The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Monday 11 May 2026
Safe school routes protest tomorrow, New Town hotel privacy fears, new life for bikes abandoned at Waverley + Trainspotting The Musical is coming
🌤️ Good morning Edinburgh. Thanks to everyone who has sent kind messages following the weekend's news about this newsletter. Back to normality this morning. Here’s Monday's Edinburgh Minute.
🌦️ This week’s weather: Not much change this week. Dry with sunny spells today. Light showers on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Returning to cloud with sunny intervals on Friday. Top temperature of 14C on Tuesday and a low of 5C on Thursday morning. - Find the full Met Office forecast for Edinburgh here.
🗳️ In case you missed it at the weekend, the election results are here.
- ⮑ (And the International News Media Association's 'Best Local/Regional Newsletter' award result is here.)
👋 'Meet your new MSPs - all the Edinburgh and Lothians MSPs elected to the Scottish Parliament for the first time' - Ian Swanson, Evening News.
🚔 Police are looking in to rising reports of anti-social behaviour in the Pennywell and Drylaw area. - Isla Storie, Edinburgh Live.
🚎 There was a collision between a car and a bus at the Barnton end of Queensferry Road yesterday. - Stephen Bark, Daily Record.
🏨 The owners of house in the New Town say a proposed apart-hotel on neighbouring Forth Street are worried guests will be able to look in to their bedroom from 'six metres away'. - Isla Storie, Edinburgh Live + see the location on a map here.
🚲 Campaigners calling for safe cycle routes to school to be protected are planning a demonstration outside the council's City Chambers on Tuesday lunchtime. The 'Keep Our Kids Safe' rally will call on councillors to make the Greenbank to Meadows Quiet Route permanent. - More details via the Blackford Safe Routes blog.
- ⮑ "This is a main cycling route for the south of the city. There are few off road paths in the southern half of the city except the Innocent Railway Path and Tunnel in the south east. All other traffic measures installed at the same time have already been made permanent in the city, except the last schemes in the Braids area to be decided next week, and Silverknowes Road which will be considered in February 2027." - Tom Wilson looks at the details in The Edinburgh Reporter.
- ⮑ See tomorrow's full meeting agenda papers here.
🚈 More trains are being added to services between Waverley and Helensburgh Central on Friday and Saturday evenings 'to meet increased demand', writes Jody Harrison in The Herald.
🚲 Bikes abandoned at Waverley station and unclaimed for six months are being refurbished by The Bike Station charity. - Network Rail press release.
"The Bike Station originated in Waverley Station many years ago and the impact of working together is as relevant now as it was then. Recently our team collected 40 bikes which will be refurbished and made available through our free to access bikes programme, Kids Bike Life, which enables more families to choose cycling in our city." - Sasha Taylor, CEO of The Bike Station.
🪜 Dozens of people showed up for the 5th annual LadderFest event in the Meadows on Saturday. - There are some pictures from it on Instagram.
🎭 Rehearsals are underway on Trainspotting The Musical, opening at the Playhouse in October. Writer Irvine Welsh says it will be a 'big high-energy sonic explosion' in this interview with Brian Ferguson of The Herald.
🎨 A new mural has been unveiled at Leith's Newkirkgate Shopping Centre. The design was inspired by around 50 locals from charities and community groups, working with the Edinburgh Remakery charity, who came up with images they felt best represent Leith. - See the mural in this video report by Lewis Michie of STV News.
🍽️ 'The 27 best restaurants, cafes and bars in Stockbridge', according to The Herald Food & Drink writer Sarah Campbell.
💚 This newsletter is people-powered! The Edinburgh Minute exists because of its community and relies on no advertising or private investment. For £5 a month, you help fund the (currently) tiny team of one person (👋) plus some occasional freelance support. In turn you’re supporting the promotion of local journalists’ vital work and keeping the newsletter 100% independent.
📌 Edinburgh Minute Community Noticeboard
⮑ Please get in touch using this form. < It’s the only way to get something featured in the newsletter.
🔥 Bin Fire in Spottiswoode Street - 'Fire officers doused a bin hub blaze on Spottiswoode Street last evening. Residents have repeatedly warned the Edinburgh Council of this hazard near front windows. Alternative locations researched by South Meadows Action Group have been ignored.' - Photo here, shared by South Meadows Action Group.
👥 Annual commemoration of the 1915 Quintinshill/Gretna rail disaster - 'Every year, the Royal Scots gather at the grave memorial at Rosebank Cemetery to mark what is still UK's worst rail crash on 22 May 1915. Over 200 Royal Scots from the territorial 7th Batallion of Leith and others died at Quintinshill near Gretna. (Deadline: 23 May)' - More details here, shared by John Edward.
🎉 I Love Easter Road - New Community Facebook Page - '✨ Easter Road is thriving! With a 94%+ shop occupancy rate, our high street is packed with cafés, shops, services & community spirit ❤️ Support local, shop local, and celebrate the amazing businesses that make Easter Road special 💥 (Deadline: 20 May)' - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
🖼️ People, Plants and Polytunnels exhibition
'Go and see this gorgeous exhibition by Rachael Dixey at the Dundas Street Gallery in Edinburgh. Proceeds of sales support outdoor learning for young people at the Cyrenians Green Skills Centre, West Lothian. Hurry! Exhibition ends 4pm on 11 May. (Exhibition open: Sunday 10-6. Mon 10-4)' - More details here via Cyrenians.
🏛️ Legacies & Responsibilities: Edinburgh's Anatomy Museum & Collections
Today, Mon 11 May - 'As part of marking 300 years of Edinburgh Medical School two curators, Nicole Anderson and Malcolm MacCallum, will discuss the responsibilities of modern museum curatorship with particular reference to the city's anatomical collections.'
6.30pm to 7.30pm | Anatomy Lecture Theater, EH8 9AJ | FREE - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
🏊♀️ The Portobello Bookshop - Swimming the Seasons with Polly Atkin
Tomorrow, Tue 12 May - 'Join us for a lovely evening of poetry, nature writing, and conversation as we celebrate the launch of Polly Atkin's latest book! It's all about swimming, so the Portobello seaside is the perfect spot to be.'
7pm to 8pm | The Portobello Bookshop, EH15 1DA - More details here, shared by The Portobello Bookshop.
👥 The Knowledge Room
Wed 13 May - 'Running your own business? Join The Knowledge Room - a relaxed and friendly morning for freelancers and small business owners to share ideas, ask questions, and find the right support to help you and your business grow.'
10am to 1pm | Hotel Indigo Edinburgh - Princes Street by IHG, EH2 2AN - More details here, shared by Susan Graham, Embra Digital.
🎶 Steve Byrne and Scott Gardiner at Edinburgh Folk Club
Wed 13 May - 'Steve Byrne, Scots Singer of the Year 2019 and a quarter of Malinky, and Scott Gardiner, past Bothy Ballad World Champion and a stalwart of the festival scene, in a rare duo show steeped in the songs, lore and accents of their Angus homeland.'
7.30pm to 10.30pm | Ukrainian Community Centre (AUGB Edinburgh), EH7 5AB | £15, £12 concessions - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
🍻 Stenroth Beer 1st Birthday
Thu 14 May - 'Stenroth Workers Cooperative 1st Birthday! Celebrating with six of our beers on tap at Otherworld Bar & Kitchen on Leith Walk. The three of us will be there for most of the evening. Feel free to come and say hi. Cheers Kat, Jimmy, Jani'
6pm to 11pm | Otherworld Bar & Kitchen, EH7 5HN | FREE - More details here, shared by Jani, Stenroth Workers Cooperative + on Instagram here.
🕊️ "Performing For Peace" Charity fundraising concert
Fri 15 May - 'Charity concert "Performing for Peace" organised by Rotary Club of Leith in support of humanitarian initiatives connected with Ukraine. Music, dance and community coming together for an important meaningful cause.'
7.30pm to 10.30pm | Inverleith St Serf's Church Centre, EH5 3BD | 15 GBP - More details here, shared by Mykola Zinchenko, The Rotary Club of Leith.
🎶 EPiKA Soft: ona:v - People's Leisure Club
Fri 15 May - 'For the next installment of EPiKA SOFT, we hand the floor to the person who started it all - ona:v, the founder of EPiKA and the mastermind behind the SOFT concept itself.'
11pm to 3am | People's Leisure Club, EH1 1HB - More details here, shared by EPiKA.
💍 Silver stacking ring workshop
Fri 15 May - 'A lovely creative evening making 2 silver stacking rings. Beginner friendly and all materials and tuition included. Come on your own or with friends, everyone welcome and there will be cake!'
6pm to 8pm | The Gift Tree Corstorphine, EH12 7AA | £75 - More details here, shared by Clare Steen, Silverbean Jewellery.
🎶 Caro Bridges / Rory Butler at Pianodrome
Fri 15 May - 'An evening of acoustic musical beauty with Caro Bridges' trio, acclaimed songwriter and guitarist Rory Butler and special guests in the stunning surroundings of the Pianodrome.'
7pm to 10pm | Pianodrome Bruntsfield Community Hub, EH10 4NB - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
📮 What's missing from the Minute? Got an event to share? Nothing's too local! Please share your local news and events here.
- 📌 I've run out of time, so weekend event notices will be in tomorrow's edition!
👀 The most-visited links from the last newsletter:
- 🟢 Dr Q Manivannan, first transgender person elected to Holyrood, says win 'is what diversity looks like'.
- 📍 Type in your postcode to see who won/lost in your area.
- 🗳️ Four Edinburgh councillors elevated to Holyrood.
- 👋 'Edinburgh Central goes green as Robertson loses his seat'.
- 🟠 'Lib Dems defeat SNP in Edinburgh Northern constituency'.
⏰ Thanks for reading edition number 907.
📬 Free subscribers: 30,000+.
📲 Visits generated for local news sources: 3,000,000+.
👍 The Edinburgh Minute only exists thanks to voluntary subscribers. Please consider chipping in for a fiver a month to ensure it continues. The community spirit behind this newsletter is real. Your support makes Edinburgh a better place.
