The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Wednesday 23 September 2026

👋 Good morning Edinburgh. Did anyone else get woken up by that thunder about an hour ago? I heard lightning over towards the east of the city too. You can see where the lightning hit on the Met Office Lighting Map. Here’s Wednesday's Edinburgh Minute.

🌦️ Today's weather forecast: Last night's rain continues this morning and should ease off around 10/11am. Cooler today, peaking at 15C around 2pm. And noticeably colder tonight. Tomorrow morning looks gloriously autumnal: sunny but the temperature will be around 7C at 7am. - The full Met Office forecast for Edinburgh is here.

✈️  Edinburgh Airport's £500 million expansion plans (announced yesterday) 'are an act of climate vandalism', says Edinburgh MSP Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill:

“After a summer filled with wildfires in our very own city, and heatwaves that have led to loss of life, the last thing that should be happening is an expansion of an already big and busy airport by national standards. These plans are an act of climate vandalism, and there is a wilful ignorance towards the pressure that even more daily flights would put on our climate efforts. The average family going abroad on holiday once a year is not to blame here. It is the operators and owners who willingly put profits before the planet that must be held responsible for their contributions towards our climate breakdown."

• Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar said it had 'wider' sustainability plans: "It’s part of a wider vision that will see us invest in infrastructure, operations and sustainability, ensuring Edinburgh Airport continues to deliver for passengers, airlines, communities and the Scottish economy for decades to come." - Heather Carrick, Evening News.

🚑 A man is in hospital after falling from Cables Wynd House, known locally as the banana flats, in Leith yesterday afternoon. - Chloe Goodall, Edinburgh Live + Kevin Quinn, Evening News.

🚗 A car driver has admitted grabbing a cyclist by the throat and throwing him to the ground in the Cowgate, resulting in a fractured skull and traumatic brain injury. Having pled guilty yesterday to the September 2024 attack, Joseph Hedley (39) from Kirkcaldy will be sentenced next month. - Alexander Lawrie, Edinburgh Live + Evening News. A video of the attack was viewed on social media more than 25 million times.

🎓 More details are emerging of course closures at the University of Edinburgh: some programmes in the School of Divinity are stopping and others are being 'brought together into a newly designed single postgraduate programme in Theology and Religion', reports Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco in The Herald.

ℹ️ The information desk at Waverley station 'faces potential closure as Network Rail re-examines their customer service offerings', reports Jack Davies in the Evening News.

🚧 Some business owners say their trade has dropped 20% since the temporary partial closure of Waterloo Place for 11-weeks of water network engineering works. - Jack Davies, Evening News.

🎮 A Dalry office block is to be transformed into a virtual reality entertainment centre after change-of-use plans were approved by the council. - Kevin Quinn, Evening News.

👨‍🍳 Leith chef Tom Kitchin has joined a campaign to cut VAT, saying his business is unable to grow: "There is no profit at all just now. There is no way of making money – you are losing money basically. And we are not employing. We are not growing the business because we are trying to slimline costs as much as we can." - Scott Wright, The Herald.

🍽️ It's only been open since May, but Victoria Street's Whirlybird restaurant has been added to the Michelin Guide. - Rosalind Erskine, The Scotsman.

🎬 Leith could be the location for the planned new filmmaking centre from the Sean Connery Foundation and The National Film and Television School. - Brian Ferguson of The Herald looks at why Leith has seen 'genuine progress and momentum in the Scottish screen industry'.

Here’s why Sean Connery legacy is set to leave a lasting mark on Edinburgh

A new filmmaking centre named after Sir Sean Connery is set to become one of Edinburgh’s most significant new cultural institutions in modern…

The HeraldBrian Ferguson

🔪 A play about knife crime that is currently touring local schools will also be shown at the Traverse Theatre on Friday and Saturday, as part of the Knife Angel project. - Graham Martin, Third Force News + Dave Pickering, North Edinburgh News.

Theatre tackling knife crime returns to Edinburgh schools as Strange Town joins Knife Angel project

“Pupils voluntarily handed weapons in” – Council funds performances for local high schools Leith-based charity Strange Town is taking its powerful knife-crime play BALISONG back i…

The NEN - North Edinburgh NewsView all posts by davepickering

⌚️ Edinburgh-based tech firm UNA Watch has released a modular and repairable GPS watch, designed to challenge global brands like Apple and Garmin. - Reporting by Rose Moncur in The Herald, Ryan Nixon in The Edinburgh Reporter & Scott Reid in The Scotsman.

🎨 Former teacher Anne Dignan, 72, from Portobello, is 'refusing to let sight loss hold her back', having just launched her latest art exhibition at the Scottish Storytelling Centre. - She talks about her artistic process with Lee Dalgetty of Edinburgh Live.

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🔪 Theatre tackling knife crime returns to Edinburgh schools – public performances at the Traverse - 'Strange Town’s BALISONG tours 13 Edinburgh high schools as part of the Knife Angel project, after young people voluntarily handed in weapons following its last tour. See the powerful play at the Traverse and support its work with young people.' - More details here, shared by Strange Town.

🎨 Freelance graphic designer - 'St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral is searching for a freelance graphic designer to work with on a regular, long-term basis, for various print and digital media across the year (esp. summer and Christmas), including posters, flyers, and digital assets. (Deadline: 29 Sep)' - More details here, shared by Timothy Coleman, St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral.

🍂 Free Autumn Adventures with The Crannie Community Hub! - 'The Crannie Community Hub has published their full programme of FREE events and activities to keep you busy and well this autumn! These include a Wellbeing Day, conservation in Holyrood Park, a wreath-making workshop, and more!' - More details here, shared by Edinburgh Old Town Development Trust.

🛍️ PamPicks Pop-Up [Until Tue]
Tomorrow, Thu 24 September - 'Come explore a curated selection of carefully chosen Antiques, Art & Interiors as PamPicks returns with her 6 day Pop-Up at Shop With No Name on Broughton Place. Open daily Thursday 24th through to Tuesday 29th September from 11-6.'
11am to 6pm | Shop With No Name · Canonmills & Broughton | FREE - More details here, shared by PamPicks.

🏙️ How to Build a City - RIAS Bookshop Late
Tomorrow, Thu 24 September - 'Journalist Gabriella Bennett will talk about her book: How to Build a City - a globe-trotting journey around how we're re-imagining home to embrace the challenges of contemporary living and discover how people are transforming their communities.'
6pm to 8pm | Edinburgh Futures Institute · Old Town | £3 - More details here, shared by Andrea Habeshaw, RIAS.

RIAS BookshopLATE.. How to Build a City with Gabriella Bennett

Join our next RIAS BookshopLATE talk... author Gabriella Bennett discusses her new book ‘How to Build a City’

Eventbrite

🍻 Gravity Beer Festival [Until Sat]
Fri 25 September - 'Gravity Beer Festival is back for its 4th edition! Join us at Summerhall for a weekend of craft beer and sample from the most exciting lineup of breweries we've ever had. As usual, all 60 beers are included in your ticket price!'
6pm to 10pm | Summerhall · Southside | £41.50 - More details here, shared by Calum Brown (Storytelling PR), Storytelling P R Ltd.

Gravity Festival

Join us at Summerhall for the 1st edition of the Gravity Beer Festival in Edinburgh. 15 breweries from all around the UK, 60 taps of beer and cider pouring all weekend.

Gravity Festival

🍷 Wine Tasting with Great Grog (School of Wine)
Fri 25 September - 'Ditch the notebooks and grab a glass. It's time to study the art of wine. Through chemistry, biology and geography lessons (and others), Great Grog will school you in the structure, taste and culture of wine.'
7pm to 10pm | The Lyceum · Tollcross - More details here, shared by Alice Pelan, The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh.

🎶 The Corner Room: New Song & Jon Green
Fri 25 September - 'Join us at The Corner Room for a special evening of live jazz and new music with New Song and Jon Green. Expect expressive songs, stories and musical influences from the USA, Palestine and Scotland.'
8pm to 10pm | Hope City Church Edinburgh · Gyle - More details here, shared by The Corner Room.

🗝️ Doors Open Weekend Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard [Until Sun]
Sat 26 September - 'The Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard will be opening the Covenanters' Prison - normally closed to visitors- between 10 am and 4pm on Saturday and Sunday 26 and 27 September for Doors Open Days. No need to book- just drop in.'
10am to 4pm | Greyfriars Kirkyard Cemetery Edinburgh · Old Town | FREE - More details here, shared by Friends of Greyfriars Kirkyard.

🧵 Edinburgh Street Stitchers at Edinburgh Open Workshop Doors Open Day
Sat 26 September - 'Edinburgh Street Stitchers will be at Edinburgh Open Workshop on Saturday 26th 11am - 4pm running a sustainable sewing tag making workshop, sharing clothing repair skills and exhibiting some mended and amended garments. Join us with your mending.'
11am to 4pm | Edinburgh Open Workshop · Leith | FREE - More details here, shared by Mary Morton, Edinburgh Street Stitchers.

Edinburgh Street Stitchers at Edinburgh Open Workshop

Sharing clothing repair skills, showcasing garment repairs and alterations and running a sustainable gift tag workshop.

Eventbrite

🏛️ Doors Open Day at the Drill Hall
Sat 26 September - 'We're delighted to be once again taking part in the Edinburgh Doors Open Day. Enjoy a free guided tour of the building, learning all about it's history and architecture and meet some of our artists and makers. Tours at 11am, 12noon and 1pm.'
11am to 2pm | The Out of the Blue Drill Hall · Leith | FREE - More details here, shared by Out of the Blue Arts and Education Trust.

🚪 Doors Open Day
Sat 26 September - 'Edinburgh Open Workshop throws open its doors on Sat 26 Sept, 11am-4pm. Explore the Leith workshop with free tours, live making demos, TinkerTown family activities and creative clothing repair with Edinburgh Street Stitchers. Free entry.'
11am to 4pm | Edinburgh Open Workshop · Leith | FREE - More details here, shared by Edinburgh Open Workshop.

🏛️ Discover Edinburgh's deaf heritage at Deaf Action this Doors Open Days [Until Sun]
Sat 26 September - 'Discover Edinburgh's deaf heritage at Deaf Action this Doors Open Days. Explore our historic Albany Street home and Scottish Deaf Archives, with free BSL and English guided tours on 26 & 27 September. No booking required.'
12pm to 5pm | Deaf Action · New Town | FREE - More details here, shared by Deaf Action.

🎬 The Singing Street - Norton Park Doors Open Day
Sat 26 September - 'To celebrate the 75th year since it was filmed at Norton Park School, Doors Open Day at Norton Park will screen the short 1951 film "The Singing Street" followed by a talk by Andy Arthur of Threadinburgh about its significance.'
12pm to 3pm | Norton Park Centre · Abbeyhill & Meadowbank | FREE - More details here, shared by Andy Arthur, Threadinburgh.

📚 KIZUNA - Book & Film Launch [Until Sun]
Sat 26 September - 'Community through printmaking in Japan. Book launch, film screening & exhibition. The book and the prints will be on display over the weekend. The film will be screened at set times in the Learning Studio at Edinburgh Printmakers.'
10am to 6pm | Edinburgh Printmakers · Haymarket & Dalry | FREE - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.

📝 Writing for Yourself
Sat 26 September - 'If you've ever wanted to start journalling but are put off by the blank page this workshop will help you find ways to start. Drawing on concepts from gestalt therapy we will use our present moment, embodied experience as starting point for writing.'
1pm to 4pm | 45 Frederick Street · New Town | £35 - More details here, shared by Karen Nimmo.

🍏 Neighbouring Orchard Community Harvest Apple Pressing and Feast
Sat 26 September - 'Bring along your apples and celebrate the harvest with us! We'll press apples to make juice, share growing tips and enjoy a feast of apple treats. Open to all, whether you're a grower or just an apple lover.'
2pm to 4pm | Bellfield · Portobello | FREE - More details here, shared by Art Walk Projects.

🕊️ Guided Historical Walk: 250 Years of Unitarianism in Edinburgh (free to all)
Sat 26 September - 'Join us for a guided walk tracing a 250 year history of Unitarianism in Edinburgh back to the Universal Dissenters of 1776!. Chart a course between historic meeting sites with chats and coffees along the way. All are welcome - Unitarian or not!'
2pm to 5pm | Corner of Broughton Street/ Albany Street · Canonmills & Broughton | FREE - More details here, shared by St. Mark's Unitarian Church.

🎨 CATS Life Drawing Fundraising [Every Saturday]
Sat 26 September - 'Join us for an evening of relaxed untutored life drawing to fundraise towards making creative therapies financially accessible to our community. Materials Tea and Biscuits provided. A space to draw, connect, and contribute to something meaningful.'
7pm to 9pm | Creative Arts Therapies Space CIC · Abbeyhill & Meadowbank | Sliding Scale Prices - More details here, shared by Creative Arts Therapies Space.

🧘‍♀️ Saturday Night Sober Social
Sat 26 September - 'An alternative way to spend your Saturday night, sober yet social. These sound bath sessions are popular with people new to the city and those who want to allow friendship to evolve slowly. Come and enjoy a sound bath and a chat. 7pm and 8.30pm.'
7pm to 8pm | Edinburgh Salt Rooms · Abbeyhill & Meadowbank | 25 - More details here, shared by Emma O Rorke, Sound Bath Edinburgh.

🩷 MAKE 2NDS COUNT CHARITY FUNDRAISER: 5 Mini Outdoor Exercise Classes = One Mega Session this Sunday
Sun 27 September - 'Women's Outdoor Fitness Champions fitandhappy are raising funds for breast cancer charity Make 2nds Count! Participation is by donation & suitable for women 15+. From Fitness Boxing to Strength Training & Musical Theatre - All levels welcome!'
9am to 11.30am | The Meadows · Marchmont & Meadows | https://tinyurl.com/ - More details here, shared by Julia, fitandhappy.

🍁 Wild Woman Autumn Equinox Gathering
Sun 27 September - 'Celebrate the Autumn Equinox in tranquil Edinburgh woodland. Join a nourishing women's gathering with forest bathing, nature connection, earth altars, journaling, women's circle & an autumn tea ritual. Sun 27 Sept, 10:30am-12:30pm.'
10.30am to 12.30pm | Creative Roots in Nature- Forest Bathing Walks – Nature Art – Women in Nature Gatherings | Edinburgh · Currie & Balerno | 16.96 - More details here, shared by Creative Roots in Nature, creative roots in nature.

Wild Woman Autumn Equinox Gathering

Forest Bathing.Earth Altars. Journaling. Women’s Circle.Nature Connection. Autumn Tea Ritual.

Eventbrite

🌿 Doors Open Day - Royal Edinburgh Hospital Community Garden
Sun 27 September - 'Join a tour of the garden at midday, enjoy freshly baked scones from our cob oven. There will be nature crafts, live music and poetry as well as plants and refreshments for sale. Come and enjoy a beautiful space. Part of Doors Open day.'
11am to 3pm | Royal Edinburgh Community Gardens · Morningside - More details here, shared by Hannah Macrae, Cyrenians.

🧘‍♀️ Roll & Release Workshop
Sun 27 September - 'In this Roll & Release workshop we use therapy balls (provided) to massage the body. This can help relieve aches and pains, improve mobility and breathing, and has a wonderfully calming effect on the nervous system. Expect lots of lying down too.'
3pm to 5pm | Ashtanga Yoga Edinburgh & Hillside Collective · Canonmills & Broughton | £45 - More details here, shared by Emma McCready.

🧶 Learn To Knit Classes at Kathy's Knits [Every Tuesday]
Tue 29 September - 'Learn To Knit course is on again at Kathy's Knits! Tuesdays 6-8pm from 29 September for 4 weeks. Needles and yarn included. Make a pair of fingerless mittens while learning knit, purl, cast on and off, rib, seams and finishing - and having fun!'
6pm to 8pm | Kathy's Knits · Canonmills & Broughton | £140 for 4 weeks - More details here, shared by Jane McConnell.

💚 Making Money Work for Good
Wed 30 September - 'It's Good Money Week! What if your money could do more good? Join our conversation with experts in ethical finance and responsible investments, exploring how the choices we make with money can benefit people, communities and the planet. Open to all.'
11.30am to 1pm | Edinburgh New Town Church · New Town | FREE - More details here, shared by Edinburgh New Town Church.

🎬 Cinetopia Screening: Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliche + Q&A with filmmaker Paul Sng
Wed 30 September - 'Poly Styrene: the first woman of colour in the UK to front a successful rock band: X-Ray Spex; a blazing voice of rebellion in 1970s Britain, and major influence on the riot grrrl and Afropunk movements + Q&A with Paul Sng (Reality Is Not Enough)'
8.20pm to 10.20pm | Filmhouse · Tollcross | from £6 - More details here, shared by Cinetopia.

Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché + Q&A

This screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Paul Sng, and preceded by Patch It Up! A punk-inspired clothes customisation workshop (tickets booked separately for workshop).Cinetopia DOC presents Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché as part of Transmission: Youth Across Generations, a multi-event programme exploring how youth culture has shaped identity, belonging and collective memory in Britain from the 1980s to the present.As the first woman of colour in the UK to front a successful rock band - X-Ray Spex - Poly Styrene was a blazing voice of rebellion in the chaos and upheaval of 1970s Britain - singing about identity, consumerism, postmodernism, and everything she saw unfolding with a rare prescience and a female perspective.As an Anglo-Somali punk musician, Poly Styrene was also a big influence on the riot grrrl and Afropunk movements, inspiring later artists such as Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney and Neneh Cherry.Poly was survived by a daughter, Celeste Bell, after her passing in 2011 to cancer, with Celeste becoming the guardian of her mother’s legacy but also her trauma, having grown up in the shadow of Poly’s mental illness and the racism and misogyny that followed her throughout life, and caused a rift in their relationship.Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché brings together unseen archive material and excerpts from Poly’s personal diaries narrated by Oscar-nominee Ruth Negga. We follow Celeste as she opens her mother’s artistic archive for the first time, beginning a journey across time, memory, and continents to better understand Poly the icon and Poly, her mother.In addition to archive footage of Poly herself, Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché features appearances and memories from:Thurston Moore - Sonic YouthKathleen Hanna - Bikini Kill/Le TigreVivienne Westwood - Fashion designerNeneh Cherry - Singer/songwriterDon Letts - Friend and DJ/filmmakerBruno Wizard - Friend and musicianYouth - Friend and musician/producerIn addition to the screening, inspired by Poly, Cinetopia will be hosting Patch It Up! A punk-inspired clothes customisation workshop - bring along an item of clothing like a denim jacket or t-shirt and turn it into a unique statement piece with studs, fabric paint, pins, patches and more. (This activity must be booked separately from the film screening, please visit the link above to do so).This screening is part of Rip It Up, supported by Film Hub Scotland as part of the BFI Film Audience Network (FAN), made possible by the National Lottery.About Cinetopia DOC:Cinetopia:DOC is a monthly club bringing audiences together around exceptional documentary films alongside filmmaker Q&As or conversations, followed by continued discussion and networking in the Filmhouse Bar. Cinetopia:DOC is supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, and funded by Screen Scotland and National Lottery funding from the BFI and the Scottish Documentary Institute and produced by Cinetopia, a hub of activity around filmgoing and filmmaking based in Edinburgh. Starring Poly Styrene, Celeste Bell, Ruth Negga

Filmhouse EdinburghPaul Sng

🌳 What if Edinburgh was designed for wildlife as well as people?
Thu 01 October - 'Who's doing what to help make Edinburgh greener, not just for people, but so all kinds of wildlife can thrive? Walk and talk with other changemakers, to connect, share the good work that's happening and to discuss what could be next.'
9am to 10.30am | The Meadows · Marchmont & Meadows | FREE - More details here, shared by Osbert Lancaster, Thrivable Scotland.

What if Edinburgh was designed for wildlife as well as people?

A networking discussion for changemakers working for environmental and social change: exploring how we can respond in the climate, nature and human crisis.

Humanitix logo

🐦 Scottish Ornithologists' Club (SOC) x Marine Conservation Society (MSC) Beach Clean
Sun 04 October - 'Join the SOC and MCS for a beach clean and litter survey! We'll be collecting and recording rubbish on a 100m stretch of beach. No experience required, health and safety briefing before we begin. Booking essential - see link for further details.'
2pm to 3.30pm | Fisherrow Harbour · Musselburgh | FREE - More details here, shared by Scottish Ornithologists' Club.

The Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (@scottishbirding.bsky.social)

SOC x MCS BEACH CLEAN Sunday 4 October | 2pm-3.30pm | Musselburgh Join our SOC x Marine Conservation Society (MCS) beach clean to help stop harmful litter from reaching the ocean & to assist in collecting vital data that MCS can use to bring about positive change for our seas tinyurl.com/yu38p44r

Bluesky SocialThe Scottish Ornithologists’ Club

Remember you can always see all 330+ upcoming local events on TownSpot calendars and maps. Thanks to everyone who shares their things!

👀 The most-visited links from the last newsletter:

1. ⚖️ The small group of pensioners making a difference at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
2. 🛍️ Free guides to ethical buying in Edinburgh.
3. ✈️ Video of Edinburgh Airport £500m expansion plans.
4. 💰 Donations soar for attacked 12-year-old bagpiper.
5. 🏥 £10m+ to private operator to keep Royal Infirmary carpark 'free'.

⏰ Thanks for reading edition number 1,003.
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