An item of "Breaking News". Will appear on the Breaking News page and the front page.
We have just learned that Stewart Blaik, Chair of the Leith Central Community Council, died suddenly at home yesterday evening. The cause is thought to have been a heart attack.
Secretary Roland Reid today described Mr Blaik's passing as 'an enormous blow for Leith Central CC and for the wider community'.
Spurtle joins him in extending our condolences to the deceased's wife and family.
See STV Local's coverage here.
For many years now, Spurtle readers have noted a curious journalistic phenomenon.
News items in Scottish print and online media – even the very phrases and quotations used in them – have a tendency to reappear soon after in the Edinburgh Evening News without the slightest acknowledgement of their provenance.
The effect – surely, quite accidental – is to suggest that the Evening News is the source of these stories.
Consider a trifling example – Spurtle's Briefly item of 1 November in Issue 200. We wrote:
You may have seen our article in Issue 200 about taking a proactive approach to maintaining your home ('Bricks, mortar, common sense').
On the same theme, Jo Parry – a RIAS Conservation Accredited Architect – will be in the Edinburgh Solicitors' Property Centre on George Street tomorrow (12 noon–2pm) offering advice on private repairs, organising and supervising work, shepherding neighbours, and the Tenement Act.
She will also be there at the same time on Thursday 17 and 24 November, answering questions, dispensing guidance and handing out free information packs.
Edinburgh's cash-strapped Council is in a deep financial hole.
But, determined always to look on the bright side of life, they want your ideas about how to 'maintain, develop and improve services'.
To this end, Leith and City Centre Neighbourhood Partnerships have called a special joint meeting (lasting up to 1.5 hours) for 6.30pm at McDonald Road Library on 22 November. Senior managers will attend and, apparently, all present will be able to contribute.
Hungary is a small but beautiful Central European country which has a rich and diverse history, writes Broughton resident Bori Godley, but few realise it has links to Scotland stretching back centuries.
The street-artist responsible for recent cryptic works on McDonald Road and Wemyss Place has increased his or her oeuvre and extended her or his territory north-east with multiple copies of a grinning skull.
In Issue 200 we published reader Bob Rickard's appeal for information about the early presence in Broughton of the Drambuie Liqueur Co. ('When Broughton said "Slaínte"'). Now another reader has responded.
Regarding Bob Rickard's interest in Drambuie's bottling, writes Tom Bee, the premises shown in the photograph [above] were indeed Drambuie's 'plant'.
What may not have been taken into consideration is that, at that time, the lane pictured was named Albany Street Lane – later to be Dublin Street Lane.
In a delicious paradox, the Chequers Too sandwich bar at 16b Broughton Street and the Tesco Local on Picardy Place are likely to join in objecting to the proposed arrival of Greggs the Baker (Breaking news, 18.10.11).
This stunning contribution – part ammonite, part spine, part turbine – will feature in a new exhibition at Axolotl on Dundas Street.
'Forse Shore' by Michael Bullen appears as part of Katnes Folio, featuring paintings, craftwork, sculpture and photographs made in Caithness.
It runs from 8–30 November (Tues–Thurs, 11am–4pm; Fri–Sat, 11am–6pm).
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Real Foods on Broughton Street have been taken aback by Council enforcement notices demanding that they remove all signage from the front of their Category A-listed building.
The Planning Department alleges that unauthorised works have been carried out (without listed building consent) to the detriment of the premises at No. 37.