Better weather hopes for Hogmanay after wind snuffs out torchlight parade
Plus: Pyro arrests on derby day and engineers quit Leith after 200 years
Severe weather predicted to pass ahead of Hogmanay celebrations
The weather forecasters are offering hope for Hogmanay despite the severe weather warnings in place across Scotland.
High winds led to the cancellation of last night’s Torchlight Procession after thousands registered to join the normally spectacular march through the Old Town. Organisers said the decision had been taken on safety grounds.
While organisers will continue to closely monitor the forecasts, they remain optimistic about tomorrow night. The latest forecasts suggest the worst of the rain and high winds will clear during the day tomorrow. It might be dreich (when is it not in Edinburgh at this time of year?), but it looks as though Hogmanay celebrations across the city may escape the worst of the wet and windy conditions.
So, the fireworks are in place for the 6-minute display and light show to mark midnight, Texas are on standby to headline the concert in the Gardens for a record-breaking third time, and venues across the city are gearing up for a busy few days.
The weather: The Met Office has issued a weather warning for high winds an rain covering the whole of Scotland for today and tomorrow. The good news is the worst of the rain is due to be over by lunchtime and the high winds to have died down by late afternoon. Fingers crossed.
Guinn-less: If you’re heading out, have fun, but don’t necessarily expect to get your hands on a pint of Guinness. Pubs in the city are already reporting being hit by the global shortage of the black stuff.
Join the street party? Although sales are understood to have been strong for most of the main city centre events, you can still grab tickets for many - including the Street Party (don’t forget your 20% discount if you have an EN postcode), the Concert in the Gardens with Texas and Musselburgh’s own Callum Beattie and the Fringe hit Swamplesque at the Assembly Rooms until Saturday. Around 45,000 are expected to see in ‘the bells’ in the city centre party zone.
Or head to the Pitt? If you prefer to avoid the city centre crowds, then the biggest party will undoubtedly be at The Pitt in Granton. The newly-reopened venue has teamed up with those other Edinburgh legends at Sneaky Pete’s to stage a Hogmanay Extravaganza of food, fire, live music and ceilidh dancing. Limited tickets are still available.
£48m spend: It is estimated that spending by visitors in the city over the Hogmanay period will deliver a £48m economic boost, largely through spending in hotels, bars, restaurants and shops.
The morning after: As well as the usual favourites like the Loony Dooks at South Queensferry, Portobello, North Berwick and elsewhere, there are free music performances from 2pm at various city centre venues as well as Leith Arches and Portobello Town Hall. You can find full details of the First Footin’ concerts here.
YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING
PYRO ARRESTS: Three men have been charged with carrying or using pyrotechnics ahead of the Edinburgh derby on Boxing Day, including two arrested at Haymarket. Police are continuing to investigate the setting off of four smoke devices inside the stadium. Meanwhile, a 45-year-old has been arrested in connection with alleged racial abuse towards Hibs player Jordan Obita.
HIGH-FLYING: Edinburgh Airport has handled 15 million passengers this year, a new record, boosted by a combination of new routes, Scotland’s qualification for the Euros in Germany, and the massive draw of the Taylor Swift concerts at Murrayfield.
UNEXPLODED BOMB: The bomb squad were called to deal with an unexploded ordnance device discovered by a boat dredging Granton Harbour on Friday night.
LEITH NO MORE: Engineering firm George Brown and Sons is leaving its historic home on Leith Shore after 200 years for a new base at the Macmerry Industrial Estate in East Lothian. The firm told The Herald the introduction of controlled parking had added just under £15,000 to its annual costs and was one of the changes that meant it was no longer practical to run its workshop there.
BODY FIND: Police searching for missing local Santra Saju, 22, who was reported missing from South Gyle last week, have found the body of a woman in water near Newbridge. Police say there are no suspicious circumstances.
PARKING MAD: St James Quarter parking charges of £18.40 for four to five hours have been highlighted by the AA in a list of what it described as “utterly crackers” fees. The charges are partially designed to encourage park and ride and public transport use, but the AA says such fees are damaging town and city centres. “The Government says it wants to rejuvenate town centres. The cost of shoppers’ parking is one of the places to start,” it said.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
CASSETTE STORIES: Tape Letters is a social history project which shines light on the practice of recording and sending messages on cassette tape, as an unorthodox method of communication by Pakistanis who migrated and settled in the UK between 1960-1980. Drawing directly both from first-hand interviews with members of the city’s Pakistani community, the exhibition explores topics of migration, identity, communication and language. Tape Letters is at the Museum of Edinburgh until 23 February.
JOYFUL ART: Discover the joyful work of Edinburgh-based Everlyn Nicodemus in the first retrospective exhibition of the prestigious Freelands Award-winning artist’s work. Featuring drawings, collages, paintings and textiles from the last 40 years, Nicodemus work explores themes such as the healing power of creativity and the global oppression of women. At the Modern Art Gallery One until 25 May.
THE BUSINESS
Edinburgh MSP calls for business rates relief for retailers
Edinburgh South MSP Daniel Johnson has challenged The Scottish to provide rates relief to High Street retailers to arrest an “alarming decline” in the number of retail jobs north of the Border.
Labour is making the call following their analysis of data from the Scottish Government’s own Business in Scotland report, which they say indicates that retail job figures are at their lowest for many years – down by more than 10,000 within the past year.
Mr Johnson, Labour’s Economy spokesman at Holyrood, said: "The SNP could have supported Scotland’s struggling high streets by following Labour’s lead and extending rates relief for retail businesses, but it failed.
"We need a real plan to support retail and breathe fresh life into Scotland’s high streets – including short-term rates relief and a long-term plan to level the playing field between local businesses and online giants."
While Finance Secretary Shona Robison announced a 40% rates relief for some of the hospitality sector during her recent budget, she did not extend this benefit to retail as it has been south of the border.
The Scottish Government maintains that it offers a competitive, non-domestic rates regime. "The Budget also provides a package of reliefs worth an estimated £731 million, including the Small Business Bonus Scheme which is the most generous of its kind in the UK.”
GRAND TEAM: The Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa has unveiled two high-profile appointments to its leadership team in Edinburgh, naming Fiona Young as its Spa Director, and Stuart Thomson as its Executive Chef.
APEX GIFT: City-based Apex Hotels has donated £10,000 to Crisis UK, the national charity dedicated to ending homelessness. The hotel group has enjoyed a successful year of growth, and decided to express its gratitude to partners, clients, and suppliers by supporting the charity’s important work.
CLOSED BOOK: A popular local café and bookshop has been put up for sale. The Potobello premises of Tills & Company is on the market for a leasehold price of £69,000, with the business name not part of the sale.
QUICK BITES
NEW OPENING: A new restaurant is set to open on Tranent High Street in the former Giancarlo’s premises early next year. Natascia Scott is set to open La Trattoria, helped by her father Gordon Scott who recently retired from his successful Gordon’s Trattoria on the Royal Mile.
PIZZA PUB: Pizza Geeks, who have locations all over the city including Leith, Dalry Road and Easter Road, has announced a collaboration with The Clermiston Inn on Rannoch Road, serving up their Neapolitan inspired pizzas from the pub's kitchen as well as local home deliveries.
I’m sorry to see that George Brown are leaving the shore.