The cobbled streets of Edinburgh have been brought to life by the colour and vibrancy of The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra.
The Orchestra are creating a carnival atmosphere each night with their performances at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and did the same at Victoria Street, wowing passersby with their spectacular outfits.
Set against the colour of the iconic Edinburgh street, the performers gave locals and tourists alike a glimpse of the colour of their performance at this year’s Tattoo Show, Stories.
The Tattoo is running until 26 August 2023 and tickets can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk, on the phone on 0131 225 1188 or in person at the Tattoo Box Office at 1 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh.
Andrew Blain, Managing Partner of Shepherd and Wedderburn.
The firm reported 7% turnover growth to £66.7 million in the year to 30 April 2023, the sixth year of consecutive growth. Net profits (before partner distributions) grew 3% to £27.1 million.
The firm also announced in July, in recognition of the firm’s performance, that colleagues would receive an exceptional bonus of 5% of their annual salary.
The firm saw strong revenue growth across all divisions. Core areas of growth have included clean energy; real estate, housebuilding and infrastructure; financial services and technology as well as from the expansion of the firm’s market-leading private wealth and rural teams following investment made in those areas in recent years.
In May, Shepherd and Wedderburn relocated its Edinburgh headquarters to the new Haymarket grade A office development, creating a premium, easily accessible space that promotes connectivity for both clients and colleagues. The move aligns with the firm’s broader goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Other firm highlights include:
- The promotion of seven Partners and ten Legal Directors, 76% of whom were female;
- The recruitment of partners Peter Smith to lead the Aberdeen property team; Paul Young to the infrastructure team and Fraser Mitchell to the planning team;
- Bolstering the rural team with the addition of six lawyers including accredited agricultural law specialists Petra Grunenberg, Partner, and Ellen Eunson, Legal Director;
- The Banking and Finance team winning the Transaction Team of the Year at The Herald Law Awards of Scotland 2022 for the fifth consecutive year;
- The Smarter Working team winning Support Team of the Year at the Scottish Legal Awards;
- Being ranked 28th in a list of the UK’s top 75 employers published by the Social Mobility Foundation, rising twenty-two places from the previous year’s index; and
- Being awarded, for another three years, the Platinum Employer Partner accreditation by STEP, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, attaining the highest of three accreditation levels awarded under STEP’s Employer Partnership Programme.
Notable deals over the past 12 months include:
- Advising Mangata Edge with concluding investment documentation for a significant manufacturing facility at Prestwick Aerospace Park part of Scottish Enterprise’s participation in the Ayrshire Growth Deal;
- Advising Moray Offshore Windfarm (West) Limited in relation to various aspects of the £2 billion project financing of their 882MW offshore wind project;
- Advising Crerar Hotel Group in connection with the sale of the company to Blantyre Capital and Fairtree Hotel Investments;
- Advising Assured Guaranty on their wrap of a £210 million bond issue for Glasgow City Council;
- Advising Taylor Wimpey on the landmark Greater Blindwells development which is estimated to deliver over 6,000 new homes together with employment opportunities, community facilities, and green space within a sustainable new town in East Lothian;
- Advising IMPACT Scotland on the new concert hall in Edinburgh; and
- Advising BAE on its award-winning multi-million pound Bishopton development, creating more than 4,000 residential units, one of the largest brownfield regeneration sites in Europe.
Andrew Blain, Managing Partner of Shepherd and Wedderburn, said: “I am pleased to announce another year of strong financial growth in what has been a constantly shifting and challenging environment.
By continuing with our planned programme of strategic investments, we have enhanced the strength and depth of key practice areas and further developed the technology solutions to help us to serve our clients better. As we look ahead to 2023/2024 and the final year of our three-year strategy, we are pleased to note that our approach has proven to be strong and resilient, with growth and continued progress towards our goals.
I am grateful to my colleagues for their consistent dedication to providing high-quality service across the firm. Additionally, I would like to thank our clients for their continued trust in us and we remain committed to providing exceptional support as we move forward together.”
Kate Granville Smith, a director in the Pensions team at law firm Burges Salmon, has been recognised as an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Distinguished Adviser in this year’s Financier Worldwide 2023 Power Players List.
The guide highlights the ten leading lawyers, based in the UK, US and Ireland, who are championing and advancing the ESG agenda for their firm and their clients.
As a director and ESG lead in Burges Salmon’s Pensions team, Kate works with clients to provide legal advice across all three pillars of ESG, developing guidance and products as well as providing bespoke training. Kate is also a member of the firm’s cross-disciplinary ESG Strategy Group.
Kate recently spearheaded the development of Burges Salmon’s Pension Schemes ESG toolkit which consolidates all ESG guidance, legislation and other useful resources, into one interactive, intuitive platform, allowing pension scheme trustees and sponsoring employers to seamlessly navigate between ESG requirements, standards, and best practice.
Burges Salmon’s Pensions team advises both pension scheme trustees and sponsoring employers. Its clients – some of whom the team has been working with for more than 30 years – span the private and public sectors, large commercial master trusts, not-for-profit organisations as well as religious and educational bodies. The firm’s practice has continued to build upon its trusted status in the international arena, providing specialist UK legal advice to its international clients and coordinating advice across multiple jurisdictions.
Kate Granville Smith comments: “I am grateful to Financier Worldwide for the opportunity to share how the Burges Salmon Pensions team is developing innovative solutions to helps clients understand their ESG obligations. ESG is an ever-evolving topic, and we seek to work together with our clients and other industry advisers to share knowledge and champion best practice. Our enthusiasm for it comes from our commitment to being a responsible business and a supportive employer, values that are always reflected in the advice we give to our clients.”
Cytomos, an Edinburgh-based life science company that has developed a proprietary new approach to analysing cells, has secured £4 million to scale up market-testing of its technology platform Cytomos Dielectric Spectroscopy (CDS).
The investment round was led by existing investors Archangels with participation from Old College Capital, Scottish Enterprise and new investor British Business Bank.
Cytomos has developed CDS to address the unmet needs of the biopharma industry, providing a groundbreaking high-speed, scalable and low-cost revolution beyond current cell analysis systems. Scientists are under pressure to bring novel therapies to market, faster and more affordably. However, securing access to the right information at the right time is a major challenge, frequently resulting in crucial information being compromised at critical stages. Advanced therapy production processes are highly expensive and dynamic. Therefore, the ability to ‘fail fast’ minimises sunk costs in terms of time and operating expenditures. Through its CDS platform, Cytomos empowers biopharma to bring novel therapies to market faster and radically reduce costs by enabling critical decision making much earlier.
New investment will enable Cytomos to significantly advance the development of its technology and substantially expand the team. The company is targeting commercialisation of its platforms in 2024.
Over the past year, Cytomos has grown its operational management and strategic team with the appointments of David Rigterink (CEO) and Lindsay Fraser (CSO) who have driven the company’s industry engagement with well-known force multipliers in the bioprocessing and cell and gene therapy space including global Contract Development and Manufacturing (C(D)MO) leaders, bioprocessing solution market leaders, as well as cutting-edge TechBio partners set to dominate the Advanced Therapy and Medical Products (ATMP) space.
Sarah Hardy, director and head of new investments at Archangels, said: “As a highly innovative, Scottish early-stage life science company with global horizons, Cytomos is an excellent fit for our investment portfolio. Its ambitious vision to improve real time cell analysis in formats to better suit the end users will revolutionise the development and commercialisation of products in the bioprocessing and cell and gene therapies spaces. We’re looking forward to working with David and the team as they drive the business forward, making smarter, faster and more accurate cell analysis finally more accessible.”
David Rigterink, CEO at Cytomos, said: “We are uniquely positioned in harnessing the power of consumer electronics technology to meet the emerging, complex needs of the bioprocess industry. On the back of a very successful year for Cytomos, this new funding will now allow us to scale up our engagement with industry partners. We truly believe that, through our CDS technology, we offer a powerful platform which will help the scientific community bring novel therapies to market faster and radically reduce costs by making better informed, game-changing decisions a lot earlier.”
Kerry Sharp, Director of Entrepreneurship and Investment at Scottish Enterprise, said: “We’ve worked with Cytomos for many years so it’s great to see the team expanding and the company secure the investment needed to advance the ground-breaking CDS platform towards commercialisation next year.”
One of the largest affordable new-build developments in Scotland has been given the seal of approval by Housing Minister Paul McLennan.
The £80 million new-build project at West Craigs in Edinburgh will see 425 new energy-efficient homes built by Wheatley Group.
Scotland’s leading housing, care and property-management group is building 238 homes for social rent and 187 for mid-market rent within the prime location in the west of the capital.
The homes for social rent will be for Wheatley Homes East, with the mid-market rentals for Lowther – both part of Wheatley Group.
Housing Minister Paul McLennan was given a tour of the development, which is Wheatley Group’s largest new-build development to date.
The Minister was joined by Wheatley Group Chair Jo Armstrong, Wheatley Group Chief Executive Steven Henderson, Vice-Chair of Wheatley Homes East, Helen Howden, and Councillor Jane Meagher, the Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee at the City of Edinburgh Council.
Housing Minister Paul McLennan said: “The right to a warm, safe and affordable home is critical to wellbeing and is a right everyone deserves. Wheatley Group plays a significant role in increasing the range of housing available to rent throughout Scotland.
“The Scottish Government is supporting this new build development with over £41 million. This will enable the Wheatley Group to provide 425 high quality energy-efficient affordable homes here at West Craigs.
“High quality housing is a key pillar of Housing to 2040, whilst also eradicating fuel poverty and homelessness and ensuring everyone has access to green space and essential services, and I welcome the opportunity to see for myself the construction of these much-needed new affordable homes here in Edinburgh.”
The new Wheatley homes at West Craigs will include a mix of two to four-bedroom houses, and one, two and three-bedroom flats, with 19 homes suitable for wheelchair users.
The development will also include 33 Livingwell homes, the Group’s service – provided by Wheatley Care – to support older tenants to live independently, as well as 19 flats provided by Wheatley Care to support people with complex needs.
The £80 million project includes funding from the Scottish Government through the City of Edinburgh Council.
The properties will help increase the supply of much-needed new affordable homes in Edinburgh and will include low-carbon features such as solar panels, high levels of insulation, energy-efficient boilers and electric car charging points.
Wheatley Group Chief Executive Steven Henderson said: “We were delighted to welcome the Housing Minister to West Craigs and to see how we are turning our mission of ‘Better Homes, Better Lives’ into reality.
“Working with our partners in Scottish Government and the City of Edinburgh Council, we will be able to create 425 much-needed affordable homes in a highly desirable part of the country.
“These bright, modern, energy-efficient homes will become a key part of a fabulous new community for our tenants and families.”
The new Wheatley homes form part of the wider transformation of West Craigs, which will see up to 1200 new homes for private sale, and the creation of shops, two public parks and a primary school.
The first phase of Wheatley homes at West Craigs is due to complete by the end of 2024.
Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “This is one of the biggest projects we have ever supported through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme and a brilliant example of the benefits building affordable housing at scale can bring to Edinburgh.
“The first phase of development is well underway and will deliver 300 homes, plus we have another 125 in the pipeline.
“So many of the homes we’re building here will be for social rent, which the city desperately needs. Building more social rented homes is a priority and demand is only going to increase as Edinburgh grows. Over 50 homes will also be designed for people with complex needs in mind, providing good quality accessible homes.
“Work with Wheatley to deliver this scheme is an example of effective partnership with Registered Social Landlords too, which is essential to providing the homes we need.
“There is so much on the doorstep for West Craigs, from the fantastic woodland and parks in the area to cycle ways connecting it to the rest of the city. It’s a growing community between Barnton and The Gyle and – thanks to this development – hundreds of people will be able to call it home.”
Steven Simpson, Managing Director of The Cruden Group, who are building the new homes said: “It’s a privilege to work on delivering this transformational new development and Wheatley Group’s biggest housing development to date.
“These high-quality homes are packed with low-energy features, have been designed to suit a variety of differing needs and will create a vibrant new community.
“Throughout this build programme we will be bringing a range of community benefits to this area such as new jobs, apprenticeships, new training opportunities and support for a number of local community initiatives.”
The City of Edinburgh Council’s Regulatory Committee agreed to review the Short Term Lets Policy and Conditions yesterday (7 August 2023).
The committee also noted the outcome of the Judicial Review of the Council’s Short Term Lets (STL) Policy, and that the Council has decided not to appeal the judgement. To reflect the terms of the Court’s decision, the Council has updated its STL Licensing Policy.
Convener of Regulatory Committee, Neil Ross, said:
The Council was successful in defending large parts of the policy and the Court did not criticise any aspect of the Council’s consultation nor the evidence base which it used to reach its decision. Having reviewed the Court’s decision in detail, the Council has decided not to appeal the ruling.
We have changed our policy to reflect the decisions reached by the court, which took effect from 13 July, and the date for applying for a licence is 1 October. Existing hosts and operators have until that date to submit an application for a licence.
More details can be found on the Short Term Lets Licensing section on the Council website.
25,000 tickets held at 2023 prices for the 2024 Tattoo, Journeys, for current 2023 ticket holders
Following a fantastic opening weekend for this year’s Show, Stories, tickets for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s 2024 Show, Journeys, officially go on sale today to 2023 ticket holders, with the first 25,000 tickets available at 2023 prices.
Respecting challenges of the ongoing cost of living crisis, the first 25,000 tickets will be held at 2023 prices to ensure that the art and culture sector, which the Tattoo represents, is available to as many people as possible.
With the 2023 Show Stories now in full swing – the second Show from new Creative Director Michael Braithwaite – the team is already getting set to lead audiences onto the next Show with Journeys. The 2024 Show will transport audiences on an international cultural journey, bringing together the voices and stories that connect the worldwide company of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Jason Barrett, Chief Operating Officer of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “The highly anticipated launch of our 2023 Show Stories this year has been an absolute triumph. The opening weekend has seen audiences witness the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade burst to life with the sounds and colour of the exceptional Tattoo cast. Performing each night in such a stunning setting is truly awe-inspiring, and it cannot be understated how excited we are to perform this spectacular show here.
“It is because of our excitement and passion, alongside our understanding of the current cost of living challenges, that we now have 25,000 tickets on sale for 2024 fixed at 2023 prices. What the Tattoo offers, and what the Show represents is for everyone, and we want to ensure that it is available to as many people as possible in recognition of its popularity. Journeys is set to be the thrilling conclusion to our two previous Shows, Voices and Stories, and it is certainly not to be missed.”
Journeys will run from 2-24 August 2024, and as always, will feature the military at the heart of the showcase. Audiences can expect the magnificent sounds of the Massed Pipes and Drums filling up the Esplanade alongside performances from the incredibly talented Tattoo Pipes and Drums and Tattoo Dancers. International acts will join the 2024 line up bringing new cultures and vibrancy to this sought-after spectacle.
Further details about Journeys will be announced in the coming months.
Stories will run until 26 August 2023. The Tattoo, alongside the other 11 Edinburgh Festivals, contributes and generates £367 million annually for the Scottish economy and jointly creates 5,850 FTE jobs
Tickets are on sale now for both the 2023 and 2024 performances and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone on 0131 225 1188.
Michael Matheson, the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care returned to his alma mater, Queen Margaret University (QMU), to hear how it is supporting health and social care recovery post-COVID.
The Cabinet Secretary learned about research done jointly between QMU and St Columba’s Hospice Care to allow care closer to home, focusing on a Hospice at Home research project. Mr Matheson also saw how the University is innovating in the way it educates the healthcare workforce of the future, through simulation, and how it is using portable ultrasound technology to allow earlier diagnosis and improved quality of patient care.
St Columba’s Hospice Care’s Hospice at Home research project, delivered in partnership with the University, has revealed ways in which people could be enabled to have hospice type care at home. The research has shown routes to providing responsive and relationship-based end of life care which enables more people being cared for at home, and dying at home.
Focusing on early diagnosis and treatment, speech researchers at QMU are developing the use of ultrasound technology to help improve early detection of swallowing issues associated with conditions like stroke, Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Parkinson’s, and head and neck cancers. This could allow earlier medical interventions closer to home and improved quality of patient care. This work draws on the University’s already world-leading research in speech science.
Sir Paul Grice, QMU’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor said: “Mr Matheson has kept in touch with QMU, his alma mater, throughout his career. It was a pleasure to be able to demonstrate to him how the University is shaping solutions to the challenges affecting health and social care in Scotland, drawing on our expertise in person-centred care and our world-leading research.
“As a university that leads the way in nursing and allied health provision, we are in a strong position to contribute to the development of health and social care so that it is fit for the future. We have always set out to produce the healthcare leaders of the future, and we have graduates of real influence making a difference right across the sector.”
Mr Matheson said: “I was delighted to have the opportunity to return to QMU today to hear about how they are supporting health and social care recovery following the pandemic, as well as educating and training the future health and care workforce of Scotland.
“I was really impressed to see the ambitious partnership work being undertaken to enable care closer to home and by the exciting solutions and innovative research they are developing in speech science.”
More than 800 performers graced Edinburgh Castle’s Esplanade to share their stories through song, dance, and military precision
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo makes its anticipated return with this year’s Show, Stories as performers from across the globe wow audiences with sensational music, dance, costume, and spectacle.
Running until 26 August, the Show is a celebration of sagas, myths, and legends, transporting audiences on a journey of ideas – from the earliest campfire stories through to the world stage and showcasing an international cast telling tales that connect us through our unique and shared military and cultural heritages.
From the musical prowess of the Massed Pipes & Drums, the physical storytelling of dance and precision drill, and stunning imagery captured through light and projection, audiences will be transported and enthralled.
Edinburgh Castle Esplanade will play host to performers from Australia, Norway, Switzerland, The United States, and Trinidad and Tobago, alongside homegrown acts from across the UK and Ireland. As ever, the military play a prominent role in the Show, with the Royal Air Force as the lead Service. Audiences will also be treated to the rousing sound of the Massed Pipes and Drums supported by the Tattoo Dancers and Fiddlers.
Making their Tattoo debut on the Castle Esplanade, The United States Air Force Band will entertain the crowds with a freestyle musical performance with music from the Great American Songbook. The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra will bring a vibrant burst of colour and excitement true to their traditional art forms, including the limbo and fire dance, performing their take on contemporary Caribbean music.
Exploring the legends and traditions of Switzerland, The Swiss Armed Forces Central Band will present an exhilarating drum corps talent. Whilst His Majesty the King’s Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway will return to the Tattoo this year to tell their story as a Regiment, reprising their history and heritage to the present day.
The lead Service’s Royal Air Force King’s Colour Squadron will lead the way with popular gaming tunes from Battlefield and Final Fantasy. And of course, the sounds of Scotland will be heard loudly on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade with traditional tunes from the Massed Pipes and Drums as well as the Tattoo’s take on Scottish bands Tide Lines and Runrig.
Michael Braithwaite, the Creative Director of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “Stories builds on our Voices show of 2022 and promises a captivating celebration of connection through stories in all their forms. Most of all, Stories is a shared opportunity for audiences and performers to come together and experience an evening of unique and immersive entertainment.
“Stories is the next chapter in the modern era of the Tattoo, packed with the latest in cutting-edge technology, whilst combining the tradition and precision the Show is known for and loved. It will be a truly memorable event and we are thrilled to be returning to Edinburgh Castle once more.
“We cannot wait to share with audiences a Show that is, at its heart, a celebration of individuals from many diverse backgrounds, united by common experiences.”
2023 marks the second year of the Tattoo’s bold new brand proposition, Performance in a New Light, which embraces military tradition and combines it with exciting new innovations and contemporary touches.
The full line-up for 2023 includes: The Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Scotland, The Central Band of the Royal Air Force, The Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment, The Royal Air Force Salon Orchestra, Royal Air Force Bands, 1st Battalion The Irish Guards Drums and Pipes, The Pipes and Drums of The Royal Highland Fusiliers 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Pipes and Drums of 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, Combined Scottish Universities Officers’ Training Corps Pipes and Drums, Royal Air Force Pipes and Drums, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipes and Drums, The Scots College Sydney Pipes and Drums, The Scots College Sydney Old Boys Pipes and Drums, The Scots School Albury Pipe Band, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Dancers, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Fiddlers, King’s Colour Squadron Royal Air Force, The Swiss Armed Forces Central Band, His Majesty the King’s Guard Band and Drill Team of Norway, The United States Air Force Band and Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra.
The Tattoo will run from 4 – 26 August 2023. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk, on the phone on 0131 225 1188 or in person at the Tattoo Box Office at 1 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh. Presenting partner, Innis & Gunn will be offering a bar service at the event. Drinks pre-order is available now from edintattoodrinks.co.uk.
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The bell that floated up as water filled the historic gasholder in Granton Waterfront has been taken apart to make way for work to begin to restore the original 76 x 46 metre frame to look like new again. The City of Edinburgh Council plan to open up the area to create a new and exciting multifunctional public space as part of their wider £1.3bn regeneration project to create a new sustainable coastal town at Granton Waterfront. McLaughlin & Harvey began work on the site in January of this year on behalf of the Council using £16.4m from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The Scottish Government has also provided an additional £1.2m to provide a high quality public park within the gasholder frame. The space within the restored gasholder is to have multi-sensory play zones, a dedicated space for permanent and temporary public art, a relaxation area, outdoor trails and tracks for exercise as well as a large outdoor space for sports, markets, seasonal events, community use, festivals, performance arts, exhibitions and play. Work will also be carried out to plant trees, shrubs and wildflowers improving biodiversity and local habitat in the area. Council Leader Cammy Day said: It was really dramatic to see the bell being ripped apart by the machinery. It marked a historic moment as this iconic structure will be transformed now to move on with the times to serve a completely different purpose for the local community to enjoy arts, sports and culture for future generations to come. Now the bell has gone the contractor can get on with the exciting work to transform the frame back to its original glory which will be seen for miles around. The scale and ambition of the gasholder nicely mirrors that of this £1.3bn regeneration project where we are using brownfield land to build a new sustainable 20-minute neighbourhood which is well linked to surrounding communities and is somewhere residents will be proud to live. We’ve already started building some of the thousands of environmentally friendly affordable homes planned and active travel routes, along with recently completing the restoration of the former Granton Station building to become a modern workplace and cultural hub, with public square. UK Government Minister for Levelling Up, Dehenna Davison, said: The Granton gasholder has been part of Edinburgh’s skyline for over 120 years, and will soon be brought back to life as a real community asset. The bell’s removal will ensure the structure can be restored to its former glory, whilst the space will be brought into the 21st Century by becoming a destination for families, residents, and future generations to enjoy. We’re delighted to have supported this project through £16.4 million from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund which will ensure this iconic structure will serve as a beacon to people in the area for many years to come. Seamus Devlin, McLaughlin & Harvey Civil Engineering Director, said: McLaughlin & Harvey is delighted to be main contractor for the restoration works at Granton gasholder. We bring with us a wealth of experience in the civil engineering sector, and look forward to completing the deconstruction of the bell this week and the removal of the walls in the upcoming weeks. Fascinating gasholder facts
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