TER November 2022

2 NEWS

Editorial

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We write about news relating to the Edinburgh area. If you

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Editor: Phyllis Stephen

Designer: Felipe Perez

Photos: Martin P McAdam

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WE LIVE IN interesting times. We have now

had two Prime Ministers since the

beginning of September, installed a third

and we have had two monarchs. There will

be pub quizzes when questions about 2022

become something to know about. The

recent period of political turmoil has cost

many people dearly, particularly those

trying to get a foot on the property ladder

whose mortgage offers were withdrawn.

Either we are now in for a period of

political calm under the new Prime Minister,

Rishi Sunak, or it will lead to a snap General

Election if opposition parties have their

way. The new Prime Minister certainly has

his work cut out.

Whatever happens, charities will become

ever more important to people. In an

innovative move, two charities, Turn2us

Edinburgh Trust and Cyrenians, have joined

forces to set up a fund called Keep

Edinburgh Warm. This asks people who do

not need their £400 energy grant to donate

the sum to them. They ask for 1,250 people

to do just that which would raise £500,000.

The money will provide cash grants to

people who really do need help all over

the capital..

The other sector which will require

financial help from both philanthropists

and government is the arts sector. EIFF and

Filmhouse have closed along with the

Belmont in Aberdeen all run by the charity,

Centre for the Moving Image, which is in

administration.

Modern Two, one of the buildings run by

National Galleries Scotland (NGS), has

announced it will be closed until the New

Year as it cannot afford to heat the former

school building, although The Paolozzi

studio remains open by appointment.

Sir John Leighton, Director-General of

NGS, told a parliamentary committee that

the galleries were “struggling to keep the

lights on” and that the organisation had a

challenge to fund its activities. He said

about the lack of funds that it is “the like of

which I have never before witnessed or,

indeed, imagined”.

Many businesses and arts organisations

are still recovering after the pandemic,

meaning that spending locally has become

all the more important.

Phyllis Stephen, Editor

Letters to the editor

THERE ARE 6,000 copies of the Edinburgh Reporter distributed

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You will find copies at branches of Farmer Autocare,

Summerhall, Art & Craft Collective, EICC, LifeCare on Cheyne

Street, Coffee Angels, the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and

Western General Hospital, as well as some city supermarkets.

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Planning News

A plan has been lodged for the demolition

of the building at 525 Ferry Road (opposite

Leonardo) which is being used by Edinburgh

Palette. It would be replaced by a residential

development with some commercial use. A

public consultation event was held in the

building on 29 October. The application is

made by Artisan Real Estates which is the

company behind the development off the

Royal Mile in the Old Town. More

information on this important site on their

website: 525parkview.co.uk

Picardy Place has had many lives. Who

remembers the kinetic sculpture?

The Manuscript of Monte Cassino (the

sculpture at the front of St Mary’s Cathedral

which was donated by Sir Tom Farmer) has

now been back in place for some time after a

temporary removal to London Road during

the tram works. There was a consultation on

proposed designs for the Central Island with

hopes that it would become a place for people

to gather. Now the draft design for the £2.

million project has been agreed in principle,

and the contract to build it is out for

procurement. Before any spades are put in the

ground there will be a final, final design

agreed. But for now this is what it looks like

and we are to expect it to be built in Spring

2023 just as the trams are opening to the

public. (See image above right)

At Davidson’s Mains there is a proposal to

build a 48 bedroom care home on the site of

the former Clydesdale Bank. Additionally

there is scope in the planning application for a

car repair garage to be part of the scheme.

Previously an outline application had been

lodged for a residential development.

The six new shops on James Craig Walk

opposite the entrance to the W Hotel in St

James Quarter have now been completed and

are ready for new tenants. (see image above)

Dear Editor,

I am appealing to your readers for

used postage stamps which can help

me raise funds, which I then donate

to the worthy cause of Guide Dogs

for the Blind.

Recycling used postage stamps is

such an easy way to raise money for

the charity and I am always in need

of all types of postage stamps,

including British, Foreign and

Christmas stamps.

If you are able to help I would be

grateful if you could cut the stamps

from their envelopes (leaving

approx 1cm margin around the

stamp) and send them to the

address below.

Myrna Chave

PO Box 91

Virginia Water

Surrey

England

GU25 9AR

If you would like to contact me

my email address is stamps4gdftb@

live.co.uk

Thank you to everyone who has

donated in the past, your assistance

in helping me to support this very

worthy cause is greatly appreciated.

Myrna Chave