Breaking news

Free evening activities for young people will run on Thursday evenings (7:00–8.30pm) in King George V Park, starting tomorrow – Thursday 9 September. Activities run at similar times of the evening on Mondays in Inverleith Park.

Supervised, in a casual but reassuring way by members of the Inverleith Community Learning and Development Team, activities will include: football and other sports, games, arts, trips and challenges. Just turn up.

For further information, contact Callum McLeod: Tel. 332 6316.

This summer, eight S6 students and three staff from Drummond Community High School visited their partner schools in Kenya in a life-changing opportunity to help and learn from each other. Annie Scanlon, Drummond’s Librarian, looks back on some of the highlights.

Edinburgh's summer festivities ended in a blaze of glory on Sunday night.

Local resident Graeme Robertson captured these images from East Claremont Street, where neighbours gather twice annually to watch the spectacle in late summer and on Hogmanay.

The end of Festival fireworks faces an uncertain future now that the Bank of Scotland is pulling out and a new sponsor has yet to be found.

[Images © Graeme Robertson.]

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Full listings for the Cockburn Association's Doors Open Days on 25 and 26 September are now available online. Click here to view.

Nearby venues where you can look behind the scenes for free currently include:

Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, has reacted swiftly to clarify his position on the forthcoming Redbraes telecom mast.

In Issue 186, published yesterday, we reported how Vodafone and O2 had conducted 'outline consultation' with Mr Lazarowicz, as well as Malcolm Chisholm MSP, local councillors and the community council.

Mr Lazarowicz contacted Spurtle later that day to say, ' Can I make it clear that this ['outline consultation] comprised sending me information about the plan – I certainly haven't given it approval or my agreement.'

A lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art, Derek McGuire will be exhibiting in Broughton Street's Union Gallery later this month in what promises to be an atmospheric collection ideally suited to the shortening autumn days and changing light.

'Ella Novo Loco', named after the new place in which McGuire finds himself, will run from 10 September.

'His paintings are dark not only in terms of the palette, but also in the spookiness of their moods,' writes Alison Auldjo, Union's co-owner.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a 17-year-old woman was sexually assaulted on 20 August.

The victim was returning home at around 2am when a man approached her from behind and dragged her into Scotland Street Lane West. He knocked her to the ground, assaulted her and tried to remove part of her clothing. She cried out and members of the public came to her help. The assailant then fled up Scotland Street and escaped.

The suspect is described as white, aged 20–30, about 5' 9" tall and casually dressed.

Dance Base are running free 'taster sessions' later this month to celebrate the launch of their new venture in the Thomas Morton Hall (Issue 186).

As predicted in Issue 186, the Cameron Guest House Group has reapplied with revised plans for a hotel at 34–8 York Place.

The new proposal (Ref. 10/02444/FUL) seeks to form a hotel and create a licensed groundfloor bar for guest and public use.

Broughton Primary School's Parent Forum holds its annual general meeting tomorrow, 1 September from 7:30pm onwards.

This is one of the most important meetings of the year, as office bearers are elected and aims are set for the next 12 months.

Meet at the school in the Drama/Music Room.

Click on the pdf below for an agenda.