Category: Corstorphine

Road closures today

Edinburgh is hosting the UCI World Cycling Championships 2023 Men’s Elite Road Race tomorrow morning – Sunday 6 August 2023.

We will have temporary restrictions on

  • parking
  • waiting
  • loading
  • unloading

along the route, which spans from Holyrood Park to the Queensferry Bridge.

We may need to adjust these timings depending on the event timings.

Road closures

These roads will be closed from 11:59pm on August 5 to 3pm on 6 August:

  • Queens Drive
  • Horse Wynd
  • Dukes Walk

These roads will be closed from 11:59pm on August 5 to 1:45pm on 6 August:

  • Canongate
  • New Street (between East Market Street and Canongate)

These roads will be closed from 11:59pm on August 5 to 11:15am on 6 August:

  • High Street (between South Bridge and St Giles Street)
  • Lawnmarket (between St Giles Street and Bank Street)

These roads will be closed from 11:59pm on August 5 to 12 noon on 6 August:  

  • High Street (between St Mary’s Street and South Bridge)

The following roads will be closed from 8:00am to 9:45am on 6 August:

  • Abbeyhill (between Canongate and Abbeyhill Crescent)
  • Calton Road (between Abbeyhill and Abbeyhill Crescent)  

The following roads will be closed from 9:00am to 9:45am on 6 August:

  • George IV Bridge (between Lawnmarket and Victoria Street)
  • Lawnmarket (between Bank Street and Castlehill)
  • Bank Street
  • North Bank Street
  • The Mound
  • Hanover Street
  • Queen Street Gardens East
  • Heriot Row (between Dundas Street and Howe Street)
  • Howe Street (between Heriot Row and South-East Circus Place)
  • South-East Circus Place
  • Circus Place 
  • North-West Circus Place

These roads will be closed from 9:10am to 9:45am on 6 August:

  • Kerr Street 
  • Deanhaugh Street
  • Raeburn Place
  • Comely Bank Road
  • Craigleith Road

These roads will be closed from 9:15am to 9:50am on 6 August:

  • Queensferry Road (between Craigleith Road and Hillhouse Road)
  • Hillhouse Road

These roads will be closed from 9:20 to 9:55am on 6 August:

  • Queensferry Road (between Hillhouse Road and Maybury Road)

These roads will be closed from 9:40am to 10am on 6 August:

  • Queensferry Road / A90 South-eastbound (between the dual carriageway section and Whitehouse Road)

These roads will be closed from 9:40am to 10:40am on 6 August:

  • Queensferry Road / A90 North-westbound (between Maybury Road and the boundary of City of Edinburgh Council’s responsibility).

Vehicle crossing points on closed roads

On Sunday 6 August, traffic will be held at the junctions with the race route for up to 10 minutes while the race passes. Once the final support vehicle passes, traffic will be able to flow as normal.

The timings may change slightly to fit with the event as it passes through Edinburgh.

  • St Mary Street – Jeffery Street at Canongate/ High Street 9:25am to 9:35am
  • North Bridge – South Bridge at High Street 09:25am to 9:35am
  • Princess Street at The Mound/ Hanover Street 9:25am to 9:35am
  • Queen Street at Hanover Street/ Queen Street Gardens East 9:25am to 9:35am
  • East Fettes Avenue – Comley Bank Avenue at Comely Bank Road 9:30am to 9:40am
  • Orchard Brae – Crewe Road South at Comely Bank Road 9:30am to 9:40am
  • Telford Road – Strachan Road at A90 Hillhouse Road 9:30am to 9:40am
  • Quality Street – Craigcrook Road at A90 Queensferry Road 9:30am to 9:40am
  • Whitehouse Road – Maybury Road A90 Queensferry Road 9:45am to 9:55am

Please note that these planned restrictions and closures may be subject to change.

Council condemns dangerous vandalism in Corstorphine

ANGER AND CONFUSION OVER MANSE ROAD SAFETY MEASURES

Council officers have responded to an incident at the weekend involving vandalism and graffiti to a controversial trial bus gate on Manse Road, which left a pylon in a precarious and dangerous position.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “There’s no excuse for dangerous criminal behaviour like this. We are lucky a member of the public reported it to us early on Sunday morning so that our crews could quickly attend and make the column safe, and I’d like to thank them for this.

“The trial road safety measures in Corstorphine aim to address the fact the majority of local residents (67%) feel there is an issue with vehicles in area. Ultimately, however, improving safety in the street does have some impact on vehicle use – primarily for traffic cutting through the area on the way to somewhere else.

“Given that context, this type of reckless criminal behaviour is shameful, and I know that local people both for and against the scheme are concerned about what’s happened. The damage to council property and the graffiti is completely unacceptable and all it achieves is disruption, expense and a damaging effect on the reputation of a great local community.

“We’ll be reviewing CCTV footage and speaking to Police this week, and I’d urge anyone who knows who may be responsible for this senseless criminal act to reach out to Police too.

“Given the risk the damage posed to the people in the adjacent retirement housing, I hope those responsible are promptly brought to justice.”

The design for Corstorphine Connections was approved by the Transport and Environment Committee in August 2021.

As part of the development of the designs for the project the Council carried out a significant amount of engagement with the local community, many of whom highlighted concerns about the volume and speed of traffic in the area.

Independent market research carried out showed that 67% of people living in the area thought vehicle traffic was a problem, and those with disabilities were more likely to be concerned about the situation.  

By limiting through traffic and providing spaces to sit, relax and interact, Corstorphine Connections aims to create a much safer and more welcoming environment for people living there.

Cllr Arthur added: “I know already that many parents have enjoyed being able to walk and cycle more easily with their children in the area since the Council started implementing the scheme, particularly during the recent warmer weather.   

“The Council retained access for all residents travelling by car too, alongside these changes, so that those who choose to drive can still do so. It is now much harder, however, for delivery drivers etc to cut through the residential area on the way to somewhere else.  

“There are plenty safe and sensible ways to share your views on this trial which we are keen to listen to. I have now attended the local Community Council twice to listen to residents, and I’ve made sure a Council Officer attended every time it met over the past year to answer questions and collect feedback.

“I have also said I will return whenever they want. Additionally, I have done the school run with a local parent, met with a second resident and have a further meeting with a local resident in the pipeline.”

Police: Did you see this black Skoda?

About 1730hrs, on Sunday 2nd July 2023, a black Skoda has been travelling in convoy with a Silver Honda from Tesco, Meadow Place Road, westbound along Meadow Place Road towards Broomhouse roundabout and then onto Broomhouse Drive.

This vehicle has been involved in a road traffic collision.

If anyone has been in the area at that time and witnessed the incident or has dash cam footage of the vehicles, please contact 101 quoting incident number 2614 of 02/07/23.

Free Family Fun Day at Drumbrae Library

FRIDAY 28 JULY 11am – 2pm

FREE FAMILY FUN DAY AT DRUMBRAE LIBRARY

Friday 28 July, 11am to 2pm

– parkour

– VR

– sports

– music workshop

– crafts

– information stalls

– tea, coffee and snacks.

Check other free events & activities at http://edinburgh.gov.uk/warmandwelcoming

All Ears at Corstorphine!

Corstorphine Community Centre is working with Citadel Theatre, on a short project to unearth some of our stories.

Come along to share your story, help write it, devise a sketch or perform if you want to (not essential).

Get involved, no barriers, all adults over 50 welcome!

UCI Cycling Men’s Elite Road Race: Road closures announced

SUNDAY 6th AUGUST

The route for the UCI Men’s Elite Road Race has been announced. This forms part of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, the “biggest cycling event ever.”

The race will begin in Edinburgh on Sunday 6 August 2023 at 9.30am. We expect the event to attract many visitors from across the world to follow the race as it makes its way from the capital to Glasgow. The city will be busy and some roads will be closed as the event passes through.

Route

Competitors will start off in the shadow of Arthur’s Seat and the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood Park. The race then heads up the Royal Mile and through Edinburgh’s Old Town, passing under Edinburgh Castle.

They will then head down the Mound and towards Stockbridge before moving onto Queensferry. Competitors will then cross the Firth of Forth via the Queensferry Crossing. The race will eventually finish in Glasgow’s George Square, covering a distance of 270km.

Road closures

These roads will be closed from 6:30pm on August 5 to 12 noon on 6 August:

  • Queens Drive
  • Horse Wynd
  • Dukes Walk

These roads will be closed from 11:59pm on August 5 to 1:45pm on 6 August:

  • Canongate
  • New Street (between East Market Street and Canongate)

These roads will be closed from 11:59pm on August 5 to 11:15am on 6 August:

  • High Street (between South Bridge and St Giles Street)
  • Lawnmarket (between St Giles Street and Bank Street)

These roads will be closed from 11:59pm on August 5 to 12 noon on 6 August:  

  • High Street (between St Mary’s Street and South Bridge)

The following roads will be closed from 8:00am to 9:45am on 6 August:

  • Abbeyhill (between Canongate and Abbeyhill Crescent)
  • Calton Road (between Abbeyhill and Abbeyhill Crescent)  

The following roads will be closed from 9:00am to 9:45am on 6 August:

  • George IV Bridge (between Lawnmarket and Victoria Street)
  • Lawnmarket (between Bank Street and Castlehill)
  • Bank Street
  • North Bank Street
  • The Mound
  • Hanover Street
  • Queen Street Gardens East
  • Heriot Row (between Dundas Street and Howe Street)
  • Howe Street (between Heriot Row and South-East Circus Place)
  • South-East Circus Place
  • Circus Place 
  • North-West Circus Place

These roads will be closed from 9:10am to 9:45am on 6 August:

  • Kerr Street 
  • Deanhaugh Street
  • Raeburn Place
  • Comely Bank Road
  • Craigleith Road

These roads will be closed from 9:15am to 9:50am on 6 August:

  • Queensferry Road (between Craigleith Road and Hillhouse Road)
  • Hillhouse Road

These roads will be closed from 9:20 to 9:55am on 6 August:

  • Queensferry Road (between Hillhouse Road and Maybury Road)

These roads will be closed from 9:40am to 10am on 6 August:

  • Queensferry Road / A90 South-eastbound (between the dual carriageway section and Whitehouse Road)

These roads will be closed from 9:40am to 10:40am on 6 August:

  • Queensferry Road / A90 North-westbound (between Maybury Road and the boundary of City of Edinburgh Council’s responsibility).

Vehicle crossing points on closed roads

On 6 August, traffic will be held at the junctions with the race route for up to 10 minutes while the race passes. Once the final support vehicle passes, traffic will be able to flow as normal. The timings may change slightly to fit with the event as it passes through Edinburgh.

  • St Mary Street – Jeffery Street at Canongate/ High Street 9:25am to 9:35am
  • North Bridge – South Bridge at High Street 09:25am to 9:35am
  • Princess Street at The Mound/ Hanover Street 9:25am to 9:35am
  • Queen Street at Hanover Street/ Queen Street Gardens East 9:25am to 9:35am
  • East Fettes Avenue – Comley Bank Avenue at Comely Bank Road 9:30am to 9:40am
  • Orchard Brae – Crewe Road South at Comely Bank Road 9:30am to 9:40am
  • Telford Road – Strachan Road at A90 Hillhouse Road 9:30am to 9:40am
  • Quality Street – Craigcrook Road at A90 Queensferry Road 9:30am to 9:40am
  • Whitehouse Road – Maybury Road A90 Queensferry Road 9:45am to 9:55am

Please note that these planned restrictions and closures may be subject to change.

You can find more information, on the event website 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. I

f you have any questions, please email events@edinburgh.gov.uk

Tabletop Squires: Board games at Drumbrae Library this Friday

Do you like board games? I sure do, and this Friday starting 2pm we’re running a taster session for younger people to try some out!

We’ve aimed Tabletop Squires at kids aimed 8-12, but experience and maybe a small bit of help from an accompanying adult will definitely help!

Some of our games:

Dixit – make a story out of abstract cards to score points

Skull – push your luck in this hidden bidding game

Dobble – high-paced picture-matching

Space Team – a loud and frantic spaceship game

I am also working on a large version of an existing game where you can become the player pieces!

We’ve started making some poster cheat-sheets with the rules, but we’ll do our best to explain each one to start you off.

If you’re interested, please sign up on EventBrite:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/tabletop-squires-tickets…

Secret nuclear bunker solves Edinburgh Festival accommodation problem

LGBTQIA+ VILLAGE CREATED AT BARNTON BUNKER

In a bid to beat the soaring cost of accommodation at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, a group of performers are setting up camp at a disused nuclear bunker on the edge of the city this August. 

Barnton Bunker, which is  situated just five miles from the centre, adjacent to Edinburgh Zoo, was built in 1944 and, in 1951, was commissioned as a Cold War shelter for the British government and the Queen in the event of a nuclear attack.  Decomissioned it 1955 it now plays host to a panoply of performers including queens of a different variety!

The company of ALPHABET SOUP, a new force in LGBTQIA+ comedy, which performs daily from 4th to 27th August at Le Monde Hotel’s Shanghai Night, will be living in caravans on the Barnton Bunker site throughout festival.   Housing a rich mix of world-class queer comedians, drag performers and variety acts the bunker is set to be transformed into Mad Max style digs for the diverse.

ALPHABET SOUP serves up brunch throughout the festival for the very first time.  With a brand new menu every day, mixing a core company of imported performers with a daily change of locally sourced ingredients, this is a queer comedy brunch unlike any other, co-hosted 7G and the hilarious bisexual comedian Alyssa Poteet. With the concerted assault on the rights and freedoms of LGBTQIA+  people across The States and elsewhere, this is part of the fightback. 

In the spirit of ‘We’re Here We’re Queer’, Alphabet Soup is comedy for combat. 

7G – Alphabet Soup co-creator and camp leader says – ‘When I discovered that it would be £30-£35,000 to rent a house for the month for the performers of Alphabet Soup, I thought that we would not be able to premiere our brand new LGBTQIA+ extravaganza at the Edinburgh Fringe. 

“Then a West Hollywood gay friend told me that he was volunteering throughout the month of August to help restore Barnton Nuclear bunker to its World War II glory. As we LGBTQiA+ feel we’re in a war for our human rights right now, staying at a nuclear bunker  feels like a God Shot.. So we met with Ben Mitchell whose family are raising £5 million to restore the facility for visitors to tell him we were in . 

“Not only are we building an Alphabet Soup  Glamping camp site at a fraction of the cost of a house and we each get our own room,  we are also helping Ben raise the profile of his good work at the same time as planning our campaign to  Love Bomb the hatred of those who seek to oppress us.”

Alyssa Poteet – co-creator and fellow camp leader says: “From the most right-wing of red states all the way to our home of Los Angeles California, you can feel the rise of LGBTQIA+ hostility growing in America.

“This concerningly well organized and extraordinarily funded culture war is being seeded in our courthouses and legislatures and seeping into and infecting the hearts of US citizens.

“As we gear up to make our presence known and provide a new narrative about LGBTQUI+ in the wake of all these blows against us, it’s fitting that we must seek refuge in a war bunkers as we fight our fight. Some may lie down at this obstacle –  we’re toasting marshmallows and breathing in the fresh Scottish air”.

A spokesperson for The Barnton Bunker Preservation Society SCIO says: “We are delighted to partner with the talented team behind Alphabet Soup and welcome them to Barnton Bunker. 

“By joining forces, we aim to raise the profile of Barnton Bunker and its restoration efforts, while at the same time giving the Alphabet Soup team a safe, secure, and affordable solution to their accommodation issues during their stay at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

“We extend our warmest thanks to Alphabet Soup, the LGBTQiA+ community and their entire team for their dedication, creativity, and commitment to making a positive impact.  Together, we can transform Barnton Bunker into a unique destination that celebrates history, creativity, and the power of collaboration.”

New Show Home opens at Rowanbank Gardens

Spectacular Apartment Combines High Quality of Life With Low Cost of Living

https://media.publit.io/file/Rowanbank-GardensShow-Apartment-Final-Version-1080p.mp4

The new show home and marketing suite at Artisan Real Estate’s Rowanbank Gardens is now open, giving home buyers the opportunity to experience first-hand one of Edinburgh’s most anticipated new homes’ developments. 

Described as a ‘spectacular blueprint for low carbon living,’ Rowanbank Gardens is currently delivering 93 apartments for private sale on Gylemuir Road, in the popular suburb of Corstorphine. 

Artisan recently scooped the inaugural ‘Excellence in Sustainability’ prize at this year’s Scottish Homes Awards. And while the developer has been busy making headlines for the impeccable environmental credentials of its developments, the show home launch also provides the perfect platform to highlight the high quality of life to be experienced at Rowanbank Gardens.

Designed by renowned Scottish interior designer Carol Yates, the striking two-bedroom show apartment brings the development to life, mixing contemporary style with vibrant colours, soft furnishings and eye-catching furniture.

“What first hit me about the show home was the sheer amount of space I had to play with,” explains Carol. “High ceilings coupled with floor to ceiling windows allows an abundance of natural light to flood the living areas. The open-plan kitchen and lounge space have a nice balance, allowing me to experiment with larger items of furniture, art and soft furnishings.

“Scandi influences with a soft pastel colour palette combine with the solid oak flooring to bring a simple, natural texture to the rooms. And while it is a minimalist layout, accents of colour and vibrancy have been introduced with soft-layered fabrics and cushions to bring depth, warmth and intimacy to the show home.”

With a prominent location at the heart of Corstorphine, Rowanbank Gardens has proved to be a popular destination for first-time buyers and downsizers wanting to live in well-connected, vibrant community just minutes from the city centre. The development is set around a large, landscaped garden space filled with fruit trees and communal planting beds. Work began in summer 2021 and the first move-ins are expected in late summer.  

“We are definitely going for the ‘wow factor’ with the launch of our new show home,” says Izzy Bastiani, Artisan’s New Homes Sales Advisor. 

“More than a third of all apartments have already been snapped up by savvy buyers, impressed by the combination of high-quality living, immaculate environmental credentials and central location. 

“It’s great to be now able to now reveal to our purchasers exactly what they have bought. And so far, their reaction as they walk in has been amazing to see – especially when they experience the light and airy living spaces for the first time, as well as the quality of the natural oak flooring and the fittings in the kitchen and bathroom, all of which come as standard.”

Visitors to the new show home can also discover more about Rowanbank Garden’s award-winning commitment to achieving zero carbon low-cost living. It’s one of the first large developments in Scotland to employ individual air source heat pumps in all apartments, providing both heating and domestic hot water. 

As a result, energy costs have been predicted to cost up to 60% less than other new build apartments in the surrounding area, with research showing that average annual hot water and heating costs for a two-bedroom apartment could be as low as £775 per year, or less than £65 per month.*

View the video here: 

Prices for a one-bedroom apartment at Rowanbank Gardens start from £245,000, with a two-bedroom from £325,000 and a three-bedroom from £422,500. 

To book an appointment at the Rowanbank Gardens show home, visit the development website at www.rowanbankgardens.com or call 0131 516 3302.

* Based on a typical two-bedroom apartment – figures correct as of Q4 2022.

Union Canal Afternoon Chai cruises extended after ‘amazing’ maiden voyages

Corstorphine restaurant Prahna Indian Grill has announced it will run a series of summer Union Canal Sunday afternoon tea cruises in Edinburgh and West Lothian following the success of two trial events.

The award-winning restaurant, which specialises in a range of Scottish-infused Indian dishes, piloted two canal outings on 28 May and 11 June when customers boarded a specially commissioned dining barge at the Leamington Liftbridge in Fountainbridge.

For the next two hours the guests were treated to a classic ‘Afternoon Chai’ which included barbecue chicken sliders, chocolate fudge cake and a glass of prosecco while travelling along the Union Canal to the Slateford Aqueduct and back.

The events, organised in partnership with the Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust, proved so popular that Prahna has today announced a series of further afternoon tea cruises throughout the summer.

Further outings departing from Edinburgh will now be held on 23 July and 13 August.

The restaurant has also announced it will also trial its first Sunday afternoon tea cruise sailing from Linlithgow on 16 July with further departures from the West Lothian town expected to follow.

Prahna co-founder Arun Ramanan said: “We had an amazing response to our first Union Canal Afternoon Chai cruises. We’re now delighted to announce we’ll be running further sailings from Edinburgh and also Linlithgow throughout the summer in partnership with the Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust.

“As well as showcasing our unique and incredible Asian food, these events offer local residents and tourists a unique experience which connects them with the beauty and heritage of the Union Canal, an amazing but often overlooked part of Scotland’s history.”

Prahna opened its doors for trading in 2020, just as the global pandemic hit the UK.  Rather than pulling down the shutters, co-founder Arun Ramanan and his team reached out to the local community and delivered hundreds of free meals to mainly elderly people who were shut in their homes at the time.

He has kept his focus on the local community and is involved in a number of events and activities to support people in the west of Edinburgh area.

Earlier this year Prahna was named as Scotland’s leading establishment at the Scottish Asian Restaurant Awards.