The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Weekend edition: 17 - 19 October 2025
New tram line bill already £1m, airport strike, Granton community centre's £500m 'for sale' stunt, inside King’s Theatre revamp + too soon for Dome Christmas lights?
👋 Good morning Edinburgh. There are now more than 25,000 of you on this free mailing list. Wow! I honestly never expected to get past 100, never mind this. So thank you. Special thanks to paying subscribers, those of you who share the newsletter with friends or those of you who just hit that like button. Your input all helps this thing exist. In today’s edition: all the local news I could find, community notices and (for paying subscribers only) the weekend guide. Enjoy.
🌦️ Weekend weather: Cloudy on Friday, sunshine breaking through on Saturday and wet on Sunday. Temperature high of 14C on Saturday and a low of 9C on Sunday. - The full Met Office forecast is here.
🚉 More than £1 million has already been spent on controversial plans to extend Edinburgh’s tram line. - Donald Turvill, The Herald.
✈️ Travel from Edinburgh Airport could be affected this weekend as fuel tanker drivers plan to halt their deliveries amid strike action over pay. - Danyel VanReenen, STV News. The Unite union published its reasons here.
🚔 Police are hunting for two masked men who broke in to a house in Silverknowes on Wednesday morning. They ‘demanded car keys from the occupant’ who was ‘left very shaken’. - More details from police here.
🚑 A 20-year-old man is in hospital in a ‘critical condition’ after a car was crashed in to a building on Drum Brae Terrace at about 1.30am yesterday. - Neil Pooran, in The Herald.
🪧 Activists blocked the entrance to the Leonardo defence and aerospace factory yesterday. - Laura Pollock, The National.
🎖️ One of Scotland’s oldest veterans’ memorials, at Eastern Cemetery in Leith, has been fully restored following a campaign led by former servicemen to bring it back to life. - Amie Flett, STV News.
🎭 The curtain has been raised on the new stage at the King’s Theatre, where a redevelopment project is expected to be completed by Spring. Actor and King’s Honorary Patron Brian Cox was the first artist to stand on the new stage during a tour of the building. The new, flat stage at the King’s replaces the old, sloped stage, allowing more dance productions.
Photos by Anneleen Lindsay
🏨 Construction will begin next week on a new hotel on Thistle Street in the New Town. Named ‘The Bindery’, the 84-room hotel by Code Concepts will occupy the former Stewart House book bindery. - Dave Pickering, North Edinburgh News.
⮑ The hotel’s website is here.
💰 The granton:hub community space, in Granton’s historic Madelvic House, has been put up for sale for £500 million (see it on Gumtree here). The volunteer-run charity told the Minute that the “protest price” of £500m was part of a wider campaign to highlight the true value of community spaces. - More details via The Decorators Forum.
🎄 [C-word warning] As usual, the annual Christmas lights went up this week at The Dome on George Street.
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📌 Edinburgh Minute Community Noticeboard - news you can use:
📌 “The Calton Hill Conservation Trust’s 12th Litter Pickup is on Saturday, 18 October starting at the entrance to the City Observatory (Collective) at 10.00. Please bring gloves. Other equipment provided. All welcome.” - Thanks to the Calton Hill Conservation Trust for sharing this.
📌 “Saturday 18th & 19th October. Dunbar Art Route’s 47 artists welcome you to their studios, pop-up galleries, homes and historic buildings along Dunbar’s coast and in the town. Plan ahead with the art route map or come, saunter, explore, discover new artwork at your leisure.” - Thanks to Dunbar Art Route for sharing this.
📌 “Saturday 18th October 10am - 12.45pm - At The Gatherings at East Linton Community Hall we sing short, simple, feel-good songs all taught by ear – if you love singing there’s no better way to spend a Saturday morning! Tickets are pay-what-you-can-afford: £5 to £25.” - Thanks to Ali Burns from The Gatherings for sharing this.
📌 “Saturday 18th October 2pm - Come and Sing ‘Handels Choral Classics’ at Stockbridge Parish Church with musical Director John Kitchen MBE. Fundraiser for the Soko Fund supporting women’s education in Malawi. Sign up at Eventbrite or on the door.” - Thanks to The Soko Fund for sharing this.
📌 “This Saturday 18th October, at Broughton St Marys Parish Church - Dance for Gaza fundraiser. We will dance, hear poetry from Nada Shawa, spend some time in ritual for the past, present and future... and raise funds to alleviate suffering and dance for our shared humanity.” - Thanks to Movement Medicine Scotland for sharing this.
📌 “This weekend - Join Leith Kino and Choon Room celebrate David Byrne in a weekender double-bill of seminal standing gig Stop Making Sense at the Cricket Club this Saturday, followed by little-seen True Stories at our Leith Depot home on Sunday. Tickets £8/5 ono, available via ticketlab.” - Thanks to Morvern of Leith Kino for sharing this.
📌 “Monday 20 October - Mini Fun Club for children in P4-P7 in Meadowbank & Willowbrae church hall. Activities include science, arts & crafts, a Bible story, and baking! Book online, pay on the day: £2 per child, including a healthy snack and drink.” - Thanks to Edinburgh: Meadowbank and Willowbrae Church of Scotland for sharing this.
📌 “Monday 20 October - Community Connection Feast at The Salisbury Centre: This is a communal meal open to everyone. Newcomers, old friends of The Salisbury Centre, and everyone in between is welcome to join for an evening of celebration, sharing food, stories, and connecting with one another.” - Thanks to The Salisbury Centre for sharing this.
📌 “7pm, Tuesday October 21st. Leith Local History Society presents a fascinating documentary on The Witches of Newhaven! At the Leith Community Education Centre in the New Kirkgate. £2 to non-members.” - Thanks to Leith Local History Society for sharing this.
📌 “📅 Wed 22 Oct, 1pm – Join local charity ACE IT for a FREE online safety talk for over 50s at the Methodist Church, Nicolson Square. Learn to spot scams, get antivirus advice, and give your device a quick M.O.T. 🔒 Spaces are limited – call 0131 667 2053 or email info@aceit.org.uk to book!” - Thanks to ACE IT for sharing this.
📌 “Wednesday 22nd October - Edinburgh Zombie Club presents a ‘Witches and Wizards Horror Double Bill’ with Viy (1967) + Wizard of Gore (1970). Doors 7pm, first film 7.30pm, Free entry at The Banshee Labyrinth, Niddry Street. NB this event a week earlier than our normal last Wednesday of the month.” - Thanks to Pat McGarvey co-organiser of EZC for sharing this.
📌 “23.10.2025 | The humble Aeropress gets its moment! Machina is back at PortaLibri in Portobello for an Aeropress Masterclass - a free workshop of brewing, tasting, and coffee chat. Everyone’s welcome but spaces are limited, so book early.” - Thanks to Sophie of Machina Coffee for sharing this.
📌 “Saturday 25 October - Screen Porty screens 1922 silent film HÄXAN with live music accompaniment. Bar from 6:30pm with film start at 7:30pm. See screenporty.org for Early Bird & on door tickets, venue and further film info.” - Thanks to Screen Porty for sharing this.
📌 “Join us for our first ever pub quiz in the Legends Lounge at Tynecastle Park. Taking place on 30 October at 7:00pm, all funds raised will go towards Big Hearts Community Trust. Amazon will join and host a raffle with a bunch of incredible donated prizes as well - hope to see you there!” - Thanks to Julia Coley, Fundraising Partnerships Manager, Big Hearts Community Trust for sharing this.
📌 “This Halloween, save 10% on all refurbished tech with code HALLOWEEN10 👻 Give old devices a new home and help reduce e-waste while fighting digital exclusion!” - Thanks to the Edinburgh Remakery for sharing this.
🛝 There are lots of family-friendly things to do this weekend, including more Storytelling Festival highlights, family cinema at Dynamic Earth and a hairstyle workshop for dads. Find more weekend ideas in the new edition of Gayle’s Guide.
