Category: Leith

Ocean Terminal to update local community on development of centre & waterfront

Ambassador Group, owner of Ocean Terminal, is showcasing new details of its vision to transform the centre and open up the waterfront ahead of a second public exhibition, held both online and in person with the design team at the centre tomorrow – Thursday 9th December.   

The public exhibition will continue to be available for visitors to drop in between 10th-31st December during centre opening hours, review the redevelopment plans and share their views.

Attendees will have the opportunity to understand how community feedback has been incorporated into the plans for the development of the centre and surrounding waterfront. In particular, the new layout and bold design will open up views, including new aspects on to Royal Yacht Britannia, providing waterfront seating areas and creating an unobstructed promenade along the water’s edge.  

The mixed-use offering, made possible by the demolition of the existing east-end carpark, will combine essential retail with tourism, leisure, workspace for small businesses and residential accommodation.  

The aim is to shape dynamic ways for the community and visitors alike to continue to enjoy the shopping, leisure and community amenities they currently value at Ocean Terminal, while also providing active public realm spaces as part of a visually dramatic destination.   

Sustainability is key to the development and has been placed at the heart of the design to ensure the project is in line with the City of Edinburgh Council’s net-zero targets for 2030.

This ties in strongly to connectivity, whereby creating an effective design for the new Ocean Terminal will meet the needs of the 20-minute neighbourhood.

Accessibility to buses, trams and cycle paths in the area will also strengthen the proposed physical access around the wider development, enhanced public realm and the waterfront. 

Chris Richardson, Managing Director at Ambassador Investments said, “We have said from the beginning we want to work closely with the local community and stakeholders, to make sure that together we create a sustainable and attractive waterfront experience for the people of Leith and Edinburgh, that introduces more interaction with the space than it’s ever experienced before.

“This is an exciting new chapter for Ocean Terminal as we embark upon significant change that will future proof its place on the waterfront. Through the diverse retail, tourism, leisure and wellbeing offering it will become the place to be.”  

Betty the basking shark takes up residence at Ocean Terminal

Edinburgh artist Johnathan Elders illustrates the scale of Scotland’s electronic waste
with powerful installation

Reindeer, penguins, and polar bears are the sort of animals you would usually expect to see taking pride of place in a retail display at this time of year. However, one Edinburgh shopping centre is adding a little more ‘bite’ to its seasonal offering with the installation of a powerful new sculpture – Betty the e-waste shark!

The work of Edinburgh artist Johnathan Elders, Betty is a life-sized basking shark which aims to illustrate the sheer scale of Scotland’s electronic waste problem.

The sculpture was created using a range of second-hand electrical devices including more than 200 keyboards and water cooler panels, all of which have been saved from landfill, plus two projector lenses and TV screens which display a hard-hitting film about the true impact of e-waste.

Previously displayed at the National Museum of Scotland, local sustainability campaigner Sara Thomson of The Leith Collective has successfully secured Betty a residency at Ocean Terminal, and the artwork is available to view now.

Created in response to a call-out from the Edinburgh Science Festival, Jonathan had a clear vision of what he hoped the artwork would achieve. Firstly, it needed to demand attention.

He was determined to craft something that was simply too big to be missed, and instantly recognisable in order to create a reaction. Secondly, it needed to be engaging – something that people would want to touch and interact with.

It was also important that the piece was inclusive and accessible in its entirety to people of any height or level of mobility. Finally, it needed to inform viewers of the immense problem of e-waste faced by Scotland. 

Commenting on the piece, Jonathan Elders explains: ‘I chose the basking shark, native to Scotland, as I encountered one as a child whilst on a boat trip to Bass Rock in North Berwick. This moment had a huge impact on me, and it has stayed with me ever since. 

‘I didn’t want to be subtle. As a nation, we have so much to be proud of – like these magnificent creatures – but we also have a massive problem that we’re just not doing enough to address. Like producing such vast quantities of e-waste. 

‘As the footage shows, much of this waste is shipped away to other parts of the world so that we can forget about it. But that needs to stop.’

When asked about the name, Jonathan said: “Betty is the name of a lovely local lady – a total character who knows everybody. She lives overlooking Newhaven Harbour but won’t go anywhere near it because she is scared of the sea. Hence the reason I called the shark Betty, because like the real-life Betty, this shark will never go to the sea!’

Betty the e-waste shark is available to view now at Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh. Guided tours and talks about the artwork are available upon request for schools, clubs, and organisations.

If you are interested in giving Betty the e-waste shark a home after her residency at Ocean Terminal ends, please email info@theleithcollective.com to discuss.

Douglas Forbes death: 69 year old man arrested for driving offences

A man who was found fatally injured at Academy Park in Leith has been named as Douglas Forbes. The 78-year-old was discovered around 8.50pm on Thursday (2 December 2021).

Detective Inspector Jonny Wright from Gayfield CID said: “”We are still working to establish how Douglas came to sustain his injuries. We are trying to piece together his last movements, and believe he was in the city centre with friends, prior to being dropped off at Academy Park by a taxi.

“We would like anyone who was out with Douglas on Thursday 2 December, and for the taxi driver who dropped him off, to get in touch with us as soon as possible. This can be done by contacting 101, quoting incident number 3329 of 2 December 2021.”

POLICE UPDATE:

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Following the death of 78-year-old Douglas Forbes, at Academy Park in Edinburgh, on Thursday 2 December, Police Scotland can confirm a 69-year old man has been arrested in relation to driving offences.

“He’s been released pending further enquiries and the investigation continues.”

Leith armed robber jailed

Three men have been sentenced following armed robberies at jewellery shops in Leith (August 2019) and Dundee (in September 2019).

Dean King (above), 28, Anthony Wheeldon, 40, and Connor Willis, 24, had pled guilty in October 2021 of the raid at the Walker shop in Union Street in Dundee. Willis had also admitted his part in a raid on a jewellers in Great Junction Street in Edinburgh.

At the High Court in Edinburgh King was sentenced to nine years and two months and Wheeldon to 11 years plus four years on licence. Willis was sentenced for both robberies to 12 years plus five years on licence.

Detective Inspector Bob Campbell, the senior investigating officer for the robbery in Edinburgh, said: “We welcome this sentencing. Willis was a member of a gang that entered the jewellers in Great Junction Street armed with a sledgehammer and axes and stole a large quantity of jewellery.

“A member of staff was injured during the raid but still confronted the robbers. Willis is a violent man and is now facing the consequences of his actions in prison.”

Detective Inspector Gavin McKinlay, the senior investigating officer for the robbery in Dundee, said: “These men went to the shop in Dundee armed with weapons, threatened a customer and staff and made off with jewellery worth a five figure sum.

“They had only one thing on their mind, to get the jewellery and nothing was going to get in their way. Despite the high levels of intimidation displayed and the clearly terrifying experience for those within the shop they were thwarted by the bravery of a customer who challenged them and this distraction allowed staff to activate the alarm. This meant they made off with a much smaller haul than they might otherwise have taken.

“An extensive and complex police investigation tracked these men down to locations across Scotland and the north of England, but I would like to pay testimony to the bravery of the customer, who was injured and has fortunately recovered, and the shop staff who were left badly shaken by what happened.

“These men are now facing the consequences of their actions. There is no place for this kind of violence in our society and we will always do all we can to bring people responsible for such crimes to justice.”

Donate a Christmas tree and help rewild the Scottish Highlands


The award-winning Leith Collective reveals their plans to give back this Christmas with the launch of their ‘Relove, Rewild Christmas’ and ‘Secret Seasonal Sculptures’ initiatives

The Leith Collective has had an incredible year, adding a string of awards and accolades to their name, so this Christmas they’re going all out to give back – to the people of Edinburgh and to the environment.

And they’re calling on locals to join them by putting sustainability at the top of their wishlists with the launch of their ‘Relove, Rewild Christmas’ and ‘Secret Seasonal Sculptures’ initiatives. 

Got an unloved Christmas tree languishing in your attic? Take it to The Leith Collective where they will be rehoming trees throughout the festive period, spreading Christmas cheer to those who can’t afford to buy one. What’s more, for every Christmas tree donated to the Edinburgh store, a real tree will be planted right here in Scotland. 

The Leith Collective will be donating to Trees for Life which aims to rewild the Scottish Highlands and restore the Caledonian Forest. Native trees such as Scots Pines and woodland plants will be planted in the quest to reduce our carbon footprint, and to provide space for wildlife to flourish and communities to thrive.

Commenting ahead of the launch of the ‘Relove, Rewild Christmas’ initiative, The Leith Collective founder, Sara Thomson said; ‘For anyone who has a tree or decorations gathering dust in their loft, this is a great way to ensure they continue to spread Christmas cheer.

“We understand many people have had it tough throughout the pandemic, therefore we will be giving away the donated trees and decorations completely free of charge to anyone who requests one, no questions asked”.

And to spread that Christmas cheer even further, The Leith Collective has called upon some of their resident artists to create a series of 24 seasonal sculptures – each lovingly reimagined and handcrafted from old wooden fixings – and they will be hiding one each day in the run up to Christmas throughout the city centre. 

Discussing the advent surprises, Sara commented; ‘The secret seasonal sculptures are a fun way to show people what can be created using materials that would otherwise be discarded. We hope they encourage more people to get creative this Christmas and keep sustainability at the forefront of their mind’. 

The first secret seasonal sculpture will appear somewhere in Edinburgh on Wednesday 1st December and anyone who finds one can take it along to The Leith Collective where they will receive an additional festive surprise.

The ‘Relove, Rewild Christmas’ and ‘Secret Seasonal Sculptures’ initiatives are just two ways The Leith Collective plan to give back this Christmas after what has been a phenomenal year for them.

In January 2021, The Leith Collective became the UK’s first single-use plastic free shop of its kind and was later crowned runner up in the Surfers Against Sewage Plastic Free Awards.

In July, owner Sara Thomson took her message of sustainability west-side, opening The Clydeside Collective in Glasgow’s St Enoch Centre, followed by The Camdentown Collective in London’s Buck Street Market in September. Later that month, Sara was specially selected to become a UK ‘One Step Greener’ ambassador and showcased her story of how she is tackling climate change at COP26.

From Sara’s role as a One Step Greener ambassador and the inspirational work The Leith Collective is doing to showcase sustainability, the Prime Minister chose Sara to become the UK’s 1772nd Point of Light.

As a result, Sara met Boris Johnson at 10 Downing Street and enjoyed a video chat with the Queen. On returning to Edinburgh, Sara received the news that she had won two awards at the Creative Edinburgh Awards – The Leadership Award and The Social Award.

Brrr-ave Asda bosses raise over £3000 for Children in Need

A hardy team of Asda area managers braved the chilly waters of the Firth of Forth when they took a dip for charity at Portobello yesterday.

With donations still coming in their efforts have now raised over £3000 for Children in Need.

PICTURES: Sharon Gray – Asda Leith Community Champion

ASDA bosses take the plunge at Porty today for Children in Need

FORTY managers from Asda central region – including local region manager Brian Boyle – will be taking a brave plunge into the chilly sea at Portobello at 1pm today to raise money for children in need (writes SHARON GRAY, Asda Leith’s Community Champion).

We have raised over £1000 so far, but are looking to raise more. Come along and give your support! Meet up at Bath Street entrance from 12:45pm.

Sharon has also sent some pictures of the Asda team in training:

Croft Coorie-in all set for Saint Andrew’s special!

Get your dancing shoes ready! 💃🏼

We’re very excited for our next Croft Coorie-in which will take place on November 27th at Leith Community Croft ✨

From 11am we will have flea market stalls, (email greta@earth-in-common.org for a stall), a whittling workshop (sign up: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/introduction-to…), as well as a crafting corner ✂️

From 3pm we will have a Ceilidh with wonderful ‘Flaming Nora’ 🎶🎻 – we can’t wait to have a boogie together, so make sure to save the date!

New drop-in vaccination clinic open at Ocean Terminal

A new vaccination clinic has opened this week in Ocean Terminal, making it even easier for you to get your first and second dose of the COVID vaccine.

The clinic is open seven days a week, from 11am to 7pm. You don’t need to make an appointment to attend, and you don’t need to be registered with a GP to get a jab.

Anyone over 12 can drop in, just make your way to the clinic which is on the first floor of the centre. If you’re coming to get your second jab, you must have had your first jab at least eight weeks ago.

To find out more about the COVID vaccine, visit NHS Inform.

Leith’s Wee Blue Coo ‘moo-ves’ to employee ownership!

A PRINT and design firm based in Leith has rewarded its employees with the keys to the business following their hard work during the global pandemic.

Launched from the living room of couple Bob and Joelle Kirkpatrick in the middle of the 2008 financial crash; Wee Blue Coo Ltd has established itself as a successful business, dispatching thousands of products globally each week and selling its products on multiple online marketplaces.

Bob and Joelle were both made redundant from their jobs in 2006 before setting up their business, creating posters from public domain images to retail on eBay. Fast forward 15 years, they now have a strong team of 30 members of staff – some of which have been employed for more than 10 years – and have an annual revenue of more than £2 million. 

Having previously gifted a 10% shareholding to long term employee Allan Gray for his hard work and dedication, the three shareholders agreed that the move to employee ownership was in line with the company’s values by safeguarding the future of the business for the benefit of its employees.

The entrepreneurs began exploring the succession model in 2019 before enlisting the help of David Morrison of EQ Accountants. The owners began the process of transitioning to an Employee Ownership Trust at the start of 2021 with the move being facilitated by expert Carole Leslie from Ownership Associates as well as the teams at EQ Accountants and Anderson Strathearn.

Bob Kirkpatrick said: “There are perhaps more well-known ways to make an exit from a business, however, this was the only real option to ensure we safeguarded the futures of those who have contributed to our company’s success.

“The Employee Ownership Trust seems like a perfect and logical way to structure any business.”

Joelle Kirkpatrick added: “Being a people led business has always been the very essence of who we are, which is why becoming an Employee-Owned business was the only option that was seriously considered.

“Running our business this way has ensured we have a motivated and dedicated team who feel valued. That has always been more important to us than the bottom line. Relaying this news to our team has, without a doubt, been the highlight of my career so far.”

Bob and Joelle have always sought to take care of their staff with perks such as flexible working and providing private healthcare to all employees with more than one years’ service.

Naturally the couple felt this was the next step for their business. The team were shocked and delighted at the news and are very excited at being given the opportunity to shape the future of Wee Blue Coo Ltd.

Graeme Slater, Warehouse Manager, said: “Now that we are an employee-owned company it means that we all have a say in the direction the company takes in the future.

“This is a great opportunity to help us to grow as a company and offers us the chance to enjoy a more secure and prosperous future.”

David Morrison, Partner at EQ Accountants, said: “Having advised Bob, Joelle and the team for many years, it is great to see them safeguard the future of their business by handing control to their dedicated workforce.

“This is great example of using an EOT as a solution to succession, whilst ensuring that employees are rewarded for their hard work. We look forward to continuing to support Wee Blue Coo as they thrive as an employee-owned business.”

The Employee Ownership Trust was introduced in the 2014 Finance Act to encourage business owners to consider a sale to employees as a feasible succession solution.

Founder of Ownership Associates, Carole Leslie, who has worked on the transitions of more than 80 private businesses to the succession model, said: “We are continuing to see increased interest from a variety of different businesses across contrasting sectors in making the move to employee ownership.

“It is inspiring to see two entrepreneurs succeed in their business throughout the difficulties of redundancy and a global financial crash. It is testament to their hard work that they have reached this momentous milestone.

“Bob and Joelle have always looked to put their staff first, and this transition is another chapter for the couple and the business. I would like to congratulate Wee Blue Coo Ltd, and wish them all the best in their future endeavours.”

Ownership Associates works exclusively within the employee-owned sector, supporting companies on their move to employee ownership and working with established employee owned businesses enabling them to maximise the ownership advantage.

For more information on Wee Blue Coo Ltd, please visit: https://weehappybox.com/

For more information on Ownership Associates: https://ownershipassociates.co.uk/