The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Tuesday 7 July 2026
City centre streets to be pedestrianised for 50 days, Napier plans to quit Merchiston, QMU staff on strike + art auction for Wester Hailes community centre
🌤️ Good morning Edinburgh. There's a fair bit happening this morning. Here’s Tuesday's Edinburgh Minute.
🚦 The council has announced plans to close key city centre streets to vehicles for 50 days from 19 July until 7 September to manage festival crowds.
The council has published its 'Summertime Streets' plans in a press release here and a special webpage here with a full list of affected streets. It's not straight-forward, in that each street has different restrictions, so worth clicking through to read more.
- Affected areas: High Street, Parliament Square, Cockburn Street, St Giles' Street, Blair Street, Lawnmarket (Castlehill to George IV Bridge), Johnston Terrace, Cowgate (between Candlemaker Row and Blackfriars Street), East Adam Street, George Street (between Hanover Street and Frederick Street) + the Candlemaker Row / George IV Bridge Junction.
In justifying the closures to motor traffic, the council said:
"During this busy period the population of our city effectively doubles, which brings challenges for our residents, businesses and visitors. These temporary changes, which include removing or restricting vehicle traffic, are designed to make our streets easier and safer to walk around."
- It also said that in summer more than 5,000 people move through the Lawnmarket every hour.
- "The planned full reopening of the North Bridge in time for the festivals will also be a great boost for people getting around the city," added council transport leader Stephen Jenkinson.
- More information on access for local residents, Blue Badge holders and businesses is here, outlining that deliveries will be allowed between 7pm and 10.30am daily, and: "Outside of these times, and in some closed streets, suppliers and delivery drivers may need to park some distance away from your location to make deliveries."
🚔 An update on yesterday's most-read story: A man has died in hospital and a 33-year-old male suspect was arrested yesterday after an alleged stabbing outside Cables Wynd House, aka the banana flats, in Leith on Sunday night. - Matthew Fulton, STV News.
⮑ An eye-witness and a local councillor described the local reaction in Callum McCormack's report in the Evening News.
🎓 Edinburgh Napier University plans to sell its Merchiston campus due to a £220m repair bill amid merger talks with other unis, reports The Edinburgh Inquirer.
- "Our Merchiston campus is no longer fit for the future, and we want to provide enhanced facilities going forward. We are therefore now considering alternative options elsewhere, and this process is in its early stages," the university told Gabriel McKay in The Herald.
Edinburgh Inquirer
🪧 Some staff Members at Queen Margaret University are on strike in a dispute over job cuts, possible compulsory redundancies, and cuts to research and scholarship time. - The University and College Union published more details here.
🤝 There are 31 different paid jobs available in the city now and a range of voluntary positions in the weekly Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network round-up. - Links to apply to each role are here and you can follow the charity on Instagram here.
- You'll find roles with: The Edinburgh Remakery, Rhyze Mushrooms, Multi Cultural Family Base, Scran Academy, Rowan Alba, Edinburgh Food Social, Four Square, EVOC, Cyrenians, Changeworks, Edinburgh Open Workshop, Space at the Broomhouse Hub, VOCAL, Circle, The Eric Liddell Community, The Pitt + Shore Psychology.
ESENAdmin
💰 Leith-based mental health social enterprise Shore Psychology has gained national funding to expand its trauma-informed mental health services. - Ryan Nixon, Deadline News.
🏗️ While the future of a former cinema on Nicolson Street depends on a council ruling next month about plans for a new cafe, the former La Scala cinema / Classic cinema / Premier Bingo venue has a fascinating history. - Andy Arthur shares his incredible research on Threadinburgh.
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🤝 Call out for new members! Mental Health Collective Advocacy Group - 'It’s free to join! People value the sense of community and purpose they find through Collective Advocacy. The group decides how they want to work to improve things for everyone! Email Christie on christie@capsadvocacy.org' - More details here, shared by CAPS Independent Advocacy.
🏳️🌈 Research Survey - Trans Masc and Non-Binary Participants Wanted - 'University of Edinburgh researchers are running a survey on online age verification, and are looking for anyone who identifies as trans masculine or non-binary to take part. You can also email s2151111@ed.ac.uk for more information.' - More details here, shared by Theo Moreman, Edinburgh Futures Institute.
🔥 Powderhall Bronze Foundry Tour
Today, Tue 07 July - 'Join us for a tour of our fine art foundry in Granton, learning how we use the ancient lost wax casting process to create bronze sculptures. Gleam insight into our current foundry projects and past well-known public artworks along the way.'
6pm to 7.30pm | Powderhall Bronze · Granton & Pilton | £20 - More details here, shared by Lucy Caster, Powderhall Bronze.
Powderhall Bronze Editions
🖼️ On the Table [Until 29 Aug]
Today, Tue 07 July - 'New exhibition by artist-in-residence Ezra Tatton - On The Table explores themes of transition, decay, change, surgery, community, control, queerness, gender and eroticism, using cannibalism as a metaphor for intense, all-consuming feelings.'
10am to 5pm | The Out of the Blue Drill Hall · Leith | FREE - More details here, shared by Out of the Blue Arts and Education Trust.
🎲 Critical Role Fan Celebration [Until Sun]
Thu 09 July - 'Potions and Rations, Edinburgh's only board game pub, is hosting a weekend of fun for Critters! We've got cosplay, DnD, custom CR Blood on the Clocktower, plus casual meet ups for all! Some events are free, others paid. Take a breath, roll the dice!'
6pm to 11.59pm | Potions And Rations · Canonmills & Broughton | £0-£10 - More details here, shared by Potions and Rations.
🎨 CWC Art Auction Fundraiser
Thu 09 July - 'Bid on amazing art by local artists this Thursday 9 July, 6-8pm at EAF! All funds raised go to keep our Community Wellbeing Space in Wester Hailes open. Come support community care and wellbeing for the people by the people!'
6pm to 8pm | Edinburgh Art Festival · Leith - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
✊ Picket at Build A Rocket Boy!
Sat 11 July - 'Build A Rocket Boy execs are spending thousands on an unnecessary playtest event after laying off over 400 staff over the last year - come join affected workers and supporters outside their offices to show we're organised and ready to fight for jobs.'
9.30am to 11.30am | Build A Rocket Boy Ltd. · Leith | FREE - More details here, shared by IWGB Game Workers.
☔ Singin' in the Rain - Relaxed Screening
Sat 11 July - 'Introducing Relaxed Screenings at Filmhouse! Designed for anyone who would benefit from a more comfortable, flexible cinema experience, we begin this weekend with a screening of the much-loved classic Singin' in the Rain. All are welcome! ❤️'
11am to 1pm | Filmhouse · Tollcross | £6 - More details here, shared by Filmhouse.
💃 Balboa Dance Workshop
Sat 11 July - 'Discover Balboa, a smooth and stylish swing dance from the 1930's suited to faster jazz music. This half-day workshop aimed at absolute beginners will include three hours of teaching followed by one hour of social dancing with a DJ.'
1.30pm to 6pm | LifeCare Edinburgh · Stockbridge | £15 / £13 Concession - More details here, shared by Edinburgh Swing Dance Society.
🎨 Paint and Sip - Sippin' into Summer
Tue 14 July - 'Join us for an evening of summer themed painting. Relax with a drink (10% off included) and paint your very own summer creation. No rain, wind or drizzle at our event! Sippin' into summer with Four of a Kind Events at the Little Picardy ✨️'
6.30pm to 8.30pm | Little Picardy · Canonmills & Broughton - More details here, shared by Four of a Kind Events.
📸 Social Media 101 Workshop
Wed 15 July - 'Gain the confidence to master your social media marketing using just your smartphone in my 2-hour workshop (max 6 people). Learn lighting, framing, and content strategy via hands-on demos. More details & booking info on my website:'
10am to 12pm | Populus Cafe (Leith Community Croft) · Leith | £45 - More details here, shared by Harrie Baxter.
🥂 Hedonistic Brunch
Sun 26 July - 'Join us in The Apartment for our new Hedonistic Brunch Series celebrating a guest pour each month. On July 26, we're celebrating Italian indulgence with Bellavista. Your ticket includes two glasses of wine and an unlimited Italian themed brunch.'
11.30am to 2.30pm | The Hoxton · Haymarket & Dalry | £45 - 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.
👀 The most-visited links from the last newsletter:
- 🚔 Cables Wynd House: Street taped off amid armed police response.
- 🚆 Minute readers help build rail travel discovery website.
- 🚲 Mapped: new bike lanes for St Andrew Square.
- 🏴 Council to employ welcome committee for tourists.
- 💰 Protesters stage demo over 24% rent hike.
⏰ Thanks for reading edition number 946.
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