Calling all brave and curious explorers, this February The Real Mary King’s Close is shining a light (or lack of) onto Edinburgh’s history, illuminating the lives of former residents and unravelling truths about their deaths with Lantern Led Tours.
The Lantern Led Tours are available for a limited time only during Half Term, where guests will descend into complete darkness with the only light source being the flicker of their lanterns, as they explore Edinburgh’s history.
Hidden beneath the Capital’s iconic Royal Mile, Edinburgh’s best underground experience is ready to send those daring to on a time-traveling adventure.
The one hour guided tour will transport customers to another era, with eerie interactions from two insidious characters that used to strike terror into people’s hearts at their very sight.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “The Real Mary King’s Close is a place filled with excitement and mystery and stands as an important part of Edinburgh’s history.
“We’re delighted to re-launch our popular Lantern Led Tours after a highly successful run last year and give visitors the chance to follow in the footsteps of past residents, this time with only a lantern to guide them.
“This is the perfect activity to do with friends and family over the February holidays and discover more about the city’s dark past together.”
Lantern Led tours open from Friday 9th February to Monday 26th February, running each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 6pm to 9pm.
Tickets cost £30 per adult and £24 per child (5 to 15yo – no under 5’s allowed).
The Real Mary King’s Close invests £200,000 in listed Burgh Courtroom following over a quarter of a million visitors in 2023
The Real Mary King’s Close has completed an exciting renovation project, costing £200,000, to transform its listed Burgh Courtroom, located in Edinburgh’s City Chambers, into an impressive new retail experience on the Royal Mile, further improving the visitor journey at the top Edinburgh tourist attraction.
Following a complete redesign, the new design allows the original assets of the courtroom to stand out thanks to celebrated interior specialists, Lumsden Design. Working with the symmetry of the room to accentuate details, the layout of the newly curated gift shop takes inspiration from Edinburgh’s 17th century market stalls, the Luckenbooths.
The Luckenbooths were the city’s first permanent shops. Situated on the Royal Mile across from St Giles Cathedral, they could be found just a stone’s throw away from Mary King’s Close before the street was hidden beneath the City Chambers in 1753.
Excitingly, the new space also aims to improve the visitor experience. By connecting the guest journey from Mary King’s Close to the gift shop more seamlessly, the Burgh Courtroom now provides an interesting new extension of the tour itself, with the history of the room being revealed to guests on tour for the very first time.
The popular attraction views the renovation work as an investment following its hugely successful year, with over a quarter of a million people visiting in 2023. Much of The Real Mary King’s Close’s highest footfall came during the annual Fringe festival and the school holidays.
July saw a record-breaking number of visitors journey underground, with The Met Office reporting that it was the UK’s wettest July since 2009, and the sixth wettest July on record.
With the addition of exclusive monthly special tours in 2023, including a Herstory Tour for Women’s History Month in March and the Pride History Tour in June, visitors were able to learn from a wealth of fascinating social history experiences, providing a deeper insight into Edinburgh’s dark and fascinating past.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: ‘Reflecting on knock-on effect of the pandemic on the tourism industry overall in recent years, we are delighted to see a consistent increase in our footfall.
“We want to invest in our fantastic Burgh Courtroom to ensure our guests are getting the highest quality visitor experience as possible. We’re really looking forward to seeing the gift shop transform to a space that is reminiscent of the time and feeds into the social history of Mary King’s Close itself.”
For more information about The Real Mary King’s Close, visit :
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay takes place from 29 December to 1 January.
To allow events to take place, the city council will have temporary restrictions across the city centre. The closures will start today (Wednesday 27 December) and end on Tuesday 2 January.
The restrictions will affect:
parking
waiting
loading
unloading
pedestrian access.
Please note that these planned closures and restrictions may be subject to change.
Road closures
From 8am on Wednesday 27 December to 5pm on Tuesday 2 January
Castle Street from Princes Street to Rose Street will be closed.
From 7pm on Saturday 30 December to 10am on Monday 1 January
Frederick Street from Princes Street to Rose Street
Princes Street from South Charlotte Street to The Mound and Hanover Street to South Saint David Street
Waverley Bridge
From 5pm on Sunday 31 December to 6am on Monday 1 January
Bank Street
Castle Street from Rose Street to George Street
George IV Bridge – the northbound side of the road from Chambers Street to Royal Mile
Hanover Street from Princes Street to George Street
Meuse Lane
Mound
Mound Place
North Bank Street
Princes Street from the Mound to Hanover Street and South Saint David Street to North Bridge
Ramsay Gardens
Ramsay Lane
Register Place
South Saint Andrew Street
South Saint David Street
Saint Giles Street from North Bank Street to the safety barrier
West Register Street Lane
West Register Street
From 7pm on Sunday 31 December to 3am on Monday 1 January
Hope Street Lane
Lothian Road southbound from Princes Street to Castle Terrace and northbound from the West Approach Road to Princes Street
Shandwick Place from Stafford Street to Princes Street
South Charlotte Street
From 7pm on Sunday 31 December to 6am on Monday 1 January
Cockburn Street
Frederick Street from Rose Street to junction of Hill Street and Thistle Street
George Street from Frederick Street to Hanover Street
Market Street – 30 metres east along from Waverley Bridge
North Castle Street from George Street to junction of Young Street and Hill Street
Rose Street
Rose Street North Lane
Rose Street South Lane
Streets closed to pedestrians
From 7pm on Sunday 31 December to 10am on Monday 1 January
Castle Street from Princes Street to George Street
Frederick Street from Princes Street to George Street
Hanover Street from Princes Street to George Street
Market Street from Waverley Bridge to the Mound
Mound
Mound Place
North Bank Street
Princes Street from South Charlotte Street to North Bridge
Ramsay Gardens
Ramsay Lane
Mound precinct – pedestrian area beside the National Galleries.
EDINBURGH’S HOGMANAY ANNOUNCES FULL FIRST FOOTIN’ LINE-UP
OVER 30 ARTISTS WILL TAKE TO CITY VENUES ON NEW YEAR’S DAY
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has revealed the full line-up for First Footin’, a free programme of live music gigs throughout the capital on New Year’s Day with over 30 artists taking to 15 venues across the city throughout the Old and New Town.
The cultural music trail features artists including Lau, Bemz, Hot Chip, Kathryn Joseph, Fergus McCreadie, Becky Sikasa, Cloth and many more.
First Footin’ invites audiences to explore Edinburgh, discovering an eclectic range of music from rap to classical, electronic to jazz, indie to folk and a foot stomping ceilidh band, embracing Hogmanay traditions and welcoming in the New Year with free gigs in St. Giles’ Cathedral, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Hall and Eve at Virgin Hotel, Assembly Rooms, Cold Town House, Fruitmarket Gallery and more.
With performances taking place from 2pm on 1 January, locals can check out some of Scotland’s most beloved artists as well as some of the biggest rising stars from across the country.
Live music taking place in Edinburgh’s historic Old Town includes: Black Bull:Tom Oakes & Friends, Cold Town House:Alas De Liona, Cammy Barnes, Fiza, Man of Moon, Fruitmarket Warehouse:Sean Shibe & Mira Benjamin, Greyfriars Kirk:Fergus McCreadie Trio, Juliette Lemoine & Chris Amer, St Giles Cathedral:Lau and special guest Kathryn Joseph, Greyfriars Hall atVirgin Hotel :DJ Rawzi, Hayley Zalassi, Hot Chip, Eve at Virgin Hotel: Her Picture, Viv Latifa, Keir Gibson, Grace & the Flat Boys.
Whilst in the New Town, performances will take place across: Assembly Rooms – Music Hall:Scottish Album of the Year Award Showcase:No Windows, Becky Sikasa, Bemz, Cloth,Assembly Rooms – Ballroom: The Hannah Fisher Ceilidh Band,Auld Hundred: Cera Impala & Guests, Boozy Cow:Cyrano & Guests, Copper Blossom:Picture the Scene,Element:William Douglas & Friends, The Huxley:Nicole Cassandra Smit, Philip Joseph Rae, Anna Leyden, Scottish Café:Hydroponics,Spiegeltent at St Andrew Square: Silent Film with a live Score with Graeme Stephen Trio
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, created and produced by UniqueAssembly on behalf of City of Edinburgh Council, has collaborated with award-winning musician and composer Aidan O’Rourke of Lau to curate the First Footin’ programme, which is funded by the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund and supported by Essential Edinburgh and Cold Town Beer.
A full First Footin’ timetable and event map allowing audiences to plan their New Year’s Day experience is available from www.edinburghshogmanay.com
This year’s Scottish Italian Awards saw one Edinburgh restaurant standing above the rest as Divino Enoteca became a triple winner, receiving accolades for ‘Scotland’s Best Wine Selection’, ‘Scotland’s Best Pasta Chef’, and ‘Scotland’s Best Chef’, alongside a ‘Highly Recommended’ commendation for Best Restaurant in the East.
The 10th anniversary of the Scottish Italian Awards welcomed over 750 guests to the Double Tree in Glasgow on 26th November for an evening celebrating the best of the Italian hospitality community, who have all made an incredible impact on Scotland’s food scene.
Divino flew the flag for Edinburgh well through the evening, as the sole winners from the capital city. The awards cap off a successful year for the restaurant, with milestones including visits from Prince Albert of Monaco and actor Gerard Butler, following a £100,000 renovation at the end of 2022.
Tucked away on Merchant Street in Edinburgh’s Old Town, Divino is known for its high-quality food that provides a modern and creative take on Italian cuisine. Seasonal menus, with dishes ranging from fresh pastas with silky sauces to succulent braised meats. are imagined by Chef Andrea Calistro – honoured with awards for ‘Scotland’s Best Chef’ and ‘Best Pasta Chef’.
The award for Best Wine Selection reflects Divino’s dedication to curating an impressive assortment of world wines, with regular wine tasting evenings and a unique ‘enomatic’ machine allowing guests to sample rare wines from the bottle.
Vittoria Group’s other celebrated restaurants were also honoured in the awards, with Vittoria on the Bridge also ‘Highly Recommended’ for Best Restaurant East, and Bertie’s Proper Fish & Chips ‘Highly Recommended’ for the Best Fish and Chips Award.
Co-owner Alberto Crolla was delighted with the awards recognition, saying: “While we strive for excellence each day of the year, awards like this are a testament to the team’s dedication to providing an incredible experience for each customer that visits our restaurant.
“This hat-trick of award wins makes a wonderful ending to an exciting year at Divino that began with a freshly unveiled restaurant and saw a myriad of exciting events like regionally themed nights and celebrity guests that keep our team energised to keep up the remarkable work they’re doing.”
The Crolla family have been at the forefront of Italian hospitality in the capital since Vittoria on the Walk first opened in Leith more than 50 years ago.
Now three generations of the family have expanded the Vittoria group across the city, each offering something unique while honouring the traditions of great Italian hospitality.
Earlier this year, a fire broke out in the building above the PDSA South Bridge charity shop, causing the shop to close for the foreseeable future. The shop located at 88-89 South Bridge, EH1 1HN, closed in June, but is very nearly ready to officially re-open again.
Before the shop reopens its doors again to eager shoppers, the team are hoping the supportive local community will head over there to donate any unwanted goodies.
PDSA Cluster Shop Manager, Fiona Lawrie, said: “Since the unavoidable closure of South Bridge five months ago, we’ve had a flurry of support from locals at our nearby Nicolson Street shop. We’re hoping before we re-open South Bridge, lovely locals will pop by to donate any unwanted items they may have, so we can open the doors again, stocked with fresh finds!
“We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us, the fire was a big shock to our team, but we’re more than ready to head back into the shop and welcome previous supporters, and new faces through the door.”
The shop is not yet open for people to browse around, however the official re-opening date will be announced very soon.
For anyone who wishes to donate any items, please drop any goods off at PDSA South Bridge, 88-89 South Bridge, EH1 1HN.
A POPULAR Edinburgh hospitality and performance venue has paired with a homelessness charity to increase local sustainability, by supporting its organic vegetable bag subscription.
Located in Edinburgh’s Old Town, Café 1505, part of the Surgeons Quarter campus, has become the 10th distribution point for organic fruit and vegetable bags grown at the Cyrenians Farm, based outside the city.
The initiative allows shoppers to customise their bag choosing its delivery frequency, size, and excluded items.
Aimed at reducing food waste and packaging by utilising re-useable bags, subscribers received a selection of fruit and vegetables grown at Cyrenians Farm in Kirknewton.
The Nicolson Street based café joins a chain of other collection points across Edinburgh, Kirknewton, Ratho and Bathgate.
Sophie Bell, Fundraising Manager at Cyrenians said: “We have been working with Surgeons Quarter on a number of initiatives, and we’re continually impressed by their commitment to work with like-minded enterprises.
“Having Café 1505 as a distribution point gives subscribers more locations to collect our delicious produce, giving supporters on the South side of Edinburgh a whole new way to tackle homelessness with us.”
Cyrenians Farm in Kirknewton, West Lothian, is home to a community for young people aged 16-25 years, and the surrounding working farm provides opportunities for residents, volunteers, and visitors to grow vegetables, and develop life skills, while being in a trusting and nurturing community.
Another initiative includes Café 1505’s coffee grinds being used in compost for the Cyrenians Farm creating a circular sustainability scheme.
To mark World Homelessness Day in October, Surgeons Quarter’s flagship hotel – Ten Hill Place – hosted an event with Cyrenians to launch its latest impact report. The report celebrates the role Cyrenians has played over the last year to tackle the causes and consequences of homelessness, supporting over 10,000 people in their time of need through the 60+ services that it runs in Central and South East Scotland.
This charity partnership is the latest in a long line of ethically motivated actions by Surgeons Quarter whose profits go towards the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh’s (RCSEd) objective of improving patient outcomes globally.
Stewart Munro, Operations Manager at Surgeons Quarter, said: “We are always looking for new ways to incorporate sustainable practices across the entire SQ campus.
“That’s why it’s important that we work with incredible charities, like Cyrenians, to foster these initiatives is something we are all very passionate about, and we’re delighted to work with them as a distribution point for their veg bag subscriptions.
“By enjoying coffee at Café 1505, you’re contributing to compost at Cyrenians Farm, where the veggies for these bags are grown. It’s a wonderful cycle of sustainability!”
As part of Surgeons Quarter’s commitment to ethical practices, Equal Exchange’s ‘Grown by Women’ coffee is served in Café 1505, which supports female farmers in Peru and Mexico.
It has also held a Gold Award in Green Business Tourism since 2009 and prioritise sustainability in the four-star Ten Hill Place Hotel, which they manage and promote along with all other commercial activities held within the RCSEd campus.
More information about Surgeons Quarter can be found at:
Multiple sell-outs and thunderous applause were enjoyed by the organisers and performers at this year’s Scottish International Storytelling Festival (13-29 Oct).
The festival’s two week programme of live storytelling, music, art and song enjoyed a 20% increase in ticket sales from its events at the Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh, online and in pubs, gardens and other venues across the city.
Including the Festival’s Go Local programme, which runs until the end of November bringing storytelling events to village halls and parks all across Scotland, from Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway, the festival’s 2023 programme included over 125 events, with 64 taking place in Edinburgh compared to 75 during Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022.
This year’s festival theme was our ‘Right To Be Human’ chosen to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Storytellers both local and international embraced this theme and presented tales of war, gender inequality, censorship; ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious prejudices; and other threats and challenges that impact us daily as we live in the midst of so many humanitarian crises across the world.
Donald Smith, Director, Scottish International Storytelling Festivalsaid: “Right To Be Human, the theme of this year’s Scottish International Storytelling Festival has evoked powerful and eloquent creative responses, and drawn capacity audiences.
“Inspired by the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Festival theme gained tragic resonance as Middle Eastern conflict – added to war in Ukraine, the Yemen and Sudan – produced appalling, large-scale breaches of fundamental rights.
“At the same time the Festival drew strength from growing worldwide advocacy which is advancing human values and experiences through legal, social and cultural frameworks. We were also encouraged by the Scottish Government’s plans to incorporate more recent international conventions on environmental, cultural, children’s and other rights into domestic law in recognition of the 75th Anniversary.
“In a myriad of storytelling performances, eloquently married with music and dance, themed workshops, and podcasts, the Festival programme embraces the highs and lows of humanity’s existential planetary struggles, while keeping the frailty and humour of human life in close focus.
“Artistic inspiration remains vital to confronting the horrors of abuse while invigorating hope and its constructive outcomes.”
Steve Byrne, Director of TRACS, the festival’s parent organisation, said: “The festival is a flagship event for TRACS and we are delighted to see its success in connecting with new audiences this year on such a profound theme of our collective human rights, so often under great challenge in many parts of the world.
“The Festival is a superb advert for the humanity and empathy of our storytellers and traditional artists, upholding TRACS’ mission of celebrating the diversity of local cultural traditions from around the globe.”
For those who couldn’t attend in person, Global Lab – a daily programme of online lively workshops discussing this year’s festival theme ‘Right To Be Human’ led by nationally and internationally renowned guest speakers was available.
Chaired by Festival Director Donald Smith, Global Lab talked about our human rights, our cultural rights, our place in nature, and the empowerment of children, exploring how it is often better to light a candle, than to curse the darkness in the world.
Dates for 2024 are to be announced.
Another Story, the festival’s newpodcast series hosted by Daniel Abercrombie, Associate Director, Scottish International Storytelling Festival, is still available online – listen on spotify https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/another-story
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh is hosting TWO unmissable Halloween events on Saturday 28th October
From 12pm, guests can enjoy a drag villain brunch with appearances from iconic fairytale villains before being entranced by a spooky but fabulous Rocky Horror drag show, 9pm til late
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh is set to get Edinburgh trembling through TWO Halloween events on Saturday, 28th October.
Starting from 12pm, Virgin Hotel’s all-day dining destination, Eve, will set the stage for a Halloween brunch like no other. Hosted by DJ Zac from Bolton and Mystica Glamoor, guests can sink their fangs into brunch favourites including mouthwatering crispy chicken burgers and fluffy pancakes all whilst enjoying a spellbinding drag performance from Mystica, who will be channelling looks of some of the most iconic fairytale villains.
The spooktacular drag villain brunch is free to attend, with guests only required to book a table to enjoy the experience in the fabulous surroundings of Eve.
And that’s just the beginning! Those who dare to stay out after the sun goes down can enjoy a spine-chilling drag rendition of the iconic Rocky Horror show from 9pm ’til late.
Hosted by Klarity Productions, theatre diva, Krystal Klear and DJ Jasper Noir will be welcoming star-studded guests onto the stage, including resident performer at Kabaret KweerDaddy Delight, who are ready to infuse this Halloween classic with an extra dose of glitz and glamour.
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh’s expert team of mixologists will also be serving specially curated Halloween-themed cocktails all day for guests to enjoy. Those looking for some nibbles before The Rocky Horror drag show can tuck into some delicious small plates off the new Autumn menu in Eve, including Scottish farm buffalo mozzarella with pumpkin seeds as well as mouthwatering chicken thighs.
Mafalda Albuquerque, General Manager of Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, said: “We are bringing a Halloween extravaganza to Eve this year with two fabulous drag events.
“Starting with the drag villain brunch through to an iconic Rocky Horror drag show, guests will be in for an experience like no other on offer in the city this Hallo-weekend.
“With our expertly curated Halloween-themed cocktails through to our delicious bites, there won’t be a need to step foot outside Virgin Hotels Edinburgh all day. So, join us on Saturday 28th October for a Halloween party you won’t forget!”
To join Edinburgh’s very own Rocky Horror drag show from 9pm til late, tickets can be booked here.
This Halloween spooktacular is just one of many events hosted at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh. To stay up to date with the latest news and events, follow along on social media here:
Calling all Halloween lovers! If you’re looking for the perfect eerie addition for your house this spooky season, look no further than The Real Mary King’s Close, one of the UK’s top-rated experiences on TripAdvisor. This Halloween, the attraction is giving away a life-sized statue of the iconic Plague Doctor, in aid of Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity.
Situated underneath the iconic Royal Mile, Mary King’s Close is shrouded in myths and mysteries, steeped in stories of Edinburgh’s dark past. This Halloween, the historic attraction is giving you the chance to take home the perfect Halloween prize – The Plague Doctor!
Characterised by his long black cloak and elongated beak-like mask, the Plague Doctor is sure to give even its bravest admirers a fright this Halloween.
The Plague Doctor’s striking outfit was designed to protect him fromso-called miasmas, the name used to describe foul smells which, at the time, people believedcaused the plague.
In reality, his long cloak kept him safe from airborne diseases and biting fleas which carried bubonic plague. His mask was also filled with spices and rose petals to prevent the “miasmas” from infecting him.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “The Real Mary King’s Close is a place filled with excitement and mystery, but Edinburgh’s ominous past means we also have the perfect tales to tell this Halloween.
“The Plague Doctor was one person you didn’t want to pay you a visit, despite being there to help. The limited and dangerous treatments available at the time meant the Plague killed around half of those who contracted it, although Plague Doctors did all they could to cure the sufferers.
“We’re pleased to be giving away one of our life-sized models for a great cause, and their terrifying outfits should mean it makes for a great Halloween decoration for years to come!”
You must use the same name as used on the Just Giving page and provide an email address.
Picture – Chris Watt Photography
07887554193
info@chriswatt.com
www.chriswatt.com
All money raised will go to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity. Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity runs a six-day-per-week programme of arts and activities for young patients at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP).
By transforming the hospital wards into disco rooms, art galleries, fairylands, and past eras, they ensure that every child has the freedom to explore, have fun and find inspiration through creative play and learning.
For more information and Halloween bookings please visit:
