Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

Police seek masked knifeman following local robbery

Police

Police are looking for help to trace a masked thief who made a knifepoint robbery at a shop in Pilton last night (Sunday). The incident happened at about 20:40 at the Day Today shop in Boswall Parkway.

A 23-year-old man was working behind the counter when the thief demanded money, jumped over the counter and stole a plastic box containing a three-figure sum of cash and international telephone cards worth £200.

The thief is white 20 to 30-years-old, between 5ft 2ins and 5ft 5ins tall and of stocky build. He was wearing a black hooded top with the hood up, light-coloured trousers, black Converse-style trainers with a black balaclava covering his face.

Constable Alistair McLeod, of Lothian and Borders Police, said: “This was a frightening experience for everyone within the store and we are conducting local enquiries to identify the suspect. A male matching his description was then seen within a garden in Pilton Avenue at about 21:00 before making off.

“We are now asking anyone who remembers seeing anything suspicious in either Boswall Parkway or Pilton Avenue on Sunday evening to contact police immediately. Similarly, anyone with any other information that can assist with our investigation is also urged to come forward.”

Last night’s incident follows another knifepoint robbery at St Mark’s Park last Friday.

Happy birthday, Tony!

tony

It was standing room only at North Edinburgh Arts yesterday when local man – and regular NEN contributor – Tony Delahoy celebrated his ninetieth birthday.

Tony, who is originally from London, was joined by friends, family and community colleagues for an afternoon of live music, food and conversation at the Arts Centre. The star of the show remains in good health and has promised to keep those letters coming in for years to come! Speaking of which ….

Dear Editor

According to the Tory/Lib government, because I am now old I am a drain on the economy – a burden on the nation.

Their solution to ease that burden is to restrict what I can buy, by allowing drastic price rises of most items needed, particularly gas and electricity. This continuous lowering of the quality of life will lead to an earlier death for many.

It would seem whatever hardship is imposed, little is being done or can be done; this is wrong thinking – by adding my voice to yours and yours and yours we can, together, change things. Of all people, the elderly know this is a basic truth – it is only through a collective voice that any progress will be made.

This collective voice can be expressed in many ways: through pensioners organisations, forums, trade unions to councillors, MPs and MSPs, demonstrating on issues of concern –  even calling for a boycott of stores that are pushing up prices too steeply. There are so many ways of protesting.

As the numbers of elderly people are growing, so is the power of their vote – and it is essential we use it. All politicians, councillors and officials must be made aware they cannot ignore or sideline our serious concerns.

Tony Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens

Happy birthday, Tony!

letter

Poem: Poverty and Protest

Poverty and protest go hand and hand

Fighting for a better land

Working class people taking a stand

Against the injustices

Since time began

Porteous Riots at Edinburgh’s gates

This unjust man knew his fate

When he shot these people down

The riots started throughout the town

Look through history you will find

Protests were on people’s minds

The right to have their voices heard

Was what these people so deserved

Throughout the ages we can see

The right to speak was not to be

So the protest did begin to start

To demonstrate came from the heart

Of people who were tired and weary

Of poverty oppression and desperation

So they gathered to mount a demonstration

This was done in many ways through songs and plays

People gathered information through thinkers of their generations

Playwriters Poets Artists Trade Unionists Socialist all

Gathered together to hear the call

Of people who were so unhappy starving homeless

Made them fight which leaders called unrest

Polictians make promises for votes

Once elected they are all forgot

Activists present charters with good intentions

City fathers leading them on

Promises broken What has gone wrong ?

Trade Unions now have no say

Thatcher took all their rights away

She crushed communities even took our childrens milk

Riots on street this women caused

With her unjust brutal laws

Poll tax she tried to impose the Scottish nation angerley rose

To fight the cuts we brought her down

No longer for her to rule with an iron hand

She killed our nation throughout the land

Future governments once elected

Did not repeal the Acts she created

Broken promises once again

When will this torture end ?

Now there will be a referendum for independance

Political parties running scared incase Scotland vote YES

They tell us we are “BETTER TOGETHER ” people know what is best

Scottish people will decide no more Broken promises Unjust cuts

Welfare reforms Prices rising .

No jobs to see beyond the horizon

For our youths there is no future

People shivering in the winter

For many it is heat or eat

Poverty rising at an alarming rate

Homeless people have no hope

This present government is a joke

“BETTER TOGETHER ” ? Better for who ?

Polititians not me or you

Now they are trying to gather the masses

For what ? I believe to save their own asses

Scotland should show the way

Vote differently have your say

Remember all the broken promises

Remember all this on referendum day.

Anna Hutchison (by email)

STV to operate new local Edinburgh TV channel

Edinburgh

STV has won the new local TV licences for both Edinburgh and Glasgow, the first of the new generation of local broadcasting services to be awarded in Scotland by media regulator Ofcom. The separate licences for Glasgow and Edinburgh will see new services for the two cities broadcast free on terrestrial television.

STV, which holds the Channel 3 licence for North and Central Scotland, will run the services in partnership with universities, providing peak time content including local news and current affairs programming as well as magazine shows.

Bobby Hain, STV Director of Channels, said: “STV is delighted to have been awarded the Local TV licences for Glasgow and Edinburgh. The two services, GTV and ETV, will be delivered in partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University and Edinburgh Napier University. GTV and ETV will provide an innovative television service to the communities they serve complementing STV’s existing broadcast, online and mobile services. These new ventures will also provide media students with opportunities to work and learn in a live broadcast environment.”

Professor Dame Joan Stringer, principal and vice chancellor at Edinburgh Napier University, added: “This presents a unique opportunity not only for our students but for the wider community of Edinburgh. The university has a track record of producing top journalism and media graduates who benefit from fantastic facilities and industry-experienced staff. I am sure the contribution of our students will be invaluable to the community programming planned for ETV.”

Ofcom will award up to 21 local TV licences, including Belfast, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Grimsby, Norwich, Nottingham, Sheffield and Southampton. Although not part of the current bidding process, there are another 44 locations where a local television licence is “technically possible”, including Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness and Ayr.

Following the announcement that local TV licences in Scotland have been awarded to STV, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said: “I would like to congratulate STV on being awarded the local TV licences for Edinburgh and Glasgow. However, these services – which focus on the two largest centres of population that are already well served by media – should not have been the priority for broadcasting in Scotland.

“The priority should be delivering for viewers in the South of Scotland – who are arguably most in need of local television as they currently receive local news on Channel 3 which is broadcast from Gateshead – and addressing the need for choice in public service broadcasting across Scotland, such as through a publicly-funded Scottish Digital Network.

“The television licence fee has been frozen and top sliced by the UK Government to pay for local television and the Welsh channel S4C, at the expense of audiences across Scotland. This damaging settlement has led to job cuts at BBC Scotland, with up to 120 posts going by 2017 – and these cuts are beginning to bite.
“I am committed to protecting public service broadcasting. Under independence, Scotland would have full responsibility for broadcasting, which provides opportunities to better meet the needs of audiences here while reflecting Scottish life, culture and interests.”

Police appeal over Warriston knifepoint robbery

Police

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses following a knifepoint robbery near St Mark’s Park in Warriston this morning (Friday).

The incident happened at around 7.30am. A 42-year-old man was walking near the entrance of St Mark’s Park when a male on a red motor scooter and another male who was on foot approached him. The male who was on foot then presented a knife and both demanded the man hand over his possessions.

After the victim gave his phone, he fled from the suspects and contacted police. Detectives are now keen to speak with anyone who was in or around the park this morning and can assist with their enquiries.

The first suspect is described as having a slight build and wearing a motorcycle helmet and dark clothing.

The second suspect is described as white, around 18-years-old, 5ft 9ins tall with a slight build. He was wearing a dark hooded top with the hood up, light trousers and a white chequered bandanna covering most of his face.

Both men spoke with local accents.

Detective Constable Graham McIlwraith said: “At no time during this incident was the man assaulted with the knife. Nevertheless, it was a frightening ordeal and resulted in the theft of his phone. We are conducting local enquiries in the area and would urge anyone who remembers seeing the distinctive red Vespa-style scooter, or the suspects to come forward.

“The victim spoke with a man walking his two dogs just after the robbery and this individual may have witnessed the incident. He is asked to contact police immediately. Similarly, anyone who can help us trace those responsible is asked to come forward.”

Those with information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Letter: Divide and Rule

Dear Editor

The Tory/Lib government are trying to make scapegoats of people on benefits. They are playing one section of people against others, for example:

  • people on housing benefit getting large sums of money, but neglect to say it is the landlords who get the money via the tenants
  • people on disability benefits being classed as layabouts, being forced to undergo a work capability assessment test by a private organisation
  • people on Working Tax Credit, benefit being cut
  • Job Seekers Allowance, benefit being cut.

People on these and other benefits have been slandered and labelled undeserving, and – if these benefits were cut – all would be well.

This divisive campaign by the Tory/Lib government did initially fool some people into supporting benefits cuts, but now the real target can be seen: it is everyone’s income, wages as well as benefits.

The following quote may sound very familiar: a group of unemployed men wrote to the Poor Law Commission in January 1835, asking for help. The Commission responded as follows:

‘the amount of relief, you must be aware, ought not to be as to render the situation of the pauper equal to that of a person living by independent industry: a practice of making allowance for idleness equal or nearly equal to the wages of industry must tend to make pauperism preferable to independence’.

Tony Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens

 

MY CHILD consultation at West Pilton

family

Are you a parent or a carer of children aged from birth to seven years? West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre is designing My Child, a new programme that will benefit you and your family

You can find out more about My Child at a consultation event in the Neighbourhood Centre in West Pilton Grove next Tuesday (15 January) from 11am – 1pm; buffet lunch and creche are provided.

For further information call Gina Ahmed on 551 3194 or Alan Addison on 332 6316.

Child