Local Lib Dem councillors report: We’ve been alerted to major works to resurface the Crewe Toll roundabout and upgrade the pedestrian crossings.
The project will start on Monday 17th August and last for approximately 12 weeks.
The works will be completed via overnight shifts (between 7.30pm and 6.30am) but will require temporary closures of Crewe Road South, Crewe Road North, or the Ferry Road West approach.
Only one of these approaches will be closed at any one time.
Phase 1 will start with the closure of Crewe Road South at its junction with the Crewe Toll Roundabout. During these temporary road closures, traffic on the remaining four approaches will be managed via temporary traffic lights.
A signed diversion route will be in place for each of the closed approaches.
SCIAF has launched an emergency appeal to help those affected by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia.
The earthquake struck in the remote Chocó region of Colombia, where SCIAF has active projects.
The tragedy has killed at least 224 people, with more than 2,600 injured. It’s also thought that around 1,100 homes have been destroyed and 8,000 damaged by the quake, with health centres, education institutes and community centres also affected.
These figures are likely to increase as information comes in from the most remote areas where communication has broken down, especially with thousands still missing.
Geraldine Hill is SCIAF’s Programme Officer for Colombia and lived in the Latin American country for two years. SCIAF has been working in Colombia since the 1980s.
Geraldine said: “It’s heart-breaking to see communities in Chocó bear the brunt of this latest earthquake. These communities are already very poor and live surrounded by violence, the earthquake is just the latest challenge to confront them. Once again SCIAF’s local partners are responding as soon as the crisis happens.
“SCIAF sets aside emergency funds in our focus countries to speed up locally-led response. We have immediately released £10,000 from these funds for partners, and we are liaising closely with them to determine how best to help.
“Through our partners in Chocó, we can immediately reach out to those most in need. Our local Caritas partners are already there, working tirelessly to provide emergency relief where it’s needed the most. Please support this response through SCIAF’s appeal.”
To donate to SCIAF’s Colombia Earthquake appeal please visit:
EdFest has opened a box office on the Mound, beside the Assembly Hall.
Above the cabin, a 4x2m screen displays a constantly-updating feed of ticket offers from across EdFest’s seven venues, pulled live from Edfest.com/offers , where participating companies can claim their show and run their own marketing offers. The box office also serves normal sales for the Assembly Hall. Edinburgh,
With Fringe well under way after a bumper first weekend, Edfest.com the shared ticketing, marketing and discovery platform uniting Assembly, C ARTS, Gilded Balloon, Just the Tonic, Pleasance, Underbelly and ZOO — has taken its offers on to the street.
A new box office on the Mound, next to the Assembly Hall, is now selling tickets in person for Assembly Hall shows, while a 4x2m screen mounted above the counter runs a live rota of daily offers from companies across all seven EdFest venues.
The screen draws directly from edfest.com/offers, the same feed available to audiences online, so any deal a company sets up, a percentage off, a fixed ticket price, or a 2-for-1, appears on the Mound within minutes.
Companies playing in any of the seven EdFest venues can claim their show on edfest.com, set their own offers, and add further content such as media reviews, giving them a direct, self-managed route to passing Fringe footfall as well as to edfest.com‘s online audience.
The launch comes as ticket sales across edfest.com and Love the Fringe run 50% ahead of the same point last year. For the seven EdFest venues, which together account for around 70% of all Fringe ticket sales, shows can be added to a single basket and bought in one transaction directly on edfest.com, at 0% box office commission, with booking fees capped at £5 per transaction.
Beyond the Fringe, edfest.com also brings together listings for Edinburgh’s other festivals year- round, including the Edinburgh International Festival, the International Book Festival, the Film Festival and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, with booking handled directly through each festival’s own site.
The Mound box office sits alongside Love the Fringe, EdFest’s audience membership programme, now in its third year and grown from 500+ members in 2024 to 1,000+ in 2025.
Membership, from £30, gives access to free tickets, venue and bar discounts, and curated daily review digests across the festival.
William Burdett-Coutts, said: “This is a great step forward for the Fringe. Our drive is to try and reduce costs for performers and find ways of making the festival more efficient.
“With Edfest we have already reduced box office commission for companies to zero provided they put 4% of their tickets into Love the Fringe.
“A win win for the audience and shows alike. Which is why a physical, live-updating box office on the Mound matters during peak Fringe footfall, and how it gives companies a direct way to reach passing audiences.
!Audiences can also save up to £1.50 on booking fees probably making this the cheapest box office service in the city.”
EdFest and Love the Fringe are live now at edfest.com.
Helping community groups cut energy bills and reduce carbon emissions
Community groups that want to install renewable energy projects and decarbonise their buildings will be able to access additional Scottish Government support this year.
Funding available from the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) will increase to £15 million this year, meaning more groups will be able to develop their own renewable energy projects such as onshore wind and solar, and cut the energy bills for their buildings by installing heat pumps and solar panels.
CARES has already delivered more than £83 million to communities across Scotland, supporting more than 1,200 projects and 75 Megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity.
The increase was announced by First Minister John Swinney ahead of a visit to Scalpay Community Centre in the Western Isles, which received CARES funding previously to install a heat pump, solar pv and battery storage.
Mr Swinney said: “We are moving beyond the idea of communities as passive hosts of energy infrastructure. Our approach supports them to become active partners by helping them to invest in, own and benefit from the clean energy future.
“That is why we are increasing the funding available from CARES to £15 million each year. More than 1,000 groups have already benefitted, empowering them to generate their own clean energy through local solutions, not only cutting emissions but also reducing costs and creating resilient communities.
“I would encourage organisations who have not already applied to check what support they may be eligible for.”
Gordon Ness, Chair of Scalpay Community Association said: “CARES funding has been instrumental in helping Scalpay Community Association SCIO transform our Community Centre into a more energy-efficient, sustainable and welcoming facility for everyone in our community.
“The support has enabled us to reduce our environmental impact while creating a warm, accessible space that will benefit local people for many years to come.
“Continued investment in CARES gives communities like ours the confidence to develop ambitious local projects that strengthen resilience, reduce carbon emissions and help secure a sustainable future for Scotland’s islands.”
CARES provides advice and funding, via grants and loans, to communities looking to develop renewable energy, heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency projects. It is administered by Local Energy Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government.
The Scottish Government wants communities to benefit from the opportunities presented by renewable technologies, and make the best use of the land and assets Scotland already has.
To deliver that, the Scottish Government will refresh guidance for public bodies to remind them of the ways they can help community groups to deliver renewable projects on public land and encourage them to make land and buildings available for such projects.
The Scottish Government is also assessing the potential for deploying solar technology in underused spaces, so that even more of Scotland’s land and infrastructure can contribute to our energy ambitions.
Anyone affected by dementia is welcome to attend a community dementia day on Wednesday, 26 August, 2026 at the Craighall Centre, 210 Ferry Rd, Edinburgh from 10am to 3.30pm.
There will be a range of healthcare professionals on hand to give advice and information, see our website for more info:
People with dementia and their family or carers are welcome to attend the community dementia day event on Wednesday, 26 August, 2026.
Those with the condition, worried about their memory or waiting for a formal diagnosis, are welcome to attend at the Craighall Centre, 210 Ferry Rd, Edinburgh from 10am to 3.30pm.
There will be a range of healthcare professionals on hand to give advice and information including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Dieticians, Podiatrists and Music Therapists.
There will also be stalls from organisations, such as Alzheimer Scotland, VOCAL, Meeting Centres and Edinburgh Leisure.
The event will be held in the large hall in the Craighall Centre, at the opposite end of the building to the Memory Assessment and Treatment Service. It has a separate entrance which will be signposted.
There is limited parking at the centre, but free on-street parking is available nearby.
The number 14 and 21 buses stop outside the centre
Refreshments will be available
For more information phone Morna Russell on 0131 286 9620
ASH Scotland is inviting people of all ages in Edinburgh to share their experiences of mental wellbeing and use of tobacco and nicotine products.
The health charity’s nicotine use and mental health survey is being launched at a time when the issue of nicotine addiction is causing an increase public health concern.
Anecdotal evidence shared with ASH Scotland’s Youth Conservations Hub suggests that many children and young people are using nicotine as a way of coping with anxiety, stress or low mood.
Responses to the survey, which is open until 1 February 2027, will help inform the charity about future resources that are needed to support people addicted to nicotine to reduce their intake to improve their mental wellbeing.
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said “There continues to be a huge data gap in Scotland enabling us to see trends of nicotine use and how it impacts people’s mental health.
“By responding to ASH Scotland’s survey, Edinburgh residents can help us to better understand how mental health connects with nicotine use, and identify the types of information and support that can encourage people to make positive choices to protect their mental health.
“It is vital that people in Edinburgh can access robust, evidence-based information and support to empower them to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.”
Come along this summer to our community archive drop-in sessions, every Tuesday between 14:00-16:00 to learn more about our local history and its rich heritage.
Landmark guidance designed to protect the future of almost half a million traditional buildings across Scotland has been published.
The Guide to Conversion of Traditional Buildings will help ensure traditional buildings are adapted safely for modern use – ensuring that they meet fire safety, accessibility and energy efficiency needs, while supporting the sustainable reuse of historic buildings.
It is the first guidance of its kind in almost two decades and is part of the response to lessons learned from the fatal Cameron House Hotel fire in 2017.
Public Finance Minister Hannah Mary Goodlad said: “The safety of everyone who lives in, works in or visits a traditional building must always come first.
“The Fatal Accident Inquiry into the Cameron House fire showed clearly how hidden risks in older buildings, like concealed voids and outdated fire protection, can have devastating consequences.
“This guidance is our direct response, ensuring that anyone converting a traditional building has the tools and understanding they need to protect lives.
“It also reflects our wider ambitions to support sustainable, low-carbon development by making the most of our existing building stock rather than defaulting to demolition and new build.
“I want to thank everyone who contributed their expertise to this guidance. By working together, government, industry and heritage specialists can ensure Scotland’s traditional buildings remain safe, sustainable and fit for the future.”
Colin Tennant, Interim Director of Cultural Assets at Historic Environment Scotland, said: “Scotland’s traditional buildings are some of our most valuable national assets. They shape the character of our towns, cities and rural communities and embody centuries of craftsmanship, cultural heritage and local identity.
“Reusing and adapting these buildings is vital to protecting our historic environment, while also supporting economic prosperity and community wellbeing through regeneration.
“This guidance will help support the safe, sustainable and informed conversion of traditional buildings across Scotland. It is the product of a truly collaborative approach which reflects the collective expertise of professionals from across the building standards, fire safety, engineering and conservation sectors.
“By learning from past events, understanding the unique risks associated with historic construction, and applying proportionate and informed solutions, we can protect people, retain cultural significance and ensure that these remarkable buildings continue to serve future generations.”
If you live in the Leith Community, have at least one child under the age of 5 or an expectant parent then you can sign up to some of our fantastic groups.
To sign up for our groups please follow the link –
MAJOR WORKS TO CREWE TOLL ROUNDABOUT 
Our new programme is live!