Edinburgh Evening News - May 08, 2025

In this issue

May 08, 2025

Lack of paper saw artist born on VE Day draw on the walls

An Edinburgh artist who was born on VE Day has shared memories of growing up in the aftermath of the Second World War, when she resorted to drawing on walls amid paper shortages.

2 mins

Call for work to start on site to remember South Asian troops

Campaigners have said the VE Day 80th anniversary marks an opportunity to start work on a \"long overdue\" memorial for South Asian soldiers who fought alongside British troops during the Second World War.

1 min

Navy veteran to commemorate the history he was part of creating

Royal Navy veteran Hector McDonald will join the nation this week in commemorating the day in history he helped to secure.

2 mins

Centenary planning head start

Planning for the centenary of the Second World War must start now, according to a culture minister.

1 min

Britain reflects as 80th anniversary of VE Day marked

Today it is 80 years since the allies declared victory in Europe

2 mins

Filmmaking pics released for VE Day 80th anniversary

More than 150 rare photographs showing behind-the-scenes wartime film-making have been released to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

1 min

Vera ballad is proof people need a sentimental touch

It's been 80 years, but wartime ballad We'll Meet Again still manages to bring us comfort, writes Clare V Church.

2 mins

Wellington's horse included in the revelry

One of the Capital’s focal points for celebrations was outside Register House, where a huge number of soldiers, sailors and members of the public climbed all over the Wellington statue, waving to the crowds and catching bunnets and bowler hats.

1 min

Thousands congregated in city centre to celebrate VE Day

As Winston Churchill put it, it was \"the greatest outburst of joy in the history of mankind\".

1 min

Delayed discharge figures see drop

Delayed discharge in Scottish hospitals saw a slight reduction in March, the latest figures show.

1 min

Eye Pavilion to reopen by end of June after repairs

The Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion closure saw services transferred to other sites in Edinburgh and Livingston

2 mins

I struggled with my cleft as a child - but now I am proud of my scar

Edinburgh woman Matilda Lansdown, 34, who works in hair and beauty, talks about her life with a cleft lip and palate, and her work with global children's cleft charity, Smile Train, to mark Cleft Awareness Week, which runs until Saturday.

3 mins

Two more arrested as police tackle gang violence

Two men have been charged as police continue to investigate linked violent “gang attacks” in the east and west of the country.

1 min

Prolific offender in court as blade found in his cell

A knife thug once branded “Scotland’s most dangerous teen” has appeared back in court after he was caught with a blade and a mobile phone in his prison cell.

1 min

City's queue for housing is 3 miles long

Protesters have marched nearly three miles to Edinburgh City Chambers to illustrate the length of the queue for housing in the Capital.

1 min

SNP names its constituency candidates for 2026 elections

Two SNP MSPs who were facing possible deselection have won the battle to stand again at next year's Holyrood elections.

1 min

Urgent warning of wildfire risk across Lothians

Residents in Edinburgh and the Lothians are being warned of a “very high” risk of wildfires in the coming days.

1 min

Smack the Pony get Back in the Saddle for Fringe specials

The time has come - our long-awaited press release has officially been proclaimed to the world, announcing Gilded Balloon's 40th Anniversary programme! I've been working on it for quite some time now and it feels wonderful to let everyone know what we have in store for this year's festival.

2 mins

Respect one-way for Sturgeon

I know I won't be alone in being both unsurprised but dismayed by former first minister Nicola Sturgeon's refusal to apologise for her role in making the gender debate one of the most toxic and divisive since the independence referendum.

1 min

Programme of inaction is all SNP has to offer after 18 long years

Looking at the latest opinion polls, First Minister John Swinney might be forgiven for thinking that if he doesn’t do anything daft he might not have to hand back the keys to Bute House.

2 mins

Reaffirming our support for forces veterans

Eighty years on from VE Day as we fall silent to remember, we must reaffirm our support for veterans and step up our commitment to national security.

1 min

A glorious day for all - and the end of six years of pain

At the start of May 1945, the Second World War was all but over.

2 mins

How our future Queen rewrote the rules

A teenage Princess Elizabeth danced in jubilation on VE Day after slipping into the crowds unnoticed outside Buckingham Palace, describing it as “one of the most memorable nights of my life”.

3 mins

A hymn for peace

Britain's Got Talent's oldest ever winner, Chelsea Pensioner Colin Thackery, will lead a nationwide hymn to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

1 min

Letting the people know

Principal town crier Jane Smith will lead more than 300 colleagues across the UK and the Commonwealth in a VE Day proclamation.

1 min

Beacons will be lighting up the UK landscape

More than a thousand beacons and several hundred “lamp lights of peace” are expected to be lit across the UK to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

1 min

Mabel Kidney

A great-grandmother who served as a Wren during the Second World War has described how celebrations for VE Day were happy occasions but limited by ongoing rations.

2 mins

The voices of the veterans

A 100-year-old veteran has described how she went “from school uniform into naval uniform” when she joined the Wrens to help defeat Nazi Germany during the Second World War.

2 mins

May church service for all those lost at sea

A Remembrance Day service for those in the fishing industry lost at sea will be held at Musselburgh Congregational Church on Sunday, May 11 at 3.30pm.

1 min

Listed building window frames are wrong colour, say planners

Plans to replace white window frames on a listed building with ones painted “tarpaulin grey” would harm its character, planners have said.

1 min

Taxi fares could rise by 25% as operators face costs increase

Taxi fares in East Lothian could rise by up to 25 per cent with operators blaming the increased employers' National Insurance costs and a rise in the living wage.

1 min

Anger as pond work disturbs birds during nesting season

Police were called in to investigate after a village pond was \"dredged\" by an excavator during the nesting season in East Lothian.

1 min

Care home café is set to close unless rescue plan produced

Campaigners fighting to save the café in a West Lothian care home complex have just weeks to come up with plans to save the facility.

1 min

SNP blame Labour and Tories for nursery closures in county

A political row has erupted over the closure of eight nurseries in West Lothian with the council's opposition SNP saying the blame for the controversial decision lies \"squarely with the Labour/Tory administration\".

1 min

Increase in fly-tipping and dumped rubbish causing boom in rat sightings

An increase in fly-tipping at bin stores across West Lothian has caused a boom in rat sightings, councillors have been told.

1 min

Front-foot Hearts bid to keep fans onside with width, pace and goals

A direct approach laced with width and pace helped Hearts resemble themselves again last weekend. The 3-1 win at Ross County was the first of Liam Fox's second spell as interim head coach following Neil Critchley's dismissal. There were signs of positivity in a bid to get disgruntled fans back on side, although it should be remembered that the Dingwall trip amounted to one game only.

3 mins

Petchey partnership is working well so far

Emma Raducanu hopes her partnership with coach Mark Petchey can be for the long term - but admits she will need to rejig her team again.

1 min

Doohan's demotion from Alpine F1 line-up

Alpine have announced that Franco Colapinto will replace Jack Doohan for the next five Formula One races.

1 min

Battler Halkett's fight for fitness and a regular place in the team

Presence and physique are two of Craig Halkett's strongest attributes, perhaps leading you to assume that nothing rocks him. The Hearts centre-back is commanding both literally and figuratively, and many a Scottish Premiership striker would attest to him being an uncompromising character. All of that is fair comment.

1 min

Gaffer Gray hoping Nectar will stay on at Easter Road

Sunderland loanee Nectar Triantis being short-listed for Scotland's Player of the Year is further proof that the Aussie midfielder made a smart footballing decision in returning to Hibs last summer, according to Easter Road boss David Gray.

3 mins

Gunners and Reds compete for £40m man as Man United target keeper

All the latest Premier League transfer rumours including updates from Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool & Leeds

1 min

Youan itching to return for season finale

Elie Youan is “desperate” to return to the Hibs team and make a telling contribution over the closing week of a dramatic season, according to gaffer David Gray, writes John Greechan.

1 min

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Edinburgh Evening News Newspaper Description:

For nearly 150 years, Edinburgh Evening News has helped the voices of our community be heard. The Edinburgh Evening News is a daily newspaper and website based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded by John Wilson (1844–1909) and first published in 1873. It is printed daily, except on Sundays.

Much of the content of the Evening News concerns local issues such as transport, health, the local council and crime in Edinburgh and the Lothians. The paper has a significant number of journalists covering sport, with a dedicated reporter assigned to each of the city's football teams, Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian.