The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Monday 15 December 2025

Polwarth death, paint attack on New Town bank, protests planned for transport meeting tomorrow + inside that house with the pink door

Michael MacLeod

15 Dec 2025 — 6 min read

Photo by Tom Duffin.

🌤️ Good morning Edinburgh. Welcome to everyone who subscribed over the weekend! Here’s Monday's Edinburgh Minute.

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🌦️ This week's weather forecast: Today starts cloudy but dry, with some sun breaking through. Tuesday's due to be the sunniest day of the week. Expect rain on Wednesday and Thursday before a bit more sun on Friday. Nothing unusual at the weekend, likely sunshine and showers. A low of 4C on Tuesday and high of 11C on Wednesday. - Get the full Met Office forecast here.

🚔 A man is due to appear in court today charged in connection with the death of 34-year-old man in Polwarth's Watson Crescent on Saturday morning. - Police Scotland.

🏢 Residents of Westfield Court in Gorgie continue to speak out against plans to demolish the flats. One said: "There is still life left in this building. There is still a community here." - James Delaney, BBC Scotland News.

🚔 The HSBC bank on Hanover Street was attacked by vandals on Saturday morning. The @edinastine Instagram account linked the attack to HSBC's connection to Israeli weapons firm Elbit Systems. - See photos of the attack here.
⮑ Police are investigating, reports John Hislop in The Edinburgh Reporter.

🗳️ This is the final week of council meetings before they take a four week break, returning on 13 January.

Today: 12 short-term let applications at the Licensing Sub-Committee.
Tuesday: Edinburgh Integration Joint Board, including a report on a projected year-end overspend of £13.5m, which the council says is "driven largely by growth in prescribing care at home services for the over 65s, slippage in savings delivery, high occupancy in the Royal Edinburgh Hospital and financial pressures in set aside services."
Also on Tuesday: Traffic Regulation Orders Sub-Committee, including discussions on the proposed Controlled Parking Zone for Portobello, A protest is planned by the 'Portobello and Joppa Residents & Businesses Against CPZ' group. - There's some background in this report by Donald Turvill in The Herald.
- The meeting will also cover planned new one-way exemptions for pedal cyclists on streets including Rose Street and Thistle Street. - The full agenda, webcast link and background papers are here.
- On the possible introduction of two-way cycling along Rose Street, Mike Birch of New Town and Broughton Community Council got in touch with the Minute to share this statement, published with the Living Streets Edinburgh Group and the Edinburgh Access Panel. They say: "Increasing usage by cyclists of this already very congested shared space will increase the risks to pedestrians, especially those with impaired vision or mobility."
- ⮑ There's a deeper preview of the meeting in this week's edi.bike newsletter.
Wednesday: planning issues at the Development Management Sub-Committee. On the agenda:
- Plans for hundreds of new student flats at the 'New Town Quarter' off Dundas Street. - Here's a recent update from the Spurtle.
- Plans for nearly 1,000 new homes on the former Saica packaging facility at Turnhouse Road near the Gyle are also recommended for approval.
- Student flat plans for Dalton scrapyard in Leith,
- Restaurant plan for former picture framing shop on 8 Antigua Street in Broughton,
- 12 more short-term let applications,
- Four-storey extension planned at Kick Ass Hostel in Cowgate,
- 11 new flats in Granton.
Thursday: Full council. On the agenda: Third sector resilience funding, a bid to reinstate the Tollcross clock, antisocial behaviour on buses, the closures of St Mark’s Path and part of Ferry Road Path, plus a bid to move Leith's Christmas decorations from Taylor Gardens to the Foot of the Walk. - The full agenda, webcast link and background papers are here.
- There's also a motion congratulating Audrey Mair on 50 years of teaching geography at Broughton High School.

🚪 Remember the New Town house with the pink door? It hit the headlines in 2023 after some neighbours complained about its colour. Now Drummond Place homeowner Miranda Dickson is opening the door of her Georgian townhouse to the nation as one of five finalists in this year’s Scotland’s Christmas Home of the Year, due to air on BBC 1 tonight at 8pm. - Kevin Quinn, Evening News.

🍽️ 'The closure of this amazing Edinburgh restaurant should worry us all'. - The Bon Vivant bar and restaurant is the subject of Stephen Jardine's column in The Scotsman.

📌 Edinburgh Minute Community Noticeboard

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📌 “Gringo Supperclub: Due to popular demand, we have added additional cooking class dates in Jan and Feb! Come learn how to make authentic(ish) Mexican tacos in a small group BYOB Class. A perfect Christmas for the foodies in your life!” - Thanks to Kevin of Gringo Supperclub for sharing this.

📌 “Tuesday: Join us on December 16th for our final Ancient Robot Workshop meetup of the year. A festive, relaxed evening for tabletop creators featuring a Q&A with artists Will Tempest and Paul Canavan, plus snacks, cosy vibes, and time to connect and share ideas.” - Thanks to Ancient Robot Workshop for sharing this.

📌 “Literatures, Languages and Cultures at UoE are hosting a book launch for Sradagan san Iarmailt/Sparks in the Firmament, the first anthology of recent Gaelic poetry for over 30 years. Gaelic Writer in Residence Niall O'Gallagher will be talking to editor Marcas Mac an Tuairneir - all welcome!” - Thanks to Hannah, School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, for sharing this.

📌 “Wednesday 17th December, 4pm-7.30pm: Tasty Buns Bakery 67 Bread Street are hosting their Christmas Shopping Night. Expect local independent traders, festive treats and 5 weird, wonderful and brand new Stollen favours for this night only!” - Thanks to Tasty Buns Bakery for sharing this.

📌 “Wednesday 17 December – Anonymous for the Voiceless are holding a peaceful vegan street-outreach event at Mercat Cross from 5.30pm to 8pm. Volunteers share information about animal ethics and speak with anyone who wants to learn more. Please arrive 10 minutes early and dress warmly.” - Thanks to Bartłomiej Urbański, volunteer, for sharing this.

📌 “Wednesday 17 December, 7pm-9pm - Online Zoom Forum: Thomas Stearns Eliot: The Spiritual, Ethical, and Social Vision in His Life and Work. There will be five talks, each of 12 minutes, followed by discussion among the speakers and the chair & Q & A.” - Thanks to Neill Walker, Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace, for sharing this.

📌 “Wednesday 17th December - Edinburgh Zombie Club, a monthly movie society, has its December screening this week with a 'Christmas Horror Double Bill' of scary seasonal films 'Black Christmas (1974) + Silent Night Deadly Night (1984)'. The Banshee Labyrinth, Niddry Street. Free entry 7pm.” - Thanks to Pat, co-organiser of Edinburgh Zombie Club, for sharing this.

📌 “Wednesday 17 December - Sòlasan perform Beethoven String Quartet No. 9 in aid of Alzheimer Scotland. Join us at 8pm in St Vincent's Chapel for music followed by warm drinks and sweet treats!” - Thanks to Sòlasan for sharing this.

📌 “Saturday 20 December - A LEGO workshop with Alcohol. Three hilarious challenges, from an "architecturally possible" signature task, to copying a technical build without instructions, and finally, designing your brick-based showstopper. Includes drink on arrival.” - Thanks to Aaron Finan of Brick and Sip for sharing this.

📌 “Sunday 21 December, 5PM. Join Slonk Wine at the Port of Leith Distillery for a deep-dive into Piedmont with six wines, from ancient whites to iconic Nebbiolo and a lightly sweet finish. Enjoy fresh bread, truffle oil, hazelnuts and Bresaola, hosted by Langhe Wine Ambassador Isobel Salamon.” - Thanks to Slonk for sharing this.

📌 “On Mon 22 Dec, Blue Christmas takes place at La Belle Angele! The annual celebration of festive blues, rock'n'roll and r'n'b is curated by Edinburgh musician Jed Potts and features some of the best musicians in town. All proceeds will be donated to Social Bite. Tickets on sale now at jedpotts.com!” - Thanks to Jed Potts, Musician & Curator of Blue Christmas, for sharing this.

📌 “New Year's Day (FREE!) family ceilidh in Portobello Town Hall. Come join the party at our Sprogmanay Family Ceilidh for an afternoon of ceilidh dancing and fun on New Year’s Day! The Sensational Jimi Shandrix Experience will provide the foot stompin’ sets to get you dancin’.” - Thanks to Aidan O'Rourke, First Footin' co-curator, for sharing this.

📌 “Voxblock, an Edinburgh based children’s audio brand, has launched the new audio edition of An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales. The stories are part of a readalong project created here in the city, celebrating Scottish storytelling in a screen free format.” - Thanks to Rebecca Lundgren, Co Founder Voxblock, for sharing this.

📌 “Sick of being sick? Want to avoid the current flu wave - and future illness too? Get in touch with Edinburgh Mask Bloc or pick free masks up directly at Lighthouse Bookshop to protect yourself & your loved ones, or staff and customers at your small business.” - Thanks to Edinburgh Mask Bloc for sharing this.

📌 “The New Melville Bridge Club will be starting Spring Bridge lessons week commencing 5th January. All levels are catered for from complete beginner to those who have played for some time but wish to hone their skills. Sign up on the New Melville website.” - Thanks to Troy van-de-l'Isle, Teacher at New Melville Bridge Club, for sharing this.

📮 Anything missing? Please share your local news and events here.