Tag: Princes Street

Coming of Age: Edinburgh’s Just Festival celebrates 21st year with Bumper Programme

Free to attend programme online and at St. John’s Church, Princes Street from 6th – 30th August

Edinburgh’s social justice and human rights festival is coming of age this summer with its biggest event yet.

Among the headline offerings are a poignant new choral work, No Alleluias: A Requiem for 2020, specially commissioned to celebrate the festival’s 21st birthday and an online appearance by former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen (below) who spent several weeks in intensive care after contracting Covid-19.

Both reflect on the extraordinary experiences faced during the past year and Rosen – “not dead yet,” he says – considers how we can emerge from the pandemic with a more equal future.

Originally established as the Festival of Spirituality and Peace, Just Festival celebrates humanity in all its differences and encourages the exploration of new perspectives in the hope of reducing religious, political and social intolerance.

Festival director Helen Trew says: “The last year has shattered many illusions and laid bare the inequality at the heart of our society.  So, as we come of age, it is time to put our shoulder to the wheel of a better, fairer, inclusive future for us all.”

Running from 6th – 30th August, the festival features a range of innovative events and art installations presented, through a blend of digital discussion and performance plus live audience event, in St John’s Church and the surrounding area.

The No Alleluias requiem, a mix of live and virtual choir,  was inspired by preacher and theologian Rev Dr Karen George Thompson and describes her experience of last Easter Sunday.

Having lost her father to Covid and been infected with the virus herself, she also saw her community suffer and found the uplifting Easter message replaced with melancholy.

The resulting choral work, composed by Anthony Hammond with lyrics by Robert Rae, is an extraordinarily moving piece and will help close this year’s festival.

The programme also includes:

  • a live installation of Peace Cranes when 140,000 origami birds will be positioned throughout St John’s Church as symbols of hope for inter-generational justice and a call for a solution to the nuclear and climate emergencies;
  • Photography under Siege, an exhibition of photographer Mahmoud al Khurd’s images of life in Gaza today and an evening of music and conversation with Northern Irish peace activist Tommy Sands.
  • And the Cabaret of Dangerous ideas returns this year, looking at issues including children’s access to nature and outdoor play, debating whether we need to-re-wild youngsters.

With the exception of the No Alleluias performance, all events are free to attend, although a donation is suggested to support the festival whose main sponsors this year are Elephants in Action, a part of ELE Global, with support from EventScotland, Scotland’s Events Recovery Fund and the Culture & Business Fund Scotland, managed by Arts & Business Scotland. 

Helen Foord, CEO and founder of ELE Global comments: “The team is delighted to be supporting Just Festival again, helping to celebrate 21 fantastic years.

“And we’re proud to be associated with an event whose values of tolerance and encouraging new ways of looking at the world are ever more important in these challenging times.”

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, said: “The Just Festival is a timely event that I am sure will spark engaging debate while offering a welcome return to in-person experiences for audiences alongside its impressive virtual programme and I am delighted that EventScotland has been able to support it through Scotland’s Events Recovery Fund.”

For more information visit https://www.just-festival.org

M&S stores across Edinburgh share plans for retail reopening

·         M&S stores across Edinburgh, including M&S Gyle and M&S Princes Street, get ready to welcome more shoppers back in store as customers look ahead to brighter days

·         New services launched to help customers Shop Their Way – from contact free bra fit to easier payment options

·         Sparks to boost rewards for customers for two weeks from 26th April – one customer every day in every store will win their shopping for free 

With retail reopening across Scotland this week, M&S is sharing how stores across Edinburgh, including M&S Gyle and M&S Princes Street, are set up to offer customers the inspiration and flexibility to Shop Your Way.

M&S has been continually adapting its store experience, offering products and services that local customers want after a year of significant change.

M&S stores across Edinburgh are offering a range of exciting new products and services to make shopping with M&S easier, convenient and more rewarding – from digital payment options to rewards and treats for shopping through our Sparks loyalty programme. All of this supported by standout M&S customer service in a safe and clean store.

M&S Scotland Central and East Regional Manager, Scott Munro, said: “We’re excited to welcome more customers back into our stores and look forward to continuing to serve our local community.

“Whether you’re looking for our latest Dine-In family feast or those must-have wardrobe staples to see you into summer, we have everything to help you Shop Your Way.

“With exciting new services like our contact-free bra fitting and the Scan & Shop service on our Sparks mobile app, we’re supporting customers however they choose to shop. Whether that’s browsing in store or using our click & collect service, our local team is ready to help.”

Shop Your Way: Easy and Rewarding Ways to Pay 

Following the relaunch of the M&S Sparks loyalty scheme in July last year, M&S stores across Edinburgh are marking the return of retail by offering one Sparks customer every single day for two weeks from 26th April, in every store, their whole basket or trolley of shopping for free.

As well as offering regular rewards and treats for shopping through Sparks with M&S, the mobile App also allows customers to shop in store with their phones with the Scan & Shop with Sparks service offering a quick way to pay without using the till. This follows the recent extension of Sparks Book & Shop to help customer plan ahead and book a slot to shop at a time that suits them.

Shop Your Way: Great new services and stand out service  

Outstanding customer service remains and will always be a defining feature of the M&S experience and is a key reason why customers choose to shop with M&S – from the welcoming host on the door and the brilliant operations teams behind the scenes, to the valuable in-store services offered in-store.

Bra Fit

Bra fit is back at M&S including at M&S Princes Street, the Gyle and Fort Kinnaird, allowing customers to choose between a contact-free bra fit from M&S’s expert colleague by appointment or the new option of accessing M&S’s expert service from home via a virtual appointment. M&S virtual bra fit appointments are available for any customers across Scotland.

M&S Gyle is also improving its Bra Fit service by offering customers on-the-spot payment service Pay With Me – so customers can purchase lingerie straight after their appointment from M&S’s expert Bra Fit colleagues without visiting a till.

Click and Collect

More and more customers are looking to take advantage of the flexibility and convenience of shopping with M&S across both its website and their local store. M&S is making this easier by blending these services and offering local customers free next day collection when ordered by 8pm.

M&S Cafés

M&S Cafés, including at M&S Gyle, Fort Kinnaird and Ocean Terminal, are now open as of 26th April.

All customer toilets will also be back open, with strict cleaning protocols in place to ensure the highest levels of hygiene. 

Firefighters tackle blaze at Debenhams on Princes Street

More than 30 firefighters are working to extinguish a large fire at the Debenhams building on Princes Street.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 1.23pm this afternoon to reports of a fire on the ground floor of the building.

Operations Control immediately mobilised four fire engines and an aerial appliance to the scene.

Crews wearing breathing apparatus entered the building where the fire was found to be within the ground and lower ground floor and a further four appliances were mobilised.

No casualties have been reported. Crews remain on the scene and are expected to do so for some time as they work to make the area safe and extinguish the fire.

Witness appeal following Princes Street incident

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was seriously assaulted in the city centre.

The incident happened between 1.40am and 1.55am yesterday (Wednesday, 8 January) at a bus stop on the south side of Princes Street, near Waverley Mall. Continue reading Witness appeal following Princes Street incident

Police seek witnesses following cemetery incident

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses following an assault an attempted robbery in the city centre. The incident happened around 11.45pm on Saturday (23rd February) in the St Cuthbert’s Cemetery, just off Lothian Road.

A 23-year-old man was cutting through the graveyard to catch a bus when a male approached and punched him to the ground before presenting a knife.

An attempt was then made to steal the victim’s rucksack. However, he held on and was assaulted further during the struggle. As a result of this attack, the victim sustained a large cut to his face and other smaller cuts to his hand.

The suspect then made off through the cemetery in the direction of Princes Street.

Officers are investigating this matter as part of Operation Arable and anyone with information is asked to come forward. The suspect is described only as being white, with a scarf covering his face and speaking with a Scottish accent.

Detective Sergeant Mark Lumsden from Gayfield CID said: “Firstly, it is important to stress that crimes of this nature within the city centre are extremely rare and a full investigation is now underway to identify and apprehend the male responsible. 

“While these inquiries are conducted, uniformed officers will provide a high-visibility presence in the area to speak with members of the public, who may have any relevant information, but to also offer reassurance to our communities that we are treating this incident very seriously and working hard to apprehend the suspect.

“If you remember seeing any suspicious activity in the area around the St Cuthbert’s Cemetery late on Saturday evening, then please contact police immediately.

“Likewise, if you have information that can help us trace the suspect then please also get in touch.”

Those with information can contact Gayfield CID via 101 and quote incident number 5489 of the 23rd February. Alternatively, an anonymous report can be made to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police issue CCTV appeal for Princes Street attacker

Police have issued CCTV of a man they wish to trace in connection with an ongoing investigation into an attempted murder in the city centre.

CCTV attempted murder 1

The incident happened around 3.50am on Saturday (1st September) on Princes Street, outside the Sports Direct store. Continue reading Police issue CCTV appeal for Princes Street attacker