A pedestrian who died in a crash in the Corstorphine area has been named as Bill Hepburn, aged 66, from Edinburgh.
His family has asked for privacy and released the following statement:
“Our family are heartbroken at the loss of Bill who was a loving husband and father.”
The incident happened around 9am on Wednesday, 18 February, in a supermarket car park off Meadow Road Place and involved a blue Volkswagen Polo.
Sergeant Paul Ewing said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Bill and enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances.
“Anyone who has not spoken to us and has any information that could help is asked to get in touch with road policing officers via 101, quoting incident number 0688 of Wednesday, 18 February, 2026.”
An Edinburgh-born painter who built her practice in Glasgow has been awarded a major UK art residency, securing a year-long Freelands Studio Fellowship at the University of Brighton.
Alice Campbell, who graduated with First-Class Honours from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in Dundee in 2017, has been selected for the highly competitive fellowship, which supports emerging artists with time, funding and studio space to develop their work within a leading art school environment.
The fellowship, delivered in partnership with the Freelands Foundation, is designed to foster exchange between professional artists and students, combining teaching, mentorship and creative development. Hosted within the School of Art and Media at the University of Brighton, the fellowship will enable Alice enjoy institutional support while deepening her practice over the year.
Originally from Edinburgh and having lived and worked in Glasgow for several years, Alice has recently relocated to Brighton to begin the 12-month residency. The fellowship provides a £33,000 bursary alongside a dedicated studio and mentoring support, enabling her to expand her large-scale oil painting practice while working closely with students.
Alice is known for richly layered paintings influenced by magical realism and the Proto-Renaissance period, blending historical visual language with contemporary questions around identity, connection and storytelling.
Her work often depicts groups of figures at ease in one another’s company, inviting viewers to actively participate in constructing meaning within the scene.
Alice said: “I’m so delighted to have been selected for the Freelands Fellowship at the Brighton School of Art and Media. It really feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity to have the time and space to experiment in order to develop my practice in a nurturing art school environment.
“Having just moved down to Brighton from Scotland, I’m excited to see how the change in location as well as the wealth of new influences affects my work. Additionally, I’m looking forward to working with the painting students and enjoying being in such a vibrant, creative atmosphere.”
Throughout her career, Alice has remained closely connected to the Scottish art community, having developed her practice between Edinburgh and Glasgow. She is also represented by Castlegate House Gallery in Cumbria.
The fellowship is designed to create a dynamic environment where artists and students benefit from mutual learning, mentorship and creative exchange.
Professor Tamar Jeffers McDonald, Dean of the School of Art and Media at the University of Brighton, said: “The Freelands Fellowship brings enormous value to our painting community. It gives students direct insight into sustaining a contemporary artistic practice while contributing to a rich exchange of ideas across the School.
“Alice’s imaginative, narrative-driven work and her engagement with historical influences in a contemporary context will offer a compelling perspective for our students. We are thrilled to welcome her to Brighton.”
The Freelands Studio Fellowship and residency at the University of Brighton will culminate in a solo exhibition at Phoenix Art Space in Brighton.
Lucy Day, Executive Director at Phoenix Art Space, said: “In recent years, Phoenix Art Space has welcomed Freelands Fellows whose exhibitions have been enjoyed by our artistic community and attracted strong public engagement.
“We are delighted to be working with this year’s Fellow, Alice Campbell, through our partnership with the University of Brighton and Freelands Foundation. We look forward to hosting the exhibition and sharing her work with audiences.”
A spokesperson of the Freelands Foundation, said: “We believe in the symbiotic benefits of teaching and making, and that placing an artist in residence in the art school studios is an invaluable resource for students and staff alike.
“We are delighted to welcome Alice Campbell as Brighton’s next Studio Fellow and look forward to seeing how her practice evolves over the coming year.”
Through the fellowship, Alice hopes to have the time and freedom to experient and develop her practice in exciting, rewarding and possibly unpredictable ways. She hopes to create an ambitious body of new work by the end of the year.
Think fast! BBC One’s The Answer Run is back for Series 3!
BBC One’s fast-paced quiz show The Answer Run is back for a third series – and casting is now open!
Producers are looking for quick-thinking, speedy-swiping, competitive pairs ready to take on The Answer Run for a chance to win a cash prize.
Whether you’re friends, colleagues, siblings, partners, or any other dynamic duo – this is your time to shine!
Apply now:www.shortaudition.com/Answer-Run Closing date: Monday 23rd March 2026 Eligibility: Applicants must be 18+ and have the right to reside in the UK. T&Cs apply.
We’re casting quick-thinking pairs ready to swipe their way to a cash prize!
theSpaceUK has announced the first wave of shows on sale for the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, offering an early snapshot of a programme rooted in bold new writing, distinctive solo performance and genre-spanning cabaret and musicals.
Elsa Jean McTaggart marks 15 years of touring with #SHORN, a music-led theatre piece that combines original songs and spoken reflections, performed with long-time collaborator Gary Lister. Triple Lutz Productions’ Dear Michelle Kwan is a darkly comic coming-of-age story set inside a hyper-competitive figure skating rink, where teenage rituals, obsession, and girlhood collide.
Solo storytelling features prominently. In A Cat in a Box, Tom Nemec delivers an autobiographical play exploring love, trauma and recovery within a dysfunctional family, while Raising Cain Productions’ award-winning thriller The Night Ali Died reconstructs a single catastrophic evening through multiple perspectives.
Julie Flower returns following a five-star Fringe run with Grandma’s Shop, a multi-character solo show blending family history, subculture and community, set in a Sheffield second-hand clothes shop in the late 1980s.
Dark ensemble work is represented by Minotaur Theatre Company’s And The Little One Said, a late-90s-set black comedy in which a summer holiday unravels into violence and moral collapse. Political satire arrives in January 6th The Musical, where two aspiring performers attempt to sing and dance their way out of alleged involvement in the US Capitol insurrection.
From Italy, Action Theatre presents Democrazy, a physical-theatre, mask-led examination of populism and dictatorship, dedicated to Alexei Navalny.
The first on-sale announcement also includes cabaret and musical theatre. Canada’s The Cheesecake Burlesque Revue, winners of Best Large Group at the 2024 Burlesque Hall of Fame Awards, celebrate 20 years with a body-positive variety spectacular. Vocal trio The Sundaes return with Diva Las Vegas, a short-run cabaret celebrating iconic divas, while Thank You for the Muesli offers an ABBA-inspired musical comedy with pun-heavy exuberance.
Musical theatre highlights include Music & Murder By…, a darkly comic new musical set at a writers’ retreat that turns fatal, and Spraywatch: A Beautiful Rescue, an unauthorised 90s-inspired seaside musical comedy from Low Fat Productions.
I Made You a Mixtape by Response Theatre Company is a movement-led dance theatre piece set at a 1990s dorm party, using popular music to explore friendship, identity and memory, with each performance shaped live in response to sound.
Edinburgh has changed dramatically since the current community plan (LOIP) was last revised. We need people working in the third sector to share their insights at an in-person event:
Thursday 26th February, 9.30am – 12.30pm
at Norton Park Business and Conference Centre
AGENDA:
09:30am – 10:00am
Registration, breakout group signup and refreshments
10:00 am – 10:15am
Overview of the refresh of the Community Plan (2018-2028)
Community projects have been given the green light after another successful public vote at the annual Leith Chooses event.
Thanks to the decisions of people in the Leith (ward 13) and Leith Walk (ward 12) areas of the city, the following organisations have received Community Grant Funding to progress projects that seek to improve wellbeing in Leith:
Dr Bell’s Family Centre – ‘Wellbeing in Leith’
Milan Senior Welfare Organisation – ‘Leith Connections’
Leith Community Growers – ‘Dùthchas – Growing an Orchard for the People’
Edinburgh Community Food – ‘Tasty Tales of Leith’
Water of Leith Conservation Trust – ‘Coalie Coalition Resources’
Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council – ‘Efficient and Healthy Cooking’
Pilmeny Development Project – ‘Wellbeing in Leith: Supporting Older People Out of Isolation’
Living Memory Association – ‘The Wee Hub’
Mustard Seed Edinburgh – ‘Roots and Routes: Conversations on Easter Road’
Kin Collective Family Wellbeing – ‘Kin Begins: Community Wellbeing Pregnancy Support’
From a community orchard to activity programmes tackling social isolation, this year will see the start of a variety of exciting new experiences in the area.
Culture and Communities Convener Margaret Graham said:“It’s great to see so many fantastic local projects benefitting through the Leith Chooses scheme. I look forward to seeing the difference this investment will make over the coming months.
“Participatory budgeting gives residents a genuine voice and real influence over how public funds are allocated, and it has been delivering meaningful results in Leith for more than a decade.
“I’m delighted that nearly £2million of income generated from the visitor levy is now going to use participatory budgeting to support activity that makes a difference for communities right across Edinburgh.”
Steering Group Chair Councillor Susan Rae said:“Thank you to everyone who took part in another successful Leith Chooses. I’m really looking forward to seeing these new projects develop.
“There’s a big push for Participatory Budgeting across the city of Edinburgh, and I’m just delighted to see it continue in Leith, well over a decade since it was first conceived.”
Steering group volunteer member and Harbour Homes’ Placemaking & Employability Officer Rachel Hutton said:“I was truly impressed and inspired to be part of my first Leith Chooses event.
“The passion of local people and the commitment shown by fund applicants are remarkable — qualities that would make anyone who lives, works or volunteers in Leith proud. This is what community involvement looks like in action.”
Steering Group Member Councillor Jack Caldwell said:“Once again, hundreds of people turned out to support wellbeing in Leith.
“Community Grant Funding continues to be vitally important for residents of all ages, and it’s great to see so many people across our neighbourhoods share so much enthusiasm for community wellbeing, and we’ll no doubt see some great projects take shape.”
We are excited to bring this exhibition to Scotland for only the 2nd time in its history. Please look at the notice to see when it is available to see and come along with some friends.
A month of exceptional dining awaits as Eat Out Edinburgh returns to the city this March, inviting locals and visitors alike to enjoy a month of exclusive deals, special menus and curated experiences from some of the capital’s best bars and restaurants.
Following a standout 2025 campaign, Eat Out Edinburgh 2026 will once again run for the entire month, bringing family, friends and colleagues together to support the city centre’s hospitality scene. More than 50 venues are expected to take part this year, building on last year’s momentum.
Founded in 2022 by Essential Edinburgh, the city’s Business Improvement District (BID), the campaign encourages people to explore new cuisines while taking advantage of discounts and limited-time offers.
In 2025, the initiative delivered tangible results for participating businesses, with bookings up by 31% for the month of March, a 33% increase in sales, and 75% of diners going on to shop elsewhere in the BID after their meal.
Once again, Eat Out Edinburgh will showcase a diverse mix of restaurants, cafés and bars across Princes Street to George Street, St Andrew Square and St James Quarter. Popular city favourites like Dishoom, Hawksmoor, Contini, SUSHISAMBA and more will return alongside a strong line-up of new additions for 2026.
Restaurants joining for the first time include Brasserie Prince at The Balmoral, ASSAGGINI, The Garden at The Kimpton, The Caley Bar, Miele, and Wahaca, adding even more variety to this year’s campaign.
A full list of participating venues and offers will be available soon on the Eat Out Edinburgh website, featuring exclusive menus, events and deals.
Diners are encouraged to sign up for updates and browse the latest offers at www.eatoutedinburgh.com.
Emily Campbell Johnston, Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications, Essential Edinburgh, said: “Last year’s campaign really demonstrated the power of Eat Out Edinburgh, not just in driving bookings but in encouraging people to spend more time in the city centre.
“Seeing a 31% increase in bookings shows the real impact this initiative has on our hospitality businesses at a time when restaurants need the most support.
“With an exciting mix of returning favourites and new openings joining the campaign this year, we’re confident 2026 will offer something for everyone – from impromptu lunches to celebratory dinners – giving locals, workers and visitors even more reasons to explore all the experiences our city centre offers, and support our hospitality sector.”
For more information, and to keep up to date with the campaign, visit:
PATHWAYS clinical trial paused following new MHRA advice
The MHRA have raised new concerns around the PATHWAYS trial looking into the prescription of puberty blockers among young people with gender incongruence.
The preliminary work in establishing the PATHWAYS clinical trial into the prescription of puberty blockers for children and young people with gender incongruence has been paused, following new concerns raised by the medicines regulator, the MHRA.
Discussions between the MHRA and the trial sponsor, King’s College London, will begin next week to address the new concerns. In the meantime, the trial will not start to recruit until issues raised by MHRA have been resolved between the regulator and the trial clinicians.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We have always been clear about the red lines regarding this trial – ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the children and young people involved and always being led by the clinical evidence.
“The MHRA has now raised new concerns – directly related to the wellbeing of children and young people – and scientific dialogue will now follow with the trial sponsor.
“As the evidence is now being interrogated by clinicians, preparations for the trial have been paused while the MHRA and clinical leaders work through these concerns.
“This trial will only be allowed to go ahead if the expert scientific and clinical evidence and advice conclude it is both safe and necessary.
“The safety and wellbeing of children and young people have always been the driving consideration in every decision we have made regarding this trial and always will be.”
An MHRA spokesperson commented: “With all complex clinical trials, MHRA’s top priority is the safety and wellbeing of the trial participants.
“It is part of the usual process that clinical trials are kept continuously under review and for us to have active scientific dialogue with the trial sponsors.
“The safety and wellbeing of the participants to be recruited into the PATHWAYS clinical trial is paramount, particularly in view of the age of the children and young people who may be involved.
“For this reason, the MHRA is applying the highest scrutiny and taking a cautious and measured approach. We have raised some concerns related to the wellbeing of participants and scientific dialogue will now follow with the trial sponsor.
“We rely on the best scientific evidence to ensure all trials are as safe as possible for those participating.”
The MHRA has written to King’s College London. A copy of the letter is available here Sponsor letter (PDF, 1.23 MB, 4 pages)
“Is Community Council only for older people?”
Parents (school safety, play areas, youth services)
Young professionals (transport, local businesses)
Older residents (accessibility, community safety)
Students (affordable housing, local amenities)
New residents (welcome to our community!)
