The Edinburgh Reporter June 2023 issue

3

It’s a right royal affair

By STAFF REPORTER

FILMING HAS been taking place in the

New Town of the second series of Julian

Fellowes’ period drama, Belgravia.

Fellowes is also behind TV series The

Crown. In an interesting twist one of the

cast members seen filming is a member of

The Royal Family.

Sophie Winkleman (pictured) is married

to Lord Frederick Windsor, the son of the

Duke and Duchess of Kent. As a result of

her marriage, she became known as Lady

Frederick Windsor or Sophie, Lady

Windsor. Ms Winkleman plays a leading

role as Lady Rochester. She is also half

sister to Claudia Winkleman, who co-hosts

Strictly Come Dancing. Sophie has an

extensive back catalogue appearing as Big

Size in the comedy series Peep Show as

well as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion,

the Witch and the Wardrobe in 2005 which

featured our own Scottish acting royalty,

Tilda Swinton, in the leading role.

Game over

Grand plans have been cast aside in Portobello

By STEPHEN RAFFERTY

THE GAME IS up for Grand Theft Auto

millionaire Leslie Benzies who has abandoned

plans to convert the former Dalriada Hotel on

Portobello’s Promenade.

The brains behind best-selling video game

acquired the beachside property in September

2020 for £1.3 million but has now put it back

up for sale at an asking price in excess of £1.

million, with property sector sources claiming

a price in the region of £1.4 million is currently

being sought.

In April 2021 Benzies obtained planning

permission to convert the property into a

luxury six bedroom home. The proposals,

lodged by agent Jennifer Dinwoodie of Pendant

Interiors on behalf of Mariah Ventures Ltd,

included an extensive living and dining area

and kitchens on the ground and first floors, two

bathrooms, an ensuite shower room and

ensuite bathroom, and an oval office on the top

floor overlooking the city beach.

During that period the substantial Victorian

property has remained largely untouched apart

from basic maintenance and cordoned off with

security fencing in place, becoming a talking

point for local walkers and visitors passing the

overgrown grounds.

In September 2021, Benzies denied reports

that he had lost interest in the project with his

spokesman Philip Johnston telling The

Edinburgh Reporter that work would go ahead

as outlined in the planning submission.

Mr Johnston said then there was “no

deviation” from the planning application and

that after initial rewiring work had taken place

other factors, including the Coronavirus

pandemic and a shortage of materials

and tradesmen had contributed to a lack

of progress.

When the property first went on sale

following the retirement of owners Terry and

Alison Magill, there was strong interest from

licensed trade operators, aware that the prime

beach site would be a strong proposition

despite the need for substantial investment.

At one stage, successful bar and hotel

entrepreneur, Billy Lowe, who owns the

popular Black Ivy in Bruntsfield, had visions of

creating a Black Ivy on the Beach, but his

interested cooled, allegedly because of

restrictions concerning the future supplies of

beer to the premises.

Agents Savills are marketing the B-listed

5,900 sq ft property at 77 Promenade as having

“potential for a range of uses” and said a “first

phase strip-out has been partially undertaken

in preparation for redevelopment”.

Benzies had a career as the lead developer of

the global gaming success story Grand Theft

Auto series which is estimated to have sold one

quarter of a billion copies and grossed more

than $6 billion.

It was reported in 2020 that the entrepreneur

had raised £32 million from investors to

develop his new science fiction game

Everywhere, which is being created by his

company Build a Rocket Boy, which employs

staff working on the project at studios in Leith

and Budapest.

When asked why Mr Benzies had lost

interest in the Dalriada project his spokesman

replied: “no comment”.

Continued from page one...
Jennifer is passionate
about Scottish knitwear and
always incorporates knit into
her pieces of public sculpture

• this is her fourth.
  The 38 sculptures will be
  shepherded into the show
  ground gathering together in

time for the biggest outdoor

event in the country from 22

to 25 June.

This year’s event will

include the Golden Shears

World Sheep Shearing

Championships.

James Logan, Director

at Royal Highland and

Agricultural Society of

Scotland (RHASS) said: “Flock

to the Show has reached its

final leg and this is everyone’s

last chance to see these

fantastic sculptures out

and about across Edinburgh,

the Lothians and the

Scottish Borders.

“Raising awareness not

only of the great charitable

work that RHASS does, the

trail is also highlighting some

important causes in the rural

sector, including mental

health and climate change.”

RHASS was founded in

1784 and supports the best

standards in agriculture,

forestry, and stewardship of

the countryside, which are all

an essential part of the

RHASS heritage.

The flock will be auctioned

in September this year to

raise funds that will support

RHASS Bicentennial Fund,

which supports projects

dedicated to mental

health, sustainability,

succession and women in

the agricultural sector.

It’s not a baaad idea to get

your tickets now http://www.royal

highlandshow.org

Dalriada remains deserted

on the Prom at Porty