edinburghcentric.com

- In the Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert this Sunday, new silent fireworks are to be used for the first time to better compliment quieter sections in the music. - A self-confessed “muppet” has been ordered to pay £1000 in compensation to the barman into whose face he smashed a glass tumbler...

An academic poll has revealed that Edinburgh is apparently the least happy place to live in the entire of Britain, whilst neighbouring West Lothian was at the top of the table...

The Civic Trust of Edinburgh has caused controversy after suggesting that a prostitution tolerance zone be introduced in part of Leith...

Members of Edinburgh City Council have today voted on major development plans for the Capital, including the Leith Waterfront area, a giant hotel at Haymarket and the controversial Caltongate plan. The plans include the huge scale proposals for Leith Docks...

- Three sailors were rescued from their stricken yacht on the Forth this morning after striking a mystery object in the water. Probably a rock, but possibly an angry starfish throwing octopus? (no) - A heroic OAP retrieved stolen money from a thief at an Edinburgh venue, but was left shaken...

As the Edinburgh Fringe Festival came to an end the blame for poor ticket sales this year has been spread far and wide, some even believing the weather could be at fault. What an idea...

Despite the 24 hour strike last Wednesday resulting in more than 150,000 union workers walking out for the day, action looks set to continue as the disputes have not yet been resolved...

- Legendary local-born legend Sean Connery appeared at the Edinburgh Book Festival today to promote his new autobiography and celebrate his 78th birthday...

edinburghcentric was a bit bleary eyed this morning, after attending the Chip Shop Awards 2008 last night. The Chip Shop Awards are awards for design and advertising work that never makes it to the client’s presentation table...

A shocking report by Amnesty International has been released, which describes how a “21st century slave trade” is in existence in Scotland...

You feel compelled to like Matt Tiller’s act. He comes across as a decent bloke, somebody who’s good for a few pints on a Sunday afternoon. He’s a best mate, a drinking buddy, a considerate boyfriend, a cheeky charmer with boyish good looks...

- A hairdresser from Edinburgh has been jailed for 18 months after making £63,000 from selling stolen hair straighteners on eBay. Interestingly, his own style is strongly influenced by Matt Lucas...

It’s a quality turn who manages to carry the audience with a routine that takes in theoretical sub-atomic particles, accordion sea shanties, deleting user history on a PC and wearing a beanie hat. Bum Notes is a mongrel of topics and routines, but then so is the pedigree of the performer...

- Edinburgh cycling man-machine Chris Hoy has made history winning Olympic gold in Beijing, the fourth gold medal won by the GB team so far. Shame they’re going to demolish the Meadowbank Velodrome...

The wave of 2,500 Post Office closures that has been sweeping through the UK has finally come crashing on to the rocks of Edinburgh and the Lothians. The official announcements are to be made next week but our sneaky friends at the Evening News have got hold of the juicy details...

- The Made in Scotland initiative is to grant £200,000 to Scottish-based performing artists in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the first time the Fringe has received any significant public funding...

Stewards hired to keep the Fringe a friendly place to be have been accused of heavy-handed tactics, with demonstrators and even performers being moved on from public spaces. The Evening News tells of how the owner of a shop on the Royal Mile was asked to remove a barrel from his shopfront...

- A Hibs supporter has been banned from every single stadium in the UK and banned from flying when they have international matches, for the next three years...

- An Edinburgh man is to cycle a 60 mile route from Inverness to Fort William along the Caledonian Canal. What’s the catch? Why, he’s doing it backwards. That is, actually cycling in reverse...

With recent studies by engineers showing that the Forth Road Bridge is in much better shape than was previously feared, you’d be forgiven for thinking that they wouldn’t need to build a new bridge. However it seems you’d be wrong...

With the festival in full swing, it’s high time we took a look at which shows the national media have been savouring, and which they have been discretely spitting back into their critical napkins. So, let’s start with The Independent...

It seems utterly, utterly pointless given the escalating cost of living, but Edinburgh is to be one of the first cities in the UK to see cash machines that only dispense five pound notes. It’s the idea of Bank Machine, who make it their business to provide shops and nightclubs with cash points...

- The former Scottish Life headquarters in St. Andrew Square looks set to become yet another hotel in the capital, with Sir Stelios and his easyGroup apparently expressing interest in making it an easyHotel. Imagine they are thinking… hard about it...

The story we previously mentioned of the pandas who were to emigrate from their native China to start a new life at our very own Edinburgh Zoo has become much deeper and more political than previously known...

- As far as we’re aware, none of the routes up Arthur’s Seat include a 25 foot nosedive, suggesting the American teenager who fortunately suffered only minor injuries had taken a slight detour...

- Lifeboat crews stationed on the Forth have had the busiest month in their whole history and has been the busiest in Scotland this year. Read about their escapades rescuing sleeping surfers and more, here...

Residents of Edinburgh have doubtless noticed the recent delightfully summery heavy weather, especially given how much of it has chosen to remain on our roads and train lines...

- Sites for legal flyposting in the city centre have been planned by a military-sounding coalition of nightclubs called Unite. They also aim to “tackle violence, drugs”, presumably by pasting them to large wooden boards...

- A shop on the corner of Cowgate and Blackfriars Street is causing controversy by selling hot food. Hot food! Local residents claim it will cause “chaos”, as a shop selling hot food is wanton to do...

Don’t know whether you’ve noticed, but money is a little tight right now. One of the biggest shocks is how much it costs to fill your car with fuel. With a gas guzzler you might be into the hundreds of pounds, but even an ickle car is costing the sharp end of fifty quid to fill. [

- A five year old girl experienced a more dramatic performance of The Little Mermaid than she could possibly have expected yesterday when a glass skylight fell on her midway through. - The Lothian Buses pram ban we mentioned previously has been criticised as unnecessary by a leading support group...

- Edinburgh is the least cost-effective place in Scotland to study, according to the BBC. Students spend an average of £243 per week and earn £76, working an average of 12 hours...

Two soldiers were rushed to hospital on Friday night after a vicious encounter with a gang of men resulted in serious stab and slash wounds...

The Edinburgh Festivals’ Cavalcade 2008 gets underway today, bringing an exciting and colourful procession across the streets of the City...

- A man has been jailed for 8 years after attempting to murder his friend with a knife over a £15 debt. A case of the credit crunch becoming the credit stab it seems. - Following the lead of many supermarkets, Edinburgh City Council is introducing a charge for plastic bags at their properties...

Controversial artist Tracey Emin has come to Edinburgh this year for the Edinburgh Art Festival, with an exhibition celebrating 20 years of her life...

Sorry for bringing this to your attention a little late, but in case you didn’t know, a partial solar eclipse has just begun across Edinburgh. What does that mean? Chances are if it stays cloudy, you won’t notice any difference...

The 59th Edinburgh Military Tattoo kicks off today, bringing with it three weeks of performances both traditional and exotic to sell-out crowds of nearly 9,000...

- The Portobello Triathlon has been cancelled,  after police decided they needed to close a road in order to proceed. Which apparently isn’t all that cheap to do...

Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival comes to a close this weekend after celebrating 30 years of bringing smooth grooves to the ears of the capital...

- A large turbine will crown the new £16 million John Hope Gateway currently being built at the Botanics. The centre will be powered entirely by renewables, all lovely and green-like...

Even as the previews begin at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the ongoing impromptu performance by the box office system has led to delays and recently oversold shows...

- Four tiny baby pandas have made their way into the world in Chengdu, China, after the recent earthquakes caused fears for the safety of the species. Edinburgh Zoo are hoping to bring a cuddly pair over here for thousands to coo at...

The Edinburgh Festival may be fast approaching but celebrations from a rather sunnier clime are coming to the city next week, in the form of the Taste Of Spain Festival.Running from from 1st until 10th August, the authentic Spanish fiesta brings us a sampling of the culture, lifestyle and perhaps...

The first phase of work in Shandwick Place is now complete, with the street opening this Monday for buses, taxis and cyclists. However no date has been given for reopening of the street to cars...

The first phase of work in Shandwick Place is now complete, with the street opening this Monday for buses, taxis and cyclists. However no date has been given for reopening of the street to cars...