The Edinburgh Reporter October 2023

2 NEWS

Editorial

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

have any news, or if you would like to submit an article or

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Editor: Phyllis Stephen

Designer: Felipe Perez

Photos: Martin P McAdam

IS IT REALLY six months since we changed

the clocks to move them forward an hour?

Now on 29 October they will go back again

and plunge us into winter. If you are not a

fan of the dark nights then head straight to

our What’s On pages on 18-19 where we

make some suggestions about how to fill

your time with some enlightenment -

particularly at the Edinburgh Spanish Film

Festival now in its tenth edition.

A developing story this month is about

the much hoped for revival of Filmhouse

with former employees behind a bid to

reopen the building with the blessing of the

new owner. The crowdfunder raised tens of

thousands in the first week.

Our cover image is taken inside the new

Scottish galleries at the National which were

just opening as we went to press. There is

much more of the national collection on

display for everyone to enjoy, and the gallery

has a more important feel to it.

Kerry has been eating out as usual and

tells us about the newest restaurants and

bars in town on Page 17 and Charlie Ellis

has been drinking more coffee - to find out

where then read his column on Page 16.

The local sports scene has been extremely

busy and Bill Lothian offers a flavour of

some of the sporting achievements around

the city on Pages 22 and 23 while the

lowdown on Hearts and Hibs is on Page 21.

An area which is about to become much

improved is Haymarket. The massive office

development there is becoming a landmark

next to the Station.

On Haymarket Terrace we found so many

food retailers in a small area, each one

worth a visit. Read more about what is on

offer in this fast changing corner of the

capital on pages 12 and 13.

Our aim all year has been to recruit more

subscribers to receive a copy of our

newspaper in the post each month. If you

can then please do as it helps us to keep our

overheads as low as possible. And do read

our news online as it is updated several

times a day. Finally if you are organising any

events for November then email us now as

we need your news for our next issue.

Phyllis Stephen, Editor

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WE PRINT 6,000 copies of The Edinburgh Reporter which are

then distributed through a network of city businesses and

some public buildings including some libraries. The digital

version of this paper is also widely distributed and we estimate

our readership totals around 20,000 people.

You will find copies at all branches of Farmer Autocare,

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

Street, Coffee Angels, The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and the

Western General Hospital.

If you can, please subscribe to have a copy delivered to you

each month. It helps us to cover the overheads of bringing the

news to you in print and online. We can also distribute door to

door on some selected streets. If you would like us to include

your street then please do suggest it to us.

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Planning News

An appeal has been made to Scottish

Ministers against the council’s decision to

refuse planning permission for the Stallan-

Brand designed student flats with ground

floor retail at 35 Jock’s Lodge.

23/00008/FUL

Permission has been granted for the

refurbishment and expansion of the Old

Waverley Hotel on Princes Street. The ground

floor will become part of the hotel with a

new reception, restaurant and bar while

the existing retail units will be cut from four

to two. 23/02841/FUL

The Page\Park design for the

refurbishment of Teviot Row House - the

world’s oldest purpose built student union -

has been approved. The work will improve

access, renovate the fabric of the building

and a small single storey flat roof bar store to

the rear will be demolished. 23/00675/LBC

Work can begin on the new superblock at

Wester Hailes Education Centre (to become

Wester Hailes High School) which will

incorporate an orchard and an outdoor gym

and learning spaces. The school which sits on

the Union Canal will become more accessible

to pupils and inside the library will be on the

top floor with views to the important stretch

of water. The existing four blocks built in the

late 1970s will be taken down in stages

allowing everyone to remain on the same site

while the new Passivhaus standard school is

built. The new building will be low energy

with “no draughts or cold surfaces”.

Revised plans have been submitted by hLp

Architecture for a residential site on Station

Brae in Portobello formerly an industrial site.

The number of homes proposed has risen

from 7 to 11. 23/04003/FUL

Plans have been submitted to convert

offices at 11-13 South St Andrew Street into a

luxury hostel called TARKA Edinburgh. The

ground floor retail will be altered and 237

beds in 10 dormitories with a 100 cover

restaurant in a rooftop extension will replace

them. 23/04205/FUL

New eco school for

Wester Hailes

Edinburgh Street Food lost a planning appeal to Scottish Ministers

and must now remove the pink neon sign at the Omni Centre. The

council had previously refused retrospective permission for the

large letters saying it was “visually intrusive” and a trip hazard.

It’s a no no no to the neon

Martin P McAdam