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by Ben Macpherson As we approach the festive season and reflect on the past year, a lot has happened in Leith. The renovation of Leith Theatre, for example, brought us another hugely successful Hidden Door festival, as well as ‘Light on the Shore’ as part of the Edinburgh International Festival, and there have been...

by Ben Macpherson There has always been a strong sense of active citizenship in Leith –  Leithers aren’t short of opinions, and that’s a good thing! It’s because we want to look out for each other, show that we care about our community, and that we want it to grow in a positive way...

 Ben Macpherson  September 26th 2018 As Scotland’s main port for some 600 years, for centuries Leith has been enriched by a myriad of different cultures, as people from around the world have made here home. From Irish and Italian migration in the 19th century to Leithers from all across the European continent living here today...

Ben Macpherson  September 5th 2018   It’s been another superb and highly successful summer for our city, where once again Edinburgh has hosted world-class cultural activity and underlined itself as a world-class place to visit, work, study and perform. Once again our city has welcomed the world to enjoy our famous Scottish hospitality and experience the...

by Ben Macpherson. Published September 18th 2018 Leith has always had its own vibe – something different and dynamic. Something naturally energetic and engaging. Something distinctive from the more traditional feeling of Edinburgh city centre. As another Leither columnist, Sandy Campbell, puts it so well: “Leith is a state of mind.” And when it...

By Ben Macpherson.  Published on  September 6th 2018 From reducing fuel poverty to tackling climate change, from developing new technology to strengthening our economy, the provision and production of energy in Scotland is an ever and increasingly important issue. That’s why the SNP Scottish Government is taking strong and determined action to make Scotland...

By Ben Macpherson   Published  May 2018 In my constituency of Edinburgh Northern and Leith and across our city, there are few more important issues than housing. From the supply of new properties to increasing costs; from the growing prevalence of holiday lets to the maintenance and standard of our buildings – housing is constantly a...

By Ben Macpherson  Published March 13th 2018   I share local concerns about the potential demolition of 106-164 Leith Walk, home to some very vibrant local businesses and community organisations, and development of the Stead’s Place site. I am particularly concerned about plans to demolish the current frontage and that the developer’s proposals disproportionately favour student accommodation,...

By Ben Macpherson March 2018 As the snow thawed and the shop shelves filled up again, there was a palpable sense of solidarity in Leith in the aftermath of the #BeastFromTheEast. Communities shovelled streets together and volunteers gathered to clear school playgrounds. People got messages for their neighbours and helped each other along the...