Breaking news

A 31-year-old woman walking from the New Town to Stockbridge was attacked and left unconscious by a man on Friday 20 August between 9:00pm and 11:00pm. Police have appealed for witnesses.

The victim, who sustained a facial injury, later regained  consciousness under McKenzie Bridge and phoned family members for help. She had not been robbed, and police suspect it was a sexually motivated attack. After treatment in hospital, she was released.

Two Gormleys have again been targeted in fashion make-overs of dubious taste.

The figure in the pool at Bell's Mill Weir (pictured right) looked a shade downcast in tarty, mandarin poncho; the figure in Stockbridge (below) seemed more at ease in a skimpy dress combining pink, polka dots and flowers.

All just a bit of summer fun, but is it still funny?

When will people tire of these repetitive cross-dressing pranks in favour of more original and thoughtful re-interpretations?

Dundas Street had a 1930s feel to it this lunchtime as young people made their way uphill  in a variety of retro styles.

What with the taut ping of elastic braces, the heady scent of Brylcream, the rustling of nylons and the glistening splotches of liberally applied lipstick – some of the thespians recoiled in horror at the sight of your extravagantly turned-out Spurtle photographer advancing upon them.

Ofcom – the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries – has noted the rising profile of hyperlocal websites in the regional 'media ecology'.

Their researchers say one in five people now claims to consult community websites at least once per month, and to have increased their use of such sites over the past two years.

In the latest edition of the Broughton History Society Newsletter, Alex Dow tells the story of his family’s connection with a dairy farm at Broughton Point, and with Broughton generally. The photo features his grandparents, circa 1896.

Also included are: the story of the 1790 Census of St Cuthbert’s Parish – which included Broughton; a local fire in 1941; memories of a local sweetie shop; and a nineteenth-century poem in praise of Broughton Street.

A slideshow of 1950s images – part of City Libraries' Capital Collection – has gone online. It marks the release tomorrow of Sylvain Chomet's Edinburgh-set film The Illusionist.

The photographs – including some which will be easily recognisable to locally based readers – are available at www.flickr.com.

City of Edinburgh Council seeks the public's views on its 'Draft Management Plan for the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site'.

The draft – drawn up in partnership with the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust and Historic Scotland – provides a framework for the protection and enhancement of the Site’s cultural heritage. It updates the previous plan of July 2005.

The document's main themes are: safeguarding the cultural heritage; understanding the World Heritage Site (WHS); recognising that the WHS is part of a living city; managing the WHS.

Broughton's iconic Conan Doyle public house at 71–3 York Place seeks City Planning permission to instal unspecified new plant downstairs and refresh the exterior: smart black and gold paintwork, an over-door lamp, and hanging sign (Ref. 10/02269/FUL).

So far, so ho–hum. More interesting by far are plans submitted by Burns Interior Designs to accompany the submission.

The Union Gallery will host a free talk on Thursday 19 August by Bill Hare, Honorary Curator of the Art In Healthcare Collection and a lecturer in Scottish art at Edinburgh University.

Art in Healthcare (AIH) – established in 1991 and now based in the Drill Hall on Dalmeny Street – has built up over 1,300 original Scottish works, including pieces by John Bellany, Alan Davie, Elizabeth Blackadder, Calum Innes, Stephen Campbell, and Union co-owner and artist Alison Auldjo.

Broughton Street's Villeneuve Wines are reintroducing their informal, semi-tutored tasting-sessions, starting on Thursday 26 August.

For £10 each, around 20 participants will convene at 7:30pm upstairs in Urban Angel to be greeted with a glass of fizz, then float home around 9:30pm, wiser about ten vintages, greatly refreshed, and differently equipped to face the challenges of the recession on Friday.