An item of "Breaking News". Will appear on the Breaking News page and the front page.
LATEST INSTANCE OF A BROUGHTON BRUIN
Eurasian brown bears were not uncommon across Scotland in the past, and had a reputation for fierceness which encouraged Roman entrepreneurs to export them home as participants in bloody entertainments.
Martial, writing in AD 80, described one such amusement at the inaugural games of the Flavian Amphitheatre.
Laureolus, a criminal, was centre-stage:
NO CAUSE FOR ALARM
On this day in 1861, the Edinburgh Evening Courant carried the following report:
A quite astonishingly poor planning application by Royal Bank of Scotland has been rejected (Ref. 17/02203/LBC).
Having recently closed its branch at 2–3A Blenheim Place, RBS wanted to remove its signage and former tills there but retain one of two cashpoint machines outside.
Scout Leader Scott Richards hails new standard, and reveals secret history of dissent.
Have you entered the Broughton Street raffle yet?
Promising great prizes (see the list below), tickets are available from 38 local traders at £1 a shot.
And all the money raised goes to three local charities: Waverley Care, the Rock Trust and the Yard.
What’s not to like?
Grab a fistful before the draw at the end of the month.
Traffic congestion along Leith Walk appears to be getting worse, even before Leith Street is closed for its underground upgrade.
A reader contacted Spurtle yesterday to report problems on Haddington Place, where:
… the pavement is being made very narrow by the number of workmen’s vans parked outside the new Costa café. Those silly men are being more and more ridiculously brave with their parking on this pavement, knowing perfectly well that no traffic warden will come round to give them tickets for these offences.
In Issue 264 (out from 1 July) we published John ‘Jackie’ Hogg’s photo, from 1935, of the Christy brothers in good voice during a children’s sing-song in the back-greens of Broughton Road.
Here we show it again for those who want a closer look.
Hogg sent us two other images which we now publish for the first time. They both date from 1940 and detail ‘Spitfire’ concerts held to raise money for the war effort.
As you read this, copies of July’s Spurtle will be hurtling from the presses like bathers from a stray turd in the shallows at Glenogle.
Page 1 of Issue 264 brings you not one, not two, not three, but SIX local stories bearing on world-shaking events here in Broughton – everything from piles to Panamas and the travails of community councillors faced by diverting models.
On page 2 there’s news of a horse, daylight robbery, and a crumbling old friend in the park. Parking and planning feature, as do bins and the Botanics’ problems with accurately describing the seasons.
David Sterratt, chair of Drummond Community High School Parent Council, writes:
Twins took the top awards at Drummond Community High School’s annual Celebration of Achievement, which also marked the end of headteacher Jodie Hannan’s first full year – and the end of school librarian Annie Scanlon’s 37th year at Drummond.
Changes
This 11-year-old local has been missing from the Gayfield Square/Leith Walk area for over a week now, and her unusual absence is causing alarm.
She is ginger with green eyes, a white bib and paws, and is of medium to large build.
She’s neutered but not chipped, and was not wearing a collar when she disappeared on 18 June.
Her people say she’s a friendly, indoor cat and that it’s unusual for her to wander from home.
If you find or spot Poppy, please contact 0797 2726659.
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