‘Coolest neighbourhood’ Leith launches its own stylish chronicle
Life in the Port will be recorded each year as the Leith community joins publishing's Annual success story
It was always going to be stylish. When the creative hotbed that is Leith decided to resurrect and bring new life to an old Christmas tradition it was never going to be by accident, but great design.
This is, after all, one of the coolest neighbourhoods on earth, determined to be such by no less than global culture, style and hospitality platform Time Out. And covering 333 cities in almost 60 countries, they should know.
The Leith Annual is on bookshelves this Christmas, building on the old handbooks that used to be published by the Port of Leith Authority, but in those days more as business directories. It is joining the ranks of some iconic names on the Christmas Annual “shelf” such as The Beano, Disney, Dr Who, Taylor Swift, and Match.
The result? A book that reflects a modern, vibrant, creative, diverse, neighbourhood that is full of community spirit and some stunning illustrations, like the one above by award-winning Astrid Jaekel which accompanies an article on the volunteers who work along the Water of Leith. It’s akin to earlier literary Christmas annuals - gift books which were aimed at adults, rather than children.
A celebration of Leith
The brainchild of the company behind the Port of Leith vertical distillery, its creation has brought scores and scores of Leith businesses, charities, organisations and individuals together and not just in print.
The Leith Annual’s editor, Johanna Derry Hall, says: “Leith has always been a colourful and vibrant neighbourhood, with a strong sense of identity and individuality. It’s been a pleasure to collaborate with local writers, illustrators, photographers and artists, as well as local businesses, community organisations and people to create The Leith Annual. The launch party was amazing, bringing together a whole host of diverse people from Leith. It was fantastic to see them all in one room at the same time. It’s a celebration of the area exactly as it is now and will, hopefully, continue as a chronicle of the neighbourhood for many years to come.”
She had a “huge amount of fun” and plenty of gratification in helping turn the vision of Muckle Brig, owners of the distillery, into a reality. “A huge number of people got behind the idea, from companies to individuals, and it was just typically Leith. People got into it and the community came together to make it happen. We now have a real snapshot of what was happening in Leith in 2024. I hope people like it.”
Lots of people stepped up to make contributions to the content, including some stunning illustrations, in chapters that highlight some of Leith’s most renowned strengths such as Arts & Creatives, the Environment, Brewing & Distilling, the Port itself, Hospitality, the Built Environment, Transport & Infrastructure, Charity & Community, and Sport.
A few highlights? 20 years of Leither magazine entertainingly captured by its editor Billy Gould; a fascinating look at Leith School of Art and the burgeoning creative sector; extensive coverage of the Port’s famous hospitality offering, with a focus on its impressive collection of artisan bakeries but which also includes a guide to filleting a mackerel by a renowned local chef; and articles on the Environment, Charity and Community that simply capture the spirit of the place.
And then there’s the Port itself. For the sea-farers and ship fans amongst you, there’s a double page spread detailing some of the interesting vessels to have docked in Leith during the past year.
Finally, something for the stats fans with a page of fun facts and figures. For example, the cosmopolitan and diverse nature of the local population can be gleaned from the fact that more than 40% were born outside Scotland.
Muckle Brig co-Chief Executive Ian Stirling explained the reason for launching an annual: “This is a remarkable place, and we wanted to capture and document the wonder for local resident and visitors, as well as future generations.
“We are fortunate to operate in one of the most industries and exciting neighbourhoods to be found anywhere in the world. We have manufacturers of kilts and biscuits, architects and engineers, exception bars and renowned restaurants, creative agencies, our very own movie studio, brewers, distillers and an incredibly busy port that is leading the charge to net zero.”
Of course, while Time Out crowned its coolness as recently as 2023 being a lively, entertaining place isn’t new for Leith. The renowned Edinburgh author of Treasure Island and Kidnapped, Robert Louis Stevenson mentioned Leith in several of his writings in the late 19th century and in his essay, "Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes," he wrote “It is a place pre-eminent for its conviviality and business habits, and it produces more than the common share of fitful sailors."
As a youngster, he may have been aware of the growing popularity of what was then a new-fangled invention, the Christmas Annual.
Jings! Talk about history
Annuals are a long-lasting publishing success story, since they first came into being. That was 20 years before Charles Dickens published his Christmas masterpiece, A Christmas Carol. It was one year after George IV landed at Leith on the first visit by a British Monarch to Scotland in more than 170 years.
It was 1823 – the year that marked the first recorded example of the Christmas Annual. Forget-Me-Not was published in London, generally accepted as the first literary annual and aimed mainly at women with its collection of poetry and short stories.
The same year, The Children’s Friend was launched, with its poems, stories and illustrations all relating to Christmas and aimed at young readers. Since then many varieties have been launched. Scottish favourites are still riding high in the charts each year in the form of The Broons, Oor Wullie and The Beano.
Sales may not be at quite the level they once were, but they are still very healthy and because so many annuals are sold in outlets other than bookshops, reliable numbers are difficult to find. What is undeniable is that millions continue to appear in Christmas stockings every year.
They’re not just popular, they’re collectable with early editions achieving high prices. A first edition of Oor Wullie is, at the time of writing, on sale at an online specialist retailer for an eye-watering £12,500.
Might the 2024 Leith Annual one day become a collector’s item? Only time will tell, but in the meantime it costs a relatively modest £15 and is available from retailers across the city, and online at www.leithexport.com