Breaking news

As reported in Breaking news (6.11.12), plans are afoot to modify L'Epicerie (downstairs from L'Escargot Bleu) at 56/56a Broughton Street (Ref. 12/04352/FUL).

New Council arrangements for refuse collection over the Festive period have been posted  online.

We suggest there is fun for all the family to be had in getting a refreshed loved one to read out and explain the instructions after Christmas lunch.

For a fun-free and marginally more intelligible version, read on.

There will be no collections of green and food-waste bins on 25–6 December and 1–3 January. Collections will instead take place at weekends as follows:

Reader Sandy Buchanan photographed this wintry scene at the corner of Broughton Street and Broughton Place whilst on his way to work this morning.

It looks, he observes, 'as though several kittens have lost their mittens'.

For those smelling a rat but unfamiliar with Mr Buchanan's allusion, we recommend this slightly disturbing performance, and an interesting article on wikipedia. 

A new campaign called Winter Weather Watch wants Broughton residents to help monitor how well the Council cares for vulnerable older people in severe weather, and to what extent it succeeds in not letting them become isolated from their commuity and vital public services. 

Much of Edinburgh received its first dusting of snow this morning, and in pleasurable anticipation of things getting much worse, Spurtle has been burrowing in the Council website for useful information.

An interactive, zoomable map with listings is available here to identify grit bin locations and priority road and pavement gritting routes across the city.  

Photographs of Broughton lost Greenside district in the 1950s have appeared online for the first time.

William Ewing Smith took the pictures whilst living in the area as a Theology student and assistant at the Greenside Mission. At this time, the densely packed community of 571 people lived in squalid and poorly ventilated conditions which the Medical Officer considered unfit for human habitation. Victorian medical officers and journalists had earlier likened the area unfavourably to 'Darkest Africa'.

New Age Developers Ltd seek planning permission (Ref. 12/04302/FUL) for 6 masionettes and 13 flats on land 42 metres north of 117 Bellevue Rd.

The recipe for these cookies was inspired by Stollen, a German fruitcake usually eaten around Christmas, which is now sold in abundance in this country – particularly at Christmas markets.

Like many British Christmas cakes, Stollen usually contains candied or dried fruit, nuts, spices and very often marzipan.

The Dalry-based Bespoke Property Development Co. Ltd seeks planning permission to alter and partially change the use of premises at 136–138 Dundas Street. They aim to open a café (Ref. 12/04251/FUL).

Martinez Antiques – the Canonmills specialist dealer in clocks, pocket watches, jewellery, barometers, chandeliers and mirrors – always have an interesting window display.

But at Christmas they really pull out all the stops. For a few weeks each year, 17 Brandon Terrace practically becomes an Edinburgh night-time attraction in its own right (see below).

This year's illuminations change colour every few seconds, casting a new shade also on bronzes, small silver and ivory items, restored and rewired light fittings, and antique and vintage cameras.