Category: New Town

Edinburgh New Town Cookery School launches festive courses

Festive Foodies at Edinburgh New Town Cookery School  

Edinburgh New Town Cookery School (ENTCS) has launched its always popular 2023 Christmas courses and gift vouchers – ideal presents and experiences for foodies. 

This year’s December courses include inspiration for entertaining with the Christmas Canapes demonstration with a glass of fizz; Christmas Baking, which includes homemade mincemeat and a Christmas Cake;  a new Gluten Free Christmas Baking Day and the ever-popular children’s baking morning and afternoons.    

For those keen to build more cooking into their Christmas repertoire and learn some new dishes, there are also opportunities to learn easy entertaining from the experts with the Christmas Entertaining demonstration and lunch, which is always a good way to catch up with friends ahead of the season.  

Fiona Burrell, principal of ENTCS, comments: “The smells of Christmas baking are always wonderful and it’s a good time to find some inspiration, learn new skills or just enjoy meeting up with friends.  A Christmas course is a great way to entertain the kids or just learn from our friendly, expert teachers.” 

ENTCS also offers vouchers which are the ideal foodie Christmas present. Whether it’s to learn a new skill, help a friend to fall back in love with cooking, or encourage teenagers to learn their way around the kitchen, a voucher just lets them choose.  ENTCS offers courses at all levels from beginner to professional and the vouchers are redeemable in 2024. The school is also expert in providing corporate away days and teambuilding events, so is a good option for a Christmas party with a difference, or to entertain clients.  

ENTCS is a professional cookery school based in Edinburgh’s New Town.  The school was founded by Fiona Burrell, formerly Principal of Leith’s School of Food and Wine. She began her career in Edinburgh and has been teaching professional cookery courses for over thirty years.  

Her enormous experience, has given Fiona a very clear vision of what the students need to learn and the best way to teach it. With courses on offer from one day tasters for amateurs, to six month professional courses, many graduates have gone on to work in some the UK’s top kitchens.  For more details: www.entcs.co.uk   

 

Festive courses this December include: 

Christmas Baking Day 

Saturday 2nd December 2023; 9.45am – 3.30pm 

Spend a day at The Edinburgh New Town Cookery School baking lots of treats for Christmas. On this one day Christmas Baking Day we will show you how easy and quick it is to make your own mincemeat and pastry so that you will never use shop bought again, we will be making a Christmas cake with a difference – it contains chocolate as well as fruit – and we will make stollen, a European favourite Christmas cake/bread. 
Cost £185 

Christmas Canapés Demonstration 

Wednesday 6th December 2023;  10.30am – 12.30pm

A morning’s treat, starting with coffee and shortbread and ending with a glass of fizz, the Christmas Canape demonstration at Edinburgh New Town Cookery School is an entertaining morning. The demonstration starts at 10.30am and lasts 2 hours, during which you will be shown how to make several festive savoury and sweet canapes which you will taste at the end of the demonstration with a glass of prosecco. 
Cost: £60 

Christmas Entertaining Demonstration and Lunch 

Thursday 7th December 2023; 10.30am – 1.30pm

At Christmas time it is good to have a few tasty but easy recipes up your sleeve whether for canapés, starters, main courses, puddings or for using up leftovers. These recipes will become reliable standbys. Most of the recipes can be prepared in advance but the others are quick and easy to put together. Come and join us and bring friends so that you can have your own pre- Christmas celebration. 
Cost: £75 

Gluten Free Christmas Baking 

Saturday 9th December 2023; 9.45am – 3.30pm

Christmas is a time when the house is usually full of baking to offer family and friends over the holiday period. Just because you are a coeliac or intolerant to gluten doesn’t mean you should miss out. On this day we will be showing you how to bake a variety of gluten free bakes from yeasted dough, gluten free home-made mince pies and a lovely Christmas Cake. 
Cost £185 

Children’s Christmas Baking Morning / Afternoon 

Thursday 21 / Friday 22 December 2023 ; 9.30am – 12.00pm / 1.30pm – 4pm 

For children who love baking, and for parents who are looking for a different way to entertain their children during the holidays, these December half day courses are the perfect antidote to winter holiday boredom. Children learn how to make delicious cakes and biscuits which they can pack up and take home. They may turn out to be the perfect Christmas present for Granny! 
Cost: £60 

Easy Entertaining 

Sunday 17th December 2023; 9.45am – 2.30pm 

Learn to cook new dishes at a Sunday practical cookery class in our stunning kitchens. These cookery courses are designed to inspire you with new ideas for dinner party dishes. 
Cost: £130 

Full details of the Christmas courses, and a flavour of the 2023/2024 programme, are available on the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School website – http://www.entcs.co.uk/calendar 

Henderson Place: Former tram depot on track for luxury living

‘Historic’ New Town development taking shape ahead of 2024 launch

THE HISTORIC site of one of Edinburgh’s original tram depots is set to become the city’s latest high-profile housing development, with a sales launch on track for early next year. 

Construction is well underway at Square & Crescent’s Henderson Place development, which is set to bring 42 contemporary homes to the previous Silvermills Tram Depot site in the New Town.

Bordering Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site, the development located between Stockbridge and Canonmills will comprise of a mix of homes – from studio flats to four-bed apartments.

Multi-level biodiverse roofs will add greenery and contrast to the use of traditional red brick and building techniques. Striking ironmongery helps reflect the character of the surrounding area, which includes the neighbouring former Royal London office building on Henderson Row, the last remaining portion of the former depot.

Euan Marshall is Co-Founder and Joint Managing Director at Square & Crescent, which is renowned for taking on challenging projects to create some of Edinburgh’s prime residences. He said: “There is a real responsibility in bringing forward a new build development in such a prominent and historically significant location.

“We’ve worked with our architecture partners to create something that we believe will be a fitting next chapter – and nods to the past use of the site while bringing in highly contemporary touches.

“The green roof spaces should add a further point of interest and they reflect the low carbon building techniques and sustainability at the core of this project.”

Fittingly, the development is in a prime location offering extensive connectivity. Situated just half a mile from Princes Street, residents will have swift access to Dundas Street, Stockbridge, the new tram network and Waverley Station.

In the late 80s, the original depot building was demolished and transformed into office blocks, which will now be replaced with the thoughtfully redesigned residential apartments. The former Royal London offices on Henderson Row preserved the last remaining portion of the original depot.

Reaching a five-storey high point, the dynamic development will feature private terraces and balconies, as well as private patios on some of the ground floor properties.

Simon Cook, Co-Founder and Joint Managing Director said: “The site certainly has a rich history and that has been at the forefront of our minds throughout. The use of materials like traditional red brick with a precast stringer aims to preserve as much of that history as possible while adding a visually impressive building to the area.

“As we continue work on the project, we’re looking forward to bringing a broad mix of high-quality homes to the market, in a fantastic area.”

This is the latest project underway for Square & Crescent, which recently started construction works on its landmark Royal Meadows development, which will see the careful transform of the old Royal Hospital for Sick Children building into luxury apartments and townhouses.

Founded in 2013, Square & Crescent has since gone on to build a strong track record and trusted reputation in providing some of the best residential conversion projects over the past 10 years, making a move in recent years into developing unique new build homes, providing exceptional and sustainable modern living in a variety of different locations within Edinburgh.

It is now a widely regarded residential developer with a primary focus on the acquisition, development, and refurbishment of high-quality homes.

For more information on Henderson Place, or to register interest, please visit:

 https://squareandcrescent.com/developments/henderson-place/ 

or call 07586129184.

Björn Again to headline Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Night Afore Disco Party

DANCING QUEENS BJÖRN AGAIN TO HEADLINE NIGHT AFORE DISCO PARTY & NEW YEAR’S REVELS RETURNS TO EDINBURGH’S NEW TOWN

 Edinburgh’s Hogmanay organisers UniqueAssembly, who produce the festival on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council, has released further details of this year’s 30th anniversary New Year’s celebration, with the news that ABBA tribute sensations Björn Again will headline the Night Afore Disco Party beneath Edinburgh Castle.

The New Year’s Revels also makes a triumphant return to the New Town Assembly Rooms.  

A set list of pop classics and disco hits will be the name of the game when Björn Again takes to the Princes Street Gardens stage at the Night Afore Disco Party on Saturday 30 December. With over 5,500 performances across 72 countries, it is a return to Scotland capital’s celebrations for the Australian ABBA show who first played Edinburgh’s Hogmanay in 2000/01.  

Björn Again will be supported by the original sing-along live band Massaoke, celebrating 30 years of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay with the best hairbrush anthems down the decades, making sure that the audience is the star of the show. Along with breakfast show presenter and DJ Ewen Cameron from Greatest Hits Radio, Night Afore Disco Party promises a spectacular sing-a-long party for all the family. 

On returning to Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Björn Again founding member Rod Stephen said: “I have toured the Björn Again show around the world since the late 1980s. There have been many shows with amazingly responsive audiences but I don’t think you can ever top an Edinburgh Hogmanay crowd.

“These guys are just on a whole different level. I can’t wait to see this again!” 

City of Edinburgh Council Leader Cammy Day said: “It’s fantastic to see another great addition to this year’s already stellar lineup for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay.

“I’m sure that Björn Again will make sure that there are no shortage of dancing queens when they take to the stage for the Night Afore Disco Party in Princes Street Gardens. 

“This year there is a new 4-day programme of events for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay at the Assembly Rooms which is really exciting. I’m really proud that we’re able to offer such an exciting and eclectic programme for our residents and visitors as part of our Winter Festivals celebrations.” 

The New Year cheer will spread across the city centre with a new four-day programme of indoor events in collaboration with the famous Assembly Rooms on George Street. The New Town venue will be transformed into the ‘Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Festival Club’, presenting a packed programme of live music, comedy, dancing and family events.

The return of New Year’s Revels on the 31st December, will see revellers birlin’ through the bells courtesy of Edinburgh’s finest ceilidh bands, live DJs, and festival favourites Massaoke providing a sing-a-long soundtrack and the Final Countdown to a spectacular Midnight Moment. 

A special Bairns New Year Revels event will take place earlier in the day, allowing young party-goers a chance to join the celebrations, with a family-friendly Massaoke and ceilidh extravaganza. 

The Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Festival Club events kick-off on Friday 29 December with Ho-Ho-Hogmanay, a live comedy show featuring some of the very best acts from the comedy circuit. 

The Night Afore Hoolie on Saturday 30 December, presents an evening of incredible live music with the award-winning Blue Rose Code, AKA Edinburgh born singer-songwriter Ross Wilson, with a selection of very special guests musicians and vocalists. And on New Year’s Day, the fun continues we a programme of free live music and ceilidh dancing presented as part of the First Footin’ culture trail, expanding the free culture trail further into the New Town. 

In the Old Town, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay present the ever-popular Candlelit Concert at St. Giles’ Cathedral on Sunday 31 December. This tranquil and spiritual experience in the gorgeous building in the heart of the Old Town is an annual sellout and this year’s concert heralds the arrival of 2024 and St. Giles’ Cathedral’s 900th Anniversary celebrations with the first three cantatas from J.S.Bach’s Christmas Oratorio: Bach at his most exuberant.   

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2023/24 is supported by Principal Funding Partners City of Edinburgh Council and Major Partners EventScotland, Creative Scotland through the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund and Essential Edinburgh, all working together to create spectacular Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 30th Anniversary celebrations for Scotland. 

The Night Afore Disco Party with Björn Again and Massaoke will take place on Saturday 30 December, 18:30 – 22:00 in West Princes Street Gardens, Doors 17:30. 

At the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Festival Club, Ho-Ho-Hogmanay take place on Friday 29 December; Night Afore Hoolie Saturday 30 December; Bairns New Year Revels and New Year’s Revels Sunday 31 December, and free First Footin’ events on New Year’s Day all at the Assembly Rooms on George Street.  

The Candlelit Concert in St Giles’ Cathedral takes place 18:30 – 20:00 on Sunday 31 December, Doors 18:00.  

Tickets and further information for these 30th Anniversary events will be available from 10:00 Friday 6 October. 

Tickets for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay world-famous Street Party and Concert in the Gardens with Pulp are available now from www.edinburghshogmanay.com. 

Details of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay free New Year’s Day activity including Sprogmanay and First Footin’ Culture Trail will be announced in early November.

Edinburgh opticians to treat hundreds of patients in week-long Kenyan charity trip

Optometrists from a high street practice in Edinburgh are travelling to Kenya to help deliver eye care clinics that will see 500 people access the service in just one week.

Brenda Rainford and Maria Sawe, of Birrell & Rainford Opticians in William Street in Edinburgh’s West End, will head to Africa this October as part of the SeeKenya initiative.

The charity was established 10 years ago and provides trustworthy, high quality and life-enhancing eye care to prevent blindness, restore sight and improve eye health in Kenya.

Maria, who is joining Birrell & Rainford Opticians on a permanent basis having spent seven years as a locum, said: “I have been working with SeeKenya for a while now and it’s a hugely rewarding experience.

“Anyone can attend our clinics and we carry out full eye tests, check for infections and allergies, administer eye drops and fit glasses.

“We even have a fully functioning onsite lab where we can dispense glasses while the patient waits – they choose a frame and we fit a single vision lens with their prescription.

“It ensures people have access to good quality eye care and it’s very well received. People ask for months in advance when we are coming next.”

Plans are underway to build a permanent clinic at the site in Meru, with a £500,000 online fundraising campaign launched. For more details see www.seekenya.org.

The trip will be the first time Brenda has been part of a SeeKenya clinic and she added: “I’m really looking forward to going out there and experiencing it.

“The work the charity does is incredible and it will be a privilege to be able to give back some of my years’ of experience and make a difference to those who need it the most.”

Maria will be a familiar face to patients at Birrell & Rainford and is looking forward to making the practice her permanent professional home from November.

She said: “It’s exciting and although I already feel very much part of the team having the consistency of a permanent position will make a difference. If patients have recurring problems then they know they always have someone there to help them.

“I’m looking forward to introducing new methods and techniques to the practice and we will have a new focus on the growing prevalence of short-sightedness, particularly among children.”

Levels of short-sightedness, also known as myopia, have risen sharply in recent decades with one in three people classed as having the condition. It is predicted to affect half of the world’s population by 2050.

With a qualification in pioneering treatments such as myopia management – using speciality lenses to slow the progression of shortsightedness – Maria brings a new skillset to the team and is urging patients to book their children in for an eye exam and ensure they receive the best possible care and service.

She said: “With myopia rates rising steeply, it’s become something of a ticking timebomb for global eye health. This is a chance to put into practice techniques that are proven to slow its progression and keep children seeing better for longer.

“Use of digital screens, lots of up-close work and a lack of outdoor play are all contributory factors to myopia so I would urge all parents to book their children in for an eye exam. The earlier we can see them, the sooner we can spot a potential issue and we can get them on the most appropriate treatment pathway.”

Established in 2011, Birrell & Rainford is an independent optometrist offering a range of clinical services and beautiful eyewear for everyone in a family-friendly environment, tailored to each individual’s needs.

Brenda added: “Our experienced team is dedicated to providing the highest quality of care, giving our patients the best vision possible. I have known Maria for many years and I know she is going to be a real asset to the team.”

For more details on booking in for an eye examination call 0131 226 7833 or visit https://www.birrellrainford.co.uk/

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.

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

Trees Please: George Street plans approved

A final operational plan for Edinburgh’s George Street and First New Town (GNT) project was approved yesterday (Thursday, 15 June), along with updates to the proposed design.

A key change is the introduction of trees on George Street, which has been agreed following discussions with Edinburgh World Heritage, Historic Environment Scotland and the Cockburn Association and other stakeholders.

This recognises trees’ contribution to the city’s Net Zero 2030 goals as well as their capacity to enhance the street’s biodiversity value, helping to combat urban heat island effects and supporting our One Million Tree City pledge. Following the approval of proposals, the Council will continue to work closely with partners to determine the appropriate position, number and type of trees to be added.

Transport and Environment Committee members approved updates to the principles of the proposed GNT Operational Plan which include plans for the creation of a pedestrian and cycling zone where loading, servicing and licensed taxi access on George Street will only be permitted during evening and morning hours.

At this stage, automated bollards will provide additional public safety measures and enforce the pedestrian cycling zone restrictions. Blue badge holders will still be able to park in disabled bays on George Street and the surrounding streets.

The George Street and First New Town project is being supported by funding from the Scottish Government through Sustrans Scotland’s Places for Everyone programme and delivered by City of Edinburgh Council.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “In updating designs and operational plans for the GNT project, the project team has worked closely with the community, key stakeholders and elected members to develop proposals which will both enhance the space for all those travelling through and spending time in the area but also retain the First New Town’s unique historic value.

“I know the potential inclusion of trees on George Street will be welcomed by many, now their inclusion has been approved more work will be done to ensure the position and type of trees is sympathetic to the street’s iconic character.

“We have also listened carefully to the Edinburgh Access Panel and have agreed blue badge holders should have full access to up to 27 blue badge spaces in the George Street and First New Town area.

“This latest update marks an exciting milestone in the GNT project and it will allow us to move forward with the final stages of development before construction begins.”

Minister for Active Travel, Patrick Harvie, said: “I welcome the latest approved designs for the George Street and First New Town project. With over £13 million being invested by the Scottish Government, the introduction of more trees alongside improved walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure will create a more pleasant environment for people to enjoy.

“This work, supported by Sustrans Scotland, is part of our record funding for active travel in 2023/24 and we remain committed to investing at least £320 million or 10% of the transport budget for active travel by 2024/25.”

Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stage 3 developed design principles were approved in November 2022, though these were conditional upon further discussions around factors such as the potential inclusion of trees and taxi access.

Amongst the ‘core elements’ of the design are significantly widened pavements, the creation of a European style cycling street and the removal of parking bays (while retaining blue badge parking). The First New Town operation plan will support the area’s transformation and, in addition to setting out taxi access and enforcement, the plan maintains bus services in the wider First New Town (Hanover, Frederick and North/South St David Street) and criteria for exempt vehicles.

The next stage for the project will be to progress the promotion of all the necessary statutory processes for George Street, which provide the powers to enable the construction of the project, scheduled for 2025. Further engagement and analysis will be carried out on planned layouts for Hanover, Frederick and Castle Street during the next design stage in the process, RIBA Stage 4.

Earlier this year the George Street and First New Town project was shortlisted in the Pineapple Awards, celebrate excellence in place-based design and development, and is in the running as a finalist for the Scottish Design Awards in the Master Planning category.

The report was approved with a series of addendums and amendments from groups. These include agreements to consider of the project’s impact on the wider Active Travel Investment Programme, to continue dialogue on licensed taxi access for people with disabilities and to explore how the plan can deliver priority for pedestrians, wheelers and cyclists while also ensuring accessibility for disabled people.

Read the full report, George Street and First New Town – Operational Plan and Project Update.

Simon Strain, Head of Places for Everyone Programme at Sustrans, said: “We are pleased to see the final operational plan for George Street and First New Town approved by members of the Transport and Environment Committee, along with updates to the proposed design.

“The funding awarded for this project will help make everyday walking, wheeling, and cycling journeys a reality, as well as improving biodiversity and creating a new space for people to spend time and relax in Edinburgh city centre.”

Stuart Hay, Director, Living Streets Scotland said: “Edinburgh is currently one of the least pedestrianised historic cities in Northern Europe, so we are delighted to see progress in the plans for a place that prioritises people, not cars. George Street has the potential to become the heart of the city, creating a much-needed public space of high quality.

National Trust for Scotland offers insight into Enlightenment through Raeburn’s Edinburgh exhibition

  • Exhibition marks 200th anniversary of Raeburn’s death, giving fascinating insights into Enlightenment Edinburgh
  • Exhibition at Georgian House from 2 June to 26 November 2023 is free to NTS members and includes audio of sitters’ experiences, workshops, tours and a Raeburn’s Edinburgh walking route

A new exhibition of Raeburn portraits, at the National Trust for Scotland’s Georgian House in Edinburgh, opens the doors on the painter’s career, his subjects’ experiences of sitting for portraits, and life in Enlightenment Scotland.

The Raeburn’s Edinburgh exhibition brings together 18 carefully-selected portraits and engravings, including a self-portrait, from across six National Trust for Scotland properties for the first time. It tells stories of the artist, the people who sat for him, and the society and attitudes of the city they inhabited.

In parallel, a programme of events and interpretation organised by the conservation charity will illuminate different aspects of Raeburn’s Edinburgh, covering topics from print culture and maps, to historic links to the Caribbean and how visitors can research their own Scottish family history (perhaps finding a link to someone Raeburn painted). Family events include paper-cutting and collage workshops for children aged six and upwards.

Curating the exhibition is Dr Antonia Laurence-Allen, National Trust for Scotland’s Curator (Edinburgh & East), who said: “Many people are familiar with Raeburn’s work, through portraits such as The Skating Minister – or, to use its official title, Reverend Robert Walker (1755-1808) Skating on Duddingston Loch – on show in the Scottish National Gallery.

“But there’s so much more to Raeburn and his world. Using our charity’s Raeburn collection, we’ve created an intimate and inspiring visitor experience which aims to offer insights into the privileged and enlightened world he moved in.

“Raeburn was very much a man of the moment, during one of the capital’s most vibrant periods, painting everyone from advocates to astronomers and aristocrats. This is illustrated through the portraits we have chosen for the exhibition, each of which has a unique Edinburgh connection and an individual story about Raeburn, to provide a unique and fascinating picture of the city.

“We look forward to introducing both local visitors and tourists to Raeburn’s Edinburgh, and hope that the stories and histories woven into this exhibition will give them a richer sense of the city’s wonderful heritage and its relevance today.”

One feature of the exhibition, designed to engage visitors of all ages, is a series of audio recordings. These share the stories and viewpoints of sitters, such as why they commissioned the portrait, how they paid for it, how they chose their outfit, and what they felt about the experience.

The short multi-perspective audio stories give fresh insights into the sitters themselves and the working practices of one of Scotland’s best-known painters.

They also create a vivid mosaic of the time, helping the visitors of the 21st century to imagine, for themselves, the Edinburgh of centuries back.

Also helping them to do this is a map of Edinburgh, dating back to  1821, which covers one wall of the exhibition. This pinpoints key locations in Raeburn’s life, including his studios in the New Town’s George Street and York Place, and Ann Street in Stockbridge, part of a property development scheme he hoped would sort out his financial worries following a bankruptcy. Visitors can then walk around these locations themselves, as the map is also available in a takeaway leaflet.

The exhibition has also been innovative for its focus on developing staff and volunteer skills.

“Our goal has been to increase opportunities for learning as we develop projects like this,” commented National Trust for Scotland  conservator for Edinburgh and East, Lesley Scott.

“Employees and volunteers at the Georgian House were invited to take part in workshops on stabilising and cleaning frames, which was necessary for displaying the engraved prints. By upskilling our teams, allowing them to understand how materials age and learn methods for preservation, we are investing in future collections care in line with our strategic engagement objectives.“

Adding to the sense of engagement and community around the exhibition, the audio stories of the sitters have been voiced by Georgian House team members, including volunteers. Dozens of volunteers, and even their family members, have also stepped forward to steward for the exhibition.

Philip Long OBE, Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland, added, “Among the 300,000-plus precious objects our conservation charity cares for and shares are remarkable portraits by Raeburn, spread across properties including Alloa Tower, Castle Fraser,  Craigievar Castle, Fyvie Castle and Hill of Tarvit, as well as the Georgian House in Edinburgh’s New Town.

“It’s exciting to bring them some of them together for the first time, enabling our members, visitors and other supporters to see some of Raeburn’s finest work, and hear different perspectives on it.

“By using creative, inclusive interpretation and activities that connect and engage different audiences with this work, we’re helping to deliver the engagement objectives in the National Trust for Scotland’s 10-year strategy,

“Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone: providing access and enjoyment for everyone I hope that people of all ages will enjoy seeing and hearing the people, locations, stories, and experiences of Raeburn’s Edinburgh, and I’m very grateful for the support of National Trust for Scotland members, volunteers, donors and visitors. This support makes it possible to organise exhibitions like this and to protect, care for and share Scotland’s heritage.”

Raeburn’s Edinburgh opens at the Georgian House, in Edinburgh’s Charlotte Square today – 2 June 2023 – and runs until 26 November. The exhibition is included in admission to the Georgian House, which is free for National Trust for Scotland members.

You can find out more about the exhibition, the Georgian House, and how to book for Raeburn’s Edinburgh events at www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/georgian-house.

Luxury New Town Mews join the capital’s property market

HOMEBUYERS looking to relocate to Edinburgh’s historic New Town now have the chance to purchase a dream mews home in a prime location on one of the city’s quaint cobbled streets.

Square & Crescent has officially completed works on its two new-build Georgian-inspired mews homes, nestled in Northumberland Place Lane, at the secluded rear of Abercromby Place.

Located within the city’s World Heritage Site, the high-spec three bedroom homes nod to the city’s past, providing a modern, high-quality build inspired by the traditional mews style which has become centric to Edinburgh’s built history.

The mews style of home is among the most sought-after in central Edinburgh, synonymous with the capital’s landscape and increasingly popular with homebuyers looking for a characterful and private home.

Euan Marshall, Co-Founder and Joint Managing Director at Square & Crescent said: “By mixing the old with the new, we’re certain that the properties will be well received.

“To add the finishing touches to the homes and finalise the works at Northumberland Place Lane was a great feeling and it marks another important milestone for one of our Edinburgh developments.”

Priced at £995,000 and boasting access to Edinburgh’s Queen Street Gardens, the 141sqm homes benefit from a spacious dining kitchen, ensuite to the principal bedroom, separate utility and integral garage with infrastructure for future electric charging points.

The homes feature a specification list befitting of the surroundings, with German-style kitchens designed by Cameron Interiors complete with a suite of high-end appliances.

The mews homes play part to Square & Crescent’s wider Abercromby Place development, which saw the careful conversion of two Georgian townhouses into eight contemporary apartments.

Euan added: “The mews homes offer something different for everyone and are designed to cater for all buyers from downsizers to growing families all the way to couples and individuals.

“With a number of new projects underway and in the works, we’re especially pleased to be bringing such a broad mix of premium homes to the Edinburgh market – it’s most definitely an exciting time for us at Square & Crescent.”

Square & Crescent is now a widely-regarded residential developer with a primary focus on the acquisition, development and refurbishment of beautiful homes.

It recently announced its largest project to date, the conversion of the city’s famous former Royal Hospital for Sick Children building into eight townhouses and 85 apartments.

The firm was founded after friends Euan Marshall and Simon Cook’s career paths crossed on a number of property projects around Edinburgh, with their complementing skillsets providing the perfect testbed to found Square & Crescent in 2013.

Square & Crescent has since gone on to build a strong track record and trusted reputation in providing some of the best residential conversion projects over the past 10 years, making a move in recent years into developing unique new build homes, providing exceptional and sustainable modern living in a variety of different locations within Edinburgh.

To enquire about Square & Crescent’s Northumberland Place Lane mews homes, call the New Homes Sales Team at Rettie on 0131 603 8357.

For more information on Square and Crescent’s Abercromby Place development, visit www.abercromby-place.co.uk

For more information on Square & Crescent, visit https://squareandcrescent.com/

Extraordinary new artworks by Alberta Whittle debut at the Modern

Alberta Whittle: create dangerously   

1 April 2023 – 7 January 2024  

Free   

National Galleries Scotland: Modern One  

Alberta Whittle | create dangerously | National Galleries of Scotland 

New multi-media works by the celebrated Barbadian-Scottish artist, Alberta Whittle, will be revealed today [Saturday 1 April] in a free exhibition at the Modern (Modern One) in Edinburgh. Alberta Whittle: create dangerously will run until 7 January 2024.

Experience the ambition and breadth of Alberta’s career to date and come away feeling her call to ‘invest in love’. At the heart of Alberta Whittle: create dangerously is the artist’s generous spirit and her powerful and poetic storytelling. Alberta pulls apart the belief that ’racism and police brutality is [just] an English problem or an American problem’.

Instead, she underlines Scotland’s complicity in the structures of white supremacy. Often deeply personal, weaving stories of family and belonging, Alberta offers a message of hope, asking us to imagine a world outside of these damaging systems and ways of thinking.  

Step inside a sound installation and listen to the voice of poet Kamau Brathwaite (1930-2020), a much-loved and hugely influential figure in Caribbean literature. Dealing with the themes of grief and loss, Alberta made this in personal tribute to Brathwaite, who was a close friend of her family as well as a collaborator.

Titled A portal for breathing love into the Elders or an Adoration for kith-folk who we long for (2021), this installation is comprised of objects of significance to the artist. 

There will be a room dedicated to addressing the themes of rest and care, and connection and belonging in Alberta’s practice, where you can slow down and pause. Inside this room, visitors will find a beautiful bespoke quilt hanging on the wall, crafted by a group of women from North Edinburgh. 

Inspired by Alberta’s practice and use of textiles and fabrics in her work, the quilt is being caringly made by a sewing group run by Project Esperanza, a charity dedicated to supporting women of African heritage, as well as women from other culturally diverse backgrounds. Facilitated by textile artist Francia Boakye, this quilt draws upon the makers’ lived experiences, weaving together their stories and their journeys as migrants to Scotland.    

To coincide with Alberta Whittle: create dangerously, Edinburgh Art Festival and the National Galleries of Scotland will also support a new performance by the artist due to take place during the festival this summer (11-27 August). 

The National Galleries of Scotland recently announced the acquisition of two major works by the celebrated Barbadian-Scottish artist, Alberta Whittle. The artist’s extraordinary installation with tapestry, Entanglement is more than blood (2022), and thought-provoking film, Lagareh – The Last Born (2022), will form an integral part of Alberta Whittle: create dangerously.

The two works were at the heart of the artist’s critically acclaimed exhibition at the 59th Venice Biennale, 2022, where she represented Scotland. Their entry into the national collection forms a significant legacy of this landmark project.

Indicative of Alberta’s art practice, Entanglement is more than blood and Lagareh – The Last Born promote compassion and collective care as a means of resisting racism and anti-Blackness. The sculpture and film installation confront the violence of colonialism, the legacies of transatlantic chattel slavery, and the impact of the climate crisis. 

Co-commissioned and created in collaboration with Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh, Entanglement is more than blood is a large-scale tapestry on a gate-like structure. It is imbued with the artist’s rich symbolism, including water, snakes, diamonds, hands, and shells. Acting as a portal, the tapestry explores the meaning of family, kinship and ancestral histories, themes that will echo throughout the exhibition.  

The imagery in the tapestry is also seen in Lagareh – The Last Born, which was co-commissioned and produced by Forma Arts, London. Centring the collective strength of contemporary Black women, this 43-minute film is anchored in ideas of abolition, rebellion, grief, and love. 6

Shot on location in Scotland, London, and Barbados, and featuring footage from Sierra Leone and Venice, Alberta has woven together contrasting stories of individual acts of resistance against racist violence with gentle moments of intimacy. 

Lagareh – The Last Born will play continuously throughout the day, and for visitors who wish to see it from the beginning, screening start times will be made available in the gallery and on the National Galleries of Scotland website. 

Alberta Whittle said: ‘This is an exhibition about hope. It is about the hope we can nurture within ourselves, but also the hope that we can have difficult conversations about the harm caused by colonialism, the Transatlantic trade in enslaved people, and the climate crisis.

“The exhibition presents an opportunity for self-reflection, and to think about the types of power we hold in the world and how we can use it compassionately.’

Lucy Askew, Chief Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: ‘We are incredibly happy to reveal more details about Alberta Whittle: create dangerously.

“This hugely important exhibition, devoted to the work of one of the leading artists working in Scotland today, is underpinned by Alberta’s deep generosity and warmth. Alberta speaks of fundamental truths about the violence and injustices of our past – ‘the burden of proof’ – and the legacy of systemic racism which permeates through our society today, asking us to confront this with her.

“With compassion and care, she holds and guides us, encouraging us to pause, to breathe, and to think differently.”