Home News Five things you need to know today

Five things you need to know today

August 23, 2016 6:00 am

Today at The Queen’s Hall
Ombudsman Services
Edinburgh is a hotbed of crime on the small screen
Leith Planning application is backed by Ocean Terminal
Braid Hills Care Home raises money for charity

This morning at 11 o’clock you could be listening to the first part of Beethoven’s complete works for cello and fortepiano in The Queen’s Hall.

Steven Isserlis: cello
Robert Levin: fortepiano

Beethoven: Variations on ‘See the Conquering Hero Comes’ from Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus Wo0 45
Beethoven: Cello Sonata in F Op 5 No 1
Beethoven: Variations on ‘Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen’ from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte
Beethoven: Horn Sonata Op 17 (transcribed for cello by Beethoven)
Beethoven: Cello Sonata in A major Op 69

‘There is no more powerful figure in the history of the arts,’ says Steven Isserlis of Ludwig van Beethoven. In a special two-concert Edinburgh International Festival residency, the eminent cellist, writer and teacher performs Beethoven’s complete works for cello and keyboard, joined by the hugely respected fortepianist and scholar Robert Levin.

Tickets from £9.00 here

If you are unhappy with any kind of product or service provided in Edinburgh then you may already have made a complaint. If you feel that complaint has not been adequately handled then now is your big chance to speak to Ombudsman Services who are running a free two-day roadshow later in the week at Cameron Toll.

The team will be available on Thursday 25^th and Friday 26^thAugust from 9am –in the Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, Edinburgh.

Chief Executive, Lewis Shand- Smith, explains more, “We’re holding these roadshows events around the country to raise awareness of the work Ombudsman Services do and how we can act as a mediator in helping to resolve disputes between consumers and companies.

“People complain about a wide variety of things but, primarily, what we see is complaints about billing, people paying for a service they do not then actually receive. In cases like this we are able to step in and try to find a resolution.

“What we do is free to the public, the companies who have agreed to work with us pay for our services. The decisions we make are legally binding on the company but the consumer maintains their right to take further legal action if they are not satisfied with the outcome.

“We know that Scottish people complain less than others in the UK so I hope as many Edinburgh residents will come and speak to us and learn about how they can get the kind of customer service they deserve.”

With BBC One’s much anticipated crime drama One of Us due to hit screens this evening at 21:00 This is Edinburgh, the official guide to Edinburgh, is celebrating with the launch of a new city guide, detailing the locations of famous films and TV programmes that have led to Edinburgh becoming home to British crime drama.

With record numbers of visitors travelling to south Sweden following the success of Nordic Noir series The Bridgeand Wallander – a 29% rise in Brits travelling to Skane in just one year – This is Edinburgh hopes the new crime drama location guide will help locals and visitors retrace their favourite scenes and walk in the footsteps of famous stars, including David Tennant (Escape Artist) and Ken Stott (Rebus).

One Of Us is the latest in a long tradition of crime-drama series to be made in Edinburgh. Written by Harry and Jack Williams (The Missing), One of Us is a tense thriller following the twists and aftermath of the brutal murder of two childhood sweethearts just back from honeymoon. The highly anticipated BBC drama based its pre-production in Edinburgh, before its three month filming schedule in the city and the Scottish Borders, where the scenic backdrop doubled for the Highlands of Scotland.

William McGregor, Director of BBC One drama One Of Us, said: “A huge amount of the tone and atmosphere of One of Us came from the architecture, surrounding landscape and beautiful light quality of Edinburgh. From Medieval tenements, old train tunnels, rolling hills and ultra modern glass offices. There’s such a rich variation of locations, which was perfect for the various scenes we had spread across the city.

“Filming was also straight forward and we had great control of our locations, I’m sure there was a lot of hard work going on behind the scenes that I wasn’t even aware of. But the end result was certainly obvious, as I felt fully supported in achieving what I wanted every time we were filming on location in the city.”

Film Edinburgh, the region’s local Film Commission, has revealed that of the 200 plus dramas filmed in Edinburgh over the last 25 years, as a genre, crime dramas have made up more than 20%. However, it was 2012 when they hit their peak, when a massive 43% of all dramas filmed in the region were crime. This including global hits such as BBC’s Case Histories, Doors Open and the pilot for Birger Larsen’s Murder.

Rosie Ellison, Film Manager for Film Edinburgh said: “Edinburgh has an amazing history of crime drama, but it was really from the nineties that Edinburgh became popular as the backdrop for crime productions.

“The appetite for the genre across the globe is stronger than ever and with 40% of all visitors choosing to come to a destination they have seen on screen, the new crime drama guide is a perfect opportunity for locals and visitors to seek out some of the city’s most iconic locations from across the decades.”

2015 was a record year of film production in Edinburgh, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders, with 353 productions completing, generating more than £6.9m generated from filming in the city region marks a 48% rise on 2014 figures.

Along with ‘One of Us’, other high-value TV drama productions ‘The Secret Agent’ and feature film ‘Tommy’s Honour’ based their productions in Edinburgh, and ‘The BFG’, ‘Whisky Galore!’, ‘Outlander’, and ‘The Correspondence’ filmed in the region.

A 425 home brownfield development that incorporates bespoke designs for traditional ‘colonies’ style homes has been given the backing of a neighbouring shopping and leisure centre.

Bosses at Edinburgh’s Ocean Terminal have pledged full support for CALA Homes’ Waterfront Plaza development, citing its potential to positively transform the Leith docklands and the local economy.

The development, which would be situated directly opposite the shopping centre, will provide a range of high quality one, two and three bedroom apartments, colonies, studios and townhouses on currently disused land in Leith’s former docklands.

Dennis Jones, Centre Manager at Ocean Terminal welcomes the residential led proposal which he believes would support the Shopping Centre through the regeneration of the immediate surrounding area.

Dennis said: “The proposed development will have a positive impact on the local region and will directly support jobs, not just in Ocean Terminal, but in the wider local area.

“Leith is an area full of character and a development of this nature will add to the continued regeneration, making it one of the most vibrant parts of the country to live, work and visit.

“We fully support the CALA proposals and appreciate its consideration of local engagement, some of which took place within Ocean Terminal itself. It is great to see a new development pay this level of attention to local architecture, people and tradition.”

In July, CALA Management put forward its plans for Waterfront Plaza, following engagement with the widely supportive local community – a project reflecting community engagement in order to have the optimum positive impact on the local area.

Included within the wide range of much-needed new homes will be an affordable provision of 100 apartments and six townhouses, helping address the shortfall across a wide range of housing types.

Craig Lynes, Land Director at CALA Homes, said: “We’re delighted to have the support of key local businesses and especially Ocean Terminal due to its close proximity to the site.

“It is especially important for the wider area and the sensitive development of current disused land opposite will be a real boost.

“It is also so important to address the housing shortfall. This development will help provide ideal homes for first time buyers, while also providing a mix of quality apartments, colonies and family homes.”

Subject to securing planning permission, CALA hope to be in a position to commence development in early 2017.

CALA has now submitted a Detailed Planning Application to The City of Edinburgh Council which was registered on 9^th August 2016 Planning reference 16/03684/FUL. The public now have a 21 day period following the registration of the application to make formal representations.

Bupa’s Braid Hills Care Home in Edinburgh is celebrating after its annual summer fete raised a staggering £900, smashing its original fundraising target.

The care home, on Liberton Drive, opened its doors to the public and invited them in to enjoy some fun in the sun with the residents and staff.

Various activities and stalls were set up for residents, guests and visitors including a raffle, a tombola, a baking stall, craft stalls, stalls selling burgers and hotdogs, bric-à-brac, and musical entertainment.

Joined by their relatives and friends, the residents at Braid Hills had a great afternoon browsing the attractions and assisting staff on the stalls and games.

Stephen Hagan, Home Manager at Bupa’s Braid Hills Care Home, said: “This year we really went all out and the fete was bigger and better than ever. It was a resounding success, with visitors attending from far and wide and the music really added to the lively atmosphere.

“We are all thrilled the event managed to raise so much money and would like to thank everyone involved.”

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