The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Weekend edition: 12 - 14 September 2025
Theatre staff face axe, Drum Brae drama, Rose Street hotel plan refused + a busy weekend guide
⛅️ Good morning Edinburgh. Here’s Friday’s Edinburgh Minute, including the Community Noticeboard + the weekend guide for paying subscribers, who are officially the best people in town. Join them:
☀️ Weekend weather: Sunny intervals with light showers on Friday and Saturday. A bright start to Sunday with rain in the late afternoon and evening. High of 16C and low of 9C at night. - The full Met Office forecast is here.
🎭 Bestselling crime author Sir Ian Rankin has backed a campaign to save Lyceum theatre staff. Members of the Lyceum Stage Door team (some of whom have worked in their role for 25 years) are facing redundancy and fear they could be replaced with an intercom’ Rankin described the proposal as ‘a mistake, I feel - which is why I signed the petition’. The Lyceum confirmed to the Minute that it had made a ‘painful decision’ to open a redundancy consultation process, citing ‘17 years of standstill funding’. Full statements are below:
- The Lyceum Stage Door team said: “It has been suggested that installing an intercom system would be the main fix for closing our department and removing our jobs. Clearly and respectfully we disagree with them. Some of us are single parents, some of us are from the same household. We are mental health first aiders, union reps and dedicated theatre workers. ALL of us love our jobs, see the value in what we do here (which extends to the entire theatre company), and want to continue doing this for many decades to come.”
- The Lyceum was contacted for comment yesterday afternoon and shared this response: "At The Lyceum, we have had to make the painful decision to enter a redundancy consultation process with our Stage Door Team. We are currently in the process of consulting with those affected to find alternative and practical solutions and are yet to reach a conclusion. The fact that the removal of Stage Door teams is a process which many other theatres have gone through doesn’t make it less upsetting for those involved. The Lyceum, along with other arts organisations across Scotland, faced 17 years of standstill funding before the latest funding round was announced by Creative Scotland. While we welcome the recent increase in funding, we, like all other responsible organisations must make sure that our outgoings don’t exceed our income. With the rise of inflation, national insurance costs, and our ambition to be the leading producing theatre in Scotland, we have found ourselves with no alternative course of action. This is our 60th year of being a producing theatre, and we take very seriously our responsibility to ensure we exist for another 60 years to come."
🎭 Plans to turn the former Rose Theatre into a new hotel on Rose Street have been recommended for refusal by council planners. - Brian Donnelly, The Herald.
🖼️ The possible closure of National Galleries buildings ‘remains on the table’ after bosses told MSPs that maintenance backlog costs are over £20 million. - Jane Bradley, The Scotsman.
🏰 Historic Environment Scotland has denied an MSP’s claims that a senior member of staff used an ‘exclusive dining room’ at Edinburgh Castle for a private dinner during the Tattoo. - Jane Bradley, The Scotsman.
🚔 Some Drum Brae residents are reported to be ‘furious’ after a group of people in 15 caravans and 13 cars used a chainsaw to break in to Drum Brae Park in Clermiston. - Kevin Quinn, Evening News.
🎵 A group of nine young artists from Bun-sgoil Taobh na Pàirce (Parkside Primary) Gaelic-medium primary school have teamed up with ‘viral Irish rappers’ Kabin Crew to co-write a song about their shared heritage. - Mark McDougall, The Herald.
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📌 Edinburgh Minute Community Noticeboard - news you can use:
📌 "Something exciting is happening at Lifestory: we'll be closing briefly next month for a little interior refresh, so first, we're making space with a SALE starting this Saturday 13th! Find beautiful design-led pieces & help us clear space before the adventure starts. Full details here." - Thanks to Susan for sharing this.
📌 "There'll be a Harvest-theme at this month's Balerno Farmers' Market, held on Main Street between 9am and 1pm on Saturday, with a wide range of stallholders offering fresh Scottish produce and handmade goods. Plus, get the latest updates on Balerno Village Trust's plans for the former Police Station." - Thanks to C&B News for sharing this.
📌 "Upgrade is running new talk event this Saturday : Walk & Talk - facilitated group conversations while going for a morning walk. Starting 8am from The Meadows, you'll be invited to go deep on a topic, while looping around Holyrood. Find out more / RSVP at the Eventbrite link - and it's FREE!" - Thanks to Demis, founder of Upgrade Talkspaces for sharing this.
📌 "Saturday 13 September - Join a FREE, welcoming menopause walk to connect with other women on a similar journey. Meet at 12:30 PM outside The Lodge Coffee House, 69B Braid Rd, for a 90-min walk and chat. This is a wonderful chance to share experiences and find support in a friendly, informal setting." - Thanks to Julia from fitandhappy for sharing this.
📌 "Mortgages & Protection, what you need to know when buying a home - free online lunch and learn webinar hosted by Mearns & Company, Chartered Financial Planners. Thursday 25th September 12.30 to 13.30. Register at this link." - Thanks to Mearns & Company for sharing this.
📌 "Sunday 14 September is our open day at Mansfield Traquair Centre from 1pm until 4pm close. Take a guided tour of Phoebe Anna Traquair's breathtaking murals. Free entry, donations welcome." - Thanks to a Friend of Mansfield Traquair Centre for sharing this.
📌 "Friday 12 September - Post Coal Prom Queen are bringing their retrofuturistic art rock to the Voodoo Rooms in a rare live appearance. Support comes from Valensteïn and Penny Black, organised by Alt Milk Industries. This is a great opportunity to support local musicians, promoters and venues!" - Thanks to Post Coal Prom Queen for sharing this.
📌 "Community Walk, Autumn Equinox: September 22nd, 5.30-7.15pm Meet The Pitt, Granton. Ends there at sunset. All welcome, free event (donations gratefully received). We will be walking on a flat surface. Wear warm clothes and sensible shoes. Book via Eventbrite link." - Thanks to Tamsin Grainger, Walking Without a Donkey for sharing this.
📌 "Sunday: Join Leith Kino for a screening of Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007), the hilarious parody of formulaic rags-to-riches biopics that follows fictional rocker Cox (John C. Reilly) on his tumultuous journey through stardom. Curated by a film collective, weekly screenings at Leith Depot, tickets £5." - Thanks to Leith Kino team member Morvern for sharing this.
📌 "Sunday 14 September - We're hosting an Expressive Floral Art Workshop. We'll draw, arrange beautiful seasonal flowers, and paint your own piece to take home. A morning to unwind, try something new, and meet lovely people." - Thanks to Abigail Pooley - Workshop Host | Iris Rimmaudo - Workshop Host for sharing this.
📌 "Please join us at Golden Hare Books to hear Linda Cracknell in conversation with Jenny Brown about Sea Marked, a memoir of place, memory and the sea. Wednesday 17th September at 6.30pm - book online or in the bookshop." - Thanks to Golden Hare Books for sharing this.
🛝 There are lots of family-friendly things to get involved in this weekend, including Vogrie Pogrie, Paw Patrol at the Zoo, Wildlife Cruises and more. - It’s all in the new edition of Gayle’s Guide.
