Please note that we will be closed tomorrow (Saturday 23rd) because of the snow and ice warning.
We are sorry to let down anyone who was planning to visit tomorrow. We will be open again on Sunday 1-3 pm weather permitting.
Edinburgh’s Hidden Door Festival is taking over a vast industrial site for its 2025 festival. Celebrating the new venue with a special launch event this weekend, Hidden Door will host a two-night programme of live music, visual art and performances.
The Paper Factory is a huge 15.5-acre site occupied by a former paper and cardboard manufacturing facility on the western edge of Edinburgh. The site features a mix of warehouses, factory floors, offices and outhouses. Situated next to Edinburgh Gateway tram and rail station, and with several main bus lines nearby, there are excellent transport links to the city centre as well as to Glasgow and the west.
Friday 22 November sees experimental electronica from Exterior, the heartfelt alt-pop of Paige Kennedy, post-punk edginess from Trout and the ever-evolving avant-electropop of Jane Weaver.
Saturday 23 November welcomes Black feminist punk band Big Joanie co-headlining with alt rock trio HotWax, with support from doom-punk quartet Witch Fever and dream pop duo Sarah/Shaun.
Alongside the live music, audiences can explore some of the huge factory spaces featuring the work of over 20 artists. A diverse range of media and artforms will be presented, including sculpture, performance, installation, painting, printmaking and large-scale works.
Between the live music, look out for pop-up dance and laser shows and an utterly unique light and drumming performance.
The Paper Factory will provide a base for Hidden Door throughout 2025 to work with artists on site-specific performance and art, commissioning new work and providing much needed workshop and studio spaces to the creative community.
Hidden Door is supported by Creative Scotland. Our launch party is sponsored by Bellfield Brewery, Jack Daniel’s and DirectControlUK.
The trailer below provides a taste of what to expect on 22 and 23 November:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7lgNvmnIW4
Live Music
Visitors to The Paper Factory are set to enjoy an utterly unique gig experience; a vast industrial space once echoing with the sound of heavy machinery, now reborn with live music, lights and projections.
Singer songwriter Jane Weaver returns to Hidden Door having performed at King Stables Road in 2016. Abusing, evading, and obliterating 20 years of whimsical pop trends, her reputation as a truly independent and resilient experimenter commands respect and inspiration in equal measures.
Big Joanie combines the fury of nineties riot grrrl with synth-heavy post punk. Their second album Back Home was released in November 2022 and ranked in Rolling Stone’s top albums of the year list, receiving critical acclaim in the Guardian, Wire Magazine and The Quietus.
Rock trio HotWax return to Edinburgh having graced the stage at Psych Fest in September. It’s been a meteoric rise for the young powerhouse, with their raw brand of post-punk, grunge and alternative rock both unique and familiar. Their debut album Hot Shock lands in 2025, with first single “She’s Got A Problem” recently released – a driving grunge-rock anthem that has become a live favourite during their packed summer tour.
Witch Fever are rising stars in the alternative rock scene, known for their ferocious energy and distinctive sound. Their infectious melodies have earned them a dedicated following and critical acclaim. Expect powerful riffs, haunting melodies, and thought-provoking lyrics tackling themes of empowerment, identity, and social justice.
Paige Kennedy brings their unique brand of banging alt-pop and heartfelt storytelling to Hidden Door. Listeners will be captivated by their danceable basslines, quirky lyrics and hook-laden songwriting challenging notions of acceptance, self-possession and gender expectations.
Edinburgh-based dream pop duo Sarah/Shaun released their debut EP It’s True What They Say via Hobbes Music in April. They narrate stories exploring themes of love, hope, family, friends, dreams and sadness – the good that comes with the bad in everyday life.
Liverpool based Trout brings her indie rock to Hidden Door. Signed to Chess Club Records last year, Trout released her 6-track debut EP Colourpicker. Indeed her first single was ‘Bugs’ released while studying music at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. It was an ode to the productivity of the tiniest creatures on earth. Trout has continued to evolve her sound,meshing together a slew of genres in her own music.
Promising “synthesised music with a human touch”, Exterior (AKA Doug MacDonald) returns to Hidden Door to present a live performance of HOLOCENE, a stunning body of work emerging from three years of studio and live experimentation. Expect seamless reimagining of electronica which collapses the purported distinctions between dance and rock.
Visual Art
Hidden Door has invited over 20 artists to present work, with audiences set to discover an intriguing mix of sculpture, dance, performance, installation, painting, printmaking and large-scale works.
Inspired by Hidden Door’s 10th anniversary theme of Past, Present, Future, curator Jill Boualaxai has invited both new and returning artists, selecting works specifically for The Paper Factory. “We’re exploring time, history, and archaeology,” says Jill, “and the idea of nature creeping back into that industrial space.”
The cavernous venue provides an exciting opportunity for artists to literally work on an industrial scale. Jo Fleming Smith will evolve her work Flood from 2023 into a large-scale installation; Beth Shapeero and Fraser Taylor’s collaborative textile banners, first shown during Hidden Door 2021 in Granton, will also be making a comeback. James Epps’ sculptural installations, including cardboard and paper, create a material connection to the industrial history of the site.
Jill has also followed the thread of “imagined or alternate realities” that emerged through the programme’s contrast of history and reclamation. The works of artists such as Aimee Finlay and Christian Sloan recontextualise spiritual practices through ritualistic sculptures and futuristic visions.
Marly Merle’s wearable sculptures transport viewers into fantastical worlds, reimagining societal norms. Justine Watt transforms discarded domestic objects into intimate sculptures, examining the intersection of craftsmanship and sustainability.
Bringing together emerging and established artists, the Paper Factory will allow the artists to use the space to amplify their visions, offering viewers an immersive experience that blurs boundaries and invites them into histories both real and imagined.
The artists invited to present site-specific work include Aimee Finlay, Jo Fleming Smith, Beth Shapeero & Fraser Taylor, Sian Landau, James Epps, Marly Merle, Justine Watt, Rachel Bride Ashton, Christian Sloan, Martin Elden & Morwenna Kearsley plus Projector Club and Ross Blair / Trenchone.
The event will also play host to an art shop where visitors will have an opportunity to take home unique pieces.
Food News
We’ve lined up some tasty street food and drinks for your visit. We know it might be chilly (well it is November after all!) so we’re delighted to welcome back Fat Flamingo and Chicken Skoop serving up some delicious hot food, plus lovely hot coffee from Brew 52. There will of course be a full bar onsite too.
The Venue
The Paper Factory is located in the Maybury Quarter, a 15.5-acre site occupied by a former paper and cardboard manufacturing facility on the western edge of Edinburgh.
There will be a full scale Hidden Door festival at the venue in the spring of 2025 but to celebrate this news an event in November will give festival goers the opportunity to view this extraordinary site. The event will take place on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 November with free access to explore the venue during the day on the Saturday.
Bounded by the Edinburgh Gateway tram and rail station, and with several bus routes within a 5 minute walk, there are excellent transport links to both the city centre and the airport in only 10 minutes.
The Airlink 100 bus passes close to the venue and runs every 20 minutes throughout the night.
For full venue and travel details, see hiddendoorarts.org/venue
Tickets are now available at hiddendoorarts.org/tickets.
Social Media
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/hiddendoorarts
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiddendoor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiddendoorarts
About Hidden Door
Hidden Door was originally founded in 2009 by a group of creatives seeking to make something interesting happen in the city. Their mission was to create events where audiences could experience art away from the traditional “white cube” gallery format.
The collective curated two events at the former Roxy Art House in 2010, bringing together visual art, performance, film and music. The closure of the Roxy left the group with no venue and over the subsequent years they explored options for running a multi-arts event in derelict spaces.
The idea grew as the volunteer team expanded, and in 2014 the first full Hidden Door Festival happened, when the team cleared out the disused Market Street vaults to run a 9-day celebration of the arts focused on showcasing local creative talent.
In 2015 the festival moved to a hidden courtyard behind Kings’ Stables Road, and returned in 2016, attracting over 12,000 visitors to experience a wealth of art, poetry, theatre, cinema, dance and music. In 2017 the festival breathed new life into the old Leith Theatre, attracting rave reviews and critical praise for resurrecting “Scotland’s best new live music venue”, winning VisitScotland’s Thistle Award for “Best Cultural Event”.
In 2018, the festival returned to Leith Theatre, also taking up residence in the derelict former State Cinema, just around the corner. A farewell weekend event took place at Leith Theatre in 2019. During the pandemic, Hidden Door put on a series of online events, and returned with a bang to live events for a five-day outdoor event at Granton Gasworks in 2021.
In 2022, Hidden Door took over the Old Royal High School on Calton Hill for a ten day festival that brought life back to the school for the first time in years.
In 2023, we transformed the former Scottish Widows office complex on Dalkeith Road for a five-day spectacular event. Our unique “Environments” invited audiences to explore our venue in an immersive and atmospheric experience that attracted 5-star reviews and won Creative Edinburgh’s City Award.
Earlier this year, we opened up the Basement 3 car park of the St James Quarter for an immersive two-night birthday party celebrating 10 years of Hidden Door Festivals.
We’ve recently received reports of vans being broken into and tools being stolen from within.
Please consider additional security measure to secure your tools:
– If possible park within secure buildings/yards, under CCTV and in well-lit areas, restricting access to the doors if possible (parking close to walls etc)
– You may wish to consider replacing existing locks with more robust alternatives, e.g. slam and dead locks, designed to withstand being overcome by tools such as grinders and lock picks.
– It is recommended to remove your tools from your van and the end of the day if possible, or consider installing a tool safe within.
– Ensure you keep a record of tool serial numbers and make tools appear unique as possible such as paint markings or stickers.
Keeping warm in winter is important as we get older as cold weather and winter bugs can affect us more than they used to. Winter weather can also stop us from getting out and about sometimes.
But there are things you can do to stay warm and well and prepare yourself and your home for the winter period:
Dear Editor
Every 26 minutes a friend or loved one is diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. This Christmas we are asking people to make a difference by supporting our work to make sure no one has to face lymphoma alone.
We are the only charity in the UK dedicated to lymphoma and your support will help us make sure that people affected by the condition can access the information and support they need to help them through their lymphoma diagnosis, treatment and beyond.
There are many ways that you can show your support this festive season – from ordering charity gifts in Lymphoma Action’s Christmas shop, to holding a festive fashion day, making a donation or buying a beautiful Forever Flower as a special gift or way to remember a loved one.
We rely on the generosity of people like you to help us be there for people affected by lymphoma. Any gift you give will make a big difference to people affected by the UK’s fifth most common cancer – not only this Christmas, but all year round.
Please visit www.lymphoma-action.org.uk/christmas for further details on how you can support the work of Lymphoma Action this festive season.
The latest episode of BBC ALBA’s award-winning Eòrpa current affairs programme sees journalist Ruairidh Maciver marking 10 years of sobriety. In a powerful, personal, and thought-provoking programme, Ruairidh takes us from his childhood in the village of Brue in the west coast of Lewis, into adulthood, and a series of struggles with addiction to alcohol and drugs.
The report contains reflections from friends and family who have known him during this time, as well as those who he met along the way and were instrumental in his journey to recovery.
Since sobriety, addiction dealt another cruel blow to Ruairidh and his family, with the tragic and untimely death of his brother Alasdair in 2022 due to alcohol and drugs. Ruairidh reflects on this painful time and meets one of Alasdair’s closest friends, to remember his brother’s life.
Eòrpa: Recovery also brings together expert testimony from the world of science, academia, and outreach organisations who strive to minimise the effects, and understand the nature of drug and alcohol use in Scotland’s communities. With the festive season approaching, and with it a temptation to consume more alcohol, this is a time of year when worries about problem drinking can grow.
Ruairidh has known his friend Joanne Havinden since childhood.
Reflecting on Ruairidh’s addiction in his teens, she told him: “My memory of you when we were wee – you were so happy.
“And, you know, you were so good at word games and jokes and puns and making up stupid songs and all that kind of thing.
“And you stopped doing that sort of stuff and you were unhappy. You were really sad. You know, it was just like watching an out-of-control train and we didn’t know what to do to help.”
Kenny Trainer is the Project Manager at the Bluevale Community Club in Haghill and Dennistoun. It started off as a boxing club, but has expanded, with volunteers now helping with a variety of social issues nearby.
Asked if things had moved on since a joint visit in 2021 by then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and then Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross, Kenny told Ruairidh: “To be honest with you, probably not.
“I think that, politics as politics go, they want to point fingers at each other and blame each other and say that one is better than the other, when realistically a lot of the time they are the exact same while nothing really changes and they’ve got the power to make it change.”
This is the first time Ruairidh has spoken publicly about his past issues with alcohol and drugs, and of his journey through recovery.
Reflecting on making this special edition of Eòrpa, Ruairidh said: “It’s vital that we have an open, compassionate and non-judgemental conversation about where things stand with alcohol and drugs in Scotland today.
“Addiction is something that could affect any person and any family. The reason I wanted to make this programme is that I’ve reached a stage in my recovery where I feel ready to add to that conversation and share some of my own experience.
“My journey brought me into contact with many individuals and organisations who helped me and it was a privilege to be able to go back and speak to some of them. Everything I have in my life today is rooted in the sobriety that they helped me to achieve.
“If this programme can offer hope to anyone struggling with addiction, or encourage them to seek support, it will have been worthwhile.”
Eòrpa is BBC ALBA’s flagship current affairs programme, covering a variety of domestic and European stories.
Eòrpa: Recovery will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC ALBA at 9.00pm on Wednesday 27 November (in Gaelic with English subtitles). Watch live or on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006mvwb/eorpa
A scheme that provides dedicated advocacy services for children and young people who are attending Children’s Hearings has been praised by those who use it, according to a new independent report.
The report, Children’s Hearings Advocacy Scheme Scotland-wide provision evaluation, features testimony from children and young people in the Hearings system.
The national Children’s Hearings Advocacy Scheme was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide support for children and young people attending Children’s Hearings.
The demand led scheme is backed by £2 million from the Scottish Government annually and taken forward by a network of ten organisations that provide advocacy services before, during and after a hearing.
The report highlights the benefits of the service, ensuring children and young people feel:
Access to advocacy is a key element of work to keep The Promise and this scheme, alongside ongoing efforts to reform the Hearings System, plays an important role in ensuring children and young people have their voice heard.
It also aligns with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Act, ensuring children who take up the offer of independent advocacy are able to express their views, feelings and wishes in matters affecting them.
Speaking on the fourth anniversary of the launch of the service, Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise Natalie Don-Innes said: “The Children’s Hearings System is unique to Scotland and I’d like to pay tribute to the outstanding service and dedication of all those who have worked and volunteered within the system over the past 50 years.
“The Scottish Government has committed to The Promise, ensuring children and young people’s voices are at the heart of this system and the decisions made about their care. Central to this is the support provided by advocacy services and I’m pleased that over 5,000 children and young people across the country have felt supported while attending a Hearing.
“However, we know there is still much more to do to improve the experiences of children and young people who go through the Children’s Hearings System and our commitment to Keeping The Promise is as strong today as it was in 2020.
“The Scottish Government is continuing its work to change the system and will ensure children and young people are at the heart of its redesign.”
Final-Evaluation-Report-September-2024.pdf (hearings-advocacy.com)
NEXT Wednesday afternoon, a group are running this bake sale, as a fundraiser for a local disabled person.
Donations of baked treats are welcome and can be brought along on the day..
We’ll also have our regular gardening club open drop-in (1-4pm) and free lunch at 2pm. Dress for the weather!
Later at 5pm, we’ll also have our regular monthly community meal with the Scran Van. Free, all welcome! (Weds 27th Nov)
Hooligans who wreak havoc on local communities will face tough restrictions under new powers announced by the Home Secretary today.
Meeting a manifesto pledge to crack down on anti-social behaviour, the new Respect Orders will give the police and local councils powers to ban persistent offenders from town centres or from drinking in public spots such as high streets and local parks, where they have caused misery to local people. These will be piloted prior to national rollout to make sure they are as effective as possible.
Perpetrators can also be required to address the root cause of their behaviour by being mandated to undertake positive rehabilitation, such as attending drug or alcohol treatment services, or an anger management course to address the underlying causes of their behaviour.
Failure to comply with Respect Orders will be a criminal offence. Police will have the ability to immediately arrest anybody who is breaching their Respect Order.
Police will also be given stronger powers to seize vehicles involved in anti-social behaviour will also be strengthened, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing the vehicles which bring misery to local communities.
This will allow police to deal more swiftly with the scourge of off-road bikes in public parks and dangerous e-scooters on pavements, street racing and cruising. It will also assist the police in tackling car meets, which can see hundreds of cars gather in public spaces that often include loud aggressive engine revving and intimidating music.
Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper said: “Too many town centres and neighbourhoods across our country are being plagued by anti-social behaviour, be it street drinking, harassment or vandalism on the high street or noisy and intimidating off-road bikes terrorising our estates.
“Antisocial behaviour chips away at communities’ sense of confidence and pride, undermines local businesses and can have a devastating impact on victims.
“This cannot be allowed to continue. Respect Orders will give police and councils the powers they need to crack down on repeated anti-social behaviour, keeping our communities safe and ensuring repeat offenders face the consequences of their actions. We will also make it easier to seize the vehicles causing misery in too many neighbourhoods, including deafening off-road bikes or e-scooters ridden dangerously on the pavement.
“These new powers alongside thousands more neighbourhood officers and PCSOs will help this government deliver on our mission to take back our streets.”
As well as prison sentences of up to two years, criminal courts will also be able to issue unlimited fines and community orders, such as unpaid work, and curfews as punishment for breaching a Respect Order. This will ensure that the most serious offenders are dealt with before their behaviour can escalate and cause further harm.
The new powers will be introduced as part of the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill, partially replacing existing Civil Injunction powers for adults, to ensure a wider range of penalties as breaches will be dealt with in the criminal courts, alongside the new power of arrest. Existing legislation will be amended to allow the police to seize nuisance off-road bikes – and other vehicles which are used in an anti-social manner – without having to first give a warning to the offender.
Enhanced powers will complement the government’s commitment to restoring neighbourhood policing in England and Wales. The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will bring back police patrols to town centres, recruit thousands of additional officers to neighbourhood roles and ensure every community has a named local officer to turn to.
Deputy Chief Constable Andy Prophet, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Anti-Social Behaviour, said: “I welcome the introduction of Respect Orders and stronger powers to seize vehicles being driven in an anti-social manner.
“Respect Orders will give the police and councils the ability crack down on those who persistently make our streets and public spaces feel unsafe. I am pleased to see the ability to ban offenders from our high street and parks, with a power of arrest for those who ignore such direction, as well as the power to require individuals to seek help for underlying causes of their poor behaviour such as drug or alcohol misuse.
“Similarly, giving officers the option to immediately seize vehicles from those who use their vehicle in an anti-social manner is welcome addition to the powers available to officers to crack down on ASB and make our street safer.”
Harvinder Saimbhi, ASB Help CEO said: “As the national charity that supports victims of ASB, we regularly hear from victims who share with us the impact and harm they experience from repeated incidents of ASB.
“We welcome the approach of addressing the root causes of the anti-social behaviour which will in turn work towards reducing reoffending rates, therefore bringing respite to victims and communities. We are keen to see how the respect orders will be implemented.”
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has extended its partnership with gas distribution network SGN to raise awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) and protect communities from its potentially deadly effects.
Many people in the UK using carbon fuelled appliances, such as gas cookers, are not aware of the dangers of CO and do not have a working audible CO alarm. In 2020, out of 8,000 people surveyed, 45% didn’t know that CO doesn’t have a smell, while only 42% had a working audible CO alarm.
As part of the collaboration, they will work together to provide essential safety advice focusing on the hidden dangers of the colourless and odourless gas that can be fatal. They will also promote the importance of installing CO alarms and maintaining gas appliances, helping to ensure even more homes across Scotland remain safe. All the areas covered are listed below.
The initiative builds upon SGN’s existing partnerships with SFRS operating in Clackmannanshire, Fife & Stirling, and Perth & Kinross, Angus and Dundee (PKAD), as well as similar partnerships we’ve rolled out in southern England, where they’ve seen a positive impact in educating the public about CO safety.
SGN has provided CO alarms to each SFRS partner to give to customers in their area during Home Fire Safety Visits. Alongside the lifesaving CO alarms, customers will also receive a helpful tips leaflet which provides all the information they need to stay safe from the ‘silent killer’, and what steps to follow if they suspect CO is present in their home. SGN has produced and shared this leaflet in nine additional languages to meet regional community needs.
SGN Social Impact Programme Lead Dan Edwards said: “One of the major aspects of my role is developing projects and partnerships using the Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance (VCMA) to raise CO awareness and reduce CO harm.
“Working alongside Scottish Fire and Rescue Service means we can reach even more customers within our network area to make sure everyone stays safe and well. Partnering with vital emergency services to help us spread the word on the dangers of CO will help us to meet our top priority of keeping our customers safe and well all year round.”
The partnership now includes:
Steven Low, Group Commander for the Safer Homes Team at Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We’re delighted to extend our partnership with SGN to all SFRS areas across mainland Scotland.
“We’ve been working together closely for many years and we know our collaborative approach has been an effective way of achieving our joint goals of making our communities safer.”
