Laing 1

Robbery in Frederick Street

East Coast Trains

Free travel for care leavers

The Friends of Montgomery Street Park

Travelling Gallery

Laings the Jewellers on Frederick Street was the latest victim in a string of robberies over the last couple of years. It is the second time the family run business has been targetted in a year.  The shop remained closed to allow staff to recover from the ordeal.

Officers were called to the shop at around 9:30am on Monday after a man had entered the premises with a handgun and made off with a number of high value items.

No members of staff were injured.

The man fled from the scene on foot along Rose Street and into Hanover Street where he entered a private hire car and was driven to the Pilton area of Edinburgh.

He was last seen when he got out of the vehicle in Pilton Drive North at its junction with Royston Mains Crescent

He is described as male, white, early 30s, 5ft 10inches tall, wearing a dark padded hooded jacket, blue trousers, blue and white scarf, and carrying a black and white rucksack.

Anyone who can assist police with their ongoing enquiries is asked to come forward.

Laing 3

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Yesterday we were on the first liveried East Coast train to arrive in Edinburgh following the new franchise agreement with Virgin East Coast a joint venture between Stagecoach and Virgin.

There was quite a welcome at Waverley station with a piper on hand to welcome the new service. We interviewed the Managing Director of Virgin East Coast, David Horne, on the train.

The Edinburgh Reporter NEWS from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

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Free bus travel is being provided to young people who have been in care thanks to a new partnership between The City of Edinburgh Council and Lothian Buses.

The six month pilot is latest initiative from the Council’s Corporate Parenting Strategy, which benefits children and young people in the Capital.

Edinburgh has corporate parenting responsibly for around 1,400 children and young people who are looked after. In addition there are more than 600 young people who have left care and local authorities have a duty to provide further support (Throughcare/Aftercare).

This new project will allow around 600 young people to receive free bus passes so they can access learning, employment, work experience and training opportunities.

Councillor Cathy Fullerton, Chair of the Corporate Parenting Group, said: “I’m delighted that Lothian Buses have come on board with this pilot project to provide free bus travel to young people who have been in care.

“We have had a corporate parenting plan in place since 2012 and although many of our objectives have been achieved we are always looking at ways to extend our partnership working.

“This project with Lothian Buses is a perfect example and demonstrates what can be achieved when different organisations come together for the benefit of young people in Edinburgh.”

Nigel Serafini, Head of Commercial from Lothian Buses, said: “We are delighted to be able to join with the City of Edinburgh Council to support this initiative which will benefit young people who have been in care. We hope that our contribution will help to make life easier for these young people as they move towards a brighter future.”

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Great news for a local park!

The Friends of Montgomery Street Park are celebrating a ÂŁ40,000 grant from Biffa Award, a multi-million pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through awarding grants to community and environmental projects across the UK.

Montgomery Street Park is set for a major upgrade after a group of local residents were successful in their funding bid. The grant from Biffa Award means that the hard-surface sports area, which is currently cracked, uneven and pot-holed, will be completely refurbished.

Read more here! 

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The Travelling Gallery has arrived in Edinburgh to showcase art and design from the V&A Dundee.

The Design In Motion exhibition, which has been touring Dundee in the mobile art gallery, is now open to visitors and free to visit daily between 10am-5pm in the Capital.

Today and Tuesday, the Travelling Gallery bus can be found in the Grassmarket. Find out where to catch the bus before it moves below:

Edinburgh and Scottish Borders
Mon 2 March      Grassmarket, EH1 2HS  10am – 5pm
Tues 3 March     Grassmarket, EH1 2HS  10am – 5pm
Wed 4 March      Modern 2 (formerly Dean Gallery), Belford Road, EH4 3DR  10am – 4pm
Thurs 5 March    George Street, (between North Castle St and Frederick St) 10am – 5pm
Fri 6 March         Edinburgh Napier University, Colinton Road, EH10 5DT  10am – 5pm
Fri 13 March       Edinburgh College, West Granton Road, EH5 1QE  10am – 5pm

For more information, visit the Travelling Gallery website.

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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.