MARK McLAUGHLIN
Evening News (Edinburgh)
June 14, 2010, Monday
SHE'S used to making a song and dance about her love of the cinema, but now Oscar winner Tilda Swinton is inviting local residents to join her for a jig in Festival Square.
Ms Swinton hopes to lead a "flash mob" in a rendition of a classic Laurel and Hardy comedy dance routine to mark the launch of a new foundation to encourage youngsters to broaden their taste in movies.
Ms Swinton's is launching the 8 1/2 Foundation, which she has founded alongside filmmaker and former Edinburgh Film Festival director Mark Cousins.
The foundation aims to collect a bank of films suitable for viewing by eight-and-a-half year olds, the age at which the pair believe children should move on from Disney movies into more challenging territory.
Ms Swinton said: "Come rain or shine, having had our porridge, we're going to meet at Festival Square. We'll chat, read papers, suck a lolly, whatever.
"Then at exactly 11am The Avalon Boys' soft shoe ditty At the Ball will start. It's a song from Laurel and Hardy's funniest film, Way Out West.
"In the film, Stan and Ollie do a wee dance, which is rubbish compared to Cyd Charisse, Gene Kelly or any trained dancer, and yet it's one of the most charming, amusing, gentle, child-like musical numbers in the whole of cinema history.
"And so, in tribute to Stan and Ollie, and to the wee boys inside them, and to their movies, and to dancing in public in Edinburgh, possibly in the rain, and in pure unabashed celebration of doing something as a group and looking like dafties, when the music starts we will put down our newspapers and our adult selves, and do the Laurel and Hardy dance from the film."
Way Out West featured former George Watson's College and Edinburgh University graduate James Finlayson, a Laurel and Hardy stalwart who starred in 33 of their films.
Some fifty years later, Finlayson's frustrated catchphrase, a drawn-out "dohhhhhhh!", inspired the shorter version often exclaimed by Homer in The Simpsons.
The flash mob stunt will be similar to an advert for telephone company T Mobile which featured 400 people dancing in unison at Liverpool Street Station, and won advert of the year at this year's British advertising awards.
On one occasion, Police were forced to close the station when 13,000 people responded to a Facebook bid to stage a reenactment, packing out the platform with silent dancers and raising fears of overcrowding.
The organisers have no idea how many people will take part in the Festival Square event.
Ms Swinton added: "We need people to join us - especially if they are eight-and-a-half, or 85, or an accountant, or passing by, or on the bus, or Alex Salmond, or an Edinburgh International Film Festival movie-goer, or in high heels, or grumpy, or bevvied, or a bit bewildered by the fact that the bell clock has moved from one side of Lothian Road to the other, or if you've just bought a talking-point lamp from Ali's Cave or you don't usually dance in public.
"If people don't join us we will look like total fools, though not for the first time. Yes, we will all bump into each other, and yes it'll look nothing like those flash mobs you see on YouTube, but it should be very amusing."
Ms Swinton has revealed her plans today to give people two weeks notice to learn the dance -which can be viewed at their website eightandahalf.org - in time for the even, which is due to take place on 26 June.
Monday, 21 June 2010
NEWS: Methadone Baby Food
MARK McLAUGHLIN
Evening News (Edinburgh)
June 9, 2010, Wednesday
AN INVESTIGATION has been carried out after it emerged council social workers visited the house of a drug addict the day before she fed a two-month-old baby methadone.
Susan Taylor, 29, is currently serving three years at Cornton Vale Prison after giving the baby boy a dummy dripping with the heroin substitute in a bid to keep him quiet.
Although Taylor admitted the charge last September, the case could not be reported until her lesbian partner had faced trial over the incident.
Fellow drug addict Lynn Cowan, 28, was yesterday reunited with Ms Taylor at Cornton Vale when she was given ten months for failing in her "duty to tell doctors" that the child had ingested the drug.
The court heard that social workers had visited the flat in Leith's Fort just a day before the incident on 22 November 2008 and nothing untoward was reported. They had even ensured all controlled drugs were out of reach of the baby, according to fiscal depute John Kirk.
The following day Ms Taylor rolled the child's dummy in her methadone measuring cup before putting it in his mouth.
The baby sucked on the dummy for around five minutes before passing out, his face grey and his lips blue.
By the time an ambulance arrived on the scene the baby wasn't breathing. The child suffered fits on the way to the Sick Kids Hospital and was rushed to intensive care.
Doctors say it is too early to know whether the boy will suffer any lasting effects.
A council spokesman today said a review had been carried out following the incident.
He said: "Whilst we cannot predict or prevent all instances of harm, we have well-established procedures for assessing risk and we take fast action when we become aware of concerns.
"Although cases like this are very rare, the Edinburgh child protection committee have carried out a multi-agency significant case review.
"We will consider its contents, as we do with all reviews, to continuously shape the way we deliver our service."
However, the case does not require any major changes in the council's social work procedures, which the spokesman added were "robust".
The case raises questions over whether drug addicts should be allowed to care for children, but charity Children 1st said youngsters should only be removed when there is a clear risk
Chief executive Anne Houston
said that Children 1st worked with stable methadone users who can care for children with support.
She continued: "However, there are instances where additional, very intensive, support is required or children may need to be removed to ensure their continued safety.
Evening News (Edinburgh)
June 9, 2010, Wednesday
AN INVESTIGATION has been carried out after it emerged council social workers visited the house of a drug addict the day before she fed a two-month-old baby methadone.
Susan Taylor, 29, is currently serving three years at Cornton Vale Prison after giving the baby boy a dummy dripping with the heroin substitute in a bid to keep him quiet.
Although Taylor admitted the charge last September, the case could not be reported until her lesbian partner had faced trial over the incident.
Fellow drug addict Lynn Cowan, 28, was yesterday reunited with Ms Taylor at Cornton Vale when she was given ten months for failing in her "duty to tell doctors" that the child had ingested the drug.
The court heard that social workers had visited the flat in Leith's Fort just a day before the incident on 22 November 2008 and nothing untoward was reported. They had even ensured all controlled drugs were out of reach of the baby, according to fiscal depute John Kirk.
The following day Ms Taylor rolled the child's dummy in her methadone measuring cup before putting it in his mouth.
The baby sucked on the dummy for around five minutes before passing out, his face grey and his lips blue.
By the time an ambulance arrived on the scene the baby wasn't breathing. The child suffered fits on the way to the Sick Kids Hospital and was rushed to intensive care.
Doctors say it is too early to know whether the boy will suffer any lasting effects.
A council spokesman today said a review had been carried out following the incident.
He said: "Whilst we cannot predict or prevent all instances of harm, we have well-established procedures for assessing risk and we take fast action when we become aware of concerns.
"Although cases like this are very rare, the Edinburgh child protection committee have carried out a multi-agency significant case review.
"We will consider its contents, as we do with all reviews, to continuously shape the way we deliver our service."
However, the case does not require any major changes in the council's social work procedures, which the spokesman added were "robust".
The case raises questions over whether drug addicts should be allowed to care for children, but charity Children 1st said youngsters should only be removed when there is a clear risk
Chief executive Anne Houston
said that Children 1st worked with stable methadone users who can care for children with support.
She continued: "However, there are instances where additional, very intensive, support is required or children may need to be removed to ensure their continued safety.
NEWS: Rebus Roaming
MARK McLAUGHLIN
Evening News (Edinburgh)
June 4, 2010, Friday
IT DOESN'T take a detective to follow Ian Rankin around Edinburgh but those who need a helping hand will soon be able to follow him on their phone.
The Rebus author is currently recording content for a new online tour of the Capital for the Apple iPhone.
With almost hourly updates of his movements on social networking site Twitter, regular television and newspaper tours and his favourite pubs littering the pages of his Rebus novels, he is not shy of letting fans know where he likes to hang out.
But the new application will give fans another window into his favourite haunts, and those of his most popular character John Rebus.
Mr Rankin said: "When fans visit Edinburgh they will be able to find out more information about the locations in the books while walking around the city.
"I do get a lot of feedback from fans from outside Edinburgh who tell me they want to know more about the places that I write about, so anything that helps them to get a handle on the city is a good thing.
"Not everyone has time to go on the Rebus Walks, so this will allow them to do it in their own time."
The exact locations that will be featured in the Rankin App are still being finalised but Mr Rankin said he would endeavour to take fans where they wouldn't normally visit - such as the quiet banks of the Water of Leith - as well as the most popular destinations in his novels.
Julie MacBrayne, Orion marketing manager for paperbacks, said: "The app is still in the early stages, but we hope to have it up in time for the Festival.
"It's essentially going to be the Ian Rankin tour of Edinburgh. Ian is very much involved and it's going to be driven by his experiences of Edinburgh.
"He will be the unique selling point, especially amongst fans looking for an inside look at the places he visits and a behind the scenes look at his books.
"International fans will still be able to download the app and access its content, but they won't really get the full effect unless they walk the streets with him. We've got such a wealth of material from Ian already.
"It's the first time we've tried this with any of our authors. He's one of our bestselling authors and Edinburgh is the driving force behind all of his work so he was the obvious choice to launch this app."
Evening News (Edinburgh)
June 4, 2010, Friday
IT DOESN'T take a detective to follow Ian Rankin around Edinburgh but those who need a helping hand will soon be able to follow him on their phone.
The Rebus author is currently recording content for a new online tour of the Capital for the Apple iPhone.
With almost hourly updates of his movements on social networking site Twitter, regular television and newspaper tours and his favourite pubs littering the pages of his Rebus novels, he is not shy of letting fans know where he likes to hang out.
But the new application will give fans another window into his favourite haunts, and those of his most popular character John Rebus.
Mr Rankin said: "When fans visit Edinburgh they will be able to find out more information about the locations in the books while walking around the city.
"I do get a lot of feedback from fans from outside Edinburgh who tell me they want to know more about the places that I write about, so anything that helps them to get a handle on the city is a good thing.
"Not everyone has time to go on the Rebus Walks, so this will allow them to do it in their own time."
The exact locations that will be featured in the Rankin App are still being finalised but Mr Rankin said he would endeavour to take fans where they wouldn't normally visit - such as the quiet banks of the Water of Leith - as well as the most popular destinations in his novels.
Julie MacBrayne, Orion marketing manager for paperbacks, said: "The app is still in the early stages, but we hope to have it up in time for the Festival.
"It's essentially going to be the Ian Rankin tour of Edinburgh. Ian is very much involved and it's going to be driven by his experiences of Edinburgh.
"He will be the unique selling point, especially amongst fans looking for an inside look at the places he visits and a behind the scenes look at his books.
"International fans will still be able to download the app and access its content, but they won't really get the full effect unless they walk the streets with him. We've got such a wealth of material from Ian already.
"It's the first time we've tried this with any of our authors. He's one of our bestselling authors and Edinburgh is the driving force behind all of his work so he was the obvious choice to launch this app."
NEWS: Nine coffins leave Israel
MARK McLAUGHLIN
Evening News (Edinburgh)
June 3, 2010, Thursday
AN EDINBURGH activist seized in the Gaza aid flotilla is in Turkey today attending the funerals of the nine people who were massacred by Israeli troops.
Friends said Theresa McDermott called her partner Jim Burns from the airport in Istanbul yesterday to tell him she was safe.
Free Gaza Scotland co-ordinator Carl Abernethy said: "We had expected her home today but she said she's going to stay for the funerals of the nine people who were killed, which are expected to take place today.
"Although we do not yet know the identities of the nine people who were killed, they are likely to be Muslim and custom dictates that they are buried on the day of death or at the nearest possible opportunity.
"We expect her to fly home after that."
The IHH charity says they are having difficulty identifying five of the bodies. Four of them have been officially confirmed to be Turks.
There were unfounded fears that Ms McDermott had joined the MV Rachel Corrie, the Irish boat that was due to enter Gazan waters this morning.
Israel has said it will not bow to international pressure to let the boat through the blockade.
Mr Abernethy said: "I've just heard that the MV Rachel Corrie is heading for Gaza now and has formed a another convoy with three ships from Malaysia carrying humanitarian aid."
News that Ms McDermott is safe and well signals the end of a tense few days for friends who feared for her safety when the nine activists were killed by Israeli troops on the Gaza aid flotilla on Monday.
The boat she was travelling on, the Challenger 2, was taken without a fight and Ms McDermott was taken to Beersheeba Prison in Israel pending deportation.
One of the first activists to make it back from Israel, Hasan Nowarah from Bearsden, said he believed Ms McDermott, a postal worker from Pilrig, had been badly beaten up.
However, Ms McDermott's sister Winnie Chambers said she did not appear to be in any distress when she phoned her partner on Tuesday.
She said: "Her partner sent an e-mail round everyone yesterday saying that she was fine."
Free Gaza organisers in Cyprus will also be relieved to hear that Ms McDermott was safe, after their lawyer failed to track her down in the prison amid fears she had been hospitalised.
Spokeswoman Greta Berlin said Ms McDermott had been resisting deportation in solidarity with four Palestinian and Israeli nationals.
Israel today dropped plans to prosecute the activists to limit diplomatic damage.
Meanwhile, it has been claimed that IHH had "clear" links to terror groups.
However, IHH denies ties to radical groups and it is not among 45 groups listed as terrorists by the US.
Evening News (Edinburgh)
June 3, 2010, Thursday
AN EDINBURGH activist seized in the Gaza aid flotilla is in Turkey today attending the funerals of the nine people who were massacred by Israeli troops.
Friends said Theresa McDermott called her partner Jim Burns from the airport in Istanbul yesterday to tell him she was safe.
Free Gaza Scotland co-ordinator Carl Abernethy said: "We had expected her home today but she said she's going to stay for the funerals of the nine people who were killed, which are expected to take place today.
"Although we do not yet know the identities of the nine people who were killed, they are likely to be Muslim and custom dictates that they are buried on the day of death or at the nearest possible opportunity.
"We expect her to fly home after that."
The IHH charity says they are having difficulty identifying five of the bodies. Four of them have been officially confirmed to be Turks.
There were unfounded fears that Ms McDermott had joined the MV Rachel Corrie, the Irish boat that was due to enter Gazan waters this morning.
Israel has said it will not bow to international pressure to let the boat through the blockade.
Mr Abernethy said: "I've just heard that the MV Rachel Corrie is heading for Gaza now and has formed a another convoy with three ships from Malaysia carrying humanitarian aid."
News that Ms McDermott is safe and well signals the end of a tense few days for friends who feared for her safety when the nine activists were killed by Israeli troops on the Gaza aid flotilla on Monday.
The boat she was travelling on, the Challenger 2, was taken without a fight and Ms McDermott was taken to Beersheeba Prison in Israel pending deportation.
One of the first activists to make it back from Israel, Hasan Nowarah from Bearsden, said he believed Ms McDermott, a postal worker from Pilrig, had been badly beaten up.
However, Ms McDermott's sister Winnie Chambers said she did not appear to be in any distress when she phoned her partner on Tuesday.
She said: "Her partner sent an e-mail round everyone yesterday saying that she was fine."
Free Gaza organisers in Cyprus will also be relieved to hear that Ms McDermott was safe, after their lawyer failed to track her down in the prison amid fears she had been hospitalised.
Spokeswoman Greta Berlin said Ms McDermott had been resisting deportation in solidarity with four Palestinian and Israeli nationals.
Israel today dropped plans to prosecute the activists to limit diplomatic damage.
Meanwhile, it has been claimed that IHH had "clear" links to terror groups.
However, IHH denies ties to radical groups and it is not among 45 groups listed as terrorists by the US.
NEWS: A beating in Israel
MARK McLAUGHLIN
Evening News (Edinburgh)
June 2, 2010, Wednesday
AN EDINBURGH activist seized by Israel in the Gaza aid massacre was today reported to have been badly beaten.
Supporters said they hoped Theresa McDermott, 43, may be released today as the Israeli authorities continue their deportation of the hundreds of international activists detained in the raid on the aid flotilla in which nine people were killed.
One activist, Hasan Nowarah from Bearsden, who arrived back in Scotland last night, said he believed Ms McDermott, a postal worker from Pilrig, had been badly beaten up.
Carl Abernethy, who founded Free Gaza-Scotland along with Ms McDermott last year, said he had no information that she had been beaten.
He said: "We know she is being held in the Beersheba jail, but they seem to want rid of everyone as quickly as possible.
"It would be fantastic if Theresa were released today so we can find out how she is and she can tell us exactly what happened."
Ms McDermott was aboard the Challenger 1 passenger boat that was running alongside Turkish ship Mavi Marmara when it was boarded by gun-toting Israeli troops. Challenger 1 was taken without a fight.
Earlier reports suggested that she may have boarded MV Rachel Corrie, a converted Irish merchant ship which was held up by technical problems and may still be attempting to reach Gaza. The news that Ms McDermott was not on the Rachel Corrie came as a relief to her sister Winnie Chambers, but she is still awaiting news of her condition in prison and how she is being treated.
She said: "We have heard nothing from the Foreign Office. Our brother has been going through various official channels looking for information.
"We weren't sure if she had transferred on to the Rachel Corrie without telling us.
"It's the kind of thing she would do.
"I know she was due to set sail from Crete to Cyprus to pick up some Irish MPs, a couple of German politicians, and a girl called Alex, before setting off to Gaza.
"The last thing she said was that the passengers probably had more to fear from her cooking than they did from the Israelis."
Edinburgh North & Leith Labour MP Mark Lazarowicz said he had contacted Foreign Secretary William Hague, urging him to demand Ms McDermott's immediate release from Israeli custody.
He said: "This tragedy once again underlines the need for an end to the blockade of Gaza - the ships were carrying medical supplies and schoolbooks not guns and rockets."
Evening News (Edinburgh)
June 2, 2010, Wednesday
AN EDINBURGH activist seized by Israel in the Gaza aid massacre was today reported to have been badly beaten.
Supporters said they hoped Theresa McDermott, 43, may be released today as the Israeli authorities continue their deportation of the hundreds of international activists detained in the raid on the aid flotilla in which nine people were killed.
One activist, Hasan Nowarah from Bearsden, who arrived back in Scotland last night, said he believed Ms McDermott, a postal worker from Pilrig, had been badly beaten up.
Carl Abernethy, who founded Free Gaza-Scotland along with Ms McDermott last year, said he had no information that she had been beaten.
He said: "We know she is being held in the Beersheba jail, but they seem to want rid of everyone as quickly as possible.
"It would be fantastic if Theresa were released today so we can find out how she is and she can tell us exactly what happened."
Ms McDermott was aboard the Challenger 1 passenger boat that was running alongside Turkish ship Mavi Marmara when it was boarded by gun-toting Israeli troops. Challenger 1 was taken without a fight.
Earlier reports suggested that she may have boarded MV Rachel Corrie, a converted Irish merchant ship which was held up by technical problems and may still be attempting to reach Gaza. The news that Ms McDermott was not on the Rachel Corrie came as a relief to her sister Winnie Chambers, but she is still awaiting news of her condition in prison and how she is being treated.
She said: "We have heard nothing from the Foreign Office. Our brother has been going through various official channels looking for information.
"We weren't sure if she had transferred on to the Rachel Corrie without telling us.
"It's the kind of thing she would do.
"I know she was due to set sail from Crete to Cyprus to pick up some Irish MPs, a couple of German politicians, and a girl called Alex, before setting off to Gaza.
"The last thing she said was that the passengers probably had more to fear from her cooking than they did from the Israelis."
Edinburgh North & Leith Labour MP Mark Lazarowicz said he had contacted Foreign Secretary William Hague, urging him to demand Ms McDermott's immediate release from Israeli custody.
He said: "This tragedy once again underlines the need for an end to the blockade of Gaza - the ships were carrying medical supplies and schoolbooks not guns and rockets."
NEWS: Tensions grow in Gaza
MARK McLAUGHLIN
Evening News (Edinburgh)
June 1, 2010, Tuesday
Woman caught up in Gaza massacre 'committed' to cause
THE family of a city aid worker caught up in the Gaza aid ship massacre today told how she had never been one to shy away from danger, as they desperately wait for news.
Theresa McDermott, 43, from Pilrig, was thought to have been travelling on one of the smaller vessels in the six-ship flotilla which was stormed by Israeli troops.
Up to 15 people on the boats were killed when the commandos boarded ships carrying 10,000 tonnes of supplies.
Ms McDermott's sister Winnie Chambers, an Edinburgh University librarian said: "We're very concerned. We don't have a great deal of information at the moment.
"She's very brave and so committed to the cause of the people of Gaza, to the point where she's willing to put herself in harm's way and be imprisoned in dreadful conditions.
"She's her own person and nothing anyone says is going to change her mind."
Fellow activists in Edinburgh have been unable to contact Ms McDermott since Friday and they are not certain which ship she is on.
But Carl Abernethy, who co-founded Free Gaza Scotland with Ms McDermott last year, said she could be aboard the Irish vessel MV Rachel Corrie, which is still at sea and may still try to reach Gaza. All the rest of the convoy was escorted to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
Mr Abernethy said: "I can only assume at some point the Rachel Corrie has been separated. It may now be making an attempt to reach Gaza and in view of yesterday's PR disaster by the Israelis, it might actually get through."
Ms McDermott has been detained by the Israelis on three previous occasions while taking part in protests.
She was imprisoned and deported twice last year after two boats on which she was sailing were seized trying to breach the Gaza blockade.
In 2003 she was arrested in the West Bank Palestinian village of Bidu while protesting against Israel's illegal security wall.
Mr Abernethy said: "The Israelis have claimed that some of the boats were carrying weapons for use by terrorists, but our boats were fully examined before we left port and were found to be carrying aid supplies only.
"The boats were carrying items that are restricted under the Israeli blockade including crayons, jam, paints, as well as medicines and wheelchairs. They were also carrying several tons of concrete for the rebuilding, which is also restricted."
Edinburgh North & Leith Labour MP Mark Lazarowicz said he had asked the Foreign Office to intervene with the Israeli authorities to make sure Ms McDermott was released unharmed.
* Around 200 protesters took part in a demonstration at The Mound yesterday following the Gaza aid ship massacre.
Scores of people waving Palestine flags and placards reading "Enough is Enough" and "Massacre - Hold Israel to Account" gathered next to the National Gallery of Scotland.
Evening News (Edinburgh)
June 1, 2010, Tuesday
Woman caught up in Gaza massacre 'committed' to cause
THE family of a city aid worker caught up in the Gaza aid ship massacre today told how she had never been one to shy away from danger, as they desperately wait for news.
Theresa McDermott, 43, from Pilrig, was thought to have been travelling on one of the smaller vessels in the six-ship flotilla which was stormed by Israeli troops.
Up to 15 people on the boats were killed when the commandos boarded ships carrying 10,000 tonnes of supplies.
Ms McDermott's sister Winnie Chambers, an Edinburgh University librarian said: "We're very concerned. We don't have a great deal of information at the moment.
"She's very brave and so committed to the cause of the people of Gaza, to the point where she's willing to put herself in harm's way and be imprisoned in dreadful conditions.
"She's her own person and nothing anyone says is going to change her mind."
Fellow activists in Edinburgh have been unable to contact Ms McDermott since Friday and they are not certain which ship she is on.
But Carl Abernethy, who co-founded Free Gaza Scotland with Ms McDermott last year, said she could be aboard the Irish vessel MV Rachel Corrie, which is still at sea and may still try to reach Gaza. All the rest of the convoy was escorted to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
Mr Abernethy said: "I can only assume at some point the Rachel Corrie has been separated. It may now be making an attempt to reach Gaza and in view of yesterday's PR disaster by the Israelis, it might actually get through."
Ms McDermott has been detained by the Israelis on three previous occasions while taking part in protests.
She was imprisoned and deported twice last year after two boats on which she was sailing were seized trying to breach the Gaza blockade.
In 2003 she was arrested in the West Bank Palestinian village of Bidu while protesting against Israel's illegal security wall.
Mr Abernethy said: "The Israelis have claimed that some of the boats were carrying weapons for use by terrorists, but our boats were fully examined before we left port and were found to be carrying aid supplies only.
"The boats were carrying items that are restricted under the Israeli blockade including crayons, jam, paints, as well as medicines and wheelchairs. They were also carrying several tons of concrete for the rebuilding, which is also restricted."
Edinburgh North & Leith Labour MP Mark Lazarowicz said he had asked the Foreign Office to intervene with the Israeli authorities to make sure Ms McDermott was released unharmed.
* Around 200 protesters took part in a demonstration at The Mound yesterday following the Gaza aid ship massacre.
Scores of people waving Palestine flags and placards reading "Enough is Enough" and "Massacre - Hold Israel to Account" gathered next to the National Gallery of Scotland.
NEWS: In Vino Pecunia
MARK McLAUGHLIN
Evening News (Edinburgh)
May 31, 2010, Monday
Former managers take over stores from collapsed firm
A GROUP of redundant off-licence managers are going it alone with a new independent drinks chain.
Their new Vino stores will fill the void left by the collapse of First Quench, which saw 1,200 branches of Wine Rack, Threshers, Victoria Wine and The Local close down nationwide at the end of last year, including around 45 locally.
As managers of some the chain's most successful branches they were able to analyse old First Quench sales data and pick the most successful stores.
The first new Vino stores are expected to open on Broughton Street and Grange Loan next week, with a third branch on Comiston Road due a few weeks later.
If the first three branches prove successful the team will then look to expand their chain throughout the city.
The venture is the brainchild of former Grange Loan and Marchmont Wine Rack manager Andrew Lundy, 31.
Mr Lundy, who lives in Mayfield, had been working for First Quench for eight years.
He said: "I saw that the writing was on the wall for First Quench, but I had already been thinking about setting up my own off licence business.
"I was going through area manager training at the time so I had access to the area sales figures, and knew where all the good and bad shops were.
"It's been a long six months but we're now just waiting for the licences to come through, and we should hopefully open up by the end of next week.
"It's incredibly exciting, and we're really confident we can make it work. We're starting with eight staff initially with a combined 60 years of experience in the drinks industry."
The new chain will be lifeline to former managers such as Broughton Street manager Ciaran Moen, 31. He said: "First Quench collapsed on 29 October and I was out of a job on 16 December. It was lucky I had another job in a bar or it would have been a lean Christmas.
"Broughton Street was the biggest-selling branch in Scotland, and I'm looking forward to getting it going again.
"We've already had loads of people coming in and asking when we're going to open as we've been putting the displays up."
Mr Lundy said not being part of a national chain meant they would be able to stock more locally sourced products.
He added: "We've already got deals in place with Innes and Gunn, Inveralmond and Atlas breweries, and I'm a big whisky fan so we'll be stocking plenty of local brands.
"Although we won't be going down the three-for-two route, if we can buy in bulk we can still offer some fantastic deals.
"Most of those supermarket deals are a con anyway as they price up the ticket in order to sell at a 'discount', but my policy will be to stay honest to the customer and only sell alcohol for the price it's worth."
Evening News (Edinburgh)
May 31, 2010, Monday
Former managers take over stores from collapsed firm
A GROUP of redundant off-licence managers are going it alone with a new independent drinks chain.
Their new Vino stores will fill the void left by the collapse of First Quench, which saw 1,200 branches of Wine Rack, Threshers, Victoria Wine and The Local close down nationwide at the end of last year, including around 45 locally.
As managers of some the chain's most successful branches they were able to analyse old First Quench sales data and pick the most successful stores.
The first new Vino stores are expected to open on Broughton Street and Grange Loan next week, with a third branch on Comiston Road due a few weeks later.
If the first three branches prove successful the team will then look to expand their chain throughout the city.
The venture is the brainchild of former Grange Loan and Marchmont Wine Rack manager Andrew Lundy, 31.
Mr Lundy, who lives in Mayfield, had been working for First Quench for eight years.
He said: "I saw that the writing was on the wall for First Quench, but I had already been thinking about setting up my own off licence business.
"I was going through area manager training at the time so I had access to the area sales figures, and knew where all the good and bad shops were.
"It's been a long six months but we're now just waiting for the licences to come through, and we should hopefully open up by the end of next week.
"It's incredibly exciting, and we're really confident we can make it work. We're starting with eight staff initially with a combined 60 years of experience in the drinks industry."
The new chain will be lifeline to former managers such as Broughton Street manager Ciaran Moen, 31. He said: "First Quench collapsed on 29 October and I was out of a job on 16 December. It was lucky I had another job in a bar or it would have been a lean Christmas.
"Broughton Street was the biggest-selling branch in Scotland, and I'm looking forward to getting it going again.
"We've already had loads of people coming in and asking when we're going to open as we've been putting the displays up."
Mr Lundy said not being part of a national chain meant they would be able to stock more locally sourced products.
He added: "We've already got deals in place with Innes and Gunn, Inveralmond and Atlas breweries, and I'm a big whisky fan so we'll be stocking plenty of local brands.
"Although we won't be going down the three-for-two route, if we can buy in bulk we can still offer some fantastic deals.
"Most of those supermarket deals are a con anyway as they price up the ticket in order to sell at a 'discount', but my policy will be to stay honest to the customer and only sell alcohol for the price it's worth."
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)