SATURDAY 30th AUGUST at LAURISTON CASTLE
Looking for a bit of tranquility and mindfulness after the busy August?
Join @mioshudo at @edmcf_ in the Kyoto-Friendship Garden at Lauriston Castle on 30 August.
Just book your FREE tickets at edmcf.co.uk and relax
The Avenue, an exclusive retirement community by five-star home builder Cruden Homes, is in the running for its third major accolade after being shortlisted for ‘Development of the Year’ at the 2025 Herald Property Awards.
This latest nomination follows an impressive award season for The Avenue, which has already scooped Housing Development of the Year (Small, Private Sale) at the 2025 Scottish Home Awards and Private Development of the Year (Medium) at the 2025 Homes for Scotland Awards.
Located in the leafy suburb of Barnton, just minutes from Edinburgh’s bustling city centre, The Avenue’s boutique offering includes 48 energy-efficient apartments, penthouses, and executive villas, each built to a high specification.
Designed exclusively for those aged 55 and over, the development combines elegant, hotel-inspired living and thoughtful amenities. Residents can enjoy access to a stylish club lounge and guest suite, and will benefit from a dedicated concierge service. The Avenue’s focus on sustainability, quality and design sets it apart in the retirement living sector.
Hazel Davies, Sales and Marketing Director of Cruden Homes, said: “The Avenue offers a truly unique opportunity for those aged 55 and over to live in luxurious, peaceful homes, alongside a lovely community of like-minded neighbours.
“We prioritised quality and innovation from the outset, and it is fantastic to see this commitment recognised with our recent award successes and this latest nomination.”
The Herald Property awards, hosted in partnership with Prime Property Auctions, celebrate Scotland’s most innovative and successful home and commercial builders, developers, agents, interior designers and registered social landlords.
For more information on The Avenue’s luxury retirement living, please visit:
YESTERDAY (Saturday 16 August 2025) The Royal Scots Regimental Association led a memorial service at The Royal Scots Memorial Garden at Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Victory over Japan which marked the end of the Second World War (VJ Day, 15 August 1945).
Those on parade included descendants of those who fought in the Far East between 1941 and 1945, former Royal Scots and their families as well as representatives of other services and arms that were involved in the various campaigns.
Having formed up in front of Lauriston Castle, they marched the short distance to the Royal Scots Memorial Garden behind the Royal Scots Association Pipe Band and their Association Standards.
A short service was conducted by Reverend Dr Iain May, Chaplain to The Royal Scots Regimental Association. The wreath laying was led by Brigadier George Lowder, President of The Royal Scots Regimental Association.
The Royal Scots, recruited predominantly from Edinburgh, the Lothians and Peeblesshire, were involved from the first day to the last of this bitterly fought campaign.
Their 2nd Battalion fought in defence of Hong Kong from 8 December 1941 and 144 of those who survived were among the 828 prisoners who perished when their ship, the Lisbon Maru, was torpedoed in October 1942; the remainder, if they survived, endured four years of captivity.
The Regiment’s 1st Battalion fought through the later campaign in Burma, including the Battles of Kohima and Aradura which marked the turning point in the war against Japan and led to the final victory on VJ Day, 15 August 1945.
Malcolm Warrack, son of Lt Col Morren Warrack who fought at Kohima with the regiment, said: “A group of Royal Scots Veterans felt very strongly about the lack of some form of local memorial specifically for their fellow soldiers who did not come back from the Burma Campaign and Kohima in particular.
“George Rogers, Ian Henderson and Morren Warrack co-ordinated the preparation and creation of this Memorial Garden; they spoke often about the “Forgotten Army” in the Far East so it is particularly fitting that 80 years after VJ Day we remember them.”
Gerry Borg, son of Lisbon Maru survivor John Borg, said: “We can never fully appreciate the suffering and pain endured by the brave men who were Prisoners of War in Japan.
“From a very young age we were taught that the word ‘starving’ was forbidden in our house. Dad would remind us that we never had, and hopefully never would, experience true starvation.
“On the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, it is right that we remember the sacrifice made on our behalf. We must preserve the history of the events and, honour those involved.”
Brigadier Lowder added: “Having had the privilege as a young officer to meet some of the survivors of the 1st and 2nd Battalions and hear first hand their accounts of their experiences in the Far East, Hong Kong and in captivity, this 80th Anniversary of the end of the war against Japan was particularly poignant.
“The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) will never forget their service and especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Open Music Sessions are back for five dates across the Summer!
Join guest musician Shea M and local musicians for a relaxed evening of tunes and the best views
Thursday evenings 5pm – 6.30pm
17 & 24 July; 7, 14 & 21 August
Feel free to come along and play, or just listen to the audible pleasures
You can bring an instrument, or borrow one
Free and drop in – no booking needed, at the wooden gazebo by the wildflower mound
Queensferry Road will be closed in both directions between Drumbrae North and Clermiston Road North from 10pm on Thursday, 19 June until 1am on Friday, 20 June, 2025.
The closure is to allow for a collision reconstruction as part of enquiries into a crash which happened on Tuesday, 8 April, 2025.
Diversions will be in place and motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible.
Police Scotland thank the public for their patience and their understanding.
Cruden Homes has launched a striking new show home at The Avenue, its award-winning luxury retirement development located in the prestigious Edinburgh suburb of Barnton.
Designed exclusively for retirees, this boutique-style community offers discerning buyers the chance to experience the refined lifestyle on offer in one of the capital’s most desirable locations.
Set amid landscaped grounds overlooking the Royal Burgess Golf Course, The Avenue comprises a carefully curated collection of energy-efficient apartments, penthouses, and executive villas.
Each property features between one and three bedrooms, all finished to a high specification with quality fixtures and fittings as standard. With generous ceiling heights and expansive windows, homes are bathed in natural light and designed to maximise space and comfort.
The newly opened show home – a beautifully appointed two-bedroom apartment – showcases The Avenue’s hallmark blend of understated luxury and thoughtful design.
The interior, styled by Get Fully Furnished, features a large open-plan kitchen, dining and living area ideal for entertaining, a spacious master suite with en-suite bathroom, a stylish guest bedroom, and a contemporary main bathroom.
Elegant finishes and premium materials lend the home the sophisticated air of a boutique hotel.
Beyond individual homes, residents benefit from a range of lifestyle-focused amenities including stylish communal areas, established gardens, a residents’ lounge, guest suite for visitors, and a concierge service – all designed to promote ease, connection, and independence.
Further enhancing the living experience, Cruden Homes has partnered with The Senior Move Partnership and Glenmore Mobility to support new residents.
Buyers can access a complimentary two-hour relocation consultation, alongside tailored in-home mobility assessments and product recommendations to ensure continued comfort and accessibility.
Hazel Davies, Sales and Marketing Director at Cruden Homes, said: “The Avenue offers a truly unique lifestyle for independent retirees, combining the luxury and convenience of a boutique hotel with the independence of your own home.
“It’s been a joy to watch this community flourish. This stunning new show home offers a glimpse of the exceptional design, quality and vibrant community spirit that make The Avenue so special.”
Private viewings of the new show home are now available by appointment.
Alternatively drop-ins appointments are available Tuesday to Friday, from 11am – 5pm.
For further information or to arrange a visit, contact the Cruden Homes sales team or visit: www.theavenuebarnton.co.uk
Three Edinburgh-based community projects have been awarded a total of more than £14,000 in research funding by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) and Williamson Trust to promote healthy living.
Lauriston Farm and local environmental artist Natalie Taylor will benefit from a share of the funding pot, along with Leith-based Earth in Common.
Lauriston Farm, run by a workers’ cooperative, is dedicated to sustainable food production, biodiversity, and community. They will use their award of £4550 to develop a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilisers using Aerated Compost Teas, a process of mixing compost with water and then introducing oxygen into the mixture.
Despite their potential, practical guidance for integrating compost teas into commercial market gardens and the potential benefits remains limited. The project is aiming to bridge that gap by refining recipes and protocols to make knowledge of Aerated Compost Teas production accessible and effective for both commercial growers and people at home.
Grower and Coop Director Jossie Ellis said: “This funding will enable us to advance our experiments using Aerated Compost Teas in the Market Garden, which will help to improve soil health, crop resilience, and sustainable food production.
“With this support, we hope to refine our methodologies, share findings with growers, and contribute to a more regenerative food system.”
Environmental artist Natalie Taylor has received £4500 for her Scran Fir Bees project to extend a series of existing public space artworks incorporating wildflowers to provide nectar-rich habitats and food sources for pollinators.
Her long-term vision is that these artworks, using large-scale text cut into the landscape, will join up to eventually form a bee corridor across the North of Edinburgh.
Natalie Taylor said: “I am so pleased to be able to work alongside local communities to design, develop and implement the new environmental artwork, sharing skills in meadow maintenance and strategic seeding to increase local biodiversity.
“Through fun, creative workshops, I will highlight the importance of our relationship with insect pollinators, which contribute vital services to roughly one-third of our food. I see this creative action for biodiversity as really important at the moment due to the ongoing crisis in pollinator populations, especially in urban environments such as Edinburgh where there are so many natural spaces where we can potentially help them.”
The Edinburgh projects are among 16 innovative community-led research projects across Scotland to receive funding from the RSE and the Williamson Trust.
A total of £73,625 has been given to a range of creative projects to foster healthy communities as part of the Healthy Planet, Healthy People awards.
Meanwhile, Earth in Common, based at Leith Community Croft, which includes a market garden, an orchard, and a community area shared by over 100 growers, has been awarded £5000.
The Croft is situated on Common Good land inspired by the Gaelic concept of dùthchas – the deep-rooted connection between people and the land.
They will use the funding to gather data on cultivated and wild plants and pollinators, which will help formulate strategies for biodiversity conservation and inform a guidance manual for urban green spaces across Scotland.
Evie Murray, CEO of Earth in Common, said: “This award will boost our mission to demonstrate that urban crofts, such as our model Leith Community Croft, can effectively address multiple societal and environmental issues. With its orchard, wild areas, market garden and unique system of group-shared food-growing plots, it has already been shown to foster great biodiversity.
“This will empower our ‘Crofters’ – local residents – to develop citizen-science skills to monitor and further increase biodiversity. This should benefit them as individuals and foster pride and engagement in land stewardship in densely populated Leith.
“We hope that the methodology we collectively develop will be widely shared and can have a significant positive impact on nature and people’s relationship with it across Scotland.”
This is the second year of the awards, generously funded by the Williamson Trust, a charitable organisation. The strength of the applications in the second round of the funding programme resulted in four additional projects being awarded financial support.
Professor David E Salt FRSE, Chair of the Williamson Trust, said: “This year, we again have an amazing diversity of projects, from dolphins, bees, seeds, orchards, woodlands and lochs to food banks, composting, urban crofts and coffee shops. We truly look to invest in hope and the power of ideas wherever they arise.
“The trustees at the Williamson Trust are excited to fund 16 great community-led projects from across Scotland.
“Applications to the Healthy Planet, Healthy People Community-led Research Awards continue to grow, demonstrating the strong desire of communities in Scotland to develop local solutions to the ongoing global challenges to our environment, our communities and our food.
“The Trust hopes that these locally focused projects can find solutions to the challenges the local communities face and that these solutions can also have wider application.”
RSE Vice President, Research, Professor Anne Anderson OBE FRSE, commented: “This marks the second round of RSE ‘Healthy Planet, Healthy People’: Community-led Research Awards, which were introduced to expand the Society’s range of awards and the type of research we support.
“The health of people and the environment are closely connected, and I hope that these awards will strengthen these innovative research groups and drive positive change in both areas. I look forward to following their progress and achievements over the coming year.”
Join us for our Japan Sakura @ Lauriston Castle – a festival spanning 2 days (Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 April) celebrating the blossom at Lauriston Castle.
Full details of #Japanese#cultural events here:
https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/…/sakura-lauriston…
Free and drop in.
Great British Bake Off winner and Edinburgh local, Peter Sawkins, is hosting an exclusive talk at Cruden Homes’ luxury retirement living development, The Avenue, in Barnton.
The event will take place on Friday April 25, from 1pm – 3pm, providing a unique opportunity to meet the star baker and explore the luxurious retirement lifestyle available at The Avenue.
Guests will have the chance to hear Peter’s experiences as one of the youngest winners of the popular baking show, following his success on the 11th series in 2020. He is also the only Scottish winner of the programme. The event will include a biscuit or cake decorating demonstration, adding to the interactive experience.
Participants will also receive an exclusive first look at The Avenue’s newly completed show apartment, which overlooks the Royal Burgess Golf Club.
Together with Cruden’s friendly experts, attendees can speak with partner organisations, including The Senior Moves Partnership, who will provide tips on how to downsize belongings for later life moves and Glenmore Mobility, who will provide advice on adapting homes to support independence later in life, alongside propety managers, Taylor & Martin, PX Partners and property agents, Savills.
Situated in the scenic suburb of Barnton, Edinburgh, The Avenue offers an unparalleled living experience for retirees, blending elegant design with practical living and fostering a strong sense of community.
The development is located beside the prestigious Royal Burgess Golf Course and is surrounded by beautiful green spaces, providing tranquility and exclusivity in one of Edinburgh’s most sought-after locations. With 48 highly sustainable and energy-efficient apartments, penthouses, and executive villas, The Avenue is designed to the highest specifications, showcasing Cruden Homes’ renowned quality and craftsmanship.
Hazel Davies, Sales and Marketing Director at Cruden Homes, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Peter to The Avenue for an exclusive talk, a fun biscuit decorating session, and a first look at our incredible new Avenue Show Apartment.
“The Avenue offers homebuyers over 55 a unique opportunity to become part of a like-minded, vibrant community. The development is designed with a focus on relaxed yet luxurious living, offering beautifully landscaped gardens, exceptional communal areas, and the added benefit of a 24-hour concierge service.
“This event is a fantastic way for prospective buyers to experience first-hand the lifestyle on offer at The Avenue – combining quality, comfort, and connection in one of Edinburgh’s most desirable locations.”
RSVP today to secure your spot, as places for this exclusive event are limited and must be booked in advance. Email: theavenue@crudenhomes.co.uk
For more information, please visit: https://theavenuebarnton.co.uk/
A 31-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with road traffic offences following a fatal hit and run crash on the A90 Queensferry Road.
Around 11.15pm on Tuesday, 8 April, 2025, officers were made aware of a crash involving a Kawasaki KLE650 motorcycle and an unknown car.
Emergency services attended and the 61-year-old male rider was pronounced dead at the scene.
The car has since been traced and the 31-year-old man arrested and charged in connection with road traffic offences. Further enquiries into the incident remain ongoing.
Sergeant Paul Ewing said: “We would like to thank the public for their assistance with our investigation and our thoughts remain with the family of the man who died.
“Anyone with any further information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 4274 of 8 April, 2025.”
