Month: July 2024

Vue venues to celebrate school summer holidays with fantastic family favourites

Family favourites and animated adventures are heading to the big screen this summer holidays in Scotland at Vue in Edinburgh – offering ample opportunity to spend quality time with the family now that the school year has finished.

Almost nine years since its enormously emotional debut warmed hearts and mini minds across the world, Inside Out 2 is now out on the big screen, inviting us back to the wonderful world of Riley’s mind and Emotions: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust. Now, as Riley reaches her teenage years, our gang meets a whole new cast of unfamiliar emotions which set them off on another marvellous adventure across the teenager’s mind.

Joining Joy and friends, this summer welcomes Gru and the Minion crew back with Despicable Me 4, which sees our former villain turned family man face off against new nemesis Maxime Le Mal and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina. Expect more Minion mayhem, criminal capers and plenty of laughs when Despicable Me 4arrives at Vue on 12 July

Some recent family favourites are returning to the big screen this summer as part of Vue’s new Mighty Morning screenings which sees Garfield, IF, Kung Fu Panda 4 and Little Monsters back this summer holiday from just £2.49 when tickets are booked online.

As part of Vue’s recently announced family offering, Vue’s Big Shorts will be bringing some favourite children’s characters from television shows and web series back to the big screen, including The Gruffalo’s Child & Zog and the Flying Doctors.

These short and sweets screenings offer a relaxed big screen environment with dimmed lights and reduced sound, tailor-made for younger film fans aged one to four.

Ian Chester, General Manager at Vue Edinburgh Ocean Terminal, said: “We’ve got a great selection of new films and big screen entertainment on show, offering a perfect way to enjoy quality family time while school is out for the summer. 

‘Even better, our Vue Mighty Mornings at 10am, will continue to show the latest kids’ films from just £2.49 a ticket if purchased online and £3.49 in venue. Parents and children can come along, immerse themselves in great stories and switch off.’

Tickets are available, along with more information on Big Shorts and Mighty Mornings, at www.myvue.com/family

Ageing Well The Nordic Way

Ageing Well is looking for participants interested in joining a new 6-week Beginner Introductory Nordic Walking course, which they will be introducing in August. 

The Ageing Well Project is run by Edinburgh Leisure in partnership with NHS Lothian and delivers a range of city-wide activities which support people to become, and remain, active in later life. The emphasis is on meeting new people whilst making physical activity accessible and enjoyable.

The six-week course will start in August on a date to be decided, depending on interest and is delivered by a Nordic Walking UK trained instructor.  It is likely the sessions will take place every Wednesday, starting at 10.00 am.

Participants will meet at Saughton Park and would be expected to attend the first four sessions which introduces the use of Nordic poles and covering the skills and techniques of Nordic walking. Each session will last 1-hour, and poles will be provided if people do not already have their own.

The final two weeks of the 6-week course, participants will put into practice their newfound skills by going out on a walk in the local area turning a walk into a workout. Nordic Walking can help aid recovery if the participant has had an injury or prevent injury by improving strength and fitness and it’s a great way to meet new people and make friends.

Ageing Well activities have been developed to cater for a wide range of tastes and abilities and all activities are either led by or supported by fully trained volunteers, who are all older adults themselves.

Cat Wilson, Active Communities Project Officer at Edinburgh Leisure said: “This new course will complement our already popular regular walks which take place in different locations around the city each week. It’s for anyone who would like to try a new activity, meet some like-minded people, and get physically active.”

“Nordic walking origins are Finnish with more than 10 million people globally enjoying this outdoor activity. The evidence shows that you can burn around 20% more calories compared to conventional walking. The use of poles means the effort is divided across the upper and lower body, so it feels easier, particularly when walking uphill.”

Ageing Well relies on external funding and donations to deliver its programmes across Edinburgh. A donation of £3 per week is therefore appreciated for this activity. This can be paid online in one go or each week. People’s generous support means Edinburgh Leisure can provide a range of activities to reach more older adults in need of their support, protecting their health and wellbeing and improving their quality of life. 

In 2018 the Ageing Well programme was awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), which is the highest award given to UK volunteer groups and is the equivalent of an MBE. The award reflects the tremendous contribution of Edinburgh Leisure’s Ageing Well volunteers and the positive difference they make to the lives of participants. 

To find out more and/or to register your interest in joining the initial 4-week introductory course, contact active@edinburghleisure.co.uk or call 0131 458 2260

For more information:  www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/activities/be-active/ageing-well

Holyrood committee invites public to share views on Residential Outdoor Education proposals

Proposals to ensure that every school pupil in local authority or grant-aided schools can attend a course of residential outdoor education are to be scrutinised by the Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People Committee.

If passed, the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill would give all state school pupils the chance to have four nights and five days residential outdoor education. The Scottish Government would be expected to fund the proposals.

The Committee is now asking for views on the proposal to see whether this would work in practice. It is also keen to hear views on the school year during which pupils should be entitled to residential outdoor education, and whether this should be specified in the Bill, and the requirement for the Scottish Government to fund the programme.

The Bill was introduced by Liz Smith MSP, who has stated the importance of outdoor education as being one of the most valuable and rewarding learning experiences that a young person can have access to.

Sue Webber MSP, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, said: “This Bill would enshrine in law that all state school pupils must have the chance to attend residential outdoor education during their school careers.

“According to the documents presented alongside the Bill, many pupils do not have access to this.

“Our Committee is really keen to hear what the public, and particularly young people, think of the proposal in general and some of the specific ideas within it, before we embark on detailed public scrutiny.

“Please share your views with us by visiting the Scottish Parliament’s website.”

The call for views is now open and will run until 4 September 2024:

https://yourviews.parliament.scot/ecyp/schools-residential-outdoor-education-bill 

Edinburgh Napier University celebrates its biggest graduation

One of Edinburgh’s oldest pubs, Shakespeare’s on Lothian Road, has been transformed in to The Napier Graduate once again to celebrate the University’s class of ’24.

More than 2,700 students and 9,000 guests will descend on the Usher Hall in Edinburgh to attend seven graduation ceremonies over the course of three days. The unique public house, The Napier Graduate,  will play host to celebrating graduates before and after each ceremony where they will have the chance to toast their success with a pint of Edinburgh Napier’s very own ale, ‘Must Be Napier’. 

The ‘Must Be Napier’ ale is a nod to Edinburgh Napier University’s award-winning brand campaign that is shining a spotlight on the achievements and major contributions to society of the University’s students, staff, and alumni.

For three days, from Wednesday 3 July to Friday 5July, Shakespeare’s will be known as The Napier Graduate. Unmissable from Lothian Road, the pub has been completely reimagined in Napier’s distinctive red and white colour palatte, changing everything from the outdoor signs to the beermats, the artwork and even the beer taps in celebration of the new alumni and providing a welcoming space to enjoy with families and loved ones. 

Edinburgh Napier University was recently awarded Higher Educational Institution of the Year at the 2024 Herald Higher Education Awards and is known for celebrating its graduates in unique ways.

From first launching the pub last year to when the University held a city takeover in 2021, displaying the names of graduates across 18 billboards, 100 bus stops, an Edinburgh Tram and a taxi. 

Professor Andrea Nolan, Principal and Vice Chancellor at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “Celebrating our graduates is one of the highlights of the academic year and we had such a positive response to The Napier Graduate pub last year that we just simply had to bring it back again for the class of ’24. 

“The now iconic Napier Graduate pub is a wonderful space for our new alumni and their guests to celebrate their success and contemplate the next chapter after university. I look forward to raising a glass to toast their future.” 

Flo McMahon, General Manager of Shakespeare’s, said: “We’re really excited to transform into The Napier Graduate again this year.

“It is such a special time for both the staff and the wider community. Everyone gets caught up in the celebratory nature of the graduation days and we love being a part of that special moment.

“A record number of people visited us during last year’s graduations so we’ve made sure the bar is fully stocked!” 

The Napier Graduate is open from Wednesday 3 – Friday 5 July at 65 Lothian Road.

The Royal Scots Exhibition at Tynecastle Park: 5th – 10th July

Exhibition focusing on the importance of teamworking and sport in the military as part of the Heart of Midlothian FC’s 150th Celebrations

The Royal Scots Regimental Museum is reaching out from Edinburgh Castle to deliver an exhibition, with particular focus on the importance of teamworking and sport in the military, hosted by Heart of Midlothian FC in the European Suite at Tynecastle Park as part of the Club’s 150th Anniversary Celebrations, from Friday 5 – Wednesday 10 July (10:00 to 16:30 daily – free admission).

The Museum’s Outreach Exhibition has been curated to engage and connect with people of all ages from throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians, a major part of the Regiment’s former recruiting area, to promote the Regiment’s enduring legacy and commemorate those who never came back, giving their lives for peace.

The exhibition provides a particularly poignant reminder of the supreme sacrifice made by the 1914 Hearts team with their footballers being the first in the UK to enlist to fight for their country at the outbreak of World War 1. 

Many of them volunteered to join the 16th Battalion of The Royal Scots, famously known as McCrae’s Battalion.

The exhibition also covers significant events in Regimental history such as the Gretna rail disaster (1915), the Gallipoli campaign (1915), the Battle of the Somme (where 454 Royal Scots were killed on the 1st of July 1916 alone), the Battle of Kohima (part of the Burma campaign in 1944) and the First Gulf War (1991).

Through the telling of Soldiers’ Stories from 1914 onwards visitors will learn of Royal Scots’ experiences in conflict, fighting for peace. Inspired by Hearts’ continuing dedication never to forget those of their Club who were killed or wounded, the importance of teamwork and sport in the military will be explained.  Some of the items on display have never been seen publicly before.

A Research Area has been included in the exhibition to enable families to find out more about their relatives who served with The Royal Scots.

The exhibition hosts and guides are volunteers who served in The Royal Scots and who want to give something back through comradeship, promoting the unique heritage of the Regiment. They are fondly named Pontius Pilate’s Bodyguard.

Lianne Parry, Hearts Head of Heritage, said: “We very much look forward to hosting The Royal Scots Museum.

“It is wholly appropriate in our Sesquicentennial Year that we should highlight one of the most historically important episodes in Hearts’ long and rich history.  We hope that visitors will take advantage of their visit to the stadium, to call in at the Club’s own Museum which will be open throughout.”

Colonel Martin Gibson, representing the Royal Scots Museum’s Outreach Team, commented: “We are determined to reach out and engage with the people of Edinburgh, to tell the story of The Royal Scots from 1914 onwards, and to highlight the very close enduring connection between the Regiment and Hearts FC which began at outbreak of WW1.

“So many men from our capital City served in our Regiment which saw 373 years of unbroken service; it is so important that their achievements and sacrifices are never forgotten.”

More traffic disruption in Craigleith

SCOTTISH Water has announced that From Monday 15th July, Craigleith Hill Avenue will be temporarily closed to facilitate the replacement of a section of water pipe. This essential work is expected to last approximately 7 weeks:

We are planning a temporary road closure on Craigleith Hill Avenue from Monday 15th July to replace a section of water pipe.

The works are expected to last for approximately 7 weeks, during which Craigleith Hill Avenue and Carrington Road will be closed at the junction with Crewe Road South, with no through traffic permitted. Access will be maintained for pedestrians and emergency vehicles only.

Crewe Road South will remain open with two-way temporary traffic lights in place for the duration of the work.  

Parking restrictions will be in place at the bottom of Craigleith Hill Crescent near the junction of the B900 Craigleith Road, to help with traffic flow through the diversion route.

The work will involve replacing a section of water pipe to ensure customers continue to enjoy fresh, clear drinking water. 

We appreciate your patience and cooperation during these improvements, and we are committed to minimising disruption. 

Our contractor MacKenzie will carry out these works on our behalf.

General Election: Polls are OPEN

POLLING STATIONS ARE OPEN FROM 7am – 10pm

The nominated candidates for each constituency are listed below and on the Council website.

Edinburgh East and Musselburgh:

Scottish Liberal Democrats – DUNDAS, Charles

Independent – GOULD, Jane Mackenzie

Scottish Greens – GRIMM, Amanda Faye

Scottish Conservative and Unionist – MUNRO, Marie-Clair

Scottish Labour Party – MURRAY, Chris

Scottish National Party (SNP) – SHEPPARD, Tommy

Reform UK – WINTON, Derek Steven

Edinburgh North and Leith:

Scottish Liberal Democrats – ANDERSEN, Mike

Scottish National Party (SNP) – BROCK, Deidre

Scottish Family Party – Defending Traditional Values – DEEPNARAIN, Niel

Scottish Labour Party – GILBERT, Tracy

Socialist Labour Party – JACOBSEN, David Don

Reform UK – MELVILLE, Alan Gordon

Scottish Conservative and Unionist – MOWAT, Joanna

Scottish Greens – O’NEILL, Kayleigh Ferguson

Communist Party of Britain – SHILLCOCK, Richard Charles

Independent – WATERLOO, Caroline

Edinburgh South:

Scottish Conservative and Unionist – COWDY, Christopher

Scottish Family Party – Promoting Traditional Values – HOLDEN, Phil

Scottish National Party (SNP) – KUMAR, Simita

Alba Party: Yes to Scottish Independence – LYON, Lynne

Independent – MARTIN, Alex

Scottish Labour Party – MURRAY, Ian

Scottish Greens – PHILLIPS, JO

Reform UK – ROSE, Cameron

Independent – ROWBOTHAM, Mark

Scottish Liberal Democrats – WILLIAMSON, Andy

Edinburgh South West:

Scottish Labour Party – ARTHUR, Scott

Scottish National Party (SNP) – CHERRY, Joanna

Reform UK – HARPER, Ian

Scottish Greens – HEAP, Dan

Scottish Family Party – LUCAS, Richard Crewe

Scottish Conservative and Unionist – WEBBER, Sue

Independent – WILKINSON, Marc Richard

Scottish Liberal Democrats – WILSON, Bruce Roy

Edinburgh West:

Scottish Labour Party – DAVIDSON, Michael Colin

Independent – HENRY, David

Independent – HORNIG, Nick

Scottish National Party (SNP) – HYSLOP, Euan

Reform UK – INGLIS, Otto

Scottish Liberal Democrats – JARDINE, Christine Anne

Scottish Libertarian Party – LAIRD, Tam

Scottish Greens – PUCHOWSKI, James Konrad

Scottish Conservative and Unionist – SHIELDS, Alastair

REMEMBER this is the first General Election where voters must show a form of photo identification (ID) to cast their ballot.

A list of approved forms of ID and information on how to obtain a free voter ID are also available on the website.

 Find my polling place

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.”