As part of the ongoing refurbishment of North Bridge, there will be a northbound closure for six weeks from Monday 17 February.
During this period traffic will only be permitted to proceed southbound (from Princes Street towards South Bridge).
The six-week closure is to undertake resurfacing on both the southbound approach to the bridge (both lanes outside Waverley Gate toward Princes Street) and the southbound departure of the bridge (both lanes from the entrance to the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton on North Bridge to the junction at High Street).
The wider work on North Bridge has included refurbishing the cast iron bridge facades, grit blasting and repainting structural steelwork, repairing and improving the footway paving and underdrainage amongst a host of other improvements. A full list of the improvements and the wider project benefits is on our website.
The council is targeting the end of this year for the end of major repair works.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “I appreciate this temporary closure will be frustrating for our residents and businesses. I want to thank them for their continued patience as we carry out these essential works.
“These works are part of the wider project to restore this crucial link between the north and south of the city – and of course preserve it for future generations.
“I’m conscious that this work is taking longer to complete than we had initially anticipated, but this is this a hugely complex project, with the historic nature of the bridge requiring painstaking and specialist work to restore it to its former glory.”
Have you heard the exciting news? Café Portrait is open again with a fresh new look!
Join us for a quick bite or a leisurely brunch in The Nook, our new and tranquil dining space. Enjoy signature dishes prepared right in our kitchen, inspired by the beautiful Portrait gallery’s artworks.
The menu will include delicious food made from fresh, seasonal ingredients, with everything prepared onsite. Under the guidance of Head Chef Alec, new signature dishes have been crafted, inspired by the gallery’s artwork.
One standout from The Nook’s menu is the Smokie Hash, a vibrant dish of smoked haddock, sweet potato hash, poached egg, wilted kale, spinach, grilled vine tomato, and cava beurre blanc.
It’s inspired by John Bellany’s Queen Street Café painting, which hangs in the Café and prominently features fish.
We’ve missed you, and we’re excited to welcome you back from 10am-4:30pm, daily. See you soon!
An OPEN LETTER from ALISON NOLAN, chief executive officer of the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC)
Did you know that over the past decade, 53 public libraries across Scotland have closed their doors for good – without replacement ?
The same public libraries which provide essential access to trusted information and education for all, which ignite a lifelong love of reading from early years, and which serve as warm, welcoming spaces where everyone is welcome without any expectation to spend. The same public libraries which, time and again, deliver enormous value to communities across the country, only to find themselves at risk when budgets are debated.
I’ve written to councillors across Edinburgh, before crucial budget decisions are made for the next financial year, to remind them what investment in public libraries truly means.
At the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), the advocacy body for Scotland’s network of over 500 public and mobile libraries, we understand the delicate financial situation that councils must navigate but we would urge those considering cuts to their library services to think again.
It’s no secret that the cultural sector is under unprecedented pressure but the narrative that austerity measures justify these cuts is shortsighted. This isn’t just a story of diminishing buildings and bookshelves; it’s a story of lives disrupted.
These closures are deeply felt because libraries represent so much more than the sum of their parts. Public libraries remain the most popular service local government delivers. Closing these doors means cutting off opportunities — a cost far greater than any savings achieved.
Libraries are proven to deliver significant economic and social returns, with research from Suffolk Libraires revealing a £6.95 return of economic benefit for every £1 invested through improved literacy, better mental health and stronger communities. And of course, when this investment figure is flipped, we see that the closure of public libraries will result in the community losing out on £6.95 of economic and social benefit for every £1 that is invested elsewhere.
The troubling trend of closures and cuts to library services across the country all too often disproportionately affects rural communities, exacerbating existing inequalities by stripping away vital access to education, digital resources and safe spaces for social interaction.
For these communities, libraries are not a luxury but a necessity. They provide essential services to support job applications, digital literacy training and social connection. To lose them is to deepen the isolation already felt by many.
Ask yourself: where else can citizens turn for support with their health, finances and employment? Libraries do it all under a single roof. They make real change to people in communities right across Edinburgh and play a central part in how the council brings about change.
Libraries drive forward crucial national agendas including preventative health – with the Health on the Shelf research report showing they save NHS Scotland £3.2m every year, bridging the digital divide by offering free access to PCs, Wi-Fi and digital support for a range of essential services, and fostering social cohesion by hosting a diverse range of community events. And this is all in addition to their core function: to encourage reading and provide a range of trusted reference materials.
As cuts and closures loom across the country, we’re urging local decision-makers to prioritise sustainable investment in libraries. Cutting library budgets is a false economy. The cost of losing libraries extends far beyond financial savings, impacting education, mental health and community cohesion. But it’s not just closures that we’re concerned about.
The slow, salami-slicing effect that has been seen over recent years, with opening hours cut – decreasing by 13%, on average – budgets slashed and staffing numbers reduced is felt across communities, with 1 in 3 voicing fears that their whole service is at risk.
Where councils have embraced the importance of libraries, the benefits are clear. 22 out of the 32 local authorities have not made any cuts to their library services in the last decade; instead, they are choosing to invest in their future, from creating learning hubs which have seen unprecedented loan figures, to developing dedicated ‘Maker Spaces’, reinforcing the role that libraries play as the originators of the sharing economy by offering access to emerging technology, such as 3D printers and laser cutters, as well as sewing and embroidery equipment.
In a recent survey from the Association of Public Libraries in Scotland, over 93% agreed that using the public library improves their quality of life, reminding us of the immense value that a public library holds, evolving to meet the needs of modern Scotland with the emergence of whole-community assets that can be used by educators, small businesses, community groups, and individuals to help people right across Edinburgh achieve their potential, while retaining their fundamental purpose: to connect, inspire and empower.
These services are a source of inspiration, but they remain the exception rather than the rule. To fulfil this potential, they need more than goodwill — they need sustainable funding.
No other community asset can deliver the vast economic and social benefits that a thriving public library service can, and so we would urge decision-makers to prioritise investment in their communities.
Anything less would be a failure we cannot afford.
ALISON NOLAN
Chief executive officer of the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC)
This month we are showing the work of Jane Murray (1952-2024). The exhibition, titled Starting With A Line, was organised first by Jane herself and latterly by friends and family and includes paintings on wood, oil pastel on paper and mixed media works.
In a short introductory text in her own words, Jane shared reflections on her art practice which conclude: “As I have got older there is the realisation that the genre of my work was less reliant on observation and more on the expressive and instinctual, similar to that early child who put together visuals to make sense of her world.”
Jane was also a much-loved member of Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Citizen Writers Group and some of her old pals have already visited the exhibition on George IV Bridge.
To celebrate the life and learnings of revolutionary 19th and 20th century Scottish social thinker Patrick Geddes, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival in partnership with the Sir Patrick Geddes Trust is holding a day of workshops, screenings, talks and discussions as part of Edinburgh’s 900 programme on Saturday, 22 February.
Patrick Geddes by Kenny Hunter on display at the Scottish Storytelling Centre
The day looks to the future, structured around Geddes’ key sayings including ‘By Creating We Think’ and combining ideas with practical initiatives that can open pathways into ecology, culture and creativity to create a city rich in local, national and international identities.
Speakers include environmental artists Kenny Munro and Claudia Zeiske; Murdo MacDonald who is a leading writer and original interpreter of Patrick Geddes; environmentalist and nature writer Mandy Haggith; Bengali storyteller Neel Debdutt Paul; Samuel Gallacher who is Director of Sottish Historic Buildings Trust and has had close involvement with the ideas and legacy of Geddes; and many other writers, activists and thinkers.
Patrick Geddes was an ecologist and town planner who believed that our future lies in the merging of the natural world with human culture. He also championed the need for science and society to work together, citizen action, creative learning, and the need for green space.
Donald Smith, Director of the Scottish Storytelling Festival and Programmer of ‘By Creating We Think’ said: “Geddes would have loved to be at this event.
“His method was to bring people together and let the ideas and passions flow. Of course in a sense he will be there, and I can’t think of anyone more important to have at Edinburgh’s 900th celebrations.”
Samuel Gallacher, Director of Scottish Historic Buildings Trust said: “Geddes’ revolutionary thinking has influenced more than a century of practice, and yet still, his ideas and methods have still so much to offer to society today as we reflect, as Geddes did in his own time, on our rapidly changing world.”
‘By Creating We Think’ is supported by the City of Edinburgh Council as part of Edinburgh’s 900th year celebrations and The Sir Patrick Geddes Memorial Trust. It will be the final event in the Scottish International Storytelling Festival’s programme of over 40 community events across the city that have been attended by more than 1600 people.
By Creating We Think Saturday 22 February from 10.30am to 5pm Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR.
A day of talks, workshops, screenings and lively discussion to celebrate the life and learnings of revolutionary 19thcentury Scottish social thinker Patrick Geddes,
The event is ticketed on a ‘pay as you can’ basis.
Introduction and hosting by Andrew Bachell, environmentalist and Chair, Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland.
Re-Naturing a Nation:Mandy Haggith, poet, novelist and nature writer. Greening the City: Bridgend Farmhouse with John Knox and Will Golding.
Think Global, Act Local
Cultures in Conversation: environmental artist Kenny Munro and storyteller/writer Neel Debdutt Paul explore a web of connections between Patrick Geddes and India.
Cultures in Conversation: Tom Hubbard writer and researcher; Claudia Zeiske, environmental artist, producer and community curator; and Iliyana Nedkova Curator of the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland, explore a web of connections between Geddes, France and Europe.
Place, Work, Folk
Remaking and restoring – a participative session led by Claudia Zeiske, environmental artist, producer and community curator.
By Living We Learn
Geddes, Tagore and Education – the work of Stewart A Robertson and Bashabi Fraser introduced by Donald Smith
The Making of Books: By Publishing We Think – Murdo MacDonald, Art Historian and Essayist.
A Geddes Future in Edinburgh’s Old TownSam Gallacher, Scottish Historic Buildings Trust
LOCAL CARE HOME APPRECIATES THE WORKS OF JMW TURNER
Residents of Strachan House care home in Blackhall, were mesmerised by the wonderful works of Joseph Mallord William Turner as they attended the once-in-a-lifetime exhibition at The National Galleries of Scotland.
In the last month The National Galleries of Scotland commemorated the 250th birthday of the outstanding British artist JMW Turner. Residents of Strachan House Care Home were able to appreciate 30 of Turners watercolours that have come over from Dublin.
Interestingly, these works are only to be exhibited to the public in the month of January each year, this is due to the preservation of the collection.
General Manager, Frances Fisher, said: “Lots of our residents appreciate art and were thrilled to see the collection.
“We have had a wonderful day hearing the history of JMW Turner and admiring his works. I’m thrilled that so many of our residents got to witness the wonderful watercolours on Display at The National Galleries in Edinburgh.”
Katherine, a resident said: “I had a wonderful day admiring Turner’s watercolours. I am very fond of his works, it was so lovely to get to see them and visit the Gallery again.”
Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.
Strachan House Care Home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides residential, Dementia and nursing care, for short and long-term stays.
On Saturday 15 February, Rachel Hazell, The Travelling Bookbinder, will be sharing all she has learnt about the power of creativity at her talk The Benefit of Books at the Fruitmarket Gallery’s annualArtists’ Bookmarket.
The talk is free to attend, tickets can be booked HERE.
Rachel Hazell, The Travelling Bookbinder said: “I’m excited to attend the Artists’ Bookmarket – it’s the social highlight of my year – a fantastic event to see inspiring work, familiar faces and new innovations is the artist’ book world- reconnecting with my tribe!
“After twenty-seven years of using the book as a creative medium, this talk distils what why and how books are so great.
“I’m passionate about sharing the art of bookbinding with others and hope to inspire them to create something, in whatever form, that brings relaxation and mindfulness.”
Based between Edinburgh and the Hebridean Isle of Iona, Rachel has explored and taught this ancient craft of bookbinding all over the world, and her talk will explore the physical, mental, practical and emotional impact practising the artform can have. Whether as a meditative process or a means of self-expression she will share how bookbinding nurtures well-being and personal growth and can be a key tool in pursuit of mindfulness.
Rachel’s approach to bookbinding puts a modern spin on the artform, and at the workshops she hosts across the world – from Shetland to Venice – she encourages participants to take inspiration and materials from their unique surroundings and incorporate them in their work.
Whether that’s driftwood for the cover, or maps for the pages, nothing is off the table when it comes to making it a part of your bound story.
Rachel’s fine craftmanship has made her a sought-after figure in the world of bookbinding, artistry, and wellness and she has featured in publications including Condé Nast Traveller, the Financial Times, Selvedge and The Simple Things.
In 2024 she published a book of photos of her daily swims, taken on Iona during lockdown. Today’s Changing Room featured in The Scotsman among others. All the proceeds go to the mental health charity BlueTonic.
As teacher, author and traveller, books, words and the power of imagination have always been central to Rachel’s life and the day she was taught how to make her first book; she knew she’d be a bookbinder for the rest of her life. Hear a bit about her story and how and she believes that everyone has a book inside them.
What: Rachel Hazell: ‘The Benefit of Books’ at Artists’ Bookmarket 2025
Today, 05 February,the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society receives the keys to the new home for the Fringe.
The former Southbridge Community Resource Centre on Infirmary Street will be a permanent home for the Fringe and Fringe Society, enhancing year-round artist services delivery, maximising accessibility for all, and reducing the Fringe Society’s carbon footprint.
The new home will secure the long-term sustainability of the Fringe Society and their services and operations, as well as provide the opportunity for a publicly accessible space for artists and the Fringe community (including long-term Infirmary Street resident youth group Canongate Youth), and much needed space in the city dedicated to supporting the performing arts.
This new home has been made possible through generous capital funding from the UK Government and additional funds through grants from the Foyle Foundation and SP Energy Networks’ Transmission Net Zero Fund.
In the 2023 UK Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced £7 million of capital funding for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society to develop its new home. The Fringe Society are incredibly grateful to them for recognising the opportunity that this exciting project offers and that it will be transformational for the year-round support services for artists from across the UK and overseas.
In addition to developing the new home, this funding will aid the Fringe Society in delivering the Keep it Fringe fund and investment in digital architecture which is essential to its services to artists, media, arts industry and audiences.
The Fringe Society are also delighted to today announce a major legacy gift of £1 million from the Foyle Foundation to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, and £250,000 from SP Energy Networks’ Transmission Net Zero Fund – a £5m pot set up to support community groups and organisations with their low carbon ambitions.
The project will focus on the renovation and restoration of a Grade B listed former schoolhouse (1885) in Edinburgh’s Old Town. Plans include preserving the building’s rich history while modernising it to maximise accessibility and sustainability.
This includes the installation of a lift and a Changing Places toilet; energy efficiency upgrades such as heritage-appropriate windows, improved insulation, and the replacement of gas heating with air source heating pumps which will significantly improve the building’s environmental sustainability.
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “This is an exciting moment which has taken nearly two years of planning and discussion to get to this point.
“The conversion of South Bridge Resource Centre into a year-round Fringe home will allow local cultural and community organisations and Fringe artists the opportunity to utilise this space as well as being a new space for the Fringe Society team.
“It will allow a permanent home for our August community hub, known as Fringe Central, which artists, arts industry, media and international delegates access each summer for events, networking and industry gatherings.
“This is a significant moment for the Fringe in ensuring a permanent home for the festival. Our grateful thanks the UK Government, the Foyle Foundation and SP Energy Networks for recognising our vision and supporting us in bringing it to life.’
Arts Minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “The Edinburgh Fringe is one of the UK’s finest cultural festivals, attracting audiences and performers from all over the world every August.
“But the Fringe is not just for August. This new permanent home means that the Fringe Society can have a secure and meaningful presence in the city all year round, to support artists and provide the local community with access to arts spaces.”
David Hall, CEO of The Foyle Foundation, said: “The Foyle Foundation was seeking a Scottish project of strategic importance and long-term transformational benefit to support.
“The new Fringe home answers perfectly and is our legacy project for Scotland. It provides a permanent base, stability and excellent new facilities for the Fringe Society, as well as a year-round additional resource for Scottish performers and artists. The Foundation is delighted to partner with the Fringe to enable this project to happen.”
Guy Jefferson, Transmission Managing Director at SP Energy Networks, said: “We’re proud to support the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society as they take their first steps in this exciting new venture.
“With our help, the team are creating a space where the local community can experience all of the cultural benefits of the city’s arts festival, year-round – using low carbon technology to reduce the site’s emissions by as much as 80%.
“Our Transmission Net Zero Fund was launched to support community groups and organisations across central and southern Scotland who are making bold strides towards their own net zero ambitions.
“It’s brilliant to see Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society reach this milestone and we’re excited to watch the project come to life.”
The fundraising for this project is a continuous effort and updates will be provided as the project progresses.
It’s the Year of the Snake and as people in Edinburgh prepare to celebrate Lunar New Year, St James Quarter has its exciting line up of celebrations taking place this weekend.
Today, Saturday 1st February, St James Quarter will play host to a range of Lunar New Year-themed activities including a traditional Lion Dance procession, which will make its way through the Galleria in an eye-catching and colourful display.
Performed by the talented team at Yee’s Hung Ga Kung Fu Edinburgh, the Lion Dance is commonly performed during Lunar New Year to bring good luck and guests will be able to enjoy two performances throughout the day at 12pm and 1pm.
St James Quarter will also be taking part in the traditional act of gift giving that is associated with Lunar New Year.
Between 12pm – 4pm on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd February, lucky shoppers will have the chance to get their hands on a limited number of red envelopes including gift cards – symbolising good wishes and luck for the year ahead.
These will be handed out by the Guest Services team on Level 1 and can be redeemed at retailers within The Quarter.
Brands including New Balance and Coach, will be showcasing Chinese New Year inspired limited-edition items.
If you’re looking to celebrate by indulging in traditional Asian cuisine, Thai Express Kitchen will be red envelop give-aways of complimentary appetisers and discount vouchers until the 5th February, while Gordon Ramsay Street Burger will feature the Lunar Burger served with Koffmann’s fries for £18 until the end of January.
Anne Ledgerwood, Estate Director at St James Quarter, said: “Edinburgh is the multicultural hub for Scotland, and Lunar New Year is a great opportunity to experience the different cultures and traditions that we have here in the city.
“We hope that as many of our guests as possible will get involved in the Lunar New Year celebrations at St James Quarter on Saturday and we look forward to welcoming guests to The Quarter to celebrate the Year of the Snake with us”.
Roddy Scott Photography
