Edinburgh architectural photographer, Susan Allan, has published a book, Hidden Edinburgh – A Walk Through Medieval History .     The book, which contains 80 photographs, sets out the history of the city and shows where to see its hidden and historical places and features.   Susan said: “The book tells the stories and legends from the very early beginnings of Edinburgh, in 600AD, right through to the late medieval days of King James VI of Scotland.   “As well as including qui

Dobbies is hosting a new craft event at its Edinburgh store – the ‘crafternoon tea club’. The event takes place at 3pm on Saturday 24 January and at 2.30pm on Sunday 25 January. During the 90-minute afternoon workshop, attendees will get the chance to try their hand at using a punch needle kit. The kit features a wildlife design and includes everything that’s needed to get started, whether trying a new hobby for the first time, or honing skills.   It costs £35 per person to a

Happy Thoughts Squad has donated 52 ‘confidence-boosting’ boxes to the Cash for Kids Mission Christmas appeal, on behalf of its customers, ensuring vulnerable girls wake up to a meaningful gift on Christmas morning. Each box is designed as a confidence and emotional well-being kit, filled with age-appropriate, screen-free activities that support self-esteem and emotional understanding. Founded in 2025 by former primary teacher, Cheryl Lessels, Happy Thoughts Squad was create

Umbrella Vinyl, a vinyl-only record shop based in Tollcross, has announced that Kai Reesu will be launching the vinyl release of their debut album at the store, on 20 December, at 3pm. Kai Reesu recently won the Scottish album of the year 2025 award, for their album KOMPROMAT vol.i.  The album will be played at the store throughout the day. The band is led by Paul Copeland on keyboard and features vocals from Glasgow-based LA rapper Jurnalist. Fans will have the opportunity t

Bannatyne health club and spa in Newcraighall has invested in a significant upgrade of its cardio facilities, installing a full suite of new Technogym equipment to enhance member experience and training performance. As part of a £1m investment by the Bannatyne Group, the health club has added nine Technogym Treadmill 5000s and three of the premium Treadmill 7000 models, offering advanced digital training options, improved cushioning and performance tracking. Members now also

Greig Laidlaw, one of Scotland’s most capped rugby internationalists, who captained the national side a record 39 times, has announced two exclusive talks during the upcoming Six Nations campaign. Taking place at Bonnie & Wild, Greig’s talks will include insights from his distinguished career, followed by a Q&A session with guests who will be invited to quiz him on the current Six Nations campaign, as well as Scotland’s hopes in the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Greig recently return

Housebuilder, Dandara Scotland, has made two festive donations, in the form of a £500 contribution to East Lothian Foodbank and sponsorship of five Christmas lights in Wallyford. The team visited East Lothian Foodbank to present the cheque and meet volunteers who provide vital support to households across the region. Need for emergency food support remains high and the donation will help the charity replenish essential supplies during its busiest time of year. Aimee Bryson, o

The Data-Driven Innovation Programme, a strategic partnership led by the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University, has won the Collaborative Initiative of the Year award at the Institute of Economic Development (iED) Annual Awards 2025. The awards celebrate achievers in the public and private sector, across individual, team and organisational categories. This year saw a record-breaking number of entries, with almost 60 submissions received for seven award categories

A new survey has revealed that only 25 per cent of Edinburgh residents mark Scotland’s national day.   It also found that at a national level, just one in four (26 per cent) Scots say they celebrate St Andrew’s Day, which takes place on 30 November.   According to the research, commissioned by Aldi Scotland, almost four in 10 Scots are unable to identify the date, with some mixing it up with Burns Night, in January.   Women are more likely than men to know the date (64 per ce

Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard, part of The University of Edinburgh, is joining forces with Simpsons Special Care Babies (SSCB) to mark the charity’s 40th anniversary, with a ‘Tree of Light’ installation, honouring families supported by the neonatal unit at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. The installation will be housed at Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard, the café/restaurant located in the university’s Futures Institute, at the former site of Edinburgh’s Old Royal Infirmary. It will

As Christmas approaches, Christmas fair, Deck the Halls, is inviting Edinburgh residents to share their most cherished festive memories, to be showcased on special ‘memories trees’ at the SEC in Glasgow this month. The memories trees will showcase cherished Christmas memories from across Scotland. Visitors can explore the displays and reflect on past festive traditions while making new memories at the show, which runs from 28-30 November. Memories already submitted for the tr

The Edinburgh School Uniform Bank (ESUB) has launched its ‘Winter Warmers’ campaign to keep more children across the city warm and in school this winter. The charity is urging local businesses to consider supporting its campaign. According to a recent Edinburgh Poverty Commission report, 12,000 families across the capital are experiencing destitution – meaning that they are going without essentials such as clothing, food, shelter, heat, light and toiletries. ESUB’s Winter War

Following the success of the inaugural Scottish Women’s Well-being Summit, held in St Andrews on 15 November, organiser, Lesley Canis is making plans for the next, expanded version. The first summit attracted more than 100 women from all over the UK, including HR specialists and entrepreneurs, to name a few of the business backgrounds represented. Lesley said: “I always anticipated the summit becoming an annual event but was testing the market with this first one. I am now th

Forever Edinburgh is inviting city residents to make the most of two upcoming Resident Days - Carers Rights Day (Thursday 20 November) and St Andrew’s Day (Sunday 30 November). Resident Days give those who live in Edinburgh access to free or discounted activities,   attractions and tours across the city. These dedicated days are part of Forever Edinburgh’s Resident Rewards programme, designed to thank local people for their ongoing support of the city’s visitor economy. The n

On Sunday 16 November, The Palmerston restaurant is hosting a pop-up by Flora Shedden, writer and owner of the Aran Bakery in Dunkeld, and previous contestant on The Great British Bake Off.  The event coincides with Flora’s new cookery book, Winter in the Highlands: Eating, Drinking and Celebrating in Scotland. Bakes from the book available to buy on the day, from 9am until they sell out, include parsnip loaf cake; Earl Grey and fig scones; hazelnut crumble mince pies; and nu

Sponsored As the festive season approaches, so does the question of what to buy for the most important people in your life.     For some, that present might be tech, for others it could be whisky or cashmere. But to show loved ones how special they are, there’s one particular gift that never loses its sparkle.  And that’s, of course, jewellery.   It can be tricky making the choice, though: everyone has their own individual preferences, and you want to get it right.   That’s w

A former metal works is launching as a collaborative space for food, drink and the arts on 27 November. Brown’s of Leith will open within the George Brown & Sons Engineering Works building on The Shore. The engineering firm vacated the building last year and management of the building was then taken on by the design hub Custom Lane. Some of the businesses opening in the first phase of the project include all-day venue Haze, which draws its inspiration from European wine bars;

Fenton Barns nursery in North Berwick has been shortlisted in four categories – Individual Nursery of the Year, Nursery Manager of the Year, Nursery Team of the Year and Outdoor Learning Environment of the Year – in the 2025 Scottish Nursery Awards.  The awards ceremony takes place in Glasgow, on 22 November.    Director, Caroline Freeman commented: “This recognition reflects the dedication, teamwork and passion of everyone at Fenton Barns Nursery. We’re so proud of our nurse

Artist and musician, Bee Asha, is launching What a beautiful place to fall over – a multi-art-form project that blends music, poetry, photography, film-making and live performances,  " to honour the historically diverse borough of Leith – and to shed a light on the complex effects of gentrification   on local businesses and communities."  At the heart of the project is a live album inspired and written collaboratively with Leith creatives .  The project will include six perfo

Visitors to Newhailes House and Gardens in Musselburgh have the chance to win tickets and vouchers for a Christmas shopping fair at the SEC in Glasgow.   ‘Deck the Halls’, a new seasonal event taking place at the SEC from 28-30 November, is teaming up with the National Trust for Scotland, to host a festive gift hunt at Newhailes.   The gift hunt, which is being held on the weekend of 7-9 November gives visitors the chance to seek out hidden ‘golden’ envelopes containing ticke