Hypothetically speaking, if you were in a boardroom with a ticking clock, the survival of humanity on your shoulders and a growing sense of a darker reality, would you succeed… no matter what?
A group of corporate consultants’ battle morality and mystery with logic in this hilariously dark play. Do hypothetical actions have very real consequences? Is everything just as it seems and how do you know that? Can we trust you to let the paranoia sink in, as comedy and thriller distort the truth of this hypothetically real Ideation!
Aaron Loeb’s sinister comedy will leave you questioning all things you ever thought to be real. Ideation, first performed in 2014, scarily resonates with prominent affairs today. Set in real time, Ideation is a fast-paced analytical response to the society we live in today. With a directorial debut, Chlöe Hallsworth has brought to life (and to Edinburgh) a play that will leave you wanting more.
Exeter University Theatre Company, fondly known as EUTCo, is one of the largest and longest running theatre societies at the university. Our goal is to get students involved in directing, producing, stage management, technical management, and performing professional quality drama.
The society provides a platform to produce innovative and high-quality student theatre, in an effort to entertain and inspire the rest of the student body and the larger community in Exeter.
EUTCo also offers a number of industry led workshops for members and non-members to further provide theatrical opportunities for students.
‘Ideation makes the mundane amusing and the average extraordinary’ Exeposé
Napier Knights giving young players a head start in American football
Edinburgh Napier Knights, the university’s American football team, is celebrating the achievement of breakthrough quarterback Cameron Dunn – one of several young players who are making moves towards playing the sport professionally.
The 20-year-old, who took up the sport with the Knights youth teams in Sighthill, is embarking on a scholarship with St John Fisher University in New York state, which is due to formally start next month.
After arriving in the USA, he said: “The move over has gone well so far. We are just settling into the pre-season camp schedule now. With practices underway, every day is busy, but exciting.
“The Knights have really helped me prepare to compete at this level with the quarterback coaching I received last year.
“Being able to compete against Americans who have played all their life is really special.”
Edinburgh Napier Knights Head Coach and Club Chairman Pete Laird said: “Cameron started with us as a youth, ended up choosing to come to university, then broke all sorts of records with the team.
“He’s so dedicated, such an earnest kid, his parents have kept him on the steady level. He is a wonderful example to others at the club.”
Cameron isn’t the only young Knights player to have been offered a chance at a higher level. The Knights’ youth teams, which were founded by Edinburgh Napier University students in 2017 as a way of getting children from the Sighthill and Broomhouse community into sport and education, have also drawn more attention from across the country.
Just weeks after the club fielded an under 19s outfit for the first time, it will provide 25 players for the Scotland under 19 squad for an upcoming fixture on 24 September.
Some of those players – AJ Danso, Charlie Torrance-Hay and Steven Malan – have been recruited on athletic scholarship degrees by English universities, while under 16s Luca Clement and Charlie Rattray were invited to try out for a place at the new NFL Academy in Loughborough.
Their development stems from the club’s determination to give young people opportunities in sport in an area of Edinburgh which has suffered from anti-social behaviour and vandalism.
Pete Laird explained: “American football has gone from being a novelty to a participation sport. That is the big difference for us.
“We had 85 kids last year and we’re now starting to see scouts come from elsewhere coming to watch our players. We get kids that have never played before and we teach them the game. We have a resource in our students who can do that – they have such a love and a passion for it.
“For us the main thing about trying to engage with the local kids and offer them an alternative. The university was always seen as an alien external building to them, but we try to show them it’s part of the community. We tell them ‘students at Napier are just like you’.
“That’s what we’re in it for, if they use it as a platform to stay in studies then we’ve done our job. I always say we could be teaching tiddlywinks. It is about giving them an outlet.”
The club is open to anyone aged 8-19 and is always on the lookout for new players.
A consultation has launched seeking the views of residents on the plan for Inch Park and what improvements people would like to see.
The City of Edinburgh Council’s Thriving Green Spaces Project is producing a vision masterplan for regenerating Inch Park, which aims to set out what could happen at the park in the future.
The proposals are now on display during an eight-week public consultation to gain feedback from the local community and park users.
Since last summer, work on a draft masterplan has been underway with a working group of interested parties involved in coming up with proposals on how Inch Park can better serve the community and capitalise on its potential and popularity.
The group includes Council staff, representatives from the local community councils, Inch Community Association and community sports clubs who have all worked together to come up with a plan that would make improvements in the area.
Participants will be asked about the overall concept plan, the wider park improvement ideas, opportunities to make the park better for nature and wildlife and proposed new visitor facilities and new café.
They will be asked for their views on the following objectives:
Celebration of Inch’s history – including things such as restoration of the historic Inch House and outbuildings
Activities for all – such as a new all-weather 11-a side sports pitch and facilities and new visitor centre
Accessibility – other improvements to the park including new paths, lighting, entrances and furniture
Play – such as a new play area and facilities for children
Sustainability – creating habitats for wildlife and connecting them to other city areas and using sustainable low/zero carbon heating and power generation.
The masterplan also formed the basis of a Levelling Fund bid that the Thriving Green Spaces team have submitted to the UK Government. A result on the bid is expected this autumn and if successful it will enable the project to proceed immediately to the next stage, detailed design followed by a planning application.
Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Val Walker, said: “Inch Park is a popular park in the capital and has lots of potential. The proposed masterplan suggests some very exciting ideas and I very much look forward to hearing the feedback.
“Of course, masterplans give us a vision – but what will actually be possible depends on local support and on funding. Which is why we want to make sure it has everything users and visitors to the park need and we have an accurate account of what residents want to see there.
“The responses we receive will help further develop our masterplan, which funding and resource permitting will form the basis for improvements to Inch Park. I’d urge as many local residents as possible to have their say in this consultation so we can develop a truly community-based proposal.”
Master planning gives an overall broad plan for an area and is an aspiration. Whether or not it is delivered in full depends on many things, including funding and resource and checking if the ideas are feasible.
Thriving Green Spaces Project has been made possible thanks to funding from the National Heritage Lottery Fund and National Trust ‘Future Parks Accelerator’ programme.
Find out more about Inch Park Masterplan consultation and take part on the Council website. The consultation will close 28 September.
POLICE Officers from our Prevention, Intervention and Partnerships Dept will be holding a bike marking event at our mobile police station at East Princes Street Gardens on Thursday (25/08/22) between 10-2pm.
Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland has announced that the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship is again seeking applications from aspiring chefs working in Scotland. Eligible applicants can find out more information by visiting https://hitscotland.co.uk/scholarships
Positioned as the ultimate scholarship that any aspiring chef in Scotland could receive, the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship is a fantastic opportunity for any chef looking to grow their knowledge and gain experience within renowned establishments.
Sponsored by HIT Scotland and The Gleneagles Hotel, and supported by Restaurant Andrew Fairlie and Perth College UHI, the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship is now in its 3rd year. The scholarship launched in 2019, with the late Andrew Fairlie spearheading the initiative in partnership with HIT Scotland – an industry charity he was closely associated with.
The recipient will gain industry-wide recognition as an Andrew Fairlie Scholar and experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to continue their culinary education, such as a practical stage at 2 Michelin star Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, and 3-star restaurant Core by Clare Smyth in London.
Last year, two scholarships were awarded to Josh Wilkinson and Amy Stephenson.
The judges include some of the country’s finest chefs, who all knew Andrew Fairlie well. Joining Stephen McLaughlin, Head Chef at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, is fellow 2 Michelin starred chef Tom Kerridge, Masterchef winner and National Chef of Scotland, Gary McLean, Lorna McNee, 1 star Head Chef at Cail Bruich, and Andrew’s former mentor Keith Podmore.
Stephen McLaughlin, Head Chef at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, said: “I’m delighted that we are starting the search for another Andrew Fairlie scholar, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Scotland’s future stars have to offer this year.
“I’m excited to see what the applicants design as their dish to be cooked if they make the Final skills test. We’ve put some conditions on what that should include, but we want the chefs to use their knowledge and creativity to come up with something to showcase their personality, and impress us.
“The Andrew Fairlie Scholarship is a fantastic opportunity for chefs that want to push themselves to be the best they can be, to learn from and be inspired by other talented chefs, and to continue their personal development in this industry that we love.”
To apply, potential candidates will complete an online application exploring their thoughts on why they’d like to win this scholarship, their hopes for their future career as a chef, and who in the industry has recently inspired them.
They will have to show their knowledge and creativity by creating a dish to be cooked and served on Finals Day in November, using their choice of wild furred Scottish game in season, with 2 garnishes (1 must include fruit), accompanied by a poivrade sauce. From this, up to 6 chefs will be chosen to take part in the Grand Final in November.
The finalists will take part in a skills test at Perth College UHI which will focus on their skills, knowledge, and creativity, with the winner showing the right mix of personality and professionalism to be named an Andrew Fairlie Scholar.
Eligible applicants can find out more information by visiting:
✓ Increase in the rate reflects the low annual comparison point in June 2021
✓ 19 Local Authorities have price growth in excess of 10.0%
✓ Transactions are lower than in June 2021 – but that was a bumper month
✓ Argyll and Bute has highest growth rate at 25.5%
• The Walker Fraser Steele Acadata House Price Index (Scotland). Please refer to the Notes at the end for information on content and methodology.
• Walker Fraser Steele is the trading name of e.surv Chartered Surveyors in Scotland.
Scott Jack, Regional Development Director at Walker Fraser Steele, comments: “June is the mid-point in the calendar year, the summer solstice marking when the sun is at its most northerly point – but will this June also herald a change in temperature for the housing market in Scotland? Possibly.
“Average house prices continued to rise in June, but only by 0.4% (£950) to £221,900 accompanied by a slight downturn in the total number of transactions – compared admittedly to an unusually high number in June last year.
“Added to this, four of the bottom five local authorities by value saw prices fall in June, suggesting that the lower end of the market is running out of steam. However, looking in the round, whilst the number of transactions may be cooling, continued lack of supply and strong demand, particularly for higher value, spacious properties, is fuelling individual prices.
“There were 70 sales in excess of £750,000 in June alone, the highest annual increase in average house prices recorded in Argyle & Bute, up 25.5% over the year, with June seeing three high value houses go for well over the asking price. In fact, for the year to date there have been 453 sales in excess of £750,000 in Scotland, over half (228) in Edinburgh, driving the underlying rise in average house prices which have increased by 10.5% (£21,000) on an annual basis.
“As we move into the second half of the year it will be interesting to see the impact of reduced competition at the lower end of the market on properties higher up the value chain. However, to date, the sun continues to shine almost unabated as restricted supply remains the dominant factor for house prices across Scotland.”
Commentary: John Tindale, Acadata Senior Housing Analyst
The June housing market
The average price paid for a house in Scotland in June 2022 is £221,900, establishing yet another record price for the country – the twelfth occasion that this has happened in the last twelve months.
This price is some £21,000 higher than that seen in June 2021, indicating that prices have risen by 10.5% on an annual basis. This annual growth rate is the highest recorded to date in 2022, but it has been elevated by a near £3,000 fall in prices that occurred twelve months earlier in June 2021, meaning that the base point for measuring the annual growth rate started from a particularly low level.
In fact, the average house price only rose by some £950, or +0.4%, in June 2022 – the lowest monthly increase of this calendar year.
Figure 1. The average house price in Scotland over the period June 2020 to June 2022 (Link to source Excel)
As discussed, there would appear to be a minor slowdown in the number of transactions that took place in June 2022, compared to the previous year – although June 2021 had set a new record level for the month, and was also the fourth-highest monthly total of the previous ten years, so the bar to clear had been set extremely high.
On page 5 we show that the number of high-value transactions are similarly seeing a minor slowdown, but again the June 2021 total was always going to be hard to exceed. However, the June 2022 total is the second month of this calendar year in which the total number of high-value sales is not the greatest for the month of the eight years shown.
Nevertheless, the desire to live in properties with plenty of space, generally meaning the purchase of high-value detached properties, continues. Frequently, the achieved selling price then exceeds that of the guide price, likely indicating that there has been competition for properties with the requisite characteristics.
New instructions to sell remain relatively thin on the ground, so maintaining the tight supply conditions, and hence supporting the monthly increase in house prices. The latest RICS UK Residential Survey does not anticipate that this pattern will change “for the time being”.
Annual change
The average house price in Scotland increased by some £21,000 – or 10.5% – over the last twelve months, to the end of June. This is a near £4,000 increase over the £17,000 growth in prices seen in the twelve months to the end of May 2022 – but prices in June 2021 fell by £3,000 from May 2021, so the base starting point for measuring annual changes in value was already at a relatively low level, making it more likely that prices would show an increase twelve months later.
In June 2022, 30 of the 32 local authority areas in Scotland saw their average prices rise over the levels seen twelve months earlier – the two exceptions being Na h-Eileanan Siar and Inverclyde, although the average property price in Na h-Eileanan Siar only fell by £5 over the year. These two areas are currently bottom of Table 3, meaning that they have the two lowest average property values of the 32 local authority areas in Scotland. As we suggested last month, this may indicate that the competition between buyers for homes is not so intense at the lower end of the price spectrum.
The area with the highest annual increase in average house prices in June 2022 was Argyll and Bute, where values have risen by 25.5% over the year. This is the third month in succession that Argyll and Bute has recorded the highest annual change in prices, having been assisted in this process by a number of high-value sales achieving prices above their guide levels. This again occurred in June, with a five-bedroom detached home on the Isle of Bute having an asking price of £700,000 but selling for £830,000. Three examples, in the same area, show the way in which competition for homes in attractive locations can result in a noticeable increase in average house prices.
On a weight-adjusted basis, which employs both the change in prices and the number of transactions involved, there are five local authority areas in June that account for 42% of the £21,000 increase in Scotland’s average house price over the year. The five areas in descending order of influence are: – Edinburgh (13%), Glasgow (11%); South Lanarkshire (7%); Fife (6%); and Perth and Kinross (5%).
Monthly change
In June 2022, Scotland’s average house price in the month rose by some £950, or 0.4%, continuing the pattern of minor upward oscillations in property values on a monthly basis. The average price in Scotland now stands at £221,900, which sets a record level for the nation for the twelfth month in succession.
In June 2022, 18 of the 32 Local Authority areas in Scotland experienced rising prices in the month, three fewer than in May. The largest increase in average prices in June, of 7.4%, was in Perth and Kinross, where the average price of detached homes increased from £350k in May to £380k in June. The average price for homes was elevated in the month by the sale of a four-bedroom local architect designed detached property near to the Bridge of Cully, which sold for its asking price of £1.3 million.
At the other end of the scale, the lowest increase in average prices in June, of -7.4%, was in Inverclyde. In Inverclyde the price of detached homes fell from an average £360k in May to £300k in June – however, only two detached homes were actually sold in the area in June – which explains why the movement in average prices was so exaggerated. Flats are the most frequently purchased property type in Inverclyde, and these increased in price from an average £78k in May to £82k in June – a far more reasonable movement in prices over the month.
It is interesting to note that four of the bottom five local authorities by value all saw prices fall in the month, which as we commented earlier suggests that the lower-priced sector of the market is not seeing the same level of competition as is being experienced at the higher end of the market, thus allowing prices to fall.
Peak Prices
Each month, we highlight the local authority areas which have reached a new record in their average house prices. In June, there are 13 such authorities, four less than in May. We can also add that Scotland itself has set a record average price in June 2022 – the sixth of this calendar year.
Heat Map
30 of the 32 local authority areas in Scotland have seen a rise in their average property values over the last year, the two exceptions being Na h-Eileanan Siar and Inverclyde.
The highest increase over the twelve months to June 2022 was in Argyll and Bute at 25.5%. 19 of the 32 local authority areas had price growth in excess of 10.0%.
Please join us at our AGM tomorrow (Tuesday, 23rd August) at 12pm.
Are you interested in becoming more active in your local community and shaping the future of your Neighbourhood Centre? We are looking for local people to join our Management Committee as a Charity Trustee.
In order to be elected on to our Management Committee you must be a member of the Drylaw Telford Community Association – membership is free.
Membership forms will be available at the AGM or drop in to the centre prior to the meeting.
A new report from Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) details the breadth and depth of the cost of living crisis, with soaring energy bills driving “frightening” demand for advice around food insecurity.
The charity is publishing a quarterly cost of living analysis looking at advice demand. It found that in more than 1 in 10 utilities cases, the client also required advice around food insecurity such as a food bank referral.
Comparing the first quarter of this year to the previous financial year, the analysis also shows soaring views of online advice in energy areas such as:
Across the CAB network itself, last year 26% of all utilities advice related to cost of living or income crisis measures. In the first quarter of this year that had grown to 35%.
Last year 36% of finance and charitable support advice was food bank referrals or shopping vouchers. In quarter one of this year this had grown to 45%.
The report also analyses demand across demographics, and finds that council rented tenants and those out of work, or unable to work, are seeking advice related to the cost of living at higher levels than other groups.
The charity is warning that this increased demand is before the impact of a “toxic cocktail” this winter of the energy price cap going up, higher inflation, and increased interest rates.
Citizens Advice Scotland Chief Executive Derek Mitchell said:“The Citizens Advice network gives a wraparound service when people come to us for advice because people have complex problems and need help with multiple issues. Our data tracks the patterns and connections between the advice we are giving out and the problems society faces. What we are seeing is frankly frightening.
“More than one in every ten people seeking help with an energy issue also requires help with food insecurity. Let’s be absolutely clear what that means – some people face the prospect of freezing or starving this winter.
“This crisis is affecting everyone, but some people are especially at risk – our data shows higher demand for advice from council tenants, those out of work and those unable to work. That to me suggests broad support alone will not be enough – there needs to be targeted help for the vulnerable.
“We are seeing these issues before a toxic cocktail this winter of soaring energy bills, growing inflation and higher interest rates. People are hanging on by their finger tips and it’s the summer – how are they expected to cope when the temperature drops and bills rise?
“CABs are here for people during this crisis. We helped 171,000 people last year and a further 2.5 million checked our online advice. We are for everyone regardless of background or circumstance and it’s so important people understand we are here for them with free, confidential and impartial advice. We don’t judge, we just help.
“That help though, needs to be back up by policymakers delivering the kind or urgent and significant policy interventions to help people. Make no mistake, this is a challenge on a scale of the 2008 financial crisis or the 2020 pandemic, and will require solutions to match that.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel has visited Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium to see the valuable work that football clubs, the police and sport bodies are doing to prevent antisocial behaviour and increase fans’ enjoyment of the game after disorder at matches last season.
The Home Office is working closely with the police and football bodies to ensure the matchday enjoyment of the majority of fans and families is not ruined by the selfishness of a few who invaded football pitches, threw flares, and abused players and fans at matches in England and Wales last season.
The Home Secretary met officials from the Premier League and Brentford Football Club, which came top of a recent Premier League survey for matchday fan experience, and saw the new safe standing areas within the Gtech Community Stadium for fans, toured the control room and spoke with the security team about the valuable work they do to ensure match days are positive experiences for spectators.
She also spoke with staff members who work on programmes such as Premier League Kicks, which has been working in local communities to inspire thousands of young people. Premier League Kicks started in 2006 – with Brentford one of 4 pilot clubs – and has a long history of using the power of football and the value of sports participation to help youngsters in some of the country’s most high-need areas.
The Home Secretary urged football fans across England and Wales to respect others’ enjoyment of the game, and the law, or risk receiving a football banning order (FBO) preventing them from attending home and away matches, including potentially the World Cup in Qatar, if they attack or abuse other fans, staff, players or managers.
Home Secretary, Priti Patel, said: “There is no place for the ugly scenes we saw at some matches in England and Wales last season and it is good to see the positive work being done by clubs like Brentford to ensure our stadia are safe places for families and children to enjoy the beautiful game.
“I am determined not to let a small minority ruin matches for true fans as the football season gets under way and we are working closely with the police and the football authorities to tackle antisocial and criminal behaviour.
“I wholeheartedly support the extra measures all football bodies and clubs are bringing to keep fans safe and would encourage police and the courts to make full use of Football Banning Order legislation which we have recently extended to online abuse and will be shortly bringing in to root out class A drugs at matches.”
FBOs are a preventative behavioural order designed to prevent violence, disorder and harm and are imposed by a court, following an application or on conviction for a football-related offence.
Nearly 1,400 troublemakers have already been targeted by FBOs and banned by the courts.
In the last 12 months the UK government has significantly expanded the scope of FBOs in order to crack down on disorder by:
adding football-related online hate crime to the list of offences for which a FBO can be imposed on conviction so that those who are convicted of online racism and other hate crimes connected to football can be banned from stadia, in the same way that violent offenders are barred from grounds
committing to add football-related class A drugs crimes to the list of offences for which a FBO can be imposed on conviction, sending a strong signal to those who use class A drugs in and around football matches that their behaviour will not be tolerated and that they will no longer be able to attend games
In addition, FBOs have recently been extended to the women’s domestic game, showing that regardless of which games fans are attending, violence and hate will not be tolerated.
Recently the Football Association (FA), Premier League and English Football League (EFL) announced they were introducing new measures and stronger sanctions across the game to tackle the increased antisocial and criminal behaviours seen at football grounds last season and to underline the importance of a safe matchday environment. The football bodies are making it clear such acts are dangerous, illegal and have severe consequences.
From the start of season 2022 to 2023, all offenders will be reported by clubs to the police and prosecution could result in a permanent criminal record, which may affect their employment and education, and could result in a prison sentence. The FA will also be enforcing a tougher charging and sanctioning policy for clubs, which will reinforce these measures.
Furthermore, anyone who enters the pitch, and those carrying or using pyrotechnics or smoke bombs, will now receive an automatic club ban. These bans could also be extended to accompanying parents or guardians of children who take part in these activities.
Premier League Chief Executive, Richard Masters, said: “Everyone should feel safe and able to enjoy a football match. In coming together with clubs and partners across football, we are making clear the type of incidents we saw last season must stop. If we don’t take collective and sustained action, it may only be a matter of time before someone is seriously injured, or worse.
“The new measures introduced at the start of this season are a strong response to a significant increase in fan behaviour issues, but we know it is the minority who have behaved unacceptably and unlawfully.
“Premier League football should be a fantastic experience for everyone and we don’t want matches to be marred by these sorts of events.”
Culture Secretary, Nadine Dorries, said: “We are on the side of football fans and understand the passion and emotion that comes with supporting a team.
“As the new season gets into full swing we want to remind people we will not tolerate antisocial behaviour and have strengthened the powers under our football banning order legislation to tackle drug use and hate crimes.
“Together with the work being done by the football authorities, we are helping root out those who seek to disrupt match days so proper fans can enjoy a fantastic football experience.”
