Five spots to enjoy delicious seafood in Scotland’s capital

If you are lucky enough to live in Scotland’s capital city, then you are completely spoiled for choice when it comes to eating out. From Michelin starred fine dining and contemporary cuisine through to good old fashioned pub grub, there are many delicious restaurants just waiting to be discovered.

As Scotland’s tourism capital, Edinburgh is a bustling metropolis of different cultures and that’s reflected in its restaurants with every style of food imaginable found on the city’s menus, including a huge array of tempting fish dishes.  

As part of its mission to inspire the nation to eat more seafood, Love Seafood has rounded up some of the best Edinburgh restaurants where locals can tuck into tempting white fish which will have you coming back for more:

White Horse Oyster and Seafood Bar

https://www.whitehorseoysterbar.co.uk/

Spend the day like a tourist and soak up the history and heritage of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and then enjoy a delicious seafood meal at the White Horse Oyster and Seafood Bar which happens to be located in the oldest inn on the Royal Mile.

The restaurant’s small plates are cooked to perfection including the monkfish satay served with sides of seaweed slaw and straw fries which makes for the ultimate combo.

The Fishmarket Newhaven

https://www.thefishmarketnewhaven.co.uk/

If fish and chips are your thing then you have to try the Fishmarket in Newhaven. With roots dating back to the 18th century, The Fishmarket offers up some of the finest fish and chips on the east coast.

No ordinary chippy, the family run business serves fish and chips with flare and is renowned for a gourmet cooked-to-order experience, using only the freshest local catch. Crispy haddock served in the takeaway’s signature batter has kept this eatery a firm favourite with locals and tourists alike.  If eating on the go isn’t your thing, give their adjoining restaurant a try.

Teuchters Landing

In the popular shore area of Leith, Teuchters Landing is renowned for its great food, whisky hoopla and large outdoor terrace. Serving comfort food at its finest, this relaxed pub is known for its welcoming atmosphere and range of excellent seafood dishes.

Alongside standard plates are a range of dishes served in mugs, including two very Scottish options made using delicious smoked haddock – Cullen Skink (creamy smoked haddock soup) and Kedgeree (curried smoked haddock risotto). Can’t decide which to try? Why not have a small mug of each.

The Mussel Inn

Sandwiched between Edinburgh’s two most prominent streets, Princes Street and George Street, The Mussel Inn is a true hidden gem.

An award-winning establishment, this restaurant is the perfect place to experiment with new seafood dishes. Alongside their epic selection of mussels, we’d also recommend the whitebait served with roasted red pepper and garlic dip and seabass served with a chorizo and butter bean cassoulet.

Booking in advance is recommended as this restaurant is only open Thursday – Sunday and we don’t want you to be disappointed. 

Ondine

https://www.ondinerestaurant.co.uk/

If far-away flavours are your thing then look no further than Ondine in Edinburgh’s old town. Famed for its strong sea to plate ethos, Ondine is one of the city’s most famous seafood restaurants.

Try the classic fish soup enhanced with North African flavours of pungent saffron and oranges and a Harissa based Rouille or the spiced monkfish with Bhata aubergine which will take your taste sensations to a whole new level.

So if you’re inspired by some of these delicious sounding dishes then why not treat yourself to a fish feast at one of these fabulous restaurants on your doorstep.

Cook and Share to tackle loneliness in Scotland

Brand new campaign from Soil Association Food for Life

A brand new campaign from the Soil Association aims to tackle food insecurity and loneliness, starting this World Food Day on 16th October.

Anyone can take part in Cook and Share Month and hundreds of events are expected to take place across the UK. From Edinburgh to Inverclyde, people will be cooking and, you guessed it, sharing food in their local communities between 16th October and 16th November 2021.

Preparing and eating food is a great way to bring down barriers, so the organisers are encouraging people from all walks of life to take part.

Community groups, schools, children’s centres, faith groups and more will be getting busy in the kitchen and making food to share with each other, and with their local area, both remotely and in person where it’s safe to do so.

Need funding? Grants of £150 are available to help people get their cooking events off the ground, provided by Food for Life Get Togethers (FFLGT), a Soil Association programme funded by the National Lottery.

More details are below.

So why should we share our food?

Research has revealed that the more often people eat with others the more likely they are to feel happy and satisfied with their lives. Yet this year we have seen loneliness rise, exacerbating social problems that were already there.

The Office of National Statistics has published a report saying that loneliness in adults has increased during the pandemic by almost a third. From October 2020 to February 2021, results from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN) showed that 7.2% of the adult population (about 3.7 million adults) felt lonely ‘often’ or ‘always’. This is an increase of 1.1 million people since the first UK lockdown in 2020.

Many people have become more isolated as a result of social distancing measures, which can have negative effects on mental and physical wellbeing. Holding a Food for Life ‘Get Together’ is a tried and tested way for people to connect with others in their local communities, through good food, safely.

In a recent survey of Get Together organisers, nearly 90% either agreed or strongly agreed that their activities created new friendships or developed friendships. More than 90% of Get Together organisers also agreed or strongly agreed that these activities supported people’s health and wellbeing.

Helen Browning, CEO of the Soil Association says: “The month is about using the power of great food to bring us together. At the Soil Association, we know that food has got to be good for us, and good for nature and the climate too.

“It has never been more important to create meaningful connections. We have seen over the past year that feeling connected to others is absolutely essential to good health and wellbeing. Food is one of our best ways to unite across barriers – whether that’s the garden fence, cultural or generational divides.”

Dale Cranshaw, Head of Food for Life Get Togethers adds: “Half of the UK population feel that Britain is more divided than ever before. To build stronger communities that can stand up to some of the urgent health, climate and nature crises of our time we need to get together.

“Cooking and sharing food is one of the best tools you have to bring people from different backgrounds or generations together. If you want to bring your community together you can do something about it this month by cooking, and sharing food that’s good for people and planet with your community.”

How can people take part?

Anyone can sign up for free on the website.

There are a range of resources available, helping organisers to cook easy, healthy recipes from scratch. Choose your favourite, from an Eritrean Daal to a simple, home-made bread roll. 

Find the perfect recipe.

The charity are also providing grants of £150 to help people get their cooking events off the ground. 

Find out more here. 

An important part of Cook and Share month is helping people to cook from scratch, which has health benefits and often has a lower carbon footprint than alternative ultra-processed foods.

For more information, read the Soil Association Report on Ultra-processed Foods.

After a year of isolation and worry, it is more important than ever that we connect with the people around us. Whether you’re dishing up daal, sharing a sarnie or passing round the pasta, food is a great way to break down barriers and bring people together.

East Lothian mum signs deal to have her Spice Pots stocked in Aldi

East Lothian based Spice Pots are the latest product to hit Aldi’s shelves for Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight.  The tasty and simple to use spice mixes feature in all 96 Aldi stores in Scotland since the 5th September.

The annual campaign, launched on 4th September, celebrates the unbeatable larder which Scotland produces, and, in support of the industry, Aldi Scotland is showcasing its largest ever special-buy range of Scottish produce.

Included in this range are Spice Pots’ Dry Spice Blend in Tandoori Masala (£1.49, 40g) or Bhuna (£1.49, 40g),which are on sale from 5th September. The Dry Spice Blends are a mix of herbs, spices and ground ingredients designed to add a punch of flavour to any meal. After enjoying success in independent shops in the Lothians and beyond, the simple, healthy and tasty curry blends will be available throughout Aldi Scotland’s 96 stores while stocks last.

Founder, Melanie Auld, began the business back in 2014 after being inspired by the Indian chefs and mothers who taught her how to cook authentic curries during her time travelling and working in Chennai, India.

Melanie believes simplicity and ease is the most effective way to encourage people to eat and cook diverse and healthy foods, and with each blend developed from her own culinary experience, she is sure that Spice Pots will be every busy family’s saviour in the kitchen.

She said: “I’m an advocate for making it easy – take the short-cut. If you can do it in one pan – then do it in one pan. The idea for Spice Pots came from watching the amazing mothers and chefs I was staying with in Chennai cook for their families and friends, but it wasn’t until I was a mother myself that I realised the complexity of cooking balanced and varied meals for others.

“I had three very small children and nothing but my creativity and a tiny kitchen when it all began in 2014. From then until now the only thing that has really changed is that I have a team who are as passionate as I am, and we have the capacity to grow and bring Spice Pots to a wider market thanks to retailers such as Aldi Scotland.

“As part of our mission to make dinner time easier, we also provide our customers with recipes, instructions and inspirations for how to use their Spice Pots to complement the seasonal produce available at that time in Scotland.  I am proud to be working with a retailer which really embodies my own mission to provide top quality, delicious and local products without all the fuss.”

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland said: “Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight is one of the biggest dates in our calendar, allowing us to put the spotlight fully on our fantastic collection of Scottish producers. 

Working with Melanie and her team to offer these tasty and simple to use Spice Pots has been a pleasure and I am sure our customers will enjoy cooking up a storm with them. 

This year, we are excited to bring our largest ever Specialbuy range of Scottish sourced produce, which will truly highlight the diversity, creativity and passion of our local suppliers.”

Aldi Scotland’s Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight range will be in stores from 2nd September 2021, adding 46 products to its shelves in celebration of Scotland’s natural larder. Aldi currently stocks over 450 products from 90 suppliers and aims to reach 500 products within the next 2 years.  

You can find your nearest Aldi here.  

It’s Good to Grow: Morrisons reconnects children with nature

– It’s Good To Grow scheme will see in-store and online spending rewarded by giving gardening equipment and seeds to UK schoolchildren –

– Move to encourage children to eat fruit and vegetables as 70 per cent are more likely to eat produce that they have grown themselves –

Morrisons has launched ‘It’s Good To Grow’, a campaign in all of its stores that will donate gardening equipment to schoolchildren across the UK in the hope of educating kids about where their food comes from.

The scheme will see customers gain one ‘It’s Good to Grow’ token in their My Morrisons account via the app and website for every £10 that is spent in store or online, which can then be donated to any school to redeem equipment such as gardening tools, composting bins and seeds to get growing. 

The National Food Strategy, published earlier this year, outlined the need for the UK to improve dietary health whilst protecting the environment, warning that a failure to do so could lead to obesity costing the NHS £15 billion by 2035.

Morrisons hopes the initiative will help build a connection between kids and healthy food by making school children more aware of the journey of food from field to fork.

New research by YouGov on behalf of Morrisons has found that some children aged six to 15 do not have a good understanding of how fruits and vegetables are grown.

For example, only 34 per cent correctly identified how asparagus is grown, with 32 per cent stating that asparagus is grown underground and 21 per cent saying they don’t know how it is grown. This highlights a need to show kids how food is grown to help them eat better now and in the future.

Being Britain’s biggest foodmaker, Morrisons is empowering children to connect with the natural world for them to better understand what they are putting into their bodies. Giving children the tools and knowledge needed can help develop better dietary habits – with research finding that out of 1,115 children surveyed aged six to 15, 70 per cent are more likely to eat produce that they have grown and cared for themselves.

Over half (56 per cent) of the children aged six to 10 in the UK are not currently eating their recommended amount of fruit and vegetables each day. The Morrisons scheme aims to build a closer relationship between children and fruit and vegetables so they can see that it can be easy and inexpensive to grow their own produce once they have the necessary skills.

Rachel Eyre, Chief Customer & Marketing Officer at Morrisons, said: “We’re really proud of the work that we do for British food and with British farmers. It’s great to be able to launch a campaign that will give our youngest customers the knowledge and equipment to gain a better understanding about where food comes from and how to grow it.

“We want children to engage with nature as it will help them to start eating more healthily now and in the future, because they are more likely to eat fruit and vegetables when they understand them or have grown them themselves.”

‘It’s Good To Grow’ aims to transform 14,000 schools in Britain into Morrisons Growing Schools by giving children additional educational resources to demonstrate the importance of improving their health, whilst making use of their environment.

This is the latest initiative introduced by Morrisons that aims to encourage a sustainable future and follows wider business commitments such as pledging to be completely supplied by net zero emission British farms by 2030 and committing to the Peas Please initiative, run by the Food Foundation, to encourage customers to eat more vegetables.

Download the My Morrisons app via the App Store and Google Play to start earning ‘It’s Good to Grow’ tokens that can be donated to schools for them to redeem gardening equipment. 

For more information visit: https://www.itsgoodtogrow.co.uk .

The average UK family throws away £350 of food waste each year


Are you chucking away a pound every day?

Roast dinners, strawberries and cream, fish and chips – the UK is clearly a nation of food lovers. But new figures show that we are also a nation of food wasters, with the average family throwing away around £350 of food each year.

Divert.co.uk, the food waste collection company that hates waste, thinks that it’s time for the UK to stop throwing away so much food and find new ways to use up all of our produce.

“There are 28 million households in the UK, throwing the equivalent of a pound’s worth of food away every day,” says Mark Hall, spokesman for Divert.co.uk. “We did the maths – that’s over TEN BILLION POUNDS annually.

“Think of how many needy people we could feed with that.”

Crunching the numbers on wasted food

The UK throws away over 9 ½ billion tonnes of food waste a year, enough to fill up the Royal Albert Hall 190 times over.

That’s a total of each household throwing away nearly 2kg of food each day.

And of this waste, 41% of it is thrown away because it wasn’t used in time, 28% because of personal preferences, and 25% of waste is unwanted leftovers.

With this much surplus food being produced and sold across the UK, it’s hard to believe that the numbers of people living in poverty and going hungry are increasing – especially when there’s enough food to go around.

But unfortunately, 8.4 million people in the UK are currently living in food poverty, which is where individuals or families are unable to access or afford food – a circumstance which can be triggered by a personal or financial crisis.

The Trussell Trust, a charity that aim to stop UK hunger, handed out 2.5 million emergency food parcels between April 2020 and March 2021, a 33% increase on the previous year – and 980,000 of these were for children.

Hall: “If we can make the most of what we have across the UK as a collective and find a way to redistribute the good food that is wasted to those that are hungry, we can prevent this unjust behaviour of allowing people to starve when so much is thrown away.

“We’re not a poor country, just a little collective thought will make everything so much better.”

Luckily, there are organisations and charities who are already getting stuck in to make sure good food finds its way to those who need it instead of ending up in the bin.

FareShare – who redistribute surplus food to those in need – provide enough food to create nearly 1 million meals for vulnerable people each week.

The real junk food project – is an organisation that uses food that would otherwise have been discarded from supermarkets, restaurants, and other independent food suppliers to produce meals that are sold on a pay what you want basis

Hall: “We need to expand on this incredible work to make sure it reaches more people, and really tackle the food waste crisis that is drowning the UK under mountains of rotting produce.”

Make your food go further

If like many others up and down the country you are guilty of throwing away perfectly good food, there are plenty of things you can do to try and minimise how much goes in the bin.

Why not try meal planning so you are only buying exactly what you need for the week and try cooking things in bulk and freezing excess portions for easy dinners?

Or you could get creative with new dishes to use up food approaching its use-by date, such as chucking everything into a stir fry, or a everything-but-the-kitchen-sink casserole.

Another simple trick is to make sure you are storing your food correctly to make sure it lasts as long as possible.

Hall: “I didn’t realise until recently that foods like bananas and apples shouldn’t be stored near each other or other fruits and vegetables, because they are highly gaseous and speed up how quickly foods begin to rot.

“You can also use lemon juice to keep cut avocados fresh and put paper towels under leafy greens to make them last longer.”

Finally, look at local charities and organisations to see if there are any ways you can donate food that will not be eaten before it perishes, or try to offer it to friends or neighbours.

So all is not lost, and you can save money and reduce your waste just by planning ahead and getting savvy with the food you already have.

Hall: “But the best tip I can give you is to never go food shopping when you’re hungry – last time I ended up leaving the supermarket with everything for a barbeque and then it rained all week.

“Greed gets the better of us – buy less, make it go further.”

Meat your heart out!

– Made fresh in-store on Morrisons Market Street Pizza Counters for just £2.89 –
– Toppings include onion rings, smoky bacon, Monterey jack cheese, spicy beef, jalapeños, mozzarella and Red’s dirty burger sauce –
– Made to share with family or friends on a night in –

Morrisons has combined two of the nation’s favourite takeaway foods in an ultimate pizza mashup. 

Available now, Morrisons new Dirty Burger Pizza brings together the best bits of a truly indulgent burger on a 10 inch stonebaked pizza base. 

Priced at just £2.89, the new Dirty Burger Pizza is perfect for sharing with friends as a treat on a night in. 

It is topped with onion rings, smoky bacon, Monterey jack cheese, spicy beef, jalapeños, dollops of Red’s dirty burger sauce and finished with a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. 

Research conducted by YouGov earlier this year revealed that pizza is the most popular takeaway for under 24s, with almost a quarter (23%) saying it was their treat of choice. 

Morrisons limited-edition Dirty Burger Pizza, will help customers enjoy their favourite treat, for a fraction of the cost of similar pizzas from other high street chains. 

Leanne Cory, Pizza Buyer at Morrisons, said: “We know our customers love both burgers and pizzas and we’ve had loads of fun coming up with this new limited edition on our Market Street counter. At less than three pounds, all our customers can enjoy this delicious treat, even on a budget.” 

The Dirty Burger Pizza is available now from Morrisons Market Street Pizza Counter and will be made fresh in store by Morrisons foodmakers every day until Sunday 19th September. 

For more information, visit www.morrisons.co.uk.

Music to Your Ears: celebration as Bross Bagels teams up with Jackpot Peanut Butter

Two pioneering food brands have joined forces to shine a light on grassroots music venues, while celebrating a classic food combination of bagels and peanut butter.

This weekend, (Saturday 4th – Sunday 5th September), Bross Bagels will reveal the first in a range of limited-edition bagels, which will hero purpose-led brand Jackpot’s unique peanut butter, which ranges from their original to the more creative twists including raspberry, wasabi and cookies ‘n’ cream.

Bross Bagels will launch a new limited-edition bagel every weekend throughout September, with profits from the bagels going towards national charity, Music Venue Trust, which supports and endorses local UK music culture.  The partnership will help raise funds and support for grassroots music venues at a time of need for music, culture, artists, their teams and crew. 

With the aim of celebrating grassroots music venues across the country, each limited-edition peanut butter bagel will be inspired by music and performance and named after a famous song or lyrics. 

The bagels will be available at the Portobello, Leith and Bruntsfield Bross Bagels shops across Edinburgh, every weekend throughout September.

The partnership aims to celebrate a classic food combination, while shining a light on grassroots music culture, a sector that has like many, been significantly impacted by the pandemic.  The collaboration is a unique celebration of culture, music and independent venues, subjects close to the hearts of both brands.

Jackpot Peanut Butters will also be available to buy in all Bross Bagels shops throughout September, with a donation from the sale of each of the limited-edition bagels and Jackpot Peanut Butter pots going toward Music Venue Trust. 

Launched in 2015, Jackpot Peanut Butter is an all-natural, traditional American peanut butter made in the UK – not dissimilar to Bross Bagels, who present authentic Montreal style bagels, made in Edinburgh.

The limited-edition bagels will kick off tomorrow (Saturday 4th September) with the (I can’t get no) Satay-Faction – a sesame seed Bross bagel filled with hot smoked salmon, Jackpot Peanut Butter, Bross’ infamous frickles, shrettuce, fresh chilli, coriander, and Mama Bross’ rock sauce.

Since the brand launched in 2017, Bross Bagels has been committed to working with other independent brands who are equally dedicated to their craft, and traditional production methods, while giving them a modern twist.

Commenting on the latest collaboration, Bross Bagels founder Larah Bross said; “We’re always looking for ways to work with other brands who have a similar commitment to their craft that we do.  When we came across Jackpot Peanut Butter, we felt there was a real synergy in our purpose, passions and love of good food and music that bring people together.

“Bross Bagels was founded on the joy of sharing foods that conjure up memories.  For me growing up, there was nothing that couldn’t be fixed with a bagel – especially a peanut butter and jelly bagel!  We all have our comfort foods – and they’re comforting because food connects us to one another. 

“Music conjures up the same sense of memory, belonging and connection, which is why we’re proud to be supporting both Jackpot and the Music Venue Trust.  And we had a hole lot of fun creating the new bagel recipes and names!”

Rupert Leigh, Creator and MD of Jackpot Peanut Butter said; “Bagels and Peanut Butter is a winning combination, as are music and food.  Never has there been a more important time to support grassroots music venues, and we’re thrilled to be able to work in collaboration with Larah and the Bross Bagels team to continue to support and nurture the culture of music.

“The sale of the bagels and Jackpot peanut butter pots will be donated to the Music Venue Trust, helping to support that next generation of music makers and fans – helping them grow and continue to entertain, and will highlight the need to look after and invest in our music culture.” 

For more information visit www.brossbagels.com

Scotch Malt Whisky Society celebrates annual Gathering with full lineup of UK-wide events

The world’s most entertaining whisky club honours its members in style with events and tastings across the UK for their annual September Gathering

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) celebrates its annual September Gathering by showcasing a range of whisky tasting events across its signature UK venues.

Throughout the month the Society is hosting a series of events for members and non-members, with one exciting activation every weekend across each of their four UK locations; Glasgow, London, Edinburgh Queen Street, and The Vaults, Leith.

The Gathering 2021 launches at The Vaults on Friday, 4September and ends with a virtual tasting on Thursday, 30 September.

As part of the Gathering, the Society has partnered with Linn Products, creators of some of the world’s finest music systems.

Founded in Glasgow in 1973, Linn goes to extremes to pursue musical perfection and designs and manufactures premium music systems that bring consumers closer to the music that they love.

The partnership will feature Linn Lounges at Society’s London and Glasgow venues, offering both members and non-members the opportunity to taste whisky whilst enjoying music from some of the worlds most decorated bands.

Other key events in this year’s programme include The Gathering’s take over at Glasgow’s WEST Brewery, which includes a three-course dinner and a five-dram tasting event hosted by Master Ambassador, John McCheyne and, a spectacular festival of whisky in Edinburgh’s Queen Street Gardens, featuring dram bars, culinary delights from local producers and a live DJ performance from long-standing BBC radio presenter, Vic Galloway.

Helen Stewart, Head of Marketing and Membership at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, said: “For this year’s Gathering we have taken advantage of our four stunning Members’ Rooms to celebrate the love of whisky with our members.

“The 2021 Gathering line-up features a wealth of exciting events, which encourages our members to share their passion for whisky and offers the chance for new guests to explore the Society’s flavour profiles and what our Members’ Rooms have to offer.

“From a colourful festival of music and whisky to dram tastings and Society suppers, each occasion is incredibly unique and this year we look forward to welcoming our members and their guests to this annual celebration of our whisky community.”

For members ‘afar’ there will also be an immersive programme of home entertainment and virtual tastings, to bring ‘the spirit of The Vaults’ to members, no matter where they are.

Joe Rodger, Linn International Brand Manager, added: “The parallels between good whisky and good music run more than skin deep. Music is the soundtrack to the best times of our lives, and when it’s done right, we savour the difference.

“We are both proud and excited to be partnering with the SMWS. The meticulous focus on quality and provenance of Scotch whisky aligns beautifully with our own mission; we know our music systems are in good company, alongside whisky, as Scotland’s finest exports.”

For details on all the events and to buy tickets, visit: https://cutt.ly/SMWS-The-Gathering-2021

September Gathering Programme

Edinburgh, The Vaults – 4th September:

  • 4th September – The Gathering in the Courtyard. Members will  have the opportunity to purchase a ticket for a tasting session throughout the day. These include a rum tasting with Society ambassador Olaf Meier and an in-depth tasting session featuring this year’s Gathering exclusive releases hosted by The Vault’s own Dean M.

Edinburgh, Queen Street – 11th September:

  • 11th September – Gathering in the Gardens. For an extra £20, members will be able to take part in a signature one hour Gathering tasting masterclass, taking place at 3.30 pm and 7.00 pm.

London, Greville Street – 17th September – 18th September

  • 17th September and 18th September – Greville Street: Linn Lounge – Fleetwood Mac Whisky and Music Experience.

Glasgow, Bath Street – 24th – 25th September

  • 22nd September – Bath Street: Linn Lounge – Led Zeppelin Whisky and Music Experience.
  • 25th September – The Gathering goes West.
  • 29th September – Bath Street: Linn Lounge – Pink Floyd Whisky and Music Experience.

For more information about The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Membership click here.

Community Renewal Fun Day at Bingham Park this Saturday

Community Renewal Lifting Neighbourhood Together is a ground-breaking project, which is currently testing a new approach in lifting a whole neighbourhood out of poverty in five years. It has received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund and is being delivered in Bingham, Magdalene and The Hays.

The official launch took place in October 2020. However, lockdowns and Covid safety measures stalled the team’s visits to the local residents, so they have decided to host a fun day and picnic to officially launch the project to the community.

The event will take place at Bingham Park on Sat 4 September 1 – 3pm

During the day, residents will enjoy family friendly events, entertainment and much more. And along the way, the team will be talking to residents to find out more about their aspirations for the neighbourhood.

All residents from Bingham Magdalene and The Hays are welcome.

Food Festival comes to Dalkeith Country Park for the first time

The Great British Food Festival is back this year and is visiting Dalkeith Country Park near Edinburgh for the first time on the 11th and 12th September. The event runs all weekend from 10am-5pm.

After missing 2020 because of the pandemic, the organisers say they can’t wait to be back doing events and are looking forward to bringing their food festival to the area for the first time.

Dan Maycock, one of the organising team said: “Tickets have been selling really well and we are really looking forward to a fantastic foodie weekend”.

Dan added that there is a lot for all the family: “we have lots of great food and drink, chef demos and talks but also forager walks, kids entertainment and great live music, and free parking with your festival ticket.”

The fantastic live music has a play list packed full of local bands and artists, so you can do some shopping, grab some food and then have a well-earned relax with a local beer listening to some great live entertainment all within the beautiful grounds at Dalkeith Country Park.

The events is the perfect recipe for a fun, foodie day out where the whole family ‘bubble’ can get together, visit www.greatbritishfoodfestival.com for more details and tickets (some time slots are now sold out, so book quick!).