Breaking news

The closure of Broughton Street planned for Saturday 9 January (Issue 178) did not go ahead, owing to bad weather. TIE has now postponed it until Saturday 16 January.

Traffic diversions along Albany and Dundas Streets have also been postponed until 16 January, as has the reopening of Dublin Street.

These new arrangements are subject to change depending upon what the winter throws down next. So far, tramworks in neighbouring areas are proceeding as notified.

For local tramworks planned from now until mid-February, click on the pdf below.

Bin bags and Christmas trees around some Broughton wheelie-bins were uplifted by CEC today (9 Jan.).

But the wheelie-bins themselves remain full to bursting. More adjacent pile-ups seem inevitable.

As the cold weather continues, City of Edinburgh Council is supplementing services for vulnerable and elderly people. Home-care and day-care services are being reassessed to find the most practical solutions to individuals' needs.

If you have an old or vulnerable neighbour, even if you don't know them well, pop round and say hello. See if they want any help. It's not rocket science.

If you know someone who needs help, phone CEC on: Tel. 200 2324 (office hours) or 0800 731 6964  (other times).

Recent snowy weather has severely disrupted City of Edinburgh Council services across Broughton and the rest of the capital.

CEC's 26 gritting lorries prioritise main routes into the city and routes for emergency services. Next come other main roads and connecting thoroughfares. Side-streets are bottom of the drift. As soon as fresh snow falls, operations revert to Category-1 targets. This is why some local side-streets remain untreated after a fortnight.

Issue 178 (January 2010) will arrive in Broughton outlets as soon as the Hogmanay dust has settled. If you can't wait for a printed copy, click on the front-page image at the top right of our Home page.

Don't forget, there are more articles to read in Extras. So far we have features on: Edinburgh Primary Heads' reaction to budget cuts; Jon Reid's departure from Drummond CHS; vintage swimsuits; and former local giant St Bernard's Football Club. The latter article contains several historic photographs rarely seen before.

Patrick Neill was growing this exotic Baptisia nepalensis locally in 1825. The story of his extraordinary garden between Rodney Street and Scotland Street Yard features in the latest edition of the Broughton History Society Newsletter.

Also included is some detective work on the story of a shop, a Beaverbank family tragedy and a glimpse of Broughton in Literature. You can read the Newsletter on this website by going to the end of the 'Broughton's history' page and clicking on Back issues:

BROUGHTON'S HISTORY

The 24th Loony Dook will take place as usual in South Queensferry at noon on 1 January 2010 (details at theloonydook.co.uk).

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland are using the event to raise funds. They're inviting volunteers to seek sponsorship for taking the plunge, and so help the fight against heart and circulatory disease (Scotland's biggest killer).

Edinburgh's 2nd Festival of Sport organisers want local sports clubs to get involved in June 2010.

The event aims to highlight sporting activities and encourage more people across the city to lead an active life.

For bus times over the holiday period, click www.lothianbuses.com.

The amazing mural adorning the bricked-up mouth of Scotland St Tunnel is now complete. It was created by local youths under the expert eye of graffiti artist Elph.

But catch it while you can – the infill is due to be demolished early in the New Year when Phase I work begins inside.

Further Tunnel project details follow in Issue 178. See also Breaking News (24.10.09).