The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Thursday 12 September 2024
Car fires in Leith, new Italian restaurant in Stockbridge, Conor O'Brien event, new Dominion cinema screen + Alpine Coaster opens this weekend
🌤️ Good morning Edinburgh. Here’s Thursday’s (always ad-free) Edinburgh Minute.
🔥 Detectives are appealing for information after three cars were deliberately set on fire at St Clair Street, off Easter Road. - Police Scotland published this press release.
🎢 The new Alpine Coaster at Hillend (aka Midlothian Snowsports Centre) is due to open on Saturday. Reaching speeds up to 28mph, it will cost £7 for a single and £19 for three rides. It’s described as ‘the ride of your life’ by owner Midlothian Council, which shared more information here.
⮑ Fresh off the opening ride, Midlothian council leader Kelly Parry said it could rake in around £1m per year: “We want to turn the centre into a national tourist attraction, with visitor numbers for the Alpine Coaster alone expected to exceed 150,000 a year.” - Luke Jackson, Midlothian View.
🍝 A new Italian restaurant named Sotto is due to open next month in Stockbridge, run by a former employee of Divino Enoteca and The Palmerston. - Katie Williams, Edinburgh Live.
🎞️ Morningside’s Dominion Cinema plans to open its new new Platinum Suites screen on Saturday. - The cinema is running a launch competition on Instagram.
🏠 Rettie and CCG Homes have released images of a new show home in Granton which they claim is ‘Edinburgh’s first ever net zero private housing development’. - Project Scotland.
🐝 A swarm of bees will be rehomed after an ‘unauthorised landing’ at Edinburgh Airport. - Sarah Ward, The Standard.
🏰 The Castle of Light event will return to Edinburgh Castle for a fifth year this winter. It starts on 22 November and will cost £22 for an adult, £16 for concessions and £12 for children. - Historic Environment Scotland shared more information and an ‘early bird’ discount ticket link here.
🎓 Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh College have signed a deal to create a ‘seamless learning pathway for employers and their workforce’. - Luke Jackson, Midlothian View.
📚 Hollywood director Guillermo Del Toro described Stockbridge’s Golden Hare Books as ‘magical’ while he took a break from the filming of Frankenstein in the Old Town. - Twitter.
💥 Next month’s Comic Con Scotland event at the Royal Highland Centre will include appearances from Simon Pegg and Catherine Tate. - Neil Johnstone, Evening News.
🎤 A wee exclusive here: Michael Pedersen has shared details of his first event as Edinburgh Makar. The first event of his new Edinburgh Uni Writer in Residence season is a double-headliner, with the lead singer of double-Mercury shortlisted and double-Ivor Novello Award winning band Villagers, Conor O'Brien; and poet Hollie McNish. The special guest is writer Sadaf Zahedi. Conor will both speak about his new lyric book on Faber music and perform some songs.
⮑ Free tickets for the 25 October event at the Gordon Aikman Theatre are here.
🪩 For more local creative scene news, check out this week’s Edinburgh Culture Minute.
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📌 “Sunday 29th September, 11am - 1.30pm: Build your confidence in capturing the world around you with ink and watercolours in this relaxed a fun introduction to outdoor sketching and perspectives in the New Town. Join Mark the EdinburghSketcher as he guides you around some famous Georgian streets in Edinburgh.” - Thanks to Mark for sharing this.
📌 “Idiogram, a genre-defying quartet from East Lothian will release their new single 'Twilight Sleep' from their forthcoming debut album 'Reunion of Broken Parts' on 26 September. Their music brings together post-prog, rock, electronic, ambient and classical influences. Twilight Sleep is available to pre-order now on Bandcamp. Watch the video here.” - Thanks to a subscriber for sharing this.
📌 “Rambert's Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby is coming back to Edinburgh next month following our incredible run last year. The show is a unique adaptation of the legendary TV show with our brilliant dancers and a fantastic live band onstage. We'll be at the Festival Theatre from 1 - 5 October and tickets are on sale now.” - Thanks to Rambert for sharing this.
📌 “On Sunday 6th of October, The Palmerston and pastry chef and cookbook author Sarah Johnson will join forces for a one-off Sunday lunch in celebration of Sarah's debut cookbook Fruitful. Tickets are priced at £55pp. To book, please email hello@thepalmerstonedinburgh.co.uk.” - Thanks to the event organisers for sharing this.
📌 “Before the Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians exhibition closes, enjoy an evening of entertainment at The King's Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse. Featuring costumed dancers with live musical accompaniment, craft activities inspired by the exhibition, and a glass of wine on arrival. 20 September, 18:30 - 20:30, booking essential.” - Thanks to the Royal Collection Trust for sharing this.
📌 “St Mary's Music School is inviting budding young singer (ages 13 to 18) with a passion for classical voice to join their vocal taster on 27 October. This is an immersive experience designed to for those who would like to take their singing to the next level or have their sights set on becoming a professional singer but don't know where to start.” - Thanks to St Mary's Music School for this.
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⏰ Thank you for reading daily edition number 450. This newsletter remains independent, free (unless you want to pay), ad-free and proudly subscriber supported thanks to paying subscribers and 13,440 free subscribers, sending 500,000+ visits to other local news sources since launch. The Minute is written between 5am and 7am every day and it wouldn’t exist without paying subscribers. Thanks for your support.
450, Yae! Onwards to 500, which I'm guessing will be mid-October. (No pressure!)
What was I thinking? Sorry. Can't count. You'll reach number 500 in the latter half of November. (Probably.)