The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has unveiled its newly refreshed garden-view deck and bar, in association with Maison Pommery & Associés. Located within the John Hope Gateway, the deck and bar has for the first time, extended its opening hours across the summer months. While the gardens close at 5pm, the deck remains open beyond this time on Fridays and Saturdays, offering panoramic views over the garden in the light summer evenings. The deck and bar are open from noon to

Great British Bake Off winner, Peter Sawkins, is partnering with Edinburgh Food & Drink Academy to host a ‘cook along’ masterclass event on Saturday 30 May. Peter will give a demonstration on how to master the French classic dessert, croquembouche, at the Academy, on Queen Street. The 12 attendees will then cook along with Peter, creating an almond, ricotta and strawberry celebration cake, learning professional techniques, tips and insider secrets to create their very own com

Aldi Scotland’s ‘supermarket sweep’ is back for another year, giving shoppers in Edinburgh and the Lothians the chance to raise funds for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS). Inspired by the iconic game show, the high-energy challenge offers one lucky EH postcode holder the chance to race through their local Aldi store in Edinburgh or the Lothians and fill the trolley with their favourite products. Participants are invited to take part in a five-minute trolley dash, co

Cancer-awareness campaigner Kevin Donaghy has launched a publishing company to help people affected by a life-changing diagnosis. Having been diagnosed with incurable, stage-four metastatic melanoma in December 2019, at the age of 50, the father-of-two discovered the power of explaining his journey and listening to stories of other people’s experiences. This led to the creation of his first book, Stories of Cancer and Hope (SOCAH), which has attracted interest around the worl

The history, mystery and sheer beauty of Scottish castles places them at the top of the sightseeing list for many travellers. Scotland is home to a few thousand or so, spread across the country – and while some offer the chance of a guided tour – other provide a picturesque and unforgettable setting for a holiday or celebratory occasion – including one in the far northeast of the country. Around four hours’ drive from Edinburgh, 17th century Innes House, in the beautiful Mora

Edinburgh florist and entrepreneur, Kayleigh McAllister, of Penelope Fleur, has announced the launch of Bloom Box, described as “the first flower-vending machine in Scotland.” Bloom Box is based at the St James Quarter, near the Little King Street entrance and is currently operating as a pilot site, with plans to expand. The vending machine offers a selection of eight hand-tied bouquets, created daily. The machine is re-stocked every day, and throughout the day, as de

Edinburgh Remakery’s contribution to tackling e-waste and digital exclusion has been recognised with the King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development 2026. It is one of just 186 organisations across the UK to be recognised with a King’s Award for Enterprise in 2026. The charity specialises in ethical IT-asset disposal and the refurbishment of donated devices for people experiencing digital exclusion. It previously won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainabl

Partner news The latest house-price report from Scottish property portal ESPC presents a market that offers reasons to be optimistic for buyers and sellers across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and the Scottish Borders, despite the backdrop of ongoing global events and economic uncertainty. The picture revealed by this month’s report, looking at February-April 2026, appears at first glance to show a slowing of the market; however, the comparison is to an exceptionally strong m

Unicorn Pickleball is launching a dedicated corporate pickleball league at Meadowbank Sports Centre this summer. Running from June to July, the eight‑week, Friday-evening league will offer Edinburgh companies an alternative to the traditional team‑building day. Sessions take place from 6.30pm-8.30pm. The league seeks to bring together a small number of companies for weekly matches, with introductory sessions in early June to ensure everyone feels confident before competitive

Heineken, which has its UK headquarters in Edinburgh, has announced that it will be investing £3.08m to upgrade 27 pubs within its Star Pubs estate, in Scotland this year. The brewing giant expects 85 new jobs to be created as a result. Of the 27 pubs, 14 are set to benefit from major renovations. A further 18 pubs have been identified for future refurbishments. Lawson Mountstevens, Star Pubs’ managing director, said: “Pubs are a fantastic institution, admired the world ove

A line-up of top chefs has been announced, for the first Leith Food Festival on Leith Links, on the weekend of 30-31 May. The festival, created and hosted by chef Barry Bryson of Leith’s Michelin-acclaimed Barry Fish, will see the team of nine chefs taking to the stage over the two-day event, to show off their culinary creativity, in a series of live, 45-minute cookery demonstrations. Barry will be joined by Dan Ashmore from Schloss Roxburghe Hotel and Spa in the Borders;

Acclaimed international pastry chef, Maxine Scheckter, is joining Sam Heeney-Governo, owner and chef at cookery school and bakery, Love to Cook, in Crieff, for an evening devoted to the artistry of modern pâtisserie. The event, which takes place on Saturday 16 May from 5-7pm, will include demonstrations of two of Maxine’s creations – her strawberry shortcake and Speculoos caramel petits gâteaux. With a career spanning some of the world’s most celebrated kitchens, including Th

Accountancy and business advisory firm, Saffery has announced the promotion of Harry Kendall, to partner. Having joined the firm as a London trainee in 2016, Harry has been based in the Edinburgh office for the past five years. An audit specialist, he advises a broad range of clients across corporate, landed estates and the not‑for‑profit sectors. He works closely with boards and senior management teams, providing support on governance and financial reporting. Sean McGinness,

Edinburgh-based specialty coffee roasters, Machina Coffee Roasters, has announced the opening of a new training, events and showroom space. The new hub, designed to develop and inspire specialty coffee creators, is a state-of-the-art showroom featuring industry-leading technology. The showroom will provide businesses with an environment to test new equipment and concepts and to train baristas. Designed as a fully interactive space, it will allow teams to explore the latest d

AXA UK has launched a domestic-abuse support fund to provide employees who are experiencing domestic abuse with financial assistance to help them get out of an abusive situation. The fund provides a one-time payment, aimed at helping with urgent needs, such as securing safe accommodation, as well as transport and food costs. It is a further enhancement to the insurer’s existing package of domestic-abuse support for employees. Employees or their line managers can confidentiall

On 14-17 May, Maggie’s Edinburgh ambassadors, fashion-retail expert, Sarah Murray and former banker, Lisa Stephenson are running a charity pop-up boutique, at 93 George Street. The pop-up, billed as an unmissable event for style lovers, takes the form of an exclusive sale of pre-loved designer fashion, to raise funds for the cancer-care charity. Since January, Lisa and Sarah have been curating the stylish pieces to be available in the boutique, including clothes, bags

Partner news Property portal, ESPC, has revealed the capital’s best performing rental postcodes in the first quarter of 2026, highlighting where buy-to-let investors are achieving the strongest returns. Using the newest rental data from Citylets, alongside ESPC’s latest house-price analysis, ESPC identified the Edinburgh areas that delivered the most attractive rental yields between January and March 2026, with five postcode areas emerging as particularly strong performers fo

An Edinburgh restaurant has earned its place in the prestigious Michelin Guide. Since its launch in 2018, as a tiny hole-in-the-wall canteen, Lucky Yu on Broughton Street has been bringing its own brand of irreverent, Asian-fusion cooking to Edinburgh’s culinary scene. The restaurant now joins a list of restaurants in the Scottish capital to be recognised by Michelin for culinary excellence. Lucky Yu’s menu offers gyoza, bao buns and a wide range of Asian-inspired small plat

El Santo bar and restaurant in Glasgow’s Merchant City has launched a new summer menu, with Brazilian head chef, Juliana Kipper, digging deep into her family-heritage cookbook to create more authentic South American dishes, with a modern twist. With Scotland playing Brazil in Miami, in the FIFA World Cup, on 24 June, Juliana is confident that there will be even more interest than normal in the vibrant cuisine of her homeland. She is planning a special dish and cocktail to be

The Royal Yacht Britannia, located in Leith, has been singled out as the ‘Best of the Best’ visitor attraction in the world, Europe and the UK, by travel-guidance platform, Tripadvisor. Reviewers praise the Royal Yacht for the excellent staff and fascinating history, and for the opportunity to see all five decks, including the private royal quarters, state apartments and working areas of the ship, as well as the sailing exhibition. Franck Bruyère, chief executive said: "We'r