Edinburgh… get excited! The legendary crunch, the Louisiana spirit and the chicken sandwich that broke the internet are returning to the city centre, because Popeyes® has confirmed it’s opening a brand new restaurant at 46 North Bridge.
Since landing in the UK in 2021, Popeyes® has been on a mission to bring bold New Orleans flavour to every corner of the country, and Brits have been loving it.
Locations nationwide have seen queues around the block as fried chicken fans race to get their hands on Popeyes®’ signature Shatter Crunch Chicken Sandwich. Following a warm welcome from fans across Edinburgh, Popeyes® is continuing its expansion in the Scottish capital with another exciting city centre location.
Tom Crowley, Popeyes® UK CEO said: “Edinburgh has given Popeyes® such an incredible welcome, so we’re delighted to be growing our presence in the city with a new North Bridge restaurant.
“Whether you’re a local, commuting through the city or visiting Scotland’s capital, we can’t wait to welcome everyone through our doors to enjoy our famous Louisiana hospitality and unmistakable Popeyes crunch.”
The new restaurant will serve everything Popeyes® is known and loved for, from its hand marinated chicken to those iconic buttermilk biscuits, all made fresh every day and inspired by the heart of Louisiana.
Located on North Bridge, just a five minute walk from Edinburgh Waverley station, the new restaurant will bring Popeyes® even closer to commuters, tourists and local residents in the heart of the city.
Featuring 60 covers, the restaurant will provide a vibrant new dining destination in one of Edinburgh’s busiest locations.
While full details about opening plans are yet to be revealed, one thing is certain – Edinburgh is about to get another taste of Popeyes®’ southern charm.
To stay updated, visit the Popeyes® UK website or follow the brand on Instagram at @PopeyesUK or TikTok at @PopeyesUK.
Scotland comes together to celebrate the joy of reading
More than 90,000 people took part in Wee Read as Scotland came together yesterday to celebrate the joy of reading – smashing the campaign’s original target of 50,000 pledges.
Wee Read, led by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) and funded by the Scottish Government as part of the National Year of Reading 2026, invited people across Scotland to make a simple pledge to read on 7 October. The campaign reached its 50,000 pledge target more than a week before the official reading moment, with a total of 90,717 people pledging to get involved.
Across the country, people of all ages and interests joined the national reading moment, making time to enjoy whatever they like from novels and poetry to comics, magazines, newspapers, recipes and more.
Libraries, schools, workplaces, families and communities marked the day in their own ways, creating a shared celebration of reading and demonstrating that there is no single way to take part.
Activity ranged from East Renfrewshire’s dedicated Harry Potter readings and South Lanarkshire’s Gruffalo scavenger hunt, to a BSL Bookbug session in Paisley, school visits in Edinburgh and Midlothian, family activities in South Lanarkshire and community reading sessions in Inverclyde.
In Motherwell, a readathon in the library’s immersive room surrounded readers with calming imagery of their choice, before the Wee Read mantra video and a message from Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic Màiri McAllan were showcased.
Across the length and breadth of the country, libraries and communities also hosted reading hours, storytelling, book swaps, quizzes and crafts, reflecting the many different ways people came together to make time for reading.
Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic Màiri McAllan said: “I’m delighted to support Wee Read. Stories, songs and words form the bedrock of our lives, our culture, our history and our future. Scotland’s plays, books and comics are internationally renowned, as are our playwrights, authors and illustrators.
“Reading and writing play a lifelong role in learning and wellbeing, and in tackling poverty, which remains a key priority for this Government. That’s why we’re taking action to improve access to books and encourage reading for pleasure, through programmes including Bookbug, Read Write Count with the First Minister, Reading Schools, and the School Library and Public Library Improvement Funds.
“Just a few minutes of reading for enjoyment reduces stress and improves wellbeing, and for children it has a positive impact on learning and attainment at school. By taking part in Wee Read, you’re joining thousands across Scotland helping us build a country where reading is valued, shared and enjoyed by all.”
The campaign also highlighted the important role Scotland’s libraries play in helping people find something they enjoy and make reading part of their everyday life – beyond the national reading moment.
With free access to a wide range of reading materials, alongside digital resources, reading groups, events and activities, libraries offer something for people at every stage of life.
Alison Nolan, chief executive of SLIC, said: “Reaching over 90,000 pledges for Wee Read is a fantastic achievement and a wonderful reflection of the enthusiasm for reading across Scotland.
“We set out with a simple ambition – to give people a reason to make time for reading and to celebrate the many different ways that reading can be part of our lives. Seeing so many people, communities and organisations take part has really brought that notion to life.
“Whether someone read for five minutes or fifty, picked up an old favourite or discovered something completely new, we hope Wee Read reminded them of the joy that reading can bring and, importantly, encouraged people to keep that habit going beyond 7 October.”
Wee Read forms part of the UK’s National Year of Reading 2026, a year-long celebration of the pleasure, inspiration, connection and opportunities that reading brings.
Alison added: “Wee Read may have taken place on one day but the campaign’s message is intended to last much longer: there is no right way to read, every read counts and there is always time to read something you enjoy.
“Our libraries are here all year round to help people find their next read, discover something new and connect with their community. And if you didn’t manage to join in with Wee Read, that’s no reason to miss out – you can pick up something new at any time.
“We’d encourage everyone to keep that spirit going, make space for reading and turn to their local library for inspiration, new ideas and everything else it has to offer.”
Find out more and discover ways to keep reading at www.WeeRead.scot.
Share your Wee Read memories and recommendations using #WeeRead26.
Wondering what the BT Digital Voice switchover means for you?
Neighbourhood Watch Scotland is hosting a local drop‑in session at The Place at Edinburgh Academical Football Club, 124C Raeburn Place, offering free, friendly advice to help you understand what’s changing, explore your options, and get support with any concerns you may have.
Thursday 15 October 2026
11:00am – 2:00pm
The Place at Edinburgh Academical Football Club, 124C Raeburn Place, Edinburgh EH4 1HG
No appointment needed
Local, community‑focused event
Practical advice and signposting
If you are unsure whether the Digital Voice switchover could affect you, or would simply like more information, please feel free to drop in we would be very happy to help.
Everyone is welcome. For more information on the BT Digital Voice Programme, please go to https://s-url.co/EDo1AA
We would like to invite all the local residents for our final BEACH CLEANING event in 2026 at Wardie Bay on Friday 30th October. We are very grateful to R2 for their ongoing support in organising our litter picking events.
Do remember that we also have some litter picking equipment at Granton Parish Church we are happy to loan to local community groups.
Improving outcomes for neurodivergent and autistic people, and people with learning disabilities
Autistic adults are to benefit from more than £600,000 of new funding to improve access to advice, support and assessment, including support while waiting for assessment.
The funding will ensure more people can access help at the right time, in the right place, based on their individual needs.
It is part of wider work by the Scottish Government to improve neurodevelopmental support for adults and children and comes ahead of the publication of a draft route map for adult neurodevelopmental support in the autumn.
The route map will set out a four-tier approach, based on recommendations from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, comprising public health, universal, targeted and intensive support based on individual need.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd, said: “I know that too many neurodivergent people, including those with autism, are waiting too long for the support they need.
“This funding will help improve people’s access to support based on their individual needs, and supports our aim for people to be able to access support as soon as needs are identified regardless of diagnostic status.
“Specialist secondary services have been overwhelmed in recent years with increased demand for assessments and support.
“Tackling that is key so we can ensure neurodivergent people, and people with learning disabilities are understood, supported, and empowered.”
Scottish Government action to improve outcomes for people with learning disabilities, autistic people and neurodivergent people includes:
supporting over 2,800 people with Learning Disabilities through the Learning Disability Support Fund in its first 6 months of implementation
£20 million of funding to implement the Coming Home Action Plan, which sets out measures to ensure people with learning disabilities and complex support needs benefit from tailored support and housing close to home, family and friends.
an additional £29 million of Additional Support Needs (ASN) in 2026/27 to support the ASN workforce
supporting children and young people with neurodevelopmental needs and their families with £7.6 million funding to local authorities, announced in September
taking forward reforms to improve neurodevelopmental support and ensure people can access support, including a draft route map for adult neurodevelopmental support which will set out a four-level approach to support based on recommendations from the Royal College of Psychiatrists
Almost three-quarters of Edinburgh residents (73.5%) have had to use their savings over the past 12 months to cover everyday outgoings as they contend with the cost-of-living crisis.
New data from Scottish Building Society’s Savings Barometer 2026 reveals that 74.7% of people in Edinburgh believe the economic climate has negatively affected their finances over the past year.
Launched in 2025, Scottish Building Society’s Savings Barometer tracks savings habits across Scotland. This year’s findings come as rising prices continue to put pressure on household finances, with annual inflation reaching 3.1%.
For many Edinburgh residents, economic pressures have forced a change of plan with their finances, with more than seven in ten stating they had scaled their financial goal back, extended the time to reach it, or put it on hold altogether.
Nearly three-quarters (73.5%) of those in Edinburgh said they were concerned about their ability to save at all throughout 2026.
Of those able to save, a holiday was the most common savings goal, cited by 33.3% of respondents, compared with 17.5% saving for a new car and 17.1% for a new home.
Their responses mirror the national outlook. Nearly three in four Scots saw their finances negatively affected by the current economic climate, and 65.5% had used their savings to pay for day-to-day outgoings.
Across the different generations, 71.7% of millennials, 67.8% of Gen Z, 64.0% of Gen X and 60.7% of baby boomers said they have had to dip into their savings in the past year.
Paul Denton, CEO at Scottish Building Society, said:“This research is a stark reminder of the pressure Edinburgh households are under. When almost three-quarters have had to draw on their savings over the past year to cover everyday costs, it is clear that, for many, the priority is getting through the month rather than saving for longer-term plans.
“What’s clear from the research is that people want to save, but we know that finding money to put aside can be difficult when household budgets are stretched.
“We want to help people make whatever they can save work as hard as possible for them, whether they are rebuilding a buffer after dipping into it or saving towards a particular goal. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and even a small amount set aside when circumstances allow can help people feel more prepared for what lies ahead.”
Scottish Building Society is the only building society headquartered in Scotland. Established in Edinburgh in 1848 as the Edinburgh Property Investment Company, it is the oldest remaining building society in the world.
As a member-owned mutual, it offers savings accounts and mortgages, reinvesting surplus profit for the benefit of those members.
Specsavers is donating £15,000 to the STV Children’s Appeal as it gets behind this year’s STV Children’s Appeal Challenge at the Kelpies.
As part of its sponsorship of the challenge, Specsavers is supporting the Appeal’s work with children and young people across Scotland, while also highlighting the importance of regular eye health checks.
STV presenters Laura Boyd and Sean Batty are preparing to take on this year’s challenge by making sure their eye health is in top form. The pair recently visited Specsavers Grangemouth for comprehensive eye tests and to speak to the store’s eye health experts about the importance of looking after their vision.
The duo will take on a team challenge at the Kelpies today (8 October 2026) to raise vital funds for the STV Children’s Appeal – although exactly what they will be up against is still under wraps.
With Laura and Sean preparing to put their skills to the test at one of Scotland’s most recognisable landmarks, getting them challenge-ready was high on the agenda.
This year marks the first time Specsavers has sponsored the STV Children’s Appeal Challenge, with the £15,000 contribution supporting the Appeal and its work with children and young people affected by poverty across Scotland. Specsavers is also using its involvement to raise awareness of the importance of regular eye health checks.
Specsavers dispensing optician and Grangemouth store manager Joe Smith welcomed Laura and Sean to the locally owned and run store at La Porte Precinct.
More than 20 Specsavers colleagues from across the business, including Joe, will also take part in the Kelpies challenge on 8 October.
Laura Baird, Specsavers Scotland Chair, says: “It is a privilege to support this year’s STV Children’s Appeal Challenge. It’s such an invaluable cause, which raises funds for children and young people living in poverty across Scotland.
“We’re delighted to be supporting the Appeal with a £15,000 contribution as part of our sponsorship of this year’s challenge. With Specsavers stores and colleagues across Scotland, supporting a cause that makes a difference to children and young people in communities right across the country is incredibly important to us.
“We’re also pleased to be highlighting the importance of regular eye tests and giving Laura and Sean the opportunity to make sure their eyes are challenge-ready!”
Laura Boyd, TV presenter and entertainment reporter, says: “Every year, the STV Children’s Appeal Challenge is something I look forward to, and this year it’s been very much kept under wraps.
“We know it’s taking place at the Kelpies, but we’re not sure what this involves – no doubt there will be some nerves but plenty of excitement on the day.
“There’s also a bit of friendly competition between Sean and me, which will add another fun element to the day, and I’m sure our teams will quickly get into the spirit of it. Ultimately, though, the most important thing is raising awareness and much-needed funds for the fantastic STV Appeal.”
Sean Batty, TV presenter and meteorologist, adds: “This is the fifth challenge that Laura and I will be doing together, and I have a feeling it’s going to be very special. We’re looking forward to seeing what they have in store for us.
“It’s also great to have Specsavers on board this year as our official sponsor, and it was fantastic to visit Joe and his team at Grangemouth to make sure our sight was in perfect shape ahead of the challenge.
“Knowing that Specsavers is also supporting the Appeal with a £15,000 contribution makes it even more special, and we can’t wait to get involved in the challenge at the Kelpies.”
The STV Children’s Appeal has raised more than £39 million since it launched in 2011. In 2025, the Appeal raised more than £2.4 million, taking its total raised since launch to more than £39 million.
This year’s challenge will be unveiled on the show on Thursday 29 October and will reveal the fundraising total.
BT DIGITAL VOICE EVENT – 15 OCTOBER 
Thursday 15 October 2026
11:00am – 2:00pm
The Place at Edinburgh Academical Football Club, 124C Raeburn Place, Edinburgh EH4 1HG
No appointment needed
