The Edinburgh Reporter January 2021
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January 2021
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk
Let's hope in 2021 . . .
Turner Prize winning artist
Martin Creed's work Everthing
Is Going To Be Alright at the
Scottish National Gallery of
Modern Art in Belford Road has
proved a huge attraction since it
was installed in 2008.
The blue neon statement,
which sits atop the neoclassical
William Burn designed building,
is something we all wish for in
the weeks and months ahead as
Covid-19 vaccines are rolled out.
Two-year-old gallery visitor
Thomas is too young to
understand the devastating
impact we have all suffered
to varying degrees during the
coronavirus pandemic. But
hopefully he has his finger on the
pulse of what lies ahead.
PHOTO: Phyllis Stephen
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2
NEWS
The Edinburgh Reporter
OUR VIEW
Happy New Year. I would have
hoped to wish you that with
more anticipation of a better
year ahead, but our hopes of that
were somewhat dashed when
Scotland was put into Level Four
restrictions on Boxing Day.
Now, although we have at least
one of what could be several
vaccines, our civic and economic
freedoms are again curtailed.
But this new year may yet herald
better times before it ends. We just
have to depend on the scientists
to get us through.
We have the prospect of the
Scottish Parliamentary Election
in May. Quite what campaigning
and hustings will look like, we shall
have to wait and see, but there
have not yet been any suggestions
of it being cancelled or postponed.
From next month we will be
profiling the candidates for all the
Edinburgh constituencies.
There are still some events this
month - all virtual of course. Read
pages 18 and 19 to fill your dance
card. Our centre pages on 12 and
13 are filled with Postcards from
2020, some of the many photos
taken last year, very few of which
involved large groups of people.
One of the only occasions for that
type of shot was at the Black Lives
Matter protests in the summer.
Now Cliff Hague of Cockburn
Association writes about what is
happening about that in Edinburgh
now.
We asked civic leaders for a word
or two on what they thought 2021
might look like, and you can read
their views from Page 4 onwards.
All of this and I have not
mentioned Brexit once. With all
the last minute brinksmanship
it is difficult to predict what will
happen. We lived outside the
EU before however, perhaps in
pre-avocado days. On Page 17
Juliet Lawrence Wilson writes
about food and Oleg from
Independent Wine has chosen five
wines to tempt you with. Since
most of us will be staying at home
for the foreseeable future, we can
only turn to food and drink for
solace and a glimpse of brighter
times ahead.
For those who do not have
that luxury, then please try to
help the charities doing such
good work. Lewis Maclachlan of
Empty Kitchens Full Hearts was
recognised by the Prime Minister
with a Point of Light award. Little
wonder, as he and his colleagues
are delivering 900 day packs each
day - those include breakfast lunch
and dinner.
Phyllis Stephen Editor
Dronealdson's College
This photo is an aerial shot of the former Donaldson's College by
Thomas Haywood who is a qualified drone photographer. He uses a DJI
Inspire 2 with X5S camera. It is a composite photo as he could not get
the whole building in one shot due to restrictions on flying above 400 ft.
Thomas said: "There are so few places in the city centre to use a drone
safely and legally so I grabbed this opportunity. I obtained clearance
from the landowner and from Edinburgh Airport ATC." He said that wind,
sunshine and patience are also needed. ISO 100 F4.5 1/250
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
The NSPCC is looking for young
people in Scotland to join a new
group that gives them the chance
to shape and influence the charity’s
work, and ensure they are at the
heart of our decision making.
We are launching the Young
People’s Board for Change, and want
to recruit 15 members aged between
13 and 16, from across the country.
The Board members will use the
platform to raise awareness of what
matters most to them, take action
and make change happen. They
will also have a big role internally
advising staff and trustees.
The young people will take part in
new experiences and opportunities,
meet other young people, as
well as develop confidence and
learn life-long new skills, such as
campaigning and public speaking.
Over a two-year period, members
will take part in residentials,
meetings and workshops, and
campaign to share their views and
opinions.
We want as many young people
as possible to have the chance to
apply, so we are encouraging parents
and carers to speak to their children
about this exciting opportunity, and
teachers and other professionals to
share details with their students and
through their networks.
At the NSPCC, we are committed
to ensuring that young people are
empowered and that their opinions
are listened to. It’s vital that we put
children and young people first and
embed their views into everything we
do in our fight for every childhood.
Readers can find out more at
nspcc.org.uk/boardforchange, or
for an informal chat please contact
participationteam@nspcc.org.uk
The deadline for completed
applications is 11 January and
interviews will be held between 18 –
21 January.
Yours etc
Carla Malseed
Local Campaigns Manager for
NSPCC Scotland
Plans afoot
There is a further consultation
on the plans for New Town North
in the former RBS building at the
foot of Dundas Street. This runs
until 12 January.
It will show the amendments
which the developer has made to
their plans which include:
• moving the office building
further away from Fettes Row
• reducing massing on the top
floor of the northern residential
blocks to improve the view from
Dundonald Street
• increasing the use of natural
stone in the office building facing
Fettes Row and the building on
Eyre Place, along with some of
the hard landscape paving on the
main route through to the King
George V Park
• design refinement to some
areas of the elevations on Dundas
Street and Eyre Place.
This development will create a
mix of new homes, offices and
public amenities on the 5.9 acre
site. So far there have already
been over 4,000 people visiting the
website where the plans are on
display.
www.newtownquarter.co.uk
Development of Edinburgh's
Literature House is moving
apace. This will be sited at John
Knox House and the Scottish
Storytelling Centre on the Royal
Mile. RIAS Consultancy ran
a competition and Edinburgh
UNESCO City of Literature Trust
has appointed Stirling Prize
winning architectural firm,
Witherford Watson Mann, to lead
the next phase of development.
They will partner up with Groves
Raines Architects Studios who
have a record in conservation
and reuse of historic buildings
in Edinburgh, and Studio MB, an
interpretive design agency.
Cllr Amy McNeese-Mechan,
Culture and Communities Vice
Convener, said: “We welcome the
appointment of Witherford Watson
Mann to lead the next step in
this ambitious project to create
a Literature House for Scotland
- a place to discover Edinburgh’s
literary heritage and contemporary
creativity, and learn more about
our capital’s incredible storytellers,
and writers. I look forward to
seeing the project begin and the
benefits it will bring for literature
and a literary quarter in the city.”
cityofliterature.com
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Editor: Phyllis Stephen
editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk
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@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk NEWS 3
Doubts over future of neighbourhood
centre - funding may run out in 2021
Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre
treasurer, Eddie Thorn, has
warned that unless there is future
financial support from The City
of Edinburgh Council, the centre
could be forced to close after
March.
The stark warning was published
in the centre's annual report that
also confirmed the centre ran up
a £40,000 deficit up to 31 March
2020.
On a positive note, it was
reported there had been an
increase in the number of people
using the centre last year and that
it has secured three year’s funding
from Children In Need, understood
to be £30,000, to continue to
support the youth and children’s
work at the centre.
In his report, Mr Thorn wrote:
“The ongoing position is under
constant review but without
material financial support it will
simply not be possible to sustain
all existing activities going
forward.
“Against this background the
trustees, being mindful of legal
responsibilities, may be forced into
taking difficult decisions regarding
the future of the Centre and the
employment of our staff.
“There are adequate funds to
£eith Chooses project funding
The participatory budgeting
project in Leith, £eith Chooses,
has around £50,000 to hand out
to organisations and bodies in the
area.
This money is provided
from Edinburgh City Council's
Community Grants fund, and
locals can become more involved
in the way the public funding is
spent as a result of the application
and voting process.
Applications closed on 11
December and these are now
being validated ahead of a
shortlist being compiled.
The shortlisted applicants, who
may be awarded up to £5,000, are
showcased on the £eith Chooses
website. There will then be a week
of voting from 25 to 31 January
2021.
Eligible groups have to have
a constitution and a bank
account to qualify. They were
all invited to put forward a good
idea for a six month community
project on themes related to
challenging food poverty in Leith
Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre
see the Centre operating as at
present through to the end of the
current financial year but unless
there is the required level of
funding in place after 31 March
2021 then there may be no option
other than close the Centre with
the loss of the facility to the local
community.”
The centre, which celebrated its
25th birthday last month, provides
weekly classes and groups for
older people and children.
In line with Government advice,
or reducing isolation and ensuring
connectedness.
The voting will take place on the
council's Consultation Hub.
The Steering Group behind the
budgetary process are mindful
of the fact that not everyone can
access the online vote, but it is
thought to be the best option
during the pandemic restrictions.
They conducted a survey in
September to decide whether or
not locals wished to proceed with
an online version of the event.
Usually on the day when locals
can cast their vote there is a grand
meeting of those on the shortlist
and a bit of lobbying goes on as
you pass each of their stalls. It is
a real community day with a lot of
fun alongside the main business.
While that will not be possible the
money is still there to be divided
fairly.
When the results are announced,
the funding will be paid over to
the successful projects in early
February.
www.leithchooses.net
the centre closed at the start
of the pandemic and has only
recently started to allow young
people to return, however, not all
staff were placed on furlough.
Local independent councillor,
Gavin Barrie, said: “If the
outcomes of the Edinburgh
Poverty Commision are to be
implemented, then Drylaw
Neighbourhood Centre may well
have a pivotal role to play going
forward and the Council needs to
consider supporting it with the
Stafford Centre minds your health
By Stephen Rafferty
Among the many sad sights in
Edinburgh during the pandemic
has been the locked doors of the
Stafford Centre, one of the city’s
busiest mental health resources.
Run by charity Support in Mind
Scotland, the Broughton Street
building had to close in mid-March
when the Covid-19 crisis unfolded,
and the crucial support provided
to hundreds of people affected
by mental ill health switched
overnight from face-to-face to a
remote model via phone, text and
video.
It has been a truly herculean
effort by staff and the people
who access the centre to adapt
and stay connected during the
initial lockdown and the waves of
restrictions that have followed,
but they have shown great spirit
in adversity and look forward to
better times in 2021.
The worry is that demand is
going to soar when we emerge
from the pandemic, with experts
predicting a mental health
epidemic as people struggle to
cope with issues such as isolation,
anxiety, family pressures and
financial hardship.
Whereas the accepted statistic
before Covid-19 was that 1 in 4 of
us will experience a mental health
problem in our lifetime, it is now
anyone’s guess how severely that
figure will be impacted as a result
of the challenges we face now and
future in mind.”
Fellow Inverleith councillor,
Liberal Democrat, Hal Osler, said:
“The Drylaw Neighbourhood
Centre provides vital services to
the local community - and has
done so for many years.
“Put simply, the Council needs
more funding so that these cuts
can be stopped and centres like
Drylaw are funded properly.”
Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre
was approached for comment.
in the immediate future.
“We want to stay positive, but
we are worried that there will be
a huge influx of people seeking
support,” admits Michele Mason,
Support in Mind Scotland’s Area
Manager for Edinburgh.
“We know how difficult this past
year has been from the people
we are directly supporting, and
we know there are going to many
more who need help with their
mental health.”
The positive she is referring to
is the news that SiMS has been
awarded a contract as part of the
Thrive initiative – the city’s new
collaborative approach to mental
health services, introduced by the
Edinburgh Health and Social Care
Partnership.
“The timing is wonderful,” she
Stafford Centre support worker Karen has
a socially distanced chat with David
Balerno green
belt brouhaha
by Nigel Duncan
Campaigners have urged Balerno
residents to step-up their protest
by writing to local councillors,
MSP and their MP to express their
opposition to plans to build 350
houses on Green Belt land.
The proposed development
by Rapleys at Ravelrig recently
received over 500 objections and
included one from Edinburgh
Pentlands MSP Gordon
MacDonald.
Balerno Green Belt (BGB) have
also have now set up a petition on
38 Degrees so locals can register
their disquiet. Leader Mike Martin
said: "We are now encouraging
local people to write to their local
councillors, MSPs and the local
MP.
"This is to raise awareness
of what many feel is the wrong
housing in the wrong place,
resulting in the destruction
of productive agricultural
land, degradation of the rural
environment and putting
additional strain on local
infrastructure, particularly in terms
of the traffic congestion on the
Lanark Road. BGB supporters will
also be encouraged to write to the
councillors who sit on the planning
committee expressing their views
before they meet to consider the
Ravelrig proposals."
explains. “We have an initial
five-year contract, which will give
us the opportunity and security to
embed some of the fantastic work
we do at the Stafford Centre and
in the community, not only in 2021
which we already know will be
difficult, but also in the future."
The Stafford Centre
have managed to provide
compassionate mental health
support to almost 150 people each
week throughout the pandemic,
including veterans, typically
through regular calls, group Zoom
calls, and peer support.
Opening the doors again will
allow the Centre to fulfil its true
potential.
supportinmindscotland.org.uk
MILES BRIGGS MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothian Region
Working for you, working for Lothian Region.
Tel: 0131 348 5944 @MilesBriggsEdinburgh | Email: Miles.Briggs.msp@parliament.scot
The costs of this advert have been met out
of parliamentary resources.
The Scottish Parliament is not responsible
for the content of any external website.
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk POLITICS 5
Vibrant culture makes Edinburgh unique
by Culture Convener Cllr Donald
Wilson
I think it would be an
understatement to say 2020 had
been extremely tough for the
culture sector.
As we look ahead to 2021 we
will be doing all we cannot just to
survive but to come back better
than ever.
Our vibrant cultural heritage and
Light at end of education tunnel
by Education, Children and
Families Convener Cllr Ian Perry
and Vice Convener Cllr Alison
Dickie.
The ongoing pandemic is having
a devastating impact on us all and
2021 will still provide challenges
for our education system and
young people but there is light at
the end of the tunnel.
We pay tribute to our dedicated
teaching staff and young people
who are showing amazing
resilience in these challenging
Prioritising city spending
by Cllr Rob Munn and Cllr
Joan Griffiths, MBE, Finance and
Resources Convener and Vice
Convener.
Our main focus for 2021 is to
take the carefully considered
decisions about where to prioritise
spending for the Council over the
next three years and setting a
balanced budget that protects our
most vulnerable citizens and helps
our communities to recover from
the pandemic. At the same time,
we want to continue to deliver high
festivals offering is at the heart of
what makes Edinburgh unique and
we are committed to supporting
the sector’s return and future. The
return of live audiences next year
will be crucial to this recovery.
The cultural sector makes a
huge contribution to our economy
and the quality of life of our
communities.
We have made a start though
with the City Art Centre reopening
times. Even though there will be
no exams this year our school
staff will ensure pupils get the
best teaching possible for their
assessments. Our Edinburgh
Learns plan will position education
as the lever for a fairer, healthier
and greener future. The support
for our vulnerable young people,
especially our Looked After
Children, will continue to be a
priority.
Our plans to create the very best
learning environment for young
quality services for Edinburgh.
Our budget process is, as ever,
informed by direct feedback
from the people of Edinburgh
on which services they want to
see prioritised and we’re very
grateful to the 2000+ people
who responded to our budget
engagement survey before
Christmas.
This feedback is invaluable,
especially given the exceptionally
challenging year 2020 was and the
impact that Covid-19 has had and
in September and we very much
look forward to the reopening
our other Museums and Galleries
as well as opening our doors for
performances at the Usher Hall.
So, in 2021, I’ll continue to fight
for what I believe in: that it is the
city’s duty to continue to nurture
Edinburgh’s creative heart.
Not just for the huge
contributions to our economy but
also to the lives of our citizens.
people continue with a £500m
planned investment over the
next 10 years for an ambitious
new school building programme,
- Frogston Primary, Victoria
Primary and St Crispin’s opening
in 2021 and the new Castlebrae
Community Campus in 2022.
The investment includes new
nurseries with more Forest
Kindergartens opening soon and
we’ll meet the government’s target
of 1140 hours of funded early
learning and childcare by August.
Proposals for a safer Bonfire Night
Proposals to introduce
regulations to restrict both the
sale of fireworks, and the times
when they can be set off by the
general public, will be introduced
for The Scottish Parliament to
consider in the new year.
Community Safety Minister, Ash
Denham, announced the proposals
responding to recommendations
of an independent review group.
Secondary legislation will be
laid in Parliament in January
which, if approved by MSPs, will
place limits on both the volume
and the time of day for consumer
firework sales, as well when they
may be set off – in time for next
November’s bonfire night season.
The planned changes will apply
to individuals who are buying
or using fireworks for private
displays, and will not apply to
displays that are organised by
professional firework organisers or
operators.
Ms Denham said: “I am fully
committed to bringing about
positive change in the relationship
Scotland has with fireworks.
More than 16,400 people across
Scotland responded to the
consultation last year.
"This highlighted that fireworks
can be good for communities
when they are used at the right
time, in right place and used
responsibly.
“However, it is clear there is
strong support for changing how
will continue to have for us all.
It’s crucial we understand how
people’s lives have been affected
by the impact of the pandemic on
our services as we work to steer
the Capital towards a sustainable
recovery.
Finally, the Council’s core
priorities of addressing poverty
and inequality, improving
sustainability and tackling climate
change, as well as enhancing
wellbeing, based on what people
told us was most important to
them, will remain at the heart of
our budget setting for 2021 and
beyond.
fireworks are sold and used in
Scotland, and the Review Group
set out clear recommendations
on what change is needed going
forward.
"I hope the actions I have
outlined reassure people that their
voices have been heard and that
legislation will be progressed as
swiftly as possible to implement
positive change.
“I fully agree with the Group that
it will be important to understand
the impact of these changes as
they are implemented in practice,
including on our emergency
services, on businesses, on our
communities as well as in relation
to firework related injuries.”
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Travelling into 2021
Transport and Environment Vice
Convener Cllr Karen Doran looked
back on last year.
She said: “The events of 2020
have had an unparalleled impact
on so many aspects of our lives.
How we move around our city has
of course been greatly affected.
“During lockdown, roads
emptied and travel by bike, foot
and wheels surged. Our Spaces for
People measures saw people take
up cycling or walking where they
might previously have driven, and
we want to keep this momentum
up.
“In 2021, development of major
plans, including the draft City
Mobility Plan and Edinburgh
City Centre Transformation, will
Leading from the front
by Council Leader Adam McVey
and Depute Leader Cammy Day
Our first and most pressing task
in 2021 is to continue to steer
Edinburgh through and – hopefully
sooner rather than later - out of
the global Covid-19 pandemic.
There’s no doubt these past nine
months have been unbelievably
challenging for all of us, and
especially so for anyone who’s
sadly lost a loved one during the
crisis.
As we work with organisations
and communities right across the
city to help Edinburgh navigate
whatever comes next, we’re clear
that "back to normal" won’t be
good enough – we need to build
back better, following the key
revolutionise the way we interact
with the city.
Construction will begin on
schemes like City Centre West to
East Link and design will continue
on several exciting projects to
improve cycling and pedestrian
infrastructure.
“We’ll move closer to introducing
a Low Emissions Zone and Electric
Vehicle charging network while
Trams to Newhaven will begin
to take shape, alongside our
excellent existing bus and tram
services.
“I know we’re on the right
track for a sustainable, inclusive,
carbon-neutral future for
Edinburgh, and 2021 will help get
us there."
Building affordable homes
Councillors Kate Campbell
and Mandy Watt, Convener
and Vice Convener for Housing,
Homelessness and Fair Work
concnetrate on homes and the
homeless.
They said: “In 2021, we will
build more good quality, energy
efficient, affordable homes. They’ll
be good places to live, within
strong communities. Our new and
existing tenants will get the best
service possible from us as their
landlord; and we’ll make sure our
tenants, especially those who may
be struggling with the impacts
of Covid-19, get the support they
need.
“We’ll continue work to improve
temporary accommodation,
reach out to our most vulnerable
citizens, prevent homelessness
whenever possible and make sure
people are able to access the right
support when and where they
need it.
“We want to help our economy
to build back better and stronger,
putting fair work and sustainability
at the heart of our strategy to
rebuild. We’ll do that by supporting
businesses and, with a view to
the long term, we’ll work towards
building a wellbeing economy
based on good jobs, job security
and career progression.
“We’ll begin by expanding our
existing Edinburgh Guarantee offer
so that people of all ages who
might face barriers to employment
as a result of Covid-19 are
supported to find work, learn new
skills and gain confidence and
we’re calling on employers and
education providers to support us.”
principles of the Edinburgh 2050
City Vision to achieve a thriving,
welcoming, pioneering and fair
Capital for now and for future
generations.
Our work will be guided and
shaped by our core priorities of
tackling poverty and inequality,
boosting sustainability and
promoting wellbeing.
We’ll push on with implementing
our 10-year End Poverty in
Edinburgh plan as well as our Net
Zero 2030 ambitions.
2021 is going to be a major and
defining year for this incredible
city and we’re determined to do
Edinburgh proud.
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6
NEWS
by Cliff Hague of the Cockburn
Association
The coming year will see our
city address the legacy of its
connections with slavery and
colonialism. This "hidden history"
came to the fore in 2020 with
the Black Lives Matter protests
following the killing of George
Floyd while in police custody in
Minneapolis.
The calls for action in opposition
to racism reached far beyond
America, including Edinburgh. Our
council has set up the Edinburgh
Slavery and Colonialism Legacy
Review Group. I have accepted
the invitation to be a member.
Our remit is to consider and make
recommendations on Edinburgh’s
slavery and colonialism legacy
in the civic realm. We are tasked
to focus on any features within
the council boundary which
commemorate those with close
links to slavery and colonialism,
including, but not limited to, public
statues and monuments, street or
building names.
The Group will work to deliver
recommendations about how that
legacy should be addressed, both
The Edinburgh Reporter
Looking again at slavery links
Mural of Frederick Douglass Photo Martin P McAdam
The Scottish Government
overspent its 2019/20 budget by
nearly £700 million responding to
the Covid-19 pandemic.
Net spending for the year across
the consolidated accounts was
£39,385 million - £669 million
more than budget.
Two large business support
schemes agreed in March that
cost £912 million.
But the pandemic delayed
publication of its medium-term
financial strategy to January 2021,
squeezing the time for scrutiny
by MSPs ahead of the 2021/22
budget. Responding to Covid-19
and EU withdrawal has also placed
considerable strain on staff across
the organisation.
Government loans of £3.5
million to Prestwick Airport and £9
million to Burntisland Fabrications
Ltd were written down in the
2019/20 financial year.
This follows a trend of loans and
guarantees for private companies
deteriorating in value, including
£45 million previously provided to
Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General
for Scotland, said: "Covid-19
in the short-term and long-term.
In looking at Edinburgh’s public
realm through this lens, we need
to find ways to connect the past
to the cause of racial justice
today for all our citizens. I hope
that a basis can be laid for future
generations in this diverse city
to share understanding of our
intertwined histories.
We cannot pretend that
Edinburgh developed in isolation
from the Atlantic slave trade
and the period of Empire that
followed, events which still have
consequences today. The starting
point is the databases that have
been compiled from the list of
persons who were compensated
for the loss of their slaves at the
time of abolition.
Abolitionists also need to be
recognised, for example the
legendary Frederick Douglass who
escaped from slavery in Maryland
and inspired many by his oratory
when he visited Edinburgh. Truth
and reconciliation need to guide
our work. It will not be easy, and
coronavirus adds to the hurdles
to be overcome. The work of the
Review Group needs to enrich
understanding of Edinburgh’s
history for all who live here or visit
our great city.
Govt spending needs more clarity
is understandably having a
significant effect on the Scottish
Government's finances.
"It's now more important than
ever that the next financial
strategy has clear links between
spending plans and what that
money is expected to achieve,
as Scotland contends with the
pandemic's ongoing impact.
"The Scottish Government
also needs to clearly outline its
plans for future investment in
private companies to increase
transparency and value for money."
Food growing strategy - public's comments invited
Citizens in Edinburgh are being
encouraged to have their say on
the Council’s first food growing
strategy.
The strategy aims to encourage
people to get more involved
in local food production,
promote local and sustainable
consumption and help improve
issues such as biodiversity, health,
food security and address poverty
in the capital.Supported by Edible
Edinburgh, the Growing Locally
consultation is looking for people’s
views on food growing, from
growing in gardens and allotments
or as part of a community growing
project.
The consultation is looking
to find out: Ways in which the
purchase of local and sustainable
food could be increased, to
help to reduce the city’s carbon
emissions as well as supporting
the Edinburgh’s green recovery
from Covid-19.
How could local food growing
help to reduce food poverty and
improve health and wellbeing.
How the Council and others in
the city can help support people
to become more involved in local
growing.
Edible Edinburgh chair, Councillor
George Gordon, said: "The Growing
Locally strategy aims to reduce
carbon emissions, support local
food growing businesses, increase
land availability for food growing,
reduce inequalities and increase
awareness and choice around
healthy and sustainable food.
"We are calling for citizens to
contribute to the consultation
as to how they feel local food
growing can help respond to these
challenges, as well as help create
a vibrant and thriving sustainable
food economy in Edinburgh for
everyone."
Brenda Black, Director of
Edinburgh Community Food and
member of Edible Edinburgh
said: "The Growing Locally
strategy aims to help promote
better food relationships within
our communities by connecting
people through well-being, through
encouraging local growing and
consumption of healthy and
sustainable food.
"This consultation provides the
opportunity to hear your views
on how we can help tackle these
issues together as a city."
The draft food growing strategy
was first approved for consultation
by Council Committee in February
2020, but the online consultation
was delayed due to the outbreak
of Covid-19.
The consultation runs until 18
January and will be supported
with online events published on
the Edible Edinburgh website.
edible-edinburgh.org
Hope for 2021
Jeremy Balfour Lothians MSP
writes: "As we step into 2021
there is a sense of cautious hope
spreading throughout the nation.
Hope that vaccines will work.
Hope that cases will fall. Hope that
this strange way of life will finally
end. I share in this hope, however,
it is not my only hope for 2021.
Despite 1 in 5 Scots having
some form of disability, for the
last five years I have been the only
MSP in Holyrood with a physical
disability. I find it frustrating that a
country priding itself on inclusivity
fails to have representation
for one of the biggest minority
groups. Looking ahead I see an
opportunity to change this.
In 2021 we vote in the Scottish
Election choosing representatives
for the next five years. It is my
hope that we will be able to look
around and see people with all
kinds of disabilities taking seats
on every side of the chamber,
and that Holyrood will lead the
way, showing what true disability
inclusion looks like.I hope that
young people with a disability can
look to Holyrood and be inspired
as they see people just like them
speaking up and having their
voice heard. I hope that this year
the tide will change for disability
representation.
Free parking
at hospitals
The Health Secretary Jeane
Freeman confirmed that car
parking will continue to be free for
staff, visitors and patients at three
hospitals in Scotland including the
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh until
the end of March 2021.
At the beginning of the
Covid-19 pandemic, The Scottish
Government began paying the car
park providers, enabling them to
lift charges at the three Scottish
PFI hospitals.
The initial three month
suspension was announced by
Ms Freeman in March. It was then
extended until January 2021 and
now there is an agreement in place
until March 2021.
Ms Freeman said: “I am glad that
we are able to continue providing
this support to our hardworking
NHS staff and to patients and their
visitors. I know from the letters
I receive that free car parking is
particularly appreciated by staff
who are working day and night to
care for their patients during this
pandemic.
“It is down to their extraordinary
efforts that the NHS remains
open. The staff of the NHS should
not experience any unnecessary
difficulties whilst they continue to
go above and beyond during the
Covid-19 pandemic.
“The Scottish Government is
continuing to work on a long term
solution to the issue of car parking
changes.”
Parking at Glasgow Royal
Infirmary and Ninewells Hospital in
Dundee is also free.
St Vincent Bar
gets Covid-19
rules warning
The St Vincent Bar in
Stockbridge was issued with a
written warning by the Licensing
Board.
The board spent almost two
hours considering an application
by Police Scotland to review the
licence under which St Vincent Bar
Scotland Limited sells alcohol.
There were 17 complaints from
13 separate sources since June
this year all concerned with the
behaviour of people outside the
bar. It was acknowledged that
some of the crowd of up to 60
at one point who congregated
outside or on the steps of St
Stephen's Church, apparently
flouting Covid-19 restrictions, may
not have all been customers.
Some people on the church steps
had bags from supermarkets and
at least one person seen by the
police brought their own chair. The
board agreed that not everyone
was a customer.
One of the company directors,
Christopher Grierson, is also a
personal licence holder. He was
present at the virtual meeting to
answer questions along with his
solicitor Alistair MacDonald.
Convener, Cllr Norman Work,
said at the end of the meeting to
Mr Grierson: "You may think you
have got off lightly here, but we
do take these seriously. If you do
come back again then I hope you
realise that we are giving you the
opportunity to show that you can
work on this. I hope that you take
what you have heard from the
board as a serious matter."
Cllr Howie asked if complaints
aligned with the opening hours of
the bar, and the police confirmed
that they did. His was a lone
voice appearing to take a sterner
approach to the review.
Mr McDonald pointed out that
nothing in the review related to
anything illegal. He said that his
clients had complied with any
police guidance and that there
were no significant recent issues.
He stated that since a meeting of
the bar owners with the Licensing
Standard Officers and police in
mid-November the bar employs
a member of staff whose job it
is to move people on outside. He
also said the bar is willing to look
at alternative drinks containers if
necessary.
Chris Grierson offered to reroute
the queue north of the bar down
towards St Stephen Street which
he thought might help get round
this issue. There are chalk marks
and notices all round the bar and
in the street, telling those who
are buying drinks to move on. Mr
Grierson said that they now have
a member of staff outside at all
times during opening hours and
generally most people asked do
move on.
He also said that they do not
serve people again if they have not
moved on when previously asked.
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk NEWS 7
Revised plans for £5 million Filmhouse take shape
Revised proposlas for a new
Filmhouse in Festival Square have
been revealed.
Now the plans - shaped and
formed by online consultation -
have been lodged with The City of
Edinburgh Council.
The £4.8 million building is
intended as a centre for Filmhouse
and The Edinburgh International
Film Festival.
Ken Hay, CEO of the Centre
for the Moving Image, which
incorporates both of these bodies
said the plans represented a lot of
effort over the years.
Rather than use the former
church building on Lothian Road
there has been talk for decades
of moving. Mr Hay said in a video
produced by Filmhouse CInema
Festival Square
Better Broughton just want
things to be - well, better, and
better in Broughton Street.
This is the main road leading
north from Picardy Place
roundabout towards the London
Street roundabout.
The group is not advocating on
behalf of cyclists, or pedestrians
or businesses - as what they
would like to see put in place
would actually benefit everyone.
The main aim of this, as yet
loosely constituted group,
is to create less space for
vehicles, more space for active
travel, including more room for
pedestrians - and they recommend
an uphill segregated cycle lane.
A segregated lane is included
the council's plans for Broughton
Street under Spaces for People
measures, but these are not
likely to be introduced under the
Covid-19 emergency measures
until January. Better Broughton
have already participated in the
democratic process behind the
new measures by submitting a
written deputation to the council's
Transport Committee.
They say on their website: "The
full potential of Broughton Street
is undermined by the fact that it is
frequently congested, and unsafe
for all road users. Footpaths are
too narrow, provision for cyclists
in non-existent, traffic frequently
speeds, pollution is often present,
and pedestrian crossing facilities
across the street, and the entrance
to side streets, are poor. We want
to see a street with safe crossing
that it was recognised quickly that
the building was not going to be
appropriate for the long term. He
said: "Simple things like disability
access stopped being a nice thing
to have and became absolutely
critical to have. Adapting the
190-year-old Georgian church with
its various add-on buildings to be
fully accessible was just one of
the issues."
The new Filmhouse will also
have spaces for community
engagement and learning, talent
and skills development, film
programming and audience
engagement, innovation and
enterprise, and networking to
benefit both Edinburgh and
Scotland's film industry.
The revised plan includes a
reduction in height with improved
access arrangements inside, and
detailed proposals for managing
the public space in what is
regarded as the Festival Square.
All the five auditoria (with double
the number of seats) will be on
one level underneath the Square.
There will be a rooftop terrace
and public viewpoint, a larger café
bar and separate restaurant, and
state of the art cinemas.
Asked about the impact of
Covid-19 on the Filmhouse project,
Mr Hay said that hopefully we will
get over the impact of Covid-19
points, where people can meet
and talk, and stay longer in local
shops and cafes, restaurants and
bars. Some comments at a recent
public meeting question whether
a segregated cycle lane would
prevent other infrastructure being
introduced later.
So this is a movement which is
just beginning and by no means
offering all the answers at once.
Discussion ensued around
whether Broughton might be the
ideal 15 minute neighbourhood,
with pointers to the Scottish Place
Standard and the Edinburgh Street
Guidance.
Architect David Jamieson has
produced lovely illustrative plans
to show what could be possible
if the traffic lanes were reduced,
and founder member, Piotr Mazur,
suggested introducing parklets,
particularly at the wide junction
with Broughton Place and Barony
Street about half way down,
making it a place to linger rather
than simply a place to pass
through. A parklet is something
like a bench usually made of wood
and often incorporating a bit of
greenery.
The council's interactive map
(edinburghspacesforpeople.
commonplace.is) shows in the
pop-out legend what people have
already said they would like to
see in their area. One of the other
points discussed was to introduce
measures to promote local
business - something like Totally
Locally which has had great
success elsewhere, beginning
and that the new Filmhouse will
take about five years to complete.
But he is also confident that
people will return to cinemas. He
said: "Nothing beats sitting in a
big dark space with a bunch of
strangers watching a film you
have no idea about. It plays out
in front of you in that communal
experience of enjoyment, fear or
Innovative new Filmhouse building
Better Broughton gets busy with improvement plans
in the north of England. It was
hoped that by promoting local
shopping, it would encourage
people to walk to the shops and
build relationships with the traders
in the street. There is a wide
range of shops here from Daniel
at Something Fishy to Crombies
Butchers on the opposite side of
the street. Then there is Joey D
and of course Fred Berkmiller who
runs the L'Escargot Edinburgh.
Former Labour councillor and
MP, Mark Lazarowicz, is a founding
member of the group. He chaired
the meeting which he concluded
by saying: "We all recognise you
cannot have everything, but we
think that what we need is ways
of looking at some moves in the
interim.
"So an uphill cycle lane would be
an advantage and we could then
look at the longer term aims for
the street. We just want to make
it better for active travel, cyclists
and pedestrians.
"We have spoken to local
businesses, and we don't think we
should just wait until something
happens. We want to be proactive.
"If you make a street better
for people to use with more
sustainable forms of travel then
you benefit local shops as well. It
is all a long term objective, but we
want to start doing things now,
and we will be discussing this with
the local community council.”
Keep an eye on this group which
could be going places
broughton.scot
terror, excitement or dismay."
Author Irvine Welsh added his
support to the new project.
He said: “Edinburgh can’t remain
bereft of cultural ambition.
"A custom built Filmhouse would
put the city on a par with some of
the great cinema capitals of the
world.
"It would be a marvellous
resource for our community and
provide a fitting home for the
world’s oldest international film
festival.
"Why settle for being an also ran
when you can be one of the very
best?”
www.newfilmhouse.com
Ready, steady, go for new plans?
The owners of Stead's Place on
Leith Walk, Drum Property Group,
have submitted a new planning
application.
The plans for the 2.9 acre site
include 146 apartments to the rear,
replacing the industrial units there
which would be demolished, and
refurbishment of the sandstone
building to the front. This would
become spaces for commercial
occupation, as it already is.
When Drum began the planning
process, it brought the commercial
leases of most of the occupiers
to an end. Only the Leith Depot
remains in place, but others such
as the Bed Shop and the Indian
Restaurant, Punjabi Junction, have
long since moved on. The majority
of the homes in the new scheme
would be build-for-rent and 36 are
earmarked for affordable housing
in line with planning requirements.
The buildings will be four and
five storeys high with what Drum
describe as significant green
space and access routes through
the site.
Graeme Bone, Group Managing
Director of Drum, said: “This new
planning application represents
a culmination of more than
three-and-a-half years of intense
planning, consultation and hard
work since Drum first purchased
the site in 2017.
"Our proposals will now bring an
added dimension to Leith Walk
and the wider area, transforming
what is currently an inhospitable
industrial site by creating an
attractive, open and accessible
homes-led community for
residents and visitors alike.
"This provides a comfortable
living environment, away from the
busy Leith Walk and linked through
accessible and landscaped
walkways and cycle routes to
Pilrig Park and the rest of the city.
“By retaining and refurbishing
the red sandstone buildings
facing on to Leith Walk, we are
also contributing to the wider
regeneration of the local area,
providing investment to create
an attractive and distinctive
destination and focal point which
is needed now, more than ever.
"We are pleased that our designs
have been well-received by the
local community throughout
an extensive and positive
consultation programme, and
now look forward to progressing
the application with the City of
Edinburgh Council.
“Our revised proposals will
maintain the red sandstone
building whilst incorporating
sympathetic design for the
residential quarter to the rear of
the site, creating a much-improved
access linking Leith Walk with
Pilrig Park.
"This will continue the traditions
of vibrancy and independence
which makes Leith Walk such an
exciting destination in which to
live, work and visit.”
This follows the earlier
application in 2018/19 which
was rejected by the council
and on appeal by the Scottish
Government Reporter.
www.steads-place.com
8
NEWS
by June Peebles CEO of
Edinburgh Leisure
Last year was one many of us
weren’t sad to see the back of.
Covid-19 stopped everyone in
their tracks – introducing so many
changes and uncertainty into all
our lives.
We watched lockdown have a
huge impact on people's health
and wellbeing. While some people
were more active than ever, using
their daily exercise allowance to
get outside and walk, run, cycle or
do a spot of wild swimming, many
others struggled.
For people who already faced
barriers to being active, such
as those with long term health
conditions, unpaid carers, and
families living on low incomes,
lockdown resulted in a sharp
decline in their physical and
mental health.
Edinburgh Leisure is a charity
on a mission to help everyone in
The Edinburgh Reporter
Staying active in the community
Happy 2021
June Peebles
Edinburgh lead healthier, happier
and more active lives. We are
passionate about the positive
impact physical activity has,
which is why we are proud that
our Active Communities (AC)
programme supports over 10,000
people affected by disabilities,
health conditions, poverty and
inequalities to be active each year.
We know that the people that
AC supports were amongst those
hardest hit by lockdown, with a
sudden loss of routine, an abrupt
end to the support networks
they relied on and increased
social isolation exacerbating the
problems they already faced.
Edinburgh Leisure has been
working hard to ensure our AC
projects remain safe and we have
been delighted to start welcoming
participants back since the end of
last October.
We are currently supporting
people with a combination of
in-person and virtual activities.
We have adapted programmes so
that when Edinburgh was placed
in the Scottish Government Level
3 and we were unable to deliver
adult group sessions indoors, we
moved some activities outdoors,
pre-recorded sessions for people
to try at home and will shortly
be launching a live streaming
service so that people can work
out alongside their instructor and
group in real time.
One project that recently
re-started is Active Mums, which
supports mums and their families
affected by poverty to get active.
They have swapped indoor
sessions at Leith Victoria Swim
Centre for outdoor sessions at
nearby Pilrig Park.
One mum, Laura, said: “I’m loving
being part of the Active Mums
group. The instructors have been
so creative, finding ways for us to
exercise together outside. Not only
are the sessions fun, but we feel
like a community of friends who
are there for one another.”
Although a vaccine has arrived
and brings some element of hope,
winter still lingers and so does the
virus.
If there is one thing that we have
learnt in 2020, there has never
been a more important time for
us to look after our health and
wellbeing. As well as improving
our physical health, it can improve
our mood, boost our energy levels,
reduce stress and help us to
switch off.
With our venues and services
reopened and our AC programme
having re-started, we are looking
forward to supporting everyone
affected by lockdown to rebuild
after a challenging year and work
towards a healthier, happier and
more active 2021.
edinburghleisure.com
Mural honours Leith character Arthur
If you have been down Leith Walk
recently you may have missed
the lovely new mural on the side
of Casa Amiga. Stop and have
a look at artist Shona Hardie’s
painting of Arthur Williams which
is both a tribute to the local man
as well as a fundraiser for charity,
Streetwork.
It is painted on the side wall of
the café - where else but on Arthur
Street?
Arthur (83) is well known in
Leith and distinctive with his long
dreadlocks. He was homeless, and
slept rough in the area for over 20
years. Finally, after much trying,
his family obtained guardianship
for him and he has lived in a care
home since 2013, where he is
well fed and looked after and he
continues to thrive.
His family wanted to give
something back to recognise the
years of tolerance, kindness and
generosity from locals which kept
Arthur safe and alive all those
years. They decided upon the
mural which will honour him and
give some cheer to the community.
Ben Macpherson, MSP for
Edinburgh Northern and Leith,
said: “This stunning mural is a
really uplifting tribute to Arthur,
who I know is doing well in his new
home. The widespread positive
response that the painting has
received already is testament to
how much Arthur is loved by the
community in Leith and beyond.
It’s also testament to Shona
Hardie’s magnificent artwork.
What’s more, the generous
donations that are being made to
the family’s fundraising campaign,
for Streetwork, emphasise that
people want to help those in need
where they can, like local people
in Leith supported Arthur over the
years, and our shared commitment
and determination to tackle and
prevent homelessness.”
Jan Williamson, Assistant
Exercise helps us to lead a healthier lifestyle
Director for Streetwork, said,
“We are so grateful to Arthur
and his family for arranging this
mural for the community of Leith,
and for raising awareness of
homelessness and mental health.
The team at Streetwork were
honoured to know Arthur and to
have been part of his remarkable
story, he is a real gentleman and a
true Leith legend and this mural is
a fitting tribute to him.”
As part of Trams to Newhaven,
there is a project to liven up utility
boxes on Leith Walk. The box
below the mural will have text with
information for those who are
homeless or need help with mental
health issues.
You can donate to Streetwork
which is part of the Simon
Community Scotland. As little
as £1 pays for someone to have
a warm drink in a safe place off
the street, and £5 pays for a hot
shower and access to laundry.
justgiving.com/campaign/
StreetworkArthur
By Cllr Cammy Day
Depute Leader of The City of
Edinburgh Council
Edinburgh Labour group along
with our MSPs Daniel Johnson and
Sarah Boyack have championed
the investment for a new Liberton
High School and Wester Hailes
Education Centre.
Along with my colleague
councillors, Lezley Marion
Cameron and Ricky Henderson, we
are excited to see this now being
realised. The Scottish Government
confirmed its support for some
of the schools investment. We
have plans in the administration
to invest £500 million in schools
as part of an inclusive net
zero carbon city. This means
community lifelong learning
and sports hubs where public
services are co-located, links
to active travel networks, green
infrastructure and strategic public
transport networks.
There are also new school
investments such as Castlebrae
Community High School, South
Queensferry and our ambitious
plans for a new Trinity Academy
in my own ward. We must keep
pressing the government to
fully fund our growing city, and
particularly our need for modern,
efficient, state of the art schools
and learning hubs for the next
generation to learn.
Wishing you all the best and a
Happy New Year for 2021.
Network Rail
fined £135,000
The Office of Rail and Road
(ORR), Scotland's Crown Office
and the Procurator Fiscal have
all prosecuted Network Rail over
a safety failure relating to the
railway fencing near Musselburgh.
The company was fined £135,000
for failing to maintain and improve
the fencing.
A 13 year-old boy was left with
serious injuries after entering
via a gap in the fence on the
railway track near Queen Margaret
University. He climbed on the
roof of a tank wagon on a freight
train stopped at signals and came
close to the overhead electricity
cable. He made contact with the
25,000 volt cable which caused an
electric shock and serious burns.
HM Chief Inspector of Railways,
Ian Prosser, said: "Network Rail
has done a lot of work to limit the
number of trespass issues on the
railway and raise awareness of the
potential life-threatening dangers
that can follow. But on this
occasion it failed to maintain an
adequate boundary to stop people
getting onto the railway track and
preventing an incident like this
occurring.
"The railway is an extremely
dangerous environment and I
would urge parents to talk to their
children about its hazards and
remind them to stay away from the
tracks."
Get on and go
contactless
lothianbuses.co.uk
10
FEATURE
By Laura Vida
Have you seen the Crow in
Heels? If not, you’ll find her
partying by the cycle path near
Warriston Cemetery, along with
her noisy set.
Her creator, Helen Miles, began
making graffiti mosaics back in
2017, not long after arriving in
Edinburgh. For almost half of the
previous 30 years, she had been
honing her skills in Greece.
"I get up ludicrously early to
install my graffiti mosaics and
take Farook (my dog) with me. He
sits in the grass looking serious
while I get on with preparing the
surface, spreading the adhesive
and installing the mosaic. The first
few times I did it I was petrified.
Every siren was a speeding police
car sending a squad to arrest me.
"When I was installing ‘Why Me?’
on Calton Hill, I heard the sound of
heavy footsteps pounding towards
me and thought my time was
up. I turned, heart racing, as the
steps neared me and sensing the
discomfiture of the young man –
an off-duty police officer perhaps
The Edinburgh Reporter
Edinburgh mosaicist doesn't crow about her work
Stiletto style causes a flap on Warriston cycle path
– who stood before me."
Helen is careful about where she
installs her mosaics - she favours
areas where there is already
graffiti. An epiphany came when
she realised that the council was
actually sending people to clean
graffiti off one of her mosaics.
Here was recognition indeed!
It took a long time for Helen to
find a studio large enough for all
her materials and tools. In the
meantime, she had an urge to
create - she wanted to make her
presence felt. What’s more, she
had "a deep and almost desperate
need to introduce the world to
mosaics".
"Mosaics aren’t talked about in
the History of Art canon because
they were made collectively, there
was no one named creator. People
just don’t get them. Perhaps
because they don’t come across
mosaics very often. They think
you can just knock one up with a
broken plate."
Helen spent a year with a master
craftsman in Thessaloniki, Greece,
before continuing her training
in Athens. She said: "I became
obsessed with Roman mosaics,
which have extraordinary designs.
I used to think one didn’t really
need to do more than that but now
I’m much more adventurous."
Known for her more traditional,
Conan Doyle Centre celebrates
by Professor Lance Butler
The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Centre is ten years old.
The building in which it is
housed, a majestic stone giant
in the West End, is a lot older
than that, but the decision to
convert it into a place for spiritual
exploration was taken on the
snowy evening of December 17th
2010 by Ann Treherne.
Since then it has increased its
offerings and reach. Ann has now
bowed out as Chair of Trustees
and has handed over to me.
The Trust’s remit is to explore
and present to the public a range
of "Mind-Body-Spirit" ideas and
practices and the Centre offers
meditation, mediumship, yoga,
astrology, crystal healing and the
like.
As a retired academic, I am
particularly focussed on the
intellectual possibilities of this
field, and want to bring these
to wider attention, to show
the scientific and materialist
Professor Lance Butler, The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
mainstream that they have
nothing to fear.
The only problem for ordinary
science is that it is in danger of
missing out on a better view of the
cosmos by ignoring the existence
of energies and dimensions
beyond what is taught as normal
in the 21st century. To this end
the number of lectures given by
leading thinkers in this broader
field has been quadrupled and our
"Tuesday Talk" series on Zoom is
flourishing.
We hope to return to in-theflesh
events and talks and once
again to welcome the people
of Edinburgh into our lovely
and peaceful building. The
world seems to be shifting in
a more spiritual direction. The
self-reflection occasioned by the
Covid crisis, the new realisation
that we are doomed if we do
not learn to respect our planet,
the developments in science
which finally, a century late, is
forced to admit the reality of the
"impossible" facts revealed by
Quantum Physics, all indicate that
the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre
may be a small example of how
humanity can go forward to a less
destructive and selfish future.
The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Centre
25 Palmerston Place, Edinburgh,
EH12 5AP
www.arthurconandoylecentre.
com
Tel: 0131 625 0700
Edinburgh's hidden mosaicist Helen Miles
classical technique, Helen
explained: ‘If you look at the crow,
the way the tiles are laid is very
classical. There are rules about
how the tesserae (materials)are
arranged: the spaces are just
Brexit goose is cooked
by Juliet Lawrence Wilson
We find ourselves not only in the
middle of another lockdown but
Brexit too. Are the supermarket
shelves empty I wonder?
If you’re anti Brexit you might
also find yourself the socially
aware type who also disapproves
of unseasonal eating, so I’m here
to offer you some silver linings.
In all honesty who needs to be
eating strawberries in January?
Imagine a world, we may now be
living in, where asparagus is on
the menu for only three weeks of
the year. To me this would be a joy.
Seasonal eating would not only
reduce unnecessary food miles
but give us something to look
forward to and appreciate.
It might also be worth noting
that seasonal eating is probably
a healthy way to go. Have all year
round salad leaves made us any
thinner? In the days when the local
weather dictated what was on the
table, people ate lighter food in the
spring and summer, and heavier
vegetables over the autumn and
winter months. Subsequently far
fewer people were fat.
Whether were still chomping
on watercress in February or not,
learning more about seasonal
food might be a good New Year
resolution.
Leith’s Seasonal Cookery Bible is
a worthy tome with just about all
you need to know. I’m also fond of
Allegra McEvedy’s Colouring The
as important as the tesserae
themselves. You don’t want to
create rivers or lines in the gaps.
If you do, the eye will fall on them.
It’s easy for a mosaic to get fussy
and distracting."
Seasons, as her recipes are fun
and quirky.
As we all know, good animal
husbandry is both the carnivores
comfort and excuse - so I’m typing
with one hand and self flagellating
with the other. In the past I’ve not
only eaten foie gras but cooked
it for many others and even
published a recipe with it. Oh dear.
I had been assured that the poor
force fed geese didn’t mind it one
little bit, however upon visiting a
foie gras farm some years ago I
discovered they very much did.
It’s illegal to manufacture foie
gras in the UK but up until now it
has been an EU imposed law to
allow the import of it. With it being
a new dawn, so to speak, it might
be the time to get the placards and
poster paints out for this one.
Flagging up Brexit issues
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk NEWS 11
The Edinburgh Reporter Best Of . . .
The Bay Tree Company
Situated in Bruntsfield The Bay
Tree Company is an independent,
specialist card and gift store
with unique and exclusive card
ranges. Supporting independent
artists. Shop online and collect is
available.
www.thebaytreecompany.com
Instagram/thebaytreecompany
SKELA STUDIO
Whether you want to re-design a
room in your home or just want to
dip a toe into the world of interior
design, our courses will help
you gain skills and confidence
in tackling any interior design
project.
skelastudio.com/workshops
info@skelastudio.com
Ardgowan Distillery
Winner of the silver medal Scottish
Whisky Awards 2020. Enjoy
the award-winning Clydebuilt
Coppersmith this January. A
wonderful first fill Sherry cask
blended malt.
Free shipping and free nosing
glass.
shop.ardgowandistillery.com
Gallery TEN
Do you need something new for
your walls? Pop in and browse the
extensive collection of original
prints. Plus, amazing glass from
international artists. Or purchase
online.
5 William Street EH3 7NG
infogalleryten@gmail.com
www.galleryten.co.uk
Art & Craft Collective
A unique gallery and gift shop experience
in Edinburgh's Southside
- literally a cornucopia of all media.
Buy handmade art and craft from
independent artists online. Owner
Linsay says: "If we don’t have it,
we can probably find it for you."
0131 639 9123
artcraftcollective.co.uk
The Hideout Café
A cosy hideout in Edinburgh
serving speciality coffee, tea,
treats and brunch. Iced lattes and
other goodies to sort you out.
Open daily
0131 552 5289
40-42 Queen Charlotte St EH6 6AT
www.thehideoutcafe.co.uk
Edinburgh Photography Workshop
Learn how to use your camera in
Edinburgh’s Old Town with awardwinning
photographer Rich Dyson.
In just four hours you’ll gain the
skills and confidence to take better
pictures. Book now to enjoy a fun
experience.
edinburghphotographyworkshop.
com
Independent Wine Company
A specialist importer of boutique
fine wines from Italy.
Carefully hand-picked awardwinning
wines of premium quality
sourced direct from the winemakers.
Oleg and Elvira visit every
vineyard personally. Online deliveries
available.
independent.wine
Leith Walk Police Box
Very reasonable rates allows start
ups to use this small pop up space
as the first rung on the ladder.
From food to political parties and
all manner of things in between.
Have a look at their pop up garden
while you are there.
Croall Place EH7 4LT hello@
leithwalkpolicebox.com
The Velvet Easel
Winter exhibition until 28 February.
Social distancing and sanitiser in
place here but appointments also
offered outside gallery hours for
individual viewing.
art@velveteasel.co.uk
07835 813 689 Open Thursday
to Saturday 10-5pm and Sunday
12-5pm
Craig Banks Tailoring
Bespoke tailoring for men. Craig's
focus is on making the highest
quality personally tailored attire
that others will aspire to. His
pyjamas and dressing gowns will
make your video calls so stylish!
45 Thistle Street EH2 1DY
0131 226 7775
craigbankstailoring.com
Something Fishy
Independent fishmonger Daniel
providing quality fresh and cured
fish. At the beginning of lockdown
there was some question over
availability - but this wee shop has
kept going. Use Schop to have
your fish delivered. From mid-Jan.
16a Broughton Street EH1 3RH
0131 556 7614
Schop
This is an easy, convenient and
eco-friendly alternative to a supermarket
shop. Working in partnership
with independent retailers,
Tim at Schop offers to deliver a
huge range of great quality food
and drink straight to your door
saving you a journey.
schop.co
Paper Tiger
The shop in the West End celebrates
its 40th birthday this
year. An amazing diverse range of
cards, stationery, gifts supporting
local makers, manufacturers and
illustrators. Everything also available
online or for click and collect.
0131 226 2390
www.papertiger.co.uk
Home And Co
Property Management with integrity.
Home and Co look after your property
just as if it were their own.
They help you create homes for
great tenants in Edinburgh.
Contact Solii Brodie
07753604807
Home_and_Co@outlook.com
Dads Rock
A fabulous charity which provides
support for dads, and support for
families. They help men understand
the important role they play
in their children's upbringing. They
do this with activities like Dads in
the Wood - when they take dads
and children outside to play.
dadsrock.org
Love Your Business
Love Your Business networking
club, which is relaxed, informal
and good fun, is now online on the
last Thursday of the month with a
host of inspiring speakers sharing
their entrepreneurial journey’s and
invaluable business tips.
www.lybnetworking.com and
Facebook @howtolyb
The Eric Liddell Centre
An Edinburgh based care charity
and community hub, providing
key support to vulnerable people
across the city for 40 years.
They have continued to provide
alternative support services to all
clients while the centre is closed.
molnarz@ericliddell.org
ericliddell.orgericliddell.org
Newspaper subscription
Subscribe today to have your
very own copy of The Edinburgh
Reporter delivered by Royal Mail to
your front door.
Pay either monthly or annually and
support local independent news.
theedinburghreporter.co.uk/advertising/subscribe-to-our-newspaper-delivery-service/
Broughton Place Hair and Beauty
Friendly boutique city salon.
Owner and stylist Juliet is always
happy to discuss your needs
and deliver a highly professional
service. They specialise in long
hair and tape in hair extensions.
0131 556 4478
2a Broughton Place EH1 3RX
www.broughtonplacehair.com
12
FEATURE
The Edinburgh Reporter
Every photograph tells a story
For all of us, 2020 was a year
we want to forget and confine
to history as soon as time and a
Covid-19 vaccine allows.
But there were some bright spots
dotted along the way and The
Edinburgh Reporter was on hand
to report and record the ups and
downs of life in our capital city.
This postcard pictorial captures
some of those moments,
stretching from My Light Shines
On, a spectacular light and laser
show put on by the Edinburgh
International Festival. No less
inspiring was mural artist Chris
Rutterford's project to breathe life
and colour into Colinton Tunnel,
while the Royal Botanic Garden
and Calton Hill proved welcome
break out options for those of us
needing some green space during
months of lockdown.
The Red Arrows honoured us
with a capital flypast, but strangely
one of the biggest attractions
for locals was the opportunity to
visit and photograph deserted
city centre streets which would
normally be overrun by tourists.
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk FEATURE 13
14
BUSINESS
The Edinburgh Reporter
MyTOT will be the first place to
look for second hand goods
MyTOT is the site for parents
looking to sell or buy good second
hand children's items.
Everyone knows how expensive
it can be kitting out your kids, so
this new app - born in Edinburgh
and quietly launched just a couple
of weeks ago - is aimed at making
the most of past purchases, and
making it easy to pick up some
new things, usually at a bit of a
discount.
This could be a good way of
decluttering and if you buy here
then you are contributing to the
circular economy rather than
buying new. MyTOT is all about
sustainability. It is free and easy
to register on the app which is
available on Google Play and
on the App Store. There are no
transaction fees or listing fees
for the moment, and the app has
been launched ahead of plan in a
determined effort to help parents
out in 2021.
Edinburgh-based MyTOT wants
to be the first choice for parents
looking for quality second hand
children's goods, and founder
Kirsten Bell explained that she
recognises the pandemic could
mean that at least some of the
High Street has to move online.
MyTOT is a "parent-powered
marketplace where you can buy
and sell quality second hand,
unused and unique children's
goods". There are various
categories of goods for sale -
Kirsten Bell, founder of myTOT
everything you need for the young
people in your life, from clothes
to toys. One of their aims is to
save parents valuable time when
searching for items they need.
It is very quick to list items, add
photos and add them to your own
'shop', allowing you to recover
some of your investment in bigger
items like prams and car seats,
and reduce waste by selling the
items your child no longer needs
rather than adding them to landfill.
We spotted a Frog tadpole bike
suitable for a toddler, which has
never been used, bundles of
books, buggies and clothes of all
shapes and sizes. All items are
listed with a photo by the seller
and the payment through PayPal
offers you protection just in case
anything goes wrong.
As well as pre-loved goods there
are handmade items, an area
which Kirsten wants to develop
even more, allowing local crafters
a place to show off their wares
without leaving home.
As well as a buying and selling
platform, the app will connect
parents, retailers and charities
who sign up. There are already
some really useful parenting tips
on the Facebook page.
The company has partnered up
with the charity Cash for Kids,
and has already donated to the
charity which responds to children
with life limiting illness, or other
support needs or indeed who are
living in poverty in Edinburgh and
the Lothians.
Items are delivered by Parcel2Go
which claims to be the cheapest
parcel delivery in the UK. There
are plenty of guidelines for sellers
and, perhaps more importantly
for buyers, about preparing goods
for delivery by cleaning and
disinfecting them.
And there are rules for
posting any items on the site
to protect buyers. The app has
been developed with advanced
technology to protect any users
against trolling and data breaches.
Kirsten Bell is the co-founder
of myTOT and concentrates on
marketing, business development
and communications. She is an
experienced graphic designer and
marketer, with direct experience
in advertising and marketing
in the retail sector. Kirsten was
the lead graphic designer and
head of marketing for Arbuthnott
Investment & Lettings prior to
founding myTOT.
After studying visual
communications and graphic
design at college, Kirsten then
graduated with a degree in
public relations, marketing and
events management, and she
was recently shortlisted for
the Business Women Scotland,
Start-up Business of the year
2020.
mytot.co
Barber of New Wave-rley
L-R Kyle Ross and Ryan Crighton
by Stephen Rafferty
An award-winning Aberdeen
barber has signed a 10-year lease
on a 1,118 sq ft unit within the
New Waverley development, near
the Royal Mile.
Sovereign Grooming – home of
Kyle Ross, winner of Best Barber
UK – will create 20 new jobs in the
Capital and at another new outlet
due to open in Glasgow in the
Spring.
The expansion is a result of
securing a six-figure funding
package from a group of investors
led by MB Martin & Partners Ltd,
which specialises in helping highpotential
early stage companies
grow.
Sovereign Grooming offers luxury
hair and beard services alongside
a unique blend of male-focussed
waxing, massage and facial treatments.
Kyle Ross, who launched
Sovereign marketing expert Ryan
Crighton, has won a catalogue of
industry awards since opening on
Aberdeen’s Union Street in 2016,
and has been named among the
UK’s elite barbers by GQ Magazine.
Commenting on the funding
package, which is made up of
both equity investment and a debt
facility brokered by MB Martin &
Partners Ltd, Kyle said: “We are delighted
to get this deal completed
and access the capital required
to expand our business into two
more cities.
“We offer a very different salon
experience for men, bringing
together top barbers and male
image experts to offer a complete
grooming experience.”
Ryan Crighton, who was a
journalist for 10 years before
moving into marketing, added: “We
are excited about the business
experience and pedigree which
our investors bring to the table.
As we execute our business plan
in a rapidly changing business
environment, it is reassuring to be
working alongside partners who
have been over the course before."
MB Martin & Partners Ltd
Chief Executive, Moray Martin,
has joined Sovereign’s board as
chairman under the deal and will
support the business founders
through the growth phase.
Mr Martin said: “I am delighted
that we have been able to coordinate
and provide financial
support to Sovereign. We recognise
the ability, experience and
commitment of the founding team
and their complementary skill-sets
make this an attractive business
to invest in.”
Mr Ross and Mr Crighton remain
the largest shareholders in the
business, retaining 80% of the
firm’s equity shares between them.
An employee share scheme has
also been carved out as part of the
deal, which over time will see 10%
of the business owned by loyal
and strategically important staff.
Anderson Strathern acted on
behalf of the investors in the deal,
while Aberdein Considine advised
Sovereign Grooming on both the
investment and commercial lease.
The business and its founders
also received tax support from
Anderson Anderson & Brown.
Ritchie Whyte, a Partner in
Aberdein Considine’s Corporate
& Business Advisory team, said:
“It’s great to get this deal over the
line and to see confidence in a
high street business during this
unprecedented time. Sovereign
has rebounded strongly to secure
this backing, which will kick-start
an exciting new chapter for the
business.”
sovereign-grooming.com
Look out for bikes
Cyclists can be hard to see in the dark
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk BUSINESS 15
Le Petit Café - a little touch of Paris
Owners of Le Petit Café Mathias and Marion Briard
by Phyllis Stephen
Mathias and Marion Briard were
our models for the front cover of
our December edition.
I visited them at their café with
some copies of the December
paper which they are now sending
to family back in France.
The Briards came to Scotland
on holiday and fell in love with the
country. They had thought of opening
a café in Perth where they liked
the countryside, but decided it
was a better move to come to the
capital where there was more of
a buzz and a ready-made French
community.
Mathias has worked in the
restaurant business for over a
decade, owning a restaurant in
Normandy. They decided to open
a café in Scotland and live here.
Now Le Petit Café is open Monday
to Sunday 9am to 6pm offering
delicious freshly squeezed orange
House builder CALA has reported
high demand for the houses at its
Waterfront Plaza Development
in Leith. The homes are based
on a reinvention of Edinburgh’s
colonies and it appears that the
expansion of the tram route to Newhaven
is having a positive impact
on sales.
juice, coffee roasted in Kinross by
Unorthodox Coffee and macarons
from La Macaronnerie.
The lovely surroundings with a
chic décor and chandeliers are
only surpassed by the specialities
on their menu which change
monthly. Their main offering is the
French pizza - the galette - which
is a pancake with savoury toppings.
And they can also step in to
fill the gap left by any ski holidays
this year by serving you the sweet
crêpes you might otherwise miss.
After the success of the TV
series, they offered the "Emily in
Paris" breakfast for a while - and
struck gold as it was not only
popular with their customers,
but it also came to the notice of
the show's actors and costume
designer through Instagram. Don't
worry - they plan to bring it back
and there will be special celebrations
in February too for Valentine's
Day.
Leith homes on track
All 21 colony apartments were
sold in less than six months,
though there are still some townhouses
and apartments available
with all sizes from one to four bedrooms
on offer. Buyers have said
that the appeal of having a tram at
Ocean Terminal is a major factor.
The trams extension has put Waterfront Plaza on track
With a staff of three in the
kitchen plus themselves and a
waitress at weekends, they pride
themselves on recruiting the right
people and also training. All those
who work in Le Petit Café are
multi-skilled, and Mathias is just
as likely to prepare an omelette for
you in the kitchen as well as greet
you at front of house.
Marion studied communications
and worked in a perfumier
before the couple came to live
in Scotland. She now runs the
social media accounts where the
little piece of La Belle France is
fast coming to the attention of
Edinburgh foodies. If you become
a customer you are likely to go
back - and to encourage you to do
so there is a loyalty card scheme.
Their prices are determinedly
affordable, and the location next
to the Edinburgh International
Conference Centre is right in the
centre of the capital's business
district. And as a throwback to her
involvement in perfume the café
has its own scent - with a hint of
coffee. Ask to try it when you visit
the Morrison Street shop.
While some people may not wish
to go out, there is always Deliveroo
who will deliver the crêpes,
including gluten free varieties,
but you will be entranced by the
sophisticated atmosphere which
the couple has created.
And if you are out walking your
dog then feel free to take Fido in
for a drink of water and a treat.
This café is dog friendly too. Très
bon.
lepetitcafe-edinburgh.com
Lesley Coyle, Senior Sales Consultant
with CALA Homes (East)
based on location at Waterfront
Plaza, said: “Having the tram close
by is a big deal for buyers here and
it is referenced regularly during
early visits.
“I’ve no doubt it is playing a role
in our strong sales here. While
the pandemic has impacted our
behaviours greatly, we have buyers
who work near the airport, or need
to use the airport regularly.
“To many, they feel they can
now realistically consider Leith,
whereas before they’d have stuck
closer to their work.
“Many more are simply excited at
the evolution of this part of town,
something symbolised by the tram
extension – or having another
option that allows them to go
somewhere without the car.”
www.cala.co.uk
Bocca Bona want pizza the action
Chris Moonie (left) and Davide Scuccato
by Stephen Rafferty
A business partnership founded
on pasta and pupils had led to
the opening of a new pizzeria in
Balerno.
Chris Moonie and Davide Scuccato
both run successful Leith
businesses, but suffered the double
whammy of disruption caused
by the Edinburgh trams extension
and the coronavirus pandemic.
Davide’s La Riva restaurant in Assembly
Street provided hundreds
of lunches each week to pupils attending
Chris’s Mackenzie School
of English in nearby Constitution
Street.The arrangement was a
winner with teenage students from
Italy, Spain and Austria who made
up the bulk on the international
roll call at the successful language
and cultural school.
Following a major refurbishment
and investment, 2020 was
expected to be the school’s best
year with £2.5 million in revenue
forecast, but when Covid-19 struck
business disappeared as anxious
students remained at home in
Europe.
The economic fall-out of coronavirus
had a knock on effect on La
Riva, which was already dealing
with vastly reduced footfall due
to the ongoing tram extension
construction. But the two neighbouring
entrepreneurs decided to
combine their business and hospitality
skills to open Bocca Bono
pizzeria in Balerno’s Main Street,
filling a gap in the market.
The literal translation of Bocca
Bona is “good mouth” and it refers
to someone who enjoys good food
and appreciates quality produce.
Since it opened last month business
has been brisk and customers
are enjoying Davide’s pizza
making skills, honed in the Veneto
region of northern Italy from where
he originates.
Chris said: “La Riva had been
badly impacted by the trams
project which has been a real challenge
for many Leith businesses
and the pandemic was the topping
on the pizza which Davide could
have done without. My international
school was set up to enjoy our
most successful year in business
but that all came to a grinding halt
when the full consequences of
Covid-19 started to hit home.
“We have a good working relationship
and decided to combine
my business and marketing skills
with Davide’s food and hospitality
expertise. Our market research
showed Edinburgh is saturated
with pizzerias but there is nothing
in the Balerno area, and certainly
nothing remotely like Bocca Bona,
where each week we ship in the
highest quality fresh ingredients
direct from Italy.
“The initial signs are promising
and customers seem to appreciate
the care and effort that we put in
to sourcing traditional and authentic
ingredients. We hope that once
Bocca Bona is established that we
will open further outlets.”
Chris still hopes that in time he
will be able to reopen the language
school which was founded
in 2008. In addition to providing
English tutoring, the Mackenzie
School introduces students to
Scottish culture through visits to
leading historical and educational
attractions.
Meantime, he will launch Wee
Mack’s nursery in the same building,
catering for young children
aged from six months to preschool.
There are four large play
zones with access to an 80 sq
m play area and space available
for 70 children across four age
groups.
Wee Mack’s was created during
the Covid-19 pandemic and
therefore the nursery has been designed
to follow new government
guidelines regarding distancing,
infection control and hygiene in an
early learning setting.
Use lights at night
Make sure you'’’re visible in the dark
16
FEATURE
The Edinburgh Reporter
Edinburgh Collected
Howie Pearson added this image to Edinburgh Collected. He said: “This was taken on the morning of the 20th of January 2018 when walking up the Pentland Hills.
“I had recently been to Lapland and I'd never believed Edinburgh could be like that."
Edinburgh Collected is a community archive of Edinburgh memories. Everyone can browse, or you can sign up to upload your own memories, save your favourite memories in a scrapbook.
The archive is managed and maintained by Edinburgh Libraries, part of The City of Edinburgh Council. All the material added will expand the City’s digital heritage collections, adding to the
material held in the Central Library, already the most extensive collection about Edinburgh in existence.. www.edinburghcollected.org
Crossword by David Albury Answers on page 20
Across
1. Unbolt stands, reducing them to basic
components (4,3,5)
9. Central area of Pinner, for example? (5)
10. Eyelet can be destroyed by this
flammable gas (9)
11. How a drink can represent something
one has created (9)
12. Bits of cacti tangled up with giant (5)
13. Reduction of pain, for example, if reel is
fixed in place (6)
15. Changing climates affect this climber (8)
18. Programme where people talk about
what cosh to use? (4,4)
19. All together inside frozen block (2,4)
22. Put forward for sale as part of fertility rite (5)
24. I can still pick out a minute amount (9)
26. Dash north in response to this symbolic
message (9)
27. Fixing pin in part of drive-through
service area (5)
28. Tanners knife used by Shelley's doctor? (12)
1 2 3 4 5 6
Down
1. Therein lies confusion, not one thing nor
another (7)
2. Nonet returned to this joint (5)
3. Resin rail built into flying craft (9)
4. Member of the clergy found inside a
consecrated building (6)
5. Excessive measures to ensure Orville
receives his knighthood (8)
6. Secret meeting place might test a holy man (5)
7. Compel Attlee to become an abstainer (8)
8. Sent in to play this game? (6)
14. Regal fop jumping over another in
this game (8)
16. A smart man can be turned into a
weapon-bearing soldier (3-2-4)
17. Helmsman shows way to coax wins (8)
18. Confusing echo, so select this one (6)
20. Can't she show the way to punish? (7)
21. Bride I play golf with scores one under par (6)
23. Armature turns in either direction (5)
25. Raised barrier in the middle of sleeves (5)
7 8
9 10
11 12
13 14 15 16
17
18 19 20
21
22 23 24 25
26 27
28
Chamomile comes home with you
A little home spa is good for you
by Elaine Darling
As a lover of facials and the
benefits to be gained from regular
treatments, my skin is definitely
showing signs of the coronavirus
restrictions.
As it is mandatory to wear a face
mask when in enclosed spaces I
don’t remember the last time I enjoyed
a CACI or Crystal Clear facial
at Chamomile Sanctuary.
However, the introduction of
Chamomile at Home has certainly
helped fill the void.
It is always exciting to receive a
package straight to your door and
the contents of this sophisticated
box don’t disappoint. Everything is
included for a Medik8 anti-ageing
facial together with a link to an exclusive
video featuring a therapist
explaining each step and how to
use the products. It even includes
a headband, mitt and sponge to
help ensure the total spa experience.
From first to last I paid attention
and followed the instructions
diligently from cleansing and exfoliation
to applying the Ultimate
Recovery Bio-cellulose Mask and
c-tetra. It was one of the most
enjoyable hours I have spent and
my skin definitely feels as though
it has had a special treat.
Chamomile at Home costs £70
(or £90 for two facials for one) and
is delivered directly to your own
front door.
It includes full size Eyes & Lips
Micellar Cleanse and Daily Refresh
Balancing Toner (worth £29)
Simply call the spa reception on
0131-220 1000 or email spa@
chamomilesanctuary.com Full
details are available chamomilesanctuary.com
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk FOOD 17
Juliet's Food Diary - Mickel maks a muckle at Eddie's
by Juliet Lawrence Wilson
A happy New Year to you all
- may full be your belly with a
license on your telly.
Apologies to Paulo Nutini,
a performer who looks, to my
untrained medical eye, almost
permanently constipated. If this is
your digestive problem (although
possibly discouraged by the BMA)
kale for dinner then an espresso
and fag in the morning definitely
does the trick. No need to thank
me on your next album credits
Paulo, your ability to sing in an
upright position shall be reward
enough for me.
Last Hogmanay I was at the
Street Party, reporting for this
very publication. I was meeting
strangers who were full of New
Year’s hope, in an endeavour to
combat my own annual turn-ofthe-year
dread. Even a gin bottle
half empty pessimist such as
I could not have foreseen the
2020 that was to come. If anyone
had told me I wouldn’t be able to
simply walk into a pub on a whim,
stride to the bar and order a drink,
I would have told them they were
Lord Mad from the town of Loony
in the region of Bonkersville.
The Italian Job - five wines from the Dolomite Alps
Alto Adige, in the foothills of the
Dolomite Alps, is known for producing
the best Pinot Noir (Pinot
Nero) in Italy.
The denomination is part of the
wider Trentino-Alto Adige region,
which is famous for cool-climate
wines. While aromatic white wines
like Gewürztraminer and Pinot
Grigio are the best-known, the
region's light-bodied and elegant
red wines are also well worth
discovering.
Oleg Dmitriev of Independent
Wines recommends five of the
best Alto Adige DOC Pinot Noir
wines to try right now.
Pinot Noir – or Pinot Nero in
Italian – accounts for 8.9% of Alto
Adige's vineyard area, covering
494 hectares. Most of it is grown
on terraced slopes halfway up the
foothills, starting at 400m above
sea level. Some truly magnificent
high altitude Pinot Noirs are also
made in the region, produced
from grapes that grow more than
a kilometre above sea level. This
expressive grape is excellent at
showcasing its terroir, and in Alto
Adige the grape is usually grown
on calcareous gravel.
Although Alto Adige is a cool
Eddie's Seafood Market owner Campbell Mickel wears his heart on his sleeve
If they’d told me my drinking
restrictions were because I might
catch or pass on a deadly disease,
I’d have said: “Chance would be a
fine thing.”
What hope have we now? In the
lead up to Christmas eateries
were allowed to open until 6pm
with no alcohol served. I mean,
really? Do people have a couple of
vinos over lunch and start hugging
each other? At my daughter’s
insufferably middle class school,
we’ve had several warnings from
the headteacher over playground
parent embracing and this is just
from adults high on avocado and
home-baked sourdough.
Anyway, some continue to
have hope and ambition: enter
Campbell Mickel, proprietor of a
fancy schmancy catering business
climate region, it also gets a lot
of sunshine – more than 300
days per year, to be precise. The
Pinot Noir vines are grown on the
south-east and south-west facing
slopes of the Adige river valley, an
aspect which gives them plenty of
sun exposure. During the day, the
bright light and warmth help the
sugars and aromas develop inside
the grapes. By night, the cool
mountain winds and high altitude
combine to keep the grapes cool –
so they maintain plenty of acid for
a crisp, juicy flavour.
•Kurtatsch Mazon Pinot Noir
Riserva 2016 – matured inside
a mountain cave, this Pinot Noir
has a distinct mineral flavour. It
tastes like Alpine woodland: wild
strawberry, mint and a hint of forest
floor.
•Kurtatsch Glen Pinot Noir
Riserva 2017 – named one of the
ten best Pinot Noirs in Italy by the
“Concorso Pinot Nero”, this highly
complex wine boasts flavours of
hibiscus tea, cranberry, rosemary
and clove.
•K.Martini & Sohn, Paladium Pinot
Noir 2017 – exclusively available
from Independent Wine in the
UK, this award-winning Pinot Noir
that caused him so much stress
he nearly died of a heart attack.
Not to be deterred he then decided
to open Merienda in Stockbridge
and with a restaurant on board
thought about finishing the job
off properly. Sadly, it didn’t work,
so with fearless intrepidation he
decided to go for a new business
opportunity that would see him
rising at three in the morning,
working harder “than when I was
a commis chef in ‘88”, and in cold
and unforgiving temperatures.
Yes, my chum has purchased
the institution that is Eddie’s
Seafood Market in Bruntsfield -
cardiologists at the ready.
In all seriousness, Campbell
thrives on hard work and
optimism. Visiting him in his new
business, I’ve never seen him look
The Italian Dolomites
is gently aged in large second-use
oak barrels. This adds a hint of
spice without overpowering the
natural perfume of the wine.
•Peter Zemmer Pinot Noir Riserva
Vigna Kofl 2017 – another
so healthy and vibrant, from the
nose up at least.
“I was doing home delivery at
Merienda from the beginning of
lock down, and it was going really
well, then everyone started doing
it. Even though I didn’t take a
day off I wanted to be busier and
seeing the queues outside the
good food shops made me think,
its time to find a different way to
be in the food business.”
Everyone was wondering who
would take on an Edinburgh
institution such as Eddie’s, and
Campbell tells me it was both a
long and quick decision.
“I’d been a trade customer for
25 years so knew Eddie, his wife
Sylvia, and the business, really
well. It had been on the market for
five weeks and I just woke up one
UK-exclusive, this Pinot Noir tastes
of rose petals, cloves and dried
strawberry. It comes from a single
vineyard located 1,030 metres
above sea level.
•Peter Zemmer Pinot Noir Rolhüt
morning, went up there and did the
deal that day. Once the legal stuff
had been made formal, I started
working with Eddie right away.
Six weeks later I took over the
business properly. I’m grateful to
Eddie that he’s always on tap for
advice and he still turns up at the
fish market from time to time at
three in the morning!”
While Campbell is a "put the
world to rights" old chap, his wife,
Giselle is the epitomé of a warm
hearted, charming and beautiful
young woman. Despite having
a "proper" job, she couldn’t be
more supportive of her husband’s
various endeavours.
“This business is definitely more
busy and intense than running a
restaurant,” Giselle tells me, “But
for Campbell it’s the same as far
as customer service is concerned.
He’s taken on more staff so there’s
not a queue outside and he looks
to buy and sell seafood from a
chef's point of view.”
“Doesn’t she look great in white
wellie boots?” Campbell teases
her. Giselle rolls her eyes but you
can tell this partnership is a true
bond.
“In the beginning of January we’ll
close for a couple of weeks so that
we can do a refurb and make this
shop look like our personalities.”
“Hmm, grumpy then.” Campbell
remarks. Hopeful and can do, I
think.
I’m not alone in wishing them all
the best and can’t wait to see the
results.
Eddies Seafood Market
7 Roseneath Street
0131 229 4207
2018 – captivating flavours of
fresh and dried red fruits characterise
this bright and velvety wine,
crafted at Peter Zemmer's familyowned
winery.
www.independent.wine
18
WHAT'S ON
There is a new portrait of singer
Horse McDonald hanging in the
heart of the Scottish National
Portrait Gallery (although you will
have to take our word for it until
you can access the gallery possibly
after the middle of the month).
This is an oil painting by artist
Roxana Halls. As part of the
process of sitting for the portrait
Horse sang "Careful" live and a
capella for the artist at her London
studio. It resulted in a portrait
which the artist says depicts a mix
of all the live moments, mannerisms
and movements which she
witnessed while Horse performed,
rather than one specific pose.
Horse McDonald, born in
Newport-on-Tay in Fife, has been
writing and performing for over 30
The Edinburgh Reporter
Portrait gallery mounts Horse painting
years, during which time she has
built up a reputation as an iconic
and unique singer-songwriter.
She is one of Scotland’s most
celebrated performers and has
released nine albums. Q magazine
described her as owning "one of
the finest voices of modern times,
soul and intelligence combined".
She has opened for and toured
with international artists including
Tina Turner, BB King, Bryan Ferry
and Burt Bacharach.
Horse said: "I was incredibly flattered
and grateful to have my portrait
painted by Roxana. We spent
a lot of time talking and sharing
our experiences, finding so much
in common in our work and lives.
The journey which brought us together
and then, in turn, the fates
that continued for the portrait to
then be acquired for the SNPG, is
nothing short of magical.
“I was both shocked and thrilled
when I saw the painting because
not only has it captured the
energy and the passion of the ‘me’
I feel inside, but it is very much a
Roxana Halls' painting. I cannot
find the words to express my pride,
honour and privilege to be on display
amongst our nation’s peers
and generations of dignitaries.
"This is something I could never,
ever have envisaged. I am most
humbled at the thought of children
seeing my portrait in such a setting
and finding inspiration and
courage from it.”
Janey's star Burns
bright at Big Supper
Janey Godley has kept us all
going in 2020 with her comedy
take off videos of the press calls
mainly by the First Minister, but
also occasionally straying
across the border.
Now she will perform
the MC duties at the
digital Big Burns Supper,
welcoming KT Tunstall,
Donovan, Tide Lines,
Dougie Maclean,
Robert Softly Gale,
Skerryvore and Amy
Conachan.
This is promising to be the largest
gathering to honour Rabbie
Burns, and is the tenth outing for
Godley's Burns Night special.
There will be haggis involved
in the form of Le Haggis! the
Dumfries-born Celtic cabaret with
a specially curated set of artistic
collaborations from Le Haggis
acts past and present.
Pupils from primary schools will
take part in a massive community
singalong of Auld Lang Syne in a
version first arranged by Robert
Shields in 2011 when the first Big
Burns Supper was held.
Janey Godley, said: ‘I am
super excited to do this as
it’s the first time I can do
a Burns do in my bare
feet beside a window.’
KT Tunstall, said:
“The 2019 Big Burns
Supper was easily one
of my top Burns Night
celebrations ever! The
energy in the spiegeltent that night
was totally electric and although
for now we can’t party again inperson,
I’m so looking forward to
joining the digital celebrations in
2021 to help mark the festival’s
10th anniversary with a very special
performance from yours truly
just for the occasion.”
FREE on 25 January, 7.00pm to
8.15pm on Facebook and You-
Tube. bigburnssupper.com
Singer Horse McDonald painted by Roxana Halls
Children's 2021 festival is going ahead
Edinburgh International Children’s
Festival confirmed that it
will definitely go ahead in 2021.
Imaginate, the organisation
which produces the successful
Edinburgh International Children’s
Festival, have confirmed that they
are planning an exciting festival
this year, and that it will go ahead
in one form or another from 25
May – 6 June.
They will also continue to run
their year-round schools programme
and creative development
for artists.
As usual, the Festival will showcase
theatre and dance created
especially for children and young
people.
With Covid-19 restrictions likely
to be still in place, the Festival’s
programme will focus primarily
on Scottish and UK productions,
with a combination of outdoor and
smaller capacity in-venue performances.
Families will also be able to enjoy
a series of pop-up performances
throughout the city over the first
and final weekend of the Festival.
Extra measures will be put in place
to ensure everyone’s safety and
there will also be digital events on
offer for those who would rather
stay at home.
The decision was made to confirm
the programme now in order
to give the selected artists and
companies some assurance about
the future. Freelancers have been
hit particularly hard by Covid and
Imaginate’s support is a welcome
boost.
The pandemic has also had
a huge impact on children and
young people who have had no access
to live performances during
this period.
As part of the Festival programme,
Imaginate are commissioning
16 new works which will
involve over 100 freelancers based
in Scotland and making a commitment
to pay them whether their
performance is allowed to happen
or not.
However, digital versions of many
of the events are being developed
to limit the risk of cancelling them.
Festival Director Noel Jordan
said: “Our primary goal is to make
sure our young audiences have access
to high quality performances
in May.
"It would have been tempting to
wait to confirm the programme
until we had more certainty about
restrictions but we feel it is important
to make a commitment to the
artists and companies who rely on
us to platform their work.
"Imaginate’s mission is to help
develop and promote new theatre
and dance for young people and
we are delighted to be able to
support artists based in Scotland
to create new work for the Festival
and to showcase them in May.
"Ultimately, if restrictions prevent
us presenting everything we have
planned, we feel it will have been a
worthwhile investment and we are
confident that this work can still
be presented in the future, at our
Festival or elsewhere.”
www.imaginate.org.uk
Free entertainment on Burns Night
Luck out on Luckenbooth
One of the success stories of
our virtual lives in 2020 was the
Edinburgh International Book Festival
(EIBF) which barely skipped a
page before launching its series of
events online.
On Friday 15 January at 7pm the
EIBF will live stream a brand new
event with authors Jenni Fagan
and Denise Mina, to celebrate the
launch of Fagan's ground-breaking
new novel Luckenbooth. The event
is free – there’s no need to book.
Once in a while, a novel arrives
that changes the way we
see and experience a place that
we think we already know so
well. Edinburgh is a city brimming
with stories - almost every
building whispers history and
holds secrets, stashed away in
the stonework. And Jenni Fagan’s
spectacular third novel Luckenbooth
takes us to the heart of the
city and its people.
Join the critically acclaimed
Edinburgh-based author of The
Panopticon and The Sunlight
Pilgrims in her very first event
about her new book, alongside
another of our favourite authors,
the Glaswegian crime writer and
playwright Denise Mina. Together
they dive into the depths of the
remarkable Luckenbooth, a dazzling
work of history and ambition
that marks a major moment in the
literary life of Edinburgh. Enjoy
an hour of enlightening entertainment,
broadcast live from the EIBF
studio in Edinburgh.
Luckenbooth spans nearly a century
in the tenement at 10 Luckenbooth
Close. It begins in 1910 as
the devil’s daughter rows a coffin
to the shores of Leith, sold by her
father to a rich couple to have their
child. The tragic events that follow
lead to a curse that will plague the
lives of the eclectic collection of
tenement residents. In her novel
told over nine decades and up
and down nine floors, Fagan gifts
readers lessons of history as the
building and its inhabitants bear
witness to the changing world
outside the tenement walls.
www.edbookfest.co.uk
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk WHAT'S ON 19
Explore Our Town Stories online
Our Town Stories is the interactive
website from Edinburgh
Libraries which you can use to
explore Edinburgh’s history.
It is a fantastic resource for
education, researchers and anyone
interested in discovering a little
more about the history of our
beautiful city in a fun and engaging
way.
The website uses images and
historical maps from Edinburgh
Central Library’s heritage collections
to tell bitesize stories about
all aspects of Edinburgh from
1700. The site also includes story
contributions from some partner
Alnwickhill Filter Beds - an Our Town Story
organisations such as Corstorphine
Trust, Edinburgh City Archives,
Edinburgh Zoo, Lothian and
Borders Fire and Rescue Service
and UNESCO City of Literature.
The website was redesigned
during the summer and you can
now enjoy the site on all devices -
computer, tablet or mobile phone.
Audio and video content, more historical
maps and a handy search
function have also been added.
The user-friendly map-based
interface and timeline have been
retained along with the ever-popular
Then & Now images.
Library staff are steadily adding
more stories so that there is
something new to discover each
time you visit. Most recent new
stories include the story of William
Creech, who is perhaps little
known today, but was a significant
member of Edinburgh society
during the Enlightenment and
responsible for publishing Robert
Burns’ poems, the story of how a
clean and safe water supply was
brought to Liberton, and the story
of Portobello, its history, landmark
buildings and notable former
residents.
www.ourtownstories.co.uk
Arusha launch
virtual shop
Arusha Gallery has opened an
online store with a curated selection
of publications, limited edition
prints and art objects.
This is another step in the
Arusha timeline adding to the
programme of events and exhibitions.
Art lovers can buy limited
edition and exclusive items from a
range of the artists represented by
the gallery as well as a number of
contemporary makers and designers.
The online space allows the
gallery to show much more than
they are able to in the physical gallery
on Dundas Street.
They will rotate the featured
artists and the opening exhibition
includes a Charlotte Keates Monograph
which is a way of introducing
the artist and her work. There
will be a solo exhibition of Keates’
work in 2021.
Agnieszka Prendota, Creative
Director at Arusha Gallery, said:
“We are delighted to announce
the launch of the Arusha Gallery
online store and hope that
our customers and clients enjoy
browsing through it as much as
we enjoyed curating it. Home to an
eclectic mix of publications, objet
d’art and limited edition prints, the
store is not simply an extension of
the gallery proper, but rather a new
platform from which we can shine
a spotlight on a further selection
of makers, artists and art forms.”
The Queen's
Hall in 2021
At the Queen’s Hall the lights
have been a little less bright for
months now, but the team are
looking forward to welcoming
some big names in 2021, such as
Peat and Diesel, Suggs, Pictish
Trail and The Robert Cray Band.
Horse will bring her "Best in
Show" to the hall in June and Dr
John Cooper Clarke plans to be
there on 30 May. And there could
be concerts by Steve Harley and
Cockney Rebel, Leo Sayer and
Wishbone Ash for those of you of
a certain vintage.
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra
have been filming in the hall to
produce their series of concerts
which you can view on their You-
Tube or Facebook channels.
Proving that they are more than
just a music venue it will host the
postponed Question Time style
debate on Scotland’s future on
6 April with Paul Kavanagh, aka
Wee Ginger Dug, along with Robin
McAlpine, former MSP Colin Fox,
and former MP Michelle Thomson.
There is the usual caveat on the
Queen’s Hall website that some of
the shows planned for early on in
the year may not take place, but
they are very hopeful of a return to
business of some kind after that.
Meantime support the venue
with any advance purchases of
tickets you can manage.
queenshall.net
Only
£22.50
per month
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20
FEATURE
The Edinburgh Reporter
Antonine Wall project goes the distance
funding is already secured.
Words and Photos by John
Preece
Two artists working on part
of the three year Rediscovering
the Antonine Wall project are
both Edinburgh College of Art
graduates.
Svetlana Kondakova and Gordon
Simpson of Big Red Blacksmiths.
are involved in the "Antonine
Wall Distance Stones" project.
Their work aims to build better
connections along the length
of the Roman remains of the
Antonine Wall. Archaeological
discoveries here have determined
that the construction of the
Wall involved the erection of
carved stone "Distance Slabs" -
now displayed in the Hunterian
Museum in Glasgow - which
celebrated the achievements of
the Roman Legions responsible
for each section.
In 2017, proposals were
developed for the siting and
interpretation of five replica
Roman Distance Stones across
the length of the wall. The five
stones are situated in each of
the five local authorities that the
Antonine Wall passes through, and
For two of the sites, outline
concepts were developed for
sculptural Roman "heads", in
the form of a legionnaire and an
officer, to be located in prominent
places to raise greater awareness
of the local Roman influence.
In collaboration with Gordon
Simpson the commissioned artist,
Svetlana Kondakova, worked on
the design of a giant weathering
steel sculpture of a Roman
officer’s head to be placed at
Nethercroy, near Kilsyth.
The build started back in
late-February/early March, but
the Covid-19 pandemic put a stop
to much meaningful work, so
installation of the sculpture was
delayed until mid-December.
The six metre tall head in
question is called Silvanus, the
god protector of forests and cattle.
This was suggested and voted
on by locals through an online
naming campaign. He looks to the
North as if contemplating what
might have been.
rediscoveringtheantoninewall.org
Work on the Roman head nears completion at Nethercroy, near Kilsyth
Book gives up Edinburgh's secrets
Secret Edinburgh An Unusual
Guide by Hannah Robinson
Review by Martin P McAdam
I have lived in Edinburgh for the
past 12 years and I pride myself on
learning and getting to know many
of the unusual buildings, locations
and statues in the city.
However, having read Secret
Edinburgh An Unusual Guide, it
turns out I am a novice.
This delightful wee book
contains many wonderful
locations, artefacts, buildings and
visual attractions which I was
completely unaware of.
The book is laid out along
geographic locations and covers
guides to Old Town, New Town
North-Leith, South etc. Each
location is accompanied by a
street map and you can build
your own walking tour around the
attractions that you would like to
visit.
There is a lot of detail in the
book. Each entry provides you with
a good history of the item and is
accompanied by photographs.
Here comes the dilemma - if you
are visiting the city then which of
these locations do you decide to
visit? Will the fact that you already
have the guide dissuade you from
visiting? I don’t think so – I have
learned a lot from the book and
revisiting some of the attractions
gave me quite a number of new
insights.
Well done to Ms Robinson for all
the research.
Buy the book if you live in the city
and want to explore more of it. Buy
the book if you are coming to the
city and want to get off the beaten
path.
Some of the locations are not
normally open to the public and
you may need to book in advance
to get in.
Helpfully, the Unusual Guide
gives website, Facebook and
telephone details where available
as well as bus routes and tram
stops.
Current Covid-19 restrictions may
also restrict access and it is worth
checking.
Plenty of surprises in new book
Hannah Robinson is an
Edinburgh born author,
screenwriter and director.
Crossword Answers by David Albury
She has written two secret guide
books - one to the secret places
of her home city, and one to the
unusual bars and restaurants of
London.
As a screenwriter she has won
three Hollywood script awards.
Her company Palindromicals
(so called because it's creative
from back to front) specialises in
making animations and promos.
Published by Jonglez Publishing.
Across: 1. Nuts and bolts, 9. Inner, 10. Acetylene, 11. Handiwork,
12. Titan, 13. Relief, 15. Clematis, 18. Chat show, 19. En bloc, 22. Offer,
24. Scintilla, 26. Shorthand, 27. Rivet, 28. Frankenstein.
Down: 1. Neither, 2. Tenon, 3. Airliners, 4. Deacon, 5. Overkill, 6. Tryst,
7. Teetotal, 8. Tennis, 14. Leapfrog, 16. Man-at-arms, 17. Coxswain,
18. Choose, 20. Chasten, 21. Birdie, 23. Rotor, 25. Levee.
Gordon Simpson welding panels together inside the Roman head
Edinburgh Sketcher
Mark, the Edinburgh Sketcher,
has a number of printed items
including mugs, tea towels and
gift cards, which feature his ink
and watercolour sketches of the
city.
They are available together with
mounted prints and originals in
a few independent shops around
Edinburgh and on Etsy. Individual
goods are stocked by many shops
in Edinburgh including Paper
Tiger and Art & Craft Collective.
edinburghsketcher.com
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22
SPORT
The Edinburgh Reporter
Where next for Robbie Neilson?
by Duncan Robertson
It may be an understatement but
the last couple of years have been
rocky down Tynecastle way.
From the drawn out "will she,
wont she" sacking of Craig
Levein, dire league form, ultimate
Big character - former coach Craig Levein
By John Hislop
It’s been a disappointing firsthalf
of the SWPL season for
Hibernian Women who currently
sit in fourth place after seven
games but Head Coach Dean
Gibson believes there has been
positives from their performances,
if not the results.
This was always going to be a
difficult league campaign now that
both Rangers and Celtic have the
ability to attract top-class players,
provide top-class coaching and,
crucially, have moved to full-time
professional women's football.
Even Glasgow City, after 13 years
of consecutive titles and unrivalled
success, now face their most
serious challenge: keeping up with
the financial might of the Old Firm.
In addition, Hearts won
promotion to the SWPL last
season after Anne Budge pledged
to provide financial support
and appointed former Northern
Ireland international Andy Kirk
as manager. A narrow defeat to
Rangers thanks to a goal from
former player Chelsea Cornet was
followed by a 3-2 loss away to
Glasgow City. Both games could
have gone either way but Celtic
proved far too strong for Hibs
at Ainslie Park and left with full
points after a comprehensive 6-2
victory.
The biggest disappointment
demotion to the Championship
and a major fallout across the
SPFL.
With Championship status likely,
Ann Budge turned to Robbie
Neilson - entrusting him to
bring Hearts roaring back to the
Premiership with his title winning
Hibs Women disappointing start
however came from a 1-0 defeat to
city rivals Hearts at the Oriam after
dominating for the majority of the
90-minutes before losing a last
minute goal from Paige McAllister.
That win provided Hearts with
their only points of the season to
date. The league resumes on 17
Head coach Dean Gibson PHOTO Thomas Brown
track record in maroon as well as,
most recently, with Dundee United.
The appointment was met
with general positivity in Jambo
circles, but not universally. A small,
but vocal, minority expressed
frustration at his appointment.
In their eyes, Neilson’s style of
play is dull and, most importantly,
he struggles, they believe, in big
games. Being cynical, you could
say some will simply never forgive
him for surrendering a 2-0 Scottish
Cup lead to Alan Stubbs’ Hibs in
a season that saw Hearts’ great
rivals bring the trophy back to
Leith for the first time since 1902.
However, is Robbie Neilson
second time around a different
beast? This is a man who has
taken his side to within a couple
of spot kicks of a Scottish
Cup, going toe-to-toe with an
all-conquering Celtic side over
120 minutes – showing true
resilience and character to battle
from 2-0 and 3-2 down. Perhaps
more importantly, his charges
January when Hibs face an away
fixture against Spartans.
Gibson said: “It’s been a difficult
start to the season based on
results. There have been a lot of
positives to take from the games
we have played.”
dispatched Hibs in the semi-final –
a game he evidently had lasered in
on as soon as he regained control
at Tynecastle.
And perhaps that was one of the
crucial pieces here. Was Neilson
fully in control first time round?
Levein was his director of football
– a model Neilson was keen to
replicate, having his wish fulfilled
in December when Joe Savage
was appointed. But was Neilson
as free as he is now in style of
play, tactical decisions and even
team selection and recruitment?
Was Levein, a man with big
character and presence, a factor
in approach either consciously or
by Duncan Robertson
What’s on Robbie Neilson’s
shopping list in the January sales?
With Hearts looking to secure
promotion as soon as possible,
where do the team need to
improve in 2021?
The Jambos’ defence is pretty
strong. They’ve arguably the
best goalkeeper in the land in
Craig Gordon with two full backs,
Michael Smith and Stephen
Kingsley, who’d make their way in
to most starting XI’s in Scotland.
Craig Halkett is starting to
show the consistent form that
suggested he was kicking on to
an international call-up. Who is his
best centre back pairing though?
Berra or Popescu? Will John
Souttar make a return? Manager
Robbie Neilson will be adding a
centre back to his list.
In midfield, Hearts have a solid
sub consciously?
Time will tell and perhaps
the verdict won’t become truly
apparent until Hearts regain their
Premiership status and have to
return to regular jostles against
better opponents.
One thing that does seem true
is Neilson cuts a more vocal and
emotive figure now. He’s on record
talking of his love for Hearts and
what it means to be part of the
club. With bookies making him
favourite to lift a second league
title for Hearts, where does the
story go next for Neilson in
Gorgie?
Neilson cuts a more emotive figure PHOTO Ian Jacobs
January sales wish list
for Hearts boss Neilson
middle with, arguably, too many
options. Olly Lee, Andy Halliday,
Peter Haring, Andy Irving and
Jamie Walker. Where do they all
go? After what feels like years
of injuries it’s pleasing for the
Jambos to have genuine selection
issues for the right reasons. It’s on
the flanks that Hearts need some
depth. Josh Ginnelly looks a find
but he’s on loan. Elliot Frear and
Jordan Roberts haven’t quite cut
it yet and an improved Aidy White
feels like he’s always on probation
with the Hearts faithful. Another
for the manager’s list.
Up top, Liam Boyce is making
progress and Steven Naismith is
staying fit. Craig Wighton casts
a peripheral figure again but has
shown promise. The maroon
firepower should be enough for the
Championship but Neilson will be
looking for some more might with
his eyes on bigger prizes.
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@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk SPORT 23
Kevin Nisbet PHOTO Ian Jacobs
Calculated Hibs gamble pays off
by John Hislop
A few eyebrows were raised
when Hibs spent a reported
£250,000 to bring in Kevin Nisbet
from Dunfermline during the
summer transfer window and
there was criticism from certain
quarters given that his new team
mates had been asked to take a
wage deferral.
There was no doubting his
quality at a lower level having
netted 34 times in 46 games for
Raith and then 23 times in 32
outings for Dunfermline, but it was
seen as a "calculated gamble"
given his lack of experience in the
top flight.
Since then the gamble has paid
off and following an impressive
start to his Easter Road tenure, the
young striker is being quoted for
an international call-up with next
year’s European Championships
on the horizon.
His progress is all the more
impressive when set against
the backdrop of the personal
heartache that his family have had
to endure after his father Thomas
sadly passed away, having
been diagnosed with terminal
liver cancer towards the end of
Scotland’s first lockdown period.
A few days later, Kevin bravely
honoured his dad’s last request for
him to put his sadness to one side
and take his place in the Scottish
Cup semi-final at Hampden.
Leith Walk Police Box Pop up space
Monty who owns the police
box has hosted many pop
ups here since lockdown
restrictions eased.
In January there will be a
few pop ups all weather,
tramworks and Covid-19
dependent.
Tipico Sicilian confectioners
- nuts, dried fruit, chocolate,
tarrone, brittles and gift boxes
- New Year's Eve as well as
Wednesdays and Fridays in
Kevin explained: “We’d known
about dad’s condition for, maybe,
the last three months, before
I signed for Hibs. Terminal
liver cancer. The words hit
you. Unfortunately, his health
deteriorated in the last week. It all
happened very quickly. We hoped
we’d have had another couple of
weeks with him, but it wasn’t to be.
“I had to leave training quickly on
Tuesday to be at his side. There
are all the obvious precautions
for everyone just now and, like
a lot people, I’ve had to say
goodbye to a loved one in difficult
circumstances. It’s been a tough
time for so many people.
“I’d been visiting him in the
garden for the last wee while,
at his insistence. More than
anyone he was making sure I was
following all the proper protocols.
I’m grateful for that time we had
but it has been hard.
“Dad’s been the driving force
behind how I’ve been playing in the
last few months. Not just because
he’s my hero and I wanted to do it
for him, but because he’s always
believed in me. Ever since I first
kicked a ball.
“In the last few months it hasn’t
been easy in terms of worrying
about him and juggling that with
football, but he was adamant that
I – as best as I could – stayed
single-minded when I was at
training and playing games.
January 11-5ish Card payment
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and soup - rescued food and
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Crazy Croissants will be back
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Anything I do now will be for him.”
By his own admission, Kevin
didn’t fulfil his own potential in
those early days at Partick Thistle
but he has more than made up
for it since with a relentless
commitment to improve.
Thomas played a big part in
Kevin’s decision to sign for Hibs
amid other offers north and south
of the border, including from city
neighbours Hearts.
He added: “Dad was adamant
that I should come here. It was
in my head to do the same, but
he really was set on it. He was
convinced this was the best place
for me to come at this point in
my career. It’s worked out that
way and I like to think I made him
proud.
“With the way I’ve started the
season, and the way the team
has been playing, I think it’s
helped keep him going and been a
welcome distraction. Every week
he’s looked forward to the games
and watching me play. He loved to
see me score.
“Darren McGregor has been there
for me. He lost his own dad at a
young age and knows exactly how
I feel and how to juggle that with
football. I have to thank Darren
and the rest of the lads because
they’ve all been great with me. The
same for the gaffer (Jack Ross)
and Potts (John Porter)."
Team mate Darren McGregor was
video diary. Returns Spring
2021.
PLASTIC FREE JULY has passed
but are you still doing your bit
to help protect the oceans
and marine animals? Small
changes can have a big
effect. LWPBPU asks all pop
ups to think about changes
they can make to their
packaging to cut single use
plastic.
Churros con chocolate - the
quick to praise the 23-year-old’s
character saying: “I’ve said time
and time again that Nizzy (Kevin
Nisbet) has been nothing short
of a revelation since he’s came
here. He’s such a grounded guy
and has such potential and the
background stuff going on at
the minute shows that he can
still come out here and bash
out a performance like that is
testament to him as a person and
a character.”
Scotland will take part in their
first major tournament for 23-years
next summer and former Hearts
captain Michael Stewart is one of
a growing number who believe that
Kevin should be selected for the
European Championships squad if
he keeps up his current form.
Kevin however is focussed on
adding to his goal tally with Hibs
although he admitted that playing
for Scotland would be a pinnacle
of his career so far.
He added: “It’s encouraging to
know the Scotland manager is
aware of how well the team are
doing. I just have to keep playing
well, scoring goals and hopefully
it will happen for me too but I’ve
always backed my ability that I will
get goals and I’ve proved that in
the last few seasons.
“Of course, I do think that I can
make the step up to challenge
for a Scotland place as I’ve made
a good start to the season and
I’m high in confidence about the
future.
“Playing for your country would
be the pinnacle of anyone’s career
and it’s all good right now but the
priority is to focus on staying in
the Hibs team by continuing to
score goals that can help us win
games.”
Hibs’ Head Coach Jack Ross is
in no doubt about his ability to
progress to the international stage
and he believes that he is not far
away. He added: “Kevin has that
ability to score all sorts of goals.
"We’ve seen it countless times.
He has been terrific since he came
to us and his contribution has
been invaluable.
“I have spoken to Scotland coach
Steve Clarke recently with the
inclusion of Ryan (Porteous) and
then Paul McGinn going into the
squad – and he’s well aware of
Kevin’s progress.
“I don’t think he’s far away and
if he continues in the vein of form
he’s in at the moment, then he’ll
force his way in.”
www.leithwalkpolicebox.com
authentic traditional Spanish
snack Saturday 2nd and
Saturday 9th January 2021.
Check social media for
details.
On the fly
by Nigel Duncan
Ben Robertson was concerned
about the lack of competition
fishing. He has one Scotland cap
and a second was denied this year
because of Covid-19.
There are no internationals
scheduled next year so the
Scottish international decided to
organise the inaugural Scottish
Open Fly Fishing Championship.
All heats and final will be fished at
the Lake of Menteith near Stirling
and there will be three heats
featuring 20 boats and 30 boats
for the final.
Anglers can only enter one heat
with a boat draw completed live on
Facebook a week before the heat
and 50 per cent from each heat
go through to the final. The first
two fish caught will be timed and
all fish are counted by your boat
partner. In the event of a tie then
the timing of the first and even the
second fish will decide the winner.
Heat winners will receive £100
cash with the first in the final
receiving £2,000, second £1,000
and third £500.
Whitburn-based Ben said
international fly fishing rules apply
and hooks are either barbless or
debarbed. He said: "Anglers will
record the time of their first and
second fish and score cards must
be signed by the boat partner."
The entry cost is £60 per angler
for a heat and £35 per angler for
the final
Payment must be made through
PayPal to confirm a place and the
PayPal address is scottishopen@
outlook.com.
The heat dates are: May 16 (9.30
to 5.30), May 30 (9.30 to 5.30),
June 13 (9.30 to 5.30) with the
final on 12 September (9.30 to
5.30).
The event is sponsored by
Glasgow-based trout fly tying
company Fariofly.com and
Robertson explained: "There has
been no competition fishing this
season because of the world-wide
pandemic.
"Guys want competition angling.
I have one Scotland cap and was
due to get a second this year.
That did not happen and I won't
get one next year as there are no
internationals planned.
"So, I thought, organise one. The
Lake of Menteith is in the centre
of Scotland and easy to get to and
when I approached them they said
they had been thinking of doing
something like that. Money is tight
so we've kept the costs down as
much as we can."
Robertson, who is originally
from Penicuik and fishes with the
Dalkeith-based Black Bull Angling
Club as well as on local waters like
Allandale Tarn near West Calder,
hopes to take the competition
forward after the first year.
He said: "The initial reaction has
been great. I've launched it on
Facebook and we've had a great
deal of interest and we hope to get
more once word-of-mouth and the
media picks up."
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