Breaking news

A record crowd of around 200 people attended tonight's Hustings in Broughton St Mary's Parish Church. Eight out of nine candidates attended, the only absentee being Cameron MacIntyre (Independent).

Rob Hainsworth (pictured centre) chaired with a firm hand and  two-minute egg-timer.

All sides agreed that the turn-out was a heartening vote of confidence in the democratic process, despite widespread cynicism over Westminster propriety and politics.

Following introductory statements, questions covered:

A further two candidates will stand for the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency, having announced their candidatures shortly before yesterday's 4pm deadline.

David Jacobsen represents the Socialist Labour Party, and Cameron MacIntyre is an Independent.

Spurtle is making strenuous efforts to ensure all candidates attend this evening's Hustings at Broughton St Mary's Church (Bellevue Crescent), 7.15–9.00pm.

With nine candidates now standing, Edinburgh North and Leith is the most hotly contested constituency in Edinburgh:

Despite today's reopening of UK airspace, links to and from Edinburgh continue to be disrupted by the knock-on effects of volcanic ash.

With many flight arrangements still up in the air, passengers are advised to contact their carrier before travelling.

Comprehensive transport advice is available from the Scottish Government at http://www.scotland.gov.uk or by phoning 0800 027 0504 (if phoning from abroad, add 44 at the start of the number).

As promised, the Spurtle will again run hustings for Westminster Parliamentary candidates in the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency.

The event will take place from 7.30–9pm on Wed. 21 April at Broughton St Mary's Parish Church, Bellevue Crescent.

Each candidate will give a 2-minute introduction about themselves. Then our impartial Chair will invite questions from the audience, to be put to each candidate in turn.

To enable as many questions as possible to be answered, there will be an emphasis on concise responses.

As reported in Issue 181, work on refurbishment of Glenogle Baths is approaching completion. Glenogle champion Linda Wilson now reports latest developments.

Michael Wildman, the admired photographer currently exhibiting at Axolotyl on Dundas Street, will give a talk there today from 2 to 3pm.

The talk will be free, and about the artist's series 'In the Cold Light of Day'. In this, women of various nationalities reproduce the pose of Rodin's famous sculpture 'Crouching Woman' against a variety of urban and rustic backgrounds.

All are welcome.

A new, free service for businesses and individuals was launched on 14 April.

An initiative by Business Gateway and Edinburgh City Libraries, the Leith Business Hub – based in McDonald Road Library – offers comprehensive business advice and training outwith normal trading hours.

Workshops on electronic business, salesmanship, marketing and cost-cutting will be offered, as well as one-to-one meetings with experienced experts. To book an individual advice session, Tel. 0131 247 2820.

A seventh candidate is now standing for the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency in the 6 May General Election.

Local man John Hein will represent the Liberal Party.

He has been issued with an invitation to participate at the Spurtle Hustings on 21 April alongside candidates from the Conservative, Green, Labour, Liberal-Democrat, Scottish Nationalist, and Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition Parties.

'Some Like It Too Hot' is a new exhibition at Out of the Blue showing Leith as you've never seen it before.

A mixture of interviews, portraiture and strangely beautiful thermal images chart 10 households' struggle to retain heat.

Energy advice will be offered, as will a chance to use the thermal camera.

The exhibition is free and runs from 10am–5pm, 12–24 April at the Old Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street.

Roland Corbin's 'Lost in Reverie' (below) is one of several extraordinary images featured in Axolotl's new Spring Exhibition.

The Dundas Street gallery will concentrate this month on Michael Wildman's photographic variations on Rodin's 'Crouching Woman', Steven Hendry's trademark nude tableaux, Sarah Wilson's found objects, Philomena Pretsell's urban ceramics, and Jill Farquhar's faux-naïve female portraits.