The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Weekend edition: 10 - 12 October 2025
Drone halts flights, uni denies monitoring student chats, new cancer service in Gorgie + craft fair weekender at City Art Centre
👋 Good morning Edinburgh. Today’s edition includes the weekend guide, exclusive to paying subscribers (who keep this newsletter going). There’s also another vibrant Community Noticeboard. Thanks to everyone who contributes and makes Edinburgh a better place to be. Here’s Friday’s Edinburgh Minute.
🌦️ Weekend weather: Much better than last weekend! Cloudy with sunny intervals and no rain forecast. Temperature high of 16C on Sunday afternoon and low of 9C each morning. - The full Met Office forecast is here.
✈️ Flights were delayed at Edinburgh Airport yesterday after a drone was spotted flying near an exclusion zone. - Alasdair Ferguson, The National.
⮑ Police said there was no threat to the public, but a man had been charged in connection with the incident. - BBC Scotland News.
🎓 Heriot-Watt University has once again ‘strongly refuted’ more claims it monitored students’ private correspondence after reports that it reassured arms companies who were concerns about campus protests. - Daniel Boffey & Aaron Walawalkar, The Guardian.
🚲 More than 4,000 people have used Edinburgh’s new Voi dockless cycle hire scheme in the first month since it launched. - Donald Turvill, The Herald.
🏡 Scotland’s first bespoke bespoke support and wellbeing service for those impacted by breast cancer has officially opened. The House of Hope is on Gorgie Road. - Lewis Michie of STV News interviewed founder Lisa Fleming.
🛍️ The Cancer Research shop in Corstorphine is closing. - Jacob Farr, Edinburgh Live.
🎄 Christmas lights have been put up and tested in Morningside, Portobello, Dalry and Tollcross. - Ian Swanson, Evening News.
⛰️ 76-year-old hillwalker Ian Currie, from Tollcross, has told of he became a ‘missing person’ when he got lost in the Highlands for eight days alone with no food before being rescued. - Cara Blackhall, Edinburgh Live.
🚦 Walking campaign group Living Streets Edinburgh has published its four ‘asks’ for next year’s Holyrood elections: on engine idling, zebra crossings, roadworks and speed cameras. - Read more here.
🏫 Edinburgh once had a school that ‘abandoned the old ‘chalk and talk’ methods and used theatre and drama to teach students. Davie Street School is now flats, but its history is fascinating. - Learn much more in the fifth instalment of Andy Arthur’s ‘Lost Board Schools of Edinburgh’ series on Threadinburgh
🎸 Singer Luke Combs has announced a concert at Murrayfield Stadium on 25 July next year. - Lauren Jack, The Scotsman.
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📌 Edinburgh Minute Community Noticeboard - news you can use:
📌 “Fri 10th October: Ivory & Gold - piano & flute concert at the Scottish Arts Club. Classical programme with the talented Brian Davidson, Jane Osmani-Pearce and David Turner.” - Thanks to the Scottish Arts Club for sharing this.
📌 “Friday: Get the spooky season started with a horror themed video art screening at the Banshee Labyrinth in Edinburgh. And whatever you do, don’t go in the room.” - Thanks to Charles Eades for sharing this.
📌 “Saturday 11 October; 9am - 1pm. Annual Apple Day at Balerno Farmers’ Market! Come and have a shot at making fresh apple juice – BYOB if you want to take some home. Also brand new Apple-themed Bake Off Competition. Plus regular market stall holders on Main Street. Stock up for autumn!” - Thanks to C&B News for sharing this.
📌 “Saturday 11 October - Artist talk with new contemporary photographers at Studies in Photography. Come hear emerging Edinburgh artists Laetitia Heisler, Gabriela Pieniążek and Graham Williams share their work in this free event at 6 William Street, EH3 7NH.” - Thanks to Studies in Photography for sharing this.
📌 “Saturday 11 October, ‘We Are the Lions, Mr Manager’ is previewing at North Edinburgh Arts. It is the remarkable story of Jayaben Desai the inspirational leader of the 1976-78 Grunwick Film Processing Factory Strike, who brought the issue of workplace exploitation and racism to the fore.” - Thanks to North Edinburgh Arts for sharing this.
📌 “Sun 12 October – Have fun hunting for a bargain at LifeCare’s Flea Market, 2 Cheyne St, Stockbridge, EH4 1JB, 10.30am–1.30pm. Enjoy bakes from Söderberg and The Pastry Section, browse stalls, try your luck at the tombola and refuel with tea, coffee & a breakfast roll in the café. See you there!” - Thanks to Claire, LifeCare Edinburgh, for sharing this.
📌 “Sunday 12 October: open day at Mansfield Traquair Centre from 1pm until 4pm close. Take a tour with our friendly guides and see Phoebe Anna Traquair’s breathtaking murals. Free entry, donations welcome.” - Thanks to a Friend of Mansfield Traquair Centre for sharing this.
📌 “Monday 13th October - join us in welcoming Ben Elton to the Assembly Rooms for an evening ‘in conversation’ event as he discusses his one-of-a-kind (and one volume only) autobiography, What Have I Done?, with actor, writer and presenter Sanjeev Kohli.” - Thanks to The Portobello Bookshop for sharing this.
📌 “Tuesday 14 October - The Authentic Connection Group is an experimental community space where we practice the art of conscious relating. We do it through playing Authentic Relating games, sharing circles, and exploring various communication practices. It’s by suggested donation.” - Thanks to Marta Brzosko, founder of Connection Hub, for sharing this.
📌 “Age over 65, and want to shape future technologies? University of Edinburgh student Melody is recruiting participants for her long-term PhD study. Express your interest by filling the form, or email Melody.Wang@ed.ac.uk.” - Thanks to Melody Wang, PhD Candidate, University of Edinburgh, for sharing this.
🛝 There are lots of family-friendly things to do this weekend, including the start of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, the sakura at Lauriston Castle and various October holiday clubs. Find more weekend ideas in the new edition of Gayle’s Guide.