City volunteers club together
Warship tragedy five remembered
Bank posts under threat
Food openings lift February
Rocky punching in defence
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By PHYLLIS STEPHEN
MANY COUPLES COME TO EDINBURGH for a holiday and on occasion one of them is surprised by a proposal of marriage.
Will and Christine, photographed above, met in Edinburgh as students and came back from New York for a holiday to the one place in the world that they both knew well.
Little did Christine know that her beau had orchestrated a meticulously planned surprise, enlisting the talent of local photographer, Vasileios Vasakos, to capture their love story
against the city’s breathtaking backdrop. The panoramic views from Calton Hill became the stage for a moment that would change their lives forever.
But the magic continued when around 20 members of their families greeted them both in a nearby pub, all a surprise to Christine.
Vasileios has his own romantic story as he came from Greece to live in the capital three years ago with his wife, Eleftheria, who was recruited by the university. His vocation as a professional photographer was relatively easy to take up again in Scotland, where he continued
creating his unique portraits.
His drive is to tell people’s stories through his lens, tailoring every photoshoot to the individuals and helping to create “emotionfilled photographic pieces of art”.
He has found that his clients, whether solo travellers or couples, have mainly been visitors or tourists who have been ready to be just a bit more romantic than Edinburgh locals - so far.
As well as proposals, Vasileios has also covered some elopements when people wanted to keep their love story to themselves before revealing their marriage to their friends and family.
He said: “Many of my clients come specifically to propose in Edinburgh, and I have now photographed hundreds of couples in many venues. February is couples season, although it is perhaps not the best weather wise. I always ask my clients to wear a bright colour because Edinburgh can be moody and dark, as it makes them pop out from the background of the city.”
Vasileios’s photos are often published on his Instagram account or on his website www.vasakoshots.me
HERE’S HOPING that the weather calms down a bit this month. Towards the end of January Storm Éowyn took its toll in the capital as you will already know, and you can see the tallest tree in the Botanics which was damaged beyond repair on page 3.
Edinburgh is a city where financial services are the backbone of our economy, but as we revealed online in an exclusive story last month BNY is making redundancies. The updated story is on Page 14.
Midway through the month it will be Valentine’s Day and our front page pays a beautiful homage to that. On Page 9 we offer some inspiration for celebrating.
It is also the month when the council has to set out its stall on the finances of the city. With a £1.7 billion revenue budget the council has to provide around 700 services - some of which are statutory and others not. We have given the political parties a chance to explain their priorities for spending on Page 5.
But the biggest news in town over the last month was the introduction of the Visitor Levy which has been given the green light by councillors. This follows the legislation passed at Holyrood last summer, and will possibly raise as much as £50 million each year to be used in “developing, supporting and sustaining facilities and services which are substantially for or used by persons visiting for leisure or business purposes or both”. This has been widened to allow some of the proceeds to help alleviate Edinburgh’s housing emergency. And one of the most interesting aspects is that £100,000 each year will be allocated in every council ward in the city by locals to spend on local projects in a process called participatory budgeting.
The council is responsible for the ramp which has appeared in Charlotte Square to the consternation of local residents. It is said to be a temporary structure in anticipation of the pedestrianisation of George Street, but has been criticised as unsightly. Read more on Page 8.
Phyllis Stephen, Editor
An application in principle has been submitted to convert the Gordon Street railway arch into 15 serviced apartments and a café or retail unit. The site is between Leith Walk and Easter Road and the premises used to be part of the urban viaduct integral to The Caledonian Railway’s “Leith New Lines” Project. 25/00324/PPP
Planning consent has been awarded to the refurbishment and restoration of the Pride Bridge in Leith.
A second consultation has been opened on the site on the south side of Niddrie Mains Road. This will create a mixed use development with new affordable homes above 10 commercial premises which will include a supermarket. The project will link to the new homes to the south and could deliver around 125 new net zero carbon homes with the new commercial frontage. The regeneration of the area includes more than 1,250 new homes, a new local office for the council, schools, shops and parks. The planning application is expected to be made in Spring/Summer 2025 after the consultation ends on 4 March.
Edinburgh Airport has lodged an application with the council for permission to develop an “extended south east pier on the east side of the airport to provide additional departure gate capacity under the Permitted Development Class”. The airport is exempt from requiring full permission in the same way as other developers in certain cases - and this is one of them.
THIS MONTH’S PHOTO from 1950 shows a post war Edinburgh family posing in their home all in their Sunday best. How times have changed. The image was shared by the Living Memory Association on Edinburgh Collected, the online community photo archive managed by Edinburgh City Libraries. Everyone is invited to contribute their photos to the collection. www.edinburghcollected.org
A new commercial sized vertical farm has been approved at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). This will allow SRUC to increase its commitment to local food production and security. The development on the Edinburgh Campus will receive £200,000 of funding from The Scottish Government. The facility will be used for research and education of food and horticulture scientists, growers and industry experts of tomorrow.
people. You will find copies at all branches of Farmer Autocare, at Summerhall, the EICC, LifeCare on Cheyne Street, Coffee Angels, The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and Western General Hospital and several more public libraries than before. If you can, then please subscribe to have your copy delivered to you each month. It helps us to cover the overheads of bringing the news to you in print and online and to maintain it as free to access. 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
Gary Anderson, pictured in his studio above, is well known for his geometric paintings, inspired by the urban environment of Edinburgh, but more recently he has started creating abstracted landscapes – reflecting the place he now lives - the rural landscapes of the Borders. Gary studied at The
By PHYLLIS STEPHEN
STORM ÉOWYN took its toll in the capital at the end of January with damage to buildings and trees all over the city, but thankfully no injuries reported. The top wind gust speed in the UK of 100mph was recorded at Drumalbin in South Lanarkshire, and the streets of the capital were deserted as most people heeded the advice to stay at home. Thankfully no serious injuries were reported.
In Howe Street a chimney collapsed during the storm. Scottish Fire and Rescue attended the following day to make the debris safer for residents and passers-by. But the damage to the roof of the Georgian tenement is clearly extensive.
In the Botanics the tallest tree - a Cedrus deodara was one of more than 40 which came down in the
winds. This 29 metre beauty is from the western Himalayas and has both religious meaning and cultural signifance. There was considerable damage to
glasshouses and at least 15 trees were uprooted so badly they cannot be recovered. In 2012 the top wind speed of 102 mph was recorded.
University of Edinburgh/Edinburgh College of Art where he graduated with a BA (Hons) in Painting and Master of Fine Arts in Illustration.
His work will be included in the 2025 Borders Art Fair from 14 to 16 March at the Borders Events Centre, Kelso. www.bordersartfair.com
By PHYLLIS STEPHEN
EDINBURGH COUNCIL finally got their Tourist Tax plans across the line.
The meeting was held virtually due to Storm Éowyn causing everyone to stay at home.
The tourist tax will be charged at 5% for overnight stays with a cap on five consecutive nights.
All parties except the Conservatives have backed the new tax since it was first mooted in 2017. After a further two hours of discussion with contributions from 25 councillors, the council has now agreed to introduce the tourist tax albeit with a few months delay in implementation.
The tax will be applied for bookings paid for in part or in full on or after 1 October 2025 and for overnight stays on or after 24 July 2026. This is a delay of five months from the previous plan previously outlined, and is said to be the result of the hospitality industry lobbying the council. Many in the hospitality industry, particularly smaller business, said they could not be ready to collect the tax on behalf of the council in time.
A great deal of time over the years has been devoted to introducing this tax which could be revolutionary for the city. It is expected that the Transient Visitor Levy or Tourist Tax will raise around £50 million each year. The way it is then spent is determined by the legislation passed by The Scottish Government.
Council Leader Jane Meagher said when introducing the administration position: “I’m confident the scheme before us is entirely consistent with the legislation. And officers have been at pains to ensure that the scheme has far reaching implications for anyone involved in Edinburgh’s tourist economy, and that is why extensive consultations have been carried out with a very wide range of interested
parties, from global online travel agents to local small business and, of course, Edinburgh’s residents.”
She hoped that as a result of the tax the city will now be able to expand its tourism offer beyond the “undoubted attractions” of the Castle, the Royal Mile and Holyrood Palace to the hidden gems like Craigmillar Castle. There was plenty of criticism for the administration with opposition parties claiming they were rolling over and listening to industry rather than residents.
SNP Group Leader, Simita Kumar, said: “The SNP put forward a bold and ambitious plan to use this valuable new power given to Edinburgh by the Scottish Government to help tackle Edinburgh’s housing emergency, which would have put almost £1 billion additional funding into social and affordable homes.
“It is frankly shameful that the Labour administration has put forward this timid plan, which represents a paltry 13% of what the SNP proposed to spend on housing. It’s little wonder that the Tories felt able to support their plan, along with the Lib Dems. Added to that is their disgraceful capitulation to business lobbying to delay this long-awaited scheme by nine months.
“This was a historic chance to balance the economic benefits our city gets from its tourism industry with tackling the impact it has also had on our housing emergency. I regret that it has largely been passed up by Labour and their Tory and Lib Dem allies. While I welcome that we have agreed that Edinburgh will start collecting Visitor Levy from next year, this vote represents a failure of nerve and an absence of ambition.”
By FOYSOL CHOUDHURY MBE, MSP
LAST YEAR brought immense challenges to everyone in Edinburgh, but this year increased funding from Westminster offers hope for progress.
The housing emergency exposed a deepening crisis. Families were forced into inadequate homes, and young people found housing out of reach. While reversing cuts to affordable housing and boosting homeless services are welcome steps, government must deliver lasting solutions. Building affordable homes and reducing homelessness are essential to fostering a fairer, more equitable future.
NHS waiting lists surged alarmingly, with around 100,000 Scots waiting more than a year for treatment. With £1.72 billion in funding allocated to Scotland’s NHS in 2025-26, this year is a critical opportunity to address systemic backlogs and improve local health services.
Scotland’s drug deaths crisis has claimed at least 6,000 lives since 2019 - a national tragedy. Strengthening resources for charities, health workers, and local authorities in 2025 is crucial. Recovery pathways must be clear and adequately funded to save lives.
pension credit applications.
MY CONSTITUENCY HUB at 139 Dundee Street is now open, building on a training week in Parliament when my team refined our approach to serving local residents and businesses. Since July we have helped more than 2,000 people, businesses and charities.
While I’ve chosen to be prudent with our staff budget, the current team of five (Lucie, Salim, Hannah, Solomon and Noel) is already making a substantial impact locally. They are addressing the huge volume of emails and letters I receive daily. This will soon be supported by two local students appointed as paid interns one day per week.
Our team is well-equipped to handle a wide range of casework, from potholes to
Lucie, an experienced caseworker, is the primary point of contact for most incoming requests for help. Salim specialises in Home Office casework, including passport issues, residents stuck overseas, and immigration matters.
Hannah is dedicated to proactively identifying those in need. She has already made strides in supporting Currie and Craiglockhart Primary School parents with additional support needs provision and organising a meeting for around 30 heat network users facing increased energy costs.
Solomon plays a crucial role in ensuring that my actions in Parliament align with casework and policy queries from local residents. He is key to progressing my Private Members’ Bill on advancing rare
cancer treatments. He identifies casework issues that may require policy changes, and drafts responses to emails from residents on policy matters to explain my position on policies ranging from the climate emergency to the election of Donald Trump.
Noel manages our office operations and coordinates seamless communication within the team. He’s also worked hard to minimum the environmental impact of the office by ensuring
almost all of our furniture is second hand (some of it was sourced from the Edinburgh Furniture Initiative).
When I ran for election, I wanted a chance to serve people and businesses in Edinburgh South West. My office is designed to fulfil that promise in full. I have deliberately not recruited any staff in Westminster, so my entire staff is committed to serving you right here in the constituency. Please don’t hesitate to ask us for help when you need it.
Child poverty continues to rise, affecting 260,000 children across Scotland. Next year’s budget must prioritise employability programs, expand support for vulnerable families, and implement bold income-boosting measures giving every child a fair start.
Scotland’s arts and culture sector, vital to its identity and economy, has faced persistent funding challenges. Increased 2025/26 funding offers relief, but longterm stability is needed to protect creative industries and nurture cultural growth.
Access to life-changing diabetes technology remains inequitable, with nearly 1,000 patients in NHS Lothian still waiting for tools like hybrid closed-loop systems. Despite government funding, government must ensure all Scots living with Type 1 diabetes can lead healthier lives.
From housing to healthcare, addiction, poverty, and global humanitarian crises, these issues are deeply interconnected. Addressing them requires long-term investment, coordination and compassion. In 2025, we have a chance to build communities where no one is left behind—a future defined by hope, dignity, and opportunity for all.
By CLLR MANDY WATT FINANCE AND RESOURCES CONVENER
EDINBURGH’S COUNCIL BUDGET will be set on 24 February and thousands of people have shared their views in a major consultation about the financial challenges we face as a city.
More than 3,200 people either attended one of our Council Budget information events, sent in their comments or completed our online consultation, so I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s taken the time to have their say.
While Edinburgh has a long track record of strong financial management and balancing the council’s budget year after year, it is no secret that our challenges are mounting, and we need to make big decisions about where we spend and where we save.
In the last decade the Council has taken over £400 million out of its annual running costs. Given the ever-increasing demand for council services, the challenge of addressing budget gaps becomes greater every year.
The city is facing a housing and homelessness crisis, following decisions made by the Scottish Government, which has resulted in escalating costs for temporary accommodation. Alongside severe pressures on health and social care, this is having a huge impact on our finances, following years of chronic underfunding.
It is clear that residents of all ages and from all parts of the city are well aware of these challenges, and many have helped by putting forward suggestions. From improving the
By CLLR SIMITA KUMAR LEADER OF SNP GROUP
THE SNP’S BUDGET PRIORITIES FOR THE COMING YEAR are guided by one principle: promoting wellbeing in our communities. A good life starts with the wellbeing of our citizens, and we will focus on supporting the most vulnerable and those most in need.
Top of our agenda is reversing Labour’s education cuts in full. This includes protecting children with additional support needs, ensuring they can fully participate in their education and thrive.
Wellbeing also begins with a safe, warm home. That’s why we’ll accelerate investment in building and purchasing new social housing to tackle the Housing Emergency blighting our city.
quality of roads to investing in education, additional street cleaning and upgrading community facilities like parks – much of the feedback tells us that people want to see core council services protected and enhanced.
In the first round of our engagement, we asked people what their priorities for improving their local neighbourhood would be. Then, in the budget consultation, we highlighted actions being taken to address these priorities. An overwhelming 90% of participants supported those priorities.
Officers are now putting forward proposals for Councillors to consider, with a focus on protecting frontline services and supporting our most vulnerable residents.
Indications are positive that we can expect a fairer government settlement this year - which is welcome news - but it will not be enough to address the impact these years of cuts have had, nor the future challenges we face.
To protect our services now, it is clear that some level of increase in Council Tax will be necessary following the freeze in 2024/25. Views were sought on a minimum increase of 5% and whether respondents would support a higher figure to improve services and invest for the future.
Over the next few weeks, Councillors will be looking at options before a decision is made and we’ll be considering officer’s proposals and all of the consultation feedback very carefully.
We are committed to supporting our Third Sector partners, whose vital community work has been put at risk by Labour’s threatened grant cuts.
And to promote long-term wellbeing, our budget will continue driving actions to tackle climate change and protect our environment.
We welcome the Scottish Government’s increased Council funding of nearly £20m. However, the UK Labour Government’s hike in Employers’ National Insurance
will eat into this, creating a significant hit to services. This will force Labour to increase council tax to cover the funding gap created by their own government’s tax grab. Labour’s refusal to fully fund the impact of this demonstrates their willingness to balance the UK budget on the back of Scotland’s public services. The SNP will deliver a budget that puts people and wellbeing first. Let’s invest in our communities, protect the vulnerable, and build a better future for Edinburgh.
By ALEX STANIFORTH EDINBURGH GREENS SPOKESPERSON FOR FINANCE
THIS YEAR’S BUDGET PROCESS is a real Jekyll and Hyde budget as councillors decide what to raise and what to spend. On the one hand it is a better and freer budget than we have seen in my time as a councillor – the settlement from The Scottish Government is slightly better than expected and for the first time in a long time councils are free to increase council tax by a rate they choose. Set against that are crises in homelessness and social care as well as the fact that council tax is, at its heart, a regressive tax that needs serious reform.
As ever the Green budget will be one that focuses on social and environmental justice and the need for both has never been so acute. As I write this a ‘once in a lifetime’ storm (Éowyn) is raging outside - it cannot have escaped anyone’s notice that, as climate chaos increases in pace, weather events that are supposed to be once in a lifetime are happening more and more often. At the same time those most affected by these events are those least able to afford to pay for mitigation and repairs – climate and social justice are irrevocably linked.
That’s why we won’t shy away from raising the funds necessary to achieve net zero and to resolve the crises in homelessness, care and housing. But with those least able to pay in mind we are looking into ways of mitigating council tax and the cost of living for those who truly cannot afford to see costs rise.
By CLLR LEWIS YOUNIE FINANCE SPOKESPERSON FOR LIBERAL DEMOCRAT GROUP
AS YOUR COUNCILLORS we take care of Edinburgh. You trust us to look after the city and ensure that the services you need are delivered. You trust us to empty the bins, maintain our schools, and fix potholes. You help us pay for services by trusting us with your council tax which, along with slashed grant funding from the Scottish Government, determines how much we have to spend.
I’ve been a Councillor since 2022 and every year the budget is a difficult process.
I wish we were working out how to spend a surplus. That way, we wouldn’t have to stretch to avoid the cuts we don’t want to make. There isn’t space for ill thought-out policy. How do we work out what
the least worst option is whilst remaining ambitious?
My group, the Scottish Liberal Democrats and I, always start by engaging with residents. One group of residents, for example, were incredibly clear with us that improvements needed to be made to the provision of support to young people with additional support needs, an issue extremely close to my heart.
Others have rightly pointed out the still shocking state of Edinburgh’s roads, paths, and pavements, and that so many schools are in need of a refresh or even rebuild.
The best budget possible is one which trusts that residents know what they want, and involving them in the process to make Edinburgh a wonderful place to live. I intend to make sure that is the Scottish Liberal Democrat offering.
By GEORGE MAIR
A SAPLING ELM has been planted in the grounds of the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh - 29 years after the species was thought to have become extinct in Britain.
Britain’s last known Wentworth elm, a mature specimen growing at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh (RBGE) was killed by Dutch elm disease in 1996.
Two decades later, during a tree survey in 2016, two mature Wentworth elms were discovered growing in the grounds at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Cuttings from the 30-metre (98ft) trees were successfully propagated and grown on by horticulturists to maximise their chances of survival.
One of the saplings, grown at Historic Environment Scotland’s (HES) gardens nursery, was given by the People of Scotland to the King and Queen in celebration of their Coronation. It has now been planted at the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the request of The Kingwho is Patron of RBGE.
The new Wentworth elm at Holyroodhouse was planted beside one of the impressive trees from which it originated ensuring that the species does not die out.
Dr Max Coleman, a tree expert at RBGE, identified the Wentworth elms in the grounds
of the Palace of Holyroodhouse in 2016, due to the “weeping” characteristic of their branches and large, glossy leaves.
He said: “Records in our archives show we
had three Wentworth elms here in 1902, which we believe were gifted to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
“We suspect that one of the trees succumbed
By STAFF REPORTER
THE BIRTH OF HIBS FOOTBALLER GORDON SMITH has been published by National Records of Scotland (NRS).
Gordon Smith was born on 26 May 1924 in Edinburgh and played his first game for Hibernian FC in April 1941, scoring a hat-trick in a friendly against Hearts at Tynecastle Park.
He became part of Hibs’ “Famous Five” forward line alongside Bobby Johnstone, Lawrie Reilly, Eddie Turnbull and Willie Ormand. All five were later inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame.
Smith won league championship medals with Hibs, Hearts and Dundee, the only person to have won the league with three different clubs. He scored 400 goals in 900 appearances. He was capped 19 times for Scotland, captaining the national team to a 3-1 victory over Hungary in 1955. He died in 2004 aged 80.
Other records now published as they are more than 100 years old is the birth of comedian
Rikki Fulton revealed among 245,000 records newly released online by NRS. Robert “Rikki” Fulton is best known for playing the dour minister the Reverend I.M. Jolly in his annual comedy sketch show Scotch & Wry. He was born in
Glasgow on 15 April 1924. Other records now added to the NRS online research website Scotland’s People include: The 1949 marriage entry of the 10th Earl of Selkirk and Audrey Sale-Barker, who both
to Dutch elm disease. However, it was a big surprise to find the two remaining specimens growing in plain sight in the Palace grounds.
“It is very likely the only reason these rare elms have survived is because HES and the council have been rigorously surveying and removing diseased elms since the 1980s.
“Without this work many more of the thousands of elms in Edinburgh would have been lost. The success of this programme is being demonstrated in the way two rare trees have been preserved.”
served as pilots during World War II. Sale-Barker also captained the British women’s skiing team at the 1936 Winter Olympics.
The 1974 death entry of pioneering Orcadian bird expert Eddie Balfour, known for his studies of birds of prey.
Birth records more than 100 years old are added to the site annually, along with death records that are 50 years old and marriage records that are 75 years old. Family historians and researchers can access them online.
National Records of Scotland Chief Executive Alison Byrne said: “The annual birth, marriage and death records are our most hotly anticipated records release every year.
“Scotland’s People helps researchers all over the world to investigate their heritage from the comfort of their own homes. If you’ve always wanted to look into your own family history, now would be an excellent time to start.
“I’m delighted to add these new records of Scotland’s ordinary and extraordinary people to the centuries of Scottish history already available.”
AS THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION SCOTLAND and Poppyscotland prepare for Scotland’s Salute to VE Day 80th Anniversary commemorations concert in May they want to honour the lives and experiences of our veterans.
A spokesperson said: “We are looking for remarkable stories to feature in the May 6 concert, at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, to celebrate your courage, sacrifices, and impact. We will also be looking at ways to preserve and honour all stories received beyond this occasion. If you’re a World War 2 veteran, a relative or carer of a veteran and want to share your story for consideration, please get in touch with us on 0131 550 1583 or email us at events@legionscotland.org.uk
Submissions are open until 14th February.
26 September, 1936 – 1 January 2025
AN OLD SCHOOL NEWSPAPER man to his finger tips, Hamish Coghill’s distinguished 43 year career at the Edinburgh Evening News started as a copy boy in 1953 and ended in 1996 as assistant editor.
A stickler for accuracy (“facts are chiels that winna ding” he was often heard to say), he kept many a young journalist on their toes as the “News” produced multiple daily editions covering sheriff and High Courts, local politics and sport, crime and breaking local and international stories.
The tributes following Hamish’s death at age 88 on New Year’s Day typically focused on his generosity and willingness to help colleagues and others, along with his passion for all things Edinburgh.
Schooled at George Watson’s College, he joined the News the day before the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and aside from a two year National Service posting to Cyprus, would stay with the paper his entire career. This was a time of high daily circulation figures and when the paper was an important and influential part of the city fabric, and he progressed through the ranks of local government reporter, news editor in charge of a large team of journalists, and finally assistant editor.
The Edinburgh Reporter sports journalist and former Evening News rugby correspondent, Bill Lothian, recalled: “His contacts were so far reaching that on the day he retired, attendees at a presentation in the North Bridge office of the News spilled out of the two adjacent pubs on Fleshmarket Close onto the steps, so great were the numbers.
“Police were called by a neighbouring business but, when three constables arrived, they were advised to go round a corner where they would find the Chief Constable, Lord Provost and various civic dignitaries enjoying a pint with Hamish!”
Former Evening News editor John McLellan, said: “Hamish’s detailed knowledge of Edinburgh was truly encyclopaedic. His love of the city and its institutions shone through in everything he did, and was reflected in his pride in the Evening News and his unerring eye for detail.
“Journalism has lost one of the few remaining links with the great heyday of print news going back to before commercial radio, but Edinburgh has also lost a true guardian of its traditions.”
Indeed, a true son of Edinburgh, he wrote several local history books and following his retirement he passed on his intimate knowledge of the city and its traditions when
SINCE 2009 The Edinburgh International Book Festival has hosted the Between the Lines exhibition by award winning photographer, Chris Close.
All the portraits were taken at the venue, either in Charlotte Square Gardens or more recently at The Futures Institute, Quartermile.
Printed onto canvas they were displayed at the venue within hours of being taken. The exhibition presented a new face of writers, whose previous means of identification was often little more than a small black and white print on a book jacket. Between the Lines gave a whole new outlet of self expression and creativity with its often fast and furious approach. Ideas were spontaneous and a combination of the interaction between the writer and photographer.
By the end of each Book Festival in Edinburgh Chris had produced an exhibition of anywhere from 80 to 130
portraits.
He has decided it is now time to clear the decks of many of these pieces.
“I was often asked what happens to the prints and had to say that they are simply rolled up and sit on a shelf in my office.”
“Very few people got to see them after The Book Festival exhibition.”
Now however, Chris wants to free up some space in his studio so is selling them for £25 each and he says most are still in very good condition despite having been exposed to the elements.
Chris who recently won the Albert Watson Portrait Award said: “According to my hard drive I have over 75,000 images from The Book Festival dating back to 2009. I do not have every author I have shot, although I can print fresh canvas prints for £80. I have never seen another venue attempt to produce something similar. Logistically it is very tough and time consuming. I
teaching adult education classes on the subject.
Canonmills Church was an important anchor in Hamish’s life and where he married his late wife Mary in 1962. He served as church secretary for many years, wrote a history of the congregation to mark its 200th anniversary in 2010 and was made a life deacon. Through his church connections he was honoured last year to be chosen as one of the recipient of “Maundy money” at the traditional Easter service.
He is survived by children Kari, Sinclair and Bill and five grandchildren, one of whom Gregor, piped guests into the thanksgiving service at Warriston Crematorium. He and Mary were big fans of traditional jazz and fittingly guests left the service to a rendition of Open Up Them Pearly Gates by the Clyde Valley Stompers.
By EDINBURGH BUS USERS GROUP
WE ARE ALREADY a quarter of the way through the 21st century. Less notably, Scottish councils are more than halfway through their current five year term.
A few months after the 2022 Council election Edinburgh Bus Users Group (EBUG) told a council meeting that the local authority had lost sight of its previously successful partnership with bus operators. At the tail end of the Covid pandemic, bus companies had barely survived the loss of patronage and drivers.
Two years later, are things any better? Bus patronage has clawed its way back to pre-Covid levels, and the driver recruitment crisis seems not so acute. Early last year, Edinburgh updated its City Mobility Plan. It’s now much better for buses.
Two useful mantras are: “What does Roger French say?” or “What does KPMG say?”
would frequently be walking home after midnight to be on site the next morning but it has produced a unique body of work that maybe should be archived somewhere.
“I cannot choose a favourite picture but some that spring to mind are Ian Rankin as Jack Nicholson in The Shining, Alasdair Gray after having had a few whiskies, Cressida Cowell author of How to Train Your Dragon. Will Self also springs to mind. I shot him once and he rarely lets anyone take his picture which meant when people needed a picture they often came to me. Thank you
“I am looking forward to seeing the recently released film of The Nickel Boys. I shot Colson Whitehead and that picture has been used a great deal including a full page on the inside cover in his book.
“I would love to shoot Ben McIntyre again as he is my most read author, whereas at the time I had not read any of his. He wrote SAS Rogue Heroes.
“My portrait of Evelyn Glennie is now in The National Portrait Gallery, I saw it hanging recently. There are simply so many.”
www.gallery-close.com
Roger French led Brighton & Hove Buses to success and he lists the key features of successful bus services as including:
• Frequency, reliability, consistency Price, value, simplicity
• Legendary customer service
• Information, promotion, publicity
• Regular investment in new buses
• Roadside furniture Parking policies
• Land use policies
• Controlling roadworks
• Bus priority
KPMG’s detailed research on trends in Scottish bus patronage shows that car availability, work patterns, journey time, and service levels are the main barriers to bus use.
Edinburgh Council is getting its act together, but is still prone to own goals like removing bus lanes and bus stops in its Leith Connections project.
EBUG’s energies increasingly focus on The Scottish Government, which seems content to mop up the symptoms of declining bus use instead of the causes. It trumpets concessionary fares, while cutting £470 million investment in the infrastructure needed to improve bus journeys, and with it the virtuous circle of lower operating costs, higher quality, and higher revenue from fares. Free bus travel is no use if there’s no buses to use it on.
By SOPHIE VENZ
NEARLY 20 LOCAL QUEER ARTISTS have spent January setting up in Kafe Kweer’s downstairs gallery, with the year-long retrospective showcase beginning on 1 February.
Located in Viewforth (and served by the 27/10 Lothian bus routes), Kafe Kweer has been operating as a café-gallery-grocery-event space hybrid since September 2020.
The co-owner and creative director, Oskar Kirk Hansen, (also known as Mystika Glamoor, the High Priestess of Edinburgh Drag) said the idea for the “retrospective showcase” came to them not only as a way to continue supporting local queer artists, but also to celebrate five years in business.
Hansen acknowledged that as a small business, they simply don’t have access to the funds that big businesses or charities may have and said: “From day one, the main idea was either putting money into the pockets of local queer artists or helping them showcase and sell their work.”
For the past five years, most artists exhibiting at the downstairs gallery have exhibited for a month. This time, all art will be displayed for up to a year.
The café and gallery are open Thursday-
Monday from 8.30am to 5pm, with late night sessions throughout the week for different events including live music and life drawing classes.
“The spirit of the exhibition space – let alone Kafe Kweer – has [always] been very DIY,” Hansen chuckled, pointing out the mismatched furniture we’re sitting on, and the “abstract latte art” at the top of the chai latte he had just made. It’s the abstract latte art, the mismatched furniture and the cosiness of the space that allows Kafe Kweer to be what it is - a safe space for LGBTQ+ individuals to visit, eat, drink, shop, view art, buy art, display their art and, above all feel safe to exist.
By STAFF REPORTER
A RAMP HAS BEEN BUILT in the centre of Charlotte Square prompting locals to ask questions about the crude structure in one of Edinburgh’s Georgian gems. It is part of wider plans to improve the square which has included narrowing traffic lanes and adding “segregation kerb units”. The council held an engagement event in June last
year to discuss the interim and permanent design.
A spokesperson for Edinburgh World Heritage (EWH) said they are disappointed with the ramp, although it is understood to be temporary, and said: “This does not reflect the advice we and heritage colleagues within the Council provided.
“The style of the ramp is not in keeping with its context – a
globally-recognised Georgian square in the heart of our city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“EWH shares in the Council’s commitment to make Edinburgh inclusive and accessible to all. We look forward to working with City of Edinburgh Council, heritage partners, disabled people and other key stakeholders on the development of a permanent design for the Square that sensitively reflects and enhances
the unique character of our city.” Transport and Environment Convener, Cllr Stephen Jenkinson said: “The ramp in question is to make sure Charlotte Square is accessible for all, as part of the interim scheme.
“We’re committed to the permanent solution being in keeping with the wider World Heritage site and will continue to take on board the views of local residents and stakeholders.”
10 FEBRUARY
In 1567, at about 2 AM an explosion destroyed Kirk o’Field which was roughly at the south east corner of what is today Old College; Mary, Queen of Scots’ husband, Lord Darnley, was found strangled in a garden nearby. And in 1800, 34 Princes Street was advertised for sale in the ‘Caledonian Mercury’.
Compiled by Jerry Ozaniec, Membership Secretary of the Old Edinburgh Club, membership@oldedinburghclub.org.uk
WE HAVE some lovely suggestions for you lovebirds here.
Sotto which opened in Stockbridge in October takes its name from the Italian for “under”, referencing the wine cellar hidden under the street where the restaurant stores its extensive collection.
The restaurant offers a thoughtfully-curated selection of more than 200 wines, mixing modern and traditional styles and showcasing every region of Italy. Sotto is the first venture by Edinburgh-born sommelier James Clark, who has spent his hospitality career at some of the city’s best restaurants, including Divino Enoteca and The Palmerston, as well as at East End Cellars and his brother in law’s winery, Poppelvej, in Adelaide, South Australia.
Set over two floors, Sotto has an upstairs Enoteca (wine bar) and a downstairs Trattoria led by Calabrian head chef Francesco Ascrizzi, who brings experience working at some of Edinburgh’s most-respected Italian restaurants, including Divino Enoteca, Mono and Tipo.
The restaurant’s menu combines seasonal British produce with classical Italian cookery, with dishes changing regularly to celebrate the best ingredients of both countries and the diversity of Italy’s culinary regions.
https://www.sottoedinburgh.com
LOVE THE PALMERSTON
The Palmerston opened in Edinburgh’s West End in August 2021, and is the first restaurant from Lloyd Morse (Spring) and James Snowdon (Harwood Arms). The Palmerston champions nose-to-tail cookery and local produce, with Morse and Snowdon working closely with Scottish farmers and producers to bring a sustainable approach to the restaurant. The 60-cover restaurant is housed in a former 19th century bank, and includes an in-house bakery that serves freshly baked bread and pastries using Wildfarmed flour and Edinburgh Butter Co. cultured butter.
thepalmerstonedinburgh.co.uk
TWELVE TRIANGLES
Pick up some pastries for a romantic breakfast from Twelve Triangles.
Pioneering Edinburgh bakers Emily Cuddeford and Rachel Morgan met while working at Edinburgh bakery Lovecrumbs back
in 2011, and went on to open their own bakery venture, Twelve Triangles, in 2015. There are now six Twelve Triangles sites in Edinburgh and one in the Scottish Borders, each producing pastries, sandwiches, salads and ferments as well as their signature slow, cold-fermented sourdough and a retail range of jams, caramels and granola. The duo’s mantra is “simple things done well”.
twelvetriangles.co.uk
Spend the evening at Cardinal for a dining experience in an intimate setting. Celebrated Scottish chef Tomás Gormley has opened the doors to Cardinal; an intimate, fine dining restaurant on Eyre Place, Edinburgh. At Cardinal, Gormley and his team present their elevated take on modern Scottish dining, with a 13-course tasting menu served in the evening (priced at £110 per head), and a shorter, more concise offering for lunch available on Fridays and Saturdays.
Each dish on the menu highlights the bounty
of Scotland’s natural larder, with the team working closely with local suppliers and producers to celebrate the best of the seasons.
www.cardinal.scot
Stop by Lannan for innovative patisserie and twists on classic bakes.
Lannan - the first bakery from Scottish baker Darcie Maher - opened its doors in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge in July 2023. Lannan, which derives its name from the Scottish Gaelic for ‘house’, offers a weekly-changing menu combining Maher’s signature bakes, from classic viennoiserie to custard slices, pains suisses and cardamom buns with limited-run creations using local and s easonal produce including Blood orange danish with chocolate crémeux; Rhubarb, custard and almond cake; and ‘Lannan apple pie and custard’.
www.facebook.com/p/Lannan-Bakery
THE LUXURY FLOATING HOTEL in Leith, Fingal, is pushing the boat out for Valentine’s Day with a new tasting menu and overnight stay package.
Fingal Hotel, which is permanently berthed in the Port of Leith, is rated as one of the top 25 most romantic hotels in the UK and Channel Islands on the TripAdvisor list of most “Dreamy stays that couples love”.
Fingal’s Lighthouse Restaurant has two AA Rosettes for the food it serves. To help create an extra touch of romance on Valentine’s Day, the ship’s galley team has devised a new tasting menu for diners and overnight guests looking for the ultimate fine dining experience featuring the best of Scotland’s larder.
Highlights of Fingal’s new Valentine’s tasting menu include Jerusalem artichoke velouté, kissabel apple, smoked pancetta and chestnuts, Fingal’s whisky hotsmoked Wester Ross salmon, cucumber, herbed cream cheese and lemon, Peterhead lemon sole, smoked leek and nori, saffron potato, Shetland mussels and Champagne beurre blanc, and Strathdon red deer, red cabbage, port-roasted chervil root, pommes dauphine with sauce Grand Veneur.
For those with a sweet tooth, the dessert is confit mango, coconut and vanilla white chocolate ganache.
The new Valentine’s cocktail, Violet Kiss, has been created exclusively by the ship’s mixologists. The eye-catching violet cocktail is a sweet temptation with berries galore and is served with a violet and cassis macaron.
With Love from FIngal overnight stay package from 1 to 28 February starts from £595 per night. Dinner packages over Valentine’s weekend are priced at £95 per person.
www.fingal.co.uk/valentines-day-aboardfingal Call the reservations team on 0131 357 5000.
It is now three years since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. In Edinburgh that has meant a huge upturn in activity at the Association of Ukrainians Great Britain in Edinburgh (AUGB Edinburgh), something which is readily acknowledged by the three volunteers at the heart of the organisation - Hannah Beaton-Hawryluk, Linda Allison and Senia Brykajlo Urquhart - as both good and a bad thing.
Edinburgh’s Ukrainian Club has been transformed from a “dwindling backstreet members’ club” into a vibrant cultural and support hub helping thousands of displaced Ukrainians. It is part of a larger network in the UK which has 36 branches, three in Scotland. Located in a building on Royal Terrace which it owns, the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain Edinburgh (AUGB Edinburgh) has evolved dramatically since February 2022. What began as an emergency humanitarian aid centre is now a thriving community space offering daily programmes ranging from language classes to cultural activities.
All three women are proud daughters of Ukrainian fathers who came to Scotland in 1947. They repeatedly praised these fathers for their foresight in buying the building on Royal Terrace (and also the Ukrainian church in Leith).
Hannah said: “Before February 2022 we were trying to preserve a legacy our fathers left us. When the invasion happened, we ceased all normal operations and became a collection hub for humanitarian aid. Within ten days, we had filled seven storage units throughout Edinburgh. It is hard to believe it is three years. We thought it might be a couple of months, but now it doesnt look as thourgh it’s finishing any time soon. And with all the changes it depends on politicial leadership.”
She is thankful for the other organisations which have helped such as The City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council (EVOC) and Volunteer Edinburgh.
The Scottish Government’s super sponsor scheme led to 34,000 Ukrainians
Right: The Rt Hon Lord Provost Robert Aldridge accompanied Ambassador of Ukraine to the UK, Vadim Prystaiko and his wife Inna Prystaiko on a visit to AUGB
Below: L-R Hannah, Senia and Linda in traditional dress at Leith Chooses
Bottom left (above): display of photos at Leith Chooses
Bottom left: Marking Ukraine Flag Day and the Ukraine Day of Independence 2024 at the City Chambers
applying to come to Scotland - with 26,000 of those successful. Edinburgh set up a welcome hub at the airport where they assisted more than 11,000 people.
The club now has a packed weekly schedule including English classes, mental health support sessions, children’s activities, a food bank, cooking and cultural programmes. The Ukrainian Saturday School, which started as a small homework club, has 70 children attending. Children are coached in English and Ukrainian both written and verbal. There are two choirs, one for adults and one for children, and dance groups to keep musical and cultural traditions alive.
In the first place AUGB offered a welcome and information. Some Ukrainians were first housed on the ship in Leith where it was relatively easy to gather all the information and information providers together in one place.
Now AUGB has employed three members of staff to provide vital information to those who need it. Hannah agreed that the ship was a good start as it created a community similar to the way Ukrainians live. It became an intergenerational home.
Hannah explained: “With the love and support that the old diaspora and the volunteers in the community have given people arriving here, they found their feet and the community centre’s open seven days a week.”
Uncertainty over the war means that the Ukrainians in Edinburgh have no idea how
long they might be away from home - or if they can ever return.
This Hannah, Senia and Linda agreed is a key difference from the fate of their own fathers who could not go home after the Second World War. Their fathers came to Scotland, settled down and “got on with it”. Hannah’s father opened a fish and chip shop in Dunbar, using the potatoes he grew on his smallholding. Senia’s father became a miner and married a Scot, settling in Lasswade. By contrast, the Ukrainians who have come to Scotland in the last three years are in limbo.
But despite the revived membership and activity, sustainability is still a challenge, and Hannah said: “We could not have done this without the help of so many people, but unfortunately it all boils down to money.”
AUGB Edinburgh applied to £eith Chooses, the community grants fund which allocates money according to public vote using a method called participatory budgeting.
They outlined plans to stage an outdoor festival Unity with the Community on 23 August in Leith Links celebrating all the diverse cultures alive in Leith today as well as their own Ukrainian culture.
And this month there is a huge concert in Usher Hall to display the solidarity between Scotland and Ukraine to which - in Ukrainian fashion - everyone is invited.
THE UK GOVERNMENT has signed a landmark agreement with Ukraine during a recent visit by the Prime Minister. Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Ukraine to meet President Zelenskyy to formalise the new 100 year partnership between the two countries. The government says the deal will deepen the realtionship in defence and non-military areas and will enable closer community links. The support is explained as “spanning nine key pillars. It will harness the innovation, strength and resilience that Ukraine has shown in its defence against Russia’s illegal and barbaric invasion; and foster it to support long-term security and growth for both our countries”.
The Treaty and political declaration, which form the 100 Year Partnership, will be laid in Parliament in the coming weeks.
The Prime Minister said: “Putin’s ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level.
“This is not just about the here and now, it is also about an investment in our two countries for the next century, bringing together technology development, scientific advances and cultural exchanges, and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by Ukraine in recent years for generations to come.
“The power of our long-term friendships cannot be underestimated. Supporting Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s barbaric invasion and rebuild a prosperous, sovereign future, is vital to this government’s foundation of security and our Plan for Change. Through this partnership, we are creating a strong economy that works for the British people, a safe country that protects our interests at home and abroad, and a prosperous society.”
Andy Arthur has investigated what happened to HMS Cossack, an accident-prone ship which left Leith under a cloud of ignominy only to return to a hero’s welcome
The neat, well kept war graves at Seafield Cemetery include those of five men from the destroyer HMS Cossack, who lost their lives in an accident at sea on November 7th 1939, when their ship collided with the Leith steamer Borthwick off the Isle of May.
The protagonists in this accident were the Cossack, one of the Navy’s big, new “Tribal class” destroyers 2,500 tons of guns and torpedoes which could cut through the sea at 36 knots (over 40mph).
The other was the George Gibson & Co. steamer Borthwick, a ship built and owned in Leith which plied the North Sea on the Antwerp and Rotterdam route. She was much smaller than the big warship at 100 feet shorter, about one quarter of her displacement and barely capable of double digit speeds on her single steam engine which had an output of around 1/300th of that of Cossack.
It was a dark winter night on the Forth, and ships were showing only the bare minimum of navigation lights. The Borthwick and Cossack were on a parallel course, heading east off the Isle of May, with the destroyer overtaking the little steamer when, for reasons of his own, Captain Daniel De Pass of the Cossack turned across the path of Borthwick.
De Pass had a bit of a reputation for poor seamanship, having done something like this
before on pre-war exercises. The outcome was inevitable, the bows of the Borthwick cutting into the side of Cossack, right into the seamen’s mess where the men were just sitting down to dinner. Three men died where they sat. Able Seaman Heatherley and Ordinary Seaman Clarke were pulled into the cold, dark North Sea as the water rushed in to their compartment, never to be seen again. Three more were seriously injured (Ordinary Seaman Clifford Harmer was invalided out of the Navy
Below left - Memorial for the men lost on HMS Cossack in Seafield Cemetery
Bottom left - Brand new, HMS Cossack in 1938. This photograph FL 1657 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums
Below right - Sir Phillip Vian (1894-1968), by Oswald Birley, from the Britannia Royal Naval College
Bottom right - The Borthwick. Like many George Gibson ships she was named after connections to the works of Walter Scott and the Lothians
with a hand injury) and those in the mess below were trapped for an hour, up to their necks in water. Their ship limped back to Leith for extensive repairs, and the men boarded in the Seamen’s Mission. In an interview in 2005, a survivor, Trevor Tipping, pointed out that the steel plate of the ship was only 3/8 of an inch thick and it “folded back, like a sardine tin” when the collision took place.
The repairs by Leith shipyard Henry Robb took almost two months and cost £11,250 (now around £500,000).
Captain De Pass faced a Board of Inquiry, which put him 75% at fault. He was court martialled, relieved of his command and posted elsewhere before taking retirement. His replacement was the dashing yet thoroughly competent Captain Philip Vian.
The crew of Cossack, cooling their heels in Leith while their ship was repaired, raised a subscription to fund a memorial stone to their lost shipmates out of their own pockets. It was
erected in Seafield cemetery, and is situated by the Cossack war graves.
The Borthwick was patched up and soon back on the dangerous Leith to Holland route. She was sunk four months later – on 9 March 1940 – by the German submarine U-14 off the River Scheldt, on her way home from Rotterdam to Leith. All 21 on board survived and were picked up. The newspapers celebrated on 11 March when news reached home that the men of the Borthwick had all been landed safely in Flushing.
Cossack did not leave Leith until 10 January, but was back three days later for more repairs after an embarrassing, but fortunately minor, collision with the cable laying ship Royal Scot in Leith Roads.
She left again, returning to the 4th Destroyer Flotilla with Captain Vian now in command. But she wouldn’t be gone long and would return with the month. This time she was an international hero, the victor of the daring “Altmark Incident“, a swashbuckling tale that can always do with retelling.
On the face of it, Altmark was a humble German merchant ship. In reality, she was a supply tanker for the Kriegsmarine – the German Navy – and had on board almost 300 British and Allied prisoners, merchant seamen whose ships had been sunk by the “pocket battleship” commerce raider Admiral Graf Spee in the South Atlantic.
The Graf Spee was scuttled just off Montevideo while Cossack was laid up in a Leith dry dock undergoing repairs. Before the battle she had transferred most of her prisoners to her supply ship, which was heading back to Germany. Conditions on board caused the British press to call her a “hell ship” and a “floating concentration camp“.
Captain Dau of the Altmark intended to sneak back home by hugging the coasts of the (then) neutral Greenland, Iceland and Norway.
Top below left - A photo of the Altmark in Jøssingfjord, Norway
Above right - Painting of the boarding of the Altmark by Charles Pears
Middle left: Aerial photo of Altmark in Jøssingfjord
Middle left below: HMS Cossack coming alongside in Leith, with some of the Altmark prisoners aboard
Bottom left - Cossack at Leith, with assembled crowds and waiting ambulances
Bottom right - Leslie Ross in a Leith hospital, Dundee Courier, Monday 19th February 1940
He had almost made it when, on 15 February, reconnaissance aircraft out of RAF Leuchars spotted her in Norwegian waters off Bergen. Altmark sought refuge in the safety of Jøssingfjord. The Royal Navy could only look on as the German ship was escorted into the fjord by the Norwegian Navy, who politely but firmly affirmed their neutrality and turned the British ships around.
Captain Vian, as commander of the squadron, made contact with the ancient Norwegian gunboat Kjell but was assured that the Norwegian had searched the Altmark, that all was in order, and it was a simple German merchant ship and not an armed, Kriegsmarine prison ship. Vian knew this was rubbish, but had no option but to retreat a respectful distance and signal the Admiralty for orders.
Vian’s signal found its way to the desk of the First Lord of the Admiralty, a man who had a reputation for sticking his oar in to operational matters - it was Winston Churchill.
Churchill told Vian that if the Altmark wasn’t escorted to Bergen for inspection under a joint Anglo-Norwegian guard, he was to board her and free the prisoners, that he had permission to use lethal force in order to do so and that he was to politely but firmly make sure the Royal Norwegian Navy butted out of matters. A brief skirmish ensued and four Germans died.
Less than two hours after she first entered the fjord, Vian’s ship was on her way out again with 299 freed prisoners on board (including one, an Indian seaman, suffering from leprosy). She plotted a course for Leith and set off for home at top speed. The Cossack had last entered Leith with a cloud hanging over her reputation, but on her return on February 17th she did so triumphantly.
Threadinburgh.scot is the Edinburgh and Leith local history website where you can read the full length version of this story.
By PHYLLIS STEPHEN
BNY, the largest bank in the world, plans to close its office at Capital House on Lothian Road by July this year. The company shocked employees by announcing it planned to “significantly reduce the scale of activities out of Capital House” and the firm has now entered a six week consultation period with around 350 employees who are expected to lose their jobs.
Staff were told the transition of roles to new locations would “occur over a number of months during 2025 and in some cases 2026”.
A spokesperson for BNY said: “At BNY we continually evaluate our real estate footprint to ensure we are operating efficiently. We are currently evaluating the scale of our operations at our Capital House site in Edinburgh. We remain committed to serving our clients and relationships in Scotland and internationally. We will not be commenting during the employee collective consultation process.”
The firm does not recognise unions and staff have instead appointed “colleague representatives” to negotiate for them.
A number of roles will be migrated to different locations, and as a result these roles in Edinburgh will become redundant. Other roles might become virtual.
The trust and depository function is not believed to be impacted in any way but all other lines of business and the functions that
By PHYLLIS STEPHEN
EDINBURGH WILL BECOME
HOME to a new innovation hub at Port Hamilton in a development headed up by Drum Property Group.
The £200 million redesign of the Lloyds Banking Group HQ will be one of the city’s largest ever pre-letting deals and is due for completion in 2027.
Scottish Widows has occupied the 282,000 square feet building for almost 30 years. It will remain the head office for their pensions and investments business as well as becoming a new home for Lloyds, the UK’s biggest digital bank, employing almost 10,000 people in Edinburgh, in a 21-year lease arrangement.
Graeme Bone, Group Managing Director at Drum Property Group, said: “The £200m redevelopment of Port Hamilton presents an
operate from Capital House will clearly be affected.
Dr Scott Arthur, MP for Edinburgh South West, said: “This is a deeply concerning start to 2025 for these workers, especially given that BNY Mellon recently reported strong fourth-
quarter earnings. My office is seeking a meeting with BNY Mellon to gain a comprehensive understanding of these proposed job cuts. We will be pressing for details on the scale of the reductions and exploring all possible avenues to prevent them from proceeding.”
exceptional opportunity for Lloyds Banking Group to upgrade and enhance one of Edinburgh’s landmark buildings and deliver an exceptional working environment for Lloyds colleagues in an unrivalled city centre location.
“We are particularly proud of securing one of Edinburgh’s largest ever office pre-letting deals. The level of investment, structure and net-zero objectives of the Port Hamilton redevelopment sends out a very strong message for the future of the city centre office
market. It also marks another exciting addition to our proven track record in delivering major office facilities for both corporate and government occupiers.”
Chira Barua, CEO of Scottish Widows, said: “The fintech scene in Scotland is buzzing and we’re committed to staying right in the centre of it. We’ve made huge progress in connecting customers with their financial futures and we’re starting to see how powerful digital engagement and gamification will be in the
By STAFF REPORTER
EDINBURGH STREET FOOD specialists Belmonte Catering has found a way to expand its operation even further.
The business has used spare capacity in its Pronto Pizza premises in Portobello to launch a new fast food delivery offer - The Doghouse.
The service will deliver gourmet hot dogs and burgers and loaded fries through Deliveroo.
Belmonte Catering boss, Michael Notarangelo, said: “Since we launched in 2017, Ive been determined to look at how we can seize opportunities and continue to expand into new areas.
“After acquiring our Pronto base in Brighton Place and opening in April last year - our first “bricks and mortar” premises - we realised that there was potential to further utilise the site other than selling top notch, authentic Neopolitan pizza.
“The Doghouse has been one of our most popular street food concepts, so we applied some creative thinking to use our spare capacity to create a “dark kitchen” to offer our gourmet dogs, fries and bons direct to customers through Deliveroo.
future. There’s huge potential to help make a real difference for our customers’ lives and we’re right out in front building all the parts we need to innovate in a massive way.”
Sharon Doherty, Chief People & Places Officer, Lloyds Banking Group, said: “We want to create a more modern and sustainable workspace in Edinburgh where our colleagues enjoy working so that we’re in the best place to serve our 27 million customers in more ways with the things that matter to them.”
“We’re convinced we’ll become not just Portobello’s new favourite fast food joint, but a favourite for people right across Edinburgh.”
Michael added that the menu items are all freshly prepared, using products and ingredients from local suppliers.
Belmonte Catering – named after the Italian village where Michael’s family originated from – currently has four concepts: Rollys Ice Cream, the first in Scotland to serve unique ice cream ‘rolls’, Dog n Bon/The Doghouse, which specialises in gourmet hot dogs and loaded fries, StikWaffle, a hot dessert concept as well as Pronto Pizza.
By STAFF REPORTER
AT DOVECOT STUDIOS from 7 February a new exhibition will place the Scottish Colourists in the context of their European and UK contemporaries.
The Colourists were an international generation of radicals who used a new language of colour in Paris. In Scotland Peploe, Cadell, Fergusson, and Hunter were the most experimental and distinctive during the 20th century.
Their work will be displayed alongside that of Fauve painters such as Matisse and Derain. A key work on display has been lent by the Tate - the Fauvist work Pool of London by Derain.
Other paintings by Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant two of the Bloomsbury Group, as well as work from the Camden Town Group, will round out the international journey along with works by Welsh artists August John and John Dickson Innes and Ireland’s Roderic O’Connor.
The culmination of the show will celebrate the coming together of the Scottish Colourists as a distinct group in the 1920s and 1930s, marked out by the continuing influence of both French colour and Scottish light upon their work as painters of landscape, still life, and interiors. Appropriately, their dedicated group show was held in Paris in 1924, followed by a 1925 London show, making Dovecot’s 2025 exhibition a most timely centenary celebration.
James Knox, Curator of the Fleming Collection, said: “This momentous exhibition will, for the very first time, shine the spotlight on the radical Scots and their contemporaries, allowing us to truly assess their achievements and place in the history of early European modernism. I am immensely grateful to the national institutions and private collectors who have enabled this story to be told alongside the Fleming Collection’s outstanding Scottish Colourists.”
Celia Joicey, Director of Dovecot Studios said: “Presenting the Scottish Colourists at the
Above - JD Fergusson, Blue Nude, c.1909-10 ©
Top right -GL
Below right - FCB Cadell, The
Castle at Iona, c.1929, Image courtesy of the Fleming Collection
OUT OF CHAOS: POST-WAR SCOTTISH ART 1945-2000
17 May - 12 October
The post-war era was a period of seismic shifts – political and social, scientific and cultural. Emerging from the events of the Second World War, communities lived with the legacies of conflict while looking ahead to the future. Contemporary artists responded to these changing times, addressing both traditional and modern themes in their work as they pushed the boundaries of creativity. By the end of the century, the artistic landscape was entirely transformed.
JOHN BELLANY: A LIFE IN SELFPORTRAITURE
31 May - 28 September 2025
John Bellany was one of the most significant Scottish painters of the modern era. A Life in Self-Portraiture brings together over 80
vanguard of the creative avant-garde in the UK is an opportunity to recast Scotland’s pivotal role in the history of early 20th century art. As a tapestry studio founded in 1912, it is exciting for Dovecot to show these important paintings which set our work and world-class reputation in a compelling new context.”
The Scottish Colourists - Radical Perspectives 7 February to 28 June at Dovecot Studios 10 Infirmary Street EH1 1LT. In partnership with the Fleming Collection dovecotstudios.com
autobiographical drawings, paintings, prints and sketchbooks, spanning from the early 1960s until the artist’s death in 2013. John Bellany was one of the most prolific self-portraitists in history,
obsessively documenting his own image throughout his lifetime. This exhibition captures the wide range of works created across different mediums, from carefully observed student studies, to his epic pictorial narratives where he disguised himself in different roles and fantastical characters.
UNMASKED: EXPLORING SCOTTISH
13 September 2025 - May 2026
Portraiture is an age-old artform with a seemingly simple purpose: to record the likeness of a human subject. Yet the enduring appeal of portraiture lies in its complexity. Behind every portrait is a series of stories – interwoven narratives about the sitter, the artist, and the circumstances that brought them together.
Unmasked: Exploring Scottish Portraiture examines this genre in depth, with a selection of highlights from the City Art Centre’s permanent collection.
CARLA VAN DE PUTTELAAR FACING
THE LAW: PORTRAITS PAST & PRESENT
8 November 2025 - 8 March 2026
Carla van de Puttelaar (b. 1967) is an internationally acclaimed Dutch photographer and art historian based in the Netherlands. She has always had a keen interest in portraiture and over the last two years she has been photographing women working in the Scottish legal profession.
Facing the Law: Portraits Past & Present will feature around 80 of these portraits, celebrating women in the law, from individuals at the outset of their careers to those pioneers who have paved the way for the next generation, such as the Right Honourable Lady Dorrian, who is the first female Lord Justice Clerk.
MICHAEL FULLERTON
22 November 2025 - 22 February 2026
This major exhibition by Glasgowborn artist Michael Fullerton will feature a new body of paintings, as well as a survey of screen-prints
and works selected from the City Art Centre Collections.
MONA YOO
2025 Artist in Residence
Edinburgh-based artist Mona Yoo has been invited to develop a long-term project throughout 2025 after a period of research and on-site investigation into the history and architecture of the City Art Centre building.
Cllr Val Walker, the council’s Convener of Culture and Communities, said: “The City Art Centre is set for an extraordinary year ahead as we begin to reveal the 2025 programme. Since its opening in 1980, the Centre has always been more than just a gallery - it was created as a space for artists, craftspeople, and art lovers to gather. Now, 45 years on, the City Art Centre remains one of the most accessible and welcoming venues for art enthusiasts in the capital and is proud to house Edinburgh’s art collection, one of the finest in the country.”
By Charlie Ellis
CAIRNGORM on Melville Place is one of the most elegant places to drink specialty coffee in Edinburgh. Its location provides those sitting outside one of Edinburgh’s best views - along Melville Street towards St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral - a stunning sight in bright winter light.
Cairngorm is also close to Dean Bridge and Dean Village. Fantastic spots to wander towards, clutching a cup of one of Cairngorm’s well crafted brews in your hand.
Established in 2014, Cairngorm shows some of the trends we see in the coffee scene, including a general mainstreaming of specialty coffee. Cairngorm’s original basement bar on Frederick Street, which eventually closed in 2023, was one of the first places I tasted specialty coffee in Edinburgh. Specialty coffee was then something new and distinctly edgy, represented by places such as Filament in the Southside. Their rather cool, harsh style is, like Filament itself, now a fading memory. Specialty coffee is no longer an underground movementliterally in Cairngorm’s case.
Cairngorm’s large corner premises at Melville with its rather plush décor is representative of a turn towards comfort and gentle elegance within specialty coffee. This mainstreaming is evident in the way that many new cafes ape aspects of specialty coffee, including the aesthetic. At the same
time, there’s little doubt that specialty coffee places have increasingly eschewed some of the more extreme fruity coffees that were synonymous with specialty coffee in the pioneering days. They have to please a wider variety of customers, not alienate people through overloading their palates.
It’s clearly been a success, with the curtain of condensation in the vast windows evidence of its consistent popularity. On most days, opening the door will take you into a cacophonous space, crammed with caffeinated conversation. Cairngorm is also one of the very few specialty places to serve into the evening, staying open till 7pm.
WRESTLING WITH THE MAINSTREAM
In their podcast Cairncast, Cairngorm’s founder Robi Lambie regularly discusses the difficulties of facing an increasingly competitive market while still seeking to please the coffee purists looking for constant novelty. In short, how to stand out in a saturated market, with highly rated newcomers such as Beatnik and Cafēn stealing the limelight.
As specialty coffee has gone mainstream, this has led some coffee bars to an awareness that their customers are looking for different things. The number of coffee nerds is relatively low. Many people who now visit specialty coffee bars have little awareness of the coffee scene. Instead, they are looking for a nice
place to meet a friend or a pleasant environment in which to crack on with some work or study.
The specialty scene was much smaller before, less of a sense of competition and instead more of a sense of us against them (the chains). While customers want consistency of quality, to what extent do they look for variety? Coffee is such an exciting product that those in specialty coffee constantly want to experiment - but risky if you can’t pull it off, or you can’t dial in the coffee well.
Cairngorm’s view is that, ultimately, those wanting something different are a niche market. The answer is probably to look for a balance by maintaining a typical house roast and then have fun with guest beans for the real coffee geeks who follow the latest trends regarding roasting and brewing. A sense of familiarity is, they argue, important for the mainstream customers. They accept that, like customers at Starbucks, people do welcome the recognisable and are otherwise confused.
While the notion their customers might go to Starbucks might be seen as laughable by some, this is the market specialty cafes have now encroached on. This manifested in the rise of Indy chains such as 200 Degrees and 92 Degrees Coffee (who have a branch on Hanover Street). It’s an appreciation that people want more than a coffee these days..they want an experience…
7 VILEWHINERS (anagram) (6, 5)
9 Protector, guardian (8)
Toulouse’s country (6)
Regretful (5)
Thinnest (9)
Side-on view (7) 16 Of
By Aldhelm
1 Smoothly, regularly (6)
2 Imprisonment, confinement (10)
3 Nocturnal bird of prey (3)
4 Magnificent (8)
5 Alter, amend (6)
6 Method of working (5, 8)
7 Blazing fire (7)
8 Breathtakingly, dramatically (13)
13 Heedless, inattentive (10)
15 Not eatable (8)
17 Flowed back (7)
19 Least in number (6)
20 The ____, Paris museum and gallery (6) 23 Statute (3)
go to a cute little coffee shop, take photos and videos, put it on their Tiktok. They want a great space, awesome staff, a nice selection of baked goods or a good menu. There’s also the commercial aspect, a slight sense of shame about focussing on selling. However, if the aim is to engage as many people as possible, they need to cater for these diverse needs. In growing, they are also expanding the specialty coffee market. That the aspiration is to be buying large quantities of top class coffee, not dribs and drabs. How far can you go in this democratic direction before you damage your brand? When do you start to cheapen aspects of what you are trying to do and start to lose the loyalty of those who are the most discerning customers?
SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL?
This neatly sums up some of the dilemmas faced by those in the specialty coffee world. There’s little doubt that the very best places in the city are small, with a consistent team of baristas. Cairngorm is an example of this and one which has successfully transitioned from the underground to the mainstream.
Cairngorm, 1 Melville Place, EH3 7PR
By KERRY TEAKLE
WHILE THE START OF THE YEAR might typically bring post-holiday blues, Edinburgh’s food scene is heating up with exciting new openings that’ll have you forgetting all about those winter doldrums. Yes, we’ve had some closures – Tom Kitchin’s Kora in Bruntsfield has shut its doors after two and a half years, and Honeycomb & Co. has changed hands (though happily, all staff have kept their jobs under new owners Peter & Steph BorgenNielsen of Pantry Edinburgh fame). But let’s focus on the fresh and fabulous, shall we? First up, I’m thrilled about two new Vietnamese spots that are bringing authentic flavours to different corners of our fair city. Hoi An on Bruntsfield Place (sister to Pho Viet and Vietnam House) is a spacious delight that’s already drawing crowds, including plenty of Vietnamese nationals - always a good sign! I recently popped in with my girlfriends on a freezing Saturday afternoon, and the generous portions of comfort food were exactly what we needed. The Banh Xeo Hoi An (a crispy rice pancake that’s pure joy) is a must-try, and don’t miss their Duck Sunset Curry with lemongrass. Best part? The bill won’t make you wince. Over on Leith Walk, The Bami is bringing Vietnamese street food realness to EH6. Owner-chef Phuong Dang, who came to Edinburgh as a student and honed his skills in commercial kitchens, has created something special here. The Honey Chicken Banh Mi had me at hello – think sweet honey-glazed chicken meeting crunchy pickled veg and fresh coriander. Divine!
For those craving Persian flavours, Konj has opened next to the Royal Lyceum Theatre. Owner Faranak brings recipes straight from her hometown of Sanandaj, Iran, featuring aromatic spices that’ll transport you straight to the Middle East. It’s a labour of love that shows in every dish. But the opening I’m most excited about? Barry Fish, launching 12 February on The Shore in Leith. Private chef Barry Bryson (whose food I’ve long adored) is finally opening his first restaurant at 49-years-old, alongside husband Robin. Taking over half of Mimi’s Bakehouse space, it promises French technique meeting Spanish gusto, while showcasing Scottish produce. The menu structure is clever too – “low tide” lunch from 12-3pm, big snacks 4.30-6.30pm, and full dinner service Wednesday to Saturday - and there’s even some non-fish dishes for those like me who have an allergy!
For the farm-to-table enthusiasts, Moss in
Stockbridge is a must-visit. Chef Director Henry Dobson has just opened this 26-cover beauty with an impressive 90+ products sourced directly from his Scottish family farm. The Scandi-minimalist interior (including tables made from wind-fallen Lime trees) sets the perfect stage for a menu that’s 100% Scottish-sourced. Think beef dripping focaccia, duck smoked using shavings from those very dining tables, and what they’re claiming is the fluffiest chiffon cake this side of Japan.
Looking ahead, February brings the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2025 launch ceremony in Glasgow, in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink and Glasgow Life – a first for Scotland. Here’s hoping our Edinburgh restaurants get the recognition they deserve.
For those seeking food experiences beyond traditional dining, Edinburgh Gin’s new distillery at the Arches offers four immersive experiences, from classic tours to gin and chocolate pairings. Wine lovers, mark your calendars for 27 February– Wine Events Scotland is hosting a fragrance and wine pairing event with Molton Brown. And speaking of wine, don’t miss booking for the 100 Best Australian Wines Festival with Matthew Jukes on 15 March at Edinburgh Academy. With more than 50 wines to taste (some bottles worth £125), it’s a chance to expand your palate and discover your new favourite vintage.
The message? Don’t let the winter blues get you down – Edinburgh’s food scene is more vibrant than ever. Whether you’re craving Vietnamese comfort food, farm-fresh Scottish produce, or a gin experience to remember, there’s something new and exciting to discover. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some restaurants and experiences to book...
From Oliver! and the Artful Dodger to Mary Poppins, Roxie Hart, drag queen Lola and not forgetting punk princess Toyah Willcox, there are many stars waiting to entertain you in February
Lionel Bart’s Oliver! is the toast of London’s West End right now, and rightly so. The new production from Cameron Mackintosh, directed and choreographed by the brilliant Matthew Bourne, is a glorious, uplifting affair and by far the best musical take on Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist I’ve seen yet.
When this Oliver!, which started life at Chichester Festival Theatre last year, had its red carpet opening night at London’s Gielgud Theatre in January, it was a buzzing, star-studded evening with the great and the good of theatreland out in force. Edinburgh was well represented - it was great to catch up with the capital’s very own star of The Rig, Iain Glen, while Prestonfield and Witchery supremo, James Thomson, was there too, soaking up the atmosphere. Michael Harrison, producer of the King’s/Festival Theatre panto, was also in attendance. Harrison has just been crowned Producer of the Year by The Stage, a proud achievement for an alumni of what was the acclaimed Queen Margaret College
drama course.
Arguably one of the hottest opening nights the West End will have in 2025, Oliver! is therefore my Must See for anyone planning a theatre break this month. That said, there’s plenty of time to see it as its run has already been extended to March 2026. Read my review, “Magnificently staged, Matthew Bourne’s Oliver! is the musical master-piece you’ve waited all your life to see” online at mustseetheatre.com
Running time 2 hours 40 minutes. Tickets £45-£195 https://oliverthemusical.com/
Closer to home, while The Playhouse brings a hat-trick of hit musicals to Greenside Place this month, elsewhere it’s a bit quieter. Shakespeare continues to entertain at The Royal Lyceum where you can catch John Douglas Thompson, one of America’s most lauded Shakespearian actors, playing Shylock in Theatre For A New Audience (New York) and Washington’s Shakespeare Theatre’s co-production of The
of Venice. It’s a play that has a very special place in my heart. As a shy teenager, it was a class reading of The Merchant of Venice, led by an inspirational English teacher called Mrs
Durkin, that sparked my love of Shakespeare. She had me read the part of Shylock. Safe to say my 13-year-old Shylock was considerably different to the one Thompson delivers. Again, you can read
my review of Merchant of Venice on MustSeeTheatre.com
Over at the Festival Theatre, the magical nanny, Mary Poppins, continues to wow audiences with her high-flying antics ahead of the arrival of the Manipulate Festival (12-15 February), which celebrates 17 years of presenting the best of Scottish and international animated film, puppetry and visual theatre in 2025. While elements of the Manipulate Festival also pop up at The Traverse this month, the highlight of the Cambridge Street theatre’s February programme is the return of awardwinning Irish play, Heaven (25 February-1 March), for a homecoming following its Fringe First winning run there in August 2023.
A deeply funny, moving and poignant exploration of marriage and middle age, Heaven also won The Irish Times New Play Award 2023 and Best Actress - The Irish Times Theatre Awards for Janet Moran who reprises her role alongside Andrew Bennett in the two-hander.
Running time 1 hour 30 minutes, no interval. Tickets £20 https://www.traverse.co.uk/ whats-on/event/heaven-spring-25
It’s the Playhouse, however, that has the show I’m looking forward to most this month, Now That’s What I Call A Musical (25 February-1 March). I’m keen to see it not because I’m expecting the most earth-shattering jukebox musical ever, it’ll likely be the usual feel-good evening of nostalgia, but because the Edinburgh shows are the only ones on the tour to feature my own teenage heroine, punk princess Toyah Willcox, as a special guest.
Celebrating 40 years of the iconic compilation albums and starring EastEnders’ Nina Wadia and 2013 X Factor winner, Sam Bailey, the musical comedy tells the story of
confronted with their worst nightmare, a school reunion where long lost friends reunite and drama unfolds as old flames reappear. The action plays out to a soundtrack of hits from the 80s, expect Gold, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Tainted Love, Hey Mickey, Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves and many more, not forgetting that live set from Toyah - I predict we’ll hear It’s A Mystery, I Want To Be Free and Thunder In The Mountains.
Running time 2 hours 30 minutes, including interval. Tickets £25-£68 https://www. atgtickets.com/shows/now-thats-what-icall-a-musical/edinburgh-playhouse/
A week earlier, Kinky Boots The Musical (18-22 February) struts back onto the stage of The Playhouse, starring Strictly Come Dancing favourite Johannes Radebe and Dan Partridge. My box office spies tell me that this run of Kinky Boots has almost sold out already. That’s possibly the Doctor Who effect, Radebe appeared in Doctor Who: The Devil’s Chord in a big songand-dance routine with Doctor number 15, Edinburgh and Fife raised, Ncuti Gatwa.
Based on a true story, and with music and lyrics by pop star Cyndi Lauper and a lifeaffirming book by Harvey Fierstein, Kinky Boots takes place in the unlikely setting of a footwear factory. After inheriting his family’s failing shoe business and with his relationship on the rocks, life is proving to be very challenging for Charlie Price. That is until he meets Lola, a drag queen whose sparkle and unsteady heels might just hold the answer to saving the struggling business.
Fans of Radebe should however note that he will not be performing at matinees on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 February, when Lola will be played by Newtion
Finally, let’s flip right back to the start of the month for the other Playhouse big-hitter, Chicago (4-8 February), which brings Faye Brookes, Brenda Edwards, Djalenga Scott and Kevin Clifton to town ready to razzle-dazzle audiences with their footwork.
Created by John Kander, Fred Ebb and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse, Chicago’s score includes the show-stoppers Razzle Dazzle, Cell Block Tango and All That Jazz. Set amidst the decadence of the 1920s, the musical is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.
Get ready for a classy, sassy, sexy evening of stylish musical theatre.
Running time 2 hours 30 minutes, including interval. Tickets £32.50-£63 https://www. atgtickets.com/shows/chicago/edinburghplayhouse/calendar/2025-02-04
Until March, happy theatre going, Líam
EILIDH DOYLE, Scotland’s most decorated athlete who retired from the track in 2021, has been appointed Global Ambassador of Sport at the University of Edinburgh.
Now aged 37, at her old university Eilidh (née Child) will work closely with the performance sport team on recruitment as well as mentoring elite student athletes as they progress through the levels of high performance sport.
A hall of famer, she will also work closely with the Development and Alumni team to help shape future scholarships.
Eilidh is world-renowned, having specialised in the 400 metres hurdles outdoors, and the 400 metres flat indoors, as well as competing in the 4 x 400 metres relay on both surfaces.
In total she won 19 major medals gracing the podium at Commonwealth, European, World and Olympic Games with 2016 particularly memorable as she won 4x400m relay golds at the European Championships before being part of the GB quartet that took bronze at the Rio Olympic Games.
She also reached the 400m hurdles final in Brazil.
Eilidh said: “I have great memories of being a student at the University. They gave me so much support and helped me on my journey as an athlete.
“To be able to come back and help with recruitment and pass on some of my experiences will be a joy.
“The university has amazing people and facilities so if I can help play a small part in progressing someone’s career then it will have been worth it.”
Director of Sport and Active Health, Mark
THE ANNUAL JACKSON TROPHY, presented to Edinburgh Curling Club in 1955 by the family of WK Jackson, skip of the Great Britain 1924 Olympic gold medal winning team, has been won by the Athelstaneford Club.
In a separate event, Oxenfoord claimed the Swan Trophy at Edinburgh Curling Club.
For the Jackson Trophy the 14 competing teams played in a two round Schenkel format Bonspiel and after the second round three teams topped the table with two wins apiece.
The team from Athelstaneford Curling Club was in first place, with 11 ends.
The club was represented by Frank Ross, John Shedden, Douglas Scott and Bob Bowie who can all be seen proudly holding the 70-yearold trophy on the right.
The other venerable piece of silverware being played for was the Swan Trophy, a double rink competition, played continuously since 1912.
Each club has two teams, and combined scores in the two games played are then used to determine the winner of each tie.
After the semi finals, Oxenfoord and Mid Calder curling clubs took to the ice in the final, having seen off
Munro, pictured with Eilidh, said: “Eilidh is one of the most recognisable athletes in the UK and beyond and we are delighted to have her work with us.”
Head of Performance, David Hughes added:
“We can all learn from Eilidh’s experiences from her amazing career, from her days as a student and balancing training all the way through to being poster girl of Glasgow 2014 and competing at London 2012.”
EDINBURGH ACCIES NETBALLERS will go into the third round of the National League against local rivals Dunedin on 8 February as pace-setters but with fellow unbeaten sides University of Edinburgh and Bellahouston breathing down their necks.
Accies have won their first two matches with a commanding goal-difference of +54 and according to captain, Beth Weir, much of that is down to the arrival of new coach Helen Taylor, from Australia.
Beth said: “I don’t want to slander Scottish coaches but Helen has got us playing a more direct style of play with a lot more ball speed,
“Having finished fourth in the last two seasons when we were developing our club culture it feels this time round like we have a target on our backs, we are playing so well.”
Accies really are one of the success stories of capital sport. Founded in 2018 they attracted 20 players to initial pre-season trials.
This season 130 triallists registered interest as the club continues to grow.
However, for Devonian Beth who came to
Edinburgh to study and remained to become an Accies founder member, roles have changed in the short term at least.
“Just before Christmas I ruptured my achillles tendon and so I have been forced to take a slightly less active role in assisting Helen with coaching using a pair of crutches and with the injury encased in a boot.”
Capped by Scotland against Ireland and Gibraltar during the Covid era, Beth added:“Five weeks in things are progressing well so, hopefully, I’ll be back playing next season.”
Not in time though for what is being built up as a revenge outing
NATHAN HOGG AND ELZA LEE were principal winners when the Edinburgh Table Tennis Championships took place at The Royal High School.
With victory over Borui Chen
the Mike McLaren Quaich went to Nathan Hogg while Elza overcame Zuzanna Chamielec to take the Helen Elliot Quaich.
Another notable prize at stake
was the Tommy Sutherland Quaich and Colin Green defeated Simon Ledwin in this Band One event.
The under-19 winner was Ben Hart who defeated Hogg.
against Dunedin.
“They beat us by a single point this season in a local league match so I guess we’ll be gunning for them” says Beth.
Coulters Property on board as sponsors.
EDINBURGH TENNIS PRO Jacob
Fearnley will target the ATP 250 event in Marseilles from February 10-16 as he returns to tournament action following a memorable start to 2025, though he may have to enter qualifiying for which he is top seed.
Jacob ended January in line for a Davis Cup debut for Team GB away to Japan having excelled in reaching the third round of the Australian Open.The Marseilles event represents a step up in class with some big named players among past winners.
This year’s entries include Ugo
Humbert (18), Arhur Files (19), and also Karen Khachanov who is 20-years-old.
Speaking to the Lawn Tennis Association website about his call up for the two day Davis Cup qualifier Jacob said: “It’s a dream come true. I think every tennis player wants to represent their country so, to get the opportunity to do that is amazing.
“Going to Japan, which will be cool - I’ve never been - I’m looking forward to that also and to play with some good players and hopefully have a good tie. It will be amazing.”
By NIGEL DUNCAN
GOALKEEPER ZANDER CLARK has been described as a “really good professional” after signing a two-year extension to his contract at Hearts which will keep him at Tynecastle until 2027.
The deal with the 32-year-old Scotland international was “not too difficult” according to the club’s head coach, Neil Critchley who revealed that he has had several conversations with the former St Johnstone hot-stop.
Clark has played 68 games for the first team and records show that he has achieved 24 clean sheets.
Of course, he was a key figure as Hearts secured third place in the league last season and he was in Scotland’s squad for the Euro 2024 Finals in Germany.
Critchley said: “I have been nothing but impressed with him as a person, as a goalkeeper. It has not been easy for him as I know how he played and what he achieved last season, but he has taken it like a really good professional, a good man.
“He is a brilliant guy to have around, so
positive, and I am delighted that he has stayed, and I see him as part of the future at Hearts.”
Craig Gordon, the current No 1 and a man who has made 314 appearances for the club, is coming to the end of his contract, but Clark’s situation does not affect the veteran goalkeeper’s future.
Critchley added: “Craig is a separate situation and we have good competition in that area of the pitch. Zander being here helps to push Craig and vice-versa, and we have Ryan Fulton who is fantastic goalkeeper as well.
“We are really fortunate with the goalkeepers we have.”
Meanwhile, the Jambos have confirmed two fixtures changes in the William Hill Premiership.
The club’s trip to McDiarmid Park to face St Johnstone was originally scheduled for 22 February but will now take place at noon on Sunday, 23 February and will be live on Sky Sports.
The Edinburgh derby with Hibs at Easter Road, originally to take place on 1 March, is now a 12.30pm kick-off on Sunday, 2 March, and will be live on Sky Sports.
By JOHN HISLOP
ROCKY BUSHIRI has gone from zero to hero in the eyes of the Hibs fans.
The DR Congo international looked to be on his way out of Easter Road in the summer and was linked with a number of clubs, including Millwall and Standard Liege.
In addition David Gray made finding central defenders a priority, and his first two outfield signings were Warren O’Hora and Marvin Ekpiteta with Jack Iredale arriving later in the window.
That meant Rocky started the season on the bench but he returned to the starting lineup following an injury to Ekpiteta and hasn’t looked back.
A 97th minute equaliser against Aberdeen kick started Hibs season before a remarkable Edinburgh derby saw his name being chanted by both sets of supporters.
After a disastrous own goal on the cusp of half-time that drew Hearts level, he was taunted by the home support sarcastically chanting his name, but he enjoyed the last laugh
as Dwight Gayle’s winner 12 minutes from time secured a first Hibs win in Gorgie since 2019.
The Hibs fans took over singing Bushiri’s praises which inspired him to put in a magnificent second-half performance and he celebrated in style at the final whistle in front of a packed Roseburn end at Tynecastle.
He followed that up with his second goal for the club which was another late equaliser, this time against Rangers in another 3-3 draw at Easter Road. He even managed an assist for Martin Boyle’s opener in that game.
So what does the future hold for the 25-year-old?
In an interview in a Belgian publication he said: “Regarding my future, my contract is up at the end of the season but I feel good here. The last few months have been the busiest of the season and Hibs wanted to put that behind us before discussing a new contract. I expect we will talk about it soon.”
When asked about his future at the club head coach, David Gray, said: “Rocky’s one of several players who are out of contract at the end
of the season.
“I’ve got a lot and there’s no better way to try to earn a new contract, whether that be here or elsewhere, than by putting in good performances.
“I think the best thing to be doing
in whatever situation you are in personally is to try and put in the best level of performance you can when called upon, and Rocky’s been a great example of that.
“He’s had to be very patient this season. He didn’t play the minutes
he would have liked early on, but he’s done very well when he’s come in.
“We’re definitely benefiting from the level of performance he’s putting in, and he’s also adding competition for places.”
Scotland v Italy - 1st Feb
Scotland v Ireland - 9th Feb
Scotland v Wales - 8th Mar
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