Category: Community information, events and news

You are viewing all articles on our website relating to general community information, events and news.

Events on the Links this spring / summer

People often say that they wish that there was a list that they could view, of events happening on Leith Links, so we asked for one. The Council has sent us this list for the meantime and has also said “We are looking to get a public facing events calendar for events in all of our Parks up and running as soon as is practicable.”

We will update this list with more details of each event if, as, and when we receive more information.

Next meeting of Leith Links Community Council, Duncan Place, 6:30pm, Monday 26 May 2025.

The next meeting of Leith Links Community Council will be held in person at Duncan Place at 6:30pm on Monday 26 May 2025.

Minutes of previous meeting are here.

Agenda is here.

This will be the second meeting of the new Community Council, as elected in March 2025, and we will welcome our new Community Councillors, and any local residents who wish to attend. Thre are quite a few things going on locally so it’s good to catch up!

A Teams link will be set up for councillors and local residents who are unable to attend in person, but we do not have the technical facilities to guarantee a good ‘hybrid’ set up.

Please email contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk if you wish to receive an online link.

 

Leith Local History Society AGM, Tuesday 20th May, Leith Community Centre, New Kirkgate

The society will hold its AGM in Leith Community Centre on Tuesday, 20th May at 7pm.

Please join us to find out more about our exciting programme from September 2025 to May 2026. The society can do more if people join us by becoming a member.

We desperately need someone to join the committee who has IT skills to update our old website or help create a new one and help with our Facebook presence.

I hope to meet you all next Tuesday.

 

LLHS PROGRAMME 2025:26, LLHS AGM 20:05:2025,LLHS CHAIR REPORT 2025

Best wishes

 

Jim Scanlon

Chair, LLHS

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New ‘Rules’ for parks – have your say!

Revised rules for parks and greenspaces – your chance to comment by 11 April 2025

https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/management-rules-parks/

Do you use Leith Links and other parks in Edinburgh? If so, you might be interested in the Council’s ‘rules’ for use of parks which are intended to ensure these shared spaces are used properly and safely. For example barbecues and fires – which are clearly safety issues – cause damage to grassy areas and in hot dry weather could cause wild fires and also result in high levels of particulates in the air, are already not permitted in parks except in designated areas. Did you know that a range of other activities and events need prior permission from the Council to be held in parks?

The Council plans to bring in a revised set of Management Rules for Public Parks, Beaches, and Green Spaces to cover the next 10 years. These rules are made under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. A revised draft set of management rules have been developed over the past 2 years and are now out for consultation.   A final version will be submitted to Culture and Communities Committee for consideration. Once it’s passed, presumably the Council will be empowered to enforce these rules.

Here is a link to the consultation exercise on the Council’s website – please take a little time to contribute your views on the matter.

Management Rules for Parks, Beaches, and Greenspace – City of Edinburgh Council – Citizen Space

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Links Place Bus Gate Open to ALL traffic

Duncan Place and Johns Place are currently closed for possibly the next 10 weeks for maintenance work on pavements.

The road network around and through Leith has had increased traffic volumes as traffic that would normally use the closed off roads attempts to find another route to destinations withing the ‘liveable neighbourhood’.

The Community Council asked council officers to consider lifting restrictions on Links Place until the road works have been completed allowing traffic to flow East and West along this road.

Council Officers responded that this was possible and the restrictions which includes the camera have been removed for the duration.

Hopefully we’ll be told before work is completed a date for the camera being switched back on.

 

Join the Litterpick, Saturday 22nd March

Please come and join in the Spring Litterpick on Leith Links, next Saturday morning, 22nd March! Litter-picking is surprisingly satisfying in itself, and you will be contributing to making our area a much more pleasant place for everyone.

Duncan Place is coordinating the litterpick, which is also supported by the Leith Links Community Council.

  • We’ll all meet in the Duncan Place car park at 10am. 4 Duncan Place, Leith, EH6 8HW.
  • We have litter pickers you can borrow, however please do bring your own if you have one. Bring gloves (not your poshest pair!)
  • We’ll supply bin bags. We have a limited number of bin bag hoops and sturdy gloves that people can borrow.
  • Children very welcome, but under 16s to be accompanied by an adult.
  • Join us after the litter pick for a hot cuppa and biscuits, inside Duncan Place, as a thank-you for getting involved.
  • If the weather is *really* bad, we’ll call the litter pick off. If in doubt, check the Duncan Place socials, or call 0131 364 4351.
  • Litter picking volunteers can just turn up on the day, but it does help to let the organisers know you’re coming. You can email on events@duncanplace.org or fill in the form here > https://forms.gle/e7DbVQHq7ENikTSZ6

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DUNCAN PLACE COMMUNITY CENTRE TRUSTEES REQUIRED

Duncan Place Community Hub is a friendly, welcoming and inclusive hub in the heart of Leith. The charity provides a brilliant programme of community events, is financially sound and has a great team of staff managing the day-to-day tasks. There are currently seven Trustees from a variety of backgrounds and Duncan Place is now looking to welcome five more to the board. Trustees play an integral part in developing the strategic direction of the organisation, ensuring its good governance and overseeing the delivery of the organisation’s aims and objectives.

Experienced trustees are welcome, but you don’t have to have been a trustee before. Enthusiasm and a willingness to share your skills and offer guidance to your fellow trustees and staff is what we’re after. We’d especially like to add expertise in financial management, staff development, funding applications, information technology and legal knowledge in the areas of leases and contracts. Current trustees have skills in property, facilities management, marketing, treasury skills and community involvement. Further skills in these areas are also always welcome.

Interested? There will be an information evening on Wed 26th March 19.00-20.00. Please register your attendance by completing the short form and we shall be in touch.

If you are interested in becoming a Trustee/ finding out more but cannot make this date, please indicate this on the form and we will contact you separately.

Attendance at our AGM on the evening of Thurs 24th April is also strongly preferred

Via our website
https://duncanplace.org/

Community Councils Together

The community council elections are taking place across Edinburgh. The three Leith community councils have a stall at Leith Market, today 15th February. If you want to find out more about what we do, please come along and speak to us. We’re always willing to listen to local residents.

Keeping in touch

Leith Links Community Council does not meet officially in December, but we are all still here, and happy to hear from any member of the local community who wishes to get in touch, to ask a question or report an issue. We will always try to help if we can.

You can contact us on contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk

If you have an urgent problem, you may be better to contact the City of Edinburg Council directly, via @edinhelp if you are on ‘X’

Or via the website  https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/report

Or contact your elected City of Edinburgh Councillor, we have 3 for our area:

adam.nols-mcvey@edinburgh.gov.uk

chas.booth@edinburgh.gov.uk

cllr.katrina.faccenda@edinburgh.gov.uk

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For anyone struggling to afford food –

Foodbank information can be found here

Useful info about other sources of free or cheap food, community meals etc. can be found here

See also:
Morrisons: Ask for Henry
A free jacket potato topped with Heinz Cheesy Beanz. This initiative was brought back in 2024 after successful campaigns in 2022 and 2023.
Kids Eat Free
A free kids meal with any adult meal over £5. This includes a choice of main, side, and veg, plus a drink.
Kellogg’s Breakfast Club
A free breakfast in Morrisons cafes during the summer holidays. This initiative was run in partnership with Kellogg’s to support families when school breakfast clubs are unavailable.
Ask for Ellen
A free pair of Warburtons crumpets with jam and butter. This offer is available at the till point in Morrisons cafes.

Asda:
£1 meals for over 60’s at all Asda Cafe’s are back as part of their Winter Warmer campaign.

 Soup + roll + unlimited tea or coffee for only £1 

 For over 60’s

️ From 1st November 2024 until end of February 2025

 All-day availability at all 205 Asda Cafés (check before going – as some are unaware)

‍‍ Kids eat for £1, too (a £1 kids cold pick and mix selection that includes a sandwich, drink and piece of fruit)

From 1st November until the end of February, Asda are offering people aged 60 and over the chance to enjoy soup, a roll and unlimited tea and coffees for just £1 in any of Asda’s 205 cafes.
Fuel
You can get a £49 Fuel Bank voucher in Scotland through a number of organizations, including:
Fuel Bank Foundation: Offers £49 vouchers to prepayment meter customers who are experiencing a fuel crisis. You can be referred to the Fuel Bank Foundation by Community Advice Services or Advice and Support Hub staff. 
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Update on permanent Public Toilets for the Links, 2025

Leith Links Community Council has received the following letter which aims to update local residents and park users about the plan to install permanent public toilets on Leith Links. The short version of all this is that there WILL be toilets installed next year, although the final date cannot be guaranteed. Members of the Community Council and the local community were consulted about the matter, and although we are not terribly enthusiastic about the location the Council has chosen to install them, and although the design is much pared back from the original suggestions, we nonetheless welcome the development. We will be following the timeline of the installation closely, and pressing the Council to install temporary toiets again, if the new ones are delayed.

From Thriving Green Spaces, City of Edinburgh Council:

“… We are pleased to share an update on our progress with the public toilets in parks project. Please find here the finalised design, which showcases the thoughtful integration of accessibility and environmental sustainability. Details can also be found under Latest News webpage.

Further information about the project, including locations, key features, decision-making and FAQ, can be found on Public Toilets in Edinburgh’s Parks website.

The finalised design of the new facilities reflects our shared commitment to creating accessible, sustainable, and inclusive spaces for all. Each facility includes energy-efficient lighting, water-saving fixtures, and unisex cubicles designed to accommodate people of all abilities. Features like grab rails, baby changers, and enhanced safety measures are incorporated to ensure ease of use and accessibility for everyone.

Project Timeline and Phased Installation

We are progressing according to a carefully structured and conservative programme, with a targeted timeline designed to minimise impact and accommodate potential challenges. Key phases include:

  • Factory design and build: Began on Monday 4th November 2024, covering the detailed design of both the buildings and groundworks. This stage is essential for ensuring that each component is precisely tailored to meet the required standards before installation on-site.
  • Groundworks: Expected to start in early February, following the appointment of groundwork contractors by Healthmatic. Groundworks will be staggered, allowing for the Healthmatic project manager to supervise each phase closely and ensures the concrete can cure without rushing.
  • Phased Completion Dates: Installation completion is set for April 21st, May 5th, and May 19th 2025 for the three facilities. The specific order of completion will depend on contractor availability, connections to utility services, and external factors. This flexibility enables us to address any site-specific challenges that may arise; if one site requires additional work, we can proceed with another to keep the overall timeline on track.

This conservative approach includes allowances for unforeseen elements such as contractor scheduling, utility connections, and weather-related delays.

We are reviewing options to retain the temporary public toilets until the new facilities are built, and I will update you once a plan for this has been agreed.

Focus on Landscape

As installation moves forward, our attention will turn to enhancing the surrounding landscapes. Wildlife-sensitive lighting, bike racks, and benches will complement the facilities, ensuring a welcoming, comfortable environment that supports both people and nature.

Maintenance and Operational Readiness

We have also initiated close collaboration with the waste and cleanliness team to co-develop a maintenance plan tailored to the new facilities. Our goal is to ensure the team has the necessary resources and tools to maintain the toilets to a high standard, keeping them in excellent condition for all park visitors. We will also be working with the grounds maintenance teams to develop maintenance guidelines for the sedum roofs and to arrange any necessary training.

Thank you once again for your ongoing support and involvement in this ambitious project. If you have any questions or would like more detailed information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Warm regards,

Thriving Green Spaces
City of Edinburgh Council – Parks and Greenspace – Place
Level 2.1 Waverley Court – 4 East Market Street – Edinburgh – EH8 8BG

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