Law firm, Anderson Strathern, has announced its appointment to provide advice for a landmark project at the historic Royal High School on Edinburgh’s Calton Hill. The firm’s specialist teams will work closely with the National Centre for Music, the charity that is set to be the future tenant of the site, as it collaborates with the Royal High School Preservation Trust to transform architect Thomas Hamilton’s Category A-listed building into a world-class hub for music, educati

Edinburgh entrepreneur Richard O’Donnell has announced a corporate restructure of his business portfolio to facilitate ongoing growth. Richard runs four specialist companies in the insurance reinstatement and property-maintenance fields – Insurepair, ClaimDry, VeriClaim and Emergency Repair. Under the new set-up, all four specialist businesses will sit within Property Repair Group, alongside Property Repair, which will focus on repairs, maintenance and renovations across the

New research from global insurance broker and risk-management firm, Gallagher, and research partner Opinium has revealed that the UK hospitality and leisure sector is expected to enjoy a bumper summer season, as people plan to stay local for their annual break, to avoid ongoing travel disruption and to watch the World Cup. With the men’s World Cup starting on 11 June and running until 19 July, the hospitality industry needs to prepare for a busy month as over 15 million UK ad

The UK lacks a robust support system for entrepreneurs who have experienced economic hardship, according to the final report of The Maple Review, an independent UK-government-backed study. Following a year-long inquiry, spearheaded by Small Business Britain and supported by Xero, drawing on a national survey of more than 600 entrepreneurs from low-income backgrounds, the Review highlights the opportunities entrepreneurship can provide for the 14.3 million people currently liv

A Scottish food start-up has relaunched with ambitious growth plans after receiving support from Business Gateway. Canny Mushrooms, founded by Joanna Davies, produces premium tinned mushrooms designed to deliver bold flavours in a convenient, sustainable and nutritious format. The business idea was born during Joanna’s time spent working in tech as a project manager, which included living in Boston in the US. Inspired by the popularity of high-quality tinned-fish products, sh

Ralph Sayer has announced that Napier University law graduate, Megan Kane, is the first solicitor to train and qualify with the Edinburgh law firm. The business has enjoyed consistent growth since launching four years ago and brought in Megan in 2024 as its first trainee solicitor as part of a strategic expansion strategy. Having attained her Diploma in Legal Practice from Strathclyde University, she has gone on to successfully complete her two-year traineeship, with chief ex

Edinburgh-based Dayshape, an AI-powered resource-management platform, has partnered with Laurel, a platform for professional services, to help firms identify and eliminate revenue ‘leakage’. The partnership brings together the firms’ expertise, to give businesses a clearer view of how work is planned, delivered and billed across the organisation. Laurel automatically captures work activity across meetings, emails, documents and digital workflows, reducing reliance on manual

CODE Concepts, the Edinburgh-based boutique hotel and capsule-hostel operator, has officially opened The Pend, a new social, events, community and coworking space located in Old Fishmarket Close. The Pend is the newest addition to the CODE Concepts portfolio, joining CODE The Court, CODE The Loft, John’s Coffee House and The Lost Close. The portfolio will expand further with The Bindery, a design-led boutique hotel set to open in the New Town in early 2027. Andy Landsburgh,

An Edinburgh-based entrepreneur is turning creativity into commercial success, as her handcrafted-candle business continues to grow with support from Business Gateway. Bonnie Glow, founded by Emily Streete in April 2025, creates hand-made candles and wax melts inspired by Scotland’s culture, language and humour. Crafted in Edinburgh using sustainable vegan ingredients, the products are designed to offer high-quality fragrance with a distinctive Scottish personality, appealing

Award-winning Irish bar, Malones Edinburgh, on the city’s Morrison Street, has announced a £500,000 investment in the venue, building on a strong period of growth for the business and marking the next stage in its expansion. The half-a-million-pound investment is earmarked for a brand-new, 200-capacity function room, as well as upgrades across the existing venue, including the kitchen. Work is underway, with the Haymarket venue remaining open throughout the refurbishment an

Executive-search firm Carlyle has acquired a majority stake in School for CEOs, the executive-development company founded by David Sole OBE and Patrick Macdonald FRSE in 2011. School for CEOs specialises in chief executive and board development, leadership succession, coaching, executive assessment and the development of leadership frameworks. Founded in 2002 by Duggie Carlyle, Carlyle specialises in board, chief executive, chief financial officer and leadership headhuntin

An award-winning gelato business in West Lothian is expanding its offering and launching a 'churn at home' gelato kit, with support from Business Gateway. Villaggio Gelato, founded by Marguerite Spina, is a family-run gelato shop at the heart of Winchburgh Marina. Drawing on her Italian heritage and a commitment to quality ingredients, Marguerite produces small-batch gelato using traditional Italian machinery from her beach hut. She offers a variety of flavours to locals and

Welgo Office Equipment has been acquired by investment group, tbh Ventures. Edinburgh-based Welgo was started in 1969, by current managing director Brian Gordon’s father, Norman. Under the new ownership, Brian, along with three staff members, will remain with the business, ensuring continuity of expertise and customer service. He said: “This acquisition marks an exciting new chapter for us at Welgo. I am so proud of what we have built as a family over the last 57 years, and I

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

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

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

Holyrood PR’s next 12-week graduate placement programme begins in July, with interviews taking place around the middle of May. Chris Fairbairn, deputy managing director said: “As our placement scheme is quarterly, we aim to have four graduates join us over the course of the year.” He added: “We feel it is really important to keep the scheme open for applications year-round, as there are so few opportunities for young people to gain fully paid PR-agency experience.” Commentin

Edinburgh breast-cancer charity, The House of Hope, has announced the appointment of Katrina Muir, as partnerships and relationships lead. The charity, which has a team of six, as well as a dedicated group of volunteers, provides support and expert resources for people diagnosed with breast cancer. Katrina has 25 years’ experience in the PR and communications industry, including working in leading PR agencies in London and Scotland, across a range of consumer, corporate and