A RESTORED Edinburgh landmark has welcomed another happy buyer, a local couple who made their dream move into one of Boroughmuir’s incredible top floor vaulted apartments.
After making the decision to move, Edinburgh-born Alison Murphy and her husband Mark set out to find a home in the heart of the city that had the perfect combination of character and style.
With a move hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple found their dream home at the refurbished former Boroughmuir High School, where they purchased a light-filled, three-bedroom corner apartment with original feature beams and beautiful crescent windows.
Alison said: “When we decided to move, we knew we wanted to be near to the centre of the city where we could walk everywhere.
“We travel a lot, and so we wanted something hassle free with private parking and some outdoor space without the upkeep. As well as its location, what attracted us to Boroughmuir was its setting within this beautiful old building which oozes character, but is completely brand new and modern inside.”
“Interestingly, we are on the south west facing side of the building, and so although we’re on the side without the views of Edinburgh castle, our home is filled with light which really won it for us.”
Alison and Mark made the decision to move last year, and sold their home in January in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic. They have both praised CALA for its team’s efforts to get everything ready for the couple to move into their new home as quickly as they could.
She added: “The sales consultants, did their best to make what was a difficult year for buying and selling a house as smooth as possible. The service has been exceptional, from the sales team to the site staff and everyone has been so pleasant and welcoming.
“It was very difficult to move during a pandemic, but the CALA team couldn’t have made it easier – without a doubt, they’ve bent over backwards for us. We’re so lucky we’ve now got this super place to call home.”
Alison has also commended the housebuilder for Boroughmuir’s attention to detail – including the authentic feature beams across the original 7m ceilings.
She said: “My favourite thing about the property is its quirkiness and the history of it, knowing it was a chemistry classroom before really adds to its character.
“Boroughmuir has just ticked so many boxes for us, especially its amazing location. We’ve lived on the west side of Edinburgh for forever, but to be able to now walk to the shops is brilliant.”
Nestled in Bruntsfield, Boroughmuir is surrounded by plenty of bars, restaurants, and independent shops, and only a short distance from Haymarket and the vast greenery of The Meadows.
Boroughmuir is regarded as one of the Scottish capital’s most prized school buildings, constructed pre-WWI between 1911 and 1914. The Grade B-listed building is the innovative creation of renowned architect John Alexander Carfrae and was notably one of the first in Edinburgh to utilise a steel frame for architecture.
Each of the apartments comes with lift access, off-street allocated parking with access to electric vehicle charging points and access to a relaxing private residents’ courtyard.
Buyers at Boroughmuir also enjoyed an added peace of mind of a 10-year NHBC warranty, 24-hour response service for emergency calls and after-sales service for 2 years.
For further information on Boroughmuir, or to book an appointment for a tour of its recently launched second show apartment, please visit:
Work has finished to complete this year’s design on the world’s oldest Floral Clock in Edinburgh’s West Princes Street Gardens.
For 2021, the hugely popular landmark will celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), postponed from 2020 where it was decided with support from RBGE to dedicate the floral clock to NHS and key workers as a message of thanks from the city.
Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Frank Ross was joined by Simon Milne MBE, Regius Keeper of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, RBGE horticulturists and Council parks staff responsible for creating the clock. Together they officially unveiled this year’s intricate design.
The council’s team of three gardeners took seven weeks to plant over 35,000 flowers and plants used to create the clock, which will be in bloom until October.
There are over 15 different plants included in this year’s design including many donated by RBGE such as Agave kerchovei and Agave sebastiana, various species of Echevaria and Cyanotis somaliensis: all of them are integral to the RBGE Living Collection of plants.
The two teams had worked closely on the design and creation of this year’s display, with the Council’s Floral Clock experts advising on colours and choice of plants and how best to present the RBGE logo.
The logo is representative of the Sibbaldia procumbens, a creeping plant in the rose family, that was named after the Garden’s co-founder, Sir Robert Sibbald.
Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Frank Ross, who spoke at the official dedication, said: “I am delighted to once again see the city’s beautiful floral clock completed, which I know will be enjoyed by everyone who passes by it this summer. Much like the city’s floral clock, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is iconic to Edinburgh’s past and present and this year’s design celebrates 350 years.
“As always, I am delighted to officially unveil this striking and much-loved creation and I’d like to congratulate our dedicated and creative parks team who have put together the design and we can all now enjoy their realised vision.”
Simon Milne MBE, Regius Keeper, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, said: “It’s wonderful to see our 350th anniversary celebrated in such magnificent floral fashion, reflecting the four centuries of friendship between the City of Edinburgh and the Botanics.
“The Floral Clock is a particularly apt way of celebrating the work of the Garden. At a time when 40 percent of plant species are at risk of extinction, our research and conservation work, supported by our visionary Edinburgh Biomes project, has never been more vital. We are grateful as always for the interest and support of the people and city of Edinburgh.”
The Floral Clock was first created in 1903 by then Edinburgh Parks Superintendent, John McHattie, and is the oldest of its kind in the world. It initially operated with just an hour hand, with a minute hand added in 1904, followed by a cuckoo clock in 1952. Until 1972 the clock was operated mechanically and had to be wound daily.
Since 1946 it has been designed in honour of various organisations and individuals, including the Girl Guides Association, Robert Louis Stevenson and the Queen, for her Golden Jubilee. In the clock’s centenary year in 2003 it won a Gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Businesses and individuals abstracting water are being warned that action is needed now to protect water resources, despite heavy rainfall across much of the country.
Areas affected by water scarcity due to recent warm, dry weather were often not the same areas as those hit by flooding this week.
Significant and Moderate Scarcities remain in place in many areas of northern and south-western Scotland.
A short period of heavy rainfall is not sufficient to make up this shortfall of rainfall and much of it may quickly run off the dry soils without soaking in. This is why it is possible to have heavy rain and even the possibility of some surface water flooding at the same time as we are warning about water scarcity.
The latest weekly Water Scarcity Situation Report from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) shows that, despite heavy rainfall and thundery showers across much of mainland Scotland this week, the majority of the country is still seeing the impacts of water scarcity.
Significant scarcity – Wigtownshire area of Galloway, Helmsdale, Naver and the Wick area of Caithness
Moderate scarcity – Western Isles, Orkney, Doon, Ayr, Clyde and Irvine
Alert – all other catchments in the south of Scotland, many catchments down the east coast as well as a few west coast catchments
Early warning – the rest of the country with the exception of Spey, Loch Linnhe and Lochy which remain in normal conditions.
Abstractors must take action now
Water abstractors licenced by SEPA should have a plan to deal with the range of conditions they may experience. They should monitor their water usage and equipment to ensure they are operating at maximum efficiency and avoiding any unnecessary leakage.
By taking the right steps now, abstractors can help make the water supplies on which they and others depend last as long as possible through this period.
Work together to secure the water available – speak with other water users in your catchment to discuss allocating different times for abstracting to minimise any potential impacts.
Check irrigation equipment is not leaking.
Consider trickle irrigation.
Irrigate at night to avoid evaporation if you can.
Do not over-spray.
Start planning now in case you need to – if you need a new borehole to do this, if your business is having difficulty obtaining water supply or is concerned about meeting licence conditions you should contact SEPA as soon as possible at WaterScarcity@sepa.org.uk.
SEPA can provide advice on a series of straightforward steps that can be taken to reduce stress on Scotland’s water environment and staff are available to provide advice and guidance. However, if businesses deliberately fail to follow the abstraction guidelines set out by SEPA this may result in enforcement action.
Abstractors in catchments at Alert level or above, have been contacted to advise them of the conditions and relevant actions they should take as outlined in our National Water Scarcity Plan and requested to carry out checks to their equipment, consider upcoming water needs and follow best practice (such as irrigating at night).
We are also checking all abstractions in Significant Scarcity areas to determine what actions can be taken and work is ongoing with Scottish Water to protect supplies.
Rainfall and records
SEPA warned in the Spring that water scarcity conditions could deteriorate quickly if a period of prolonged dry weather returned later in the year.
Scotland experienced an extremely dry April, with less than a third of the usual rainfall across a large part of the southern country. This caused water levels to fall rapidly and ground conditions became increasingly dry.
Wet weather in early May partly balanced this in some areas of the country, but in others it remained quite dry.
Scotland as a whole had less than half the normal rainfall for June (45%) and was 1.4 degrees C warmer than usual. Ground conditions continued to dry rapidly over the last two weeks of the month.
While the beginning of July saw some locally intense rain, but it was not enough to lead to a sustained improvement.
Extreme weather is becoming more and more common
Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said: “The mixture of extreme rainfall, thundery showers, and significant water scarcity that we’ve seen this week in Scotland shows that we are very much living through more extreme weather patterns – and one does not balance out the other.
“This is just one of the many consequences of climate change Scotland is facing, and it is becoming more common.
“Everyone knows that water is a vital resource. We need to get used to the idea that, even in a water-abundant nation like Scotland, it is a finite resource – as shown by the increasing severity of the water scarcity picture in large areas of the country.
“Water scarcity is resulting in pressures on the environment and water users and businesses abstracting water must take action now to conserve water.
“My message is clear: SEPA is here to offer support and guidance, so if you are having difficulty obtaining water supply or are concerned about meeting licence conditions get in touch.
“If you work with us and try to do the right thing in this next period, you will find a helpful and supportive regulator. If you deliberately do the wrong thing by the environment and other water users, then you’ll get the uncompromising regulator your behaviour deserves.”
Public and private water supplies
Scottish Water is reminding people across Scotland to use water efficiently after confirming that demand is so high during the warm weather that it’s had to produce more than 200 million litres of extra water per day nationwide in the last fortnight to maintain normal supplies.
Those concerned about private water supply levels should contact their local authority.
Concerns about watercourses
SEPA continually assesses the impacts of prolonged periods of drier than average weather on our environment. The public can report dry private water supplies and rivers and burns in your area. This will help us have the best possible understanding of the impacts of dry weather.
The prolonged period of dry weather that has led to water scarcity across the country can put a lot of pressure on rivers, which are running exceptionally low and experiencing high water temperatures.
We may see impacts on wildlife across the country as a result, including dead fish. Heavy rain showers, such as those we have seen this week, following the prolonged period of dry weather, will wash pollutants that have been accumulating on roads and pavements and in drains into watercourses.
This first flush of pollutants, particularly into rivers that are still low, can lead to fish kills.
Water shortages support
Bottled water provided to affected households
People with reduced private water supplies following recent warm weather will be offered free bottled water through a Scottish Government support scheme.
Public water supplies, which the vast majority of households in Scotland use, are not affected.
The Scottish Government continues to invest in the public network, reducing leakage and increasing efficiency which helps preserve water in the environment, and is working to develop technologies to enhance private water supply resilience.
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson has urged people across the country to continue to use water efficiently. He said: “Scotland has been experiencing warm, dry conditions over the last few weeks, but this has consequences for water scarcity.
“It’s likely that the drying up of private water supplies so early in the summer is a clear indication of the impacts of climate change.
“Most of us take for granted that clean drinking water is available at a turn of a tap. However, for private water supply users this is not necessarily the case following a prolonged dry and hot spell of weather.
“With climate change at the forefront of all our minds, this is a stark reminder of the need to conserve water as one of our most precious natural resources.
!Whether you have been affected by the recent shortages or not, I urge all households to use water wisely and to take note of the advice issued by Scottish Water – it benefits all of us and is good for our planet. ”
Fiction book bundle chosen by the women ‘behind the Fringe’
The proceeds of each bundle go directly towards a fund supporting artists to create and bring work to the Fringe
Home of female fiction, Rare Birds Books has teamed up with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society to launch a limited-edition book bundle that will support artists and bring work to the Fringe.
Created to celebrate both the opening of the new Rare Birds Books store in Stockbridge, and the return of the Fringe following global lockdowns, the bundles are comprised of three brilliant books, all by female authors.
Chosen by three of the women ‘behind the Fringe’, the proceeds of each bundle will go directly to supporting Fringe performers for years to come.
Sharing some of their favourite reads, the women who curated the bundle may not be known to the general public but are some of the biggest reasons the festival goes ahead.
Working across three of the Fringe’s major venues, Rowan Campbell, the General Manager of Summerhall; Dani Rae, the General Manager of Assembly and Katy Koren, who co-runs Gilded Balloon, all have a rich and varied history with the Fringe.
Available directly from Rare Birds Books shop and website, as well as via the Fringe website, the bundles cost £30 and contain The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo (Rowan’s pick), The Emperor’s Babe by Bernadine Evaristo (Dani’s pick) and Motherwell by Deborah Orr (Katy’s pick) – a sparkling example of some of the best modern female fiction.
Rare Birds founder, Rachel Wood, said: “When it comes to the city we call home, few things are more defining that the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
“We feel so lucky to have such a world-class festival on our doorstep, and to celebrate our new Edinburgh store, we thought there was no better way than to give back to the festival we all love so much.”
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said: “We are delighted to be working with Rare Birds on this very special collaboration that will help raise vital funds for Fringe artists.
“Storytelling is at the very heart of the Fringe, and we are proud to champion these stories and celebrate the strong, brilliant women at this festival as well as across the creative industries.”
Beginning as a way to champion female authors, as well as to celebrate and share women’s stories, Rare Birds Books opens its first ever store in Edinburgh on 6th August, with aspirations to continue supporting the Fringe, as well as other local businesses.
Available from 1st August until the end of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Change in hours for NHS 24’s COVID-19 special helplines from Monday 9 August 2021.
The NHS 24 non-symptomatic COVID-19 Special Helpline (0800 028 2816) and NHS inform’s general health information line (0800 22 44 88) will operate from 8am to 8pm each day from Monday 9 August 2021. The lines previously closed at 10pm.
This is in response to reduced calls from the public to these numbers after 8pm.
The latest COVID-19 guidance is available on line day and night from www.nhsinform.scot
Welcome to your (slightly early) August Newsletter
And it’s good news all the way.
As some of you may already have heard or read, the Scottish Land Fund (SLF) decision has been announced and we are happy to report that we have secured even more than we had hoped for.
We have been awarded the full cost of the agreed purchase price of the site from the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC), £700,000, and on top of that, we have also been given a further sum to help with some of the start-up costs.
The total amount awarded is £792,000.
First of all, the Board of Trustees would like to convey their thanks to all the volunteers and supporters who have helped us come this far. The community has led this project from the start and will continue to do so. However the hard work is really just beginning. Your support and help will be even more necessary as we move forward.
Here’s what our chairman Rodney Matthews has to say:
“The site of Victoria Primary School IS going to be the Heart of Newhaven Community.
“This time last year the City of Edinburgh Councilapproved our request to take over the school and reduced the valuation price by £85,000 because of what we’ve promised to do, especially for the very young, the elderly, isolated and most vulnerable. Provided we could pay them£700,000, they would sell the site to the community.
“The Scottish Land Fund (SLF) has just given us that whole amount – and more!
“This SLF was set up by the Scottish Governmentto help charities just like ours working to improve local communities in the ways we have set out for the site, in order for it to become a vibrant hub of activity of people of all generations working and playing together; as we have often said, ‘the beating Heart of Newhaven’.
“All approved. We are now poised to sign two contracts: one with the SLFand the other with the Councilfor vacant possession of the site on a date yet to be announced, dependent on the completion of building works across the road. When we do get the keys, there will be much work to be done to get the building safe and ready for use, so bear with us. We will go as fast as we safely can.
“There will be plenty of exciting things to share to take us on through the challenge of the months ahead right through the inevitably unknown autumn and winter to come and into the spring of 2022 – when you will really begin to see things happen.”
Get more involved
The Board is looking for three new trustees to bring some new blood into the mix. If you live in the area and would like to become more involved, please check our new web page – Trustees
In the meantime …
Friendship Benches
Men’s Shed have finalised the design and size of the benches and are now completing jigs to help with the construction. As covid restrictions are slowly being relaxed more men are attending and therefore the work rate will increase. They are hoping that all will be ready by early September. Then the fun part will begin as local youngsters are called on to help decorate them.
So come with us into the future … it’s looking bright!
Morrisons has some stand-out deals on beers and wine this bank holiday weekend.
Customers can save up to £12.50 on selected bottles of champagne, that’s more than a third of the retail price. Prosecco has also been slashed to less than a fiver per bottle and 12 packs of beer are less than a tenner.
Morrisons is also helping customers who want to stock up on wines with a third off selected bottles including 19 Crimes, Most Wanted, Jacob’s Creek and Campo Viejo.
NHS’ Lothian’s vaccination Lothian Buses vaccination bus is rolling into the Grassmarket again today.
Anyone over 18 who requires either a 1st or 2nd dose of Moderna or AZ (provided they received the 1st more than 8 weeks ago) can attend – no appointment necessary.
An application to build new homes in Telford is facing opposition.
Port of Leith Housing Association has lodged plans to build eleven flats on the site of the shops on Telford Drive, but one resident has appealed to Drylaw Telford Community Council to challenge the application.
At one time there was a row of shops on the site at the heart of the scheme – older readers may recall a fish and chip shop, a haberdashery and a general store there – but the last remaining convenience store closed last year.
The nearest shops for Telford residents are at Ferry Road ‘shopping centre’ in Drylaw or over the busy Telford Road at Craigleith Retail Park – and at least one Telford woman thinks this is wrong.
She told Drylaw Telford Community Council: “When the shop closed in January 2020 it was to make way for flats and a convenience store included, but with covid that all fell through.
“We have waited on the same plans to re-emerge, only to find out that the council are giving planning permission according to a report in Edinburgh live yesterday , for the flats only.
“I am outraged as our nearest shop is the Today store in Drylaw and it is a long journey for most and to carry shopping is very hard.
“I have lived in this street for over 50 years and we have always had a shop here – Sohil the shop owner was reluctant to give up this land but he was promised a new shop would be built and he would have a choice to come back and run it.
“The residents of Telford Drive need a shop in our street – not everyone has a car.”
Drylaw Telford Community Council will discuss the application at their August meeting.
Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance has described the increase in drug-related deaths as “heart-breaking”, and reiterated the Scottish Government’s determination to continue its work to address the crisis.
National Records of Scotland figures show there were 1,339 deaths, an increase of 5% on 2019 and the highest figure on record.
From September, there will be quarterly reporting of suspected drug deaths to enable better surveillance and response from all those involved in tackling this public health emergency.
A national mission on the crisis was announced in January following the appointment of Angela Constance in December 2020 to the newly created post of Drugs Policy Minister.
Since then the Scottish Government has announced that £250 million will be spent on addressing the emergency over the next five years.
An immediate priority is getting more people into treatment and £100 million will go towards improving and increasing the provision of residential rehabilitation while £4 million is being spent on the implementation of MAT (Medication Assisted Treatment) standards.
The new standards ensure everyone has access to the support which works best for them, no matter where they live. Same day support will start to be rolled out from this autumn with all of the standards in place by April next year.
Other measures introduced so far this year as part of the national mission include:
funds totalling £18 million for improving outreach services and support for families, and increasing residential rehabilitation provision
£4 million on the expansion of the provision of long-lasting buprenorphine (Buvidal) into the wider community following a successful pilot in prisons
£400,000 on expanding the existing Heroin-Assisted Treatment facility in Glasgow – exploring its use in other parts of Scotland
£3 million to services to expand near-fatal overdose pathways
£3 million to expand the range of outreach services so that treatment and support are available regardless of where people live
£13.5 million for Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships to support local and national initiatives
guidance being finalised by a Drug Deaths Taskforce Working Group on the consistent prescribing of benzodiazepine
Ms Constance writing to the UK Minister for Policing to push for action on the regulation of pill presses, drug checking facilities and overdose prevention facilities
consultations with stakeholders on the formation of a National Collaborative (Forum) to focus on the voices of people with lived or living experience and families
Ms Constance said: “Once again, the statistics on drug-related deaths are heart-breaking. I want to offer my sincere condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one through drug use.
“We need to gather as much information as we can about drug use in Scotland and to that end, data on suspected drug deaths will be published quarterly from this September. This will ensure we can react more quickly and effectively to this crisis and identify any emerging trends.
“We are working hard to get more people into the treatment that works for them as quickly as possible. Without treatment, there is little hope of recovery so we are funding as many community and third sector initiatives as we can so that individuals have the widest possible choice and can opt for the support which suits them and their family.
“Of the £250 million announced over the next five years, £100 million will go on improving the provision of residential rehabilitation and I will update Parliament on progress in this area after the summer recess.
“As I have said before, I am determined that every penny of this additional funding will make a difference to all those affected by drug use in Scotland.”
Drug Deaths Taskforce Chair Professor Catriona Matheson said: “Every drug-related death in Scotland is an avoidable tragedy, and these figures serve to remind us of the importance and urgency of our mission to identify the areas of action that can make a sustainable impact against the challenge.
“We believe the approach of putting evidence into action has saved lives, and we will analyse the detail behind the headlines and look to build upon those areas showing progress and to address those areas requiring more attention.
“Both the causes of, and the solutions to, the challenge we all face are complex, at its heart are real people at real risk, and we continue to be determined to make difference for them.”
Lothians & Edinburgh Abstinence Programme Clinical Lead Dr David McCartney said: “All of us who work in addiction treatment are appalled at the high level of drug-related deaths in Scotland.
“Having a wide range of treatment options that are holistic, reduce harm, promote recovery and are integrated into a recovery oriented system of care is essential to address the crisis. I welcome the Scottish Government’s investment in residential rehabilitation treatment as part of the wider approach under the National Mission.”
Andrew Horne, director of the drug, alcohol and mental health charity With You, said: “With You remains concerned and saddened by the tragic and continual increase in the numbers of lives lost due to problems with drugs.
“Every drug-related death is preventable, and each death has a huge impact on families and communities, continuing to be felt years down the line. Our thoughts are with the thousands of people who have lost a loved one in the past year.
“We have a mountain to climb to reverse these alarming figures but with the recently strengthened commitment and decisive action now being taken, we are hopeful that change is possible.
“New investment in outreach teams for people who have had a non-fatal overdose or who have dropped out of treatment marks a significant step forward, as does the improved support for people transitioning from prison into the community. Changes to enable quicker access to appointments and more choice over treatment, as standard across Scotland, are also positive.
“These figures are stark, but with new initiatives, clear standards and high expectations of services and partnership working, they can be brought down.”
Scottish Conservative MSP Pam Gosal said: “That’s 1,339 preventable deaths. These were real people, with real families.
“The First Minister ‘took her eye off the ball’ and this resulted in drugs deaths at 3.5 times the level of England and Wales.
“It’s time that the Scottish Government dealt with Scotland’s shame.”
There were 92 drug-related deaths in Edinburgh last year, according to the new figures published by the National Records of Scotland.
The statistics showed that across Scotland a record 1,339 drug deaths were recorded in 2020, meaning Scotland once again has the highest rate of drug deaths in Europe.
Scottish Greens MSP for Lothian, Lorna Slater, said: “Today’s sad figures expose the devastating impact of the failed approach to drug policy in Edinburgh and across Scotland. Every single one of these deaths is a preventable tragedy.
“The strategy pursued by the UK and Scottish governments must change. The war on drugs has failed, it’s long past time for this crisis to be treated as the public health emergency that it is. We need a new approach which focuses on restoring people’s dignity and treating them, rather than criminalising them.
“We urgently need the Scottish Government to do everything in its powers to save lives. We also need all parties to work together to urge the Conservative Government in Westminster to devolve powers and change the out-dated and dangerous Misuse of Drugs Act.”
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “The Scottish Government can’t escape the fact that Scotland has the same drugs laws as the rest of the UK, but 3.5 times the rate of drug deaths.
“We need to look at every option to confront this, but we can and must act now. We need to invest in treatment and recovery.”
