Day: July 3, 2024

Dean Banks celebrates 120 years of culinary history at the Pompadour in Edinburgh’s city centre 

  • A special 120th Anniversary Tasting Menu will be showcasing at Dean Banks at The Pompadour restaurant in Edinburgh to celebrate its culinary legacy, featuring reimagined classic dishes from vintage menus dating back over a century
  • Available for the month of July, the 8-course £65 tasting menu includes dishes blending historical authenticity with Banks’ modern techniques and handpicked Scottish ingredients

Dean Banks, the renowned Scottish chef and restaurateur, is honouring the rich culinary legacy of The Pompadour restaurant with a special 120th Anniversary Tasting Menu.

Launched on Monday 1 July and available until Wednesday 31 July, this unique dining experience coincides with the highly anticipated relaunch of the iconic Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh hotel.  

The 120th Anniversary Menu pays homage to the storied history of The Pompadour, one of Edinburgh’s most celebrated dining establishments. Chef Banks and his team have meticulously researched and recreated their own classic dishes from vintage menus dating back over a century, reinterpreting them with Dean’s signature modern flair.   

Dean Banks said: “”I would never have imagined when I was a young boy I would become part of this famous restaurant’s history, and here I am creating a menu for its 120th anniversary.

“I can only wish that in another 100 years there is another chef standing reading my menu looking for inspiration.”

The multi-course tasting menu features reimagined classics like prawn cocktail, sole veronique, stuffed poulet with Waldorf salad, and, for dessert, the historical Peach Melba. Each dish is a masterful blend of historical authenticity and contemporary techniques, showcasing the finest blend of high-quality Scottish ingredients.  

Priced at £65 per person, the 120th Anniversary Tasting Menu comprises an eight-course tasting menu including:  

  • Classic canapés  
  • Bread selection with whipped beef fat  
  • Prawn cocktail  
  • Sole veronique  
  • Mosaic of rabbit  
  • Scottish native lobster (supplementary cost)  
  • Stuffed poulet with waldorf salad  
  • Peach melba  
  • Sacher torte a la Pompadour   

This year marks a transformative year for the iconic hotel, which will receive significant investment to extend the offering, increasing its capacity to over 300 rooms by early 2026 and making it one of Edinburgh’s largest leading hotels   

The 120th Anniversary Menu at Dean Banks at the Pompadour is a truly unique opportunity to experience the rich heritage of one of Scotland’s most iconic dining destinations, reimagined through the lens of one of the country’s most celebrated chefs.  

Experience this unique culinary journey through time by making a reservation for the 120th Anniversary Tasting Menu at Dean Banks at the Pompadour.

Book your table today by calling 01738 718387 or visiting www.deanbanks.co.uk.     

Lochend Park attempted murderer jailed

A 22-year-old man has been jailed for five years and ten months following an attempted murder in Edinburgh.

Christopher Pearson was sentenced at the High Court in Dundee on Tuesday, 2 July after he pled guilty on Tuesday, 4 June 2024.

Pearson tried to murder a 22-year-old man within Lochend Park on Sunday, 2 April, 2023 after deliberately driving a car at him. The car was later found burnt out the same night in Maplewood Park.

Detective Constable Gary Lipscombe said: “This was a targeted attack on the victim, which could have killed him. “Pearson will now face the consequences of his shocking actions.

“This was a lengthy investigation, and I would like to thank all officers involved for their dedication and commitment throughout. I would like to thank those members of the public who assisted with our enquiries.”

Scottish government are ‘duty-bound’ to end corridor care and A&E overcrowding

This is the response from The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) Scotland as the latest Emergency Department performance data reveals that one in every nine people waited eight hours or more to be seen in A&E last month.

Data released yesterday – Tuesday 2 July 2024, by Public Health Scotland shows in Scottish A&Es in May – one in three patients waited four hours or more, one in nine waited eight hours or more, and one in 21 waited 12 hours or more.

The data also shows long waits have increased significantly since the 2010s.

Since May 2017, for example, the numbers waiting four hours or more has increased by nearly five times, eight hours or more by 21 times, and 12 hours or more by 89 times. Despite attendance only increasing by 0.5% in the same period.

The figures come just weeks after RCEM revealed the shocking reality of A&E overcrowding in the country with figures showing half of Emergency Departments were having to treat people in corridors.

A situation for which the First Minister John Swinney had to offer an ‘unreserved apology’ during First Minister’s Questions on 20 June.

Dr John-Paul Loughrey, RCEM Vice President for Scotland said: “It is right that the First Minister has apologised to people who have been forced to withstand treatment in corridors.

“It is unbearable for the people experiencing this loss of dignity at an already difficult time, and for the medical practitioners caring for them in impossible conditions.

“The data clearly shows that extended A&E waiting times due to overcrowding is not a new issue. It is sadly what A&E staff have come to expect.

“We once again call on the Scottish Government to take action to prevent overcrowding in Emergency Departments and the subsequent need to treat people in corridors by increasing the number of hospital beds and improving social care options so people can leave hospital when they are ready.

“I, personally, am growing weary of the inaction to rectify these longstanding issues and the resulting harms.”

“The government is duty-bound to provide the people of Scotland with safe and dignified emergency care, and now is the time to do so.”

Kieran’s work life transformed as he becomes first UK user of Orcam MyEye Pro 3

Sight Scotland’s Kieran Crosby, who is severely dyslexic, has become the first UK user of the Orcam My Eye Pro 3.​

Kieran, a Rehabilitation and Mobility Officer at Sight Scotland, from Edinburgh, has spent years helping individuals with vision impairments to navigate their daily lives. Despite his expertise in assisting others, Kieran himself faced significant challenges due to his severe dyslexia which greatly impacted his efficiency at work.​

Earlier this year, in a groundbreaking move, Kieran became the first person in the UK to receive the Orcam MyEye Pro 3. This wearable assistive technology device is designed to empower individuals with vision impairments or dyslexia.

It offers a comprehensive suite of features, including text reading, face and product recognition, colour identification, and smart magnification, enhancing daily independence.​

The device, which is clipped onto a pair of glasses and communicates to you via an earpiece, has streamlined Kieran’s workflow allowing him to work more efficiently and effectively with service users.​

He explains: “This has completely transformed my working life. I am severely dyslexic, which makes reading any document very challenging and time-consuming. By simply wearing the device and aiming it at text, I can have case files, emails, reports, Microsoft Teams messages, and other documents read aloud to me.

This has significantly reduced the time and effort I spend on reading meaning I can now be more efficient and spend more time with service users. I recently read a book for the first time in my life, which is just incredible.”​

Kieran adds: “This device could also really enhance independence for someone with vision impairment, for example helping reading mail, identifying household items, managing medications, or following recipes.

In public it could help with shopping, public transport, or attending social events. It has the potential to enhance the quality of life for individuals with vision impairments by providing tools that support independence, safety, and engagement with their environment.”​

Colin Hilditch, Head of Community Services at Sight Scotland, comments: “Kieran faced challenges in his role due to severe dyslexia, so we were glad to support him by securing assistance from Access to Work and Orcam to obtain the Orcam My Eye Pro3.

“ This device has enabled him to read case files, emails, reports, and Teams messages daily, tasks many of us take for granted. As a result, the quality of his service to clients has improved, reflecting our commitment to inclusivity and accommodating the needs of all employees.

Additionally, this experience allows us to evaluate and recommend this technology for individuals with vision impairments, showcasing its great potential to assist.”​

For more information, visit sightscotland.org.uk  

Award-winning author & screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce revealed as the new Waterstones Children’s Laureate

  • Cottrell-Boyce pledges to address ‘invisible privilege and inequality’ within books and reading
  • Announces summit plans to ‘make people with power properly listen and take action’
  • Marks 25th anniversary of role as foremost representative of children’s literature

Frank Cottrell-Boyce, the multi award-winning author and screenwriter, has been crowned the Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024 – 2026.

Cottrell-Boyce was presented with the bespoke silver Laureate medal by outgoing Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho, at a ceremony held at Howard Assembly Room, Leeds.

For 25 years, the Waterstones Children’s Laureate has been the foremost representative of children’s literature, awarded biannually to a renowned writer or illustrator in recognition of exceptional talent.

Managed by BookTrust – the UK’s largest children’s reading charity – and sponsored by Waterstones, this prestigious role celebrates creativity and storytelling, promotes the vital importance of reading and children’s literature, and champions the right of every child to enjoy a lifetime enriched with books and stories. Each Laureate brings their own passion and creativity to their tenure.

Liverpool-based Frank Cottrell-Boyce is a multi-award-winning children’s author. Since his debut Millions won the CILIP Carnegie Medal (and was made into a film directed by Danny Boyle) he has penned a plethora of much-loved books including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again (the official sequel commissioned by the Fleming Estate), Cosmic, Framed, The Astounding Broccoli Boy and Runaway Robot. 

He is also a highly esteemed script and screenwriter, devising the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony, co-writing the Platinum Jubilee Paddington sketch, alongside writing for Doctor Who, Goodbye Christopher Robin and most recently The Beautiful Game, starring Bill Nighy and Micheal Ward.

At yesterday’s ceremony, Cottrell-Boyce launched his Laureateship with a powerful speech declaring his ambitions for children’s books and the life-changing benefits of reading to be ‘taken seriously’.

He pledged to dedicate his two-year tenure to igniting a fierce national conversation about the role books and reading can play in transforming children’s lives, referencing the decades of compelling evidence showing that reading for pleasure is the single biggest factor impacting the life-chances of a child, as well as the ‘crisis point’ facing the millions of children now living in poverty, warning: ‘we risk losing a generation unless we act.’

This campaign – which is called Reading Rights: Books Build a Brighter Future – also includes plans for a national summit bringing together expert voices in the political, education, literacy and early years sectors.

Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024–2026, added: “Our children are living through the aftermath of a series of crises, the pandemic, a series of wars and an unfolding environmental crisis.

“The only public conversation is about how we can make our children “catch up” – which seems to me a kind of code for forgetting this ever happened. None of us has the slightest idea about what the future now holds for them – but the one thing we do know is that they will need to know how to be happy.

“Every child has to have the opportunity to begin to build the apparatus of happiness within themselves.

“I will use my time as Waterstones Children’s Laureate to call for a reset in our attitude towards how we value children’s books and reading – to start this story again – and to campaign for the millions of children living in poverty to be given the same life-changing chances. To stand up for the children in this country and their Reading Rights.

“So, whoever wins Thursday’s election has a huge responsibility. Whoever we wake up to Friday morning, they have the power to make a revolutionary change in children’s lives.”

Diana Gerald, CEO at BookTrust, said:“Reading can help young children who missed out on critical development opportunities during the pandemic and who have fallen behind in terms of literacy, language development, and communication skills.

“It can help children overcome the consequences of rising levels of poverty and inequality, particularly if we read with them in their early years.

“The appointment of Frank as Children’s Laureate gives us a powerful advocate for the disadvantaged and vulnerable children and the transformative effect that reading can have on their lives.”

Kate Edwards, Chair of the Waterstones Children’s Laureate Steering Group and Chair of the Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024-26 Judging Panel, said: “The Waterstones Children’s Laureate selection panel invites nominations from a range of organisations across the UK representing librarians, critics, writers, literature development workers and booksellers – on behalf of everyone, I extend Frank our warmest congratulations.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Frank to this prestigious role as the Laureateship celebrates its 25th anniversary – not only does his wonderful writing entertain and inspire, but he has long been a passionate voice in the campaign for children’s books to be given the value and recognition that they deserve.

“Frank is a wonderful Laureate for these times and the Steering Group is looking forward to working with him over the next two years, helping to bring his vital plans and ambitions to life so that every child can enjoy a life rich in books and reading.”

Nick Campbell, Children’s Campaign Manager at Waterstones, said: ““On behalf of our booksellers, particularly our experts in children’s reading, we’re thrilled to welcome Frank Cottrell-Boyce to the role of Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024-2026.

“In the twenty years since his debut novel, Frank’s work has been a cornerstone of our children’s sections, deploying his wit and genius for storytelling in celebration of young people’s imaginative potential.

“We are so pleased to support him as Laureate in championing those young people and the transformative power of reading.”

Outdoor learning trailblazer Juliet Robertson awarded honorary degree by Queen Margaret University

Juliet Robertson, one of Scotland’s leading educators specialising in outdoor learning and play, has been awarded an honorary degree by Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh in a special ceremony at the University’s new outdoor learning hub.

Juliet, who is known throughout the education profession as a trailblazer for outdoor learning and play for children and young people, was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Education in recognition of her significant contribution to learning.  

The recently opened Outdoor Learning Hub and Discovery Trail, at which the honorary award was conferred in a special ceremony, is located in the grounds of the University. An oration celebrating Juliet’s achievements, along with a video recorded response from her, was delivered at one of QMU’s graduation ceremonies held in the Usher Hall on 2nd July, and so heard by hundreds of new graduates, including future teachers. 

Juliet’s passion for nature has been lifelong. Throughout her career, she has worked to ensure that all children, and the adults who work with them, have positive and enjoyable outdoor experiences, regardless of their location. Her work enables schools, play organisations, and early years settings to offer quality outdoor learning and play opportunities – which have now become an essential part of the Scottish education curriculum.  

As a primary school teacher, Juliet consistently integrated outdoor activities into her teaching, taking children on weekly visits to local woods and spearheading school grounds development projects. Her leadership as head teacher from 1998 to 2007 saw her managing three different schools, significantly influencing the educational experiences of hundreds of young people. 

In 2007, Juliet founded Creative Star, an independent company dedicated to providing training for educators and diverse outdoor learning opportunities for children across Scotland and beyond. Her influential books, ‘Dirty Teaching’ and ‘Messy Maths,’ have become essential resources for educators, and are core texts in undergraduate courses at QMU. 

Juliet’s pioneering efforts include the development of the Forest Kindergarten qualification, a benchmark in outdoor learning provision for Early Years in Scotland.

Her expertise has significantly shaped national outdoor education initiatives, including advising government officials and ministers to promote outdoor learning, even in urban environments. Notably, she played a pivotal role in the creation of the ‘Loose Parts Play’ toolkit, a cornerstone of good practice in outdoor education.   

Her influence extends beyond Scotland and the UK, having worked in Canada, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Australia and Hong Kong. In 2004, she won a Developing Effective International Education research award for her report into Sustainable Development Education in the Czech Republic.

And in 2008, she was the recipient of a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship to study technologies outdoors. Juliet provided the initial training for the first outdoor nurseries in Lithuania, and worked with universities and schools in Spain and Belgium.  

Sir Paul Grice, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, said: “Throughout her distinguished career, Juliet Robertson has demonstrated an unwavering passion for nature and education. Her inspirational vision and ideas have significantly impacted the higher education sector, with the concept of outdoor learning expected to continue growing in significance.  

“Throughout Scotland, wherever there are educators working in nature with children, the principles and methodologies championed by Juliet Robertson are being implemented, leaving a lasting legacy that will benefit future generations.” 

Sir Paul concluded: “We were delighted to recognise Juliet’s accomplishments with an honorary degree, while also enjoying the outdoors and showcasing our newly opened Outdoor Learning Hub, which is now part of our campus grounds – essentially the Hub is a physical manifestation of QMU’s commitment to the important concept of outdoor learning.

“As a facility for all, it will support activity, wellbeing, and teaching locally, as well as upskilling teachers across the UK in outdoor learning. Juliet’s work has been an important influence on QMU’s drive to incorporate outdoor learning, not only in our teacher education courses, but across our wider course portfolio, so even more people can benefit from learning in nature.” 

National Galleries of Scotland celebrates acquisition of rare work by ‘Glasgow Girl’

National Galleries of Scotland is celebrating the acquisition of a painting by one of Scotland’s most accomplished female artists, Bessie MacNicol (1869–1904). The Lilac Sunbonnet, created in 1899, joins the national collection and is free to visit in the new Scottish galleries at the National. 

This bright, sunny painting acquired for the people of Scotland is incredibly rare. Many of MacNicol’s works were dispersed or lost following her tragic death in the late stages of pregnancy, aged just 34. In recent years there has been strong competition to acquire the precious few artworks by this talented artist which remain in private collections, making this an exciting addition to the national collection.  

National Galleries of Scotland is determined to celebrate such pioneering female Scottish artists and in recent years has made a concerted effort to acquire more of their works.

In the lead up to the opening of the new Scottish galleries in September 2023, a significant number of watercolours, drawings and prints by Scottish female artists active before 1945 were added to the collection.

They include important groups of works by Phoebe Anna Traquair and Mabel Royds, and single artworks by Ethel Gabain and Alice Boyd. Pre-20th-century oil paintings by female artists, such as MacNicol’s The Lilac Sunbonnet, are generally not widely represented in museum collections and don’t often come on to the market.

The challenges faced by women wishing to train, exhibit and make their living as artists, have meant that their work has often been overlooked and their histories poorly recorded. 

The Lilac Sunbonnet is a joyous painting of a farm girl in the countryside, dressed in light, summery fabrics. MacNicol successfully captures a feeling of spontaneity and playfulness. Her lilac-coloured sunbonnet, blonde hair and light-coloured clothing are skilfully illuminated by bright, dappled sunlight.

The Lilac Sunbonnet joins two very different works by MacNicol in the collection, a small oil painting, Portrait of a Lady (‘Phyllis in Town’) which is also on display at the new Scottish galleries and a fabulous watercolour, Three Ladies of Fashion, which probably depicts a milliner’s shop.  

MacNicol may have been inspired by the 1894 runaway bestseller, The Lilac Sunbonnet, by Scottish novelist Samuel Rutherford Crockett (1859–1914). Set in the Galloway countryside, the story tells of the romance between a prim divinity student called Ralph Peden and the golden-haired Winsome Charteris, granddaughter of a local farmer and owner of the lilac sunbonnet.

Crockett’s book was hugely popular in the 1890s and even inspired costumes at the fancy dress parties that were fashionable at this time. It must have captured the imagination of MacNicol, who loved costume and fashion – an interest she inherited from her grandfather, a skilled tailor. 

MacNicol studied at the Glasgow School of Art from 1887 to 1893 under the groundbreaking directorship of Fra Newbery.

This is where she met fellow artists Margaret and Frances Macdonald, Jessie Keppie and Katharine Cameron, part of the fascinating and diverse group of women artists and designers that has become known as the Glasgow Girls.

In 1893 MacNicol exhibited at the Royal Academy in London before undertaking further studies at the Académie Colarossi in Paris. Contributing almost annually to the Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts exhibitions, she began to attract attention and also had her own studio, on St Vincent Street at the heart of Glasgow’s thriving art world, in the 1890s.

Her friend, the art critic Percy Bate wrote: ‘Art lovers at once saw that in Bessie MacNicol a new artistic force had arrived in Glasgow’. From 1896 MacNicol made several visits to the artistic town of Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway, where she became friends with Glasgow Boy EA Hornel. 

An established Glasgow-based artist, MacNicol exhibited internationally – in Ghent, Munich, Vienna, Pittsburgh and St Louis – before her early death in 1904.

At the time of her funeral, the Glasgow Herald noted: ‘So brilliant was her work and of such promise that it is felt that her premature death has robbed Scotland of one who would have left a name worthy to rank with the best of her artist sons.’

In 1908 the new director of the National Galleries of Scotland, James Caw, considered MacNicol to be ‘probably the most accomplished lady-artist that Scotland has yet produced’. 

Dr Patricia Allerston, Deputy Director & Chief Curator of European & Scottish Art, National Galleries of Scotland said: “Bessie MacNicol’s light-filled painting ‘The Lilac Sunbonnet’ is like a dose of vitamin D on a dreich day.

“It instantly lifts the spirits!  We are absolutely delighted to add this lovely painting to our new Scottish galleries at the National.” 

Anne Lyden, Director-General of the National Galleries of Scotland, said: “The Lilac Sunbonnet by Bessie MacNicol is a fantastic addition to Scotland’s amazing national collection of art.

“It’s a beautiful painting by an incredibly talented Scottish artist, and we’re really happy that everyone will be able to enjoy it for free at the National.

“We’re proud to continue to increase representation of works by women across our galleries, and have been making a considerable effort to acquire works by a diverse range of artists.

“These important artworks mean we can not only look back on Scotland’s past and remember our history, but we can also look to the future and the generations that will be inspired by artists such as Bessie MacNicol.” 

Bessie MacNicol’s The Lilac Sunbonnet, 1899 was purchased with funds from the Cowan Smith, MacDougall and Treaty of Union Bequests, 2024. 

PYCP Open Day tomorrow

THURSDAY 4th JULY from 12 – 2.30pm at THE GREENHOUSE

Hi All,

Join us on our Community Open Day tomorrow – Thursday 4th July – with Places for People.

12 Midday to 2.30pm

We are inviting our local community to come along with your children for some fun, treats and special activities!

We won’t have PY Dinners on the day but we will have hot dogs and sweet treats instead.

If your child is under 8 you will need to accompany them.

PY Team.

#BecauseCommunityMatters