As 2021 comes to an end, St James Quarter shows no signs of slowing down with seven new retailers opening their doors in time for Christmas.
Throughout the month of December, St James Quarter announces a number of openings including Thai Express Kitchen, German Doner Kebab, Wingstop, Reiss, Bubbleology, Moriconi and Sunnamusk, just in time for the busy festive season.
Catering to everyone, the new line-up offers everything from clothing and accessories to food and drink, providing a luxurious escape featuring new trends and tastes from around the world.
Much to foodies’ delight, Wingstop and Thai Express Kitchen are now open and are tingling tastebuds with the American and Canadian brands both beginning their first venture in Scotland, bringing flavours and recipes from across the globe.
German Doner Kebab also opened its doors to its third restaurant in Edinburgh late last week and has launched its limited-edition ultimate winter warmer to celebrate. The all-new Chilli Heatwave Krunch Burger is set to get pulses racing and has arrived just in time for the Christmas holidays.
For those looking for the perfect Christmas party outfit, they can shop ‘til they drop in the brand-new Reiss store which opened today. Taking The Quarter’s fashion offering to a whole new level, the iconic brand will offer fashionista’s high-quality pieces suitable for all ages.
And it doesn’t stop there, St James Quarter has welcomed new name Moriconi, an Italian jeweller featuring handmade pieces from Tuscany using both traditional and modern processing techniques to the main galleria floor.
Joining them later this month will be Bubbleology, a leading Bubble Tea brand, crafting made to order tea-based beverages and Sunnamusk, a specialist fragrance house based in the UK. Working with a team of highly skilled perfumers, Sunnamusk produces an exclusive range of pure fine oils, Eau de Parfum and home fragrances.
Getting into the Christmas spirit, St James Quarter is also running a 12 days of Christmas giveaway offering car park users the chance to receive an exciting free parking prize for use in January. Guests using the car park will be surprised at random between the 12th to 24th December.
Additionally, shoppers can make the most of parking at The Quarter with a fixed rate of £5 from 5.30pm onwards available during the festive period.
Nick Peel, Managing Director for St James Quarter, commented: “As we approach Christmas, there couldn’t be a better time to welcome new and exciting brands to St James Quarter. As the place to shop in Scotland’s capital, we’re proud to welcome a number of Scottish firsts as well as brands already popular with visitors to the city.
“From luxury fashion to exotic tastes, there’s something for everyone at The Quarter and our retailers will be sure to make Christmas shopping an enjoyable experience for all.
“We look forward to welcoming guests over the Christmas period and will be excited to share our latest developments in the new year.”
New cyber security venture from School with record of successful spin-outs
A NEW Edinburgh Napier project aims to bring trust and transparency to the software supply chain, as the School of Computing continues its drive to translate innovative research into real world impact.
The TrueDeploy venture has received £73,418 funding from Scottish Enterprise, as part of its High Growth Spin-out Programme (HGSP), to help develop the project’s innovative technology.
In setting its sights on the multi-billion pound industry to secure software development supply chains, TrueDeploy is following in the footsteps of Edinburgh Napier cyber security spin-outs ZoneFox, Symphonic Software, Cyan Forensics and MemCrypt which have already successfully made the leap from research lab to market.
The software supply chain relates to the development and supply of software for use across all organisations and systems. This supply chain needs to be managed by organisations that use software due to regulatory requirements and the obligations to ensure their systems are not compromised.
Recent high-profile cyber-attacks, including SolarWinds, Kaseya, and NotPetya, have cost companies and nation-states billions of dollars. Each of these attacks had the same underlying issue, in that they were possible because a threat actor managed to infiltrate and compromise software that was being developed by a software vendor in the long chain that exists from code being written to it being distributed to a customer.
Potential future spin-out TrueDeploy, which aims to resolve these issues by bringing transparency to the software supply chain, has been developed by a technical team led by research student Pavlos Papadopoulos.
He is working alongside the School of Computing’s Dr Nick Pitropakis and seasoned cyber security innovator Professor Bill Buchanan. The technical team will be supported on the project by a core business team of Nanik Ramchandani (Imagine Ventures) and Matthew Burdge (Business Development & Relationship Manager, School of Computing).
With Scottish Enterprise’s support, the team is aiming to develop their innovative technology over the next nine months.
Pavlos Papadopoulos, whose research work is focused on privacy-preserving systems around trust and identity, said: “We are thankful to Edinburgh Napier and Scottish Enterprise for their continuous support.
“This funding is the first step in bringing this innovation to reality.”
Nanik Ramchandani added: “We sincerely appreciate the support provided by Scottish Enterprise to the start-up ecosystem in Scotland.
“This support will help us identify the ideal commercial opportunity for TrueDeploy’s ground-breaking innovation.”
Victoria Carmichael, director of strategic investment at Scottish Enterprise, said: “Cyber security is a major issue facing society today and this project has the potential to be hugely impactful.
“Our High Growth Spin-out Programme helps turn innovative university research into successful business ventures. To date we’ve supported four cyber security spin outs from Edinburgh Napier, with TrueDeploy becoming the fifth, which speaks volumes about the university’s academic and commercial capabilities.”
Fiona Mason, Head of Business Engagement and IP Commercialisation at Edinburgh Napier, said: “We are thrilled to receive this recognition from Scottish Enterprise on another exciting venture arising from our cyber group.
“The project has benefitted from seed funding, and the inventor has worked closely with both the Business Development support, Matthew Burdge, and our Royal Society-funded Entrepreneur-in Residence, Jamie Graves, to develop the project to the high standard required by SE.
“We value the long-term platform the funding provides, both in terms of project development but also the access to networks, training and mentoring support.”
National Museums Scotland have acquired a trio of exceptionally rare silver objects created in Scotland in the 1600s. The quaich, trumpet bell and mazer are important examples of 17th century Scottish craftmanship and have been donated to the National Collections by Ron and Rosemary Haggarty.
The silver quaich is an item of 17th century luxury, elaborately engraved with tulips and exotic birds. It is one of the finest remaining pieces by skilled Aberdeen goldsmith William Scott and its diminutive size suggests that it was used to share potent beverages such as whisky or sherry.
The Bell of Cowcaddens Mazer is the earliest of the three silver items, made in Edinburgh c.1613-15. Mazers were also once popular communal drinking vessels but only nine Scottish examples are known to survive and just two made entirely from silver. The Cowcaddens Mazer was owned by the Provost of Glasgow and would have been passed from person to person to secure bonds of friendship and political alliances.
Once mistakenly identified as the neck of a silver vase, the silver trumpet bell is now known to be the only surviving section of a long ceremonial trumpet. This particular example is engraved with the coat of arms of the Cassillis family from Ayrshire and would have been used during state and civic rituals.
It is one of just three Scottish trumpets from the 1600s still in existence.
Lyndsay McGill, Curator of Renaissance & Early Modern Scottish History at National Museums Scotland said: “Scottish marked silver from the 1600s is scarce, especially examples of this quality. These objects are hugely significant, representing the capability and skill of Scottish silversmiths and revealing more about a fascinating period in Scottish history.
“We are delighted to accept this gift and thank both Rosemary Haggarty and her late husband Ron for their remarkable contribution to the National Collections.”
On long-term loan to National Museums Scotland since 2004, individual objects from this outstanding collection of Scottish silver have featured in exhibitions, publications, lectures, and workshops.
Now secured for the nation through this generous gift, it will be possible to conduct more research into their intriguing design and ownership.
Psychologists say we can adapt our festive celebrations to tackle loneliness despite Covid caution
Psychologists at the British Psychological Society are encouraging people to look at building new traditions and ways of celebrating, as Covid-19 continues to cast uncertainty over traditional Christmas plans.
Experts from the BPS are urging us to apply the lessons of 2020 and develop new ways of celebrating Christmas safely for all generations to help to avoid loneliness.
Professor Vivian Hill, chartered member of the BPS, who has studied loneliness extensively, says: “We can evolve our Christmas traditions, just like we always have, so while Christmas 2021 might not be quite what we planned, rather than looking at what we cannot do, and what we are missing, let’s flip it on its head and see how we can make new traditions, new memories and keep all our loved ones safe.
“Last year people were incredibly resilient and adapted in all sorts of ways to celebrate Christmas. While we all wish that Covid-19 was not impacting our Christmas again this year, it means we can focus on genuine, authentic interactions with people, and actually have the freedom to celebrate it in the way that works for our families, free of the myths of what Christmas ‘should be’.
“This could be spreading celebrations out with different groups and generations, rather than all gathering for one big meal, meeting for walks and mulled wine or Christmas picnics (weather permitting). This is not only safer, but it also avoids people being left out or lonely, or feeling like a burden.
“Feelings of loneliness can be heightened at this time of year and it is a very personal experience with some people feeling lonely even when they part of a large gathering. For others the feeling of being outside the norm of a big family Christmas can be very painful.
“In the past 18 months we have learnt more about loneliness and about the importance of reaching out to people, so it’s really important we continue to do this and recognise that loneliness can happen across any generation.”
Food banks in Scotland are preparing for their most challenging Christmas yet as they struggle with rising demand and dwindling public donations, new research shows.
According to a survey by community giving platform Neighbourly – which Aldi partners with to distribute surplus food from its stores – 68% of food banks, charities and community causes in Scotland are worried about having enough food to support people this Christmas.
Neighbourly polled more than 600 food banks and community causes nationwide and found that 89% in Scotland expect this Christmas to be their busiest yet, with more people than ever needing their support.
However, the survey also revealed that 71% of food banks in the region have witnessed a drop in donations in recent months – with the fallout of the pandemic and rising cost of living continuing to impact contributions.
On average, food banks in Scotland expect to see a 36% increase in demand over the next three months, with organisations in the area currently supporting an average of 203 people a week. More than 67% say they’ve already experienced an increase in demand since the summer.
From tinned foods to festive treats and toiletries, the research also revealed a list of the items that are most needed by food banks over the festive period to help guide supporters. Shoppers can donate food to local charities, food banks and community groups via the community donation points in Aldi stores nationwide.
Mary Dunn, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi UK, said:“Christmas can be a particularly busy time for the local charities and organisations we support, but this year is set to be more challenging than ever.
“As part of our Christmas campaign with Kevin the Carrot and Marcus Radishford, we have committed to donate 1.8 million meals to good causes in the lead-up to Christmas – and we know that our customers in Scotland want to help too.
“If you feel you are in a position to help, your donation could make all the difference to food banks this Christmas.”
Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, added: “The findings of our latest survey highlight that the continued impact of the pandemic, combined with increased inflation, is being very much felt by communities up and down the country, with charities and local causes feeling the effects too.
“We’d encourage anyone who is able to give back in the coming weeks to do so.”
Aldi works with Neighbourly to donate surplus food from stores throughout the year.
The North Edinburgh Arts building will be closed from 5pm today (Friday 17th December) for a festive break, and won’t be open to the public again until the planned Macmillan Hub is complete.
Due to this ongoing redevelopment our 2022 programme will run from partner venues across North Edinburgh, with West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre offering us a temporary home.
We’ll be announcing more details soon, sign up to our monthly newsletter to get all our news directly.
Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw remains disappointed with the response of Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, to a question from Mark Griffin MSP (Labour, Central Scotland) about closing large retail stores on New Year’s Day 2022, so that retail workers can spend the day with their loved ones.
The exchange took place in the Scottish Parliament at yesterday’s First Minister’s Questions. The Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Act 2007 barred large stores from opening on Christmas Day and gave the Scottish Government powers to introduce a similar ban on New Year’s Day.
Tracy Gilbert, Usdaw’s Scottish Regional Secretary, said:“Nicola Sturgeon’s warm words and sympathy mean little when the Scottish Government refuses to enact powers given to them to stop the opening of large stores on New Year’s Day.She clearly is not listening to the 98% of Scottish shopworkers who want stores to close.
“Our members are deeply disappointed with the attitude of the Scottish Government. Retail staff have worked throughout the pandemic, faced unprecedented levels of abuse and are now dealing with very busy run up to the festive season.
“The very least that these key workers can expect is that the Scottish Government shows their appreciation for the essential work they’ve done through this appalling pandemic by giving them a proper festive break.”
Speaking after FMQs, Mark Griffin says: “The First Minister claims that an order laid under the existing Act, if brought into force, wouldn’t give all shopworkers the day off on 1 January. However, her government has had 14 years to come up with something better and so far they have failed.
“In fact all the SNP in Government have done is stand back while New Year’s Day trading has grown, forcing more staff into work and away from their families on 1st January.”
Regeneration projects in some of Scotland’s more disadvantaged and rural communities will share more than £25 million of funding.
One of these is the Macmillan Hub in Muirhouse, which has been allocated £2 million, while nearby West Shore Studios on Granton Waterfront receives £1.73 million.
The Regeneration Capital Grant Fund will support 22 locally developed place-based projects that tackle inequalities and promote sustainable and inclusive economic recovery from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Whilst helping revitalise town centres and neighbourhoods, these projects aim to support up to 3,000 jobs, training and volunteering opportunities and reduce local carbon emissions.
Projects to benefit from a share of this fund include:
initiatives that transform historic buildings into new shared business spaces, including work to turn a disused historic building in Renfrewshire into the country’s first theatre designed for young people
a new £4 million technology hub in Shawfield, Glasgow, that will provide low carbon space for engineering development, medical, and digital research industries
a new £2.3 million Skills and Innovation Centre in Kelloholm, Dumfries and Galloway, that will create community project space and offices for third sector and small businesses
funding of £2 million to unlock investment worth £14.6 million to create a new hub in Muirhouse that will provide a nursery, library, workshops for new businesses, an expanded cafe plus six affordable homes and a revamped community arts centre
a new £750,000 centre in South Uist to promote Gaelic language, culture, music and dance
Welcoming the funding, city council leader Adam McVey said: “This funding comes as a fantastic endorsement for the work we’re doing to create equal and sustainable communities in North Edinburgh. Coming just before Christmas at a very difficult time for communities still struggling to cope with the effects of the pandemic it is very welcome news indeed.
“It will help enormously with our multi-use hub adding to our major success story in regenerating North Edinburgh. It’s so exciting to see this joint project with North Edinburgh Arts getting this recognition and endorsement. As well as a cultural hub, the funding will help provide an accessible library and quality early years care at the heart of the community.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “In recent years our North Edinburgh regeneration project has brought massive positive change and a more equal and sustainable future for the communities living in the Pennywell and Muirhouse areas. It’s great to see further investment completing our regeneration at MacMillan Square.
“The pandemic is very much still with us and I’m so pleased communities in North Edinburgh have some inspiration and great news for the New Year. This further investment for our creative and community hub at Granton Waterfront enhances our £1.3bn wider Granton Waterfront project and follows on from our work with communities building new homes and facilities nearby.
“I’m pleased to see the new hub being delivered for us by Edinburgh Palette in Granton Waterfront is receiving the recognition it deserves.
Lesley Hinds, Chair of North Edinburgh Arts, said: “North Edinburgh Arts (NEA) is a multi-award winning project with strong community support and we are thrilled to be awarded funding from the Scottish Government.
“This funding means NEA can move forward with the MacMillan Hub project, in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, to provide much needed space and services for the local area. NEA recently finalised a Community Asset Transfer which brings the NEA building, land and garden into community ownership and allows for the expansion of our work, essential now more than ever, as we recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We now look forward to securing the additional resources needed to build on this important award. I want to give my thanks to the NEA Board, staff, officers at the City of Edinburgh Council, Richard Murphy Architects and, most importantly, the community of North Edinburgh for their continued support.”
Community Wealth Minister Tom Arthur said: “The last few years have been tough for us all but many of Scotland’s communities have been more impacted than others. The latest projects to benefit from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund are working to tackle inequalities and create vibrant town centres and neighbourhoods.
“By securing investment from this £25 million fund, these innovative projects demonstrate the powerful role those in our communities can have in helping to transform their town centres and neighbourhoods by investing in their future. The Scottish Government will do all it can to support projects that help create the fairer, greener and more prosperous Scotland we all want to see.”
COSLA’s Environment and Economy spokesperson Councillor Steven Heddle said: “Once again, the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund has created the opportunity to deliver jobs, tackle inequalities and create better places across Scotland.
“The exciting projects announced today showcase the best of partnership between local authorities and our communities, delivering economic and social renewal as we rebuild from the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The diversity of projects supported is testament to the success of identifying local solutions to enable people to live well locally.
“In the face of the climate emergency, it is essential that the most vulnerable in society are not further disadvantage by climate change and I am especially pleased to see the additional focus on achieving a just transition to a net zero society.”
Matt Lammie, Chair of Kirkconnel & Kelloholm Development Trust, said: “This grant support for the new Kelloholm Skills and Innovation Centre is fantastic news and a great boost to the community of Kirkconnel and Kelloholm, in what has been a difficult year.
“Our whole community has worked hard to bring the Skills & Innovation Centre project forward and it will make a real difference to regenerating our area, connecting us to the wider world, and most important of all it will help our young people to get the skills that the need so that they can live, work and prosper here where they were brought up rather than having to move away.”
City council leaders have urged residents to be extra vigilant and follow the guidance in place to help minimise the impact of the Omicron Covid variant.
Speaking at yesterday’s full Council meeting, Council Leader Adam McVey appealed to the public to test regularly, minimise social contacts and stay at home as much as possible in the lead-up to Christmas.
He also stressed the importance of getting vaccinated, and highlighted the efforts being made to facilitate vaccinations, including at the soon to be opened Edinburgh International Conference Centre mass vaccination centre.
Cllr McVey said: With cases of the Omicron variant now doubling every two or three days this is an area of huge concern, both for public health officials and ourselves as policy makers.
“I can’t stress enough the importance of following the rules around hand-washing, mask-wearing and ventilation and testing – visit our website for details of community testing sites or to order a home testing kit.
“Perhaps most importantly, getting vaccinated is probably our biggest weapon against serious illness and hospitalisation and I would urge everyone to make their appointment for first, second and booster vaccinations as quickly as possible.
“We’re working really hard with partners to maximise capacity for administering vaccinations, and this has included keeping the Royal Highland Centre open for appointments and reopening the Edinburgh International Conference Centre for vaccinations as soon as next week. Please visit the NHS website for more information and to book your appointment.
“As we approach Christmas, I also want to echo the First Minister’s advice to stay at home as much as possible – more than we normally would at this time of year – and minimise contacts.
“I know this is hard to do but we have it in our power to minimise the impact of this virus by reducing the chance for it to spread.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day added:“We face a rapidly evolving situation and we’re constantly monitoring the guidance with regard to our own buildings and services and also to provide guidance and support to businesses across the city to continue to operate safely.
“As well as having to adapt to the latest guidance, this is an extremely uncertain time and a particular concern for our local businesses and I’d like to take the opportunity to encourage everyone to shop local wherever possible.
“As soon as details of national support for business schemes are confirmed our teams are ready to help administer this too, as we have done throughout the pandemic.
“We’ll do all we can to keep any disruption to an absolute minimum but there’s every chance that we’ll have to make changes over the coming weeks. We’re planning ahead and liaising with partners to make sure we’re prepared. Keep an eye on our website and social media channels for further information and service updates.”
Lord Provost Frank Ross said earier this week: “As we look forward to Christmas and the New Year, we all have a duty to do so responsibly with the safety of others foremost in our minds.”
NOTE: The Scottish Government published the updated business guidance yesterday afternoon
Community test centres and mobile test centres are open for people with no Covid symptoms. Full details of these, and how to order home lateral flow testing kits, are available online.
Research from the Marine Conservation Society found an average of 262 plastic and polystyrene pieces for every 100m of Portobello beach
St Andrew’s Takeaway is currently using an estimated 10,800 disposable food containers a month. Over a year, this would have the same carbon cost as a return flight from Edinburgh to New York
If five percent of their customers switched to reusable food containers, it would save 100kg of carbon dioxide equivalent a year
Zero Waste Scotland has launched the first wave of its Ditching Disposables pilot, which will help a number of Scottish businesses to reduce and eliminate their reliance on single-use items.
The drive coincides with the recent announcement from the Scottish Government that they will ban a wide range of single-use plastics items from June 2022.
The new regulations include restrictions on plastic cutlery, drink stirrers, and food containers made from expanded polystyrene – items predominately found in cafes and hospitality businesses.
The legislation covers these plastic items made from both fossil-based and plant-based plastics regardless of whether they are recyclable, biodegradable or compostable. It also covers plastic items which contain recycled content.
In line with recommendations of the Expert Panel on Environmental Charges and Other Measures, the Ditching Disposables project will support organisations across Scotland to trial and implement sustainable alternatives to problematic single-use items. A common mistake, which businesses must avoid where possible, is to replace one disposable option with another one made from a different material.
This is why Zero Waste Scotland is embarking on a collaborative campaign to guide businesses on alternative and environmentally friendly solutions, such as swapping single-use plastic stirrers with reusablemetal spoons rather than wooden ones, which also end up in the bin after one use.
The Ditching Disposables pilot is also a pivotal step towards the creation of a first-of-its-kind roadmap – a guide that will equip businesses across the world with the necessary tools and knowledge, using data collated from successful interventions found through the initiative.
Iain Gulland, Chief Executive at Zero Waste Scotland, said:“We’ve all seen those pictures and videos of horrendous litter pollution strewn across land and sea. Waste, predominately made up of single-use items, is persistently causing harm to the environment in Scotland as well as the rest of the world.
“Right now, we live in a throwaway society, and we urgently need to move away from disposables completely. Our Ditching Disposables pilot is a huge step towards this goal.
“We’re working directly with business owners and their customers, at the ground level, to give them the right tools to find alternatives to disposables. We’re confident this pilot will help them to feel like they’re doing their vital part in reducing the amount of waste we produce.
“At COP26, Scotland proved it’s a world-leader when it comes to sustainability, and this pioneering project will further cement this status and form part of its legacy.”
Welcoming the pilot project, Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “There is no longer any doubt that plastic waste is having a hugely damaging impact on our oceans, environment and climate.
“The Scottish Government supports a move away from the old-fashioned and environmentally destructive consumption model of take, make and consume.
“Lessons from this trial will be crucial in our efforts to reduce our reliance on single-use plastic and in our journey towards a circular economy that promotes re-use, repair and recycling.”
Take-out fish and chips for a stroll in the beach often come in wax-coated paper boxes, which have a carbon impact and cannot be easily recycled.
However, many food outlets use them. St Andrew’s Takeaway is currently trialling innovative alternatives but, in the meantime, uses an estimated 10,800 disposable food containers a month.
Over a year, this would have the same carbon cost as a return flight from Edinburgh to New York. If five percent of their customers switched to reusable food containers, it would save 100kg of carbon dioxide equivalent a year.
Businesses in Portobello and Joppa already signed up to take part in the Ditching Disposables pilot include Malvarosa, Go Go Beets, Oscar’s Gelato, The Boathouse, St Andrews Restaurant & Takeaway and ShrimpWreck.
They’ll trial a series of initiatives including a deposit scheme for reusable containers, a charge for single-use items and edible spoons for ice cream.
Alvaro Bernabeu, Owner of Malvarosa restaurant, said:“I don’t see sustainability as a trend but the way forward. As a small business, we’re doing what we can and want to play a part in changing attitudes.
“The recent ban on problematic single-use items by the Scottish Government is a very welcome step, but there isn’t enough guidance available to businesses on what is the most environmentally friendly alternative. I see this pilot as a really worthwhile exercise and I’m sure it’ll be very welcome by my customers.”
The Ditching Disposables initiative will be supported by a regionalised social media campaign, featuring striking imagery of plastic waste on Portobello Beach, and using the hashtag #DitchingDisposables.
The campaign originally made headlines when announced in early 2020 with support from the Scottish Government – being hailed as an important step towards banishing polluting single-use items for good. However, it had to be paused due to businesses closing in line with lockdown restrictions.
Catherine Gemmell, Scotland Conservation Officer for the Marine Conservation Society, said:“The Ditching Disposables campaign is a fantastic opportunity to give Scotland a glimpse into what having a circular economy would look like and the massive benefits across society it would bring.
“By moving to reuse, repair and refill our volunteers would start to see less plastic on our beaches which would save wildlife, keep Scotland stunning and reduce our carbon footprint.”
