The Edinburgh Reporter January 2024

2 NEWS

Editorial

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Our news relates to Edinburgh and the immediate area.

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Editor: Phyllis Stephen

Designer: Felipe Perez

Photos: Martin P McAdam

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all our readers. It is

promising to be a significant year. This is the

900th anniversary of the declaration of

Edinburgh as one of the first royal burghs.

A council working party was set up in 2019

under the leadership of The Rt Hon Lord

Provost “To discuss whether there is

appetite for a celebration to mark the

900th anniversary of Edinburgh becoming

a burgh.”

A report confirmed: “The royal burgh

status was confirmed in 1329 in a charter by

King Robert I specifically to the burgesses of

Edinburgh, confirming their rights and

privileges. The charter survives and is also in

the possession of the council, being its

oldest surviving burgh record. The 600th

anniversary of this ‘Bruce charter’ was

celebrated in 1929.” There is no surviving

royal charter specific to Edinburgh but the

date can be pinpointed between 1124 and

1127. So Edinburgh 900 is being devised -
      though few details are yet available.
      There will be a General Election this year
      and bets are currently being taken as to
      when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will go to
      the polls. Edinburgh South MP, Ian Murray
      who is Shadow Secretary of State for
      Scotland, has some thoughts on this topic.
      Read more on page 4.
      The proliferation of student flats in the
      capital is the talk of the steamie - I have
      produced some facts about recent
      applications - and the historic numbers.
      Read more on page 6.
      I invite you to make a resolution to join
      the steadily growing elite band of Edinburgh
      Reporter subscribers. Although we turned a
      significant corner last year, it continues to
      take an amount of funding to produce news
      which is free at source online and in print.
      But our food columnist Kerry is throwing
      caution to the wind and making no New
      Year’s resolutions at all as you will find when
      you read her column on Page 17.
      The Edinburgh Reporter will continue to
      publish factual news about the capital this
      year and I hope you will come with us on
      the journey.
      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 public

buildings including more local libraries from this month.

The digital version of this paper is also widely distributed and

we estimate our total readership is in the region of around 20,

people. You will find copies at Farmer Autocare, Summerhall, Art &

Craft Collective, EICC, LifeCare on Cheyne Street, Coffee Angels,

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Planning News

Brewdog has submitted plans for Brewdog

Waverley in the unit at the station currently

occupied by The Beer House.

EMA Architecture has submitted

applications for two sites within the

Edmonstone Estate masterplan. The developer

plans to refurbish the South Lodge as a single

dwelling and build two further homes next to

the East Lodge which is also to be refurbished.

This development is on Old Dalkeith Road.

Both lodges are B-listed.

The former Osborne House offices at

Haymarket will be converted into a 157-room

hotel in a “transformational project” by German

hotel/hostel budget brand Meininger which

has 35 hotels in 25 European cities, and

although it used to operate a site in London, it

currently has no UK presence.

The contract has been awarded to Anderson

Bell + Christie as architectural designers for a

residential development site in the space

where the old Castlebrae High School was.

The public planning consultation events

in connection with the Caledonian Brewery

site will take place on 7 February and

27 March at St Michael’s Parish Church,

1 Slateford Road, EH11 1NX.

Brazilian steakhouse Rio will open its first site

in the former Jamie’s Italian behind the

Assembly Rooms on George Street. Rodrigo

Grassi, Co-owner of RIO Brazilian Steakhouse,

said: “We are thrilled to announce that RIO

Brazilian Steakhouse will be opening in

Scotland for the first time early next year.

A milestone moment for us, we can’t wait to

bring the delicious South American flavours

to Edinburgh and look forward to introducing

our unique offerings to the Scottish market.”

Jobs will be on offer in a range of roles.

[email protected]

A robin in the Garden

Alan Simpson photographed this lovely wee robin near the Chinese

Pavilion at The Botanics on one of his regular bird spotting walks.

Males and females are identical as both have red coloured breasts,

and the bird is known to be territorial, scaring away any intruders.

Alan Simpson