Recriminations as third councillor quits in Colinton
Plus: Snow storm to be followed by ice; new distillery opening; and white squirrels’ visits
New councillor is third to quit local ward to dismay of colleagues
If losing one councillor might be regarded as misfortune, then the good people of Colinton and Fairmilehead must be wondering how they have lost three in four months.
Firstly, two of the Capital’s best-known local politicians - former city transport leader Scott Arthur and ex-Scottish Government Minister Marco Biagi - quit to take up roles within national politics. So far, so normal political life.
But things took a bizarre turn when Arthur’s successor, Lib Dem activist Louise Spence, resigned within seven days of being elected. She is believed to be taking up a new job outside the council which involves working abroad.
Her resignation has attracted particular ire because she made the fact she lives in the area central to her campaign, criticising rival candidates for living in other parts of the city. She then put her house on the market the day after winning election.
‘Truly sorry’: Spence has blamed the move on a “sudden change in personal circumstances” and said she is “truly sorry” and was doing “the right thing”. She resigned after The Daily Record discovered details of the timing of her house sale.
Who is really sorry? Rival parties are lining up to condemn Spence, one going as far as describing recent events as “disgusting”. None will be furious like her fellow Lib Dems who appear to have been taken by surprise. Winning the seat from Labour had been a coup for the Lib Dems in city political terms. They will fear their chances of pulling off a repeat are now fairly low.
An unwanted Record? Spence’s eight days in post is believed to be one of the shortest tenures in the 700-year history of the city council and its predecessor authorities. For context, Liz Truss lastest more than six times as long as Prime Minister (and, remember, was famously outlasted by a lettuce.)
What happens next? There will be a double by-election for the Colinton/Fairmilehead ward on Thursday, January 23, to choose replacements for Biagi and Spence.
The big picture: All four main parties will harbour hopes of gaining a seat in January. All will have at least one eye on the next council elections in 18 months time. Whatever the result, it seems unlikely to change Labour’s minority leadership of the local authority. The SNP and Lib Dems currently have more seats (18 and 14 respectively) than Labour (11). However, there seems little appetite from other parties to support a new SNP administration, while the Lib Dems appear content to let Labour continue and take the brunt of the flack for the likely cuts to local services. As we have just seen though, a week is a long time in politics…
YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING
WHITE SIGHT: Two rare white squirrels have become regular visitors to a family’s garden in Silverknowes. The pair are tame enough to come close to the window of the Pender family’s home. The Scottish Wildlife Trust says they are likely to be red or grey squirrels with a genetic condition known as leucism which affects the colour of their fur.
WHITE STUFF: Overnight temperatures could drop as low as minus 4C tomorrow, but we seem to have seen the last of the snow for now, according to Met Office forecasts. Unexpectedly heavy snow fall brought the city’s 700-strong fleet of Lothian Buses to a standstill for several hours on Saturday as the weather caused major transport disruption across the country. The Queensferry Crossing took the unusual step of closing due to the risk of ice falling from the structure.
OPENING ON ICE: Of all the victims of the weekend’s bad weather, we didn’t see these one coming. The Polar Ice Bar at Edinburgh’s Christmas had to delay its opening by 24 hours but will soon be offering a warm welcome to visitors on George Street. The Midlothian Snowsports Centre at Hillend also had to temporarily shut.
HOMELESS MOVED OUT: Dozens of homeless people may be moved out of the Capital temporarily because the city council is struggling to find enough suitable accommodation. The local authority is trying to rehouse 650 people who have been stuck in rooms in hotels and B&Bs following soaring demand since the pandemic. City officials say around 10% of them may have to be placed within other local authority areas in order to find sufficient licensed HMO (houses in multiple occupation) properties in time for the council’s own deadline at the end of the month.
ONE DAY AND AWAY: Netflix has been refused planning permission to install a plaque in The Vennel, off the Grassmarket, marking the city’s connection with its hit series One Day. The drama, based on David Nicholls’ novel, was partly set and filmed in Edinburgh. The red plastic plaque was initially fixed to the wall in The Vennel but has since been removed.
CULTURE CASH: Some of Scotland’s leading creative figures are calling on the Scottish Government to commit to a “coherent timeline” for delivering its promised increased investment of £100m annually by 2028/29. Signatories to the #InvestInCulture campaign include Garbage singer Shirley Manson, playwright and screenwriter Rona Munro, Turner Prize-shortlisted artist Nathan Coley, and Idlewild guitarist Rod Jones.
‘ISLAND’ FLATS: Scottish Ministers will decide whether or not 63 new homes can be built on land on Gorgie Road after a warning they could become marooned by future flooding. City councillors are supporting Dundas Estates’ plans for the old garages and industrial units at 495 Gorgie Road. However, Sepa (the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) is objecting because the properties could be left cut off in the event of the Water of Leith bursting its banks.
GIN OPENING: Edinburgh Gin will open its new home in the heart of the city centre on Friday, 6 December. The distillery at The Arches on East Market Street, between the Royal Mile and Waverley Station, will produce all of the brand’s gin. The centre is expected to become a tourist attraction in its own right as it hosts tours and tastings.
POLICE COMMITMENT: Police officers in Edinburgh and the Lothians have been recognised for their lifesaving acts of bravery and commitment to their communities. A national awards ceremony in the Capital this week will include local officers Jamie Henderson and Matthew Jeffrey who faced an attack by a scissors-wielding criminal and his rabid dog, and PC Arron McCall who helped end a domestic incident despite being slashed and stabbed. Others include Inspector David Duthie whose innovate solution helped reduce decades of anti-social behaviour at Hunter Square through creating a “safe space” for vulnerable users of the location, and Det Sgt Todd Rutherford for his 30 years of service, including 20 years tackling serious crime.
THE BUSINESS
Christmas beginning to look a lot like growth for city business
An innovative local business featured previously in the Inquirer - Capital business bringing joy of books to our children is preparing for a bumper Christmas - is going from strength to strength.
Screen-free audiobook business Voxblock is forecasting quadruple growth this festive season following a record year in which the company – which provides audiobook players and books – has seen its sales triple.
The company has expanded into new sectors and channels, notably through massively increased selling into schools. In preparation, the company has announced the appointment of experienced growth leader Wisarut Jantarasom as Commercial Director. He has previously worked at companies including Zettle and Paypal.
In addition, Rachel Bishop joins as Head of Operations, harnessing her previous experience from working with the start-ups Mr Bamboo Cup, Kalinko and Playable Technology. Rachel is responsible for scaling the operational systems to meet the rapidly rising demand.
Voxblock screen and wifi-free audiobook players have won a number of awards. The business was founded in 2022 by parents Rebecca Lundgren and Tom Williams who were inspired by their own young daughters' need for a distraction-free audiobook player.
Rebecca said: “This year has been a bumper year for Voxblock as more and more children have discovered the joy of listening to our screen free audiobooks and allowing their imaginations to take flight. Our entry into the Schools market has really augmented our understanding around the power of audiobooks as a literacy aid especially for young or reluctant readers.”
POSITIVE GROWTH: Lane and Lane Media, Scotland’s largest integrated creative and media agency, with offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow, has officially achieved Certified B Corporation (B Corp) status amid a period of significant growth. To date, just 70 organisations in Scotland have achieved the accreditation which recognises commitment to social and environmental impact.
PUB SALES ON TAP: Two of Edinburgh’s weel-kent local traditional pubs are on the market. Property adviser Christie & Co is marketing both Cloisters Bar in Tollcross and the Stockbridge Tap on behalf of the Edinburgh Real Ale Company. The freeholds are being marketed at offers over £950,000 each.
AWARD FURY: Edinburgh businesses are amongst those which have reacted furiously on social media to the honouring of Scottish Greens leaders, particularly Lorna Slater, in the Politician of the Year awards made by The Herald newspaper. Whisky consultant Blair Bowman led the charge in a letter published by the newspaper in which he described her award as Green Champion as “an insult to every business leader, employee and entrepreneur who bore the brunt of her mismanagement.” Mr Bowman’s letter highlighted Ms Slater’s handling of the “disastrous” Deposit Return Scheme which has left companies out of pocket and the Scottish Government facing a £200m lawsuit.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
PLEASE PLEASE US: Twist and Shout for almost 12 hours when the Beatles Marathon returns to Portobello Town Hall in aid of the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. Local bands will perform every Beatles album, from Please Please Me to Abbey Road, on Saturday, from 11:30am to 11pm.
DRAMATIC HISTORY: A weekend of free talks and performances exploring Edinburgh’s rich theatre history takes place at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on Saturday and Sunday. Highlights include A Noble Clown - a new solo play, written and performed by Edinburgh-born actor Michael Daviot, telling the story of Duncan Macrae, star of Whisky Galore, Para Handy and Dr Finlay’s Casebook. As well as performing alongside Laurence Olivier and in the original production of Joe Orton’s Loot, Daviot is remembered for his Hogmanay rendition of The Wee Cock Sparra.
MAKERS’ MARKETS: Some of the first of the Capital’s festive craft markets take place this coming weekend, including the Edinburgh Printmakers, Leith Creative Trail, Lind and Lime Distillery. Full details in our festive guide here.
QUICK BITES
DRIPPING ROAST: Oh dear, we’re salivating. The Good Food Guide has published its list of the “50 Best Sunday Roasts” across the UK and Hawksmoor Edinburgh in St Andrew Square is amongst them. The guide describes its flavoursome roast as “slow cooked over charcoal, then finished in the oven.”
SMASH-IT: A new smash-burger restaurant, Chilo’s, is to open at 30-32 Clerk Street in Newington – with the end of the month most likely. The company already operates in Stirling and in the West End of Glasgow.