Police Scotland joined British Transport Police, CEC Trading Standards, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and Neighbourhood Watch Scotland at Waverley Railway Station today for a Community Safety stall.
We provided commuters and Christmas shoppers with advice on staying safe on the train network, crime prevention during the festive period, fire safety and how to sign up for Neighbourhood Watch.
Upcoming Events:
– The Gyle Shopping Centre – Wednesday 10 December, 10:00–13:00 (Police Scotland & Neighbourhood Watch)
Strange Town’s December 2025 performances are the perfect way to celebrate the festive season. With seven shows across three days — Friday 12th to Sunday 14th December — at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on the Royal Mile, there’s something for everyone. Why not book a ticket and see for yourself?
In challenging times, access to creativity, connection and the arts is a necessity, not a luxury. Leith-based charity Strange Town works to ensure no young person misses out on the chance to get creative, offering free and subsidised opportunities to those who need them most.
Recently affected by the well-publicised funding cuts from the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board (EIJB), Strange Town is working hard to sustain its vital support for young people.
Local people and businesses are encouraged to get involved — by buying a ticket to the show, joining ‘15 for 15’, Strange Town’s regular giving programme, or getting in touch to discuss other ways to help.
This support is crucial in securing the future of accessible arts opportunities, ensuring young people continue to benefit from high-quality creative experiences regardless of financial circumstance. Regular contributions also provide the stability needed during these uncertain times.
This December’s shows promise festive energy, fresh stories, lots of laughter and a brilliant showcase of young talent. Audiences can enjoy something new, feel festive, and know they are supporting a good cause — all at a family-friendly price.
Thank you to everyone who has donated already this year, it is much appreciated.
Edinburgh’s Christmas’ Santa Paws event attracted over 100 dogs in festive outfits. The event took place on Sunday, 7 December in West Princes Street Gardens, the city’s premier family destination this festive season. It raised awareness of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, a local charity which was also fundraising at the event.
Furry friends (and their humans) also enjoyed games, photo opportunities with Santa’s elves, pet stalls including Bowzos Bows and Pure Pet Food and took part in a best dressed dog parade with winners chosen by the organisers: 3rd place went to Pisco, 2nd to Luigi and 1st to Winton.
The charity event raised funds for Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, which strives to support families who need help caring for their pets at home, as well as providing loving care, rehabilitation and rehoming services for animals who can no longer be cared for by their owners.
Santa Paws took place after the annual Santa Fun Run, also in West Princes Street Gardens, which each year raises funds for When You Wish Upon A Star, who grant the wishes of children aged 4–16 living with life-threatening or terminal illnesses.
The eventful, family friendly afternoon brought festive joy to all who attended, raising money for two important charities.
Life Raluy,Development Manager at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home said: “Today’s Santa Run and Santa Paws gathering was a fantastic celebration of people and their pets coming together for a great cause.
“We may not have broken a record this time, but the atmosphere was full of joy, kindness and community spirit. Every person — and every dog in a festive jumper — helped raise vital funds and awareness for animals who need us.
“We’re so thankful to everyone who joined us and made today so special.”
Four high school pupils have illuminated the city’s skyline by officially switching on the Christmas lights adorning the crane above The Jenners Building, where GRAHAM is underway with construction works to sensitively restore one of the capital’s most iconic landmarks.
The pupils – Metis To, Rebecca Price, Julianne Herbert, and Lovely Loquias – are participants in GRAHAM’s ConstructHER programme, a pioneering initiative designed to inspire more young women to explore careers in construction.
Developed by GRAHAM in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), the six-month programme will see participants spend one morning each week on-site at The Jenners Building.
The cohort will also take part in workshops, university visits, and employability sessions – gaining practical experience and valuable insight into the diverse career opportunities within the construction industry.
The Edinburgh rollout builds on the success of the ConstructHER pilot in Glasgow, which helped its first cohort of students progress into apprenticeships and further study within the sector.
Serena House, Social Impact Manager at GRAHAM Building North, said:“It’s always an exciting time of year as Edinburgh’s festive spirit comes to life, and it was fantastic that our ConstructHER participants had the honour of switching on the festive crane lights this year.
“ConstructHER is an important initiative that helps inspire the next generation of the construction workforce – showing young women the wide range of rewarding and creative opportunities our industry has to offer.”
GRAHAM began work on The Jenners Building earlier this year, overseeing the shell and core works on the historic Princes Street landmark. Spanning 17,500 square metres across ten floors, the redevelopment skilfully blends the preservation of the building’s rich architectural heritage with contemporary design.
Andrew Keith, Managing Director, The Jenners Building:“We are delighted to support GRAHAM’s ConstructHER programme this Christmas, a time of year that has always been a magical part of the history of The Jenners Building.”
Following the incredible success of last year’s blockbuster exchange with the National Gallery of Ireland, Scotland’s own much-loved Turners are back in Edinburgh for 2026!
Bring in the new year with the eagerly awaited return of Turner in January at the National Galleries of Scotland. Featuring 38 watercolours by renowned artist Joseph Mallord William Turner, the highly anticipated free annual display will take pride of place in room 21 in National Galleries Scotland: National in Edinburgh from 1 – 31 January 2026.
Last year saw thousands of visitors flocking to the National Galleries of Scotland to marvel at a once in a lifetime exchange of Turner watercolours from the Henry Vaughan Bequest with the National Gallery of Ireland, honouring the 250th anniversary of the artist’s birth. January 2026 will mark the triumphant return of Scotland’s Turners to Edinburgh, giving avid fans and newfound admirers the chance to spend time with some of the most treasured works from the Scottish national collection.
Turner in January is a beloved tradition for many people in Scotland. It signals the dawning of the New Year, and as we leave behind the darkest days of winter, the bright vitality of Turner’s work is exactly what we need.
Scotland’s famous collection of Turner watercolours was left to the nation by the great art collector Henry Vaughan in 1900. Following Vaughan’s strict guidelines, they have only ever been displayed during the month of January, when natural light levels are at their lowest. Because of this, these watercolours still possess a freshness and an intensity of colour almost 200 years since they were originally created.
This mesmerising exhibition demonstrates the extraordinary range of Turner’s work in watercolour, including atmospheric early drawings, experimental colour studies for prints and book illustrations and exhibition showstoppers.
Born in London in 1775, Turner’s combination of exceptional talent, intellectual curiosity and and relentless hard work resulted in watercolours which capture the sublime beauty of nature and encourage us to look again at the world around us.
In a career spanning 50 years, he developed new ways of painting in watercolour and revolutionised ideas of what could be achieved in the medium. Experimenting with an array of techniques and colour, Turner created works which continue to captivate and excite audiences today.
Turner in January invites visitors on an exciting, colourful journey, leaving behind January blues in favor of Turner’s views of the world, via moody landscapes, impressive city views and dramatic seascapes.
Travel across Britain, Europe and beyond through a dazzling array of artwork including scenes of the Himalayas, Venice and the Swiss Alps, to places a little closer to home, from a tempestuous view of Loch Coruisk on the Isle of Skye all the way down to serene Melrose in the Scottish Borders.
This year Turner in January will also feature the picturesque watercolour Virginia Water (about 1829),on long term loan to the National Galleries of Scotland and displayed for the first time since 2020.
The work shows a royal fishing expedition on Virginia Water, the artificial lake created as a royal pleasure ground in Windsor Great Park, with King George IV’s newly built ‘Chinese’ Fishing Temple in the background. In the foreground a pair of royal swans seem to be chasing away mallard ducks, a visual pun on Turner’s middle name.
Visitors will be able to immerse themselves further into the world of Turner through a Smartify audio highlights guide, returning for 2026.
Free to use on mobile devices, this audio guided tour will give fresh insights into the artwork on display, expanding Turner’s ideas and inspirations and adding another layer to the Turner in January experience.
Summer 2026 will also offer an additional opportunity to enjoy Turner’s work at the National Galleries of Scotland. Join us for an unmissable chance to see one of the artist’s most iconic paintings, Norham Castle, Sunrise, (c. 1845), which will be displayed for free at the National for the very first time as part of a special loan from Tate.
The National Galleries of Sctoland
Charlotte Topsfield, Senior Curator of British Drawings and Prints at National Galleries of Scotland said: “After a year of celebrations for Turner’s 250th birthday and the huge excitement of the exchange with the National Gallery of Ireland in January 2025, we are so pleased to be showing Scotland’s Vaughan Turners and honouring Henry Vaughan’s bequest once again.
“We hope visitors will enjoy seeing familiar friends and find new inspiration in Turner’s glorious colour and light.”
Turner in January has been gratefully supported by the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery and the Postcode Culture Trust. Turner in January is a free National Galleries of Scotland exhibition opening to the public at 12pm on Thursday 1 January 2026.
A 20-year-old man has been convicted of the rape of a teenage girl in Edinburgh on Sunday, 25 May, 2025.
Aaron Strachan pled guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday (Thursday, 4 December). He is due to be sentenced at the same court on Tuesday, 13 January, 2026.
The incident happened in the early hours of the morning in the York Place area.
Strachan also pled guilty to an assault to severe injury which took place in the South Bridge area of Edinburgh on the same date, as well as an assault to severe injury and endangerment of life which took place in the High Riggs area of Edinburgh on Wednesday, 28 May, 2025.
Detective Inspector Gillian Wells, from Edinburgh’s Sex Offender Policing Unit, said: “This was a particularly harrowing attack which was carried out in the busy city centre area and had a profound effect on the young victim.
“The other assaults also demonstrate what a violent individual Strachan is, with no consideration of the consequences of his actions.
“I would like to thank local officers for their excellent work which ensured Strachan was quickly identified and arrested.
“Police Scotland remains committed to tackling sexual crimes and bringing those responsible to justice. I’d encourage anyone who has been a victim of such crimes to come forward and report it to us.
“We’ll thoroughly investigate and have specially trained officers and partner agencies to support you throughout.”
Chief Inspector Trisha Clark, Area Commander for Edinburgh City Centre, said: “We understand that crimes of this nature have a serious impact on the local community.We will continue to work closely with partners to address any such concerns in the area.”
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has announced that its special 75th Anniversary fundraising initiative has raised a remarkable £157,161.75 for St Columba’s Hospice Care, following the conclusion of this year’s Show.
The donation, generated from 75p from every ticket sold in 2025, aimed to resonate with the message of this year’s performance, The Heroes Who Made Us, celebrating and supporting those that go above and beyond in our society.
This donation will enable St Columba’s Hospice Care to continue providing compassionate, free-of-charge palliative and end-of-life care to individuals and families across the region.
During the 75th Anniversary Show, each performance included a special moment honouring different individuals, highlighted as Spotlight Heroes, whose dedication and service enrich communities and the lives of those they encounter. Among those celebrated was Liz Gallagher, a valued fundraising volunteer at St Columba’s Hospice Care.
Liz has been part of the hospice’s fundraising team for six years, giving countless hours to bucket collections, events, and creative fundraising ideas. In her day job supporting people with additional needs, Liz involves her clients in St Columba’s Hospice Care fundraising activities, helping them feel part of the hospice community.
The donation from The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will be put towards St Columba’s Hospice Care’s continued specialist care provision for people across Edinburgh and the Lothians ensuring that individuals and families can access the support they rely on at such an important time.
This donation goes above and beyond the Tattoo’s usual charitable giving which sees surplus profits distributed annually to military and arts charities in the UK. St Columba’s Hospice Care was chosen by the community with over 50,000 votes cast to select from a selection of non-military charities that provide vital services in the local community.
Jackie Stone, CEO at St Columba’s Hospice Care, said: “Incredible donations like this don’t come along very often, and at a time when hospices across Scotland are facing significant funding challenges, we are especially grateful.
“Support from our community has never been more vital and we are deeply thankful to everyone who voted for us and helped generate this remarkable sum, simply by going along to enjoy the Show.
“It was also wonderful to see our volunteer, Liz, recognised as one of the heroes of the Tattoo’s 75th Anniversary. Her energy, creativity and dedication truly reflect the spirit of our entire hospice community.
“We would like to thank the Tattoo once again for this generous donation. It comes at an important time, helping us continue to provide specialist, compassionate care for people across Edinburgh and the Lothians and ensuring that individuals and families can access the support they rely on, when they need it most.”
Jason Barrett, Chief Executive, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “Our 75th Anniversary was a tribute to the people who have built and sustained the Tattoo over the years, and it was a privilege to extend that celebration to community heroes like Liz and the team at St Columba’s Hospice Care.
“This donation was made possible entirely thanks to our wonderful audience, whose support enables us to contribute to partner charities and champion the military, traditional arts, and—this year—an extraordinary cause.
“We are proud to stand behind such an exceptional organisation and the dedicated volunteers who give their time so selflessly.”
Heritage, vision and the future of Edinburgh’s grand boulevard
Princes Street has long occupied an uneasy place in Edinburgh’s civic life: simultaneously its most recognisable address and one of its most contested (writes JAMES GARRY, COCKBURN ASSOCIATION).
Both our shop window and our common ground, it is the point at which the ordered confidence of the New Town meets the drama of the Old Town.
As is well documented, its magnificence was carefully curated, and fiercely debated. From many vistas, Princes Street and Princes Street Gardens still retain their constructed beauty; from others, the street feels tired, fragmented and increasingly disconnected from the care and coherence that such a prominent civic space demands.
In recent months, that unease has sharpened. Vacant shopfronts, makeshift replacements, inconsistent materials and a creeping loss of identity have pushed Princes Street back into the spotlight once more.
The City of Edinburgh Council’s draft Princes Street and Waverley Valley Strategy was met with thoughtful but firm criticism from community councils and civic voices alike. The strategy was widely perceived as underpowered: incremental where ambition was required, procedural where leadership was needed.
Significantly, at the Planning Committee meeting on 12 November 2025, councillors formally requested that council officers convene an elected member / officer / stakeholder workshop, bringing together those with transport, culture, heritage and placemaking expertise so that a more ambitious and exciting strategy for Princes Street could be brought forward for approval.
This proposed convening has already been described in the press as a “summit”, following rejection of the existing strategy as insufficiently bold. The terminology matters less than the intent: this is an opportunity for genuine reset.
But it must not become another carefully managed procedural exercise. Princes Street does not need consultation for its own sake; it needs a bold, principled conversation that acknowledges the scale of the challenge and the opportunity before us.
This challenge is not unique to Edinburgh. Across the UK and Europe, the traditional high street model is buckling. The drift of big-name retail to enclosed malls and out-of-town centres, combined with online shopping and changing habits, has hollowed out historic cores. Some cities have responded with imagination and courage.
Others have relied on surface-level aesthetic improvements and marketing rhetoric, mistaking cosmetic change for meaningful renewal.
These pressures are not anecdotal but structural: research by Historic England and the UK Parliament highlights sustained long-term decline in traditional high-street retail, driven by changing consumer behaviour, the expansion of online commerce and rising operational costs, trends felt most acutely in historic city centres.
There are lessons to be drawn from elsewhere, and they are encouraging for proponents of local, ethical, sustainable, low-emission and bespoke urbanism.
York has rebalanced parts of its historic core through its Streets for People programme, prioritising pedestrian movement and smaller independent retailers in ways that reinforce place identity rather than dilute it.
Bath has used careful, phased public-realm investment to support its World Heritage setting, framing its centre as a place for lingering rather than simply passing through.
Bruges and Ghent have demonstrated, through people-first circulation strategies, how heritage streets can remain economically viable while reducing traffic dominance and strengthening civic life.
Vienna has quietly reimagined several of its central boulevards as dignified, coherent public environments that support everyday use as well as cultural richness.
London, despite its scale and complexity, offers particularly instructive examples grounded in formal policy and design evaluation.
Westminster City Council’s Covent Garden Public Realm Framework sets out a structured approach to balancing commercial vitality with pedestrian priority, heritage sensitivity and coherent materials, helping to reposition the area as a thriving mixed-use environment rather than a purely retail corridor.
Meanwhile, the Strand Aldwych scheme has transformed a former traffic-dominated gyratory into a generous pedestrian civic space, restoring historic connections between the Strand and Somerset House and creating substantial new areas of public realm.
These interventions demonstrate that historic streets can be reimagined as people-first civic environments without sacrificing architectural gravitas or cultural identity.
What these places share is not a single blueprint but a shared attitude: they treat their most historic streets as civic infrastructure, not merely commercial corridors. Retail remains part of the mix, but it no longer defines the entire purpose or identity of the space.
Princes Street has already begun, almost by necessity, to edge towards a more mixed future. The City of Edinburgh Council has itself acknowledged this transition, noting the shift from traditional retail towards a broader mix of hotel, leisure and experience-based uses as part of the wider “changing face” of the street.
Media commentary has likewise tracked the steady replacement of flagship retail with hotels and large-scale visitor destinations, reflecting both local pressures and national trends in retail restructuring.
While such evolution is not inherently negative, it risks becoming reactive and piecemeal if not anchored within a clearly articulated civic vision. The danger is not evolution itself, but drift.
For the Cockburn Association, this is a familiar and hard-won narrative. Princes Street and Princes Street Gardens have been central to our work for over 150 years. From early campaigns that expanded public access to the Gardens, to resistance against overbuilding, intrusive commercialisation and visual clutter, the consistent argument has been clear: these spaces are not commodities, but shared civic ground, and must be stewarded accordingly.
At this moment, the Cockburn Association, as Edinburgh’s Civic Trust, is uniquely positioned to help facilitate precisely the kind of workshop now being sought. With long institutional memory, independence from commercial interests and a track record of principled advocacy, the Association can provide a trusted platform for serious, solutions-focused dialogue. A workshop (or “summit”) convened or co-facilitated by the Cockburn would demonstrate that this is not simply another technical stage in policy development, but a genuinely civic exercise grounded in public interest, professional expertise and historical understanding.
The task now is not to resist change, but to ensure that it is guided by care, clarity and long-term vision. Poorly handled, Princes Street risks becoming a diluted stage set for transient retail cycles and short-term commercial expediency. With imagination and leadership, however, it could reassert itself as a coherent, distinctive and genuinely civic boulevard.
The Cockburn Association’s long record of principled intervention is explored in Campaigning for Edinburgh, which traces 150 years of advocacy, resistance and considered action. It demonstrates that the Association has never opposed change itself. What it has consistently challenged is lazy change. Change without memory. Change without craft. Change without respect.
Any credible vision for Princes Street must therefore begin with principle. The view matters. The Castle, the Old Town ridge, the Gardens and the open sky are not decorative extras; they are the street’s defining framework. Materials matter too. Paving, lighting, planting and seating must speak of coherence and dignity, not contribute to a fragmented collage of competing interventions.
Equally vital are inclusion and accessibility. Princes Street must feel welcoming and navigable for everyone: with generous seating, clear wayfinding, step-free routes and design that supports everyday use as well as major civic moments.
The vision must also respond to the climate emergency through reduced traffic dominance, prioritisation of walking and cycling, and climate-resilient design incorporating greenery, shade, permeable surfaces and sustainable drainage.
Streets that respond intelligently to environmental stress are not aspirational luxuries; they are future-critical necessities.
Edinburgh now has the opportunity to articulate a distinctly Scottish response to the high street question, rooted not in trend-following, but in stewardship. Not in glossy reinvention, but in thoughtful continuity. Princes Street should not be permitted to slide into generic urban sameness. It can remain both living and grounded; practical and poetic; evolving, yet unmistakably Edinburgh.
This is an important civic moment and it deserves seriousness as well as optimism. The Planning Committee’s request for a workshop, now popularly framed as a summit, should be seen not as a procedural footnote, but as a meaningful opening: a chance to reset ambition and reassert quality at the heart of decision-making.
Princes Street will change. That much is inevitable. The opportunity now lies in shaping how and with whom that change is guided.
With principled facilitation, inclusive dialogue and renewed civic confidence, Edinburgh can restore Princes Street as a place that reflects the city’s character, honours its history and meets the challenges of its future with integrity rather than compromise.
Dynamic Earth has launched its 2025 Big Give Christmas Challenge campaign, inviting families, supporters and science enthusiasts across the UK to Double the Discovery and help give thousands of young people the chance to fall in love with STEM.
For one week only (2–9 December), every donation made to Dynamic Earth will be doubled through The Big Give, the UK’s largest online match-funding campaign.
With more than 30,000 children visiting Dynamic Earth’s Learning Bases each year, many from communities who face barriers to accessing high-quality science learning, the charity is calling on the public to help create classrooms where curiosity can truly come alive.
Upgrading the spaces where science starts
Funds raised through The Big Give will support essential upgrades to Dynamic Earth’s Learning Bases: hands-on, immersive classrooms where Scotland’s young explorers learn about volcanoes, space, climate, coding, engineering and the wonders of the planet.
Matched donations will go directly towards equipment that teachers, parents and community groups say makes the biggest difference:
£20 – new early years floor mats to support sensory storytelling for budding young scientists
£50 – flexible furniture to better support diverse needs, including young wheelchair users
£100 – tablets to build tech confidence for tomorrow’s coders and engineers
These improvements will help Dynamic Earth continue delivering more than 250,000 science learning experiences every year, ensuring every child, regardless of background, can experience the joy and excitement of discovery.
Dynamic Earth’s programmes have a powerful track record of removing barriers to STEM engagement.
Dynamic Earth’s impact is best reflected in the voices of the schools, teachers, parents and young people who experience its programmes first-hand.
Their feedback highlights how transformative, accessible, hands-on science learning can be, sparking curiosity, boosting confidence and opening doors to opportunities many learners would not otherwise have.
Teacher feedback:
“The workshops were excellent and engaged the pupils with plenty of interactive activities. Information was aimed at the right level and the course leaders were engaging and very knowledgeable. Highly recommend.”
“The workshop we attended was brilliant in the way the activities were so active and engaging. I feel that I gained a lot of information in different ways, and it gave me ideas of how to use active learning in my classroom.”
“The majority of pupils who came on the trip had never even been to Edinburgh let alone Dynamic Earth. This real life experience of leaving the classroom to visit an educational experience really does make the difference to our pupils and many refer to it as being the best day of S2.”
Parent feedback:
“It is an amazing club. The kids love it, learn from it and the staff are amazing. So lucky to have this club!!”
“Is enhancing my daughter’s interest in science and gives her an opportunity to meet like minded peers”
A call to support the next generation
Speaking about the campaign, Dynamic Earth Director of Fundraising and Marketing Helen Chomczuk said: “This is about giving every child the chance to feel that spark; the moment science suddenly makes sense, becomes exciting, becomes theirs.
“With matched funding in place, every pound goes twice as far, helping us build better spaces for learning and ensuring that more young people can experience the wonder of our planet. We’re asking the public to stand with us in giving the gift of discovery this Christmas and inspire tomorrow’s scientists.”
How to take part
The Big Give Christmas Challenge runs from 2–9 December 2025, with all donations doubled while match funds last.
Over 16,000 people enjoyed free community and music events at Ross Bandstand over the St Andrew’s Day weekend celebrations, presented by Edinburgh’s Christmas.
Edinburgh Christmas, Red Hot Chilli Pipers
Among many others, audiences danced to the famous Red Hot Chilli Pipers (pictured) and whirled-away to The Sensational Jimi Shandrix Experience, renowned as one of the top ceilidh acts in the world!
Edinburgh’s Christmas events and activities continue until 4 January!
