The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Weekend edition: 23 - 25 May 2025
Cafes celebrate new rules, 'racist' sign removed, Prince William plays football in Leith, marathon weekend + Assembly Festival discount for Minute readers
☀️ Good morning Edinburgh. Here’s Friday’s Edinburgh Minute, including the Community Noticeboard + the weekend guide for paying subscribers. Big thanks to the paying subscribers who make this newsletter possible, and everyone who shares it too.
☀️ Weekend weather: Sunny on Friday, cloudy and potentially rainy on Saturday and Sunday. Highs of 18C and lows of 7C. - The full Met Office forecast is here.
☕️ Councillors voted yesterday to let cafes and restaurants put outdoor furniture on streets before 9am. The morning cafe culture debate was sparked in March when local restaurateur Tony Crolla asked the council to adjust licensing rules. The change begins from 1 July. - See the full plans here.
⮑ Responding to the news, Vittoria Group owner Tony Crolla told the Minute:
“Thanks Michael. Mission accomplished! Edinburgh is changing its rules. From July, cafés and restaurants across the city can apply to start serving outside earlier (7:30am). Just a 12-month trial for now, but a helpful one. It means more time for breakfast outside, late dinners in the summer light, and opportunities to enjoy our city without rushing. There is also the agreement on a case by case review for items of furniture to be left safely outside. That’s another win for us as it's a real pain to bring in daily. Hopefully this is the start of working together collaboratively with Edinburgh Council.”
🗑️ A ‘racist’ sign outside student flats in Sciennes has been taken down after residents claimed a developer told them: “You Chinese students are so messy and throw disgusting rubbish at our bins, and us British just need to have a clean environment.” The sign (pictured above) was outside developer Square & Crescent's Royal Meadows property, opposite The Mont iQ student accommodation. A group of 17 residents in Millerfield Place signed an open letter to Square & Crescent, also cc’ing in their MSP, the Chinese Embassy and The Edinburgh Minute. They said:
“Initially as residents we were surprised that this unnecessarily divisive sign could exist in a heart of a culturally diverse city such as Edinburgh. Whilst we understand that most of the residents in the Mont might be of Chinese origin, not all residents are of Chinese origin and furthermore, the students studying at the university here can be understood to be capable of reading English. We can only conclude that this sign is therefore targeted at one race. This is not just read by the residents in the Mont, but by all residents that use the passageway in front of the Mont. Instead of putting up this sign with the racially biased translation, other actions could have been taken to resolve the issue, which a few of us have suggested (including discussing with the management of the Mont to resolve the use of bins to ensure there are enough bins for student's use). In one particular conversation, someone at the Square & Crescent office onsite commented that "You Chinese students are so messy and throw disgusting rubbish at our bins, and us British just need to have a clean environment". This is clearly unacceptable and paints Square & Crescent as a company that promotes racists and divisive views.”
⮑ The council is investigating. Simon Cook, Square & Crescent’s Joint Managing Director, did not apologise in response: “Please note the sign was removed yesterday and was the suggestion of the owners of the Mont IQ Students. The intention of the sign was purely informative after months of dialogue between our site team and IQ to address the continued rubbish problem on Rillbank Terrace. I will be following up internally regarding the wider points raised below directed at employees of Square and Crescent. Square and Cresent is not a company that 'promotes racists and divisive views' and has a culturally diverse and inclusive workforce.”
🚦 Councillors yesterday added three more local transport projects to its list of 70+ projects to proceed, having voted for a further 61 to be paused. Among those going ahead are The Causey on the South Side and Portobello Town Centre, reports Ian Swanson in the Evening News.
🚊 A lorry and a tram were involved in a collision at Dalmeny Street yesterday. - Billy Gaddi, Daily Record.
🏃♀️ The Edinburgh Marathon Festival is on Saturday and Sunday. - Full details here.
⮑ The route starts at Bristo Square, heads over the Mound, through Princes Street Gardens then Holyrood Park and out to East Lothian before finishing back in Musselburgh. - There’s a 29-page PDF of road closures here.
⚽️ Prince William was at Leith Community Centre on Wednesday to kick off Street Soccer Scotland’s new partnership with The Royal Foundation. - More details via the charity here.
💰 One week on from Business Beats Cancer Edinburgh's Annual Dinner at Prestonfield House, the charity board is celebrating raising a record £200,000 for Cancer Research UK’s Scotland Centre. They got in touch to say: “Guests at the sold-out event enjoyed an unforgettable evening featuring an inspiring keynote speech from Glenn Campbell, the esteemed political reporter who shared his personal journey with brain cancer. Host and auctioneer Grant Stott brought his characteristic energy and humour to the evening, ensuring a lively and generous atmosphere which ended with a rousing rendition of Stott's signature song 'That's Fife'.” - Thanks to Heather Peebles, Business Beats Cancer Board Member, for sharing this.
⚓️ A museum is due to sail in to Leith on Monday. Norway’s Hestmanden sailed during both World Wars and is the only remaining ship of a legendary 1,000 fleet. You can climb aboard between Monday and Thursday next week. More details via Malcolm Borthwick’s LinkedIn post. - You can also follow the ship’s journey on Instagram. - Thanks to subscriber Jeremy for sharing this.
📌 Edinburgh Minute Community Noticeboard - news you can use:
If this post gets cut-off in your email inbox, read it online at this link.
📌 "Assembly Festival £8 Flash Sale this weekend! From comedy, cabaret, theatre, music & dance; firm fringe favourites, exciting new acts and the always intriguing “what even is that?” there’s something for every Fringe-goer to kick-start their season in the Assembly Festival May Flash Sale. Use code: FLASH8 at checkout to secure £8 tickets on over 180 shows at Assembly Festival." - Thanks to Assembly Festival for sharing this.
📌 “Portobello residents can petition the Council for a second chance to form a Community Council. If 20 petitions are received (paper forms, signed by hand and photographed/scanned and emailed to governance@edinburgh.gov.uk, OR posted to Governance Team, Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, EH8 8BG by 4pm, Thursday 12 June 2025), the call for nominations will be repeated.” - Thanks to Paul Hambelton for sharing this.
📌 “Ready to spark a new skill? Edinburgh Open Workshop will be holding a 2-day intensive Introduction to Welding class on Friday 23rd & Saturday 24th May, 11am - 3.00m. Learn essential techniques, safety practices, and get hands-on experience with expert instructors.” - Thanks to the workshop for sharing this.
📌 “Edinburgh Tool Library is looking for more volunteers to help out in its Colinton hub -- no DIY/tool knowledge is required! More information here.” - Thanks to Paul Bullen, Edinburgh Tool Library, for sharing this.
📌 “Join art historian Lesley Fraser on Thursday 29th May at 18:00 at St Cecilia's Hall to explore the representation of music in paintings! Once we begin to look, we find that paintings are positively teeming with musical instruments and it would seem that if there was one thing medieval and early modern Europeans were expecting to find in Heaven, it was definitely lots of music. Booking essential, Pay What You Can option available.” - Thanks to Justina, Museum Assistant at St Cecilia's Hall, for sharing this.
📌 “Chris Reeve, album launch for Gift of Sorts. Sneaky Pete's 23rd May. Doors open 7pm” - Thanks to a Minute reader for sharing this.
📌 “opera.agency is delighted to be collaborating with 'Clanimation' for our May creative soundLAB event at Edinburgh Napier University, Bright Red Triangle Startup Studio. Excited to add an animation showcase environment presenting a collection of wonderful works for you to explore. Thrilled to have the 'Clanimation' team along to answer any questions regarding the Scottish animation industry.” - Thanks to the organisers for sharing this. - Reserve your free ticket here.
📌 “Calling all those who like to stay up to read into the wee hours! Join author Rose McDonagh and Golden Hare Books at St Vincent's Chapel on the evening of Wednesday, 4th of June to celebrate her debut novel One Came Back, an atmospheric thriller about obsession and ghosts of the past. After all, if you can't trust your own memory, your own eyes... then what can you trust? Tickets start from £6.” - Thanks to Golden Hare Books for sharing this.
📌 “STORY PLATFORM is a sketch comedy initiative created to uplift Scottish writers, performers and comedians. We've been hosting FREE shows every month at Traverse Theatre. Our next show is MAY 23RD at 7PM, and the following is JUNE 27TH @ 7PM. We hope to see you there! ” - Thanks to the organisers for sharing this.
📌 Saturday: “Edinburgh's longest established orchestra, the St Andrew Orchestra, are playing a brilliant concert in Stockbridge Parish Church. Programme will include Dvorak Symphony No. 8 and Bruch's Violin Concerto No 1 with rising Scottish player Serena Whitmarsh. Conducted by Michael Graham.” - Thanks to the orchestra for sharing this.
📌 “The Edinburgh International Children's Festival (24 May to 1 June) kicks off tomorrow (Sat) with a free Family Day of pop-up performances at the National Museum of Scotland. Highlights include Election, a humorous take on politics and power, Wig Waltz featuring over-the-top wigs and period costumes, 1, 2, 3 Resilient Mushrooms! telling the story of three tiny but mighty mushrooms, a spectacular aerial duet, and the world’s biggest (and cutest!) cat. This free drop-in event runs from 10am to 5pm.” - Thanks to the Imaginate team for sharing this.
📌 “Discover your city this summer with Edinburgh Uncovered - a series of monthly local history walks specially created for Edinburgh residents. Looking at a different area each month, first up we have a 2-hour walk around Industrial Abbeyhill, on Sat 24th May, to see how the arrival of the railways completely transformed the neighbourhood. Limited numbers so pre-booking is required, tickets (£12 per person) and further details can be found on Eventbrite.” - Thanks to Hetty Lancaster, founder of Hetty's History Walks, for sharing this.
📌 “The Eclectic Mud crew return with a retro DJ event at the Paradise Palms on Potterrow on Saturday Night starting at 9pm. FREE ENTRY as ever, and sumptuous surroundings to match the exotic sounds... expect Soul, Funk, Jazz, African, Latin, Fuzz, Psych, & Mod sounds to perk up your ears & move your feet, all played from delicious vinyl.” - Thanks to someblokecalledfuz, Eclectic Mud, for sharing this.
📌 “For our summer concert at St Cuthbert's Church, Lothian Road, Edinburgh Royal Choral Union present some of the sunniest works in the repertoire as well as a world premiere. Dixit Dominus composed by a youthful Handel, the Brandenburg concertos and Missa Brevis by Bach and a premiere performance of Advice for a Butterfly by Fraser MacDonald.” - Thanks to Natalia, ERCU soprano, for sharing this.
📌 “The Vintage Chorus will be singing a popular selection of songs as part of the Music on the Mezzanine series at the Edinburgh Central Library at 1pm on Saturday 24 May. There will also be solo performances by conductor Wendy Weatherby and accompanist Sandy Brechin. The event is free of charge. More information and tickets here. ” - Thanks to a choir member for sharing this.
📌 “Want to be transported to ancient Greece where Sylvia, a huntress has been captured by the God Orion? Edinburgh Ballet Theatre brings this beautiful ballet to Edinburgh this weekend after a sell out Fringe show in 2024. Dont miss out on a magical night out to the theatre.” - Thanks to Rachel Clowes, Director of Edinburgh Ballet Theatre, for sharing this.
📌 “Global Palestine Kite Day, Sunday 25th May 2025 at Leith Links. Picnic from 1pm, decorate or fly your kite from 2pm.” - Thanks to In Solidarity edin for sharing this.
📌 “Catriona Bourne – Harp and Jazz in the capital. As part of her tour for the new album Triquetra, London-based multi-instrumentalist Catriona Bourne will be performing at St Vincent’s Chapel this Saturday, 24 May 2025. Joined by her quartet, Catriona will present music from the album alongside inspired covers of works by Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane. Come along for an evening of transcendent music in a truly beautiful setting.” - Thanks to Mo Sapie from Rhythm and Revolution for sharing this.
📌 “This Saturday Screen Porty screens the surrealist black comedy film 'The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie' (1972) by Luis Buñuel: Six upper-class people sit down to a dinner that is endlessly delayed by funerals, terrorism, sexual escapades and bad manners, in Bunuel’s award- winning satiric masterpiece. At The Wash House in Portobello. See screenporty.org for details!” - Thanks to Screen Porty Community Cinema for sharing this.
📌 “Woof! The Dog Show opens in Morningside Gallery on Saturday 24th May, and includes new paintings from over twenty contemporary Scottish artists, including Joe Hargan PAI PPAI, Gordon Mitchell RSA RSW, Joyce Gunn Cairns MBE, Stuart Buchanan and Gordon Wilson. All of the artworks feature favourite four-legged friends and continue an age-old tradition of artists drawing inspiration from their canine companions. The exhibition will run in the gallery from Saturday 24th May - Sunday 8th June, and is open to the public, with all welcome to the Private View from 2 - 4pm on 24th May.” - Thanks to Carrie for sharing this. See more on the gallery’s Instagram here.
📌 “Join Emily for a yin and journalling workshop at the beautiful East Side Yoga studio on Broughton Street, Edinburgh. This is a time to reflect on your practice and set some goals for the summer season with writing prompts for all. Saturday 24th May 2pm-4pm. ” - Thanks to Emily, yoga teacher at East Side Yoga, for sharing this.
📌 “If you have ever thought about starting to play but never made that first step, then come down to Leith Women's inclusive rugby Give it a Go session on 24th of May at Academy Park. FREE! Book via the eventbrite link.” - Thanks to Leith RFC for sharing this.
📌 “Like making TableTop games? Coming soon: The Ancient Robot Workshop, a coworking, community, and maker space for game designers, artists, authors, and anyone else who likes making tabletop games! We'll be opening in early June (co-working, workshops, prototyping and playtesting nights), but are having a little launch party on Friday the 23rd at 6pm! Come meet other friendly artists, game designers, and authors of TTRPGs, board games, card games and more.” - Thanks to Gelb, co-founder of the Ancient Robot Workshop CIC, for sharing this.
📌 “Repair Café Edinburgh has its next 'pop up' event on Sunday in Bruntsfield! Drop us an email at repaircafeedinburgh@gmail.com if you want to book a slot where our friendly experts will help you repair your items!” - Repair Cafe Edinburgh for sharing this.
📌 “Run past the EMF finishing line and straight to Edinburgh Street Food on Sunday 25th of May! FREE Razzo Margherita pizza from 3-10pm for all half marathon and full marathon finishers - just wear your 2025 EMF finishers tee to get yours.” - Thanks to Olivia Telford of Edinburgh Street Food for sharing this.
🛝 For more family-friendly things to do, this week’s edition of Gayle’s Guide includes: Edinburgh International Children's Festival, Art for Gaza, a tribute band music festival and more.
