Breaking news

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.

Our partners at Muthambi Boys and Girls schools in Kenya went off on their long ‘summer’ holidays at the end of November, writes Drummon CHS Librarian and Partnership Coordinator Annie Scanlon.

They have completed their exams but have a couple of agonising months before the results come back. They will go home to farms and towns to work over the holidays and save money for the next session's fees. They will go back to school at the start of February when the weather is cooler.

The Dome on George Street may be Party Central these days, but it was not always so.

Where now stands a temple of food, drink, high heels and all things bubbling over with Christmassy-ness, there stood first a temple of Science and then another of Capitalism.

Designed by David Rhind and begun in 1844, today's building replaced a smaller classically influenced Physicians' Hall erected in 1775 to the plans of James Craig – the architect of the first New Town. The engraving below featured in Thomas Shepherd's Modern Athens (1829). 

Police Scotland is the new national police service which will start operating on 1 April 2013.

It will absorb the Lothian and Borders Police we all know, love, and occasionally run away from in Broughton at the moment.

A new 'Local Policing Plan for Edinburgh' – as well as a new 'Fire and Rescue Service Plan' – will be delivered by a new Local Police and Fire Committee.

Six artists working out of SilverHub Studios in Leith are exhibiting their work in Translation at McNaughtan's Bookshop on Haddington Place this month. It's an intimate setting befitting artefacts of great subtlety and beauty which this reviewer found almost impossible to do justice to with the camera. Go and see them for yourselves! Below are some personal favourites. 

Developers are coming forward with plans for the huge Shrubhill gap-site off Leith Walk (see map below).

Frasers Hamilton (Shrubhill) Ltd (FHS) will hold a staffed public exhibition of proposals on 23 and 24 January 2013 from 4pm–8pm in McDonald Road Library. Exhibition material (unstaffed) will continue to be displayed for two weeks afterwards.