After going to tender earlier this year, the City of Edinburgh Council awarded the contract for services 20 and 63 to a new operator, First Bus, who was expected to take over the running of these services in April 2020.
However, due to the Covid-19 crisis, Lothian agreed to continue the contract on a temporary basis until such time as a handover could be made possible.
As of August 31, the new operator will take over provision of these services.
Timetable information for both services can be found here or at the links below:
Morrisons have teamed up with industry experts to create a programme to give Hens the best training at the finest facilities –
Investment into fastest growing protein industry will raise awareness about an industry that needs additional investment –
Brits consume 36 million eggs a day with each person eating an average of 197 eggs a year –
Morrisons is investing in British farming by teaming up with the ‘British Egg Academy’ to create a hen training programme. The tailored “training” plan aims to produce the fittest chickens and the best eggs.
Hens lay more eggs when they are active. Students of the academy will learn how to develop exercise routines to create the healthiest environment possible to keep their hens happy. Students will learn everything there is to know about producing elite hens and the best eggs; including the right amounts of feed and water needed, the amount of necessary light exposure and even how to create calming environments to give them time to relax and put their claws up.
The hens will be given all the exercises that they need to produce the best eggs. They will be given access to trees – that they use to play hide and seek in, footballs and other toys – that they are encouraged to play with, and perches at various levels within in their houses – so they are able to jump, climb and fly on a daily basis. For the hens that need downtime after their training, dust baths will be available out in the range.
Young people have consumed more eggs in recent years, making the egg industry the fastest growing protein industry in the UK. Last year, Brits consumed over 13 billion eggs, that’s a whopping 36 million eggs a day, and 197 eggs per year per person.
As well as creating tastier eggs, the academy will increase awareness about the job opportunities available in an industry worth over £1 billion to the UK economy, and improve training opportunities for those who are looking to help feed Britain with the best British eggs.
Sophie Throup, Head of Agriculture at Morrisons said:“We want to produce some of the healthiest, fittest and happiest hens in the UK.
“We are always looking at ways to continually improve our egg quality and this Academy will help achieve that goal, whilst giving our students insights into how to crack the industry for generations to come.”
Bill Meredith, Principal at Bishop Burton College’s Principal said:“The college is delighted to be working with Morrisons and poultry farmers to provide opportunities for those seeking rewarding careers in the egg industry.
“Our commitment is to provide the skills needed to maintain the highest possible welfare standards – happy hens are us!”
The British Egg Academy will be based at Bishop Burton College and the course will start in January 2021. Applications to the course will close in December 2020.
The current garden waste service year ends on 8 November
To continue to receive collections in the next service year which runs until 7 November 2021, residents need to renew their permit or sign up for one by 2pm on 9 September. The cost remains at £25 per bin.
The current service year for fortnightly brown bin collections was due to end on 4 October but the council is extending current permits to make up for the service being temporarily suspended in springtime due to coronavirus.
The current health pandemic also means that CEC is encouraging residents to register online and they have made this easier by making the MyGov sign in optional.
Unfortunately, you’re not able to pay in person at locality offices this year as they are being used as community resilience centres for coronavirus, but you can also pay over the phone. Phone lines are likely to be busy so if you’re unable to register online yourself, we’d encourage you to ask a friend or relative to help you.
Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “Just over 40,000 people have already signed up to receive the service, but I would urge anyone who wants to continue having their brown bin collected but hasn’t yet registered to do so in the next couple of weeks to avoid a gap in collections.
“The quickest and easiest way to do this is online, which is why 90% of the people who have already registered have done so via our website. We know not everyone has access to the internet though, and there is an option for registration over the phone.
The council has made a decision to keep our charge at £25 per bin. This is one of the lowest annual fees in Scotland among local authorities operating a similar service and works out at just under 50 pence a week.
Emails and letters were sent to all 70,900 current subscribers to the service advising them on how to renew their permits.
About the service
Permits cost £25 per brown bin. A one-off payment of £25 will be taken by debit or credit card, unless you’re exempt from paying because you receive Council Tax Reduction.
The deadline to register is 2pm on 9 September and the quickest and easiest way to do this is on our website.
You can also register and pay over the phone by calling 0131 357 2800. Please note we expect phone lines to be busy and there may be long waiting times. Phonelines are open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3.40pm Friday. Please note we don’t accept cash or cheques.
The deadline to register is 2pm on 9 September and the quickest and easiest way to do this is on our website.
The next service year will run from 9 November 2020 – 7 November 2021.
Brown bins will be emptied once every two weeks, except over the festive period when there will be no collections between 14 December 2020 and 10 January 2021
There will be another opportunity to sign up to the new service year, but the payment will remain at £25 and permits will be valid until 7 November 2021.
Once we’ve received your payment, we’ll send you a permit sticker between 23 October and 4 November to put on your brown bin before the new service year starts. We can only empty bins with valid permit stickers.
Exemptions
If you are a low income household and receive Council Tax Reduction (formerly called Council Tax Benefit) or you, or someone who lives with you, has been classed as severely mentally impaired, the service will be free, but you’ll still need to register for the service. Other council tax discounts, such as single occupancy or disabled person discount, don’t qualify for this reduction. Households that pay for garden aid are not exempt from paying for the service.
Further information about the service is available on the City of Edinburgh Council website, including details about alternative ways to pay, exemptions, how to pay on behalf of someone else and our terms and conditions.
More people will be able to benefit from free debt advice following investment from the Scottish Government. More than £2.4 million will be distributed among a number of advice organisations to expand their services and invest in more effective methods to help individuals with problem debt.
The investment will assist projects offering face to face advice using video calls and projects aimed at moving debt solution processes online. This investment will also help the debt advice sector to manage the expected increase in demand as a result of the economic impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19).
AdviceUK will be one of the new recipients of funding and has 70 Scottish-based partners who will now be able to extend their services.
Minister for Communities Aileen Campbell said: “I am pleased that this funding will enable more people to access free debt advice, especially as we expect to see increased demand on these services due to the long term effects of COVID-19.
“Our Debt Advice Routemap sets out our vision for a user-friendly and collaborative free debt advice system in Scotland. Through this additional investment we aim to distribute funds across Scotland, focusing on those hardest to reach, including those who maybe have never sought advice before.
“Debt advice services are looking at innovative new approaches, using technology and new ways of working. I would encourage anyone who finds themselves struggling with problem debt to seek help at the earliest opportunity.”
AdviceUK Executive Director Chilli Reid said: “AdviceUK warmly welcomes this funding from the Scottish Government, which will make a huge difference to people struggling with money worries.
“Our members serve communities across Scotland, and this investment will support them in their vital work tackling child poverty, supporting households on low incomes, and helping those most exposed to the impacts of COVID-19.”
The funding is part of the Financial Services Levy for debt advice which has been increased by the UK Government in response to the expected growth in demand for free debt advice due to the long-term effects of COVID-19.
The funding was devolved to the Scottish Government in 2019 and the Debt Advice Routemap was launched to help improve access to services across Scotland.
Established in 1979, Advice UK is the largest network of independent advice providers in the UK.
Granton Information Centre has continued to provide an advice service throughout the coronavirus lockdown, supporting people with debt, housing and employment issues.
If you need help to deal with mounting debts, or are unclear about which benefits you may be entitled to, call Granton Information Centre on 0131 551 2459 or 0131 552 0458 or you can email info@gic.org.uk
The brother of a woman from London who went missing five years ago and whose body was found on the outskirts of Edinburgh five months later has renewed his appeal to the public to help find out what happened to her.
Saima Ahmed was 36 when she left her home in north London and is believed to have travelled to Edinburgh by train via Hemel Hempstead and Birmingham on 30 August, 2015. Her remains were found at Gogarburn Golf Course on 9 January, 2016. Her death remains unexplained and the police investigation into what happened to her remains open.
Sadat Ahmed, 37, re-visited the area for the first time in four years to ask the public to come forward with any information that may help his family to find out what happened to Saima once she arrived in Edinburgh.
Speaking at the golf course, he said: “As a family we think about her every day. Time has not helped. There is so much we don’t understand. She never talked about coming to Edinburgh and as far as we know she did not know anyone in Edinburgh.
“She was a very inquisitive person so if she was in an area she had never been to before she would have asked questions, she would have spoken to people. We think she probably met someone but who don’t know who or why.
“How you get to Edinburgh and then here, it is not somewhere you would walk to by mistake. She must have had contact with people. It is unbearable not knowing, from day one to now, we still don’t have answers to the questions, and it is really hard.
“Someone must know something. I would like them to come forward and tell us. We will never give up hope. We will keep looking for answers.”
Saima was around 5ft 5ins tall, of medium build, with shoulder length straight dark hair. She was last seen wearing a dark long v-neck top, black trousers, black shoes and a black jacket.
Detective Superintendent Martin MacLean said: “Police Scotland has carried out a painstaking investigation into Saima’s death and we continue to support Sadat and his family. There is no evidence of criminality at this stage.
“There were sightings of a woman that appear to meet Saima’s description at Portobello beach on the Sunday evening and again on the Monday morning by a dog walker. We are appealing to anyone who may have similar information, whether it was a taxi driver, or a bus driver. Perhaps she stayed in a bed and breakfast on the Sunday night in the Portobello area?
“Edinburgh would have been very busy as it was the end of the Festival and also the height of the tourist season. If you were on holiday in the city, wherever you might be now, please think back to see if you can help. I would ask anyone who may have seen her or have any information, no matter how insignificant they might think it is, to get in touch.
“We still don’t truly understand why Saima came to Edinburgh and what her movements were when she was here. These are gaps we are very keen to fill. From every appeal that we have had, we have always obtained some small piece of information from the public.
“The investigation remains open so if there is anyone out there who can help please call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident 2194 of 9 January, 2016, and help provide some of the answers that Sadat and his family are seeking.”
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
SMOKING
In the UK around 6.9 million people over the age of 18 smoke. Although rates of smoking have decreased in recent years, the number of people who smoke remains high.
Smoking harms almost all organs in the body and it is the leading cause of preventable deaths in England. Smoking can damage your blood vessels and heart, which increases your risk of having a heart attack.
Quitting smoking can be very difficult, but it is an important step for reducing your risk of heart disease. We provide some tips for stopping smoking below.
List your reasons for stopping smoking
If you are trying to quit smoking, an effective and simple thing you can do to stay on track is to write a list of the reasons why you wish to quit smoking. Whenever you feel the urge to smoke, you can read this list and it should inspire you to keep going.
Decide a time
As soon as you stop smoking, your risk of heart disease will reduce. The sooner you decide to quit the better. Try to choose a date within the next two weeks. If you leave it too long, you will give yourself time to change your mind.
Make a plan for when you quit
Make a plan to quit smoking and ask your friends, family and co-workers for their support. Identify the triggers that make you feel like smoking and work out how to deal with them in advance. For example, if you hang around with other people who smoke, you could plan to spend more time with non-smokers or do smoke-free activities with friends who are smokers.
If you usually smoke during your break at work, plan to go for a walk instead. Dealing with cigarette withdrawal can be tough and it can lead to you feeling emotional and upset. Before quitting, ask people to be patient and understanding and remind yourself that these feelings are temporary.
Distract yourself when you get cravings
Cigarette cravings are intense urges to smoke. Quitting smoking requires a huge amount of willpower. Cigarette cravings are temporary and they can last for 5 minutes. To avoid giving in to cigarette cravings, try to distract yourself for 5-10 minutes. You could try doing some physical activity or a bit of housework, do a bit of colouring in or planning a healthy dinner. Once the craving has passed, you can give yourself a pat on the back.
You could also consider using a stop smoking aid, such as nicotine patches, gums, lozenges or nasal sprays to help stop the cravings.
Get support to stop smoking
There is a lot of support available for people who want to stop smoking. Getting support with stopping smoking can increase your chances of success. You could try contacting your local Stop Smoking Services or chatting to your GP. If you know someone who is also trying to quit smoking, you could offer to support each other. You could also seek advice from a friend or family member who has successfully stopped smoking.
You can get further support with stopping smoking and a free Personal Quit Plan from the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/smokefree.
The latest UK climate projections show a trend towards drier and warmer summers, with the west of Scotland set to become wetter and the east drier, plus more frequent instances of heavy rainfall.
New research by the James Hutton Institute shows that these changing weather patterns are likely to make private water supplies across Scotland more vulnerable to droughts, a major issue considering that private supplies provide drinking water to 4% of Scotland’s population, and to many more through businesses and tourist facilities.
Summer 2018 was unusually dry and warm and many private water supplies ran dry leaving people needing assistance from their local authority. Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) responded on behalf of the Scottish Government by commissioning a report into how climate change is likely to impact the resilience of private water supplies in the future, focusing on water scarcity.
If, as projected, drier and warmer summers are more frequent, private water supplies will be increasingly vulnerable to water shortages. North east Scotland is forecast to experience the largest increase in water shortages, and it is also where there is the highest density of private water supplies.
Dr Mike Rivington, project lead and co-author of the report, said: “About half of Scotland’s private water supplies are estimated to be within areas of increased vulnerability between now and 2050.
“Future levels of vulnerability are due to reduced water quantity availability combining with specific catchment scale water use, such as for agriculture. Across Scotland this will vary in space and time due to changes in precipitation and temperature that affects the overall water balance.”
Co-author Dr Ioanna Akoumianaki highlights the need for a better understanding of water storage at landscape scales and the potential impacts of dry weather on springs, rivers, lochs and the water table to help assess the risk of private water supplies drying up.
She added: “Awareness of that risk and collaboration between users, local authorities and experts will be key to addressing the challenges and achieving rural supplies that are resilient to changes in the climate.”
Environment and Climate Change Secretary, Roseanna Cunningham, said: “This important research provides more evidence that climate change is having a growing impact on our natural environment and resources – and on our everyday lives.
“The prolonged dry weather in 2018, and again this spring, shows that Scotland is not immune to water scarcity. Events like this will only become more frequent, which is why it is essential that we continue to build on our understanding of climate change effects with research like this. This will help develop our critical adaptation work and support of communities across the country.”
But it’s not just changes in our climate that present potential problems. CREW recently published a study led by Glasgow Caledonian University showing that private water supplies play a vital role in rural economies in Scotland, with many micro- and small businesses relying on them. Reliance on private supplies makes communities in remote areas of rural Scotland potentially less resilient, economically and otherwise.
The report argues that it costs more – directly and indirectly – to access and maintain private supplies and issues with water quality can be detrimental to businesses, further affecting the fragile, interdependent nature of small rural communities.
Whilst tourism is widely regarded as a welcome economic opportunity in rural areas, the sudden rise in water demand, such as along the heavily promoted North Coast 500 tourist route, was recognised as an issue requiring urgent attention. Better regulatory oversight and support and enhanced communication between relevant agencies both locally and nationally is essential so rural businesses and communities can continue to grow.
Prof Bob Ferrier, Director of CREW commented: “Scotland’s climate is changing, and it is important to understand the impacts of that change on our society. Reliance on private water supplies puts users increasingly at risk of both the impacts of climate change and the low resilience to economic impacts.”
Funded by the Scottish Government, CREW is a partnership between the James Hutton Institute and Scottish higher education and research institutes. For details see www.crew.ac.uk.
Children will need significant emotional support as they return to school, Barnardo’s says, as a poll for the leading national children’s charity suggests hundreds of thousands of children could refuse to go while others feel nervous, upset and scared.
The new poll suggests that the children of more than 440,000 parents across the UK could be refusing to return to school.
Almost a quarter of GB parents of children aged 18 and under surveyed (23%) say their children are nervous about going back to the classroom, and 4% say their children are refusing to return.
A tenth of the 1,000 parents surveyed by YouGov said their children were scared about it and 5% said their children are upset about going back to school.
Barnardo’s says it is vital for all schools to be allowed to have a “readjustment period” of at least a term where teachers can prioritise staff and pupil wellbeing, instead of being back to ‘business as usual’ from day one.
The charity also says the Government must ensure schools have the tools, skills and resources to support children and give a higher priority to their mental health and wellbeing in the longer-term.
Barnardo’s is calling on teachers to talk to their pupils about how they are feeling and what they need to make their return to school easier. To help with this the UK’s leading children’s charity has produced two booklets of wellbeing exercises to help children reflect on life during lockdown.
There may also be children who need additional support from Barnardo’s See, Hear, Respond partnership which brings together all the people required to help a child or young person return to school to identify the practical and emotional support they need.
Covid-19 outbreak, as well as side effects of the measures to contain it, have exposed the country’s children and young people to an unprecedented level of trauma, loss and adversity.
Some children and young people will have experienced domestic abuse, poverty or child abuse for the first time. Others will be grieving for loved ones, and we know the virus has disproportionately affected BAME communities.
Some children will be fearful of catching the virus and others will be experiencing separation anxiety after spending so much time at home with their family.
The Barnardo’s pamphlets are useful resources to help teachers work with their pupils on how they are feeling, managing change, and changes to their routine and relationships. Both are available to download from the Barnardo’s website.
Barnardo’s See, Hear, Respond (SHR) programme, funded by the Department for Education, and delivered in partnership with more than 70 national and local charities, is aimed at children and young people in England who may have become vulnerable because of coronavirus.
It supports them with issues around bullying, hate crime and racism or anxiety. It also works with children moving into secondary school, or who have been excluded or suspended, and who may also need significant help.
Trained therapists work closely with children, parents or carers, and their school, to help them get back in the classroom.
Barnardo’s Chief Executive Javed Khan said:“Returning to school for the first time in months will undoubtedly be nerve-wracking for many children, their parents and their teachers.
“The pandemic and lockdown have been hugely traumatic for young people – separation from friends, anxiety about the virus and financial pressures at home have taken a serious toll on their mental health.
“It’s vital that children go back to the classroom, but with so much continued uncertainty about the virus, it’s natural that some will be fearful – above and beyond the usual first-day jitters.
“The Government must now work with schools to reassure children and their families that schools are safe – otherwise some pupils may simply not return. Messages also need to be culturally sensitive, reflecting the heightened concern amongst BAME communities, who have been hardest hit by COVID.
“When classes do begin, teachers must be supported to focus on mental health and wellbeing, so children can address feelings of trauma, bereavement and anxiety, and readjust to being in the classroom.
“Lockdown has been especially hard for vulnerable children who are now facing not only an ‘attainment gap’ but also a ‘trauma gap’ compared to their classmates. Barnardo’s specially trained staff are available through our See, Hear, Respond service to support them, and I urge teachers and parents to get in touch.”
Any teacher, child, young person, parent or carer can call the support line on 08001 577015 to request help.
Ask them to write down some words about how they are feeling and either draw or write what their face looks like – Ask them whether their feeling is comfortable, uncomfortable, a bit of both – Ask them to explain why they think they feel this way Remind them it is okay to feel all feelings. There is no such thing as a bad feeling.
Tell them if they are feeling sad, angry, worried or frustrated they can take steps to calm down. – Ask them to write down some things that make them feel calm
Talk to them about some of the things that have changed because of the pandemic like not being able to hug and keeping a safe distance – Ask them to list which ones are in their control and which ones are not
For secondary school children
Ask them to keep a monthly mood tracker to see how they are feeling in the morning and evening of each day. – Remind them all feelings are okay but if they notice a pattern of low mood it can be helpful to talk to someone about it
Ask them to write down their go-to strategies for when they are feeling stressed.
Ask them to write down what they do, or how they feel, when they are at their best. – Remind them if they are not feeling at their best they could talk to someone they trust and see if they could help make a change.
A new campaign building on the City of Edinburgh Council’s work to create an inclusive and diverse workplace has been launched.
Designed to foster a culture where all people feel their differences are valued, respected and accepted, Inclusivedinburgh will highlight the many benefits that a diverse workforce brings.
Guided by the Diversity and Inclusion Strategy which was approved by councillors last year, the City is working to attract and retain a representative Council workforce which reflects the diversity of Edinburgh’s citizens. It is hoped that the internal campaign will help to make sure that everyone’s voices are heard and that all employees feel welcome.
Councillor George Gordon, Equalities ‘Champion’ for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We’ve worked extremely hard to grow as an inclusive employer and bring our diversity and inclusion strategy to life.
“Following many months of meetings, I’ve seen firsthand how this has involved tremendous efforts by our HR team and our colleague networks plus input from unions. I’m pleased to have been involved and I’d like to thank everyone who has got us to this point.
“It’s fantastic to now see all of the measures we’ve put into place brought together under Inclusivedinburgh. We’re committed to advancing equalities in everything we do and there is no better place to further foster an inclusive culture than within our own workplace. We are a disability friendly employer and we have solid networks in place to support all colleagues to achieve their best. Our LGBT+ and BAME networks are also thriving.
From developing our understanding of colleagues’ personal situations to creating our own benchmarking tool so that we can keep track of progress – we’re continuously bettering our policies and recognising the value of a diverse workforce. This campaign is about sharing best practice and helping staff while also striving to be even better.
“We’re proud of how far we’ve come and this new campaign helps our ambitions for workplace equality to stand out. For Edinburgh to be a fair City, we must do all we can to improve the quality of life for those who face inequality. Better still, we must aim to stamp out discrimination and prejudice, wherever it occurs.”
Councillor Lezley Marion Cameron, Chair of the Council’s Cross Party Working Group on Equalities, said: “As the City of Edinburgh Council, and as a major employer, it is vital to listen and to learn from the lived experience of colleagues from groups which are under-represented in our workforce and our city.
“The enthusiasm and participation of staff in our LGBT+ and our BAME colleague networks has been and continues to be crucial to how well we listen, learn, and respond proactively in our efforts to ensure we are an employer, in both word and deed, which values diversity and difference as a strength and key measure of our organisational health.
“I warmly welcome the launch of the Inclusivedinburgh campaign to promote respect and equality within and throughout all management tiers and service areas of the Council. This cements our commitment to attracting and retaining a workforce more reflective of all the Edinburgh citizens we represent and serve.
“Recent progress towards this includes introducing guidance and support for those who are transitioning; and those who are going through the menopause; Unconscious Bias e-learning for Council managers is also happening which supports our aim that no-one experiences discrimination of any sort during our recruitment process; and creating and circulating a colleague calendar which raises awareness of dates and events of particular significance throughout the year, for example, Ramadan and Carers Week.”
The Edinburgh City Vision 2050 states that Edinburgh aspires to be a fair, inspired, thriving and connected city. The Inclusivedinburgh campaign aims to work towards that vision and the Council’s ambition to place respect, equality and rights at the heart of the workplace.
Commenting on the brand, staff member Bobby Nwanze said: “As the chair of the Council’s BAME colleague Network, it’s refreshing to receive such amazing support.
“Working closely to promote cultural awareness and tackle discrimination in the workplace will help us to become a truly diverse Council.”
Equalities ‘champion’ George Gordon explained this further when he wrote in the Evening News this week: “To become a fairer city where everyone can benefit from Edinburgh’s success, we need to take united action against inequality.
“So, as we rebuild our communities and the economy from the COVID-19 crisis, we’ll be taking lessons learned from lockdown and listening intently to the voices of residents from our minority and traditionally disadvantaged groups. We have a chance to shape a ‘new normal’ for the city and this is an opportunity we will not miss.
“Within the Council, we’re already seeking out views from our colleague networks on how we can better promote diversity and inclusion amongst staff and in our recruitment processes. Just this week we’ve launched a new campaign to highlight the policies we have in place to make our workplace culture one of the most inclusive in Scotland.
“The Poverty Commission is pulling together feedback from people who have been unfairly disadvantaged by COVID-19 and I’m in touch with equalities networks to truly understand how certain groups have been impacted.
“We’re on the cusp of a global recession and we need to make sure we put the right measures in place to support people at risk of unemployment or reduced opportunities, so that we can aim to create a more level playing field in a post-COVID economy.
“During the last few months, we saw our usual way of life and leisure activities taken away from us. But not being able to enjoy society fully with a trip to the theatre or day out with family is a battle people with certain disabilities face year in, year out.
“That’s why the Scottish-government backed Spaces for People programme which promotes wheelchair and wider access to high streets and other parts of the city is such an important measure for Edinburgh. As businesses re-open again, we want to make sure everyone can get out of lockdown and enjoy everything which makes Edinburgh such a great city to live in.
“All of us have also experienced a very different type of August without the buzz and packed High Street of the Fringe. And, as we develop plans for re-introducing events next year and designing our winter festivals, we also need to push for accessible routes for those who need them.
“Of course, our moves to make Edinburgh a more disabled friendly and equal city are not merely a response to the current crisis. This is something I’ve been championing since coming into my Equalities role and we’ve worked hard to highlight the rights and needs of disadvantaged residents in everything we do.
“Our ban on ‘A’ boards has been hailed as a success by equalities groups like the RNIB and Edinburgh Access Panel. I’m proud that Edinburgh was the first city to introduce this. We were also the first to bring in new-build planning rules to promote the latest, safest design for disabled residents.
“Personally, I’m pleased we were also able to reach an agreement on necessary wheelchair spaces on buses and our swift and ongoing response to the Black Lives Matter movement is also going to change our City for the better.
“I stand ready to advocate for what we need to keep achieving, now and over the next 12 months to come.”
Edinburgh Homes Development Reveals the ‘Wow Factor’ for Post Lockdown Living
The much-anticipated Canonmills Garden show home and marketing suite has opened to the general public, giving potential home buyers a fascinating insight into the possibilities of post-lockdown living.
There’s been a huge amount of interest in the show home so far, with an online booking system in place allowing tours to be carried out safely and in a controlled environment.
Priority tours have already been carried out for existing purchasers at the niche development by Artisan Real Estate, which is a spectacular mix of 180 one, two and three-bedroom apartments and colony-style properties overlooking the Water of Leith in Canonmills, to the north of Edinburgh city centre.
With almost two-thirds of apartments now sold since the development first hit the market last year, purchasers have been delighted with their first glimpse of what their new homes could look like.
“There’s definitely been a ‘wow factor’ as our customers experience the size and scale of the apartments for the first time,” explains Artisan’s Sales Supervisor Christie Turner.
“Up to now, we have sold all 64% of the properties off-plan, so it’s great to be able to now reveal to our purchasers exactly what they have bought.
“And so far, their reaction as they walk in has been amazing to see – especially when they experience the light and airy living spaces for the first time, as well as the quality of the flooring and the fittings in the kitchen and bathroom.”
The show home has been designed by well-known Scottish Interior Designer Carol Yates, with post-lockdown living very much in mind. Scandinavian influences combine with the solid oak flooring, adding a natural texture to the rooms. And while it is a minimalist layout, accents of colour and vibrancy have been introduced with soft-layered fabrics and cushions to bring depth, warmth and vibrancy to the show home.
Sales at Canonmills Garden are continuing apace despite the challenges of recent months with two first-phase blocks now sold out, with only one colony property remaining.
And with consumer confidence returning following the easing of lockdown, prices and value are also increasing at Canonmills Garden with the average value of apartments growing by seven per-cent since the development’s marketing launch in 2019.
A range of apartments is now available at Canonmills Garden with prices starting at £249,500. For more information, visit: www.canonmillsgarden.com. To book an exclusive VIP tour of the new show home, click here:
