The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Weekend edition 21 - 23 March 2025
Niddrie gun attack, Forth hovercraft plan returns, The Causey lights up this weekend + win a cargo bike
☀️ Good morning Edinburgh. It’s edition number 600! There will be no newsletters next week. I’m taking my first week off of 2025. I might check in with a midweek or Friday edition, we’ll see. Meanwhile, here’s Friday’s Edinburgh Minute, followed by the local weekend guide for paying subscribers.
The Minute will return a week-on-Monday (31 March).
🚔 There were reports of a ‘gun attack’ on a residential street in Niddrie at 3am yesterday, described as ‘the latest in a line of gangland reprisals’. - Kris Gourlay, Edinburgh Live.
⮑ “'Mr Big' gangster behind Edinburgh gun and fire attacks is 'Dubai-based crime boss'“ - Today’s Daily Record headline. It’s reported a series of attacks in recent weeks is ‘believed to be linked to a stolen stash of cocaine’.
⮑ Police published this appeal for information and are hunting for a white BMW 1 series car. Detective Inspector Martin Smith said:
"We believe this was a targeted attack and are following a number of lines of enquiry. A dedicated team of officers are working to trace whoever is responsible for this reckless act as quickly as possible. From our enquiries so far, we believe this incident may be linked to groups who are actively targeting each other. We understand this incident will be concerning for the local community but please be assured we are working hard to trace those involved."
🎇 A citywide firework control zone is possible after councillors agreed to launch an ‘extensive eight-week consultation process’. The council said: “The consultation process will include discussions on a potential citywide zone, as well as targeted areas such as Niddrie, Sighthill/Broomhouse, and Gracemount/Moredun—areas that saw significant disorder in 2024.” - More details are on the council website.
🌊 New plans for a hovercraft between Fife and Edinburgh are being explored by council officials, it has emerged. The first findings of the latest feasibility study are expected within the next two months. - Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan in Midlothian View.
🏗️ Local chef Tony Singh plans to build a new cafe and five flats opposite Tollcross fire station. - Kevin Quinn, Evening News.
🚈 Trains between Dunbar and Edinburgh are getting a timetable update. - Cameron Ritchie, East Lothian Courier.
🚴♀️ “It’s an amazing social thing” - The Scotsman’s Alastair Dalton joined the ‘Edinburgh Dawn Patrol’ 5,40am free city cycle to find out why they do it.
🚲 I’m just back from Amsterdam where almost every family I saw was using a cargo bike. It looks like a lot of fun. And you can WIN your very own cargo bike at the Cargo Bike Movement Treasure Hunt in the Meadows on Friday from midday. - Full details are in this week’s edition of Gayle’s Guide.
🎤 Tickets for month’s Creative Mornings event will be available from 11am today and the guest is, um… me. Here’s the pitch:
Newspaper sales and voter turnout have fallen in parallel. Rethinking, redesigning and rejuvenating local media is critical in fostering a healthy democracy. We don’t have to be overwhelmed by social media and clickbait just to keep up with what’s happening. Learn about how The Edinburgh Minute has sparked dozens more new publications around the world to reclaim grassroots community news, boosting independent businesses, artists and campaigners while giving local readers a better deal.
⮑ Sound good? If you want to come along, tickets will be available from 11am on Friday at this link. I really hope to meet some of you in real life in what’s a very special local building: Edinburgh Printmakers. More than a decade ago I worked on (admittedly campaign-y) journalism calling for the building to be saved from demolition. So it will be a joy to talk about the Minute inside those four walls and hear from you too.
📌 Edinburgh Minute Community Noticeboard
📌 “Come along to Folk Tales for New Scots, a fun, free community street projection event, on Saturday 22nd March at 7:30pm at The Causey.” - Thanks to the organisers for sharing this.
📌 “Street Photo Social is a monthly free and friendly photo walk for street photographers and friends. We’ll spend a couple of hours wandering around Edinburgh, shooting stills and shooting the breeze.” - Thanks to Olly for sharing this. It’s on Sunday from 1pm starting outside the Scottish Parliament Building.
📌 “Want a behind the scenes glimpse at the exhibition Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography? If you're interested in a career in Arts and Heritage, join us on 27 March for Student Sessions: Conservation and Curation (13:00-16:00, tickets £10). Or come to our Lunchtime Lecture on 28 March to hear about the conservation work needed to put on a photographic exhibition (13:00-14:00, tickets £6).” - Thanks to the Royal Collection Trust for sharing this.
📌 “Come join us for our next monthly community meal at the Edinburgh Student Housing Co-operative Basement! Volunteers at ESHC will be teaming up to bring you an evening filled with delicious home cooked food and great company. This event is FREE and open to all! Date: Friday March 21. Time: 7:30pm - 9:30pm. Location: ESHC Basement, 34 Wright's Houses, Edinburgh.” - Thanks to ESHC for sharing this.
📌 “Join Edinburgh's newest ghost society at the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre at 19:00 on the 21st March for a presentation on the Ganzfeld Effect; a hallucinatory phenomena that's been recorded throughout history. Learn how it works, its history... then try it for yourself and discuss your experience with other attendees.” - Thanks to the organisers for sharing this.
📌 “Holyrood Distillery are hosting a Resident's Preview for their latest whisky release (name to be revealed on 27th March!). Edinburgh locals are invited to be among the first to taste our newest addition to our single malt range, and celebrate release day with us by toasting a dram or two. This preview event is free to attend for anyone with an EH postcode - you’ll get a fully guided tour - plus free samples of our Homeland Gin and new single malt whisky.” - Thanks to the distillery team for sharing this.
📌 “Team Scotland Roller Derby is hosting Team Iceland Roller Derby and Leeds Roller Derby in a Word Cup warm up game on 25 May at Dalkeith Community Campus! Team Scotland are heading to the World Cup hosted in Innsbruck, Austria in July 2025 - don't miss the only home date to see the squad in action!” - Thanks to Team Scotland Roller Derby for sharing this.
📌 “Open mixed netball session at George Watson's College. For anyone to come and try out netball in a friendly and fun atmosphere hosted by Edinburgh's men's netball team.” - Thanks to Sam Fergusson, Team Manager of Edinburgh Kelpies, for sharing this.
📌 “Celebrate Spring by coming along to a Forest Bathing Taster Session! Happening in Leith on Sunday 30th March at 10:00-10:45am in St. Mark's Park - Join me (Rosie) at Wild Rose Forest Therapy in this carefully crafted experience which gives you permission to slow down and soothe in nature. Learn creative nature connection invitations and share with others in this mindful treat for your senses!” - Thanks to Rosie for sharing this.
📌 “Soapbox and Tribe Porty are hosting another Story Sessions and the theme for this month is Birthdays! Join us on March 28th from 6pm for an evening of storytelling where we aim to bring people together to connect, inspire, and share authentic stories; offering a place for voices to be heard and celebrated.” - Thanks to Ellie Clinch, Founder of The Story Sessions, for sharing this.
📌 “Local piano up-cycling heroes Pianodrome are celebrating World Piano Day, on Sat 29 March, the 88th day of the year (there are 88 keys on a typical keyboard). Drop in to their Adopt a Piano showroom from 10.30 - 4pm to see if you fall in love with any of their rescue pianos. Then there's music from 4pm onwards, with three excellent pianist, and at 7.30pm a live screening of the 1922 silent classic Nosferatu, with live soundtrack by house band S!nk, who will play various instruments including their Zombie Piano.” - Thanks to Pianodrome for sharing this.
📌 “Idiogram will launch their debut album, Reunion of Broken Parts, on Saturday 22 March at The Caves in Edinburgh. The event will feature a full album playthrough showcasing their genre-defying mix of post-prog, rock, electronic, ambient, and classical influences, with live visuals by Sam Healy. Supporting acts include SLY DIG with experimental electronic sounds, and Matilda Brown, an award-winning composer inspired by Scotland's landscapes. Doors open at 7pm.” - Thanks to the organisers for sharing this.