Monday 31 May 2010

READING: Rose, ‘A Senseless, Squalid War’ : Voices From Palestine 1945-1948

Norman Rose
‘A Senseless, Squalid War’ : Voices From Palestine 1945-1948
2009

Below is my own uncharacteristically self-indulgent exploration of the historical background to today’s lethal Israeli attacks on another Gaza aid flotilla, combining what we’ve learned today with the history of Israel as told by Norman Rose, with a bit of my own family history thrown in. It does go on a bit but it's worth sticking with it, if only to see the glaring parallels between the birth of Israel and today’s attempts to maintain its stranglehold on the region.

IT has often been remarked by my friends and colleagues that my bookshelf resembles a reading list from a dire Middle East studies course. Most react with horror when I tell them that I read these books for leisure as much as education. It’s difficult to pinpoint where my fascination with the Middle East began but perhaps, like Robert Fisk, it lies in a need to understand and atone for the sins of the father.

In his opus The Great War For Civilisation: The Conquest Of The Middle East [which I have shamefully yet to finish], Fisk recounts how his father Bill Fisk was duped, along with millions of other young men, into believing that the war he was fighting in 1914-18 was: “The Great War For Civilisation”. Nearly a century later, Robert Fisk is still reporting on “The Clash of Civilisations” between Christianity, Judaism and Islam in the Middle East, an area carved up in the spoils of what Fisk calls “my father’s war”.

My own atonement isn’t for the sins of my father, but for my grandfather Pte Richard McLaughlin, a sentryman in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers who fought in the last days of the British mandate in Palestine. Palestine 1945-1948 was “my grandfather’s war” [although it must be noted that this war was no more my grandfather’s than World War I was Bill Fisk’s. Both were conscripts.]

My grandfather died when I was very young, but when I was old enough to ask the ubiquitous question, “What did grandad do in the war?”, I recall being disappointed to hear that he was too young to fight in World War II but had completed his National Service in a mysterious land called Palestine.

He didn’t talk about it much, according to my father, save for a short, enigmatic, recollection of “dodging stones thrown from both sides of the road – with Arabs on the one side and Jews on the other”.

“Why would anyone fight in a war where neither side wanted you to be there?” I recall my child’s mind struggling to comprehend.

As I write, an adult still working to understand this “Clash of Civilisations” from my own little corner of the world, a diplomatic row is unfolding over Israel’s attack on an aid flotilla attempting to break their blockade on Gaza, an attack which left at least nine dead and dozens more injured. While reporting on fears for the wellbeing of Edinburgh-based Gaza aid worker Theresa McDermott today, I was struck by the parallels between this unfolding drama and the book I had already begun preparing for review on my blog’s ongoing list of personal reading.

For this reason, I have cast aside my usual thrifty editing to record my thoughts more deeply.

Norman Rose’s ‘A Senseless, Squalid War’ is the first book I’ve read that’s come close to clarifying my childish confusion about “my grandfather’s war.
The clearest statement I have yet found which comes close to articulating my childhood quandary can be found in chapter two of Rose’s relatively accessible history, from the first military and later civilian Governor of Jerusalem Ronald Storrs [the man T.E. Lawrence described in Seven Pillars as “the most brilliant Englishman in the Near East”].

“I am not wholly for either, but for both,” said Storrs in 1920. “Two hours of Arab grievances drive me to Synagogue, while after an intensive course of Zionist propaganda I am prepared to embrace Islam.”

Listening to the conflicting reports of today’s attack on the Gaza flotilla I find myself in the same position as Storrs. Today’s protestors were undoubtedly sailing in international waters, attempting to run a blockade which is legally questionable at best, while carrying aid to an area which resembles the Nazi ghettos that Israel’s founders used as moral justification for a Jewish homeland. This moral justification was articulated by sympathetic Chancellor of the Exchequer Hugh Dalton: “There was a strong case for [a Jewish national home] before the war. There is an irresistible case now, after the unspeakable atrocities of [the Nazis].”

After listening to Israel’s defence today that their forces opened fire only after they were “clubbed, beaten and stabbed” [supported by television footage which seems to show supposedly “peaceful” protestors attacking Israel’s boarding party], and state their belief that the flotilla was, at least partly, organised by groups with “ties to Global Jihad, Al-Qaeda and Hamas” [something I have no evidence for but I don’t find entirely implausible that some Jihadi sympathisers were aboard] and I find myself back in the middle.

However, what Storrs was yet to witness was Israel’s disproportionate response to any provocation.

When British authorities carried out arms-raids on Jewish settlements during Operation Agatha in 1946, and the Zionists responded by blowing up British command HQ at the King David Hotel. When Egypt instigated a blockade on Israel in 1967 similar to the blockade that Israel now imposes on Gaza [with, it must be noted, the help of modern-day Egypt’s policing of Rafah], Israel launched a pre-emptive strike which annexed most of the region in six days. When Israel-friendly Lebanese president Bachir Gemayel was assassinated in 1982, the Israeli Defence Force [under orders from defence minister and future president Ariel Sharon] orchestrated a brutal massacre of hundreds of Lebanese and Palestinian civilians. When Lebanese militants again enraged Israel in 2006 by killing a dozen soldiers, Israel responded with a devastating bombing raid killing at least 1,500 people.

Once again we see the disproportionate response in action. When protestors attacked with sticks, stones and knives they were dropped by automatic weapons.

Further parallel’s between today’s events and those recounted by Rose in 1945-48 can be found in one of the most decisive events in turning public opinion against Britain’s continuing mandate in Palestine, the bid to prevent the SS Exodus boat breaking a British blockade imposed to prevent uncontrolled post-war immigration into Palestine.

According to Rose, American journalist Izzy Stone “accused the British of murder and piracy on the high seas , pointing out that the Exodus had been attacked in international waters” [a charge levelled at Israel today] and includes an account by Captain Stanley Brian de Courcy-Ireland, commander of British blockade flagship Ajax, which is absolutely dripping with contemporary resonances:

“The [British] boarding parties soon learned what they were up against. Those that got over were assaulted from all angles...I was forced to draw my revolver and fired eleven warning shots. One of the last shots, however, I used to stop a lad of 17 or 18 from collecting my scalp with a meat axe. He got it in the stomach.”

Israel has already faced a wave of global condemnation for the deaths on the flotilla today, but the repercussions for this are yet to be seen. Britain may have been Israel’s midwife but its international influence is now too small for Israel to bother taking notice. It remains to be seen how USA, the nation that nurtured Israel through its troublesome adolescence first by turning a blind eye to illegal arms smuggling during the mandate and then becoming its chief arms supplier, responds in the long term.

The US remains in thrall to the Jewish lobby and one of the most entertaining episodes that shows this lobby at work in the last days of the mandate recounted in Rose involved future mayor of Jerusalem Teddy Kollek, Mafia boss Frank Costello’s New York nightclub the Copacabana and “Zionist sympathiser” Frank Sinatra taking centre stage in illegal arms smuggling, using tactics not too dissimilar to those allegedly used by Palestinian supporters in Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran today.

“Kollek recorded liaisons with spies, mobsters, movie moguls, statesmen bankers, professors, industrialists and newspapermen. The Hagana [the principle Jewish military organisation in mandated Palestine] arms mission profited greatly from the vast amounts of army surplus supplies left over from the war [including] rifles, machine guns, engine parts and aircraft...

“To finance their vast operation Kollek relied on donations from wealthy Jewish backers as well as from the Jewish agency...

“Transferring money – or bribes – to Kollek’s shady contacts was always a problem...It was common knowledge that Frank Sinatra was sympathetic to the Zionist cause. Only the previous autumn he had sung at a rally at the Hollywood Bowl attended by 20,000 Zionist supporters. The solution was logical. Kollek: “I walked out of the front door of the building with a satchel and the Feds followed me. Out of the back door went Sinatra, carrying a paper bag filled with cash.”

“Perhaps for the only time in his career, Sinatra had played an unscripted role, that of ‘bagman’ for the Haganah.”

NEWS: Blood Fued

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
29 May 2010

A DRIVE-BY shooting on a Lothian home is being linked to a long-running feud which has already seen firebombings, vandalism and violent attacks.

Police are investigating after a shot was fired at the house in Dalkeith's Woodburn Avenue before the attacker sped off. The terrified family were at home at the time and called 999.

It is the home of the parents of George Rae, 39, who has been targeted several times over the past ten years.

Earlier this month, armed police swooped on a nearby house as part of an investigation into alleged threats made against him. No-one was injured in the latest attack at around 11:25pm on Wednesday, after the bullet missed a window and lodged in the gutter.

But neighbours said Mr Rae was now receiving round the clock police protection. A police van was parked outside his parents' home yesterday.

A police spokesman said they would not discuss the security arrangements of individuals, but appealed for witnesses to the shooting. He said: "Thankfully no-one was injured as a result of the reckless discharge of this firearm.

"Nevertheless, this is an incident we are treating extremely seriously, and we are appealing for anyone who may have seen what happened to come forward.

"We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who noticed a dark-coloured car being driven at speed in the area after the shot was fired."

Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang at the time of the incident and a car being driven away at speed immediately after.

One neighbour said: "It's getting too scary to feel it was just a fluke shot.

"The police have been in the area on and off for a while and they knew something was coming.

"I can see why you would think it looks like a normal family street.

"But we have to try and get on with our lives while the police are here and there's people shooting guns.

"I've got kids and they are curious about it and I don't know what to tell them."

Another neighbour told the Evening News how she is moving out of the street for good following the incident.

May Thompson, 48, said she watched armed police storm through her street looking for firearms, and then had her nerves shattered by the sound of a gunshot and screeching tyres outside her house. She said: "I just can't take it. I'm terrified of guns. I need to get out. I can't stay here any more."

Mr Rae previously told the Evening News how a campaign of hatred against him started after a "disturbance" at Dalkeith Miners Club ten years ago.

He was plagued with threatening phone calls, had cars repeatedly vandalised and was later ambushed and beaten up by six thugs with scaffolding poles.

On Boxing Day nine years ago, someone threw a petrol bomb at the window of the bedroom where he was sleeping with his pregnant partner and baby son.

The family were only saved when the Molotov cocktail bounced off the room's double glazing and exploded 20ft below.

The following year Mr Rae testified against killer Owen Anderson, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of father-of-three Gary Linn on 31 August 2001.

During the trial Mr Rae told prosecutors that he received a telephone call from prison in which Anderson warned him against testifying.

Thursday 27 May 2010

NEWS: "Goodnight Bella Mbriana"

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
27 May 2010


AN award-winning Italian chef is refusing to be beaten after his efforts to self-finance his restaurant ended in bankruptcy.

Rosario Sartore, 38, has been left picking up the pieces after his bid to run Bella Mbriana on East London Street ended in bankruptcy last month.

Bella Mbriana, named after a spirit said to haunt Mr Sartore's hometown in Naples, opened to great fanfare in 2007 when he left his previous restaurant, La Partenope on Dalry Road. But despite rave reviews and awards, things were not going smoothly behind the scenes.

Soon after its inception, a business partner pulled out and shortly before the credit crunch hit, another partner withdrew his support. The bank also closed the restaurant's overdraft.

Despite packed houses, the eatery haemorrhaged money and a final business partner pulled out two months ago, leaving Mr Sartore to go it alone.

The father-of-four has now lost his house and both he and wife Maria have been declared bankrupt. Mr Sartori has now handed the business side over to countrymen Rocco Monaco and Mario Gagliardini, but intends to stay on as head chef and hopes a change of name to Locanda De Gusti will bring better luck.

He said: "Bella Mbriana is an Italian spirit who is supposed to bring luck to a house. It is customary to keep a chair by the door for Bella to come and rest, and my grandmothers in Italy still say 'good morning Bella Mbriana' every day.

"The name was supposed to bring me luck, but I think she ended up working against me. We had a statue in the corner downstairs which one reviewer called 'The Ghost of Bella', and that was the first thing to go when I redesigned the restaurant following the handover."

Mr Sartori has also cited another reason for his financial problems - his refusal to raise his prices or compromise on quality.

"You shouldn't have to take out a mortgage to have a good meal. I intend to continue under the same principles without the spiritual baggage that went with the old name - but I still say 'good morning Bella Mbriana' when I open up!"

RECENT HIGH-PROFILE CLOSURES

Eighty Queen Street, Queen Street

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* Wannaburger, High Street

NEWS: The End Of The Delhi Deli?

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
26 May 2010


AN INDIAN cafe is facing closure after it was found to be the latest in a string of businesses to be operating illegally.

10 to 10 in Delhi has been selling coffee and Indian snacks on the Southside for more than six months, but the council recently discovered that it only has permission to operate as a retail shop.

The enforcement action was only taken last week despite the fact that the Nicolson Street unit had housed various cafes for the last six years.

Council enforcement officers first suspected that it was operating as a takeaway as far back as 2003 when cooking equipment was found, but it was uninstalled and the former occupier said it was only being stored on the premises.

The case was closed but the premises soon began trading as Zoga Delicious Falafel and later Cafe Numedia.

The unauthorised use was finally discovered when 10 to 10 in Delhi opened on the premises.

Current tenant Aslan Akeel applied for retrospective planning permission to continue selling coffee and Indian snacks but councillors rejected his application on the grounds that it would "erode the number of retail units to the detriment of the local retail centre".

Mr Akeel said he intended to continue trading pending the outcome of an appeal against the "unfair" decision.

He said: "When I took the place on around a year ago I had no idea it didn't have permission to operate as a cafe, as we took it on as a sub-let from an existing cafe that was already on the premises.

"I don't have any grievance with the council if that's their policy but it's a bit unfair as we're not your average takeaway.

"We specialise in chai teas with samosas and pakoras, which is unique to the area, so its a shame that we're being lumped in with all of the other takeaways.

"We're very popular with the locals and if the appeal fails we already have a few other premises lined up which already have the necessary permissions in place, so if we have to close in Nicolson Street it will be no big deal."

Southside Community Council had expressed its "very serious concerns" that the unit had been able to operate as a cafe for so long without permission.

Treasurer John Largue said: "It would set a dangerous precedent in the area if his retrospective application was simply rubber-stamped.

"Once again I am bound to point out that the community council has very grave reservations with regard to the creation of any restaurants, cafes or takeaways in the Southside generally.

"There is already a gross over-supply of such premises and it is considered that they have a seriously negative impact on the lives of local people as well as the local environment.

"It is not considered desirable to lose another retail unit to a cafe simply because it is already trading as one."

NEWS: The Singh Mile

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
26 May 2010


YET another Scottish souvenir shop has opened up on the Royal Mile amid a growing battle between budget tartan retailers.

The Singh Landa family has converted the former Wine Rack off-licence on the High Street into The Best of Scottish Discount Souvenir Factory Outlet, selling the same cheap kilts, sportswear and souvenirs that can be found in dozens of similar shops up and down the Mile.

Owner Gino Landa admitted that his shop was not offering anything new, but said the ongoing success of his family's existing shops and those of his rivals - chiefly the Gold Brothers - proved that the tourist appetite for budget souvenirs currently knows no bounds.



The Singh Landas' conversion of the shop, which closed last year following the collapse of the First Quench chain of off-licences, comes just months after the Singh Golds - headed by Surinder, Galab and Dildar Singh Gold - scored a lucrative double-whammy by buying out leases of the former Crystal Clear new age store and Wannaburger restaurant, both on the High Street.

The purchases took their portfolio on the Mile to 12 stores, half of them on the High Street alone. They also own several other stores throughout the city.

However, the latest purchase by the Singh Landas - headed by Balwindar and Sukhbir Singh Landa - takes their portfolio to 15 stores on or around the Mile.

Gino Landa said that despite their decision to open another souvenir shop, the family have attempted to keep their portfolio as diverse as possible.

He cited their Elgin Cashmere and Scottish Experience jewellery stores across the street as examples. The family also own the Courtyard Cafe on the Lawnmarket.

However, neighbour Annie McCaig, owner of the Bonny Blue Gallery, was not impressed.

She said: "I know these shops have their place in a tourist city like Edinburgh but there's far too many of them.

"Most of them are run by just two families and what amazes me is they seem to know when a unit is coming up before it's even gone on the market.

"A lot of my customers complain about it but it sort of makes my place even more special as they see me as a little oasis on the High Street."

Last month, officials at Edinburgh City Council revealed moves to dictate what kind of shops operate on the Royal Mile in a bid to overhaul its tacky image.

As the biggest landlord on the Royal Mile, owning, in whole or in part, 45 of the 129 available retail properties, it has the power to decide which tenants it leases to and what goods they are allowed to sell.

However, only around a quarter of the 40-odd souvenir shops on the Mile are owned by the council, and it holds little sway over private landlords as long as they stick to planning rules.

Graham Birse, deputy chief executive of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said: "Our view is that the range and quality of retail offerings on the Mile should be more varied and the council's planning committee should seek to develop, in consultation with the local business community, some recommendations and guiding principles over what stores are allowed to operate.

"The current set-up is ad-hoc, sporadic and doesn't represent the quality people would like to see.

"Having said that, it must be recognised that these shops aren't operating without trade. We're not saying every tartan gift shop should be closed down. If there's a market for it who are we to say no?

"But there should be a more varied offering in what has always been one of the city's most seminal streets."

CHECK THEM ALL OUT

BUSINESS ADDRESS PROPRIETORS

Gifts of Scotland 3 Canongate RaymondMargiotta

The Genuine Article 97 Canongate Margaret Johnston

The Pride of Edinburgh 133-135 Canonogate Steven & Diaman Singh

Neanie Scot 131 Canongate Kathryn Erickson

Simply Scottish 187 Canongate Luckwinder & Ratan Singh

Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers 189 Canongate Gordon Nicolson

I Heart Scotland 250 Canongate

Royal Mile Merchandise 11 High Street Stephen & Susan Scott

The Real Scot Shop 16 High Street Gillian / Rebecca Thorburn

The Scotland Shop 20 High Street GOLD BROS

Elgin Cashmere 1 28 High Street B & GS LANDA



Abercrombie Cashmere 46 High Street GOLD BROS

Really Scottish 50-51 High Street Gillian / Rebecca Thorburn

Scottish Gifts on the Netherbow 51-53 High Street

RoyalMile Jewellery 56 High Street GOLD BROS



Geoffrey (Tailor) Kiltmakers 57-59 High Street

JohnMorrison Kiltmaker 63 High Street GOLD BROS

The Wee Gift Shop 83 High Street GOLD BROS

Best of Scottish 97 High Street B & GS LANDA



Highland House 140 High Street B & GS LANDA

Stayedinburghcity.com apartment 150 High Street GOLD BROS

Argyll Cashmere 174 High Street B & GS LANDA

The Gold Brothers Shop 217 High Street GOLD BROS



Scottish Experience 324-326 Lawnmarket B & GS LANDA

Wha's Like Us 328 Lawnmarket GOLD BROS

Royal Mile Armoury 334 Lawnmarket GOLD BROS



Heritage of Scotland 459-463 Lawnmarket GOLD BROS

The Shetland Connection 491 Lawnmarket B & GS LANDA

Edinburgh Gift &Whisky Shop 495-497 Lawnmarket B & GS LANDA



Crag and Tail Restaurant 503 Lawnmarket B & GS LANDA

TheWeeWhisky Shop 515 Lawnmarket GOLD BROS

Simply Scarves 555 Lawnmarket GOLD BROS



James Court Factory Outlet 11 James Court, Lawnmarket B & GS LANDA

Stayedinburghcity.com apartment 11/6 James Court, Lawnmarket GOLD BROS

RoyalMile Factory Outlet 13 James Court, Lawnmarket B & GS LANDA

Courtyard Cafe 2 James Court, Lawnmarket B & GS LANDA

Self Catering Unit 2/9 Lady Stairs Close GOLD BROS

The Scotland Shop 107-108 South Bridge GOLD BROS

ScottishMills 20 Bank Street B & GS LANDA

Gold Brothers Shop Brodies Close GOLD BROS

Elgin Cashmere 2 Brodies Close B & GS LANDA



Thistle Do Nicely 3 & 5 Upper Bow B & GS LANDA

NEWS: No Wake For Finnegan

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
24 May 2010

HE IS the much-loved mascot of a popular Irish watering hole who many feared had perished in flames, but it seems that a wake for Finnegan would have been premature.

The mannequin took pride of place behind the bar of Finnegan's Wake and was one of the few artifacts which survived a serious blaze in December 2008.

Now Finnegan, like his famous namesake in the James Joyce tale that lends the pub its name, is set to rise from the dead demanding whiskey.

Most of the sporting memorabilia, Irish-themed artifacts and bric-a-brac that gave the pub its character did not survive the blaze. It started in the neighbouring restaurant, Khushi's, before spreading to the pub, but Finnegan was spared.

For the last 18 months, the figure has been stored in a warehouse, but now Finnegan's Wake's owner, Tattershall Castle Group, plans to have the pub back in business in time for the Festival.

It has now applied for planning permission to install two new signboards and a hanging lantern outside the pub, while plans have been drawn up for a complete overhaul of its interior.

Christian Harvey, of interior designers Fusion by Design, said: "Rather than try to replicate it we're going to allow Finnegan's to grow again.

"Most of the artifacts were damaged by smoke, or water from the firemen's hoses, but there were a few Irish signposts, old Guinness ads and the odd sporting artifact that can still be polished up and put back in place, and the managers will no doubt be delighted that Finnegan himself has also survived. He was a bit of a mascot and they used to dress him as Santa and other outfits suitable to the time of year."

Bob Tait, of Format Design architects, said: "The bar has been moved from the centre of the pub to the side to make it more customer friendly, opening up the pub a bit more and making it more comfortable for disabled customers and staff.

"The layout will improve safety standards, and the standard of the toilets will be vastly improved.

"Overall, it's going to be a mixture of traditional designs befitting of a listed building, and designs reflecting modern conceptions of safety and hygiene."

NEWS: Mosque Denied Expansion Into Temple

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
24 May 2010

AN ISLAMIC teaching centre in Polwarth has been refused permission to expand amid fears that it would attract too many worshippers by car.

The Idara Centre - commonly known as the Polwarth Mosque - on Temple Park Crescent also faced objections about loud prayers emanating from the building, and concerns that it intended to display "Islamic motifs" on the street.

Owner The Idara Taleem-Ul Qur'an Trust had applied for planning permission to change the former Al-Hilal grocers at the corner of Yeaman Place into an extension of the existing centre to create a new computer lab and reference library.

Its ultimate aim was to turn the spacious corner unit into an Islamic exhibition centre to "engage with the non-Muslim local community and help to remove barriers".

However, it faced objections from a city conservation group and a neighbour about parking, loud prayers and the design of the windows.

Marion Williams, director of the Cockburn Association, said the limited parking, hours of use, noise and "less than adequate" fire escapes made the unit "an unsuitable location for a use attracting regular visitors".

She added: "The association suggest that the introduction of Islamic motifs and symbols could be achieved by internal screens or opaque film on the glass without compromising the character of the building."

Ms Williams stressed that the concerns were from an architectural, rather than a cultural, point of view.

Neighbour Gerard Crawley also raised concerns about parking. He said: "At certain times of the day, there are quite a few cars waiting to pick up those about to leave. If this increases, it would become dangerous. Also, on occasion I have heard prayer through amplification."

The council rejected repeated assurances by Idara's agents that the expansion was intended to provide more comfortable facilities for existing worshippers, rather than invite more worshippers to the centre, and refused the change-of-use application.

Head of planning John Bury said: "The proposed change of use and resultant increased capacity of the centre will result in increased parking in this heavily parked area to the detriment of public safety and amenity."

Idara chairman Amjed Hussain questioned the decision and said it was up to the council to sort out the parking problems on the street, rather than allowing it to stifle development.

He added:

"The footfall and traffic around the new centre would have been no bigger than when it was a shop, so it seems odd that they've rejected the application on parking grounds.

"Our existing set-up is very low key, and doesn't look much different from your average community centre.

"We're going to have a word with the architects to see if it is worth appealing the decision, as we have no other plans for the unit."

NEWS: Piss'n'Shit Sandwich

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
24 May 2010

THE discovery of an "uncontrolled mouse infestation" has closed a branch of sandwich chain Subway and could give rise to criminal charges.

Environmental health officers allegedly discovered droppings and urine on food preparation surfaces and throughout the branch on Forrest Road.

It is the third Forrest Road take-away to face action for mouse droppings in the last five months.

Franchisee Narinder Atwal has been served with a hygiene emergency prohibition order, the highest level of enforcement at the council's environmental health department, indicating that the premises posed an imminent risk to public health.

The order was imposed following a tip off from a member of the public, and officers confirmed the complaint and closed the store down.

Environmental health are currently preparing a case to present to the procurator fiscal, and if the fiscal decides that the hygiene breaches are serious enough, charges could be brought against the franchisee.

A public notice is currently displayed on the door informing would-be customers of the reasons for its closure.

However, while Subway accepts that droppings have been found, a spokeswoman denied the allegations that they were found on food preparation surfaces, and said the company will be speaking to the department to have this allegation removed.

She added: "The Subway chain is extremely concerned about the findings of the environmental health officer following a visit to the store at Forrest Road, Edinburgh.

"The store is closed and the franchisee will work closely with the environmental health officer to ensure it does not reopen until the issue has been dealt with.

"The Subway chain takes food safety extremely seriously and strictly adheres to food hygiene and health and safety standards.

"The store has regular independent inspections by a reputable pest control company and all recent reports have shown no issues with the store."

Last Month, the Evening News revealed Hierapolis takeaway, just three doors down from the offending Subway, and Uncle T's across the road were also slammed by hygiene inspectors after mouse droppings were found on the premises.

Hierapolis was voluntarily closed down by management in February and is now under new management, while Uncle T's was cleared in a follow-up inspection after mouse droppings were found in January.

The two takeaways were among 130 city restaurants that failed routine council hygiene inspections in the last year. Subway Forrest Road was not one of them.

Despite being sandwiched between Subway and Hierapolis, the manager of Forrest Road hairdresser Venus said the mice have never intruded into her store.

Manager Jill Aitchison said: "We had a problem with Subway leaving its bins piled up against the dividing wall, so that the smell was wafting through.

"The council's hygiene inspectors went in to have a word with them about the bins, and when they inspected the place they told me that it was one of the cleanest takeaways they had ever seen. That was about five years ago, though, so standards must have slipped in the last few years."

A council spokeswoman confirmed that a hygiene emergency prohibition order has been served on Subway Forrest Road, but said she was prohibited from commenting further.

ANALYSIS: Slim Pickings

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
20 May 2010

With obesity a growing problem in Scotland, the demand for diets, slimming products and more extreme weight loss measures is also on the rise. MARK McLAUGHLIN investigates the best way to fight the flab

SCOTTISH consumers spend nearly GBP 90 per household on products such as slimming shakes, low-fat processed meals and weight-loss pills.

Recent Scottish Parliament figures show that 229 people in the Lothians had obesity listed on their death certificate in the last five years.

With obesity-related illness in the Lothians higher than anywhere in Scotland, local nutritionists Emma Conroy, of Edinburgh Nutrition, and Edinburgh University's Dr Fred Pender have their work cut out helping people navigate their way through the marketing spin toward a slimmer waistline.

Here, they cast their eye over some of the top fitness fads that promise to help us to achieve a healthy lifestyle, to see how likely they are to deliver on their pledge.

SLIMMING DRINKS / MEALS / PILLS

SCOTS are clearly being lured by the growing range of brands tempting us to eat ourselves thin on their products, with Weight Watchers increasing its product range by 14 per cent, Kellogg's Special K now available in 31 different varieties and muscle-sculpting range Maximuscle more than tripling its range in two years, while diet pills continue to spark controversy over their effectiveness and effect.

Emma said: "There's no substitute for eating good healthy food. You can't fool your brain with processed rubbish.

Dr Pender said: "There's nothing better for losing weight than a natural balanced diet.

"Some of these slimming drinks do very little to help."

GASTRIC BANDS

AROUND 3,000 people are on weight-loss waiting lists while about 155 surgeries are carried out across Scotland annually.

Emma said: "I find the fact that they're now offering gastric band surgery on the NHS depressing, especially when I read stories or encounter people who have had it at a young age.

"The obesity is often a symptom of an underlying emotional problem.

"The weight will come off initially but if you don't treat the emotional problem the weight will soon go back on again."

"It's a pretty drastic and brutal way to try to lose weight."

Dr Pender said: "It's a sign of the times that people are starting to accept more radical approaches to weight loss."

NINTENDO WII FIT TRAINING

NINTENDO'S Wii Fit range of games are widely seen as the antidote to sedentary computer geeks spending hours in the armchair moving nothing but their thumbs. It is currently the third best selling console game in history, and pits players against a series of fitness challenges intended to give them a workout while keeping them entertained.

Emma said: "I always believe outdoor exercise is best. Having said that, the games are very enjoyable and the way it measures your weight and performance is motivating for some people. If people are encouraged to use it regularly then it's fine."

Dr Pender said: "While Wii-fit is aerobic, I would question how regularly people are using it."

GYM

JOINING a gym is often the first step in any new weight-loss regime, but with private memberships costing as much as GBP 50 a month, few can afford to the break the bank to break a sweat. However, some city gyms are now offering annual memberships for as little as GBP 19.99 a month.

Emma said: "Some people love the gym or love going for a swim, which is great, but I think the best way to lose weight to is to incorporate exercise into your daily routine.

"Most of us lead pretty sedentary lives, at home and at work, but you can get a lot of benefit from ditching the car and walking."

Dr Pender said: "It's vital to remember that if you're going to the gym you have to work. Some people think that just walking through the door will make you lose weight."

FIVE-A-DAY

THE World Health Organisation recommends eating a minimum of 400g of fruit and vegetables a day to lower the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and obesity. The NHS has translated this to an easy to remember regime of five 80g portions a day.

Emma said: "Encouraging people to eat five portions of fruit and veg a day is really just the lowest number that the department of health thought they could get people to follow. In the Mediterranean most people eat over ten portions a day.

"I'm not a fan of these fruit juices and smoothies that claim to offer 'two of your five a day'. I'd prefer it if people just ate apples and oranges rather than something that's been heavily processed."

Dr Pender said: "Five a day is the minimum you should be eating, whereas ten a day would significantly increase the balance of your diet. If you're eating ten a day there's less room for rubbish like sweets."

NEWS: Shandwick Place "A Disaster"

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
19 May 2010

SHANDWICK Place has become "a disaster" according to one developer hoping to attract a major supermarket to the area.

The owners of the unit currently occupied by Habitat fear the furniture retailer may pull out when the lease expires in around two years, and have been canvassing interest from supermarkets.

However, several major chains - including Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Sainsbury's
and Somerfield - have turned down owner Deramore Property Group's advances unless they can secure permission for a major refit of the shop floor.

Frank Montgomery, of property agents BNP Paribas Real Estate, said: "Shandwick Place has been a disaster for retailers in the recent hard economic times and arguably hit harder by the tram works on the street.

"The location currently lacks a major tenant who would be a catalyst for the street and be a reason for people to shop on the street.

"The marketing campaign did result in interest from strong high street names, primarily the food sector, including Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Sainsbury's. Discussions and negotiations were progressed with these tenants but they all led to the unit being discounted due to the current configuration of the unit."

Habitat CEO Mark Saunders gave an assurance that "Habitat is committed to Shandwick Place and Edinburgh" but gave no indication how long this commitment would last.

As a "contingency" Deramore has applied for planning permission to refit the basement for storage, remove the central staircase to increase the ground floor space and create flats on the upper floors.

Deramore commercial director Darren Lonergan said: "We're not sure what Habitat's plans are.

"We are keeping an open dialogue with them but in the meantime we'd like to have a fallback, and we have been speaking to other retailers who have requested changes to the store layout."

Somerfield, which has a store on Shandwick Place, has rejected an offer to move into the Habitat unit across the road, triggering the prospect of a supermarket war.

Such a battle could have dire consequences for local independent retailers, including convenience retailer The Westend Store, in nearby Melville Place, where owner Joe Hussain has traded for over 20 years.

The next closest independent deli, Cockburn's, was one of the first victims of the tram work and credit crunch double-whammy in 2008.

However, Joshua Miller, manager of Charlie Miller hairdressers on Shandwick Place and vice chair of the West End Traders Association, said: "We think another supermarket on the street will be a good thing.

"It would be good to see someone big and stable coming into the area.

"Joe's place is a brilliant store and is packed full of stuff, and I think he will remain the place for locals to go for a pint of milk and loaf no matter who opens up on Shandwick Place."

NEWS: Cold War Escalates...With Planes And Badgers

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
17 May 2010

ARCHITECTS and developers often run into objections, and the scheme to install a massive wind turbine on Corstorphine Hill is no exception.

But the ambitious plans have found themselves under fire from above and below ground over claims they will interfere with everything from planes to badgers.

The owners of a Cold War nuclear bunker on the site have applied to build a 190ft turbine to raise money for the bunker's restoration and eventual reopening as a tourist attraction.

The plans are yet to go before city planners, but the initial objections received by the council are not good news for the scheme.

The most serious objection comes from Edinburgh Airport, where safety bosses are raising concerns the turbine could pose an obstacle to low-flying aircraft, obstruct the view of incoming pilots and interfere with radar.

And on top of that, or rather below it, are fears from Scottish Natural Heritage that, as well as spoiling the view, it will upset the hill's resident badgers.

Susan Sweetman, SNH Forth & Borders area officer, said: "Corstorphine Hill is designated as a Local Nature Conservation Site and there are large numbers of badgers known to occupy it.

"The design statement does not address any potential disturbance to badgers or refer to the conservation designations, or consider potential impacts of the turbine on birds."

The group is also worried about the look of the turbine and its visual impact on the city.

She added: "The scheme would be highly visible from most parts of the city and from the undeveloped Pentland Hills to the south.

"Along with the large scale of the turbine, this would result in significant landscape and visual impacts with little potential for mitigation."

The nuclear bunker's owner, James Mitchell, has converted a similar bunker near Anstruther into a tourist attraction called Scotland's Secret Bunker, and hopes to generate enough revenue from the turbine to repair the Corstorphine bunker, which was heavily damaged by fire in 1993.

However, planners at East Lothian Council, who were consulted as a signatory to the Edinburgh & the Lothians Structure Plan, said building a turbine to fund a tourist attraction "is not considered a sufficient material consideration to warrant a departure from Structure Plan policy".

Christopher Butler, of BAA Aerodrome Safeguarding, said: "Our assessment shows that turbines of 99m high in this location would be visible to the radar at Edinburgh Airport.

"This causes noticeable returns to be generated on the radar screens and therefore the turbine will cause operational problems for Air Traffic Control at Edinburgh Airport."

Drum Brae Community Council has also objected "in the strongest possible terms"

Chairman Reginald Kingman said: "It is our view that this development would be out of all proportion for an area that has a high number of residences in very close proximity."

Kelvin Donaldson, director of Grassmarket-based architects Gilberts,

said: "We are examining whether a very much smaller turbine might avoid interfering with aviation operations."

NEWS: Lucky Escape Before The Grenades Started Flying

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
12 May 2010

A HOLIDAY couple stranded by volcanic ash moved into a luxury hotel only to find themselves under siege.

Jim Raeburn, 63, from Duddingston, escaped from his hotel just hours before anti-government protesters launched a grenade attack which left one person dead and injured more than 80 people.

He was left stranded in the Thai capital with his wife Rosemary when the Icelandic volcano grounded his flights home from a far east cruise.

They booked a room in the Dusit Thani Hotel in the centre of Bangkok until their flights could be rescheduled, but they arrived to find that anti-government "red shirt" protesters had camped out directly outside.

Although they were allowed to move about the city freely, every time they left their hotel they had to run the gauntlet between protesters and riot police.

Mr Raeburn, director of the Scottish Newspaper Society, said: "The red shirts were very loud. There were speeches blaring during the day, and then loud music into the evening.

"They eventually erected a barricade around their camp, and we had police parked up in the hotel car park in case the protests spread into the hotel.

"We were allowed to move around Bangkok, but eventually, after a week, our tour operator suggested that we move to a different hotel for our own safety."

Less than 24 hours later, on 22 April, one person was killed and 86 wounded when five grenades blasted holes through the roof of a Skytrain station and shattered windows at the Dusit Thani.

Mr Raeburn added: "We had been keeping up with events unfolding in Bangkok throughout our cruise but I wasn't unduly worried about it.

"There wasn't much trouble when we were there, but we knew that there was the potential for trouble from the 'multi-coloured shirts', who want the red shirts to stop their protests because of the damage they're doing to Bangkok's economy.

"It was a bit of an adventure but the decision to move us was the right one."

NEWS: Suzanne Pilley - The Hunt Intensifies

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
12 May 2010

Last known movements

POLICE today repeated their appeal for information about missing Suzanne Pilley despite a "positive" response to screening her last movements on a big screen in the city centre.

The police hunt for her has intensified with forensics squads probing her workplace and appeals for help from her family and colleagues.

Miss Pilley, 38, was last seen on 4 May, the first Tuesday after the May Day bank holiday, heading for work on what appeared to be a normal day.

Detectives say they are "gravely concerned" she may have fallen victim to "a criminal act".

Forensics teams are carrying out a painstaking examination of the offices of financial services firm Infrastructure Managers Limited (IML) where she worked on Thistle Street, and a secluded lane at the rear.

Miss Pilley, who has been employed for around two years as a bookkeeper at the firm, was last seen disembarking from a No 4 bus and visiting Sainsbury's on Rose Street at around 8:50am on the day she disappeared.

She sent a text message to her mother about 20 minutes before she was last seen reportedly saying she was fine and on her way to work. Her office is less than five minutes' walk from the supermarket but police have been unable to ascertain whether she ever arrived.

A police spokeswoman said: "The forensics squad was carrying out a routine search of her office for any sign that she had been there on the day of her disappearance."

IML managing director Alan Jessop appealed for information and said: "We're all obviously very concerned about Suzanne's disappearance and we hope police appeals will lead to a successful and happy conclusion. Suzanne is just a lovely lady. She is a very valued member of staff and we are all very shocked by her disappearance."

Mr Jessop said Miss Pilley had never missed a day of work without checking in with her bosses, and that there was nothing in her demeanour in the days leading up to her disappearance to indicate she was thinking of running away.

A team of 60 officers has been drafted in to hunt for Miss Pilley, and many are currently scouring CCTV recordings of the area.

Police erected a giant television screen in St Andrew Square yesterday showing CCTV footage of her bus journey on the morning of her disappearance.

Police also distributed thousands of leaflets and took hundreds of statements from pedestrians which generated "a very positive response".

Police said Miss Pilley had recently entered into a romantic relationship and neighbours confirmed that they had seen a man apparently living with her at her home on Whitson Drive, in Saughton, for around six months.

Neighbour Scott Campbell said: "She's only been here for about a year. You see her coming and going in the stairway, and she seemed like a fairly normal person. Quite quiet, though.

"She had a boyfriend who appeared on the scene about six months ago.

"His car, a Vauxhall Vectra, was parked outside every night and left every morning so I assumed they were living together. I last saw him about six to eight weeks ago."

The door at Miss Pilley's home has now been replaced with a heavy steel security screen.

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said Miss Pilley had recently redecorated her flat in time for spring, adding:

"I used to chat to her in the back green when she was hanging her washing out.

"She was the same as she always was, although I think she had just had her hair cut."

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Flannigan, leading the investigation, said:

"We have very grave - and I must underline the word grave - concerns for the wellbeing of Suzanne.

"We are desperate to speak to anyone who saw her walking with her shoulder bag and large water bottle last Tuesday."

PARENTS MAKE APPEAL FOR HELP

POLICE were alerted to Miss Pilley's disappearance when her parents, Robert and Sylvia, called them in the evening after their daughter failed to show up for work.

Speaking from their home in Stenhouse, father Robert, 67, said: "The family is very upset. We would have heard from her by now.

"It's right out of character for her.

"She's always texting and calling her mum and we have not heard anything from her at all since she went missing.

"We just hope somebody gets in touch with the police. It is in the hands of the police now. There's not much else we can say."

Sylvia, 67, added: "We just hope somebody has seen something.

"Suzanne is a very proud Scot - she loves the great outdoors and is always cycling, walking and loves keep fit.

"She is a great fundraiser for charity, even abseiling off the Forth Road Bridge recently. We miss her terribly as we were in touch with her daily. The past week has just been like our worst nightmare - we almost cannot believe it is actually happening.

"We are asking anyone who might have any information, however trivial, to get in touch with police and put our minds to rest. We would also like to thank the police for all their help and assistance."

NEWS: Drive By Oranging

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
10 May 2010

POLICE are hunting a motorist who brought a bus to a standstill by cracking its windscreen with an orange.

The driver of the Lothian Buses 31 service was left "shaken but unharmed" after the windscreen was struck by the projectile while he was driving along Kenilworth Drive, in the Inch, last Tuesday night.

The orange appeared to have been thrown from a passing Vauxhall Astra, which sped off towards Kirk Brae.

Police were called and another bus was dispatched to the scene to take passengers on to their destinations.

One passenger, Thomas Gaynor, 54, from Bonnyrigg, said: "We heard this big bang and then the bus came to a stop.

"A woman who was sitting at the driver's side said she had just seen the driver of a passing Vauxhall Astra throw an orange at the windscreen. The speed of the car must have given the orange enough force to crack the windscreen, and the damage was so bad that the driver couldn't continue.

"We had to wait until the police arrived. Eventually, two police cars pulled up and the officers went and had a word with the driver.

"He told the police that the bus was fitted with CCTV cameras on the front, back and sides, so they will probably have footage of the car as it was coming towards the bus.

"The bus was unable to carry on in that condition, so another bus was sent out to pick us up.

"Why would anyone throw an orange at a bus? If it was intended as some sort of prank then it was a pretty stupid idea."

Police confirmed that an investigation was under way.

A spokesman said: "Investigations are ongoing. Something was clearly thrown at the windscreen, and officers are currently making further inquiries."

A spokesman for Lothian Buses said the bus was taken back to the depot, where it was fitted with a new windscreen overnight and sent back out on the road. He said: "The orange hit the windscreen with enough force to cause a crack and it also gave the driver a bit of a fright.

"The driver was shaken but otherwise unharmed, although it could potentially have been much worse.

"If it was something harder than an orange, like a brick, it could have gone right through the windscreen and injured the driver and his passengers.

"Hopefully, through working with the police, we will be able to help with their investigations to trace the driver responsible.

"The bus is fitted with CCTV cameras, so we'll hopefully be able to pick out a registration number that police will be able to use in their inquiries.

"This was a mindless attack which could have resulted in some very serious injuries."

NEWS: Thai Killer Escapes Murder Rap

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
10 May 2010

ONE of the men accused of killing a Lothians schoolteacher in Thailand is behind bars today but Foreign Office officials say he may have escaped a murder charge.

Chatchai Tarasaksit, one of three men originally accused of the murder of former Lasswade High music teacher David Crisp, has pleaded guilty to selling stolen goods.

He was sentenced to two years in prison, reduced by half on account of his guilty plea, during a trial earlier this year.

However, Foreign Office officials say he does not appear to be facing any further charges in relation to the murder of Mr Crisp.

The 56-year-old was found stabbed and beaten at his home in the northern city of Chiang Mai on 22 January last year.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: " He [Tarasaksit] pleaded guilty to selling stolen goods and was given a two-year sentence.

"We have received no further information regarding his murder charge. He has only been charged with selling stolen goods.

"It would appear that he is facing no more charges."

Mr Crisp's killers struck him over the head with teak vase, before slitting his throat and making off with a stolen safe.

However, the Foreign Office is currently unable to establish whether Tarasaksit's recent trial was related to selling goods stolen during the killing, or on a separate charge.

Tarasaksit initially admitted his part in the killing, but later changed his plea to not guilty.

His co-accused, Awoei Yaepiang, is set to stand trial on 23 November this year after he pleaded guilty to murdering Mr Crisp, and not guilty to charges of stealing his property.

Following his arrest close to the Burmese border, Yaepiang admitted his part in the killing and was photographed demonstrating how one of his accomplices bludgeoned Mr Crisp with the vase.

A third man, known only as Mr Jack, is still on the run.

Thailand is still in the grip of political protests that have stifled the economy, scared off tourists and sparked the country's deadliest political clashes in 18 years.

However, the Foreign Office says that the protests have not affected the justice system in Thailand and are unlikely to have any bearing on the trial.

Mr Crisp's sister-in-law Susan said: "The trial appears to be progressing as normal by Thai standards.

"We have been given absolutely no background knowledge about what happened that day, so we're just going to have to wait to see what is said when this other man goes to court in November."

MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO COMPOSER

A MUSICAL suite composed by David Crisp is set to be performed in Edinburgh next month.

Doi Suthep, is inspired by a Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai.

According to legend, the temple was founded by a king who received a part of Buddha's shoulder bone.

The relic was placed on the back of an elephant, which climbed Doi Suthep mountain and trumpeted three times before dying. It was interpreted as a sign and the temple was constructed at the site.

Mr Crisp's sister-in-law Susan said: "It's a really beautiful piece. It's good that we are able to keep David alive through his music."

The suite will be performed at a fundraiser for The Open Orchestra, which Mr Crisp helped to found, at Nicolson Square Church on 5 June from 7:30pm. Entry is free and a closing collection will be held.

NEWS: Don't Fuck With 'Hang 'Em Hook'

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
5 May 2010

Getaway bid nearly costs robber his life after raid on sheriff

A THIEF was rescued from the Water of Leith after botching his escape from a robbery at a retired sheriff's house.

Thief Michael MacKinnon burst into 91-year-old William Hook's Moray Place home on 27 January this year and covered the ex-sheriff's head with a cloth before punching him, stealing his war medals and trying to make his escape by jumping into the freezing water.

However, MacKinnon's haul - which amounted to £5 cash and a few items of "sentimental value" - almost cost him his life as he soon found himself struggling against the current.

He was eventually "lifted" at the Bell's Brae Bridge, nearly 500 metres downstream, by Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue water rescue crews.

The 26-year-old was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where he was eventually handed over to police following treatment for hypothermia.

His victim - a former PoW whose fearsome reputation amongst criminals earned him the nickname "Hang 'em Hook" - today said he had been up for "a bit of fisticuffs".

Sheriff Hook said: "He gave me a black eye so I gave him one back. He probably thought he had got lucky when he saw me but there's life in me yet and I thumped him as hard as I could.

"He didn't scare me - in fact, I like a bit of fisticuffs. I've come through worse things in my life that is for sure.

"I had a tough time as a PoW and came back showing nothing but rag and bone.

"Nevertheless, I survived and here I am today, still fighting off what the world throws at me."

MacKinnon pleaded guilty yesterday to assault and robbery charges.

Fiscal depute Ruth Ross-Davie told Edinburgh Sheriff Court: "MacKinnon entered the house by the front door, which was shut but not locked. It was left open because Sheriff Hook regarded himself to be living in a good area and wouldn't require to lock his door.

"MacKinnon entered a bedroom and went through all the drawers and cupboards, stealing a number of items including cufflinks, two medals, some gold buttons and tie pins.

"He then approached Sheriff Hook, who was in the sitting room, and covered his head with a cloth and indicated he wanted him to give him all his money.

"He gave MacKinnon the GBP 5 note which had been in his pocket, before the accused made his escape out the back door.

"He was rescued from the water by the fire service.

"Witnesses had seen suspicious goings-on and contacted police about a stranger entering the sheriff's house.

"By the time police got there, they found MacKinnon in the Water of Leith and they were able to recover all of the items taken from Sheriff Hook.

"He was unable to put a value on the items, which included wartime medals, but they had a significant sentimental value.

"He suffered bruising to the face as a result of the commotion of the covering of his head."

The ex-sheriff declined medical attention but gave police a statement after MacKinnon was arrested.

MacKinnon, whose address was given as Prison of Edinburgh, appeared from custody before Sheriff Derrick McIntyre. His defence agent, Cameron Tait, did not apply for bail and reserved any statement until sentencing.

Sheriff McIntyre called for background reports and ordered MacKinnon to be brought back to court later this month.

NEWS: "So, why should I vote for you?"

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
4 May 2010


A BUSINESSMAN has erected a 40-foot-long hoarding outside his home challenging his local election candidates to personally explain how they are going to stop his business going to the wall.

Property investor Ian McDonald - who lives in Chancellor Alistair Darling's constituency - said he was forced to lay off nearly all of his staff and sell off assets when RBS began clawing back his loans at the start of the credit crunch.

He said his company, Loanhead-based Ian McDonald Enterprises (IME), is facing bankruptcy by the end of the year unless politicians can force the banks to start lending again.

He said: "Prior to the credit crunch RBS were actively encouraging me to expand, and offering me more and more loans to expand my portfolio of properties.

"I expanded to around 30 properties and employed a team of around 20, including joiners, plumbers, architects and lawyers.

"But then, as soon as the credit crunch hit, the bank turned around and said they wanted all of their money back. I had to lay off all of my staff and sell off the company vehicles to make the repayments.

"I've now been given until December to repay all of my loans. If I can't pay then I'm afraid I'll have to go out of business."

The 55-year-old businessman, who has two children and two grandchildren, decided to vent his fury in a very public fashion by spending GBP 450 to erect the huge banner outside his home on Lanark Road.

The banner reads: "I am a company director [and] have lived & worked my whole life in Edinburgh. I have employed on average around 20 people and I now employ one.

"Why should we the people suffer all property losses, higher interest, refusal to lend, no overdrafts, loss of house & careers?"

Mr McDonald, also chairman of local football team Redhall Star, has also questioned why he has never seen any of his candidates supporting the team.

He said he has received support from neighbours following the stunt, and has become "something of a local hero".

Mr Darling, who is expected to hold Edinburgh South West on Thursday, said: "I haven't heard from Mr McDonald so far but I would be happy to discuss his problems with him, as I am with every constituent."

SNP candidate Kaukab Stewart visited him last night, while Liberal Democrat candidate Tim McKay also vowed to pay him a visit.

Conservative candidate Jason Rust declined to comment.

An RBS spokesman said it was keen to investigate Mr McDonald's case: "We continue to support viable businesses and during 2009 approved 85 per cent of all lending requests. That said, we also know that it is not in anyone's interest for us to extend borrowing to businesses which are unable to repay."

NEWS: Edinburgh - Well Worth A Visit

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
4 May 2010

Global travellers' poll rates Capital the best of British

EDINBURGH is the only city in the UK worth visiting according to a new poll of world travellers.

The poll for travel review website TripAdvisor ranked Edinburgh as the 21st most popular travel destination in world.

The city beat off competition from other UK cities such as Brighton, York and London - who polled just behind Edinburgh in the UK table but failed to make the top 25 world destinations.

Edinburgh was also voted the seventh best place for a night out in Europe, and the 17th best European city overall.

The table was compiled from the reviews and opinions of millions of travellers on the TripAdvisor site, and their associated Facebook 'Cities I've Visited' page.

Ron Hewitt, chief executive of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, said: "We're getting used to coming out top in these surveys to the point where it's becoming a regular feature of Edinburgh life, but I would hate to think it will lead to complacency. It's a continuing reflection of how well our tourism and hospitality sectors are doing at the moment, while other cities are struggling during the recession.

"This is a great encouragement and demonstrates that Edinburgh remains a great place to live and work, as well as visit, and it bodes well for us as we look to rebuild our economy.

"TripAdvisor has a pretty good polling system, based largely on the 'Cities I've Visited' tab on Facebook where users can rate each place on their merits, so I'm confident that this is a very comprehensive poll indeed."

TripAdvisor spokeswoman Emma Boyle said Edinburgh's continuing dominance should serve as "a wake-up call" to other UK cities looking to stake their claim as a destination of choice to international travellers.

She said: "Scotland has so much to offer travellers, from the historic sights of Edinburgh to the shopping in Glasgow. It's encouraging to see smaller destinations such as Islay and Skye have been identified by TripAdvisor travellers too.

"Millions of travellers around the world have spoken and this will serve as a stark wake-up call to London in particular, which failed to make it into the top 25 global or European destination tables.

"London is one of the greatest cities in the world but with the Olympics just two years away there is clearly still work to do to convince travellers that England's capital is a world-class tourist destination."

It comes on the back of a raft of polls that also placed Edinburgh as one of the best destinations to visit. A YouGov poll conducted last August voted Edinburgh the most desirable city to live in the UK.

Later that month Edinburgh also topped the Travelodge "Bucket List" - places most British people would like to see before they "kick the bucket" - and also revealed the Edinburgh accent to be the "sexiest" in UK.

Meanwhile, a survey carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers last September showed Edinburgh to be the most popular place in Scotland to live and work, and the second favourite across the whole of the UK.

Raising the city's profile

TOP 25 DESTINATIONS IN THE UK (ACCORDING TO EUROPEAN TRAVELLERS)

1 EDINBURGH

2 Brighton

3 York

4 London

5 Liverpool

6 Wells, Somerset

7 Isle of Skye, Scotland

8 Loch Lomond and The Trossachs

9 Islay, Scotland

10 St Ives, Cornwall

11 Cardiff

12 Bath

13 Fort William

14 Isle of Wight

15 Tenby, Wales

16 Belfast

17 Yorkshire Dales

18 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

19 Windermere, Cumbria

20 Padstow, Cornwall

21 Glastonbury, Somerset

22 Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire

23 Hope Cove, Devon

24 Durness, Scotland

25 Salisbury, Wiltshire

TOP 25 DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD

1 Monte-Carlo Monaco

2 Heidelberg Germany

3 Salzburg Austria

4 Florence Italy

5 Lucerne Switzerland

6 Tokyo Japan

7 Venice Italy

8 Siena Italy

9 Rome Italy (pictured right)

10 Hamburg Germany

11 Sydney Australia

12 Amsterdam The Netherlands

13 San Francisco United States

14 Prague Czech Republic

15 Queenstown NewZealand

16 Berlin Germany

17 St. Petersburg Russia

18 Munich Germany

19 Stockholm Sweden

20 Barcelona Spain

21 EDINBURGH UNITEDKINGDOM

22 Copenhagen Denmark

23 Bruges Belgium

24 Victoria Canada

25 CapeTown South Africa

TOP 10 EUROPEAN NIGHTLIFE DESTINATIONS (ACCORDING TO GLOBAL TRAVELLERS)

1 London,UK

2 Berlin,Germany

3 Newcastle,UK

4 Dublin, Ireland

5 Amsterdam, Netherlands

6 Barcelona, Spain

7 EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

8 Paris, France

9 Mykonos, Greece

10 Hamburg,Germany

NEWS: Provost: "I've Got Fuck All To Answer For!"

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
4 May 2010


Anger at Provost's 150-mile jaunt so taxpayers can buy him tartan of his football favourites

Provost denies trip to buy kilt a waste of money

A FOOTBALL-LOVING Lord Provost has come under fire after making a 150-mile round trip to buy a kilt on expenses.

Provost Adam Montgomery, pictured, racked up a £60 mileage claim to purchase the £890 garment from McCallum Highland Wear of Kilmarnock.

The kilt, designed for Kilmarnock Football Club, was also charged to the taxpayer. Mr Montgomery is Midlothian Lord Provost and today Midlothian Council's SNP group, led by SNP parliamentary candidate Colin Beattie, said his trip was excessive and wasteful.

But Provost Montgomery said he had "**** all" to answer for.

He said: "I am the lowest paid Lord Provost in Scotland. I received my P60 last month and I earned a total of £15,300 last year.

"I'm allowed £2,000 in expenses for clothes.

"Edinburgh's Lord Provost is allowed £5,000 for clothing and his wife is allowed £2,000, whereas my wife gets nothing so I don't feel the need to explain myself.

"When I travel to international functions I have to pay to take my wife with me whereas Edinburgh's Lady Provost travels on expenses, which I think is perfectly acceptable, but it's a right that my wife and I do not enjoy.

"Have a look at what other Lord Provosts get and you will see that I am the lowest paid so I've got **** all to explain to the SNP group, and you can quote me on every word of that." He said he had made the trip to a Kilmarnock kiltmaker as he wanted the Kilmarnock FC tartan - having been a lifelong supporter of the club - and it was the only place he could get it.

And he insisted the kilt had been for official functions, including a twinning visit to France, and was well-within his clothing budget.

On the issue of charging for the trip, Provost Montgomery said that he had actually made two trips - once to get fitted, and again to collect the kilt - but had only charged for one of them. The issue is set to be raised at the next meeting of Midlothian Council, with opposition councillors claiming he should have used a local kiltmaker.

Provost Montgomery insisted he had done nothing wrong. He said: "I put in a shift every month for Midlothian so the SNP want to get a grip of themselves and grow up. "I needed the kilt for my visit to France to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the twinning of Saint Cyr L'Ecole with Bonnyrigg and Lasswade, and I will be wearing it to the 50th anniversary celebrations of Dalkeith's twinning with Jarnac later this year.

"I wanted the Kilmarnock tartan because I am a Kilmarnock supporter, I was born in Kilmarnock and it was the only place I could get the tartan. Where I was born and what colour tartan I wear should not be an issue.

"I could have chosen the Montgomery tartan, which would also have been appropriate, but I wanted something a little bit different."

Midlothian SNP group leader Colin Beattie has pledged to raise the issue of Provost Montgomery's trip, which took place in April last year, at the next Midlothian Council meeting in June.

He said: "I don't have a clue what he needs his own tailor made kilt for. If it's coming out of the official expenses I assume it's for use in official functions but I've never seen him wearing a kilt.

"Also, if it's tailor-made to his measurements it will be no good to the next provost so it could end up having a very short official shelf life. "It's a terrible waste of money during these times of austerity.

"I'm not arguing against the principle of a clothing allowance for the Provost, but did he really have to travel to Kilmarnock to buy it?

"There are one or two good kiltmakers in Midlothian. Why not go to one of them?

"You would think, as Provost, he would want to showcase the best of Midlothian rather than go elsewhere."

NEWS: Soldiers Home With A Roar

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
1 May 2010

EDINBURGH soldiers are set to receive a high-octane welcome home when a parade to celebrate their return from Afghanistan is led out by up to 200 Harley Davidson Motorcycles.

The troops from 3rd Battalion The Rifles (3 Rifles) and their accompanying detachment from 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (1 Scots) Bravo Company will parade down The Mile next Saturday following one of the most gruelling tours in the regiment's recent history.

The battle group they were attached to lost 30 men in Helmand - 16 from the Edinburgh-based regiments alone.

The Harleys were invited by Bob Wright, father of Dalkeith paratrooper Cpl Mark Wright, who was posthumously awarded the George Cross following his death in 2006.

Mr Wright said: "I thought it would be a great idea as it will make the day a real attraction, especially for the children. Maybe I'm just a big kid myself because I'm really looking forward to it."

The Mark Wright Project, the charity set up in Cpl Wright's honour, was approached by another former paratrooper Gordon McLuskie, regional representative of The Harley Davidson Riders Club of Great Britain, two months ago offering the club's services for future fundraising activities.

Mr Wright immediately signed them up for next Saturday's parade, drawing inspiration from a similar bike ride last month through Wootton Bassett, near to RAF Lyneham where most of Britain's fallen soldiers are repatriated.

Mr McLuskie, 53, from Kirkcaldy, said: "Some of our riders took part in the Wootton Bassett ride, and we were honoured to be asked to lead out the Edinburgh parade."

Riders are expected to arrive from all over Scotland, including a contingent from Edinburgh Harley Davidson, based on West Mains Road, the Ayrshire Hillbillies Motorcycle Club, Stirling-based Caledonia Harley and bikes from the Pirate Crew and Scottish Cruisers.

An Army spokeswoman said: "We're absolutely thrilled that the Harleys will be leading the parade out. The Harleys will hopefully get the expected crowds in parade spirit. It's really touching that the riders have chosen to bring their pride and joy along and spend their Saturday supporting the Army.

"It will be a really nice prelude to the parade, which will be a bit of a high speed affair itself.

"3 Rifles will be parading down the Royal Mile at quick-march speed of 140 paces-per-minute, which is their traditional marching pace.

"It's a tradition that stems back to the days when they were known as the Light Infantry, who were famous for their quick marching.

"They march in time to buglers, who also have to march quickly while playing which is no mean feat. The 1 Scots Bravo Company, who accompanied 3 Rifles on their latest tour, will also be parading at normal pace - so they'll probably have to set off on Friday to keep up! All in all it's going to be a bit of a 'blink-and-you'll miss it' affair."

The parade will start at 10.30am on 8 May from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace, where the soldiers will be met by Princess Alexandra.

FEATURE: Flesh Eating Infection And A Child Without Hope

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
30 April 2010


Viki O'Donnell says the warning signs were there before her daughter's tragic death two days after birth.

Despite being a rare condition which is deeply frightening for the parents of newborns, most babies make a full recovery from NEC. But not all.

MARK McLAUGHLIN speaks to one mum who is still coming to terms with the death of her daughter six years on and why she is still seeking answers

'I LOOK at photos of Tilly now but I couldn't at first," says Viki O'Donnell, reflecting on the child she held for just 48 precious hours.

The photographs are now all she has of her daughter, and while she cherishes the opportunity to see her face every day, the pain that once caused her to hide the photos away has never faded.

Although Viki carried her daughter to full term, Tilly was born underweight, underdeveloped and with a range of illnesses commonly associated with premature births.

Chief among these was necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), an inflammation of the bowel that can cause its contents to leak into the abdomen.

NEC is rare in full-term babies. As Andy Cole, chief executive of Bliss, the charity for premature and sick babies, explains: "NEC is a very serious condition which most commonly affects premature babies. However, ten per cent of NEC cases are found in full-term babies. These cases are often associated with an underlying health issue. It is often difficult to diagnose but can usually be successfully treated either medically or with surgery."

Usually, but not always.

It was a cruel turn of fate for Viki, who had already seen her fair share of heartache since she learned she was pregnant in December 2003.

Viki was only 20 when she met the father of her tragically short-lived daughter on an internet chatroom earlier that year.

"I wasn't looking for a relationship," says Viki, who is now 27 and lives in Penicuik. "We were just chatting but one day he asked to meet up. I wasn't too sure but we had been chatting for a good six or seven months, so I agreed and we met on 27 September, 2003. We really hit it off.

"On 17 December that year, I found out I was pregnant. I was absolutely shocked. It obviously wasn't planned. We weren't serious about each other, we were just having fun.

"I texted him - which probably isn't the best way to tell someone they're going to be a dad - but I didn't receive a reply."

Aside from a couple of apologetic texts and a few vague promises over the term of the pregnancy, Viki never heard from the boy again.

Despite the emotional trauma of facing life as a single mother, the pregnancy went off without a hitch until about three weeks before term when she noticed a watery green discharge.

In two separate tests over the next week, nurses dismissed the greeny liquid first as normal pregnancy discharge and then thrush, but after two weeks the discharge still hadn't stopped.

"I finally got to see a doctor on 16 August, 2004 and he told me that I was 3cm dilated and that I was about to go into labour. When the baby was born, there were no waters.

"The midwife was shocked that it was a dry birth, but Tilly was crying so I thought everything was all right."

Everything was far from all right. Despite her full term, Tilly was found to have a gestation age of just 31-34 weeks and an inflammation of the bowel that required an urgent operation.

Despite the doctors' initial hopes that the operation was a success, her condition soon deteriorated.

"A nurse and two doctors came into my room," Viki continues. "They sat me down and said that they had some bad news. One doctor told me that they didn't think Tilly was going to make it. I wasn't prepared for that.

"He asked if I was in contact with Tilly's dad. I still had his mobile number, but it just went through to answer phone.

"I left him a message saying that if he wanted to see his daughter he better hurry because she was dying, but I never received a reply and he didn't make any effort to be there.

"My own midwife came in to see me and I gave her a big cuddle. I wanted my family with me to come and see Tilly before she died, but my brother-in-law only had a two-seater car so the midwife went all the way from Edinburgh Royal Infirmary to the other side of Edinburgh to collect them.

"We took Tilly to be baptised and after that she passed away."

It was a devastating blow for Viki, who had to undergo counselling to come to terms with the loss and still feels aggrieved that the early warning signs she presented in the weeks before weren't picked up by the nurses.

She says: "The cause of death was put down to the hole in her bowel and necrotising enterocolitis. They did a full investigation and found that no-one was at fault, but I'm convinced that the discharge I had for weeks was my waters slowly leaking out.

"I think Tilly must have been inside me for about two weeks without any fluid, which is why she was so small when she was born because she hadn't developed properly.

"We would just like someone to turn around and say 'I'm sorry, we were wrong' but no-one admitted any fault even though I had been telling them something was wrong for weeks.

"The warning signs were there. I just want an apology."

An independent consultant was brought in to review the case and found no evidence of negligence.

The consultant stated: "Tilly had several risk factors associated with the development of NEC in a full-term baby.

"She was of low weight for her gestational age. She had polycythemia [a rare blood disorder], a recognised association of intrauterine growth restriction.

"There was also prolonged rupture of the membranes . . . I am unable to determine from the case notes whether the paediatricians who were at the delivery were aware that there was the possibility that the membranes had ruptured at 38 weeks or indeed that the obstetric and midwifery staff attending Tilly's delivery considered this likely.

"It is my opinion that Tilly's post-natal management was reasonable. The treatment was given expeditiously. I can find no evidence that failure to apply any treatment might have changed the outcome."

Six years on, NHS Lothian maintains that the treatment Tilly received after she was born was reasonable.

Maria Wilson, chief midwife at NHS Lothian, said: "I would like to express our sincere condolences to Miss O'Donnell. It is always difficult to revisit a case six years on, especially when a formal complaint has never been received. We met with Miss O'Donnell and her family at the time to discuss the circumstances in greater detail, but if any issues remain unresolved or Miss O'Donnell has any unanswered questions, we would be happy to meet with her again."

When Viki's sister Kay-Leigh had her own child, a son called Tyler, a few months later, it was a bittersweet moment for Viki.

She says: "When she had her baby I was glad it was a boy, because a girl would have reminded me too much of Tilly. Even then I couldn't go near him without feeling a lot of pain, but I had to push through it because it was important for us to bond."

It was a bond that seemed to transcend death, for Tyler didn't only bond with Viki but also with the late cousin who could have been so close but who he never got to meet.

"Tyler used to ask for Tilly when he learned to speak. He would say, 'Where's Tilly? Why can't I see her?'.

"We saw him sitting on a step one day apparently talking to himself. We asked him who he was talking to and he said, 'I'm talking to Tilly'."

WHAT IS NECROTISING ENTEROCOLITIS?

NECROTISING enterocolitis, or NEC, happens when the tissues in the intestine become inflamed and start to die. This can lead to a hole in the gut developing, allowing the contents of the intestine to leak into the abdomen and cause a serious infection.

According to Great Ormond Street Chidlren's Hospital in London, NEC can be difficult to diagnose although the condition is becoming more common - most likely because more premature babies are surviving.

Just 10 per cent of cases of NEC are found in full-term babies. Symptoms include problems feeding and a swollen and sore abdomen. NEC is the reason for most surgical emergencies in newborn babies. Operations to close the hole and remove the dead tissue take between 30 minutes and four hours. The vast majority of NEC cases are treated successfully with children going on to lead normal lives.

There is no specific support group for parents of babies with NEC but Bliss, the charity for premature and sick babies, may be able to help. Contact the national family support hotline on 0500 618140 or Bliss Scotland, PO Box 29198, Dunfermline, KY12 2BB, 0845 157 0077 or scotland@ bliss.org.uk.

NEWS: Molar Pregnancy

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
28 April 2010

Woman hit by rare condition sets fundraising target

LEARNING that you're going to be a mother for the first time is one of the happiest days of a woman's life, but for Helen Sherwood joy soon turned to tragedy.

The 32-year-old human resources officer, who lives in Leith, was over the moon when she discovered she was pregnant after three years of trying, but a scan revealed not only that her pregnancy was abnormal but was in fact a cancerous growth.

Doctors diagnosed a molar pregnancy, a rare condition where an inviable egg is fertilised and develops like a skin growth, and in extremely rare circumstances can become cancerous.

The recovery rate is 99 per cent and most women go on to have children after treatment, but for Helen it was a completely different story.

"After my 12-week scan I was taken straight into surgery to have the growth removed," said Helen.

"I then had to endure a nine-month course of chemotherapy, but all the way through the doctors were telling me how good my chances were.

"They told me that I would go on to have children, and even showed me a baby book featuring mothers who had recovered from a molar pregnancy with their children.

"The chemo was the hardest thing I had ever had to endure but one of things that got me through it was the thought that I would be able to have children at the end."

The chemotherapy ended in December 2006 and Helen was able to spend a happy Christmas with her husband Richard, 34, at their home in Ipswich. But the New Year brought a final devastating blow that ended her hopes for motherhood forever.

"I was told that the chemotherapy hadn't been successful and I was given a choice to either undergo more chemo or have a hysterectomy," added Helen.

"The first round of chemo was so horrific that I didn't think I could go through it all again, but I didn't even want to consider the other option.

"The doctors went away to give me time to decide what to do, but then they came back a few hours later and took the decision out of my hands.

"They told me that I had to have the hysterectomy."

After the operation Helen declined the offer of counselling and returned to work after a month, going against doctors' advice that she should take at least three months off and preferring to rely on her husband and family for solace.

However, she soon found the pressure too hard to bear and, after nine months travelling in Australia and New Zealand, she decided to start a new life with her husband in Edinburgh two years ago.

This weekend, she is set to run the Bupa Great Edinburgh Run for cancer research.

She said: "We're finally starting to feel optimistic about life again, which is why we've decided to start campaigning for cancer research.

"We're raising money for the Cancer Treatment & Research Trust (CTRT), which works closely with the UK specialist centre for molar pregnancies at Charing Cross Hospital in London where I received my treatment."

Helen and Richard are trying to raise GBP 100,000 for a new CTRT research student. To sponsor her visit www.just giving.com/Helen-Sherwood

NEWS: No Escape!

MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
27 April 2010

A WHEELCHAIR-bound man has died from severe burns after firefighters burst into his Edinburgh home to find him engulfed in flames.

The 63-year-old man was unable to escape the blaze in the sheltered housing complex in Joppa after his clothes caught fire. Firefighters quickly doused the flames but the victim's burns were so severe that he died later in hospital.

Bosses at the Joppa complex today described the death as a "tragic accident" as investigations continued into the blaze, believed to have been caused by either a cigarette or a hob.

Watch manager Andrew Whitelaw, of Newcraighall Fire Station, said crews responded to an automatic fire alarm at the Trust Housing Association property on Queen's Bay Crescent at 12:15pm on Saturday.

He said: "The rest of the residents had already been evacuated or moved to safer parts of the building, and when we went inside we discovered the man in question was on fire.

"They carried out work to get him out of the flat and get the fire extinguished as quickly as possible.

"He was in a wheelchair so he was unable to escape or help himself.

"We followed all of the proper procedures but unfortunately the degree of the fire was quite severe and subsequently the man died."

The man was rushed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, but he died from his injuries at around 6pm that day.

Local residents said the sheltered housing was home to a mixture of elderly, disabled and learning disabled residents.

Due to the vulnerable condition of the residents the complex's fire alarm systems triggers an automatic call-out from the fire service, and neighbours said fire engines were a regular sight.

Neighbour Joss Cameron said: "The fire alarms are triggered regularly by residents burning food so the fire brigade are called out quite often.

"It's not really the best place for a sheltered housing complex as it's a narrow road with cars parked on either side so it's not the easiest road to gain access to.

"We don't really speak to the residents much apart from the odd hello during the summer, but you do see them most days heading off to the local pub."

Mr Whitelaw said fire crews did not encounter any access problems, and arrived at the scene "well within the expected timescale".

Trust Housing Association chief executive Bob McDougall expressed his "deep regret" over the man's death.

He said: "This was a tragic accident and we will await the outcome of an investigation into the circumstances of the fire before we can comment further.

"The man's next of kin has been informed by the police.

"It's hard to say how often fire engines are called out to the complex but we sometimes get false alarms as a result of residents burning toast, or something similar.

"The very fact that complex receives regular call outs is an indication that our automatic fire detection system works."