The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Wednesday 18 March 2026
Football bank holiday could cost £350k, another stabbing in Sighthill, plans for new Craigmillar school + data centres could be banned
🌤️ Good morning Edinburgh. Loads of council news today and most of it is genuinely interesting. Here’s Wednesday's Minute.
⚽️ Adding a new bank holiday after the Scotland men's opening match of the football World Cup on 15 June would cost Edinburgh taxpayers around £350,000, according to a council report. Local councillors will vote tomorrow on the Scottish Government's bank holiday idea, which so far five Scottish councils have accepted and ten have rejected. - The council report on the impact of the one-off holiday is here. Dr Deborah Smart, the council's Corporate Director of Customer and Corporate Services, said:
"Where parents are required to work that day, alternative and additional childcare will need to be arranged this may lead to additional financial pressure if parents/carers need to pay for this childcare. This is likely to impact more women than men, families on low income and lone parent families. School closures will also result in no free school meal payment that day."
- ⮑ The game against Haiti kicks off at 2am on Saturday night in to Sunday morning on 14 June in Boston. First Minister John Swinney previously said: "I am taking steps to ensure the Monday after our opening game should be national bank holiday, so that - no matter the outcome of the match - we can all come together to share the occasion."
🗳️ The football bank holiday vote is part of tomorrow's monthly Full Council meeting, starting at 10am at the City Chambers. You can find the agenda items and webcast link here. Here's a summary:
- 💰 Councillors are expected to sign off the local authority's £4.770bn spending plans, along with borrowing of £5.332bn. The budget report notes: "The USA/Israeli war on Iran may have a significant negative global economic impact that in turn could have an adverse effect on Council’s treasury assumptions." - Read the report here.
- Councillors' salaries will go up by 3.3%. - View the report here.
- 🏫 Councillors will vote on whether to approve a new primary school and nursery at Hunter’s Hall Park in Craigmillar. - Read the report here, including details of proposed changes to catchment boundaries in the wider Portobello and Craigmillar ward area.
- ⮑ Consultation showed a majority supported the plan but there were concerns about potential green space loss and environmental impact. Councillors will be asked to approve another consultation with more 'clarity' on the design's impact.
- 💻 There's also a vote on the council's new Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Policy, aimed at giving council staff 'a robust framework for the ethical, secure, lawful and effective use of GenAI technologies.' - Read about that in the report here.
- The meeting also includes 19 proposals (known as 'motions' in council-speak) raised by councillors covering topics including affordable childcare, stair cleaning, a proposal to clearly define what a 'green' data centre is, or ban them, and many more (listed here).
🚨 A stabbing in Sighthill on Monday night is being treated as attempted murder. The 20-year-old victim suffered 'serious injuries' having been attacked around 1.30am overnight between Sunday and Monday. Police published this statement yesterday, with Detective Sergeant Keith Morrison saying:
“I am appealing for anyone who was in and around the Sighthill View, Sighthill Crescent areas between the hours of 1am and 2am on Monday morning. If you saw or heard anything, please get in touch. A young man has been stabbed and seriously injured and it’s imperative we trace whoever is responsible. I would also ask anyone with dash cam or doorbell recording equipment to check if they have any footage which could assist our inquiry. We are still establishing the full circumstances of this crime so please do not think we have all the information we need, any small detail could prove significant. Please pass it on.”
🗣️ Edinburgh’s finance leader Mandy Watt has been criticised for saying the city 'maybe doesn’t have a regional accent' during a committee meeting. - Joe Sullivan, Local Democracy Reporter, on STV News.
🔥 Local councillors have backed calls for more powers to control the sale of vapes, following last week's Union Street fire in Glasgow. - Ian Swanson, Evening News.
✈️ Edinburgh Airport has objected to plans for four 200 metre-high wind turbines near Kelty in Fife. - Ally McRoberts, Central Fife Times.
🚧 Morningside Conservative councillor Marie-Clair Munro has disputed a Standards Commission ruling that she broke rules over a decision on traffic calming measures in the Braids. - Tom H. Wilson, Deadline News.
📌 Edinburgh Minute Community Noticeboard
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🧭 'An Edinburgh mum has just launched KiddyCompass, a free platform helping parents discover family-friendly venues and activities across Edinburgh and Glasgow — with smart filters, age guides and real pricing info.' - More details here, shared by Lilija Bula, KiddyCompass Ltd.
📰 Issue 173 of the Leither. - 'Issue 173 of the Leither is out now. The edition contains the usual mix of culture, politics, food and local history. It's now online, while physical copies will be available from various libraries, eateries and venues across Leith.' - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
🍽️ 18th April Gringo Supperclub goes on sale! - 'The 18th April supperclub goes on sale at 8am today! Book now to secure your spot at an 8 course tasting menu served around a communal table at our home in the West End. This will be the penultimate outing for our entirely mexican Menu' - Thanks to Kevin at Gringo Supperclub for sharing this.
🎭 Sales and Venue Manager vacancy at Portobello Town Hall - 'Portobello Town Hall are advertising for a Sales and Venue Manager position. If you’ve experience coordinating venue bookings and events and want to be the main point of contact for a busy venue in Edinburgh’s seaside, this might be the job for you' - Thanks to Portobello Town Hall for sharing this.
🎻 Midlothian libraries wants your old musical instruments! - 'Instrument Libraries take donations of unused instruments, service them and lend them out for free in your local library. Penicuik and Newtongrange libraries are calling out for donations of everything except full drum kits and pianos!' - Thanks to Hannah McCooke, We Make Music, for sharing this.
🌳 Cramond Commemorates tree-planting celebration
Fri 20 March - 'A community celebration of four years' tree planting, representing a living heritage of people with a connection to Cramond. Walk around and enjoy almost 60 new plantings of different varieties. Each tree was donated and dedicated to a loved one.'
10am to 11am | Cramond Kirk Hall, EH4 6NS | FREE - More details here, shared by Cramond Commemorates project team.
🎶 Come and Play Session! Bounce and Rhyme Time
Fri 20 March - 'Free entry! Fun Friday mornings led by our librarian in our Little Dragons Nursery! Open for families to attend with 1-3 year olds.'
10.30am to 11am | St George's Nursery, EH12 6BG | FREE - More details here, shared by St George's School.
🎶 UofE Singers Charity Concert
Fri 20 March - 'Join UofE Singers for a charity concert featuring various works including arrangements by Peter Backhouse and Rachmaninoff. We are supporting the Astro Brain Tumour Fund, bettering brain cancer patient outcomes. Food, drink and a raffle!'
7pm to 10pm | The Dean, EH4 3BG | £8 (£5 concession) - More details here, shared by EU Singers.
🖨️ Printing fun
Sat 21 March - 'Support local Leith makers StampaLofi & Inky Blume popping up at Leith walk polisbox this Saturday. Find out more about printing workshops plus a selection of prints and hand poured candles available for purchase.'
10am to 5pm | Leith Walk Police Box pop ups, EH7 4LT - More details here, shared by Monty, Leith walk polisbox pop ups.
🎶 Supper Club w/ samwooddoowmas
Sat 21 March - 'Our all-vinyl club night returns to Safari Lounge, with a live set from the ever-exciting experimental electronic producer samwooddoowmas.'
8pm to 1am | The Safari Lounge, EH7 5SN - More details here, shared by Supper Club.
🧘♀️ 31 Days of Mindful Movement - An Alexander Technique course
Sat 21 March - 'A practical course accompanied with material for daily practice & reflection. Whether you have posture related pain, excess stress/tension, or simply want to feel more present, join us to find out What difference can 31 Days of Mindful Movement make?'
11am to 12pm | Pianodrome Bruntsfield Community Hub, EH10 4NB | £5-10 - More details here, shared by Eleni.
🏃♂️ Fettes for FetLor - Charity Run
Sun 22 March - 'The Fettes College annual charity fun run takes place this Sunday and will this year raise money for Scotland's oldest youth club - FetLor - enabling local school children to embark on the invaluable experience of a Duke of Edinburgh award.'
8.45am to 11.45am | Fettes College, EH4 1QX | FREE - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
🎸 Pure Mania Punk & New Wave market
Sun 22 March - 'Celebrating 50 years on from the punk explosion in 1976, Edinburgh's premier Punk & New Wave gathering has upsized to Leith Arches, bigger & better than ever! Free entry 12-5pm, all ages welcome,'
12pm to 5pm | Leith Arches, EH6 8LY | FREE - More details here, shared by The New Wave Times.
🎬 Cinetopia Salons - Finis Terrae + Live music
Tue 24 March - 'The Institut français d'Écosse presents a special screening of Jean Epstein's acclaimed silent film "Finis Terrae" (1929) with a brand new, modern score performed live by Dan Abrahams and Philippe Boudot! Come early for our French-style apero hour.'
6pm to 8.30pm | French Institute of Scotland, EH1 1RN - More details here, shared by Institut français d'Écosse.
🌱 Online Zoom Forum: Ecospirituality: Spiritual. Ecological, and Ethical Foundations
Wed 25 March - 'There will be five talks, each of 12 minutes, followed by discussion among the speakers and the chair, followed by Q & A.'
7pm to 9pm | Online - More details here, shared by Neill Walker, Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace.
✍️ Get it written with Women Who Write's 50-day challenge
Fri 27 March - 'Ready to finish that novel, thesis or journal? Join our 50-day writing challenge for weekly retreats, accountability and a friendly community of women and non-binary writers, while fundraising for local literacy charity The Super Power Agency.'
7pm to 9.30pm | George Watson's College, EH10 5EG | £20 (free available) - More details here, shared by Women Who Write Edinburgh.
🎨 New Paintings by Mike McNiven [Daily]
Sat 28 March - ''Moments in Time' captures the lifetime of adventure behind the brush of artist Mike McNiven. This new collection serves as a visual diary of a life spent mountaineering, trekking, and running through some of the world's most dramatic landscapes.'
10am to 5pm | The Dundas Street Gallery, EH3 6HZ | FREE - More details here, shared by Mike McNiven artist.
🎯 F*ck the Small Talk
Sat 28 March - 'A fun, unique way to meet new people by getting a bit out of your comfort zone and skipping the small talk. Perfect for people looking for new friends, tired of having the same old conversations, and/or simply want to experience something new.'
2pm to 5pm | Secret location! | £13-15 - More details here, shared by Epic Llama.
🪡 Gather Around the Frame: A Celebration of Hand Quilting
Sun 29 March - 'Join us for a hands on stitching experience around replica historical quilting frames as enjoyed by previous generations as they sewed together.'
10am to 4pm | National Museum of Scotland, EH1 1JF | FREE - More details here, shared by Jess Bailey. (And you can find Public Library Quilts on Instagram)
🛍️ Funk Fair Lates
Thu 02 April - 'Edinburgh's original vintage market, Funk Fair, (first launched in 2004) is returning to the Drill Hall with a curated mix of antiques, mid-century furniture, vintage clothing, vinyl, lighting and objects with stories to tell. Plus music and drinks!'
4pm to 8pm | The Out of the Blue Drill Hall, EH6 8RG | £2, £1 Concessions - More details here, shared by Out of the Blue Arts and Education Trust.
📮 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:
- 📍 Map of Free Things to Do in Edinburgh, by Minute reader Alba McGowan.
- 🎭 Producers of 'One Day' musical accused of 'London-centric' policy.
- 👩🔬 Waste plastic turned into Parkinson’s drug.
- ✈️ Edinburgh flight to Dubai turned back over Egypt after drone strike.
- 📚 Library at Saughton prison is among the libraries of the year.
⏰ Thanks for reading edition number 866.
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