We were recently contacted by a local resident who was concerned about the appearance of racist, xenophobic graffiti on a wall in Wardieburn.
This kind of thing is NEVER OK and should be reported immediately.
The Council aims to remove offensive graffiti within 24 hours.
Thankfully the wall in Wardieburn has been painted over now.
If you spot offensive graffiti, please report it immediately here:
JOIN OUR TEAM!
We’re looking for an enthusiastic and creative Community Heritage Officer to join our regeneration team and help bring our area’s rich heritage to life.
As Community Heritage Officer, you’ll develop and deliver activities that encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to explore, share and celebrate their local heritage. From organising community events and workshops, to collecting oral histories and supporting exhibitions, you’ll create opportunities for people to engage with the past while helping shape the future of the area.
This role is part of our Heritage & Place Programme project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic Environment Scotland.
Deadline: Monday 3 August 2026
Find out more on myjobsscotland:
Edinburgh Leisure has set out the next steps in the refurbishment of Portobello Swim Centre following a major public consultation which showed overwhelming support for investment in the much-loved community facility.
The consultation, carried out independently during May and June 2026, gathered views from customers, user groups and local residents. It found that 91% of respondents support investment in the centre, while 95% recognise it as an important community asset.
Taking this feedback into account, Edinburgh Leisure and the City of Edinburgh Council will now move forward with the next stage of design development. The design team will use the consultation findings to finalise a design for approval, with a focus on improving facilities while protecting the character, heritage and community value of the iconic building.
A design shaped by the community
The next phase of the project will focus on developing a design that reflects what customers said matters most. This includes considering:
The consultation findings will now be reviewed in detail by the design team as they develop the final design for approval.
Moving into the next phase
The project will now move into further design development and approval stages, with updated designs and visuals shared with the public once the design has been progressed.
Subject to final approvals, the next steps will include:
Edinburgh Leisure has also committed to providing regular updates throughout the project, with 95% of consultation respondents stating they wanted to be kept informed as plans progress.
Supporting customers through change
The consultation highlighted that temporary closure of the centre is the biggest concern for customers, with more than 80% indicating they would be affected by any period of closure.
Edinburgh Leisure will develop a comprehensive customer support plan ahead of the refurbishment, including access to alternative facilities, swim lesson arrangements and flexible membership options to minimise disruption wherever possible.
A long-term investment in Portobello
The refurbishment aims to ensure Portobello Swim Centre continues to serve the community for generations to come, improving the quality of facilities while maintaining the character and heritage that make it one of Edinburgh’s most valued leisure venues.
Claire Rusack, Operations Director at Edinburgh Leisure, said: “We would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation and shared their views.
“The message from the community was clear – people strongly support investment in Portobello Swim Centre, but they also want to protect the features that make it such a special place.
“The design team will now use that feedback to finalise a design for approval. This will ensure the next stage focuses on improving changing facilities, accessibility and the overall customer experience, while taking account of the natural light, sea views and heritage character that customers told us they value most.
“Portobello Swim Centre is one of Edinburgh’s most iconic leisure facilities and this investment will help safeguard its future, ensuring it continues to support active, healthy communities for many years to come.”
A City of Edinburgh Council spokesperson said: “Portobello Swim Centre is an important part of Edinburgh’s sporting and cultural heritage, and we welcome the high level of public interest in shaping its future.
“The consultation has provided clear and valuable feedback which will help inform the next stage of design development.
“We’re committed to working closely with our partners and the local community to breathe new life into this much-loved landmark space in a way that protects the building’s historic character while creating modern, high-quality facilities for future generations.”
Here are our events for next week to help you #ReadToTheBeat and keep enjoying the summer holidays! All our events are free to attend, but make sure you book a place to our external workshops.
On Tuesday, it’s Karaoke time from 2pm! Emily will be helping you belt out your best songs in style.
On Thursday morning, we have spaces left for our superb workshop with Befana and Midnight, where you can learn about herbs, design recipes, and brew your own magical tea! This is aimed at ages 7-10 but younger children can participate in some of the event with parental help.
If you want to come along to this, please sign up on Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/befanas-magical-tea…
On Thursday afternoon, we will put E for Engineering in STEM. Learn about the construction and destruction of castles, help build one for the library, and test it out. This will run from 2-3pm.
We are fully booked for Jenny Laahs’ final Music Makers Club, but those who are signed up will be trying out keyboard instruments and playing some fun musical games.
Lastly, like every week, we have Junior Board Games from 2pm on Saturday. We’ve got lots of board games available to try out.
Remember that coming to any of these events will earn you a sticker for the #SummerReadingChallenge, which you can sign up for with your library card and parent.
2026 is the National Year of Reading – #GoAllIn
The UK’s first city-wide visitor levy scheme will officially apply to paid overnight stays in Edinburgh starts today – Friday 24 July 2026.
The ‘Tourist Tax’ levy is projected to raise up to £50 million a year to invest in sustaining, supporting and enhancing Edinburgh’s worldwide appeal as a place to visit and live.
A 5% fee will now apply to the cost of all paid overnight accommodation in Scotland’s capital city, capped at five nights in a row. The levy is charged at the same rate every day of the year.
The scheme was formally agreed in January 2025 and has applied to all advance bookings made since 1 October 2025 for stays taking place on or after 24 July 2026.
Councillors agreed the first full set of investment programmes using funding raised by the levy in February.
Worth over £90 million over the next three years, the initial programmes fall under three well-defined themes:
City Operations and Infrastructure;
Culture, Heritage and Events; and
Destination and Visitor Management.
The Council will receive the first levy receipts in October and November of this year.
Several ‘early win’ projects have already started, including:
Other key initiatives to be delivered in the next three years include, but are not limited to:
A full list of the projects set to be funded in the first three years of the scheme is available on the Visitor Levy section of the Council’s website.
In the run up to the levy’s formal introduction, the Council has been providing ongoing support to businesses in the visitor economy. This has included providing materials to help businesses communicate the scheme to their guests, summarising key information on how it’s paid and the benefits it will bring to the city.
Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “This is such an important moment for our city – and for our residents and visitors. It’s the result of a huge amount of work over many, many years and I am proud to be the first local authority in the UK to push ahead with a city-wide visitor levy scheme. We now have a unique opportunity to invest more in the things that make our city so special.
“We know that the city’s popularity comes at a cost through the pressure it puts on our services and on the people who live and work here all year round. This small new contribution from overnight visitors will help improve the services and public spaces we all depend on, while better managing the effects of tourism and major events.
The levy has also opened the door to exciting new projects right across the city – helping to make Edinburgh a cleaner, greener and more welcoming place. We’ll soon be able to invest more into our many parks and greenspaces, and bring much-loved cultural venues such as the Royal High School and Leith Theatre back into use for the first time in decades – and much more.
“We’ve always said this is a city-wide fund and spending decisions need to be taken with the whole city in mind – and we’re very grateful to Edinburgh’s businesses and residents for their constructive feedback and support throughout the process.
“I’m very aware of how busy the city’s accommodation providers are at this time of year and we’re continuing to do everything we can to support them as the scheme comes into effect.
“This is a big opportunity for us all to work together and enhance Edinburgh’s position as one of the most popular visitor destinations in the world.”
Chair of the Edinburgh Visitor Levy Advisory Forum, Julie Ashworth said: “The Forum is here to continue to put forward the views of the city to ensure they are fairly and accurately represented as the investment projects begin to take shape.
“We all want Edinburgh to remain a world class destination in a way that works for everyone, and the levy is now ready to deliver transformative investment that will protect its unique heritage and support its future success.
“We’ve continued to work closely with Council officers to provide robust feedback on the investment projects and ensure the levy delivers real, visible improvements and supports both the visitor experience and everyday life for residents.
“From revitalised public spaces to better visitor infrastructure and experiences, we’re confident the levy can help Edinburgh stay welcoming, resilient and successful.”
Edinburgh’s visitor levy will take effect from today (24th July), marking the start of what the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) is calling “the real test” for the policy. The launch of the levy comes as new figures confirm that the city is already one of the most expensive in Europe to visit, before the new tax is even added to the bill.
According to the Post Office Travel Money City Costs Barometer 2026, Edinburgh now ranks as the third most expensive city break destination in Europe, behind only Oslo and Copenhagen, and is the most expensive city on the continent for two nights’ accommodation [1]. The findings will add to concerns from the self-catering sector that the levy risks compounding an affordability problem that already sets Edinburgh apart due to its onerous short-term let licensing and planning regime.
While much of the tourism industry opposed the plans, with the ASSC remaining critical of the percentage model, the leading trade body says the focus must shift to implementation, ensuring it is implemented fairly, transparently and with the minimum possible burden on businesses. The Council must be laser-focused on the evidence through honest monitoring and adjusting the charge if the data shows unintended consequences.
From tomorrow, accommodation providers become responsible for collecting the levy – this adds administration, software changes, staff training, and compliance work to businesses that are often small and micro-enterprises.
The ASSC has repeatedly raised concerns that national guidance arrived too late for businesses to prepare with confidence, and that the National Digital Portal does not resolve VAT treatment, booking system compatibility or day-to-day guest communications.
Moreover, the ASSC emphasises that the levy is not simply a charge on overseas tourists. Around 70% of Scotland’s tourism comes from the domestic market, meaning the levy will also be paid by Scottish families, UK visitors, people attending weddings and funerals, those visiting friends and relatives, and people travelling for medical appointments.
The Association is urging the Council to judge the scheme’s success not by how much revenue it raises, but by its impact on visitor numbers, occupancy, spending, employment and Edinburgh’s overall competitiveness. It wants any levy income to fund additional investment in the visitor economy – not to replace existing council spending or fill funding gaps – with full transparency over how every pound is spent.
Fiona Campbell MBE, Chief Executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, commented: “Edinburgh already tops the table as one of the most expensive cities in Europe to stay in and that’s before a single pound of this levy has been charged.
“The real test isn’t the day the levy starts, it’s what happens next. Businesses will readily comply under difficult circumstances, but they need the Council to hold up their end of the bargain with clear guidance, honest monitoring of the evidence, and absolute transparency about where the money goes.
“Overall, we want to see a scheme that is fair, proportionate, transparent and evidence-led, one that supports the visitor economy rather than undermining the businesses that help make Edinburgh one of the world’s great destinations.”
Printed in Kilmarnock by John Wilson during the summer of 1786 and published on 21 July 1786, the Kilmarnock Burns is regarded by many as one of Scotland’s most important books. The collection introduced readers to many of Robert Burns’ best-loved poems and songs, including the enduring classic To a Mouse.
The volume is in a fine red leather binding created in the 1880s by distinguished London bookbinder Francis Bedford. Over the following decades it passed through the hands of several notable owners, principally in the United States, before eventually returning to Scotland and joining Dr Zachs’ collection at the Blackie House Library and Museum.
Originally printed in a run of just over 600 copies, only around 90 copies are known to survive today and each copy is different.
The copy on display at the Writers’ Museum, generously loaned by renowned Burns expert and scholar Dr William Zachs, contains a particularly interesting inscription on its title page: “Helen Montgomerie From her Friend J.S.”
The inscription dates from around the time of publication. The initials ‘J.S’ may refer to Burns’ friend James Smith of Mauchline, who purchased 40 copies of the book on 8 August 1786 and was the inspiration for Burns’ poem To J.S., which appears in the volume. Alternatively, the inscription may refer to Jean Smith, James’ sister and one of Burns’ celebrated ‘Belles of Mauchline’.
The identity of Helen Montgomerie, however, remains a mystery.
Councillor Margaret Graham, Culture and Communities Convener, said: “As we mark 240 years since the publication of this remarkable book, I’m delighted that visitors to the Writers’ Museum will be able to experience first-hand one of Scotland’s greatest literary treasures.
“We are extremely grateful to Dr William Zachs for generously lending this extraordinary copy to the museum and helping us share this important piece of Scotland’s cultural heritage with residents and visitors alike.
“Perhaps one of our visitors may even be able to help solve the mystery of who Helen Montgomerie was.”
Dr Bill Zachs said: “240 years on, the poems in Burns’ first publication remain not only a landmark in the history of Scottish literature but an enduring expression of creative genius.
“Seeing the original printing of such timeless pieces as ’The Cotter’s Saturday Night’ and ’To a Mouse’ brings us closer to the world and wonder of Scotland’s National Bard.”
To celebrate the loan, the Writer’s Museum will host a special event on Friday 28 August from 2-4pm, featuring live music and readings of Burns’ poetry.
The museum is free to visit and is open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm.
Find out more on the Culture Edinburgh website.
Richard Shillcock, the Communist Party of Britain candidate for the Southside/Newington ward, has officially declared that tackling the city’s housing crisis through municipal house building will be a core priority of the Communist Party campaign for the upcoming City of Edinburgh Council by-elections on 3 September 2026.
Richard Shillcock emphasised that the current market-driven approach has failed local residents, arguing that a massive return to publicly owned housing is the only viable solution.
“Edinburgh has a housing crisis and there is only one answer to it—build council houses,” he said. “We need the Council to build, own, maintain, and administer council housing and not leave such an important issue to the free market.”
The Communist Party campaign outline focuses heavily on local job creation and public investment, linking a housing strategy directly to local economic development and skills training.
Shillcock added: “We need to employ council staff and invest in a new generation of apprentices to learn the skills required to build and maintain the highest quality council housing.
“Large-scale council house building was the best answer to the postwar housing crisis. It worked. Since then, turning homes into commodities in a market has failed us.”
Addressing potential concerns regarding budgets, Shillcock pointed to historical precedents and called for a major shift in public spending priorities away from military conflict and toward domestic infrastructure.
“If the money could be found in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, it can be found now. “The Communist Party would spend on homes for people, not endless warfare,” Shillcock concluded.
The Southside/Newington and Craigmillar/Portobello by-elections will take place on Thursday, 3 September 2026.
Shillcock is standing alongside fellow Communist candidate Peter Olech, who is standing in the Portobello/Craigmillar ward, on a platform of peace, public ownership, tax justice and workers’ rights.
As part of the City Art Centre’s free Summer Exhibition programme, we tell the story of the iconic North Bridge through film, historic artworks and objects uncovered during its recent restoration.
Running from Saturday 18 July until Sunday 13 September 2026, Study for North Bridge is a new film by artists Rachel McBrinn and Jonathan Webb. Created during the bridge’s restoration, it offers a fresh perspective on one of Edinburgh’s best-known landmarks ahead of its reopening in August.
Commissioned by the City of Edinburgh Council as part of the North Bridge restoration programme, the film explores not only how the bridge has been repaired, but also how we care for and remember the places that shape our city.
Following the restoration as it unfolds, the film combines real-life footage with imagined scenes to ask how today’s events become tomorrow’s history. Through the voice of a fictional art historian looking back from the future, it encourages visitors to think about how stories are recorded, preserved, and retold over time.
The title, Study for North Bridge, refers to the sketches artists often make while developing a final work. In the same way, the film focuses on the work in progress rather than the finished bridge, revealing the people, processes and hidden details that are normally out of sight.
Alongside the film, visitors can see original pieces removed from the bridge during restoration, displayed with paintings and other artworks from the City of Edinburgh’s Fine Art Collection that show North Bridge over the past 300 years.
The exhibition is accompanied by a programme of guided walking tours, delivered in partnership with Invisible Cities.
Beginning and ending at the City Art Centre, the tours explore the people, places and stories that have shaped North Bridge, bringing the exhibition to life in the streets around it.
Councillor Margaret Graham, Culture and Communities Convener, said: “North Bridge is one of Edinburgh’s most important civic landmarks and has connected communities across the city for more than 130 years.
“As we look forward to the bridge reopening this summer, this exhibition offers a fascinating opportunity to reflect not only on the engineering achievement of its restoration, but also on the stories, memories and meanings attached to the structure.”
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.
Edinburgh Liberal Democrats have highlighted critical delays to Water of Leith environmental protection measures and are calling for faster action.
Responsing to a Council report on the Water of Leith water quality, local Lib Dems flagged up that a significant amount of planned infrastructure upgrades which are required to screen off sewage and detritus entering the river have been delayed until after 2027.
Over 10 projects will not begin until 2028, including the following Combined Sewage Overflows according to a March update to the High Priority Assets list including around Leith’s Shore, Junction Street, Stockbridge, Bonnington, Dean Village, Murrayfield, and at St Mark’s Park.
Edinburgh Northern MSP and Scottish Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, who recently called for year round monitoring of bathing waters, said: “The scale of the issue of lack of sewage monitoring is huge across Scotland, which is why rivers like the Water of Leith must be met with ambition.
“The Scottish Liberal Democrats will continue pushing for a Clean Water Act which will incentivise faster action to prevent pollution in our rivers and ocean”.
Commenting on the update, Leith Walk Councillor Jack Caldwell said: “This is incredibly disappointing as the Water of Leith was a key part of Scottish Water’s investment plan.
“Our river deserves to be clean for wildlife, plant life, and people alike. The Council must work constructively with national agencies and Scottish Water to accelerate environmental protections for our communities.”
Inverleith Councillor Hal Osler added: “Our natural environment is precious, and it’s up to all of us to look after it. These delays risk undermining progress won by so many residents, volunteers, and environmental campaigners.”
Transport and Environment spokesperson Councillor Kevin Lang got cross-party support in June for Edinburgh Council to write to Scottish Water to get answers on updated timescales.
