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STV News
23-07-2025
- General
- STV News
Council to spend £1.2m to wind and maintain public clocks
Edinburgh will spend up to £1.2m over the next two years to wind and maintain clocks around the city. Some 27 public clocks are in place around the Capital, with some well-known ones at Haymarket, the end of Cowgate and Morningside. The city is seeking providers to take on the task for the next two years, with responsibilities also including the winding and maintenance of 25 clocks in the City Chambers complex. The contract would also set out terms for future contracts between providers and six other Scottish councils. Labour councillor and Culture and Communities Committee convener Margaret Graham said: 'The city's public clocks are as much part of its heritage and character as the architecture. 'They are sorely missed when in storage as the Tollcross clock is at present. It's essential that we ensure they are well maintained and this contract framework is about achieving that.' It is understood that the contract is not likely to cover the refurbishment and reinstatement of three currently out-of-service clocks. Those clocks, at Portobello Town Hall, Tollcross and Fountainbridge are currently in storage. Edinburgh Council removed the clock at Tollcross in 2022 over 'health and safety concerns'. It came as cracks were discovered at the base of the clock, despite it being 'properly maintained'. And the Portobello clock was taken down from the Baptist church there in 2003 for repairs, but has stayed down for over two decades for a variety of reasons. These include a historic dispute over ownership between the council and the Portobello Baptist Church. Both insisted for years that the clock belonged to the other party, but extensive archival research concluded in 2019 found it belonged to the council. However, since this discovery, the clock has not been restored to its position. As of 2012, the estimated cost for repairs was close to £100,000. The city's clocks are often more than timepieces. The clock at Haymarket serves as part of a war memorial commemorating Hearts players who died in the First World War. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Edinburgh Reporter
23-07-2025
- General
- Edinburgh Reporter
£1.2m contract to wind and maintain clocks around Edinburgh
Edinburgh will spend up to £1.2 million over the next two years to wind and maintain clocks around the city. Some 27 public clocks are in place around the Capital, with some well-known ones at Haymarket, the end of Cowgate and Morningside. The city is seeking providers to take on the task for the next two years, with responsibilities also including the winding and maintenance of 25 clocks in the City Chambers complex. The contract would also set out terms for future contracts between providers and six other Scottish councils. Labour councillor and Culture and Communities Committee convener Margaret Graham said: 'The city's public clocks are as much part of its heritage and character as the architecture. 'They are sorely missed when in storage as the Tollcross clock is at present. It's essential that we ensure they are well maintained and this contract framework is about achieving that.' It is understood that the contract is not likely to cover the refurbishment and reinstatement of three currently out-of-service clocks. Those clocks, at Portobello Town Hall, Tollcross and Fountainbridge are currently in storage. Edinburgh Council removed the clock at Tollcross in 2022 over 'health and safety concerns'. It came as cracks were discovered at the base of the clock, despite it being 'properly maintained'. And the Portobello clock was taken down from the Baptist church there in 2003 for repairs, but has stayed down for over two decades for a variety of reasons. These include a historic dispute over ownership between the council and the Portobello Baptist Church. Both insisted for years that the clock belonged to the other party, but extensive archival research concluded in 2019 found it belonged to the council. However, since this discovery, the clock has not been restored to its position. As of 2012, the estimated cost for repairs was close to £100,000. The city's clocks are often more than timepieces. The clock at Haymarket serves as part of a war memorial commemorating Hearts players who died in the first World War. By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
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Scotsman
22-07-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Edinburgh council to spend £1.2 million on maintaining city's public clocks
Edinburgh will spend up to £1.2 million over the next two years to wind and maintain clocks around the city. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Some 27 public clocks are in place around the Capital, with some well-known ones at Haymarket, the end of Cowgate and Morningside. The city is seeking providers to take on the task for the next two years, with responsibilities also including the winding and maintenance of 25 clocks in the City Chambers complex. The contract covers winding and maintenance of 27 public clocks across the city. Picture: Ian Rutherford. | TSPL Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The contract would also set out terms for future contracts between providers and six other Scottish councils. Labour councillor and Culture and Communities Committee convener Margaret Graham said: 'The city's public clocks are as much part of its heritage and character as the architecture. 'They are sorely missed when in storage, as the Tollcross clock is at present. It's essential that we ensure they are well maintained and this contract framework is about achieving that.' It is understood that the contract is not likely to cover the refurbishment and reinstatement of three currently out-of-service clocks. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Those clocks, at Portobello Town Hall, Tollcross and Fountainbridge are currently in storage. Edinburgh Council removed the clock at Tollcross in 2022 over 'health and safety concerns'. It came as cracks were discovered at the base of the clock, despite it being 'properly maintained'. And the Portobello clock was taken down from the Baptist church there in 2003 for repairs, but has stayed down for over two decades for a variety of reasons. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad These include a historic dispute over ownership between the council and Portobello Baptist Church. Both insisted for years that the clock belonged to the other party, but extensive archival research concluded in 2019 found it belonged to the council. However, since this discovery, the clock has not been restored to its position. As of 2012, the estimated cost for repairs was close to £100,000. The city's clocks are often more than timepieces. The clock at Haymarket serves as part of a war memorial commemorating Hearts players who died in the first World War.
Edinburgh Reporter
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Ali Bowden to receive The Edinburgh Award
The first director of the City of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature will receive the Edinburgh Award 2025. Ali Bowden took on the role in 2006 and has only stepped down in September. After Edinburgh became the first City of Literature in 2004, Ms Bowden then helped to welcome other Cities of Literature as they joined the network. There are now 53 cities of literature and more than 350 creative cities in seven artforms. Ali's work to promote and enhance Edinburgh as a literary city includes community-based writers' residencies, the first citywide reading campaign, and the award-winning Great Scott! installation in Waverley railway station honouring Sir Walter Scott. She was also behind the Stars & Stories trail of illuminated quotations celebrating 500 years of Edinburgh's publishing heritage, and an initiative with ETAG to promote literary tourism. Ali will be presented with an engraved Loving Cup from the Lord Provost and have her handprints set in stone at the City Chambers later this year. The Rt Hon Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, and Chair of the Civic Award Committee, Robert Aldridge said: 'Ali Bowden is a most deserved recipient of the Edinburgh Award, and I'm really pleased that she has accepted the Civic Awards Committee decision to present it to her. 'Edinburgh blazed a trail when it became the first UNESCO Creative City in 2004 and with Ali at the helm for almost 20 years it has continued to flourish in this position. 'Not only has Ali gone above and beyond to create a diverse and engaging range of projects and programmes to enhance the literary city, she has played a key role in connecting Edinburgh with other literary cities around the world. 'I'd like to congratulate Ali on behalf of the city – we will all benefit from her legacy, which builds on the Capital's rich literary heritage while also bringing reading and literature to new and varied audiences.' Ali Bowden said: 'There's no doubt that Edinburgh has stolen my heart, and I've happily spent the last few decades banging the drum for this impressive, bookish, story-filled and ever-changing city. 'I am humbled, honoured and delighted – in equal measure – to be receiving the Edinburgh Award. I know it's only possible because of all the kind souls I've worked with over the years, on projects big and small, locally and internationally. All of them equally inspired by Edinburgh, this amazing, and first, City of Literature. Thank you all for doing a bit of hard work when I asked!' Like this: Like Related
Glasgow Times
18-07-2025
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow City Council in update after cybersecurity incident
On Friday, teams investigating the issue which impacted some of the local authority's services reported that they have a 'high confidence' that the incident has been contained. The attack took place last month and hit servers operated by a third-party supplier to one of the council's ICT providers, CGI. It was discovered in the early morning of Thursday, June 19, when CGI discovered malicious activity on the servers. GCC stated that it acted quickly to isolate the affected servers, protecting the council's wider network. However, the council noted that by taking them offline, it unavoidably disrupted a number of its day-to-day digital and online services. READ NEXT: How George Square's £20m makeover will change City Chambers After seeking expert advice, the local authority says it took an early decision to proceed on the basis that data was likely to have been lost, and that this may have included customer data. Subsequent independent forensic analysis is now said to have found 'no evidence' of encryption or exfiltration of council or customer data. However, GCC will continue to 'monitor the situation closely'. The council stated that work to safely recover online services is 'well advanced' and will continue into August in some cases. Despite there being evidence that attempts were made to download data, these were all denied. The investigation is said to characterise the attack on the third-party supplier as 'opportunistic'. Access is said to have been gained through the supplier's network and not a council system or user. READ NEXT: Circus acts and dancers in 6 snaps at Merchant City Festival Although the incident has disrupted council services, the loss of some web-based services is said to have been caused by the isolation of the affected servers. GCC added that, wherever possible, it has put in place alternative ways to access services temporarily. It is understood that many of the highest priority services are now back online. A recovery plan is in place to restore each of the affected services, with all but a handful of applications – said to be dependent on external support – expected back online by mid-August. The council has apologised for the 'continued inconvenience' this will cause its customers.
