Author Ian Rankin launches quirky tourist attraction

Rebus writer Ian Rankin has launched Save the Children’s ‘rescued’ phone box ‘Gilbert’ on Edinburgh’s Queen Street. The old-fashioned red phone box, which is kindly run and maintained by bespoke tailors, Stewart Christie & Co, has been decked out in traditional tiling and bespoke features and contains items of dressing up, such as hats, pipes…

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Shortlists for Scotland’s national book awards

The Saltire Society announced the shortlists for the 2019 Saltire Literary Awards, as well as two brand new prizes, at an event in Edinburgh this evening. This year, for the first time, the Saltire Society will be awarding a prize for Scottish Book Cover and a special Award for Lifetime Achievement. The winners of all…

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Scots and Scotland enjoying golden spell on the big screen

With our actors, directors and producers flourishing as never before, Scottish cinema is enjoying an unprecedented golden age. We’re only a couple of years away from the 40th anniversary of the release of Gregory’s Girl, the beloved Bill Forsyth film that found off-beat humour and awkward romance among the concrete architecture of Cumbernauld. As Caledonian…

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What’s in a name – the history of the Cadell family

What links the first navigation of the River Murray, 19th century photo negatives hidden under the floorboards of a grand mansion, and the TV programme, Hi-De-Hi? No idea? The answer lies with the Cadell family, the family who occupied Cockenzie House in East Lothian for over 200 years. They bought the house in the late…

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Mark Bonnar stars in new Scots TV thriller

Scots actor Mark Bonnar returns to our TV screens this week in a thrilling new TV series. The Shetland star appears in Guilt, a four-part new series airing from Thursday, 24 October, on BBC Scotland from 10-11pm. When brothers Max and Jake unwittingly run over and kill an old man, their attempts to cover it…

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Marking 160 years of an important landmark

The 160th anniversary of the Katrine Aqueduct, one of Scotland’s most important pieces of infrastructure, was marked this week with a special re-enactment of its official inauguration by Queen Victoria. Actors donned Victorian attire and a modern-day lookalike ‘Queen Victoria’ followed in the footsteps of the monarch and repeated her words close to the very…

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‘Father of Single Malt’ honoured with Centenary Release

Whisky creator Gordon & MacPhail has released a single malt to honour George Urquhart, member of the second generation of the company’s owning family, in what would have been his centenary year. Laid down in 1956, the year ‘Mr George’ as he was known by colleagues, became senior partner, the 62-year-old single malt features spirit…

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Successes at inaugural Scots Language Awards

The first annual Scots Language Awards were held on Friday night. Hosted by Alistair Heather and Frieda Morrison, it saw nominees and the audience from right across Scotland head to Glasgow to celebrate the Scots Language, before enjoying live performances from MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2018 Singer of The Year Iona Fyfe, musician,…

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Arts champions take their message to Holyrood

Leading lights of Scotland’s contemporary art scene head to Parliament this week to champion the positive impact of visual art in our communities – and to present every MSP with a specially commissioned original print by artist Ruth Ewan. The initiative is part of the Art in Action campaign being run by Scottish Contemporary Art…

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If oysters be the food of love…

Could the return of oysters to the Forth not only prove to be a boost for the environment but the nation’s sex life? I have always adored oysters. My ex-husband and I had an agreement. If we were out for dinner and were given either plum pudding or oysters then for the sake of good…

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