Botanics’ glasshouse plans at risk as costs treble
Plus: Machete youths' 40 minutes in city centre; Cramond/Summerhall developers £50,000 fine threat; and the "accessible" Tour de France
Botanics faces downgrading plans to secure future of its word-class research and conservation work
The Botanics plans to build a spectacular new glasshouse and futureproof its world-class research work are under threat after costs trebled.
The Gardens describe the Edinburgh Biomes project, which includes the upgrading of its famous glasshouses, as “the most ambitious programme in its history”. However, costs have soared from an initial £70m in 2021 to an estimated £243m today.
The Botanics is now being forced to consider a cutback £180m plan to secure the “minimum viable” investment in its facilities, while it pushes the Scottish Government to support its full-scale proposals.
The reduced plan would mean losing the most spectacular part of the Biomes plan, a new eye-shaped glasshouse planned for alongside the Victorian Palm Houses and their 1960s neighbour. It would also see plans for a state-of-the-art “plant health suite” for propagating specimens downgraded.
I thought work on the glasshouse was going well? The renovation of the historic, A-listed Palm Houses is essentially complete. Work is underway to bring plants back in, ahead of their planned reopening to the public in September. However, the cost of the work soared from less than £7m to more than £21m. You can take a tour of the refurbished Palm Houses with the Botanics’ research and collections manager Sadie Barber in the video below.
What’s gone wrong? Like many major construction projects, such as the Dunard Centre concert hall and the National Centre for Music on Regent Road, it has suffered from dramatic building industry inflation and supply-chain disruption in the wake of Covid, Brexit and the Ukraine war.
What could be lost? Simon Milne, Regius Keeper at the Botanic Garden, has stressed the Biomes project is about much more than infrastructure - it is critical to securing the Gardens’ future as a world leader in plant research and conservation. The newly-knighted Sir Simon told the Edinburgh Evening News: “Through sustained, targeted investment, the programme will secure our globally significant living collections while safeguarding Scotland’s leadership in plant health and biodiversity research. It will underpin efforts to address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, now and for generations to come.”
Globally important: The Royal Botanic Gardens hold an internationally important collection of almost 14,000 species across its four sites, Edinburgh, Benmore, Dawyck and Logan, representing more than 150 countries.
What happens next? The Botanics is working to secure philanthropic support for the Biomes project, including from overseas, but it will almost certainly need further support from the Scottish Government - which has already promised £58m - in order to deliver its full plans.
YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING
LE ‘ACCESSIBLE’ TOUR: The Tour de France’s Grand Depart from Edinburgh next summer will be part of "the most accessible major sporting spectacle ever held in Britain," according to the UK Government. It is estimated the UK stage of the race, which start in Edinburgh on 2 July next year, will pass “within an hour’s drive of 60% of the population”, with free spectating along more than 550 miles of public roads. The first stage of the men’s race leaves from Edinburgh Castle, heading south through the streets of the city, then Midlothian, including Newtowngrange, before passing through the Borders on the way to Carlisle. Organisers believe the Grand Depart will attract around a million spectators in and around Edinburgh.
MACHETE ARRESTS: Two teenage boys, aged 15 and 17, have been arrested after shoppers watched in horror as a youth brandished a large machete in streets around the city centre. Specialist firearms officers were among those despatched after a youth was spotted with the weapon. Sightings have been reported between 2.15pm outside John Lewis in Leith Street and 2.55pm in Rose Street. No injuries were reported. The incident comes amid concerns about rising knife crime in the Capital (Revealed: How knife crime is surging in the Capital as youth services are cut back).
ACCESSIBLE ART: The director-general of the National Galleries has welcomed a total of £56m in Scottish Government funding over the next four years, which will kickstart work on its answer to London’s much-heralded V&A Storehouse, The Art Works in Granton. Anne Lyden said: “This means we can proceed with confidence and continue to seek philanthropic donations to fully fund the build.”
22-YEAR WAIT GOES ON: The 22-year wait for city housing developers AMA to deliver promised community sports facilities at Cramond (The Summerhall developers and a promise undelivered after 20 years) is set to continue. Councillors will be asked on Wednesday to delay potential enforcement action and a potential fine of up to £50,000. The delay would allow the latest, ongoing mediation between the developer and community leaders to continue with a view to agreeing a deal.
SOCIAL WORK FEARS: Social workers are worried about raising concerns over poor practice and feel issues they raise are not being listened to or addressed, the Care Inspectorate has found. The results of the inspection of the leadership of children’s social work in the Capital follows The Inquirer’s investigation into care workers concerns about failings in the service (Police investigating alleged sexual exploitation within city’s care services). The Inspectorate will work with a new leadership team in an effort to ensure standards improve.
SWIFT FASHION: Free People, the US vintage-inspired fashion brand loved by Taylor Swift, will open its first Scottish store on George Street on Friday.
FESTIVAL TRIBUTES: Tributes have been paid to the Young Vic founder and former artitstic director of the Edinburgh International Festival Frank Dunlop following his death at the age of 98. He was a key member of Laurence Olivier’s National Theatre in the 1960s, before becoming a dynamic leader of the International Festival in the 1980s, bringing the great Berliner Ensemble and the young Kenneth Branagh’s Renaissance Theatre Company to Edinburgh.
RARE CANCER HOPE: The Rare Cancers Bill introduced by Edinburgh South West MP Dr Scott Arthur has taken another important step on its way to becoming UK law. The Bill, developed in partnership with more than 40 charities, tackles long-standing gaps in research, treatment development and access to clinical trials for people affected by rare cancers. Dr Arthur brought forward the Bill after losing his father-in-law to a brain tumour. It will now undergo a final reading in the House of Lords, after passing its second reading this week, before returning to the Commons to potentially become law.
FIRST WALK-IN GP: Scotland’s first walk-in GP surgery will open at the Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre, as part of First Minister John Swinney’s plans to tackle the “8am rush” to get an appointment. A total of 15 walk-in centres are planned across the country at a cost of at least £36m. Despite creating more than a million extra GP and nurse appointments, the Royal College of General Practitioners has questioned whether the centres will have a significant impact or represent best use of limited resources.
LEITH CHOOSES: The people of Leith will decide where £45,000 in community grants are invested at the £eith Chooses Voting Day on Saturday. Anyone who is 8 years old or over and either lives, works, volunteers or goes to school or college in Leith can cast their vote at the Leith Community Centre in the Kirkgate. (A quiet revolution in democracy is taking place in Leith)
Pic of the week
THE BUSINESS
Future of Edinburgh investment trust will be known tomorrow
Around 25,000 savers and investors will discover the fate of the Baillie Gifford managed Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust tomorrow as it seeks to fight off what its board describes as a hostile takeover.
EWIT, as it is known, has a stake in Elon Musk’s SpaceX among its major investments. Both of the Trust’s proxy advisers have advised shareholders to vote against the Saba plan, and the other major shareholder, Legal & General, has declared against it. Many commentators have warned against the plan.
US-based hedge fund Saba wants to remove the entire board of six independent directors and replace them with three nominees of its own. It claims the £1 billion fund has underperformed and has governance issues, which are flatly denied by the board which has pointed instead to a 30% growth in share price.
The result of voting is expected to be known at around noon, at the requisitioned General Meeting being held in the Capital.
It is the second time that Saba, which holds just under 30% of EWIT, has attempted to force change, with its last effort seen off with a large majority. Voting this time, according to both sides, appears much tighter.
SKILLS CHALLENGE: Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce is bringing together businesses and education providers on 3 February to look at how to tackle one of the city’s most pressing challenges to economic growth – ensuring a pipeline of skilled and talented employees.
‘CRIPPLING’ COSTS: The Strawberry Corner garden centre, near Musselburgh, in East Lothian, has been forced to close after 32 years. The family-run business said “crippling” rising costs were largely to blame for the move.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
LEITH THEATRE TOUR: Enjoy a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes at the revived Leith Theatre with a special heritage tour. The first tour of 2026 takes place on Thursday, 29 January, at 6pm. Cost £5.
CRAFTIVISM: Enjoy a colourful and inspiring walk through the history of ‘craftivisim’, the art of using art to protest, at the Museum of Edinburgh. Covering everything from environmental campaigning to LGBT+ rights, the run of the popular Making a statement: Craft and activism in Edinburgh exhibition has been extended until 22 February.
GETTING ANIMATED: Breakdancing bugs, candyfloss puppets, live woodworking, stick men in the midst of an existential crisis, it has to be the Manipulate Festival. The acclaimed festival of visual theatre, puppetry and animated film brings Scottish and international works to venues including Edinburgh Filmhouse from 4-10 February.
QUICK BITES
NEW NOOK: A popular coffee shop on Leith Walk has re-opened after an extensive redesign. The former OQO Coffee Nook will now be known simply as The Nook following work that was aimed to make the premises even more customer friendly.
BALD FACTS: The multi award-winning Bald Baker shop in Slateford Road, renowned for its pies, is closing. Owner Scott Parker told customers via social media that he is instead focusing on his growing online and catering business.
BUFFET OPEN: Hot World Cuisine – a new buffet chain – has opened its first Edinburgh branch at 118-126 Dalry Road, serving dishes from a variety of international cuisines.