The Edinburgh Minute ⏰ Wednesday 28 October 2025

🌤️ Good morning Edinburgh. It’s a busy wee newsletter this morning. If I’ve missed anything please get in touch. Here’s today’s Edinburgh Minute.

🏗️ Plans for new flats at Granton Harbour have been recommended for refusal by council planners due to concerns around flooding. - Brian Donnelly, The Herald.
⮑ The plans will face a vote by councillors on Wednesday 5 November. - See the meeting agenda here.

🚒 A decision on the future of Marionville fire station, which serves much of the east of the city, is expected in December. It’s been revealed that a public consultation found just 1% of people support its proposed closure. - Ian Swanson, Evening News.

🏥 Staffing shortages and culture problems led to delays and patients being harmed at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh’s maternity unit, a review has found. - Andrew Picken looks at the ‘damning findings’ in this BBC Scotland News report.

🎓 University of Edinburgh staff have voted to strike for a second time in a long-running dispute over £140million cuts, possible job losses and compulsory redundancies. - The University and College Union (UCU) published this press release last night. Jo Grady, UCU general secretary, said:

“With staff already being forced out, and an estimate of up to 1,800 jobs at risk, what Peter Mathieson is presiding over at Edinburgh university is nothing short of academic vandalism at one of the country’s most respected universities. I’m proud that UCU members are refusing to back down. This ballot result shows their resolve. Before this dispute escalates further, university senior managers need to reflect on where their actions are taking the university and engage urgently and seriously with the union.”

⮑ In a statement, uni principal Sir Peter Mathieson told The Tab Edinburgh:

“Taking decisive action now is the responsible approach to prevent far greater challenges in the future. Engaging openly and listening to our community remains our priority. We are regularly sharing updates on how we are identifying ways to reduce outgoings to sustainable levels, while continuing to deliver world-leading research and exceptional teaching.” - There’s more in this report by Jamie Calder in The Tab.

🗳️ The council’s housing leader and deputy lord provost Lezley Marion Cameron has been suspended after refusing to resign amid a row over affordable housing allocation. - Exclusive by Donald Turvill in The Herald.
⮑ Cameron’s replacement has already been lined up to be voted in at Thursday’s monthly full council meeting, reports David Bol in The Scotsman.

🔐 The £600 fine given to Edinburgh’s first convicted unlicensed short-term let operator has been described as “just a business expense for illegal operators” by the Living Rent tenants’ union. The council insisted the ‘conviction sends a clear message that operating without a licence is illegal’.

livingrentedinburghA post shared by @livingrentedinburgh

🥐 After yesterday’s report that Dune Bakery in South Queensferry was facing a £70,000 bill due to a last minute council u-turn on a property deal, the council now says it has apologised and ‘offered to cover the costs incurred to date’. - Rosalind Erskine, The Scotsman.

⚽️ The Scottish Football Association is closing its seven youth performance schools, including one at Broughton High. - Chris McLaughlin, BBC Scotland News.

🪉 Florence + The Machine have announced a headline concert next summer at the Royal Highland Showgrounds at Ingliston as part of the Edinburgh Summer Sessions on August 24. Support will come from Self Esteem and Jacob Alon. - Jon Stickler, Stereoboard.
⮑ Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday. - More details on all the Summer Sessions concerts so far are here.

🏟️ ScotRail has published travel advice ahead of the Scotland v USA rugby international at Murrayfield stadium, which kicks off at 5.40pm on Saturday. - More details here.

🏫 Known to many as the Darroch School, historian Andy Arthur’s ‘Lost Board Schools of Edinburgh’ series looks at Gilmore Place Public School in the latest post on Threadinburgh.

📌 Edinburgh Minute Community Noticeboard

⮑ Please get in touch using this form. < It’s the only way to get something featured in the newsletter.

📌 “November’s issue of C&B News, celebrating our communities along the upper Water of Leith valley, is now available to view/download online, with print copies in local outlets from this Friday. Shared stories, local lives.” - Thanks to C&B News for sharing this.

📌 “Wed. 29 Oct. - 2 Nov. - “Greyfriar’s Bobby in A.I. Wonderland” is an immersive hand-crafted Halloween Haunted Maze in a Nuclear Bunker! Enter the rabbit hole into the world of Alice in Wonderland, “rendered by bad early A.I.” --Full of uncanny creatures, scares, & our fears surrounding A.I.” - Thanks to Jean Paul Archambeault, Events Director at the Barnton Bunker Preservation Society, for sharing this.

📌 “30 Oct - Silent reading club 6pm at The Tailor Edinburgh more info @sarettascorpiosphinx.” - Thanks to organiser Sara for sharing this.

📌 “Half day SoulCollage sessions in November at Submarine Studios. A magical, enriching practice - bring your personal cosmos to life by making cards dedicated to different parts of your inner and outer worlds. Including intro sessions for beginners on Weds 5th and Sunday 16th Nov.” - Thanks to Kirstie Skinner, SoulCollage facilitator for sharing this.

submarineartstudioA post shared by @submarineartstudio

📌 “Friday 31 October - Explore Leith’s 1930s art deco treasure this Halloween on a special family-friendly heritage tour and trail. This tour is open to all and perfect for families, kids or anyone who loves a bit of Halloween fun and wants to explore Leith Theatre 👻 Recommended ages 6+.” - Thanks to the Leith Theatre Team for sharing this.

📌 “Pregnancy Yoga starts Mon 4 Nov 6 pm, and Baby Yoga & Massage Tue 5 Nov 10.30 am at St Mark’s Unitarian, Castle Terrace. Come as you are to stretch, breathe & connect in these gentle, welcoming community classes. Free to join (donations welcome) booking on Eventbrite.” - Thanks to Janine Sim at Edinburgh Unitarians for sharing this.

📌 “The University of Edinburgh and KCL are running a large study on how young people recover from eating disorders. We are looking for young people aged 16-25 who have an eating disorder diagnosis as well as healthy volunteers. Earn up to £175 for taking part.” - Thanks to Dr Helen Sharpe, Senior Lecturer at University of Edinburgh, for sharing this.

📌 “1 November, 6-8pm, Stockbridge Parish Church, Saxe Coburg Street - Edinburgh Direct Aid Fundraising book launch: with an introduction from BBC Senior Correspondent Allan Little, this is a chance to hear from the author, Fred Bridgland, and others who have delivered aid over the years.” - Thanks to the organisers for sharing this.

eda_organisationA post shared by @eda_organisation

📌 “7pm Saturday 1st Nov - Join us for an evening of music, reflection & hope as Firefly International marks 30 years supporting children affected by war. Come and enjoy 5* acts like Beth Malcolm and Edinburgh Schools Rock Ensemble performing in the beautiful St Cecilia’s Hall.” - Thanks to Amy at Firefly International for sharing this.

📌 “Saturday 1 November, 10am-2:30pm - Make your own wool yarn from scratch in this hands-on workshop! You’ll wash, card and spin sheep wool into a small quantity of yarn plus your cleaned fleece sample to take away.” - Thanks to Lynne Sneddon for sharing this.

📌 “Saturday 1 Nov: Celebrate 40 years of Mercat Tours and Restless Natives. Start at Mercat Cross for a short, guided tour, then descend to the Blair Street Vaults for a one-off film screening with popcorn, drinks, and treats. £30 adults / £28 concessions / Free for EH residents.” - Thanks to the organisers for sharing this.

📌 “Saturday 1 November – Two new exhibitions open at Unlimited Corporation: Jack Dunnett’s You Are Still on Mute, quiet paintings that linger in moments between thought and gesture, and Eddie Summerton’s A Ghost Looking Back Over Its Shoulder, exploring nature, myth, and memory.” - Thanks to Unlimited Corporation for sharing this.

📌 “Saturday 1st November, noon-5.30pm & Sunday 2nd November, noon-4.30pm. The Edinburgh Zine Fair is BACK at St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road with over 40 zinesters exhibiting their work, free workshops, creation stations, and live risograph printing!” - Thanks to the organisers for sharing this.

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

👀 The most-visited links from the last newsletter:

1. 🎇 Maps of temporary dispersal zones published by police.
2. 🎵 Caley Bar transformed into a vinyl records listening bar.
3. 🥐 South Queensferry bakery faces losing ‘devastating amount of money’.
4. 🔐 What do short-term let convictions mean for Edinburgh ‘black market’?
5. 💰 Local journalist Charlie Ellis on the impact of gentrification.

⏰ Thanks for reading edition number 756.
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📲 Visits generated for local news sources: 860,000+.