, I was amazed. I am very proud to be related to her. I had heard the story of Grace before but didn’t make any connection that she was part of my family. I’ve always liked the sea, but when I started researching my family’s connections to the sea, I gained a personal link. Now it’s not just random history; it’s my personal history.”

Before he discovered his seafaring heritage, Adam Wilson was encouraged by a family friend to have a go at coastal rowing - and he proved to be a natural.

He adds, “I guess it was fate. I enjoyed it so much that I did two sessions. There was a club race afterwards and as they were one person short I ended up racing in that as well.

“Some of the older members of my family still

Vive la petanque!

A DELEGATION FROM DALKEITH PETANQUE CLUB plus two members from Rosslyn counterparts returned from a successful trip to Jarnac having consolidated relations ahead of the 65th anniversary of the towns’ twinning arrangement in July.

The group were greeted by the local Mayor, the Twinning Committee and the Chair of Jarnac Sports Petanque and the programme included a visit to a

huge boulodrome where the national games are played as well as the Jarnac club ground where its 70 pistes were hosting 240 players.

A series of matches and practice sessions also took place and a spokesman for the visitors said:

“Overall a great success and we now know personally who each other are and are going to build a relationship not only with pétanque but with the towns of Jarnac and Dalkeith.”

have Darling as a middle name, but I don’t. In more modern times everyone has completely forgotten the connection.”

Wilson trains with his Eskmuthe crewmates twice a week, plus additional gym sessions to build racing stamina.

“Rowing was the thing that got me physically active again after lockdown. Mentally it allows you to disconnect completely and gives something positive to focus on. You just forget about everything else” said Adam, adding:

“It’s my first SkiffieWorlds so I am excited to take part in the event. I have competed in day regattas before, but this is bigger than anything I have done before.”

“Steedie Falconer” is the skiff Eskmuthe Rowing Club will be racing at SkiffieWorlds 2025. It is named after a formidable female character, Steedie Falconer - the last ever Fisherrow fishwife. She died aged 95 before the boat was launched and by chance was allocated the Scottish Coastal Rowing Association registration number 95.

Adam says: “Steedie Falconer is the best, and

everyone’s favourite. I think her spirit is also with the boat when we’re rowing it.”

* Fisherrow and Musselburgh were two separate historic communities either side of the River Esk, and the club was named Eskmuthe to honour them both. The club’s first boat was called Honesty after the Honest Toun of Musselburgh.

* Adam Wilson will be competing in both the male and mixed under-19 teams with the former also comprising Logan McLeod, Finlay Wishart, Savva Nazarov coxed by Gaynor Allen. The under 19 mixed crew also comprises Logan McLeod, Rhona Milne, Lily Henderson coxed by Gaynor Allen

* The triennial SkiffieWorlds world championship will see more than 2,000 rowers from 79 clubs, from Scotland and the UK as well as rowers travelling from as far away as the Netherlands Canada, USA, South Africa, and Australia.

* Eskmuthe Rowing Club’s youngest rower is 13 and their oldest 73.

www.eskmutherowingclub.org.uk

Adam Wilson

Adam and his Eskmuthe team in Fisherrow Harbour

Playing in France

Photos Colin Hattersley

Warrender strike gold in Dundee

EDINBURGH’S WARRENDER WATER

POLO CLUB excelled when Scottish Cup finals were held in Dundee.

Pride of place went to the under-17 boys who struck gold by beating Stirling 13-4 in the final.

Silver medallists from Warrender were the under-17 girls, under-19 girls and senior women.

They were beaten by, respectively, Dunfermline, Menzieshill and Kirkintilloch/ Kilsyth.

Julia Kerr coached Warrender in all four matches as th what was hailed as their best all rounder performance for many years.

Neal Rayer, head coach at Warrender Water Polo Club said: “It’s great to see the development of Warrender Water Polo bearing fruit.  We’ve made a big effort to develop the club from the ground up and get lots of players involved and we’ve now won three of the six Junior Scottish Championships in 2025 and been runners-up in two others. We’re competitive at every league now and it’s the

great juniors breaking into the seniors squads which is great to see. Our terrific alliance with West Edinburgh Stingrays is going well and the only issues we’re concerned with is finding enough training time for everyone!”

Zac Carter, under-17 boys captain, said: “It’s fantastic that we’ve won. the team played so well in every round, especially the semi- final. It’s a great reward for all the hard work this year and I’d like to thank our great coaches too.”

Portobello also did well with their under 19  boys winning gold by beating Stirling while their men overcame Dunfermline in the final.

Ben Scott, captain of Portobello’s senior men as well as coach of the under-19’s said:

“The boys were brilliant. We started slowly and had to adjust our defensive set up to nullify Stirling’s threats. In doing so we were able to create more space in our transition to attack which really came into play after the second period.

“At the start of the season we set our goals and the Scottish Cup was at the very top of the list.”

A class act at The Pitt

PITT STRENGTH owner Bob Neillings is adding specific classes for retired and older clients as the West Shore Road gym continues to grow as part of a £1.3 billion Granton Waterfront Regeneration project.

The state-of-the-art gym is operating alongside businesses in other sectors and close collaboration has played a part in early successes, Bob says.

Describing the project as “vibrant” Bob says: “This creative and collaborative warehouse space is exactly what we were looking for, offering opportunities for us to grow

facilities.

“For example after work-outs it is possible to have a cold dip on site at Soul Water Saunas as well as breakfast.”

Pitt Strength set up shop in Granton around two months ago and Bob says: “We are growing steadily with a range of classes in morning and evenings offering functional fitness.

“I have been coaching in gyms since I was 17 – I’m now aged 42mostly in Portobello and Leith.

Having this space in a village type location with businesses supporting

Friendly relations at Brunstane

AS PART OF THEIR CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS Brunstane

Bowling Club hosted a friendly match against rinks representing Craigentinny, Parkside, Portobello and South Edinburgh.

Ever the generous hosts, the Joppa-based club allowed their

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

guests a handsome victory margin before retiring to the clubhouse for refreshments.

The festivities were due to continue with quartets from Hillside, Mayfield, Seafield, Willowbrae, Leith, Jessfield, London Road Foundry, Postal,

Postal, Goldenacre, the Edinburgh Bowling Association, RMBA, South Edinburgh Ladies and the Forth League taking their turns on the green.

Pictured by Carol Edmond are the first group of guests along with their hosts.

Brunstane and their guests

2025 Water Polo Scottish Cup Finals

Hibs history in the making

By JOHN HISLOP

AS PART OF ITS 150TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, Hibs will host German-side Rot-Weiss Essen on Wednesday 9 July, with a 7pm kick-off at Easter Road Stadium.

This will be the first time that Rot-Weiss Essen have returned to Easter Road since the two teams played each other in 1955 in the inaugural European Champions Cup.

Hibs were Scotland’s chosen representatives and made history by becoming the first British team to play European football.

In addition to Hibs, Milan (Italy), AGF Aarhus (Denmark), Anderlecht (Belgium), Djurgården (Sweden), Gwardia Warszawa (Poland), Partizan (Yugoslavia), PSV (Netherlands), Rapid Wien (Austria), Real Madrid (Spain), Rot-Weiss Essen (West Germany), Saarbrücken (Saar), Servette (Switzerland), Sporting CP (Portugal), Stade de Reims (France), and Vörös Lobogó (Hungary) all agreed to participate.

The Easter Road side were drawn against

German champions Rot-Weiss Essen, with the first leg to be played in Germany, and Hibs’ legend Eddie Turnbull was the hero, scoring two and making another in the historic 4-0 victory.

The game was played in heavy rain which turned the pitch into a quagmire, but the conditions didn’t worry the Hibs players who piled on the pressure from the kick off, although it took until the 35th minute before the breakthrough occurred, when Turnbull, renowned for his powerful shot, hammered the ball past German international goalkeeper, “The Black Panthar” Fritz Herkenrath, to the delight of over 1000 Scottish soldiers who were stationed in the country, amongst the crowd.

Turnbull added his second just before half-time with a fine solo effort, beating several defenders then slotting the ball into the net.

Eleven minutes after the break, Hibs made it three after a fine Turnbull pass found Lawrie Reilly who scored one of his best ever goals, running through the Essen defence from the half way line before calmly dispatching  the ball past Herkenrath from close range.

Willie Ormond sealed the win with eight minutes remaining.

Following the game, one of the German national newspapers said: “Last night the Hibernian team from Scotland gave the greatest display by a British team since the war.”

The result takes on an even greater significance as Germany had only recently won the World Cup and Essen right winger Helmut Rahn had scored two goals in the final.

The second leg took place on October 12 and over 30,000 took their place on the Easter Road

terracings to watch the game with John Buchanan scoring Hibs’ goal in a 1-1 draw, although according to the Daily Record the following day, the score-line flattered the Germans.

The match report read: “Don’t let the score give you any wrong ideas. Hibs should have wiped the floor with this German team, but the powder puff Germans had about as much punch as ginger pop.”

Buchanan’s goal was a fantastic effort which was even applauded by the opposition players.

Abromsil grabbed a late equaliser, but Hibs progressed to the next round with a 5-1 aggregate win.

Hibs subsequently progressed to the semi-final of the tournament before losing to FC Rheims of France.

Craig’s turn for a testimonial

By NIGEL DUNCAN

NEWLY-PROMOTED

SUNDERLAND were a natural choice for Craig Gordon’s testimonial match at Tynecastle as he spent five years there playing before what he described as passionate group of fans.

The 42-year-old said: “I am looking forward to seeing their fans up here and I am delighted they (Sunderland) are back in the Premier League as its been a long time coming.”

Gordon revealed that he sat in his living room cheering them on in the recent play-off final and he said: “It is a huge club, they deserve to be in the Premier League and I can’t wait for the game.

“I have had a look at some of their pre-season friendly matches and they have a good group (of them).

“Hopefully, we can keep them out and it is going to be a big test for us to have Premier League players come up and we’ll see what standard they are.

“Hopefully, we give them a good game and get them ready for the Premier League.”

Gordon said that as a teenager at Balerno High School, he dreamed of playing for his boyhood heroes and also pulling on the dark blue jersey of Scotland.

Well, more than two decades on, he has played for the Tynecastle team on 330 occasions and for Scotland on in excess of 80 games, plus, he has won The Scottish Cup and also kept charge of the goal at Celtic and Sunderland.

The game is on Saturday, 26 July at 3pm as the evergreen stopper enters another year on Hearts books. He has just signed a one-year

extension with the Gorgie club and the club legend admitted: “It has been an incredible career when you pause to look back at it, but I do not want to pause and look back at it as is not over yet.

“To even get in the first team and be part of it, and move on to play in the Premier League down south it has been a dream. There has been some hard work at times, especially with injuries.

“To be able to do that and still be here and still have another year at Hearts and to have this testimonial is a fantastic thing for my whole family because they are all Jambos. It will be pretty special.”

Tickets for the testimonial are on sale at Heartsfc.co.uk and supporters can keep up-to-date with all of the latest information on the testimonial at craiggordontestimonial.co.uk

Craig Gordon in the stand at Tynecastle

Buy your tickets online and save!

All family tickets include unlimited travel for 2 adults and up to 3 children.