Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

Let There Be Light!

Drylaw Telford Community Council is to raise concerns over the quality of recently-introduced lamp standards across the area.  Members at the community council’s latest meeting in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre on Wednesday said that the new streetlights are not powerful enough and do not light pavements adequately, and the group plans to raise safety concerns at forthcoming Neighbourhood Partnership meetings.

The city council embarked on a rolling programme of replacing street lights earlier this year, but community council members believe the new lights are not as effective as the older lamp standards they are replacing.

Community councillor Jackie Brown also manages Drylaw’s Rainbow Daycare Centre for older people, and she says members are feeling less safe at night as a result of the lighting replacement programme.

“The new lights are lower and less powerful so don’t shed nearly as much light.  Older members of the community are feeling vulnerable.  Some of them are carrying torches so that they can see where to put the key in the door lock when they get home, while some others are avoiding going out altogether when it gets dark.  It’s not only older people who are affected by the new lights, though – lots of people are not happy with the new lights”.

The city council is introducing the new units to reduce cost, energy use and light pollution.  In October the council’s Planning Committee approved a draft version of the Edinburgh Lighting Strategy for consultation and the closing date for comments is 31 December.  Drylaw Telford Community Council will formally respond to the consultation and also plan to raise concerns at December meetings of Forth Neighbourhood Partnership and the local Clean, Green and Safe action group.

What do you think of the new street lights?  Let us know!

Unkindest Cut Of All For Local Butchers

One of North Edinburgh’s longest established businesses will close on Saturday after having served the community for over thirty years.  The Pork Butcher on Pennywell Road closes it’s doors for the last time this weekend – and butcher Brian Burke has no doubt about the cause of the closure.

“The decision to knock down all those houses in Muirhouse and Pennywell is what’s really done for us”, said Brian, who has managed the shop for 33 years.  “We’ve managed to get through downturns before, times when people have less money to spend – we survived that.  But over the last four years or so – when they started by knocking down Muirhouse Crescent – we’ve  seen our customer numbers really drop. You can’t knock down around 950 houses – and rebuild none – without trade being affected.  Bit by bit trade has dwindled and we can’t carry on – the customers are just not here any  more.  Every shop will tell you the same – every one is struggling.  I can well remember when we would have five or six butchers  working on a Saturday and we never stopped – the place was non-stop all day.  It’s hard to believe it’s the same shop”.

Nephew Charlie is a relative newcomer – he’s only worked in the Pennywell shop for 27 years!

“I’ll be finished my apprenticeship soon!” he said.  “Seriously though, it really is tragic not just for us but for the whole community. We’ve seen this happening for the last few years – since they started emptying the houses.  It will be three  years until the first of the new homes are built and occupied – that will be too late for most businesses and I think most of the shops will be shut by then.  I think everyone wants out but they are tied into contracts and it looks hopeless.  I don’t see how any business can survive when there’s no prospect of customers.  When the council was planning the regeneration of the area I think they should have done what they did in Niddrie – decanting and demolishing bit by bit and rebuilding and getting people back in.
If they had done that down here businesses would at least have had a fighting chance, but they didn’t”.

While Saturday will be a sad day for the Pennywell butchers, Brian and Charlie will leave with a lot of fond memories.

“We have had an awful lot of laughs over the years, a lot of fun”, said Brian.  “We always liked to give the kids a slice of chopped pork when they came in, and now we’re giving a piece of chopped pork to the kids of those kids.  You get to meet a lot of good people and I’d like to thank all of our customers who have supported us over the years”.

Charlie added:  “Just recently I was having a drink when someone stuck a pint in front of me.  ‘That’s for keeping me going on chopped pork when I was wee!’ he said!  We have had some really good times and we’re bound to miss it – we’ve been doing it for
such a long time.  It will be very sad when we lock these doors for the last time”.

The city council’s ‘21st Century Homes’ regeneration initiative was welcomed by most people – particularly those languishing
on waiting lists and tenants living in substandard accommodation.  Around 470 new homes will be built in Muirhouse and Pennywell as part of the programme, bringing families – and customers – back to the area.  Sadly, those 21st century homes will come too late to save the local butchers who served the community for well over half a century.

Margo opens Elizabeth Maginnis Court

 Margo MacDonald MSP performed the official opening of Elizabeth Maginnis Court, Dunedin Canmore’s new housing development in Royston Mains Crescent yesterday.  Developed in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government, the superb new facility contains 68 flats and a variety of communal facilities all designed around a central landscaped courtyard. 

It’s a building the late Granton councillor would have been very proud of -Elizabeth Maginnis Court provides flexible accomodation for older and vulnerable people; a group long very close to Elizabeth’s heart.

Margo MacDonald was joined by Councillor Paul Edie (Convener of Health, Social Care and Housing), Councillor Eric Milligan and Cardinal Keith O’Brien – long time friends of Elizabeth’s – all of whom paid moving tributes to the late local councillor who died three years ago.   The Maginnis family was well represented at the event, hosted by Dunedin Canmore chief executive Ewan Fraser, alongside city politicians, officials, community representatives and of course the new residents themselves.

Sisters Jean and Grace and their pals Betty and Rosemary joined the celebration and they all love their new homes.

“It’s really lovely here – I wouldn’t swop for anything!”, said Rosemary.  Betty agreed:  “It really is a smashing place – everyone feels very safe here”.  And Jean and Grace couldn’t be happier.  “We love it here – it’s been worth the wait and we are so happy”.

And doubtless Elizabeth would have been very happy for them too!

 

 

FIGHTING BACK!

Local community campaign group North Edinburgh Fights Back is to hold a community conference at Craigroyston High School on Saturday (12 November). The conference – ‘Tackling Poverty and Inequality’ – has been jointly organised with the STUC and Edinburgh Trades Union Congress and aims to create an Anti-Poverty Charter.

The conference programme includes keynote speakers and workshops and over one hundred delegates from across the country are expected to attend the event.

North Edinburgh Fights Back member Willie Black said: “This is an important conference and it has generated a lot of interest, both locally and further afield. We want to see communities, community organisations and Trade Unions join together to resist and fight the scourge of poverty which is decimating our communities – communities that are already struggling to cope with the punishing effects of government cuts”.

The conference, which starts at 10am, is a free event but participatants are advised to book their place as demand is likely to be high. For further information on the ‘Tackling Poverty and Inequality’ community conference contact Willie Black on 0751 568 6421 or email w.black@blueyonder.co.uk