The majority of Edinburgh’s libraries will be open this month as part of a phased plan for reopening essential services in the city.
In total 11 venues will offer a variety of services as they open up from next Monday (7th June).
A number of libraries – Central (including the Children’s Library), Drumbrae, Kirkliston, McDonald Road, Wester Hailes, Stockbridge and Gilmerton – are all currently open. Craigmillar and Fountainbridge are being used as short-term community asymptomatic testing centres but will thereafter return to use as libraries.
The timetable for the phased reopening of further libraries is:
Monday 7 June
Currie
Piershill
South Queensferry
Balgreen
Colinton
Monday 14 June
Morningside
Moredun
a mobile library at Ratho (contact/collect only)
Balerno will be open for contact/collect and bus pass applications support.
Thursday 17 June
Blackhall
Thursday24 June
Portobello
It is hoped that the city’s remaining libraries will reopen again as soon as possible after these dates.
A number of libraries (Leith, Newington, Oxgangs and the library in Gate 55 at Wester Hailes) are temporarily being used as community covid-19 testing centres until at least late Autumn.Other libraries may be needed as short-term asymptomatic testing centres over the coming weeks and months.
To browse and borrow books, use a public computer, apply for a National Entitlement Card (bus pass) or collect hearing aid batteries visits will need to be booked online or by phoning the library direct.
There’s no need to reserve a slot if you’re return your books or picking up Hey Girls sanitary products. Social distancing measures are in place including face coverings being mandatory.
Culture and Communities Convener Cllr Donald Wilson said: “It’s great to see more libraries opening their doors across the city as they are invaluable resources for local communities. Our phased plan means we have been able to reopen them in a measured and cautious way to ensure everyone’s safety.
“Our plans will see a further 11 venues open for a variety of services. Although a number of other libraries are currently covid-19 testing centres I want to assure everyone that they will revert to fully functioning libraries.
“I want to thank all the hard work and efforts from our library and cleaning teams who continue to work tirelessly to get our libraries open and ensure they are safe to use.”
Culture and Communities Vice Convener Cllr Amy McNeese-Mechan said: “I’m delighted that we’re going to see more libraries open next week as we welcome our people back into their local spaces. They are much-loved hubs which bring our communities together and are essential for supporting the wellbeing of our citizens.
“We really appreciate everyone’s support and patience over recent months as we put in place our phased plans and thanks must go to the fantastic work of all the Council staff who have made this possible.
“The measured approach demonstrates our commitment and recognition of the importance of public libraries in this, the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature.”
After years of planning and specialist conservation work, the National Trust for Scotland’s Newhailes House has opened its doors for the first time since 2018. The conservation charity has also introduced a brand-new visitor experience inside the house and opened new catering facilities on the estate.
The Palladian Villa, which was forced to close its doors in February 2018 due to a sprinkler system malfunction and a moth infestation, is a house frozen in time, with original furnishings and possessions from more than 300 years of inhabitants.
The house has undergone a programme of restoration work to be able to welcome visitors again and the stable block on the estate has been refurbished to create a new welcome centre and café. Visitors can also enjoy Weehailes Playpark and The Dairy – a brand new takeaway ice cream parlour and coffee shop.
The dairy premises once provided milk, cream and butter for all that lived and worked on the estate, and today visitors can enjoy a selection of ice creams, cakes, old-fashioned sweets and hot and cold drinks. In addition to The Dairy, Newhailes is now home to the Stables café, with outdoor and indoor seating and serving up breakfast, lunch and an array of delicious cakes and pastries.
The team at Newhailes have developed three brand new visitor tours, one of which can now be pre-booked on www.nts.org.uk.
The first tour explores the last 150 years of habitation at Newhailes and the Trust’s role in saving the house and estate for future generations to enjoy.
The second tour sheds further light on the property, telling the tales behind the art collections and objects in the house. The final tour is targeted at families and explores the home through storytelling and is suitable for those with young children.
Claire Grant, Operations Manager for Edinburgh, said: “We’ve been taking steps to revitalise Newhailes since before 2018 and plans were further delayed when the pandemic hit. We wanted to create a new experience that the local community could enjoy, in addition to offering a good quality food and drink experience.
“We’re really excited to be welcoming visitors back to Newhailes House after what has been a very long period of closure and we hope they enjoy some of our new additions, like our Dairy and Stables Café. So many people love this place, and we’re really pleased to be able to welcome visitors from near and far back once again.
“All of our properties across Edinburgh and the Lothians have been making visits as safe as possible. Pre-booking is in place at a few sites and there are smaller groups for house tours. We’d highly recommend booking your slot to Newhailes in advance to avoid any disappointment.”
Newhailes House is open for the 20th century tour Wednesday to Sunday, the Dairy is open 10am-5pm, the Stables Café and shop are open 9am-5pm and Weehailes Playpark is open 10am-5pm, with last entry at 4 pm.
Public toilets at six popular hotspots in and around Edinburgh are set to reopen from Monday for the first time since the pandemic began.
Final operational and safety checks are being carried out to bring the toilets at the following locations back into use in the week beginning Monday 31 May subject to approval from group leaders on the Council:
Bath Street, Portobello
Hamilton Place, Stockbridge
Lauriston Castle
Harlaw Visitor Centre
West Princes Street Gardens
Winter Gardens, Saughton Park
At the same time as finalising plans to reopen the above existing toilets, Council officers are hard at work making final arrangements to safely install new temporary toilets in three locations as early as possible next month.
The new facilities will be in place until the end of September and are likely to be sited in premier parks with especially high footfall. Each location will include male and female toilets as well as an accessible toilet. Though temporary in nature, the toilets need to be connected to key services (sewer, water and electricity), so they need to be installed close to existing facilities.
Separately, Pentland Hills Regional Park has applied for external funding via NatureScot’s Better Places Green Recovery Fund to install temporary toilets at Threipmuir, Bonaly and Harlaw.
And it is hoped the Council’s remaining permanent public toilets (namely Colinton, Castle Terrace, Castle Hill, Taylor Gardens, High Street South Queensferry and Nicolson Square) will be reopened in late June or early July, in line with public health guidance.
Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “Taken all together there will soon be 12 more places to safely spend a penny when you’re spending time enjoying our beautiful parks, beaches and green spaces across Edinburgh. It’s fantastic that we’ll shortly be able to reopen several permanent public toilets again, as well as bring new temporary facilities to key hotspots.
“We want everyone to be able to relax and make the most of our wonderful outdoor spaces so having these toilets open will be extremely welcome I’m sure. And work’s continuing so that we can get all our permanent toilet facilities operational again as soon as possible over the summer, in line with public health guidance.
Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said:“It’s great to know you don’t need to worry about being caught short when visiting our most popular outdoor destinations thanks to the new temporary toilets and our reopening of six key permanent facilities.
“With summer around the corner, we want to make sure our beautiful ‘great outdoors’ stays as beautiful and accessible as possible, so everyone can benefit.”
On the basis that funding can be identified, the plan is to build new permanent public toilets in popular parks such as Inverleith and to upgrade existing facilities in premier parks to meet modern hygiene standards.
The Dominion Cinema, Edinburgh Filmhouse, Edinburgh-based touring cinema operator INDY Cinema Group and cinemas all over the country, Scotland’s local independent cinemas and operators are re-opening their doors and welcoming cinema goers from today, Monday 17 May 2021, and over the coming weeks and months.
The re-opening is being supported with an additional £1.98million Scottish Government support for 29* independent cinemas and one touring operator through Screen Scotland’s Independent Cinema Recovery and Resilience Fund.
Meanwhile, every precaution is being taken to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience including spaced seating, enhanced cleaning, fresh air ventilated screens, more opportunities to pre-book online and distanced queuing and foyer spacing.
There is a fantastic schedule of releases hitting the big screen over the coming weeks and months with audiences able to catch Oscar Winning films The Sound of Metal and Nomadland in all their glory on the big screen when they are released today, Monday 17 May, the Black Widow blockbuster and BAFTA-nominated Limbo(from Scottish-based filmmakers Director Ben Sharrock and producer Irune Gurtubai) landing in July and Edinburgh will also be coming to the big screen when it plays a starring role in Fast and Furious 9, also due for release in the summer.
Ken HayCEO of CMI(Edinburgh Filmhouse) said: “We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Filmhouse and Belmont Filmhouse when we reopen our doors on the 31st of May.
“Seven months of darkness are finally coming to an end and the magic of the communal cinema experience is coming back.”
Sambrooke Scott, Head of Audience Development at Screen Scotlandsaid: “The COVID crisis has presented independent cinemas with one of the toughest challenges ever faced.
“As restrictions ease and hope grows, Screen Scotland would like to pay particular tribute to the passionate, dedicated staff who are working hard to ensure the safe return of the big-screen experience.
“Cinemas are magical, transportive places where we come together to experience stories that move us, thrill us and excite us. Cinema goers are eager to enjoy the big screen and support in the recovery of the cinemas they love, and Screen Scotland will continue to work tirelessly to support cinemas return and further growth.”
The latest survey results – commissioned by the Film Distributors Association – confirm that the UK public is more eager than ever to return to cinemas, with 59% citing the cinema as their most missed out-of-home entertainment activity, with 40% of audiences planning to return within the first few weeks after reopening and a further 36% within the first couple of months.
The research also confirmed that lockdown over the last year has reignited audiences’ passion for seeing films on the big screen, with those who have digitally rented or purchased films highlighted as the most likely to return to the cinema as soon as they reopen.
The encouraging findings also confirm two thirds of respondents favouring the spectacular big screen experience, immersive sound, special effects, that only cinema can offer.
With the wide-reaching safety measures in place to protect the health and safety of staff and audiences. 93% of cinemagoers who returned last year enjoyed an overwhelmingly positive experience, and 99% were satisfied with the health and safety measures at their local cinema.
Following 12 months of lockdowns and restrictions, the survey further endorsed how well-loved cinemagoing is. Past research has consistently proved that cinemas provide vital support for the health and well-being of our communities. Getting out of the house and watching a film on the big screen allows us to escape and immerse ourselves in another world, if only for a few hours.
Phil Clapp, Chief Executive at UK Cinema Associationsaid: “We are delighted that cinemas in Scotland and across much of the UK will from today be once again able to welcome audiences back. At this time more than ever, we know how much local communities value their local cinemas.
“Our own audience research, but also the many messages of support and encouragement received by our members, confirm that many people have missed the big screen more than anything during lockdown and every cinema venue in Scotland has been working hard in recent weeks to ensure that when allowed to re-open they will be able to offer the safest and most enjoyable experience possible.”
Follow the campaign on social media via #BackToTheCinema or #LoveCinema and visit:
Edinburgh’s City Art Centre is to re-open its doors to the public on Saturday 12th September 2020 with a full range of new safety measures in place to ensure the safety of visitors and staff.
The gallery reopens with two new exhibitions, City Art Centre at 40: Highlights from the City’s Art Collection marking the City Art Centre’s 40th anniversary and Bright Shadows: Scottish Art in the 1920s.
Having first opened its doors on 15th August 1980, heralded as combining; ‘Scotland’s largest air-conditioned fine art exhibition space, with specialist environmental and security facilities … a must for the display of world masterpieces’ – the City Art Centre celebrated its 40th anniversary last month (15th August).
As the gallery doors reopen and to mark the anniversary, the City Art Centre is mounting a special ‘highlights’ exhibition, City Art Centre at 40: Highlights from the City’s art collection from the City’s collection of Scottish art.
Widely recognized as being one of the finest in the country, the City’s collection numbers over 5,000 artworks ranging from some of the earliest views of Edinburgh to works by many of Scotland’s leading contemporary artists. Visitors will be able to see artworks by major historical figures such as Allan Ramsay, the pioneer photographers Hill and Adamson, and the Scottish Colourists, as well as contemporaries such as John Byrne, Alison Watt and Adrian Wiszniewski.
Bright Shadows: Scottish Art in the 1920s a new exhibition exploring the work of Scottish artists during the 1920s – an evocative period of social, political and economic change also opens on the 12th September as visitors are welcomed back to the gallery as it reopens.
The forthcoming exhibitions mark the public re-opening of the venue on 12th September. In keeping with Government advice in order to protect and maintain the safety of our visitors and staff, the City Art Centre has introduced a range of new safety measures and procedures throughout the venue, including a one way system, installation of screens at reception, hand sanitiser stations, extra barriers and signage and staff will of course be wearing masks while offering visitors a very warm, socially distanced welcome.
Visitors are asked wear face coverings and to pre-book free tickets for allocated time slots in advance via edinburghmuseums.org.uk
City Art Centre at 40
Over the past 40 years the City Art Centre has housed over 500 exhibitions, shown priceless treasures from across the world to priceless paintings made by Edinburgh children and welcomed 100,000’s of visitors through its doors and is now a well-established, respected and cherished Scottish cultural resource.
Other activities marking the 40th anniversary in the coming weeks include; The City Art Centre is 40!, a curated a digital exhibition of much-loved and favourite paintings chosen by past members of staff, artists and people closely involved with the City Art Centre over the years presented via Art UK’s ‘Curations’ series.
Tessa Asquith-Lamb, one our best-loved local artists, has created two special videos with the City Art Centre’s Public Programmes section to celebrate the milestone, featuring the artist’s favourite painting, ‘Tristan and Isolde’ by John Duncan. Asquith-Lamb tells us why Tristan and Isolde is so special, and demonstrates a special art activity everyone can do at home while we are not able to visit the gallery in person.
Having moved from its original home at The Royal High School on Regent Road to make way for the intended Scottish Assembly following Scottish Devolution, the City Art Centre found a new home in a purposefully refurbished five storey warehouse dating back to 1899 on Market Street, which was designed as an extension to The Scotsman building on North Bridge, having once housed the city’s fruit markets.
The building was selected not only because of its architectural significance but also for its wrought iron framed structure which made it suitable to carrying the heavy floor loads required to house large volumes of visitors.
As part of the significant renovation project, the building’s original stonework and metal frame windows were preserved, while the interior was repurposed to create four new gallery spaces, artist studios and a licenced café, designed to reflect the building’s late Victorian origins alongside minimal natural décor, complimented by a state of the art lighting system to protect the delicate works on show.
The City Art Centre was designed to be ‘more than just a gallery’, providing studio and meeting spaces for artists, ‘craftsmen’ and for the people of Edinburgh.
The City Art Centre first opened its doors on 15th August 1980 with two major exhibitions as part of the Edinburgh International Festival – The Legacy presenting historic and contemporary Canadian/Indian art from the Provincial Museum in British Columbia and an exhibition by the Prescote Gallery near Oxford, showing outstanding examples of British Craft.
Robert Blomfield: Edinburgh Street Photography An Unseen Archive Pictured Robert Blomfield, Girl on a Swing,Edinburgh, Black and White Photograph,1966.
Since that day, the City Art Centre has housed many hundreds of exhibitions and has continued to work with the city’s festivals; including The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, International Festival, Edinburgh Art Festival, The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival and Edinburgh Science Festival.
From blockbuster exhibitions in the 1980’s and 1990’s which many residents in the city will remember, including The Emperor’s Warriors (1985), Thunderbirds are Go! (1986), Gold of the Pharaohs (1988), Dinosaurs Alive! (1990) and Star Trek: The Exhibition (1995), to hugely significant international art shows including; Abstract Expressionist Paintings from MOMA New York (1981), Michelangelo Drawings (1994) and Alphonse Mucha (2000) as well as a huge array of solo shows from Scottish artists and craft makers, such as James Cowie (1981), Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1987), Peter Howson (2007) and Victoria Crowe (2019).
From 1985 onwards, the City Art Centre’s programming expanded to reflect many new threads and artistic disciplines, ranging from photography; Cecil Beaton (2004) Ansel Adams; Snowdon; Albert Watson (2006) and Coming into Fashion (2013) alongside major survey and group shows championing Scottish art and craft; Hand, Heart and Soul (2007), Window to the West: The Rediscovery of Highland Art (2011) and A-Z: An alphabetical Tour of Scottish Art (2014).
As the City Art Centre’s exhibition programme and audiences grew, remaining rooted in the city and its people was key, with exhibitions and works often reflecting Edinburgh’s history as well as local and global social issues such as; Anne Frank in the World (1987), Chernobyl – The Legacy (1993), Rainbow City (2006), Leith – The Turning Tide (1987), Edinburgh Re-discovered: Thomas Begbie (1990) and Robert Blomfield (2018).
The City Art Centre’s now well-established reputation as a key cultural Scottish institution is evidenced in its 40-year exhibitions history and audience loyalty. As well as an ambitious and ever-changing exhibitions programme, an additional vital aspect of the City Art Centre is its role in housing the City’s Collection of Scottish Art – one of the finest in Scotland.
The collection, which supported through donations, bequests and gifts as well as purchases, features works from many of ‘The Glasgow Boys’ as well as the Scottish Colourists – John Duncan Fergusson, Samuel Peploe, Francis Cadell and Leslie Hunter.
Some of the best-known artists of the Edinburgh School, including William Gillies, John Maxwell and Anne Redpath, all have several works in the collection, and featured post-war artists include Alan Davie, Eduardo Paolozzi, Elizabeth Blackadder and John Bellany. The contemporary collection includes artists such as Christine Borland, Callum Innes, Rosalind Nashashibi and Toby Paterson.
When the City Art Centre reopens and looks forward to the next 40 years, the continued focus will be to champion historic and contemporary Scottish visual art and craft.
The City’s art collection continues to grow, and going forward the curatorial team will actively seek to diversify the collection in the coming years to better reflect the range of artists and work being produced in Scotland today. Visitors will be able to see the fruit of this with a new exhibition of recent acquisitions next year.
David Patterson, Curatorial and Conservation Manager, City Art Centre said;“Since we opened in 1980, staff at the gallery have worked with artists who live in some of the most densely populated cities on the planet as well as others who live in some of the remotest places on earth.
“We’ve tackled global tragedies and local issues, and shown paintings, drawings, watercolours, sculpture, tapestry, photography, silver, glass, interior design, film and installations among many other media. We’ve displayed works made from ice, oil, wood, metal, matchsticks, coat hangers, parachute fabric, nylon, gold, even old welly boots!
“We are thrilled to be reopening on the 12th September, and fittingly with two exhibitions drawn from our Scottish art collection. In the months and years to come, we’ll continue to shine the spotlight on Scottish artists of the past who have been overlooked in the story of Scottish art as well as curate major displays by some of the country’s leading artists past and present.
“The topography and people of Edinburgh will remain a consistent strand in our programming, as will the display of the finest contemporary and historic applied art and craft. We’ll continue to work with our partners Edinburgh Science Festival to bring some of the best Science and Art to a family audience, and our wonderful collection will continue to be shown throughout the year in a series of temporary exhibitions.”
Herbert Coutts, City Art Centre Curator (1971-1999) said:“Having been in at the birth of the City Art Centre, I am immensely proud of the myriad exhibitions it has sourced from all parts of the globe, and from its own important fine art collection.
“This remarkable achievement has been due to the creativity, commitment and hard work of its staff, past and present, which I hope will continue long into the future.”
**Pics free to use**
Pictured Curator Dr Helen Scott
New exhibition places Edinburgh-born female artist back in the spotlight over 150 years after her birth
Mary Cameron: Life in Paint
Saturday 2 November 2019 – Sunday 15 March 2020
City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, Edinburgh EH1 1DE
Free admission
Images available to download here
Opening this Saturday (2nd November) Edinburgh’s City Art Centre brings the Edinburgh-born artist Mary Cameron (1865-1921) back into the spotlight, displaying over forty rarely-seen artworks from public and private collections.
Mary Cameron: Life in Paint explores the life and career of a woman who was truly ahead of her time, charting her creative journey from elegant family portraits to breath-taking Spanish scenes.
Born in Portobello, Edinburgh, Cameron began her artistic career as a portraitist and genre painter in her native city, before venturing abroad to study in Paris. Foreign travel proved to be a life-long source of inspiration. In 1900 she visited Madrid for the first time, where she became captivated by the Spanish culture, people and scenery. Establishing studios in Madrid and Seville, she painted large-scale compositions of traditional peasant life, dramatic bullfights and rural landscapes.
A thoroughly modern and adventurous woman, Cameron exhibited widely during her lifetime, with her talents being admired by contemporaries such as John Lavery and Alexander Roche. However, like so many female artists of her generation, her name is little-known today. This exhibition aims to change that, with examples of her impressive work complemented by historic photographs and archival material.
The display is the first dedicated exhibition of Cameron’s paintings since her death in 1921. It is accompanied by the forthcoming illustrated catalogue Mary Cameron: Life in Paint, written by Helen E. Scott and published by Sansom & Co.
Councillor Donald Wilson, Edinburgh’s Convener of Culture and Communities said: “I’m delighted that the City Art Centre is able to showcase this fantastic exhibition of the rarely seen works of Mary Cameron. It’s incredible to think this is the first exhibition dedicated to her since her passing in 1921. Life in Paint will take visitors through her creative journey from starting out in Portobello to international travel. Not only will it be an opportunity to celebrate her work, it is also a chance for people to learn about the artist herself and the important role she played in Scottish artworld history and the positive strides she made for women.”
Curator Dr Helen Scott said: “This is a really exciting opportunity to showcase a female Scottish artist whose work will be new to most people. During Mary Cameron’s lifetime she was fairly well-known. She won prizes for her work, staged prestigious solo exhibitions in Edinburgh, London and Paris, and was well-respected by other artists, including prominent members of the Glasgow Boys. Today, however, her name is scarcely recognised, let alone celebrated.
Most of Cameron’s surviving paintings are held in private collections, so there have been very few chances for audiences to view them since her death in 1921. In fact, many of the artworks that feature in the exhibition have not been seen in public for over a century – so it should be a real eye-opener.
As a female painter practicing in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Cameron faced many obstacles in pursuing her ambition to become a professional artist. Women of her generation had far fewer training opportunities than their male peers, and they often encountered discrimination when exhibiting, selling and promoting their art. They had to work doubly hard to succeed as artists and gain recognition. Even when they managed to establish themselves, their posthumous legacies were often eclipsed by the reputations of their more famous male counterparts. Over the years, many of these women have slipped into obscurity and been virtually forgotten.
Now, however, the situation is beginning to change, with increasing numbers of historic female artists being brought to public attention. And there’s a very real, growing appetite among audiences to find out more about these pioneering women. Mary Cameron was one of those who helped to lay the foundations for greater gender equality in the Scottish art world, and I think it’s so important that we celebrate her contribution.”
ENDS
For more information, image and interview requests please contact Kate Bouchier-Hayes – kate@thecornershoppr.com / 07825 335 489
Images can be downloaded here
Venue Details:
Address: City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, Edinburgh EH1 1DE
Telephone: 0131 529 3993
Website: edinburghmuseums.org.uk
Twitter: @EdinCulture
Facebook: Facebook.com/City.Art.Centre.CAC
Instagram: instagram.com/museumsgalleriesedinburgh
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 10am – 5pm
NOTES TO EDITORS
City Art Centre
The City Art Centre is one of Edinburgh’s main public art galleries. It is owned and managed by the City of Edinburgh Council. It is home to the City’s collection of historic and contemporary Scottish art, one of the best in the country. The gallery hosts a vibrant programme of exhibitions from its collection and by contemporary local, national and international artists and makers.
Ian O’Riordan, City Art Centre Curator (1984-2015) said;“I can’t be dispassionate about the City Art Centre. I started working there on Monday 5th November 1984, my 31st birthday, and stayed for 30 years!
“We put on the most fantastic exhibitions and built up the most brilliant collection of Scottish art. In retrospect, it all feels truly amazing – what we managed to do and how hard we all worked. People came and loved it and kept coming back. It remains a fabulous place, still with loads of potential. In these challenging times, Edinburgh is truly lucky to have it. Here’s to the next 40 years!”
Councillor Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener said: “Over the last 40 years our City Art Centre has hosted more than 500 exhibitions, housed works from across the globe and welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors.
“As we celebrate this milestone it’s a great opportunity to look back at our favourites over the years as well as look ahead to reopening our doors on September 12th.
“Our collection of Scottish art is one of the finest in the country and this special ‘highlights’ exhibition is a fantastic way to celebrate the past 40 years as well as welcome our community back. We wanted to mark this significant anniversary of a very special place and celebrate the city’s artistic collections in a safe way when we open our doors and gather together again.
“When it opened in 1980 the City Art Centre was designed to be more than a gallery, providing studio and meeting spaces for artists, craftspeople and art lovers. I’m very much looking forward to the exhibition and to welcoming visitors back when we reopen next week.”
City Art Centre at 40: Highlights from the City’s art collection runs from 12th September – 18th October 2020.
Bright Shadows: Scottish Art in the 1920s runs from 12th September – 6th June 2021.
Edinburgh Leisure announces further venues to reopen and new ‘what to expect’ video
Edinburgh Leisure has added a further two venues, Leith Victoria and Gracemount Leisure Centre to its list of venues that will reopen on Monday, 14 September 2020.
These will join the already announced venues of the Royal Commonwealth Pool, Drumbrae Leisure Centre, Craiglockhart Leisure and Tennis Centre, and Ainslie Park.
Edinburgh Leisure’s other venues will be opening up on an incremental basis over the next few weeks after this. Their six golf courses and outdoor tennis courts at the Meadows and Craiglockhart are already open too.
In preparation for helping customers understand what to expect when Edinburgh Leisure reopens its venues, they have produced a helpful ‘walk-through’ video, which is now live on the Edinburgh Leisure website.
There are also some helpful guidelines for each of the activities: swim, gym, fitness class and tennis and badminton booking.
An Edinburgh Leisure spokesperson said: “We’ve missed our customers and are really looking forward to reopening our doors and welcoming our customers back. Over the last five months, we’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve received and have loved seeing the creative ways our customers have found to continue keeping active while in lockdown.
“All our efforts are focused on making our venues as safe as possible and we hope the guidelines and our video, showing customers what their fitness experience will look like in a post-lockdown world, will be helpful.
“Edinburgh Leisure is committed to ‘building back better’ to a sustainable Edinburgh Leisure and to continue making a positive impact to the citizens of Edinburgh’s health and wellbeing – as we have done for the last 22 years.”
Find out more about Edinburgh Leisure’s reopening plans:
While some leisure venues have reopened their venues on Monday, Edinburgh Leisure is different from some organisations/companies who might operate just one or two venues, which might make it easier for them to open yesterday.
However, Edinburgh Leisure has such a diverse range of venues and bringing venues and services back to life in a new Covid-19 environment, after being closed for five months, is a big and complex task.
It is, unfortunately, not just a case of reopening doors again. Whilst properties and pools have been maintained during the course of lockdown, we furloughed over 900 staff during this time. We only kept a small cohort of staff working throughout the lockdown, in a bid to manage costs. In the main, this has been senior operations management, finance, and our maintenance team.
To ensure the safety of our customers and staff, and before we can reopen our doors, we need to ensure that our staff’s compliance training is refreshed and any qualifications are current.
We also need to prepare each venue individually, with the necessary signage, sanitisation stations, and ensure they comply with any Covid guidelines. Pools also need to be cleaned and heated to an acceptable level, which can take up to a week and gyms, fitness studios and courts prepared to allow for social distancing.
Perhaps more than ever before there is recognition of the importance and value of good health. Edinburgh Leisure remains committed to supporting and enabling the citizens of Edinburgh to live active and healthy lives, working with the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver on our shared goals to achieve this.
In summary:
When we do re-open (as per our golf courses) – venues will look different, services will change, the activity programme will be different, the Edinburgh Leisure experience will be different. In short, everything will have to adapt and change to ensure a safe operating environment for customers and employees. For example: all activities will be bookable to allow for track and trace and we will be cashless. However, we will continue to provide an enjoyable experience for our customers.
The senior management team at “Edinburgh Leisure is committed to ‘building back better’ to a sustainable Edinburgh Leisure and to continue making a positive impact to the citizens of Edinburgh’s health and wellbeing – as we have done for the last 22 years.”
Since opening on 4th June Edinburgh Leisure golf has been performing very well. We have undoubtedly benefited from the good (in the main) weather, people having more time, a lack of alternative activities and, also the 5 mile travel restrictions that were in place for the first three months of lockdown. The gradual relaxation of lockdown measures has of course changed things e.g. more people are returning to work and golfers can travel freely to other courses but golf has continued to perform well. So, the golf income has been a big positive amidst all the financial challenges and uncertainties facing Edinburgh Leisure and has helped to reduce our monthly financial deficit.
SESH Hairdressing in Leith has gone above and beyond standard requirements to ensure the health and safety of their clients and team ahead of reopening tomorrow (Wednesday 15th July).
Following the enforced closure since March, the salon is a different space than it was pre Covid-19 and they have implemented processes to ensure safety and minimise impact on the environment.
The team supported local Edinburgh based company, Be Safe, by having branded fabric face coverings made for the team. These Breathe Easy masks will keep the salon team safe and ensure all clients remain protected. The face masks can be washed after use to minimise waste from disposable masks. In addition to this all team members will wear face shields.
The salon is known for their caring nature and going above and beyond to ensure an enjoyable experience for their clients. It was important to SESH Hairdressing to make sure the salon visit remained a luxurious experience and believed the standard issue plastic capes which are popular post Covid-19 would hinder this.
To combat this, SESH have decided to have laundry installed in the salon which means clients will still receive the soft gown they were used to prior to the closure. All gowns will be laundered after one use, and this will dramatically reduce the waste SESH dispose of. Not only is this initiative in the interest of clients, it is also in the interest of the environment.
An extension of this caring approach which is instinctive to SESH Hairdressing and Salon Owner, Simon Hill is the avoidance of any surcharges as they reopen. It is apparent lots of salons are adding a Covid-19 charge to their clients bill to cover the cost of the required PPE.
SESH Hairdressing believes this to be within their duty of care for their clients and team and therefore will not be adding any charge to their bills. Instead a small fee between £2 – £6 will be added for any additional work involved due to the overdue nature of the appointments.
In order to make the new normal easy for clients to adapt to and understand, SESH have been using their social media channels to communicate a clear visual of what clients can expect. This will continue into the salon with clearly marked ‘SESH Sanitise Stations’ throughout the salon and clear markers through the salon to ensure clients keep a safe distance and adhere to the guidelines set out by government.
Salon Owner, Simon Hill commented: “The salon reopening is long awaited and myself and the team are all so excited to get back to doing what we love. We have taken the necessary steps to make the salon as safe as possible.
“As we believe strongly in our duty of care to our clients, we have also gone the extra mile to protect the team and clients. This also led to our decision to avoid any Covid-19 surcharges as we feel it is our responsibility to safely proof the salon for their enjoyment.”
To book an appointment at the salon you can call 0131 555 0708 and visit their Instagram page @seshhairdressing.
As demand for sustainable shopping alternatives increases, The Leith Collective prepares to come back even bigger than before:
Lockdown restrictions may be easing, but one person hoping the temporary pause in human activity over the past few months may prove to have a long-lasting, positive effect on consumer behaviour is Sara Thomson, founder of The Leith Collective.
The Leith Collective comprises more than 90 artists and makers from all over Scotland, brought together by a common aim to reuse, recycle, reclaim, and resell items that may otherwise have been destined for landfill.
Sustainability is at the heart of all they do, and their approach is proving popular with consumers whose eyes have been opened to the issue during the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, The Leith Collective has moved to bigger premises in Edinburgh’s Ocean Terminal to accommodate this increase in demand.
Commenting on the link between the coronavirus pandemic and the increase in awareness of sustainability, Sara Thomson explained: ‘I think there are a number of factors at play. Firstly, with shops and attractions closed, more people have explored their local countryside, and thanks to the reduction in traffic, wildlife has flourished and birdsong heard more clearly. All this has helped many people connect with nature as never before.
‘Secondly, with many people on furlough enjoying more time on their hands, we’ve seen a marked increase in hobbies such as gardening which naturally opens one’s eyes to sustainability.
‘Thirdly, the closing of the rubbish dumps may have presented some people with a stark realisation of just how much we throw away without thought. I believe it has no doubt spurred some people on to consider how many household items could potentially be repurposed.’
The Leith Collective is anticipating an increase in the number of customers wanting to embrace a more sustainable way of shopping and living as they prepare to open the doors to their larger premises today (Monday 13th July).
The all-new Leith Collective store features an outdoor area, with increased space to shop whilst safely socially distancing. The new shop location is just the latest way The Leith Collective has successfully pivoted in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
When Lockdown restrictions were first announced, The Leith Collective launched an online shop and offered local delivery throughout the Scottish capital. They then turned their attention to making a range of reusable masks, created using recycled material – designed to offer a sustainable alternative to disposable masks, with the added bonus that it would help keep their resident makers in business.
The success of this initiative has been tremendous – not only has it provided a genuine lifeline to many makers not eligible for government assistance, The Leith Collective was also able to donate hundreds of pounds worth of masks to children in care and care leavers, and give proceeds to the mental health charity, North East Edinburgh Counselling Service.
The all-new Leith Collective opens today (Monday 13th July) at RU65, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ. Opening hours are Monday – Saturday 11am – 6pm, and Sunday 11am – 5pm.
