Allez le Tour! City finally set to agree to host world's greatest cycle race
Plus: Sir Keir makes Ian Murray play Westminster Hokey Cokey
Council prepares to commit £1.7m to bring Tour de France to Edinburgh
City councillors are being asked to commit £1.7m to secure the city’s role as host of the Grand Départ of the Tour de France.
It was announced in March that the Tour - the world’s biggest annual sporting event - would start in Edinburgh in 2027. The first stage of the race has been held outside France in recent years but this would be the first time it has come to Scotland.
However, councillors have stalled on signing the necessary agreement with the race organisers about the potential costs involved, amid fears it could climb significantly above £1.7m.
Now the Scottish Government has promised to underwrite any costs above that figure and councillors on the local authority’s culture and communities committee will be asked to agree to press ahead with the formal agreement.
How much is the tour worth? The Grand Départ was last hosted in Britain in 2014 when it came to Leeds, attracting 3.5m spectators and generating an estimated £102m for the Yorkshire economy. It is expected to bring similar economic benefits to Edinburgh if it is confirmed for 2027.
‘Tremendous honour’: At the time Edinburgh was originally announced as the host city, First Minister John Swinney welcomed it, saying: "It is a tremendous honour to welcome the Tour de France to Scotland. We know it is one of the most iconic and inspiring contests in sport, and that Scotland provides the perfect stage for major events. Hosting the Tour de France promises to be a unique opportunity to showcase our country to its many fans around the world."
What will it cost and who will pay? The full cost of staging the Grand Départ has not been revealed, but it will be covered by a mixture of private sponsorship, UK and Scottish government funding and up to £1.7m from the city council. The Capital’s Visitor Levy which is due to come into force next year is expected to cover at least part of that cost, although nothing has yet been agreed on the spending of those funds.
What’s the hitch? Councillors from across political parties have been unhappy about the lack of information on the cost and potential benefits of hosting the tour. Some have questioned whether spending £1.7m will offer value for money, including SNP councillor Kate Campbell, who has said: “It’s a huge amount of money. We really don’t know what the benefit to the city is.”
D-Day comes on Wednesday when councillors are being asked to commit to being hosts and approve the £1.7m spending.
In, Out: Ian Murray made to play Hokey Cokey
On Friday afternoon he was out, sacked by Sir Keir Starmer from his Cabinet role as Scottish Secretary, much to the surprise of most. Within 24 hours Ian Murray was back in government, although in a demoted role as a junior minister, after a backlash from his parliamentary colleagues.
Ruthless? Disloyal? Out of touch? Take your pick when it comes to what the sacking - which was reportedly carried out by phone - says about the Prime Minister. But it didn’t go down well in Labour ranks. The Edinburgh South MP is hard-working and well-liked and respected by party colleagues, who feel he carried Labour through the hard times as their one-time sole Scottish MP.
Two jobs, two kids: After initially announcing his return to the backbenches, Murray was hastily shuffled into a new joint role, as a junior minister at both the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport and the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology. After welcoming his second daughter in January, he is going to have his hands full.
Carrying the can: After being widely credited for Labour’s almost clean sweep in Edinburgh in last May’s elections, he is thought to have carried the can for the party’s failure to inspire voters in Scotland ahead of next year’s Holyrood elections. Will his near neighbour Douglas Alexander, the MP for Lothian East, be able to do any better after being handed Murray’s old job? Only time, as they say, will tell.
Big task: Alexander previously served as Tony Blair’s Scottish Secretary nearly 20 years ago. As well as the role of Scottish Secretary, he has been handed the unenviable task of leading Labour’s Holyrood election campaign, working alongside Jackie Baillie MSP.
YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING
SWIMMING GRAN: A 74-year-old grandmother-of-three has completed an epic swim across the Firth of Forth, covering the nine miles from North Berwick in East Lothian to Elie in Fife in six-and-a-quarter hours. Linda Malcolm had to swerve lion's mane jellyfish "the size of dogs" and large seals to complete the swim described as “remarkable and unheard of”.
BATTERY-POWERED TRAINS: New battery-powered electric trains are to be introduced on the Borders Railway and the Edinburgh-Fife line as part of a £342 million investment in the two routes. Work is underway on electrifying the lines and 69 new trains will be bought in a move which will increase capacity as well as make services greener and more reliable.
LAID TO REST AFTER 90 YEARS: Two murdered women whose remains were discovered in storage at the University of Edinburgh have finally been laid to rest 90 years after their deaths. Isabella Ruxton and Mary Rogerson, from Lancaster, were murdered by Isabella’s husband Dr Buck Ruxton in 1935. University scientists helped identify the women at the time. Their remains have now been laid to rest in line with their families wishes after being uncovered in the university’s archives.
FARE PLAY: Twelve young apprentices from Lothian Buses have completed a groundbreaking 14-week innovation programme, where they have presented solutions to some of the most pressing sustainability challenges facing their place of work. In partnership with Powering Futures, the young workers were asked to come up with sustainable solutions to business operations – including recycling across the company’s sites.
WATER POLLUTION ALERT: Signs are back up once again warning against bathing at Fisherrow Sands, Musselburgh Esk. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency are investigating an ongoing pollution incident in the River Esk at Polton, Midlothian, which may have affected water quality at the beach.
QUEENSFERRY ‘BOY RACERS’: Residents in South Queensferry are calling for more effective action to be taken against ‘boy racers’ whose behaviour is blighting the town. After anti-social behaviour orders were imposed earlier this year, a petition to be considered by councillors on Thursday is calling for barriers, speed bumps and CCTV to be used to tackle the problems which centre around the seafront Hawes Pier car park.
MAROON MILE: The Maroon Mile heritage trail from the Haymarket War Memorial to Tynecastle Park has been completed. The mile-long trail explores the history of the area and its people as well the football club’s place in it. The project is part of Hearts wider plans to support the regeneration of the area as Ann Budge explained to the Inquirer last year.
SHERIFFHALL DELAYS: Councillors and officials from across the Lothians have expressed frustration at continuing delays to the Sheriffhall roundabout flyover. Transport Scotland officials say the Scottish Government remains committed to the project which is expected to cost up to £300m. Submissions to a public inquiry almost two years ago are still being reviewed. Midlothian Council chief executive Grace Vickers told a City Region Deal meeting: “On behalf of Midlothian, I want to communicate that we are deeply frustrated at the lack of progress in Sheriffhall. Midlothian is the fastest-growing local authority, East Lothian is the second fastest growing local authority in Scotland, and we desperately need the Sheriffhall transport solution.
UNI SELING STUDENT FLATS: The University of Edinburgh has put two of its student accommodation properties up for sale as it looks to make significant savings in order to balance its books. Kitchener House and David Horne House near the university’s Kings Campus house more than one hundred students.
TOILET REOPENINGS: The city council are set to carry out a survey of public toilets across the city with a view to eventually reopening some. Eleven public loos were shut in 2015 as part of a cost-saving measures. Investment in public toilets has been suggested as one way in which the proceeds of the city’s Visitor Levy could be spent.
Pic of the week
THE BUSINESS
Investors in high-quality Edinburgh properties driving value in Scottish market
Edinburgh is the driving-force behind higher value deals in Scotland’s commercial property market, according to new analysis from experts Knight Frank.
The commercial property consultancy says that during the first half of this year there were fewer, but higher value, transactions north of the border.
The firm maintains that there were 59 transactions with an average deal size of £12.7 million, the highest figure for several years.
The trend was strongest in the main three Scottish cities, but especially in Edinburgh, where the average deal size has gone up by 84% during 2025 compared to the average for the previous five years – reaching £26.3m, while the average between 2020 and 2024 was £14.3m.
WATERFRONT SALE: Ocean Terminal is set to be offered for sale. The redevelopment of the site has involved the demolition of one wing of the retail centre and a multi storey car park, with plans in place to build hundreds of new homes within the footprint as well as redevelop a mixed-use retail and commercial space. Trade press publication Green Street News says the selling agents are JLL.
INVESTMENT SUMMIT: Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey will deliver a keynote address at Scotland’s Global Investment Summit, taking place in Edinburgh next month. The Governor’s remarks will kick off the summit, which will also be attended by senior ministers from Scottish and UK governments, investors and a range of industry leaders, hosted by Scottish Financial Enterprise and the Lord Mayor of London.
CAPITAL WIN: Apex Hotels has been named Hospitality Health Employer of the Year at the prestigious Scottish Bar & Pub Awards 2025, held in Glasgow in recent days. The awards spotlight people and businesses driving excellence across Scotland’s pubs, bars, and hotels.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
RIDE ON: With roots said to date back more than 500 years to the Battle of Flodden, Edinburgh’s Riding of the Marches continues to hold an allure. Thousands are expected to gather across the city to see the horses and riders complete their 26 mile circuit on Sunday. Full details of where you can see the action can be found here.
KILTS ON: Covering 21 miles on a route from Holyrood Park to Murrayfield, via Musselburgh and Leith, join Sir Chris Hoy and Sir Tom Hunter for the Edinburgh Kiltwalk on Sunday.
WALK IN THE ART: Edinburgh’s seaside art festival Porty Art Walk continues until Sunday with its ever-popular art houses open again at the weekend.
QUICK BITES
TAKE AWAY AWARD: Bombay Lounge, The Indian restaurant and beer garden on Dalkeith High Street, picked up the award as best Indian takeaway in Scotland at the Spice Awards ceremony recently.
NEW OPENING: Edinburgh culinary star Chef Stuart Ralston has announced plans to open Parisian bar Vinette and cocktail bar Vivien in the former site of Fhior at 36 Broughton Street in Edinburgh within the coming weeks.