Sponsored Are you looking to find a new home in 2026? Paul Hilton, ESPC chief executive, shares his predictions for some of the most popular places to buy a home in the new year, in Edinburgh and beyond: If you’re planning a fresh start in 2026, you might be thinking about moving to a new area. But with so many neighbourhoods to choose from, finding the perfect place to put down roots can feel overwhelming. Based on ESPC’s latest data and research, we’ve identified the locat

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

The cream of local businesses has been recognised at the West Lothian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Awards 2025. More than 150 guests attended the ceremony, where Capital Service Solutions Group won the ‘best business of the year’ award. The firm delivers services across Scotland and England from its West Lothian HQ, where it employs more than 170 local staff supporting clients in health care, life sciences, education, hospitality and manufacturing. Congratulating

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

The Duck & Waffle Edinburgh is inviting guests to leave the ordinary behind, this festive season, and to step into the 'Chamber of Magic' – a world where wonder, mischief and wizardry collide. Guests can expect to see a cosy fireplace framed by glittering trees and a flurry of letters spilling upwards, with a watchful owl perched among them; a dreamy ‘sky’ of drifting clouds and twinkling stars above the grand-hall-inspired dining room; and lush garlands wrapping the banquett

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

Sponsored AI is driving major improvements across health care – and that includes hearing aids. This could be very welcome news for many people: over half of the UK population aged 55 and over suffers from hearing loss, according to the RNID. To find out more about how AI can enhance hearing, we had a chat with Stephen Fairfield, audiologist and founder of Edinburgh’s Fairfield Hearing, which provides a range of support for hearing loss. The firm’s services include ‘at-ho

This festive season, Somewhere by Nico is offering a new, five-course, cocktail ‘experience’ that blends nostalgia, storytelling and inventive mixology. Available until 31 December, ‘Now that’s what I call Christmas cocktails’ invites guests to relive the warmth, wonder and joy of a childhood Christmas. Each of the five courses has been crafted to evoke a distinct festive moment – from decorating the tree to leaving out treats for Santa. Annie Gaddis, head of social & conte

New research from St. James’s Place (SJP) has revealed that saving with other people is one of the strongest motivators for building better financial habits, particularly among younger generations. According to the study, nearly half (47 per cent) of UK adults find it easier to save when working towards a shared goal with a partner or family member. This rises to 64 per cent (9.7 million people) for 18–34-year-olds. Nearly nine in 10 (87 per cent) savers working towards a spe

Leith-based, independent whisky business, Tailored Spirits has launched the latest four releases, in its ‘Experimental Series’. The firm specialises in Scotch whisky and premium spirits, working with private clients and businesses worldwide to source, mature, design and bottle luxury whiskies and other spirits. The Experimental Series invites whisky drinkers to explore the diverse flavours of Scotland’s most characterful distilleries through limited-edition micro-releases,

In a poll of 100 UK charity board directors, finance directors, investment managers and investment directors looking after £3.7bn in investments, wealth-management group, Rathbones, found that 87 per cent of charities are being negatively impacted by probate delays. More than one in 10 reported being very badly affected. Over half (57 per cent) of respondents said delays have meant that they have sold vital assets, such as property, to fill the financial gap. Around half (5

Japanese restaurant, Umi, on Shandwick Place is hosting a sake-pairing dinner, on 4 December at 6.30pm, inviting guests to experience an evening dedicated to the craft and flavour of Japanese sake. Guided by Miss Masayo Nuttall of World Sake Imports, sake aficionados will explore a range of premium sakes, along with a seasonal, six-course menu created by Umi’s culinary team. The dinner will include dishes such as miso-glazed black cod, and a yuzu dessert, with candied kumquat

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

Thermapply, a specialist in engineered anti-slip surface systems, has successfully completed the first phase of a major project to enhance both safety and aesthetics at Scottish Gas Murrayfield stadium, the home of Scottish Rugby. The project saw the installation of the firm’s patented anti-slip, stadium-stairs system, Thermagrip, across multiple key areas of the stadium, including the royal box, player access routes and spectator steps, ahead of Scotland’s opening match in t

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

The 2025 European Hotel Industry and Investment survey by Deloitte has revealed that London is the most attractive city for hotel investment in Europe in the year ahead. It also found that Edinburgh remains the most attractive regional UK city for investment for a fifth consecutive year. The Scottish capital was ranked most attractive by over half (54 per cent) of respondents, followed by Cambridge (41 per cent). Oxford and Manchester took third and fourth place respectively

Entries for the 2025 Scottish Excellence Awards, which showcase hospitality-industry achievements, close at midnight on Friday 21 November. Winners will be revealed at a gala dinner on 26 March 2026, at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh. The initiative, which originally launched in 2004 as the CIS Excellence Awards, is a celebration of Scotland's hospitality, food service and tourism sectors. From outstanding chefs, restaurants, hospitality educators and hotels, to

TheBusinessDesk.com has launched the Scotland Business of the Year Awards to recognise the country’s most successful and ambitious businesses. The awards, which are sponsored by PwC, are now open for entries, with a deadline of Friday 16 January. TheBusinessDesk.com already runs Business of the Year awards in five English regions. There are 13 categories of awards, spanning businesses of all sizes and sectors, including fast-growth business, international trade, investment

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

Chartered accounting and business-advisory firm, Saffery, is continuing its expansion in Edinburgh, after appointing 15 new team members across its corporate tax, accounting and audit divisions. In its corporate-tax team, Saffery has appointed Louise Anderson as senior manager and Aimee O’Hara-Wilson as manager. Sophie Murray joins as a tax assistant. George Dickson and Oliver Kelly join the firm’s audit division as senior associates and Max Venditti has been appointed as an