Category: North Edinburgh News

Flight Club is coming to Edinburgh

Stunning interiors, delicious cocktails and Social Darts … the perfect line-up for an unforgettable night out!

Flight Club, famous for making Social Darts a memorable night-out with friends, is opening a brand new and long-awaited venue in Edinburgh this November.

This will mark the 15th UK opening for Flight Club and the second in Scotland, closely following the opening of Flight Club Glasgow this October, and destined to be a highlight in everyone’s social calendar this autumn.  

Flight Club’s unique Social Darts concept promises to deliver a social experience like no other, loaded with unexpected, ridiculous, joy, and designed to bring people together through multiplayer games, show-stopping cocktails and tasty bites.

Flight Club will add a technology-charged twist to Edinburgh’s social scene and welcomes first-timers and fanatics alike. Automated scoring eliminates any need for counting and will seamlessly guide players through fast-paced, exciting games, whilst handy ‘push for service’ buttons will ensure not a moment of epic gameplay is missed when refreshments are required. 

Flight Club blends the nostalgia and warmth of a pub with the energy and excitement of a fairground in its atmosphere and decor; offering the ultimate escape from winter weather.

The new venue located in St James Quarter, the lifestyle district at the centre of Scotland’s capital, will give players the chance to discover an impressive 10 oche playing areas and will be neighbouring some of the biggest names in retail and hospitality.

The venue will celebrate the city’s heritage with a large mural featuring historical landmarks, and a model Victorian railway running throughout the height of the bar, calling at thoughtfully designed streets and stations.

If Prosecco and bottomless pizza sounds like more of a winning combination, Flight Club Edinburgh will be offering an incredible Brunch Social every Saturday & Sunday. Delivering on all those crispy base, ultra-cheesy cravings, the paddle board pizzas come with a variety of toppings and can be tailored to suit dietary requirements, whilst each guest will receive a bottle of Prosecco.

Located in the bustling St James Quarter, Flight Club Edinburgh is a one-stop destination for all group sizes, from groups of friends to corporate events, catering for up to 250 guests. Groups of 37 + can join Flight Club for an industry-leading Social Darts Tournament hosted by an expert Gamesmaster. Multiple oches are effortlessly connected for an immersive experience, perfect for team building, Christmas parties or company socials!

CEO, Steve Moore, said: “We love the atmosphere in Edinburgh and the existing hospitality and nightlife scene, so we are beyond excited to be opening a Flight Club in St James Quarter this autumn.

“It’s a busy and evolving city, and we will be bringing something a little different to the area, and can’t wait to see friends and colleagues celebrating every occasion with us.”

Booking enquiries HERE.

Open to book from 7th September. 

West Lothian Teenager Wins Inspirational Young Person Award 2023

Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon praises teen for inspiring others as winner announced during Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight (4-19 September)

Sophie Mackenzie, a 19-year-old hotel supervisor from West Lothian has won NFU Mutual’s Inspirational Young Person Award.

The award, which is in its fifth year, was launched by the commercial insurer in partnership with industry leadership organisation Scotland Food and Drink, seeking to uncover inspirational examples of talented 16 to 26-year-olds who own, work or study in the food and drink sector.

With a prize of £500, the award aims to highlight not only the enormous contribution that young people make to Scotland’s food and drink businesses, but also the importance of the sector to the wider economy.

First-place winner Sophie took on the role of general assistant at The Watchman Hotel in Gullane, East Lothian on its opening in 2021, aged only just 18. It was Sophie’s first ever job and her outstanding dedication to service, standards and excellent feedback from patrons, led to her promotion to hotel supervisor in March 2022.

Sophie, who is studying for a HNC in Event Management, was nominated by hotel manager Neil King. He said: “Sophie is the perfect example of what hospitality can do for a young individual. She is a leading light for our industry and our hotel. Our business would not be the same without her.”

Alongside Sophie, runner-up for the award was Joanne Kerr, 21, of the Coo Shed in Ayr, who wins £300. The Coo Shed is a farm-themed coffee shop and milk vending machines, set on a dairy farm on the outskirts of the popular seaside town. Joanne was praised for her fantastic work ethic and her friendly ‘can-do’ attitude.

Sophie Mackenzie, this year’s first place winner said: “I’m extremely thankful to my manager Neil for nominating me and feel really proud of myself for achieving this accolade – and in my first job!

“I get a real buzz working at The Watchman and seeing the delight our customers get from enjoying our food and facilities. I will be putting the money towards a car which will be a huge help for me with getting to college and work.”

Mark McBrearty, NFU Mutual Regional Manager: “Selecting a winner and runner up from the high quality of entries this year was very difficult, but I am delighted to be congratulating Sophie and Joanne, both worthy winners and wonderful ambassadors for our world-famous food and drink industry.

“I know that this will inspire other young people to explore the exciting opportunities available in one of Scotland’s most successful sectors.

“The award also coincides with Food & Drink Fortnight during which we celebrate Scottish produce and encourage people to discover what is available right on their own doorstep.”

Iain Baxter, Chief Executive at Scotland Food & Drink, added: “Scotland has a proud reputation nationally and internationally for its food, drink and hospitality. Supporting the future of our sector by recognising up and coming talent is crucial to its long-term success.”

Scottish Government announces Public Inquiry into ‘butcher’ surgeon

Actions of Sam Eljamel and NHS Tayside to be examined

Health Secretary Michael Matheson has announced a Public Inquiry will take place into the conduct of former neurosurgeon Sam Eljamel.

Mr Matheson said that in light of the last week’s Due Diligence Review, published by NHS Tayside, he has now concluded a Public Inquiry is needed to get the answers to the questions patients have about the surgeon, who worked in Tayside between 1995 and 2013.

Individual former patients who have ongoing concerns will also be able to request an independent clinical review of their care and treatment by Mr Eljamel.

Mr Matheson said: “Many former patients still live with the consequences of being treated by Mr Eljamel and still have many unanswered questions.

“The report presented last week to the board of NHS Tayside outlines a number of failings that I believe can only be examined thoroughly by a public inquiry. It also brings forward significant information not previously known to the Scottish Government. Given the length of time since the first concerns were raised about Mr Eljamel, this raises real concerns.

“It is now clear that the Board’s governance obligations were not consistently met in respect of how reviews of concerns about Mr Eljamel were actioned.

“I consider that this now means that commissioning a full public inquiry under the terms of the Inquiries Act 2005, with the powers to compel witnesses, is the only route to determine what happened, what contributed to the failures described by NHS Tayside and what can be done to prevent this happening again.

“A full public inquiry will not necessarily answer the individual clinical questions of each former patient about their own particular circumstances. For that reason I do still consider that an individual clinical review of patients’ individual cases, where that is what individual patients want, remains necessary.

“This will allow a person-centred, trauma-informed review of each patient’s own clinical case, addressing their individual needs and circumstances and attempting to offer answers in a bespoke and personalised way that an inquiry may not.”

Further details of the Public Inquiry and the process for arranging individual clinical care reviews will be announced in due course.

Scots severely underestimate how many of us will get heart or circulatory disease  

 
  Scots severely underestimate the scale and seriousness of heart and circulatory diseases, according to a new survey by the British Heart Foundation.

 While it’s estimated around half of people in this country will get a heart or circulatory condition during our lifetime, more than a quarter (27 per cent) of those surveyed in Scotland thought the likelihood of them developing a heart condition was just 1 in 10, while over a fifth (22 per cent) thought the chance was just 1 in 50.

Only three per cent of respondents knew the correct answer – which is 1 in 2.   

When people were asked if they thought they would be directly affected, Gen Z (33 per cent) are most likely to think they will ever be affected by heart and circulatory diseases, whereas baby boomers are the least likely (22 per cent).     

Despite heart and circulatory conditions affecting men and women almost equally, only 27 per cent of women thought they could be at risk compared to 33 per cent of men.     

These perceptions stand in stark contrast to the fact that there are currently 700,000 people living with a heart or circulatory disease in Scotland.   

Worryingly, the survey also found confusion among members of the public about the seriousness of a heart attack and cardiac arrest. While both are life-threatening emergencies that require immediate medical treatment, only 79 per cent of Scots would call 999 for an ambulance if they thought a person was having a heart attack, while only 60 per cent of people considered a cardiac arrest a medical emergency.   

The BHF released the figures to coincide with the launch of a new campaign that aims to shine a spotlight on hidden heart conditions. The charity says that these conditions can often go undiagnosed for too long and that they often aren’t discovered until something goes wrong, or it becomes too late.   

For mum-of-two, Hannah Kirkpatrick, from Dalbeattie, the impact heart conditions can have on the family, is something she knows all too well.  

Her son Evan, now 10, was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an inherited heart condition which causes the heart muscle to thicken, when he was just 11 months old. But it wasn’t until August last year that he underwent surgery – a septal myectomy – which has helped improve his life.   

Hannah said: “He was only diagnosed with his heart condition by accident. When he was born, he had a bit of a flat head and, while it seemed to be getting better after a couple of months, his health visitor referred him to have a check over by his paediatrician.     

“At the appointment they spent a long time listening to his heart and I could just tell something was wrong. Why else would they be listening for so long? He was referred to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary for a scan where they detected a heart murmur. It was a huge shock.”  

Doctors said they would closely monitor Evan’s condition and saw him every six-months for regular check-ups. 

However, in March 2022 Evan started to become more breathless. His lips would also get a blue tinge after walking. Hannah, who is also mum to Caitlin, 22, and her husband, Christopher, took Evan back to his cardiologist and he was put on the waiting list for a septal myectomy – surgery which would remove some of the thickened muscle in his heart.   

The self-employed domestic cleaner, 40, said: “His surgery was on August 13, 2022, in Glasgow. It was meant to take around four to five hours. It was the worst day of my life, waiting and not knowing if he was going to be OK.”    

Thankfully Evan made a speedy recovery and within a few days the then nine year was back home. “He took everything in his stride and bounced back,” said Hannah. “It was a huge relief and we can look ahead to the future.” 

An estimated 27,000 people in Scotland have an inherited heart condition. The charity say heart and circulatory conditions can affect almost anyone at any stage of life regardless of lifestyle choices and family history which contradicts common misconception we may have in our heads of them only affecting those who may be older with unhealthy lifestyles. 

David McColgan, Head of BHF Scotland, said: “It is deeply concerning to see that so many people are unaware of the scale and seriousness of heart and circulatory diseases.     

“Decades of lifesaving medical advances have perhaps lulled people into believing that we’ve beaten heart and circulatory diseases when nothing could be further from the truth.     

“These potentially deadly or life-limiting conditions continue to rob families of loved ones or blight the lives of people facing a future with an incurable disease.     

“With this campaign we want to shine a spotlight on heart and circulatory diseases and help people understand that everyone can be affected.  

“By funding groundbreaking research, we can get a step closer to breakthroughs that that can save outsmart heart disease for good.”  

This September, the BHF is shining a spotlight on hidden heart conditions and urging the whole of the UK to get involved by supporting the charity however they can. Stories, stuff, time, or money: whatever you can give, please give.

Visit: https://spotlighton.bhf.org.uk/

RAAC: Reassurance given on building safety

The Scottish Parliament has been provided with an update on Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).

Shirley-Anne Somerville reiterated to MSPs that the Scottish Government continues to follow professional advice on RAAC, as it always has done and is working with local authorities and other partners to understand the extent of the issue.

Ministers have been reassured that the current guidance of the Institution of Structural Engineers and risk-based approach remains appropriate.

Addressing parliament, Ms Somerville said: “The Scottish Government and the wider public sector has already done much to understand the extent of RAAC issues in Scotland, and we recognise there is more to do. Everyone with the responsibility for building safety takes this matter very seriously.

“Local authorities have a clear responsibility to ensure their schools are safe for pupils, staff and all their users.  They are carrying out assessments of all their school buildings.

“We are aware that some parts of the school estate in some councils still need to complete full surveys. Ministers have been clear to authorities that these must be carried out as a matter of highest priority.

“Safety is the central consideration and there is robust guidance which is followed by every local authority to ensure these buildings are safe for the pupils, staff and the public to be in.”

COSLA President Shona Morrison said: “The first point to make is that there are many councils who own no buildings where RAAC is present.

“The safety of everyone in Scotland’s schools and all other council buildings is of paramount importance to councils. We treat the safety of everyone within our facilities extremely seriously.  Scottish local authorities are aware of the RAAC issue in buildings across some of their estates and have regular inspections, put in place mitigations as appropriate and closed some buildings where this is required.

“We would stress that some councils have no RAAC affected buildings. We would reiterate that safety is the central consideration and there is robust guidance to ensure these settings are safe for the public to be in.”

Social Justice Secretary‘s statement

Last chance to see Spartans Alternative School’s art exhibition

The FREE Create to Escape Exhibition is open at the Drill Hall in Dalmeny Street until TODAY – Friday 8th September!

Hurry – this excellent exhibition closes at 2pm!

PICTURES David Bishop/ArtSquat

Fatal crash on Clifton Terrace: Man Charged

A 34-year-old man has been charged in connection with a fatal road crash involving a bus and a pedestrian in Edinburgh.

The incident took place on Clifton Terrace, on Saturday, 4 February, 2023.

The pedestrian, a 79-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 34-year-old man will appear at court at a later date.

The Prime Minister’s words on Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

On the one year anniversary of her passing, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reflects on the life and service of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II:

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Today, on the solemn anniversary of the passing of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our thoughts are with His Majesty King Charles III and the whole Royal Family.

With the perspective of a year, the scale of Her Late Majesty’s service only seems greater. Her devotion to the nations of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth only seems deeper. And our gratitude for such an extraordinary life of duty and dedication, only continues to grow.

I treasure my memories of those occasions when I met Her Late Majesty, in particular the private audience I had with her at Buckingham Palace before presenting my first Budget as Chancellor. I was struck by her wisdom, by her incredible warmth and grace, but also her sharp wit.

People across the UK – whether they had the good fortune to meet Her Late Majesty or not – will be reflecting today on what she meant to them and the example she set for us all. We will cherish those memories.

The bond between country and monarch is sacred. It endures. So, while we continue to mourn Her Late Majesty’s passing, we should be proud that this remarkable legacy of service – and this remarkable bond – continues to grow today under the reign of His Majesty The King.”