Breaking news

Below is very slightly edited press statement released by Police Scotland yesterday evening. 

Essential Edinburgh’s commercialisation of St Andrew Square will take another step forward if its plans to extend the café there are approved (Ref. 14/04840/FUL). 

REVIEWED BY RHYS FULLERTON 

Collette Rayner’s new work at Collective is based on research into the Principality of Sealand, a 'sovereign micronation' located six nautical miles off the Port of Felixstowe on the east coast of England.

Rayner has created three animations, a sound work and a text, all inspired by her experience of journeying by boat to Sealand but not gaining physical access to the site. 

Back in October 2013 we reported a City of Edinburgh Council survey investigating the Natural Neighbourhoods of the capital. Its results were reported to the Communities and Neighbourhoods Committee one year later (see pdf below).

A completely unexpected pleasure is to be had on Eyre Place at the moment – a photography exhibition in the congenial surroundings of the Roamin’ Nose café and bistro. 

The show comprises work by four local artists with a variety of interests in land-, sea- and cityscapes. 

Norwegian-born Paul Henni has a varied background in scultpure, design, seismology and information management. Although he sometimes works in colour, he looks principally for ‘subjects, form and tones’ suitable for monochrome images. 

No sooner has Hibu’s tissue of disappointments New Town Matters quietly dissolved than another free glossy flops onto the mat. 

A claimed ‘35,000 readers’ in ‘Scotland’s most expensive postcode’ are the lucky recipients. 

But EH3 residents have been left perplexed by the first issue of New Town Gazette (no relation of the late-lamented Gorgie-Dalry Gazette). Apart from anything else, it features a front-page photograph of Edinburgh’s historic Old Town. 

For no very good reason, Spurtle is running a spot-the-location quiz. 

Each Wednesday between now and the end of the year, we'll publish five square photographs featuring Broughton viewed from misleading angles or from straightforward angles but unhelpfully cropped afterwards. We use the term 'Broughton' in the elastic sense of flexible Spurtleshire. 

The Category A-listed George Hotel at 15–25 George Street has applied for permission to change its exterior at No. 21 (Ref. 14/04755/FUL). 

On the south-facing elevation, it proposes replacing the 1980s ground-level mock facade with a new shop front for a coffee and wine bar. The shop front would not exactly restore its 19th-century original predecessor, but looks smart and sympathetic enough to us.

The Yard seeks sponsored runners to take part in a Christmas Charity Festival in the Royal Botanic Garden and Inverleith Park next weekend.

The two-day event combines pain and schmaltz for all the family, with reindeer, Christmas Walks and Golden Tinsel Mile Walks as well as an Edinburgh Christmas Buggy Run, an Edinburgh Santa Toddle/Parade from Stockbridge to Inverleith Park, a carol service, mince pies, mulled wine and gift stalls. Father Christmas will also be welcoming guests in his grotto.

Spurtle is delighted to kick off December with three notable absentees. 

Freya Levy's wise men seem to have taken the hump and slipped from view in these 'Colourful Camel' designs currently on show at Glass and Thompson on Dundas Street.