Category: West End

Princes Street closure progress update

DIVERSIONS IN PLACE FOR RUGBY and EDINBURGH FESTIVAL CARNIVAL

Multi-agency efforts to minimise city centre disruption and make the former Debenhams building safe continue, following a major fire on 9 July.

While Princes Street is expected to remain closed between Frederick Street and South Charlotte Street until August, contingency planning is underway to help limit the impact on transport, businesses, the festival and other events.

This includes the rerouting of the Edinburgh Festival Carnival so it can still take place on Sunday and traffic diversions to aid travel to and from the Scotland v Fiji rugby match on Saturday, while changes to bus routes have been put in place to improve general traffic flow in the area.

Council teams continue to offer one-to-one advice and support to businesses affected, and it is hoped that all businesses on Rose Street will be able to reopen tomorrow (Saturday). The Council Leader has also written to the First Minister to request additional support for businesses from the Scottish Government.

Trams are currently only able to operate between the Airport and Shandwick Place but all options are being explored to re-establish operations along the full route as soon as possible.

Officers are working closely with Voi Bikes to provide additional capacity, particularly in and around Leith, and will be expanding the fleet from 800 to 1000 bikes by the end of next week. Additional bike parking infrastructure is being arranged in the city centre to accommodate those travelling into the city from Leith and Newhaven.

Complex and time-consuming work is ongoing to make the fire-damaged building safe, alongside preserving as much of its heritage value as possible.

Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “There is no doubt that recent events on Princes Street continue to have a major impact on the city centre and beyond, but I’m pleased to see progress being made, both in terms of preserving and making the building safe and reducing disruption in the area.

“This has involved a huge response from Council teams and a range of partners, and I’d like to thank all those involved for their hard work over the last week to secure the building, to protect its heritage and to keep the city moving.

“I’m particularly grateful to the city’s transport providers – Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams – for their swift and constructive responses to this challenging situation and I know there’s a huge amount of work going into restoring the tram to its full route as soon as possible. But I do want to stress that this can only happen when it’s safe to do so.

“We’re in regular contact with festivals and event organisers with a view to limiting disruption to our events calendar, and I’m delighted that we’ve found an alternative route for the wonderful Edinburgh Festival Carnival so it can still go ahead this weekend. We’re also hopeful of being able to find alternative locations for some of the events and attractions displaced from George Street.

“I’m acutely aware of the effect this is having on city centre businesses too and our teams are continuing to offer one-to-one advice and support. We’re also in touch with the Scottish Government about available support and I’ve written to the First Minister to discuss what more he can offer – as he did following the Union Street fire in Glasgow.

“This road closure is essential to protect the public while experts assess the condition of the fire-damaged building and make it safe, but we’re letting everyone know that the city centre is very much still open for business and encouraging people to check our website for the latest travel advice and information on visiting the area.

“I want to repeat my thanks to everyone for their patience and understanding and look forward to another fantastic summer festival season here in Edinburgh.”

A dedicated page on the Council website has been set up to provide up-to-date information and guidance, with relevant links to partner sites and a Q&A.

This will be updated regularly as and when new information becomes available.

Local Tesco Express raises more than £2,100 for local CPR charity

  • St John Scotland has received more than £2,100 from Tesco Haymarket Express
  • The total is the highest raised in Edinburgh from a single business collection box
  • Funds will help St John Scotland volunteers continue delivering life-saving support across Edinburgh

A local Tesco Express store in Edinburgh has raised more than £2,100 for a local charity that helps save lives through CPR training, Public Access Defibrillators (PADs) and volunteer-led community support.

Tesco Haymarket Express has raised £2,186.42 for St John Scotland through an in-store collection box, with customers and colleagues contributing to the total since the fundraiser was launched in April 2020.

The store is located just 15 minutes from St John Scotland’s headquarters on St John Street, making the fundraiser a real show of local support for the charity.

Formed in 1947, St John Scotland is made up of dedicated volunteers who help build safer, stronger and more resilient communities across Scotland. Its work includes providing CPR training, improving the availability of PADs, transporting patients to hospital, and supplying kits for Community First Responders.

The money raised by Tesco Haymarket Express will go towards the charity’s ongoing work in Edinburgh, helping volunteers continue their efforts to improve cardiac arrest survival rates and make communities across the city safer.

Alan Roy, Store Manager at Tesco Haymarket Express, said: “I was shocked to learn that every week in Scotland, around 70 people suffer a cardiac arrest, so the work St John Scotland volunteers are doing to improve survival rates is invaluable.

“We’re proud to support such an important local charity and grateful to every customer and colleague who has contributed to the collection box over the years.”

John Craig, St John Scotland’s Edinburgh Chair, recently visited the Tesco Haymarket Express team to thank them for their fundraising efforts and share how the money raised is helping the charity’s volunteers continue their work.

John said: “The team at Tesco Haymarket Express has been fantastic in supporting our mission to save lives in Scotland through CPR.

“We are incredibly grateful for their ongoing support and for the generosity shown by customers and colleagues in store. This donation will help us continue delivering vital support in communities across Edinburgh.”

Alan added: “It was great to welcome John to the store and hear more about how the funds raised are helping St John Scotland volunteers continue their important work.

“We were also delighted to learn that our collection box has raised the highest amount in Edinburgh from a single business. It is a real testament to the generosity of our customers and colleagues.”

Claire de Silva, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “We are proud to support such a worthwhile cause in St John Scotland.

“Tesco is committed to supporting local communities and charities across Scotland, and fundraising initiatives like this help create a lasting positive impact for residents.”

More information about St John Scotland, including how to become a volunteer, is available at https://www.stjohnscotland.org.uk/.

Celebration as new Bishop of Edinburgh installed

The Rt Rev Dr Dagmar Winter was installed as the new Bishop of Edinburgh at a joyous service in St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral.

Guests from all over Scotland and from as far as Ghana and New Zealand packed the cathedral, including church leaders the Most Rev Dr Leo Cushley, Roman Catholic Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, the Rt Rev Gordon Kennedy, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and the Most Rev Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York.

Bishop Dagmar, who becomes the 27th Bishop of Edinburgh, described the service of installation and translation (from Bishop of Huntingdon in the Diocese of Ely) as “an amazing and uplifting, hugely encouraging experience”.

After celebrating the Eucharist, she said: “Thank you to everyone who contributed to such a wonderful launch into my new episcopal role.

“In the following weeks and months there will be many to meet and I have much to learn and absorb. I can’t wait to get started! The Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church next week comes early in my time and will be a further opportunity for important encounters.

“The joy of the Lord is our strength! In this spirit I look forward to working with all the charges in the Diocese of Edinburgh and the wider communities and their leaders beyond as we seek the kingdom Jesus proclaimed.”

The installation of Bishop Dagmar takes the College of Bishops to a full complement of seven bishops once more.

You can read more at our website here:

https://www.scotland.anglican.org/celebration-as-new…/

St Mary’s Cathedral Open Day

SATURDAY 9th May – PALMERSTON PLACE

On Saturday 9th May, the Cathedral is holding its annual Open Day, including A+E’s Active Travel, Active Hope events.

With community stalls, a 24-hour relay, viewings of the Traquair Song School murals and bell tower, highlights from the Cathedral archive, and free tea and coffee, there is something for everyone!

Takeaway cup recycling made easier in Edinburgh

Recycling takeaway cups in Edinburgh is now easier thanks to a collaborative scheme Keep Scotland Beautiful has launched with the National Cup Recycling Scheme and City of Edinburgh Council.

Dedicated cup bins will be deployed on Market Street, Waverley Bridge and outside Haymarket Station to collect single-use cups in a new trial to test the effectiveness of on-street cup recycling and see if it is possible to boost the number of cups being recycled in Scotland – currently 4% – and prevent them from ending up as litter or in landfill.  

Furthermore, the partners have teamed up with retailers including Costa Coffee, Caffe Nero, Greggs and McDonald’s to launch Take It Back in Edinburgh. 

This is the first time our Cup Movement campaign has taken place in Edinburgh and will build on the previous success and learnings of trials in Glasgow and Dundee. 

More than 30 stores in Edinburgh are participating in Take It Back, allowing customers to take a single-use cup back to any of the above retailers to be recycled.  

Heather McLaughlin, Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Campaigns Manager, said: “Single-use cups make up a huge percentage of the items polluting Scotland’s environment. 

“More than half of people in Scotland (59%) often see littered single-use cups. In Edinburgh alone a recent bin audit of on-street bins outside Waverley Station found that single-use cups made up 59% of the drinks waste. 

“The reality is that these single-use products are already ending up as litter. We need to address our over consumption of single-use products and make an effort to choose reusable options. 

“However, we know that reuse is not always possible or practical. This scheme will make it easier for people who use single-use cups to ensure they are recycled properly.” 

Hannah Osman, National Cup Recycling Manager at Valpak Ltd, said: “Transport hubs are some of the highest footfall locations in Scotland, and we know from our data that a significant volume of single-use cups are consumed on the go.  

“By targeting key commuter routes, this trial allows us to test how dedicated infrastructure in the right locations can capture more material and significantly increase recycling rates. 

“Through this partnership, we’re using real-time data and evidence from previous trials to understand what works, measure contamination levels, track capture rates, and build a scalable model for on-street cup recycling. 

“The goal is simple: make cup recycling visible, convenient and data-driven so it can be rolled out effectively across other cities in Scotland and beyond.” 

Cllr Stephen Jenkinson, City of Edinburgh Council’s Environment Convener, said: “Increasing recycling rates in the city is one of our key priorities. 

“It’s important we support targeted projects like this to make it easier for people to dispose of takeaway cups, which have become so popular in recent years and the prominent locations of these three new dedicated bins will hopefully do that. 

“I’d also always encourage residents and visitors buying a regular cuppa to wherever possible take their own cup into takeaway stores to cut down on the need to use the disposable ones at all.” 

Typical single-use hot drink cups cannot go into standard recycling bins or be recycled at home. To avoid cups ending up in landfill, it is really important to #TakeItBack.  So, even if you forget your reusable cup, you can still help reduce the negative environmental impact of single-use cups if you #TakeItBack. 

Find the participating Edinburgh stores on our interactive map.

Read more on our website and remember to #TakeItBack next time you’re in Edinburgh: https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/…/takeaway-cup…/

Specsavers expands audiology services in Edinburgh city centre

SPECSAVERS’ new state-of-the-art audiology hub in Edinburgh city centre has officially opened.

Specsavers Shandwick Place, which is locally owned and run, launched the dedicated hearing care service at the start of January, with audiologist Kate Baxter, an experienced audiologist who has lots of experience in both the NHS & private sectors, at the helm alongside fellow directors Aly Uka and Susan McIntosh.

The new hub was in response to growing customer demand in Edinburgh, and is now open 7-days a week, making it easier for the local community to access much-needed hearing services.

Kate Baxter and the team will carry out in depth private assessments, including comprehensive hearing checks, hearing device fittings and maintenance, hearing protection, along with advice about looking after your ears.

Ear wax removal will also be available, and Specsavers Shandwick Place has also expanded its facilities to improve accessibility for customers.

Kate says: ‘Maintaining healthy hearing is vital for overall well-being, so we are delighted to be offering a dedicated hearing service for the people of Edinburgh, and the team and I are excited to grow the business and provide the very best care for our customers.’

Aly Uka, dispensing director and senior dispensing specialist at Specsavers Shandwick Place, says: ‘We’re delighted to have a dedicated hearing hub now open that can offer high-quality hearing care to local people.

‘We’re committed to expanding our services in the area to meet customer need, and to improving local health and wellness in any way we can.’

Specsavers Shandwick Place is located at 14-16 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH2 4RN, and is easily reachable on foot or public transport, including trams and buses.

For more information about the Specsavers Shandwick Place store, visit:

https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/shandwickplace, or call 0131 240 8860.

Happy 15th Anniversary, NEN blog!

NEN PUBLISHED OUR FIRST BLOG POST ON THIS DAY IN 2011

The very first NEN blog post was published on this day in 2011. The post read:

Hello, and welcome to the brand new NEN blog.

For those of you not already familiar with the newspaper, we are a local community paper serving the North Edinburgh community. We’ve been here for over thirty years.

This blog, along with our new Facebook page and Twitter stream, represents our first foray into the world of social media.  We really want to encourage more participation, more questions and ideas from the North Edinburgh community – both online and offline – and hope that these new tools will help us to do that.

We already have a good website, where you can always find the latest edition of the printed newspaper. The blog won’t be replacing that, but will instead be there to show people the latest news about the area, and also to help us cover the current funding crisis we are facing as an organisation.

Above all, we want to include your input on the blog – be it ideas for stories, comments, pictures and events. So get in touch!

The NEN’s website was sadly deleted when funding ceased but our social media presence continues on both Twitter and Facebook and the blog is still going strong with 10 – 12 posts daily.

2025 was the NEN blog’s busiest ever year with 36,000 visitors. As I write this we’ve published more than 38,000 posts – all of these remain accessible online – and we’re currently on a run of publishing on 2749 consecutive days.

When the NEN office in Crewe Road North closed much of the NEN archive material was lost, but thankfully some of our picture library was salvaged and can now be found at granton:hub (Madelvic House), where the volunteer archive team has also collated all remaining hard copies of the North Edinburgh News newspaper.

Hopefully, between the physical archive and the NEN blog, you can find all you need to know about our community’s rich history – and we’re adding to that history every day!

St. Mark’s: Your Unitarian Church

Although it has been stolidly nestling between Victorian buildings for nearly 200 years, St. Mark’s Unitarian Church in Castle Terrace, the only Unitarian church in Edinburgh, is one of the city’s best-kept secrets (writes MARTYN BAGULEY).

Unitarianism isn’t a New Age religion – there have been Unitarian congregations in Edinburgh since 1776 – but the meaning of the name has changed with time.

Originally used to affirm the oneness of God as opposed to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, it has evolved to represent a ‘unifying’ home for all of us who are on different spiritual journeys, from Christians to atheists.

Whilst drawing on the inspiration of Christianity and other religions, philosophies and nature, it encourages members to be open-minded and develop their own spiritual paths.

The welcome you will receive on arriving and the peaceful atmosphere of the church sanctuary are not unique to St. Mark’s, but you will find that aspects of the service are. Led by either the resident minister, The Rev. Janine Sim, a visiting minister or lay preacher, there may, or may not, be readings from the Bible, but there will be thought-provoking readings from secular works and references made to other religions.

There will be moments for meditation or prayer, a sermon on the theme of the service – which can be found up to 3 days before the service by Googling https://www.edinburgh-unitarians.org.uk  – musical interludes when a talented pianist plays the superb Weinbach grand piano (worth coming just for that!) and probably three hymns.

Some, but not all, of the hymn tunes may be familiar to you, but the words may not be. Don’t worry: you can sit or stand and just quietly reflect on the meaningful words. 

After the service you can enjoy light refreshments in the adjacent church hall where you will probably meet and make friends with people from not only Edinburgh but also from many other places in Britain and the world.

Who knows – you make want to come again – and again.

Charity Concert: Daughters of Donbas – Songs of Stolen Children

THURSDAY 29th JANUARY at 8pm

ST MARY’S EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL, PALMERSTON PLACE

On Thursday 29th January, St Mary’s Cathedral is hosting a very special concert: Daughters of Donbas — Songs of Stolen Children.

This is a fundraising concert for SaveUkraine, which helps rescue children kidnapped from the Donbas region of Ukraine.

With famous Ukrainian singer Marichka, accompanied by string quartet and bandura.

Tickets are £20/10, via our website.

http://www.cathedral.net/event…/daughters-of-donbas

Witness appeal following Queensferry Road crash

Road Policing officers are appealing for information after a serious crash in Edinburgh.

The incident happened around 12.30am on Thursday, 1 January, 2026 on Queensferry Road near Dean Bridge and involved a male pedestrian and a white Suzuki Ignis.

Emergency services attended, and the pedestrian, an 81-year-old man, was taken to hospital for treatment to what are described as serious injuries.

No other injuries were reported.

Officers are appealing to those in the area at the time to come forward with information.

Sergeant Christopher Bright, of Road Policing East, said: “We are appealing to anyone who witnessed the crash or who has any information to come forward.

“We know that this was a busy evening with it being Hogmanay and that there were a number of pedestrians and vehicles in the area at the time, so we’d ask those who have yet to speak to us to get in touch.

“In addition, we’d ask those with dash-cam footage to review this to see if it has captured anything significant.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0161 of 1 January, 2026.