If you could get a group of people from a community together and if you dared ask them what they would like to see changed in their town, you would be sure to end up with a wish-list so daunting that you’d say it was impossible. That’s what’s happened in Dunbar; but a group coordinated by Philip Revel has produced the Sustaining Dunbar Local Resilience Action Plan, which tackles issues, one by one, breaking them down into tiny steps which are not daunting and not impossible.

It began with a survey of 1500 residents in Dunbar and East Linton which produced a wish list for local food, energy efficient homes, safe neighbourhoods, better walking and cycling facilities and more local jobs. Philip explains how by breaking down these issues one at a time and looking at the reasons why they aren’t already happening, they can begin to understand and challenge the status quo. A 2025 Vision Map and Action Plan Project timeline illustrates how this can be achieved.

For example, an energy advice service has already been in place for 3 years. Feedback shows that, on average, households taking advantage of a free energy audit reduced energy consumption by as much as 18% through improving insulation and draughtproofing and by becoming more energy aware. East Lothian Council and local Housing Associations are generally pretty good at upgrading, as are privately owned home owners, but the private renting sector is less motivated. The biggest problem in achieving larger savings occurs in Conservation Areas where any external work is likely to be visually unacceptable.

One of the biggest challenges is the search for locally produced food. Much of East Lothian is arable but large scale specialist single crop farms or those growing fodder crops see most of what is grown going out of the county. Getting farmers to switch from the precarious living they are making at present to one which provides food for the local market requires a huge leap of faith – or does it? The Action Plan suggests working with the Council to create a base market through local authority purchasing for schools and care homes. Once that market exists, in parallel with the present system, farmers will be able to consider changing.

People are interested in growing their own food and demand for allotments is high, as most gardens are not large enough to produce a significant dent in the supermarket shopping list. Courses in growing food crops are being planned, an informal garden share is underway, encouraging anyone with a large garden to let keen neighbours share the workload and a community polytunnel has been put up. Even Dunbar in Bloom is getting involved by focusing on introducing edible planting in communal areas.

But the biggest success is probably the Dunbar Community Bakery Limited, a community co-operative that is owned by its members and tries to source local raw materials. It was founded as an Industrial and Provident Society in June 2009 to enable local people to invest in the business. For a minimum investment of £100, 20 shareholders have a say in the running of the business, can put themselves forward to be on the Management Committee and receive a 10% discount on purchases. It has proved (like the pun?) so successful that more staff and volunteers are being employed to run it.

A perhaps unusual item on the wish list is Safe Neighbourhoods. While this is something we would all aspire to see, it doesn’t usually appear in Action Plans. However, ideas such as reclaiming streets to socialise them so that children can play and cycle safely are very much on the agenda. Weekly cycle workshops take place on Saturday mornings, car sharing groups enable commuters to do their bit and involving the local schools not only educates children about the health benefits of taking exercise, it allows schools to tick boxes for their Green Flag awards. Win-win.

There are plenty of carrots around for those who aren’t totally convinced and committed. As Philip says, “We’ve made a start. We have a lot of projects on the go. We know that increased consumption doesn’t necessarily lead to increased wellbeing and we know that environmental change will be forced upon us eventually. Our Action Plan is a modest stab at building in resilience to our community so that the shocks that will arise in moving to a low carbon future become a stimulus for creative change rather than a cause of breakdown and collapse.”

To find out more about Dunbar’s Sustainable Local Resilience Action Plan, check out the website www.sustainingdunbar.org for ideas from community orchards to thermally lined curtains.

Dunbar is a member of the Transition Network a worldwide organisation that supports over a thousand community-led responses to climate change through ideas and advice. Be inspired and see what there is near you!

Trees that lose their leaves in winter offer least resistance to high winds so it’s evergreens and conifers that are most likely to be blown down in the gales. This was a cedar tree, a large branch of which provided us with a real Christmas tree. The branch on its own wasn’t an ideal shape so a few more branches had to be stuck into the sand base and woven into place to give it enough substance for decorating.

An alternative, if you don’t have a lot of space, would be to forget the idea of a tree altogether and to simply create a massive flower arrangement from the smaller branches. There are plenty lying around just now but if you don’t find enough and you do have access to hollies and conifers of various kinds, think of it as pruning and be careful to leave a nicely shaped tree for the rest of the year.

Another option if you are short of space, is to consider an upside down tree. Perhaps not for the traditionalist, but love it, or hate it, the upside down tree saves space, has more room for placing presents at the base, allows decorations to hang freely, keeps delicate baubles out of reach of small children and pets – and what a conversation piece!

The upside down Christmas tree became popular amongst New York apartment dwellers because it frees up floor space with a smaller ‘footprint’. The ‘upside down tree’ actually has its roots (pardon the pun) in the Middle Ages, coming from the pagan tradition of spreading evergreen boughs across the floors, windows and hearth in order to keep evil spirits from invading the home. Again, this can be accomplished with ‘bunches’ of storm-broken branches.

The book is full of entertaining and informative details so should satisfy buyers looking for a ‘worthy’ educational read. But it’s more than that. The narrative features Edda, a shy, thirteen year old who allows herself to be bullied by another pupil in her class. Everyone tells her she should stand up for herself but of course it’s not that easy. When her house is burgled, her imagination runs wild and she lives in a constant state of fear.  The arrival of a geeky new boy who befriends her, appears to offer help in the form of a golem who will protect her; but in order to create the golem, Edda must perform certain tasks. (I won’t spoil the book for you!)

Yes, the bully gets his come-uppance but the conclusion is more interesting than that, as the golem, as Edda was warned, obeys her every wish – literally – and becomes a threat in itself. While legends describe the destruction of golems who become troublesome, Willis instead turns her golem from destructor to pacifier and, with victim and bully forming an alliance to neutralise the golem, it’s a much nicer ending.

I just wonder if 240 pages of first person narrative by a self-obsessed teenager isn’t a bit much to offer 10-ish year olds. The style makes it difficult for an author to inject much life into the supporting characters. However, the themes of bullying, being the new girl and the loyalties and insecurities of best-friendship are all themes that demand sympathy. The author doesn’t talk down to her readers and I’m sure the added frisson of a local interest story will particularly attract Edinburgh readers.

All in all this is a thoroughly attractive story and a worthy winner of the 2011 Kelpies prize.

All the Midlothian Sure Start Centres are based in areas of deprivation and are run by a Board of Directors. During their ten years, they have tackled an impressive range of issues, from art therapy courses, to groups for estranged Dads and teenage Mums. It has helped parents and children through referrals from health professionals as well as self-referrals, often providing sophisticated levels of counselling and support but often also simply company, when single parents feel isolated and trapped.

If parents need to develop their home-making skills, there is help with understanding healthy eating and making clothes. The list is too long to feature here but the book includes paintings by children, poems and testimonials from beneficiaries. Given the focus on families with young children, most of the users are young women but the most moving to me was one written by a father whose behaviour had seen him separated from his children. With support he was able to stabilise his life and have access to his children again.

A Ten Year Triumph is written by Jacqueline McDonnell and can be ordered directly from the publishers, Yellow Magnolia Press where it costs £6.99 plus £2.50 for postage and packaging = £9.49 or through any bookshop quoting ISBN number 9780956680419.

Sadly, some areas of the country don’t appear at all, as restaurants and hotels don’t crack a mention unless they offer exceptional quality. Given that inspectors apply the same criteria throughout the world, you can see that it would be inappropriate to break this rule simply to provide a listing in every town. So, if you just want somewhere handy to eat, this is not the guide for you. Rather, you find the places you want to eat and plan your travels around them.

The guide also has a stab at suggesting a few tourist attractions and travel facilities but really has little space to do anything useful in this regard. Its value lies with the unbiased assessment of hotels and restaurants, vetted by secret inspectors. Who will have gained a prestigious Michelin star and who will have lost one? Who will have earned an esteemed Bib Gourmand or Bib Hotel accreditation?

There are almost 100 pages of mouth watering inspiration but our patch fares poorly with Edinburgh producing just 5 single stars (Castle Terrace, Number One, 21212, Kitchin and Martin Wishart). Congratulations to those who did make it into the Guide. And if you feel your favourite restaurant is worth a mention, the editors would love to hear from you.

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity has launched its brand new online Christmas gift shop for all your festive requirements. From affordable essentials such as Christmas cards and advent calendars, to retro games and trendy hoodies for the whole family – 100 per cent of the proceeds from every gift sold will directly benefit the children at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Start shopping at: www.gosh.org/shop

Yuletide panic setting in? Come and see us at Flux, 40 High Street in North Berwick, and we will calm your festive frenzy with original gift ideas for all ages. Easy peasy. We also have a lovely selection of Christmas candles and festive bunting to decorate your home. Flux is an independent gift shop that stocks a wide range of quirky, handmade, eco-friendly and ethically-sourced gifts for people who care about where the things they buy come from as much as who they are buying for. There is a second branch of Flux at 55 Bernard Street in Leith. We look forward to welcoming you to our grotto of festive cheer, open seven days a week with special Christmas opening hours from December.  www.facebook.com/get2flux – like our page for news, offers and gift ideas plus the chance to win a Flux-filled Christmas stocking worth £50.

Wallis Shops are amongst my favourites as you can shop locally or shop online as you want. Starting Tuesday 28th November they have up to 30% off everything both instore and online. Visit the party store for a treat that won’t make you feel guilty.

Avon is a trusted brand you know will always be appreciated. Avon brings you the best in cosmetics, skincare, fitness, lingerie and jewellery. Quite simply, Avon is your one-stop-shop for all your beauty and lifestyle products, as well as fabulous gifts for Christmas that are both gorgeous and practical.

It is beautifully produced and is obviously writtern by an expert who, despite his knowledge of the subject, manages a simple style which encourages you to read more.

Although it covers the history, geography and the making of malt whisky, the book’s main strength is the integration of the author’s straight-forward classification of whisky flavours with an extensive “Distillery Directory”.
With this book, you should be able to find the right whisky for the right occasion and then be able to appreciate it perhaps just that little bit more. A quality book about a quality product.

Global ecosystems have altered more rapidly and extensively over the past 50 years than at any other comparable time in human history. In Scotland this change is a backdrop to the substantial contribution the natural heritage makes to the economy. An estimated £17.2 billion per year flows into the country’s coffers from activities related to sustainable management of the natural heritage, with 1 in 7 full time jobs depending upon Scotland’s landscapes and wildlife. The Scotch whisky industry is a prime example of this link with £3.1 billion contributed to the UK balance of trade in 2008. The industry is keen to play a key role in ensuring Scottish fresh water habitats remain in good condition and so the Scotch Whisky Association is one of the contributors to the book.

The new book, The Changing Nature of Scotland, is a stock take of environmental changes across the land, freshwater and seas of Scotland. The effects of rapidly changing land use, climate change and economic uncertainties are already being felt and this fresh look covers what is needed to safeguard this key part of our economy. The book brings together over 80 authors from a wide range of backgrounds, including industry; health; conservation; academic departments and government agencies, to give their perspectives on the present and the future.

Welcoming the book’s publication, Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson commented: “We punch well above our weight when it comes to describing the diversity and changing nature of our country’s environment. Our wildlife – and the landscapes and habitats supporting it – must be at the heart of developing public benefits of the environment. Health, enjoyment in being outdoors, and many rural businesses all thrive on our special quality environment. I very much hope this book will be widely read and quarried for the many facts and figures it contains.”

The book is aimed at conservationists, land managers, developers and anyone with an interest in Scotland’s nature. The 42 chapters cover a wealth of information on woodland, lowlands, uplands, seas and coast, fresh waters, settlements and built development, people and nature. Contributors range from Harry Burns, chief medical officer for Scotland; to Julie Hesketh-Laird of the Scotch Whisky Association.

Susan Davies, SNH’s director of policy and advice, said: “This book is a look at the state of Scotland’s environment from a range of perspectives. It demonstrates that Scotland’s environment is not a luxury but a key economic and health-related asset.

“Much of the work in this book is based on the invaluable contribution of volunteers who gather data around the country. Without the amazing commitment of these people we would not know half of what has been revealed by this book.

“I hope that readers will find this book useful and interesting and perhaps many more people will feel inspired to start collecting and interpreting information about their own local places.”

The Changing Nature of Scotland is published on 6 October 2011 and is available from TSO Scotland in hardback for £27.50. The book will also be available as a free pdf download from http://www.tsoshop.co.uk/parliament/bookstore.asp?Action=Book&ProductId=9780114973599

Robin Harper, Scotland’s first ever Green Party MSP, has a secret hobby of growing oak trees from seed. Since recently joining the Board of the National Trust for Scotland, he was keen to see his seedlings find homes in Trust properties to celebrate the Trust’s eightieth anniversary and offered up to 50 young trees through the Trust’s newsletter. First to respond was Sir Tam Dalyell, on behalf of The House of The Binns.

The gift will ensure the continuation of native species of oak within the ancient landscape surrounding the property. Many of the existing trees are in their prime at 250 years old but others haven’t survived and the young trees can be planted within existing cattle guards.

Sir Tam Dalyell says, “I shalln’t be around to see them mature but, provided they’re not killed off in an early fierce winter, they will make a wonderful contribution to the environment. Oaks are host to many species of insects that provide food for birds. They are really marvellous trees.”

Robin’s garden in the centre of Edinburgh is the size of three school classrooms but he says, “It’s extraordinary what you can do with a small garden. I grow the trees in an area the size of a kitchen.”

Robin sticks to oak trees which he describes as the king of trees. “It’s wonderful when you think of all the things you can do with it from furniture to ships.

“The Edinburgh grey squirrel is my worst problem,” he says, “so I have to germinate them in trays of home made compost under my desk. From there they go into yoghurt pots and then to various plastic bottles. They’re quite happy there until they’re 5 or 6 feet high. I’ve occasionally had a little fungus which I’ve cleaned off painstakingly leaf by leaf with soap spray.”

Robin has been doing this for 16 years and during that time has provided around 700 specimens which have been planted all over Scotland, from Loch Awe to the Water of Leith and recently Scottish Water’s  Glencorse plant.

Merrell’s latest walking boots are very much a step in the right direction. And especially as Merrell continues its relationship with leading charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer encouraging people to get outside and get active.

Breast cancer affects a staggering 1 in 9 women in the UK, however, research suggests that a healthy, active lifestyle can help prevent the onset of cancer. An integrated campaign by Merrell will not only help drive awareness of the disease, but also help to raise a minimum of £20,000 for the charity.

Launching in September, Merrell offers four selected pink-styled footwear from the women’s performance range. 10% of the retail price from all pink-styled products sold in conjunction with the partnership will be donated directly to Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

The full Breakthrough range features Merrell’s unique QForm® comfort midsole which provides stride-sequenced cushioning, specifically for women. The popular Chameleon Arc 2 Rival GTX hiking boot features a waterproof leather upper whilst those looking for more lightweight walking footwear might consider the Siren Vent Mid GTX, which features a breathable mesh upper and boasts a Vibram® sole like the Chameleon.

The Chameleon was put through its paces on a very wet, misty Bennachie, with very little wearing in. On the uphill it provided good ankle support on a rough track and grip on slippy climbs over stone. Downhill I hadn’t judged the sock width or tightness of the fastening and ended up with blisters on the tops of my toes but was spared my usual problem of blistered heels and soles.

My feet were warm and dry for most of the day but did become damp later on – I would have expected gore-tex performance to be better than that and indeed, the website reviews suggest that this is a bit of an issue. All in all, I was very impressed by the boots (not sure about the pink but hey!) which have come a long way since I took to the hills. I particularly like the lighter weight of these technical boots and if they don’t exactly have springs, the cushioned sole makes for a very comfortable experience. Another big plus is that half sizes are available.

Merrell’s partnership with Breakthrough Breast Cancer has to be commended. The whole Breakthrough range features unique pink flash colouring and can be purchased from www.merrell.com/uk Just look for the Breakthrough logo.

For superior quality,  fresher flowers with a longer vase-life, arranged by our own florists and at lower prices, look no further than Eden4Flowers. We source all our flowers direct from growers in the UK, Europe and around the world, enabling a direct delivery straight in to us up to 96 hours faster than the florist on the high street can expect. By ordering online, our customers are assisting us in keeping our costs as low as possible. In return you’ll be presented with a lower online purchase price across all bouquets and gift ranges, saving you between £2 – £10 per bouquet. Think of it as a little thank you from us every time you order. We think that’s much nicer than a bonus or loyalty points card. NO surcharges for paying with credit or debit cards – Guaranteed.

Founded in March 1994, The White Company is a specialist mail-order company offering a wide range of lifestyle products for the home, principally in White. The company philosophy is and always has been to provide only the finest quality at outstanding value for money. We only work with the best factories in the world and almost everything we sell is made exclusively for us. Right now we have 30% off selected items of women’s and children’s clothing.

In tough economic times AVON’s low priced, high quality cosmetics and toiletries are well placed to please the purses of women all over the UK. The Avon sale has half price make-up with prices from just 89 pence! And there are great offers for Christmas with gifts suitable for men, women and even children.

Produced with the support and advice of Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Borders Council, South Lanarkshire Council and the staff of the Pentland Hills Ranger Service it can be downloaded here

Another booklet which is quite fascinating is the Pentland Place Names Guide by John Baldwin and Peter Drummond. Beginning with some history to explain the various occupations to which the area was subject it explains the meanings of places according to their Gaelic, Scots, British or Northern English roots. The Pentland at one time formed the watershed between the Gaelic speaking culture and the British, itself formed from  Anglian and Scandinavian influences. The name itself comes from the British pen meaning head and llan meaning head or top of the church or enclosure.

The names of farms and settlements hint at previous lives once we know their original meanings and this 40 page booklet can be downloaded here.

As for the Friends, each year they organise a programme of walks and talks and undertake environmental projects such as a major way marking project, restoring a wildlife pond, replacing a bird hide, planting trees, and putting up bird boxes. For further information see here

James Killgore is an American who lives in Edinburgh but whose daughter plays football. The story was made up to please her, but as Killgore was reading a book called Macrae’s Battalion by Jack Alexander at the time, he had the idea of blending fact and fiction in Soldier’s Game, thus paying tribute to a number of brave men who were heroes on and off the football pitch.

Books that boys will read are few and far between but this is a book which is well worth reading, whether you’re male or female, boy or girl.

Neil and Clara’s dragon friend Arthur, who lives with the Macarthurs under Arthur’s Seat, is particularly alarmed as memories of his last escape from the magical sword are revived. Arthur flies to the Valley of Dragons to warn his fellow fire-breathers while the Lords of the North muster to stop the wicked Lord Jezail and even the witches form an unusual alliance with the human children who are caught up in the search for the sword.
Magic and trickery abound and is anyone who they seem to be? This is probably the best book of  the series, although it is just possible to see the beginnings of a further series in the future!

The second in this sure-to-be- popular series by Janey Louise Jones takes us through the first term at the school, where Katie and her new friends learn to manage their feelings of jealousy and admiration for those who are better dancers while striving to be the best they can under a star teacher.

The castle however has a surprise in store when they discover a statue of a little ballet dancer in the grounds and try to find out who she is and why the statue is there.

Janey Louise Jones was born in Edinburgh and brought up in East Lothian. She has been writing stories since she was seven. Her hugely popular Princess Poppy series has sold over two million copies to date and has been translated into several languages.  An enthusiastic ballerina as a child, she still adores the world of ballet.

There’s everything a little girl could wish for in this story from Kelpies.

With a trip to Australia and Malaysia in mind, we tried a pair of women’s convertible trousers with an Atoll top and the men’s cargo trousers and Atoll top. All the fabrics use Nosilife a textile impregnation treatment designed to give 90% insect-repellency. The solar dry fabric also provides a minimum UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) 40+, the international standard for clothing to be considered truly protective.

Travelling light is also important if you’re carrying all your kit on foot or trying to pack everything into hand baggage to save precious pounds, better spent on ice creams. Our two tops and two pairs of trousers weighed just under 1000 grammes and rolled up into a shoe size each.

The women’s trousers were very comfortable and light, drying in 20 minutes in a sunny breeze, except for the extra thicknesses where the lower trousers zip off. I never used the leg pocket as it put the weight in the wrong place  but (sadly) didn’t even realise it had a lip balm pocket until checking the specs just now. I was using the three quarters cut-offs and initially questioned the width of the lower leg, until I realised that it meant the lower leg could be removed without taking off my shoes. Having done enough hopping on one leg trying to remove overtrousers and split trousers that weren’t wide enough in the past, I was very appreciative of this feature. Apart from the hassle, a lot of the paths we encountered in Malaysia were muddy and you really wouldn’t want to put your sock foot down at all. Two niggles: I had to hitch up the upper leg for big steps – not sure if a stretchier fabric would have been better or a different cut. Also, when I wore a  shoulder bag it caused pilling where the bag rubbed.

The Atoll long sleeved top has a very comfortable fit, again insect-repellent and sun-protective, but also designed to wick moisture away from the skin, which it accomplished very well. Again it dries quickly if you’re washing it on the move but I was pleased to find that even when drenched in sweat it never became very smelly. I also liked the polo collar which could be zipped up for warmth or unzipped when you wanted to cool down. Realising that it just happens to be the colour of my orienteering club, I’ve worn it orienteering in this country both on its own and under a waterproof top and it performed very well, being surprisingly cool even with long sleeves (though I doubt I’d run in it on a really hot day). Somewhere along the line though, and I haven’t been charging through hedges forwards or backwards, it has picked up a lot of snags. For a garment classified as ‘active’ I found this surprising.

The men’s cargo trousers were also very good technically, lightweight, quick drying, sun protecting,  insect repelling and antibacterial. Clunky pockets are a pet hate though, and if  you ever used all nine pockets, you could almost get round the world without luggage. Some of these are pockets within pockets, very good for security, provided you yourself can remember where you’ve put things. The semi-elastic waistband provides comfortable adjustment, though dangerous if your pockets are full of heavy things. I exaggerate of course and this is purely a personal thing – lots of pockets are an attraction for some people. All in all these are easy to wear, smart-casual, great for travel and good value for money.

The Atoll long sleeved top is another good product, with all the technology you’d expect from Craghoppers. The off the top shoulder seam is a nice touch and it’s a good tee shirt for in between weather. The body is kind of shapeless compared with the women’s Atoll, but it keeps its shape on washing. Where I was disappointed is that its claimed “moisture-wicking cotton and polyester blend” fell short. I know we’re talking about some steep climbs in 25 degrees and 90% humidity, but there are other technical tops out there that cope better with water, both from sweat and rain. And it was just too hot. In less severe conditions though, it ticks plenty of boxes.

As for the insect repellent that I was particularly interested in, well it’s hard to say. Is it a gimmick? I am naturally sceptical about these things. But, midges are the bane of my gardening evenings and they can ruin an otherwise idyllic campsite so you’ve got to give it a try. I was chased inside the other evening (you could almost see the cloud following me) but it was only my exposed face and hands that were bitten. The question of whether I would have been bitten through my clothes had I been wearing anything else remains unanswered, sorry. A better test is John, who is a magnet for all sorts of midges, mosquitos, blackflies and other beasties.  The dying embers of a barbecue weren’t enough to protect the rest of us from the mossies, while he sat in his Nosilife top, coolly enjoying his beer after the rest of us had made a grab for our various personal favourite sprays. So yes, you’d have to say it works, and armed with a Nosilife mesh hat and socks you’d probably be nicely set up.

For the full range of kit and combinations see www.craghoppers.com

The plant in question, Stratiotes aloides, also called Water Soldier, is a native species and has thrived in the property’s pond to such an extent that over the summer it colonised the entire surface.  This made it very difficult for other plants and creatures to use the pond.

Staff initially donned their waders, armed with rakes, to pull in and remove the plants, but found the water too deep to clear the plant from the pond centre. The solution was a borrowed dinghy and an intrepid property manager, Louise Arnot.

Water Soldier is a native plant that  floats to the surface in summer to flower. In the Autumn, the leaves produce a slimy secretion and the plant sinks to the bottom of the pond where it remains during the cold weather.

Its structure and appearance is very similar to some succulent plants and bromeliads. The plant grows in a rosette with 1″ wide tapering leaves which can reach a length of 9″. Young plants are produced from the centre of the rosette on runners, while the centre of the plant produces long, white roots, similar to the houseplant commonly known as the Spider Plant. These roots and also the rosette of the plant itself form safe havens for fry and small fish to live in as well as insects but whilst it is good for wildlife, it can sometimes take over a pond and does need occasional clearance where this happens.

Managed by landlord Keith Taylor, the restaurant is headed up by former  Scottish Chef of the Year Neil Mackenzie, Edinburgh born and bred but busy gaining experience down south. Keith had been watching him on Professional Masterchef and by coincidence bumped into him at a social function. For both, it was serendipity and Neil was delighted to have the chance to come home to head up this new launch.

The new look has been some time in the making but all good things come to those who show a little patience and the end result offers a cosy sofa type area where real ales and good food can be enjoyed in the comfortable bar. On the evening we visited, a pleasant sunny evening, the staff were discovering they could seat another 150 outside in the garden, but whilst busy, it was never cramped or noisy.  If it’s a proper sit down restaurant you want, a few steps will take you up to the dining room, popular in the early evening with families and later with couples and groups.

The decor has been quietly toned down (cream, if you like) allowing a number of interesting features to have their say – the firepit, the individual chairs and tables, glass etchings and whisky barrels.

But while it’s nice to have something to stimulate conversation as you wait for your order, it is after all, the food that’s what it’s all about. Neil has developed a substantial  menu with tapas type starters, sausage style children’s favourites and some very tasty main courses, including seafood, steaks and everything in between, not to mention a couple of vegetarian options.

We shared the Grilled portabella mushrooms topped with crisp bacon, garlic and chilli oil for starters. Mushrooms were nicely done, not soggy, and the sauce certainly had a tang but not enough to ruin the palate for the main course. While John opted for steak, done to death as he likes it, I was tempted by the Black olive & onion tart with cumin-roasted vegetables, topped with Chef ’s onion rings and a smoked tomato dressing. Sometimes I fear that chefs get carried away with adding ingredients that sound clever but really don’t add much to the meal. I mean, why cumin roasted vegetables? Why smoke your tomato dressing?

Well that’s what chefs are for and the answer was forthcoming. Both the roasted vegetables and the tomato sauce can be too sweet for a main course, so the cumin provides balance without adding salt and smoking the tomato sauce is another healthy way of adding flavour without adding salt. See below for Neil’s secret recipe!

All this is complimented by a good wine list and a selecti0n of real ales – which can be tasted in third of a pint glasses until you find your favourite – what a terrific idea! Sadly we were dashing off to the theatre and couldn’t find room for more but it would have been a pleasure to have had time to succumb to the tempting dessert menu. The only slight (extremely slight) flaw was a lukewarm latte.

Clearly the location opposite the Commonwealth pool and Holyrood Halls of Residence does present problems for the landlord as patrons are asked to pay £5 to park, deductable from the bill, but this seems a perfectly reasonable way of ensuring that genuine punters can secure a parking spot. All in all, a pub restaurant to satisfy you on any occasion, whether it’s a casual drink, a snack or the whole deal that you’re after.

She finds herself meeting the most attractive people – or else she just sees the best in everyone – from another white single woman volunteer to the camp organisers and other people who take her in and keep her on the right tracks. Through Anne’s eyes we see the poor and the rich of this amazing and often forgotten country, the corruption, the desperation and the expectations – or lack of them, as the case may be.

It is written with sympathy, and humour and is an inspiration to anyone who has ever wondered, how would I manage, how would I cope if I were to find myself in a similar situation, the only white person, who doesn’t speak the language. Could I cope with the food, the toilets, the squalor, the apparent helplessness of it all?

Anne has returned since then and seen the fruits of her labour. She has also been involved in setting up the charity Bhola’s Garden, which provides home and education for disabled children, whose parents can not care for them. The profits from sales of this book will go to this charity, which is one good reason to buy it. Another is that it is simply a very enjoyable read, with warm, charming characters who will endear themselves to you.

A Blonde Bengali Wife is available here from Amazon

For me, this was as much Tam’s story, as he sets out to improve his lot and make the best of everything that comes his way. But is is also about three generations of his family. The Crystal in the story is a nickname which is given more than half way through the book by the boy that Senga fancies but who doesn’t return her love. (So why does he give her such an attractive nickname?) She too accepts her fate and gets on with things as best she can.

I don’t know if this book is supposed to be humorous, moving or just a good story but its authentic setting will appeal to those who have enjoyed the author’s previous two novels,In a Class of Their Own and In a League of Their Own.

Crystal’s Song is available here from Amazon