We’re busy finalising the set up at our new temporary library building at Davidson’s Mains Primary School, and we’re looking forward to opening and sharing the space with the community.
Unfortunately we’ve experienced some delays with finishing the building works and installing some of the furniture. This means we’ve had to postpone the planned opening of the library by a few weeks.
We’ll announce the opening date via our website in the coming weeks:
There have been almost 1,500 new affordable homes completed by the Council and its housing association partners in the last financial year – the most completions delivered in a single year since the Affordable Housing Supply Programme began.
In 2025/26 1473 houses were completed or purchased for use, beating the target of 1,368, while 994 homes were approved for construction. Work also started at 1,004 sites.
Almost £74m was spent on affordable housing in the last financial year, surpassing the previous high figure of £55m spent in a single financial year since the programme was introduced in 2007.
In February the Council agreed a record £1.6 billion investment in affordable homes and improved temporary accommodation as part of the Budget.
Spending will help address the city’s housing emergency by significantly increasing the supply of housing for those in need.
Councillor Tim Pogson, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “These figures are extremely encouraging, and demonstrate the progress being made towards meeting the huge demand for housing in Edinburgh.
“An enormous amount of planning and collaboration goes into delivering homes on this scale, so I’d like to thank officers and partners for coming together to achieve this.
“Of course, the Capital is still under significant pressure, with many living with housing need. However, I’m confident that with smart investment and partnership working we’ll continue to make real inroads into tackling these issues.”
Members of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee will be updated on progress on Tuesday, 12 May.
This includes 170 approvals, 140 site starts and 329 completions delivered through schemes that required little or no grant funding. Amongst these are the Scottish Government’s Open Market Shared Equity (OMSE), other forms of low-cost home ownership, mid-market rent and private sector led Build to Rent (BTR).
Site completions also encompass homes that were purchased using £28.685m of National Acquisition Programme funding for 2025/26. This allowed the purchase of 341 homes to alleviate temporary accommodation pressures.
Read more in the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee Business Bulletin.
Edinburgh’s Winter Festival – encompassing Edinburgh’s Christmas and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay – has delivered its strongest performance to date, generating a record £241 million economic impact for the city and confirming Edinburgh’s position as one of Europe’s leading winter destinations with a record of 93 countries represented across its audiences.
The latest results, drawn from the most recent post‑event impact report, show sustained growth across visitor numbers, spending, satisfaction, community engagement and international profile, demonstrating strong recovery and growth.
Record economic impact and exceptional return on public investment
The combined Winter Festival generated £241m+ for Edinburgh’s economy in 2025/26, up from £198m just two years ago, representing growth of more than 20% across the three‑year period. The return on public investment has also increased significantly, with the festivals now delivering £297 back to the city for every £1 invested by the City of Edinburgh Council.
This growth reflects longer visitor stays, higher average spend and exceptional accommodation demand. Hotel occupancy peaked at 95.8% on New Year’s Eve, one of the highest figures ever recorded for the city, while average visitor spend and length of stay rose sharply across both Christmas and Hogmanay.
Millions of visits and a huge Hogmanay audience
Edinburgh’s Christmas welcomed over 2.9 million visits across its city‑centre sites this winter, maintaining near‑record footfall following the 3 million peak recorded in 2023/24. The event continued to attract a broad mix of local, UK and international visitors, with the majority travelling from outside the city and engaging extensively with Edinburgh’s wider retail, hospitality and cultural offer, proving its essential role in sustaining the sector.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay returned at full scale, welcoming over 115,000 people across its four‑day programme, a 15% increase from 2023/24. Major events sold out, including the world-famous Street Party, Torchlight Procession and Night Afore Concert in the Gardens, with a further estimated 100,000 people experiencing the Midnight Moment across the city centre.
The Hogmanay festival presented over 560 artists and performers, 97% of whom were local and Scottish, supporting Scotland’s cultural community. It also welcomed a record number of international visitors, with 33% of visitors from outwith the UK (3% increase) and 26% from UK outwith Scotland.
Together, the figures underline the festivals’ critical role in driving winter tourism, ensuring Edinburgh remains a festival city and supporting year‑round economic resilience for the capital.
Exceptional visitor satisfaction, advocacy and pride
Visitor feedback from the most recent season also shows exceptionally high satisfaction and advocacy:
Across both projects, audiences consistently described the events as a defining part of Edinburgh’s winter identity, with nine in ten visitors saying their experience makes them more likely to return to the city during the winter season.
Growing community access and charitable impact
Alongside its economic success, the Winter Festivals continue to expand their community and social impact.
This year, more than 8,500 free tickets and ride passes were distributed to over 160 local charities and community groups, ensuring wide access for families and residents across the city. Over 27,500 people attended the free events at the Ross Bandstand across successive weekends. Local resident ticket offers once again sold out, showing the strong local engagement.
Charitable giving reached a new high, with almost £49,000 raised for partner charities Age Scotland, When You Wish Upon A Star, Simon Community Scotland and One City Trust across Christmas and Hogmanay. Long‑standing partnerships tackling homelessness, supporting children’s charities and local causes remain central to the festivals.
The programme also continued to prioritise local participation, with around three‑quarters of Christmas market traders Scottish‑based, many of them from Edinburgh, and extensive opportunities for local artists, performers and suppliers.
Global reach and international profile
Edinburgh’s Winter Festivals also achieved unprecedented global exposure this year. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay generated more than 2,000 pieces of national and international media coverage, with a potential global opportunity of over 8 billion media interactions across the world, with more than 80% of coverage positive in sentiment.
Major international broadcasters and outlets once again carried images of Edinburgh around the world, reinforcing the city’s reputation as the Home of Hogmanay and one of the world’s most recognisable New Year destinations. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Auld Lang Syne was CNN’s top global story through the night, with leading audiences in Australia, Germany, Canada, USA and UK.
Edinburgh’s Winter Festival has demonstrated clear and consistent momentum:
This year’s results confirm the festivals not only as a major economic driver, but as a source of civic pride, cultural participation and social benefit for Edinburgh and its communities.
The Directors of Unique Assembly said: “These results underline just how important Edinburgh’s Winter Festival has become – not only to the city’s economy, but to its communities, cultural life and global reputation.
“Delivering £241 million in economic impact and some of the highest visitor satisfaction levels we’ve ever seen is something everyone involved can be incredibly proud of.
“It’s fantastic that people are staying longer, we are welcoming more people from around the world, we are giving local communities access to a range of free tickets and events, and we’ve seen a heartening uplift in charitable giving.
“This year shows that Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations and Hogmanay festival are not just world‑class events, but a festival that is rooted in the city, supports local artists and businesses, and creates experiences people actively want to return for year after year.”
Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “It’s clear to see that both residents and visitors are continuing to embrace and enjoy the celebrations, which bring such a special atmosphere to Edinburgh each year.
“I’m proud that we’ve been able to deliver meaningful benefits for our communities through increased free tickets and ride passes, alongside record charitable donations that are helping support local causes across the city.
“Looking ahead to next year, we’re committed to building on this success and ensuring Edinburgh’s winter festival continues to deliver unforgettable experiences while creating lasting benefits for our residents, businesses and communities.”
The Young Women’s Movement, Scotland’s national organisation for young women and girls’ leadership and rights, is seeking nominations for its annual 30 Under 30 list.
The list was established in 2016 to address the lack of diverse representation on other 30 Under 30 lists. It seeks to celebrate young women, girls and non-binary people in Scotland who are making change in their lives, communities or in society. Each year since its launch, the list has showcased some of Scotland’s most inspiring young artists, activists, carers, volunteers and trail-blazers from across the country.
This year’s successful nominees will form the eleventh cohort to appear on The Young Women’s Movement’s 30 Under 30 list.
Last year’s list included eight women from Edinburgh and the Lothians:
Jenni Snell, CEO of The Young Women’s Movement, said: “In a climate of rising misogyny online and offline, 30 Under 30 is a much needed opportunity to celebrate and recognise young women’s achievements and the positive impact they have.
“Young women are leading change across Scotland – within their own lives and communities, as well as at a national level.”
Nominations can be submitted until Monday 8th June at:
where you can find more information about the list.
The Young Women’s Movement also accepts self-nominations, and is hoping to see stories from a wide range of age groups, parts of Scotland and areas of life.
Call for Volunteer Speakers at LifeCare Community Talks
Local charity, LifeCare is inviting local people to share their knowledge and passions as part of it’s popular free to attend monthly “Talks at LifeCare” programme.
Held on the second Friday of each month in LifeCare’s welcoming hub in Stockbridge, the talks offer a relaxed and friendly space for people to come together and learn something new.
The charity is looking for enthusiastic volunteers to deliver informal talks on a wide range of topics. Previous sessions have included The Water of Leith, Grandparent First Aid, and Fashion Through the Ages.
Full support is provided, making this an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in giving back to their community, sharing knowledge and expertise.
The LifeCare Talks project is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund Scotland.
To find out more or express interest, contact Sarah Duckmanton at:
Dear Editor
Next week (11-17 May) marks Mental Health Awareness Week 2026. Led by the Mental Health Foundation, it is focused on the theme “Take Action”, looking at what proactive steps individuals can take to promote good mental health.
This is a major, nation-wide initiative involving schools, workplaces, and communities.
The week also marks the first few days for our newly elected MSPs, and, as a collection of organisations that support vulnerable children and young people, we urge them to make mental health a key priority.
Parity of esteem is vital, ensuring mental health needs are addressed with the same urgency as physical ones. Placing mental health on an equal footing with physical health will ensure equal access to funding and quality of care. While recognised in policy, Scotland still fails to fully achieve this.
Our mental health services frequently face lower funding relative to their disease burden, and if unaddressed, those children and young people with mental health problems will carry this into adulthood.
The costs of failing to address mental health problems are well-established. For example, those affected are more likely to be unemployed, homeless, get caught up in the criminal justice system, or be in extremely costly long-term care.
Our new MSPs have an incredible responsibility, and we urge them to make tackling the mental health emergency their number one priority.
Yours faithfully
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition:
Patrick Gannon, Falkland House School
Lynn Black, LOVE Care
Kenny Graham, Spark of Genius
Niall Kelly, Young Foundations
42 Charlotte Square
Edinburgh EH2 4HQ
Tel: 0131 603 8996
Gilded Balloon has announced a major third wave of another 88 shows on sale for the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, bringing a dynamic mix of comedy, theatre, musicals, spoken word, cabaret and family shows to venues across the city.
This latest release builds on the already announced programme, with household names, Fringe favourites and exciting new voices set to take to stages at Teviot, Patter House, Gilded Balloon at the Museum, The Gilded Saloon and The King’s Theatre.
COMEDY
A standout comedy line-up sees the return of some of the UK and international circuit’s most recognisable names.
Fred MacAulay returns with both his much-loved live chat show Fred MacAulay in Conversation and brand-new stand-up hour Good Evening!, marking a powerful return following a challenging year (Gilded Balloon at the Museum).
At Teviot, Grace Campbell: The Lady is a Tramp delivers a bold, unfiltered hour of self-examination, while BAFTA-winning comic Jack Docherty: Butterfly brings a masterclass in storytelling and personal comedy.
International talent includes Australian internet sensation Jimmy Rees: In Reel Life (Teviot) and acclaimed US comic Jamie Kilstein: Can’t Tie Knots (Teviot), alongside returning Scottish favourites Paul Black: Cash Cow (Gilded Balloon at the Museum) and Mhairi Black: Difficult Second Album (Teviot) for a limited run.
A packed programme of distinctive comedy voices continues with Off-Broadway darling Sam Morrison: DUCK (Teviot), returning with a science-obsessed attack on the human ego, Leo Hincks: Emotional Cowboy (Teviot), Mark Silcox – I Have It All [A Success Story] (Teviot), Toby Tarrant: Utter Bloke Nonsense (The Gilded Saloon), author, journalist, and presenting her debut solo stand-up show, Amanda Knox with Cartwheel (Teviot), Glasgow local rising-star Tia Rey: Oot Ma Banger (The Gilded Saloon), Celine Kuklowsky: Bed Boy (Patter House) and fresh from a smash-hit season at Adelaide Fringe Claire Robin: NUN SLUT (Patter House). More stand-up and sketch comedy across the programme includes Mark Maier’s Jewvenile (Teviot), an award-winning observational set packed with sharp takes on everyday life; Maxx Eddy: Bi Meets World (Patter House), a chaotic and candid debut exploring queerness and masculinity; and Jess Carrivick (Teviot) and Joe Bor: The Adventures of Jasper Cromwell Jones (Teviot), bringing fresh comedic voices and character-driven storytelling to the Fringe.
International names include Pernille Haaland: Nordic Operations (The Gilded Saloon & Teviot), returning with her cool, sharp take on global tensions and modern life, and Brendan Scannell (Patter House), alongside fast-rising US comic Jamie Wolf: PSYCHO (Teviot), a life-affirming and hilarious reflection on grief.
Further highlights include Christian Dart: GUMSHOE! (Patter House), a multi award-nominated noir parody packed with high-energy character comedy; Spooky Dookie: Cool New Planet!! (Patter House), a sharp, silly sketch show imagining the creation of Earth.
SPOKEN WORD, PODCASTS & SPECIAL EVENTS
Gilded Balloon continues to blur the lines between performance and conversation with a strong programme of live events. Gilded Balloon co-productions include Graham Norton and Maria McErlane who bring their hit podcast Wanging On Live to the stage for the first time at The King’s Theatre and broadcaster Mariella Frostrup with actress Gina Bellman (Leverage, Coupling, Jekyll) tackle taboo and truth in Cracking the Menopause (Teviot).
Podcast fans can also catch Chris & Lizzie Hall: Stay Hydrated LIVE! (Teviot), alongside drag superstar Tia Kofi (RuPaul’s Drag Race) with The Final FronTia Live (The Gilded Saloon) and The BBC’s daily news podcast Newscast (Gilded Balloon at the Museum) sees Adam Fleming joined live by friends and special guests to talk about the big news of the day.
CABARET & VARIETY
Multi-talented performers shine in a vibrant cabaret offering, including Tom Read Wilson: A–Z of Me (Gilded Balloon at the Museum), blending storytelling, music and theatrical flair. Sarah McGuinness turns the lens on herself in Grit, Glitter and Gaslight (Teviot), a powerful and personal mix of story and song exploring identity, family and survival. Camelton (Teviot) from award-winning writer Stephen Cole is a hilariously true tale of writing a musical for the Emir of Qatar, a wildly entertaining journey featuring Brooklyn Jews, Middle Eastern producers, flying carpets, acrobats, ballet dancers and, of course, a lot of camels.
THEATRE
The programme features a powerful and diverse theatre programme tackling big themes with bold storytelling.
Highlights include Hecuba: Why Am I In Your Country? (Teviot), an Offie-nominated solo show exploring exile and identity, and NON-HUMAN ANIMAL by Kat Woods (Teviot) is a dark Irish comedy interrogating grief and justice.
New work includes Big Dog, from the makers of last years’ hit play Seating Plan,
(Patter House), a sharp exploration of true crime culture and ethics, and The Shit Table (Teviot) is a fast-paced black comedy set at the worst wedding table imaginable.
New play Steak Out (Teviot), by Edinburgh writer, actor and comedian Ruiraidh Murray delivers a gritty, high-energy heist story, while A Public Display of Affection (Patter House) offers a raw and unsentimental reflection on queer history and identity. Further theatre highlights include Broke & Fabulous in the 21st Century (Patter House), a riotous dramedy celebrating friendship, ambition and modern love, and Hater (Patter House), a sharp and poignant story of identity, obsession and unexpected transformation.
MUSIC, MUSICALS & OPERA
At Patter House musical comedy and parody take centre stage with a bold and irreverent line-up.
Expect outrageous fun from Crapp’s River, a musical parody of a beloved TV phenomenon, the high-energy workplace satire HR The Musical and Endometriosis: The Musical, a bold, award-winning and unexpectedly funny show tackling a chronic condition through song.
For fans of cheeky, high-camp comedy, Heated Rivalry: The Musical Parody! and Puck Bunnies deliver outrageous, laugh-out-loud takes on the hit show Heated Rivalry, romance and pop culture.
Acclaimed musical comedian Alexis Sakellaris returns with the heartfelt, queer musical comedy celebrating pop divas and fandom A STAN IS BORN! – Encore and brings a new work in progress show CHILD STAR exploring his experience on German Glee with new original songs, unearthed footage and the cringiest moments.
And Grammy award winning musician and songwriter Michelle Shocked returns to the Fringe with her latest show Bootleg This! blending music and memoir in a unique live performance.
FAMILY & CHILDREN’S SHOWS
Family audiences are well catered for with imaginative, accessible work for all ages.
Shhh! (A Wordless Comedy) (Teviot) delivers a visually rich, universally accessible journey inspired by classic silent comedy, while The Letterman (Teviot) combines clowning, puppetry and audience interaction in a joyful theatrical experience from award-winning clown Bryce Flint-Somerville (Blue Man Group, Barroz) . Children’s shows continue with Owl at Home (Teviot), a warm and witty story about embracing life’s surprises; Vasthy and Friends: Sing, Dance, Play! (Patter House), an interactive celebration of music, movement and imagination; and The Kobold Show! (Patter House), a playful, physical theatre adventure inspired by fantasy and tabletop gaming.
GAMING / INTERACTIVE SHOWS
Interactive and gaming-inspired shows bring playful, unpredictable energy to the programme. Highlights include Extra Lives: The Interactive Video Game Concert (Patter House), a live-scored audience RPG where every decision shapes the story; Shit Arcade
(Teviot), where comedians battle through the worst video games ever made; and Blood on the Clocktower: Live (Teviot), the sell-out game show of bluffing and betrayal hosted by Jon Gracey.
Also great fun is IKEA WARS (Patter House), a chaotic, high-stakes flat-pack building showdown that turns home improvement into competitive theatre.
EMERGING VOICES & FRINGE DISCOVERY
Gilded Balloon continues its commitment to nurturing new talent with platforms like Story Platform (The Gilded Saloon), an evolving live event showcasing emerging Scottish writers and performers across comedy, music and spoken word coming to Fringe following a triumphant series of year-round performances at The Gilded Saloon.
This latest announcement further cements Gilded Balloon’s reputation as one of the Fringe’s most exciting and diverse comedy and entertainment producers, with more shows still to be revealed.
Karen and Katy Koren, Artistic Directors at Gilded Balloon comment on the latest batch of shows: “It’s been a mammoth year of programming for us and we can’t thank the wonderful artists enough who we are delighted to be welcoming to Gilded Balloon this summer across our venues.
“The productions coming to the festival continue to push boundaries and we are thrilled to have artists presenting work that will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between. It’s going to be a very exciting Fringe here at Gilded Balloon.”
Tickets for all newly announced shows are on sale from 12pm on 5th May at:
Fettes College is supporting a host of local community activities and has also invited visitors into the school’s famous 19th Century Bryce Building as part of Open Doors at Fettes.
The independent school’s latest Community Engagement Day, held biannually and this year on Friday 08 May, will see students support environmental improvement projects throughout Edinburgh, visit primary schools and care homes, and work with a range of community organisations.
Fettes will also open its own doors and invite local residents in for morning coffee, learn some Fettes history and enjoy a student-led tour of the school. The school will also host young people from FetLor Youth Club to engage in team-building activities, including its on-campus low ropes course, following their recent charity run that raised over £16,500 for the club.
The community activities, supported by students, will also incorporate various primary school and nursery visits such as Star of the Sea Primary School and Pirniehall Nursery where Fettes students have a long-standing relationship of providing hands-on teaching and support for maintenance projects and their clothes bank.
There are a number of local activities with a key focus on enhancing the city’s environment and open spaces, including planting up a Stockbridge roundabout (collaborating with The Flora Stevenson Primary School and St Ninian’s Church), Water of Leith clean-up (led by the Water of Leith Trust), helping Granton Community Gardeners, plus time spent at both Starbank Park and Inverleith Park.
Further activities involve bringing art and music to the local community through the making and donating of art packs for Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and performing at venues including the LifeCare Centre.
Helen Harrison, Head of Fettes College, said: “Students at Fettes aim high and give back and our Community Engagement Days are a richly rewarding experience for everyone to come together and build on our local partnerships.
“Rooted in Edinburgh, Fettes places community contribution at the heart of these mutually beneficial relationships, supported by a curated and expanding programme.”
Visitor numbers to the ‘Open Doors at Fettes’ are limited. To Register to attend Open Doors at Fettes and view more information, please visit:
Edinburgh community group Ionad Gàidhlig Dhùn Èideann will be holding a Gaelic community day on Saturday 9th May at the Heart of Newhaven community centre as part of the initiative to develop a Gaelic hub in Edinburgh as a gathering place for Gaelic speakers, learners and supporters.
Wilson McLeod, the group’s chair, said: ‘Over 10,000 people in Edinburgh have Gaelic language skills according to the last census, but they are spread across the city, and there is no single place where Gaelic is the normal and natural language to use.
“A Gaelic hub in Edinburgh would be a real focal point for Gaelic in the city, helping to bring Gaelic speakers together and providing opportunities for everyone to get involved in Gaelic language and culture’.
This is the fourth and final community day under the title Cruinn Còmhla (‘Gathered Together’) over 2025/26. Over 500 people have attended the first three events, but this is the first to take place in North Edinburgh.
The event will offer Gaelic classes, introductory Gaelic workshops, an arts session for under 5s, a Gaelic singing circle, an introduction to the history of Gaelic in Edinburgh, a performance by the Edinburgh Gaelic Choir, a talk on the Gaelic creative process, a session for children to ‘Come & Try’ a traditional musical instrument, reading and conversation groups, and a City of Edinburgh Council session on Gaelic development.
There will also be a café, Gaelic books for sale, games and information on Gaelic activities in Edinburgh.
Development Officer Sarah Scott said: ‘The Cruinn Còmhla community days have been a huge success and we are excited to bring our next event to the Heart of Newhaven.
“We are keen to raise the profile of Gaelic in Edinburgh and bring new opportunities to learn and use Gaelic to people across Edinburgh as we work to develop a permanent hub space’.
Cruinn Còmhla Gaelic Community Day
9 May 2006 | Heart of Newhaven, 4-6 Main Street, Newhaven, (10am – 4pm)
According to the 2022 census 10,379 people in Edinburgh could speak, read, write or understand Gaelic, an increase of 75% since 2011.
PITCH TO PLATE – MULTICULTURAL MEAL
Join us this Tuesday 5th May for a free community meal hosted by Hibernian Community Foundation & SABS.
Homemade curries, rice, naan & salad..
Fresh fruit sponsored by Association of Chinese Entrepreneurs in Scotland
Everyone welcome
Tues 5 May 2026
6–8PM (Doors 5:50PM)
Easter Road Stadium, EH7 5QG
Free Entry | No Booking Needed
Please share widely – thank you
