Breaking news

We live in tumultuous times. 

Broughton has responded with customary wisdom, wit, and peculiarity. 

We begin with a torn sticker adhering to a lamppost in Haddington Place. 

Foresight is a wonderful thing. 

If you’re heading off to sunny climes this weekend – Newhaven, perhaps, Porty, or North Berwick ­– the following advice may be of interest.

It appeared in an advertisement in the Edinburgh Evening news on Saturday 15 July, 1916.

This was a time, clearly, when everyone’s thoughts were focused on holidays and looking good.

BATHING WITHOUT INJURY

TO THE COMPLEXION.

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This small two-year-old local is normally in and out of the backgreens behind Cornwallis Place, and sometimes finds her way along as far as the allotments off East Scotland Street Lane. 

But in a change of behaviour which is completely out of character, Harper’s been missing since yesterday for no apparent reason. 

She has a very white chest, distinctive light and dark grey markings on her back, and is chipped and neutered. 

She responds to her owners calling her by name, but is likely to be more timid around strangers.

Photographers Paul and Lynn Henni live in Broughton, and a sense of local knowledge and affection pervades their exhibition of Edinburgh scenes currently on show in the Roamin’ Nose. 

Entitled The Elements, it consists mostly of cityscapes, many of which will be familiar to Spurtle readers, although not always at the times of day or in the weather conditions pictured here. 

The nation’s attention may have been focused on Wimbledon recently, but more important things have been going on closer to home.

Drummond Tennis Club’s Mark Fergie gives us the low-down.

DTC entered five teams into the leagues this year and had mixed fortunes.

Ladies 1st Team finished bottom of Division 2, and it’s fair to say that it was a season of transition. Some new players came in and did well, especially Jenny who formed a decent partnership with Fiona.

What’s the first thing that springs to mind when a friend comes to visit Edinburgh for the first time? 

Possibly not: Let’s perform some difficult Mozart and Beethoven sonatas in public. 

But that’s what professional violinist and local resident Sijie ‘Susie’ Chen and her friend, pianist Liang-yu Wang, did. 

The two treated local residents to a pair of lovely recitals at Broughton St Mary’s Church on 8 and 9 July in support of Re-Act (Refugee Action Scotland).

RADICAL SOLUTION FOR CITY-CENTRE EYESORE 

The seven samples of artificial grass shown below are on sale at Carpet Warehouse on East London Street. 

They are apparently ideal for patios, balconies, swimming pool surrounds, children's play areas, roof terraces, and … um … lawns. 

So, given that it has once again begun to disappear beneath duckboards and canvas, why not also St Andrew Square Garden? 

Two weeks ago, we invited readers to scour the length and breadth of Edinburgh in search of sphinxes (Breaking news, 28.6.16). 

We wondered if anyone could beat our grand total of four unique designs, arrived at after weeks of neck-cricking investigation about the city. 

Contrary to expectations, sphinxes seem to be thin and far between in the capital. Or rather, muscular and far between. 

Last week's item on the state of paving slabs at Shrubhill Place prompted a brief sideline in the comments thread afterwards.

It concerned Broughton Street's A-boards.

Their fans suggest that they add wit, colour, interest, and useful informationt to the area.

POLICE CALL FOR WITNESSES

The following press release was issued by Police Scotland this afternoon. We reproduce it undedited and in full. 

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses following a robbery in the city centre. 

The incident happened around 4.45pm on Thursday 7 July on Picardy Place. 

An 81-year-old woman withdrew money from a cash machine before crossing onto York Place.