Craigyroyston Community Youth Football Club has been gifted a brand-new pavilion by the City of Edinburgh Council.
At an official ceremony to handover the modern new facility yesterday (Friday, 15 August) Council Leader Jane Meagher presented youth team members and club representatives with the keys to the Pavilion.
Relocating the club to their new modern premises at Marine Drive is part of the Council’s wider £1.3bn generation of Granton Waterfront.
The former club base was previously on adjacent land where the Council is building 143 new environmentally friendly affordable homes known as the Silverlea development.
The half a million-pound project, funded by the Council, has delivered modern changing rooms with showers and a café for club members, their families and other visitors to enjoy.
Designed by architects Smith Scott Mullan, Cruden delivered the project on behalf of the Council and has also gifted the signage and branding in the new facility.
Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “As we continue to deliver our £1.3bn regeneration of Granton Waterfront, this is a perfect example of our commitment to creating healthy and vibrant communities in the area.
“Investing in our young people is an important part of this work. The former club base was on land that we needed to build affordable homes.
“Providing these modern facilities right next to our Silverlea site works well for the young footballers and the wider community, allowing the club to thrive and attract new members in the future. “
Colin Dudgeon Club Secretary said: “This is a historic day for us. For the first couple of years setting up Craigroyston Community Youth Football Club we didn’t have a home until we moved into Craigroyston Park in 2009.
“The club base we’ve been using wasn’t in good condition and so we’d like to thank the City of Edinburgh Council for our magnificent new club base for our players and parents to call our home. Thanks as well to Cruden for their part in this project and the signage and branding they kindly gifted for the building.
“We can offer safe, hygienic, and modern facilities to our players with changing rooms and showers suitable for all ages and parents can relax in our new Craigie Café, which will be opening on match days soon.”
Michael Palethrope, Community Benefit Manager for Cruden, said: “Community-run clubs like Craigroyston CYFC are at the heart of great neighbourhoods, and we’re proud to support them.
“Alongside building quality, energy-efficient homes and green spaces, we always look for ways to give back to the communities we work in.
“This club is a fantastic example of that, and we can’t wait to see them thrive in their new home.”
More than £50k in funding has been awarded to food growing projects across Edinburgh.
The City of Edinburgh Council’s £52,500 Grow Your Own Fund has been shared between 13 community and voluntary groups whose work includes creating food growing spaces and providing food growing education.
Applications for funding were individually assessed by a panel, with grants of up to £5000 awarded to a range of schemes. Amongst the initiatives are Tuk Tuk and Grow, which brings mobile growing and cooking sessions to families across Edinburgh using a tuk tuk bike, and Nuclear Growth, which plans to set up a food growing project on the site of a former nuclear bunker on Corstorphine Hill.
Funding is intended to be spent in areas such as: purchasing seeds, plants, and tools; equipment for community garden cooking areas; education and training activities; personal protective equipment; and staff time directly related to establishing the growing area.
Councillor Margaret Graham, Culture and Communities Convener, said: “The standard of applications to the fund was extremely high, and the panel were really impressed – the successful projects demonstrate real creativity and ambition.
“Urban food growing is important for the health of both people and nature. These initiatives will really benefit local communities and the wider city by bringing people together, reducing food waste and supporting biodiversity.”
Full list of successful projects:
Nuclear Growth, Barnton Bunker Preservation Society (awarded £4640)
Get Blackhall Growing, Blackhall Parent Carer Council (awarded £2000)
Tuk Tuk Grow and Go, Edinburgh Community Food (awarded £5000)
Redhall Grows, Friends of Redhall School (awarded £5000)
Gate 55 Community Food Growers, Gate 55 Community Centre (awarded £4946)
Growing Together, Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre (awarded £5000)
Longstone Primary Farm and Garden, Parents at Longstone School (awarded £1400)
Community Garden at Pilton Equalities Project, Pilton Equalities Project (awarded £4000)
StJV Allotment: a growing space for the campus community, St John Vianney Primary School Charitable Trust (awarded £5000)
Community Garden and Foraging Trail, St Mary’s Episcopal cathedral (awarded £5000)
Flourishing Together at Gracemount Medical Practice, Transition Edinburgh South (awarded £5000)
Garden @ the Snake, Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust (awarded £2625 – partial funding)
Edible Garden at The Action Group, The Action Group (awarded £2889 – partial funding)
Patricia Lee from Gate 55 said:“We were really keen to support a new community food growing group here and this grant makes a huge difference to us.
” The funds will enable us to provide the group with resources for propagation space and for fruit bushes and compost, as well as supporting them with a project worker who will help with capacity-building and growing the membership of the group.”
Ryan Lytwyn, Mental Health Worker with the Pilton Equalities Project, said:“We’re absolutely delighted to receive this funding from the Grow Your Own grant scheme.
“It will make a huge difference to our community garden at the Pilton Equalities Project, allowing us to expand our growing space, install greenhouses, and involve more local people in growing fresh, sustainable food.
“This support means we can promote food security, improve wellbeing, and help our community take positive action for our climate.”
Jonathan Baxter from A+E at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral said:“We were delighted to hear about the Grow Your Own Fund and even more delighted when we heard that our application had been successful.
“Community food growing is a key part of that commitment and securing funding for a community gardener/development worker allows us to realise our aim of establishing a Community Garden in the West End of Edinburgh.
Alongside local residents and current users of Walpole Hall, the Community Garden aims to support the wider climate justice movement in Edinburgh. It does this by providing a welcoming space where horticulture and ecological design skills can be learnt in a hands-on way.
Schools and early years settings across Edinburgh have welcomed back children and young people, parents and carers, teachers and school staff after the summer holidays.
Over 53,000 secondary and primary school learners will head back to the classroom this week, along with dedicated teaching and school staff. This includes 25,057 secondary school pupils in S1 to S6 and 28,307 primary school learners in P1 to P7.
Around 3,500 new Primary 1 pupils are starting their school journey including 55 sets of twins.
Over 4,400 young people will start secondary school and transition into S1 at one of our secondary schools.
The brand-new Currie Community High School building will welcome 920 learners through its doors for the very first time.
As a brand-new school year gets underway, Education, Children and Families Convener, Councillor James Dalgleish, said: “There’s always a buzz in the air this time of year as a new school year and new term begins.
“For some of our children and young people, the new school year will mark the start of an exciting milestone as they start in P1, S1 or in one of our early years settings. I am confident that our fantastic teaching and school staff will do all they can to support children and their families to settle in as quickly as possible.
“I hope that families, children and school staff alike return well rested after a relaxing and enjoyable summer break. I wish everyone a brilliant start to the new school year and a successful year ahead!”
A national award-winning sensory garden designed by Leith resident Luke Coleman is set to be installed in Edinburgh’s Victoria Park, after being relocated from Yorkshire.
The garden, inspired by the history of the Scottish isles and its connections with the Vikings, will be installed on the site of one of two disused bowling greens returned to the Council by Edinburgh Leisure in 2023. Feedback from extensive local consultation carried out last year showed that residents were keen to see a sensory garden introduced to the area, alongside other options.
The garden has been dismantled and transported back to Edinburgh thanks to £20k previously secured and a fundraising drive is now underway to raise the additional £30k needed to reconstruct and embed Drakkar’s Drift in Edinburgh as a public asset. This will include expanding the design of the garden to meet the needs of the site and introducing paths, seating, and other features.
Councillor Margaret Graham said:“Luke’s Gold Medal success is a celebration of local creativity meeting international horticultural excellence. Bringing Drakkar’s Drift to Edinburgh would enrich our parks and unite community, nature and culture.
“We’ve been listening to residents, many of whom told us they’d like to see sensory planting on the site of the park’s old bowling green. As well as bringing this beautiful garden to the site, this project would enhance and develop it for community use. I’d encourage anyone with an interest in the site to support the campaign if they can.”
Designer Luke Coleman creates eco-friendly garden designs that harmonise with nature, where communities and ecosystems can thrive. Since the design of the garden began, he has envisioned that it would return to Edinburgh for residents to enjoy.
Luke said:“It’s been a dream to bring Drakkar’s Drift to life at the RHS Show, and now, seeing it find a permanent home in Edinburgh is something truly special.
“This project is about more than design; it’s about community, connection, and creating a legacy. I’m incredibly grateful for the support so far, and I hope people will get behind the fundraiser to help us rebuild the garden for everyone to enjoy.”
Amongst the garden’s elements are four mature trees, 1,500 herbaceous perennials, 13.5 tonnes of mossy boulders and living sculptures that support biodiversity.
Drakkar’s Drift draws inspiration from the basalt columns of Fingal’s Cave on the uninhabited island of Staffa – an interest sparked by a 2023 trip that led Luke to deeper research into the island’s history.
The Norse word ‘Drakkar’ refers to Viking ships displaying a dragon head at their front and so reminds of the arrival of the Vikings in the northern Scottish isles over a thousand years ago.
The number of students achieving passes at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level, as well as in vocational and technical courses, has increased across Scotland this year.
The poverty-related attainment gap has also narrowed at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level over the 2024-25 academic year, according to the results data published by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
The number of pupils and students achieving passes in vocational and technical qualifications and awards, such as construction, hospitality and business, has reached a record high of 110,380 – this represents a year-on-year increase of 22.6% compared to 2024.
The pass rate for National 5 and Highers is also up, when compared to both last year and the pre-pandemic set of results, back in 2019, while the total number of Higher entries passed the landmark 200,000 level for the first time since Curriculum for Excellence was introduced in 2010.
Commenting, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “Congratulations to all of Scotland’s school pupils, students and adult learners for all that they have achieved in their qualifications this year.
“These results are evidence of a strong recovery in Scotland’s schools, following the pandemic, with more passes at every level compared to last year. They are a testament to the hard work of learners, teachers and parents and carers.
“It is, furthermore, encouraging to see that the poverty-related attainment gap has narrowed at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher levels. While there is more to do, each success of every young person from the most disadvantaged areas creates a route out of poverty. These results also show the strength of Scotland’s vocational and technical qualifications, which play a key role in preparing so many young people for the future.
“I know that some young people will be disappointed with their results. I want to reassure them that there are a wide range of options and routes for success available, with support on hand throughout this week via the dedicated helpline run by Skills Development Scotland.
“Today is a chance for our young people to pause and reflect on the totality of their achievements this past academic year. I offer my sincere thanks to Scotland’s hard working teaching profession, who work to support them all, the parents and carers whose encouragement can be so instrumental to success, and to the young people themselves – well done.”
Attainment for learners across Edinburgh remain high, with record number of passes in vocational courses
Over 12,860 candidates in Edinburgh received their results from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) today.
Attainment remains high with sustained performance when compared to 2024 across most key measures, with a significant improvement in the percentage of S4 young people achieving 5 National 5 qualifications with a grade of C or above. The results also show improvement in all measures compared to 2019 (pre-pandemic).
Passes in National Progression Awards (NPA), vocational courses equivalent to National passes, have increased, with more than 1,700 candidates attaining awards in NPA courses leading to a 61% increase in the number of passes at levels 4, 5 and 6. Qualifications were awarded in a range of subjects including stonemasonry, digital media, beauty, exercise and sport leadership and roofing.
A total of 50,923 awards were certificated for 12,864 candidates (includes special schools, adults and mainstream secondary pupils) in over 92 subjects, with an increase in the number of vocational courses offered across our secondary schools.
National 5s saw passes (A-C grades) of 80% and Highers saw passes of 78.5%, this is an increased in pass-rates for 2024 and 2019 (pre-COVID).
Education, Children and Families Convener, Councillor James Dalgleish said: “It has been fantastic to see the wide range of qualifications and awards achieved by our young people, representing the hard work, effort and commitment of learners, and our dedicated teachers and school staff.
“Each and every one of our young people’s journey and achievements are unique to them and today’s results mark the next step in their journey whether that’s to college, university, an apprenticeship or into the world of work.
“We want to provide inclusive, equitable and relevant curriculum pathways into further or higher education and to the workplace for every single learner in all of our schools.
“There is much to celebrate and be proud of in this years’ set of results and my thanks to all those who have supported our learners to this point including school staff and parents and carers.”
Alex Blues – S5 leaver -positive destination with a local building firm, said: “Practical subjects like PE, woodwork and furniture making have been the highlight of my high school experience.
“PE has taught me the value of teamwork while furniture making gave me the chance to develop hands-on skills. Both subjects offered me a chance to grow in confidence. I left school at the end of S5 and have now found employment with a local building firm.
Sneha Gadi – S5 returning to school and hoping to go to university, said: “My time at school has helped me grow into myself, supporting me not only academically but personally too.
“I’ve had many opportunities to explore what I’m interested in and get involved with my community, which has helped my confidence. After school, I’m hoping to study medicine at university and work towards a career where I can make a difference.”
Sam Easton – S5 returning to school and hoping to go to university, said:“I’ve never had a clear idea of what I want to do after school, so I’ve kept my options open, taking on subjects I enjoy in a variety different of areas.
“This year that included Maths, English, Economics, Modern Studies and Art & Design all at Higher level. This year I am hoping to do Maths, Modern Studies and Art & Design at Advanced Higher level.
“Looking forward I would like to go to university and taking Advanced Highers this year would allow me the flexibility to apply to places in England as well.
“I’d like to combine my creativity with a more academic subject if possible and in S6 I will explore how this could be achieved in different courses and opportunities that are on offer.”
Katie – S6 leaver – completed Film and Media NPA and is going on to study at university, said: “I liked that there was lots of choice of subjects and school supported our decisions.
“There were lots of resources and supports available. I’m looking forward to studying film, media and business management at university.”
With Rock ‘n’ Roll stars Oasis arriving in Edinburgh next week, the city council has released advice for residents, businesses, and visitors:
The sold-out shows taking place at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on Friday 8, Saturday 9 and Tuesday 12 August mark the band’s first appearance in the Capital since 2009 and are expected to draw Supersonic crowds of up to 210,000 fans over the three nights.
And we won’t just Roll with it. To keep the city running smoothly for everyone, planning has been underway for some time in collaboration with our partners. There has also been regular engagement with residents, particularly in the Murrayfield area to plan ahead and address any concerns.
As the fans Slide Away, we will be making sure key areas surrounding Murrayfield will be tidied up all three nights after each show. We will be dedicating extra litter collectors for Roseburn Park too.
City of Edinburgh Council Leader Cllr Jane Meagher, said: “Excitement is building in Edinburgh for Oasis Live 25 as it’s our turn to witness rock history. With all of our partners in the city we’ve been planning for this for some time to make sure we’re ready to welcome thousands of Oasis fans over three nights.
“There will be extra trains, trams, and buses to accommodate concert goers, along with those attending our summer festivals. With this in mind we urge you to plan ahead.
“We are keen for everyone to have an enjoyable experience, not only at the show, but on their way before and after. Whilst we relish hosting the biggest and best events and want everyone attending to truly enjoy themselves, it’s important that we remember our residents. We’ve had regular engagement with those living near Murrayfield to plan ahead and address any concerns.
“We ask that visitors are considerate and respectful of them whilst enjoying our fantastic capital city. We’re urging people to only travel to Murrayfield and the surrounding area if you have a ticket.”
To find out more, and for helpful information in the lead-up to the concerts, visit our dedicated events webpage.
As the countdown begins to the introduction of Edinburgh’s visitor levy on 1 October 2025, the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) is expressing serious concerns over the lack of official guidance and support for accommodation providers.
Since the introduction of the short-term let licensing legislation, the ASSC worked tirelessly to support Scottish operators through the transition, offering practical, reliable information and hands-on assistance where government failed to engage.
In 2022, ASSC CEO Fiona Campbell MBE and licensing solicitor Joanna Millar launched a nationwide Regulations Roadshow to help demystify the legislation and empower operators to comply, delivering 26 such events and partnering with many local councils, reaching nearly 10,000 people.
The ASSC also developed a suite of comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions, now in Version 7, which was widely adopted by VisitScotland.
The ASSC had intended to replicate this model – achieved without meaningful support or funding from the Scottish Government – to help operators in advance of the Visitor Levy going live in Edinburgh.
However, with less than 10 weeks to go, this has proved impossible due to the complete absence of guidance from either the Scottish Government or Edinburgh Council.
The outstanding issues include:
No business-specific guidance – only deficient guidance intended for local authorities
No clarity on VAT status
No method of calculation
No confirmed exemptions framework
No timing confirmed for collection (e.g. at booking, on arrival, or departure)
No detail on how the Levy aligns with the Digital Markets Act
A delayed National Portal, not due until March 2026
No consumer-facing communications strategy.
This lack of preparedness raises serious questions about how the scheme can be implemented fairly, consistently, or without negative consequences for businesses.
The ASSC is calling for immediate clarity from both the Scottish Government and City of Edinburgh Council, and remains ready to support a pragmatic and effective rollout of the Visitor Levy – if and when the necessary tools are put in place.
Fiona Campbell MBE, CEO of the ASSC, said: “We were fully prepared to run another national roadshow to support our members and the wider accommodation sector through this significant change – but we simply cannot provide clarity where there is none.
“It is unacceptable that, with just weeks to go, businesses still have no official guidance on the most basic operational aspects of the Visitor Levy. Once again, industry is left to pick up the pieces.
“We are committed to constructive engagement and practical solutions, but we cannot continue to operate in an information vacuum.
“Scotland’s accommodation providers and guests deserve better than this. The clock is ticking and the Scottish Government and Edinburgh Council need to act now.”
Support for Families 
