Edinburgh without Christmas hits.

No bratwurst required.

And not a funfair, ice rink or Christmas market in sight.

On the bright side, we all seem to be a lot less worried about Salmonella these days.

‘Change of use from Workshop/Showroom (Class 4) to Entertainment venue for throwing axes (Class 11).’

This planning proposal lands with a satisfying thud.

It has been lodged by the Black Axe Throwing Co. and concerns Unit 2 at 25 Beaverhall Road (21/06212/FUL), part of the Beaverhall Business Centre’s ground floor.

Our friend and colleague John Ross Maclean died last night.

He was a charming aesthete: a lover of fine art, poetry, wine, and all growing things. He was insatiably curious about people. He was intrigued by birds and admired cats.

He was entangled in a vast and multi-layered net of Highland memories, genealogies, folklore and historical connections.

He was for many years a member of the New Town & Broughton Community Council and served also on the Drummond Civic Association, whose annual Newsletter he helped assemble.

Thanks to reader John Ross who first alerted us to it.

Spurtleshire's answer to Inverfarigaig.

Joseph Pearce, part of the Boda Bars chain, has applied for planning consent to build a temporary, partly covered seating area for drinking and dining on the pavement outside its premises at 23 Elm Row (Ref. 21/05858/FUL and Ref. 21/05859/LBC).

Dear Spurtle,

This is a bin in Scotland Street.

During the storm on Friday 26 November, it was empty and blown into the kerb. It is proving difficult to deal with. The normal vehicle cannot lift it and, as it is full it requires more than two men to push into position. The Council is dealing with the results of the storm across the city and problems in streets with far higher density and footfall than Scotland Street.