The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Tuesday 13 January 2026
School phone ban 'success', record-breaking growth in tram and bus journeys, Renee Good vigil tonight, Horror Festival hits pause + new pop-up bookshop at Brown's of Leith
🌤️ Good morning Edinburgh. It's a pretty quiet start but here's everything I could find from today's news. If I've missed anything please get in touch. But once again today's Community Noticeboard is busier than the news section. Together we've basically built a people's newsroom! So thanks as always to everyone who sends something in and/or supports the newsletter. I can't do it without your help. Here’s Tuesday's Edinburgh Minute.
🚑 A cyclist was taken to hospital after what police described as 'a crash involving a van and a cyclist' on Henderson Row (map link) yesterday morning. - Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco, The Herald.
🚔 Calls from the public led to police arresting a man and a woman over two attempted robberies 20 minutes apart yesterday morning. Police said shops in Colinton Mains Drive and Oxgangs Road North were targeted. The pair are due to appear in court today. - Police Scotland published more details here.
- ⮑ Separately, Edinburgh South West MP Scott Arthur has written to food delivery firms Just Eat, Uber Eats and Deliveroo asking for action on dangerous or illegal use of electronic motors on bikes. He said: "Many residents are concerned that these workers are being exploited and that the companies’ business model may depend on the use of illegal e-bikes." - More in this blog post.
📵 Feedback from Portobello and Queensferry High Schools pupils on a phone ban trial has been 'mostly positive', according to a new report. - Read the council report here and a summary with background from Ross Chalmers of Deadline News.
🚎 Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams have announced increases in passenger numbers, with more than 130 million customer journeys recorded in 2025. The number includes 119 million bus journeys (up 2.6% annually) and 12.5 million tram journeys (up 3.3%). - More details from Lothian Buses here.
- ⮑ How do the numbers compare over time? Here's a graph from Edinburgh Bus Users Group:
Updated graph for 2025. Showing🧵: Patronage returning to pre-Covid There were 12.5m tram trips; some would previously be by bus, but post-phase1 research showed most tram pax were new to PT c.120m = 'Mon-Fri peak-only bus lanes' norm? LB expansion in E/W Lothian inflates figures
— Edinburgh Bus Users Group (@edinburghbug.bsky.social) 2026-01-10T16:41:55.457Z
🏨 A developer is planning to convert six townhouses on Forth Street into a hotel. - Brian Donnelly, The Herald.
🏡 Homes in Morningside and Murrayfield top December's list of the ten most-viewed local properties on the ESPC property portal. - The full list is on the ESPC site here.
🧟♂️ Organisers of the Edinburgh Horror Festival have announced the event will take a break this year. They wrote: "After ten years, we need a break. Our plan is to reconvene at the end of this year and decide if we’re able to stage a festival in 2027 once everyone has had a chance to focus on their wellbeing." - More details in this Instagram post.
🎤 TV presenter and comedian Sara Pascoe is trying out some new 'work in progress' material at Monkey Barrel Comedy on Blair Street tonight and tomorrow. - More details here.
🎭 Last summer North Edinburgh Arts settled into a new home including a 96-seat theatre, a 72-seat cafe. Asking “Where does the next generation of working-class artists come from?” journalist Charlie Ellis took a look around and has this piece in The Edinburgh Reporter.
📚 The recently opened Brown's of Leith venue will host a new pop-up bookshop on occasions throughout the year. There will also be events alongside the sales, organised by Edinburgh-based boom saloon. The first one is on Saturday 17 January. - More details here.
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📌 “Tuesday 13 January, 6pm - A vigil will be held at the US Consulate (map link here) to honour the life of Renee Good and all those others who have been a victims of ICE brutality. This vigil is a space to mourn Renee, to acknowledge the pain carried over the past year, and to stand together in solidarity and care.” - Thanks to a Minute subscriber for sharing this.
📌 “FREE Choir for Carers! We are Carers & Co Choir, a friendly, up-beat choir who meet on Tuesday mornings (10am-12) in Broughton St Marys Church. We are starting a new term which means we're open to new members, you don't have to be a Carer to join, we are open to all!” - Thanks to Kat Brooks of The Phoenix Choir for sharing this.
📌 “Writers: ever wondered how to adapt your prose for the screen? Niamh Hargan has adapted two of her three novels for film/TV and is developing a new idea for TV. She'll discuss the differences in novel planning vs episodic planning - TONIGHT at 7pm, The Edinburgh Bookshop, price includes a drink.” - Thanks to Edinburgh Writers' Forum for sharing this.
📌 “Wednesday 14 January - Wester Hailes Library are hosting a FREE tech repair drop in between 4-6pm. Pop in with any items of tech needing a new lease of life for expert advice and fixes in conjunction with the Edinburgh Remakery. This event is run as part of Wester Hailes Library's Lend and Mend hub.” - Thanks to Susannah from Wester Hailes Library for sharing this.
📌 “Wednesday 14 January - A new magic night showcasing the best local magicians Edinburgh has to offer starts this Wednesday. The first ever "Underground Magic" features local favourites Luke Osey, Freak T. Clown, Cameron Gibson, Alex Kouvatis, and more - an amazing evening of magic!” - Thanks to Cameron Gibson of Edinburgh Magic Company for sharing this.
📌 “Sunday 18th January - Discover something new at The Wellness Barn "Taster Day" with 3 sessions for only £15. Meet our practitioners, sample a range of wellbeing experiences in one relaxed day. No upselling, come with curiosity and we will provide a cuppa and a sprinkle of connection.” - Thanks to Man Yuen Luk, The Wellness Barn Edinburgh, for sharing this.
📌 “Read and Mend returns this Sunday 18th January at Granton:Hub, 7:30pm. Keeping company in the darker months, we work on our craft projects and take turns reading aloud to each other. All welcome, free to attend. Email wildflowers@grantonhub.org for more info or to tell us you're coming!” - Thanks to Jenny and Katharina for sharing this.
📌 “Monday 19 Jan - Escape the Winter Chill with St Mary's Music School's Chamber Music Concert at Palmerston Place Church at 6pm. Let the music be your warmth on a cold winter's evening! The concert lasts no more than an hour—perfect for a cosy winter evening.” - Thanks to St Mary's Music School for sharing this.
📌 “Monday January 19th: - Edinburgh u3a invites you to a FREE Open Coffee Morning at North Edinburgh Arts (Studio 2) from 10am-12pm. Come and share a coffee, chat, and find out about joining us for just £10 a year. We have over 200 member-led groups covering everything from Album Club to Yoga.” - Thanks to Vikki Kirby for sharing this.
📌 “All you need to make a film is a membership at Edinburgh Cine and Video Society. We have a new 5 part programme of film study, film making, scriptwriting, acting and editing/special effects/animation starting on Tuesday. Read on for more details.” - Thanks to Gordon Guthrie, ECVS, for sharing this.
📌 “Wednesday 21 January - Tere Bertucci: 'Bad Latina' Fundraiser with In Solidarity. A poetry, musical and spoken word show joining Tere- a confused, angry, Neurospicy, Queer Chilena- as she explores what it means to be a "good Latina" in a world that loves its Latinas spicy, sexy and silent.” - Thanks to In Solidarity for sharing this.
📌 “The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre at 25 Palmerston Place is opening its doors to community groups wishing to rent space for meetings and events either Ron a regular basis and as a one off event. See our website for details or email info@edinburghspiritualists.com” - Thanks to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre for sharing this.
📮 Anything missing? Please share your local news and events here.
👀 The most-visited links from the last newsletter:
- ⛴️ New ferry service to France.
- 🛟 Lifeboat crew rescue 'a person on an inflatable mattress'.
- 🏗️ This year's local building projects are mapped here.
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