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HELPING GOOD CAUSES IS A WALK IN THE PARK (AND A CUP OF COFFEE)

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Broughton residents are spoilt for choice in September, with a variety of good causes vying for attention. Energetic souls can attend all three.

The Edinburgh Forget Me Not Walk starts at 10am in Holyrood Park on 11 September, following the 3-mile Queen's Drive route to help Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research beat blood cancers.

You can sign up at Tel. 669 7862 or by visiting http://keyjaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk

LOCAL MAN IS A LUCKY SAUSAGE

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Keen Claremont carnivore Matthew Crehan is celebrating today. The local man has won a Q-Guild promotional competition, entitling him to £1,000-worth of Crombie's products.

He spent 5 minutes filling in an entry form at his favourite Broughton Street butcher over a month ago, and earned a £30 parking ticket for his pains. There was, he concedes, a short interlude of choice language. Now, though, he could hardly be happier. 'This really takes the brisket,' he told Spurtle.

ISSUE 198 – OUT SOON

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Issue 198 is almost ready, bringing you the usual heady mix of national and international news squeezed through an editorial sieve so fine that only the really Broughtony bits remain.

Next month, therefore, you will not be troubled by coverage of hurricanes, dictators, subcontinental corruption, the collapse of European economies or piracy.

LINES, TRAM LINES AND NEOLOGISMS

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In an idle moment this morning, Spurtle invited Twitter followers to suggest a portmanteau word for recent, unhappy goings-on in Edinburgh.

We set the ball rolling with 3 offerings of our own: tramasco (tram + fiasco), trambles (tram + shambles) and trout (tram + a curtailed route).

Little did we realise how many idle moments other Tweeps would have ...

THOUGHTS ON WISDOM AND SLIP-SLIDING AWAY

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When contractors working on private property at the south end of Bellevue Street removed part of a retaining wall, their actions had the unforeseen but entirely predictable consequence of allowing the pavement to slip east and downhill.

Entirely predictable, that is, to the legions of Broughton men who – as their 40th birthdays recede into the mist of forgetfulness – have acquired a compensatory expertise on all things relating to holes in the ground: foundations, tree roots, drainage, utility pipes, soil structure ... the list is endless.

FREE PLAYWRIGHT WORKSHOP

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A free workshop on 'How to be a Playwright' will take place at McDonald Road Library on 5 September, 6.30–8.00pm.

It will be presented by successful Edinburgh author and playwright Caroline Dunford (well known for her Euphemia Martins crime novels) whose similar event was a sell-out at this year's Edinburgh International Book Festival.

PLANNING UPDATE – 23.8.11

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The Scotsman Publications Ltd and Barratt East Scotland propose building 130 residences with commercial space at 7–9 Newhaven Road, the site of the former Johnston Press printworks (Ref. 11/02671/FUL).

The application proposes reserving 0.005 hectares of the 0.98 hectare site for an as yet unspecified commercial/industrial development (possibly retail), which would operate between 9am and 5pm.

YOUNG PEOPLE AT CENTRE OF LOCAL PARK IMPROVEMENTS

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The Friends of King George V Park have secured a £2,500 Council grant towards improvements to recreational facilities for teenagers.

Work will begin on 29 August and involve: installation of an outdoor, concrete table-tennis table; creation of 'bespoke, colourful, linear seating where kids can hang out'; painting of existing equipment; and some ground levelling, paving and path laying.

TWO'S COMPANY, THREE'S A HUB

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Right in the heart of Broughton, but tucked away off Gayfield Square (on the lane leading down from the square itself to East London Street), is a cluster of quite newly opened creative spaces offering an eclectic mix of curated exhibitions, space for hire and artists' studios. They are well worth visiting.