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The Scottish Connection Napoleon Bonaparte, the French emperor who dominated Europe in the early 19th century, had a surprising connection with Scotland. Not only did he have Scottish ancestors, but he also faced Scottish soldiers in some of his most decisive battles. Moreover, he was influenced by Scottish thinkers and writers, and even considered escaping to Scotland after his defeat at Waterloo. Napoleon’s Scottish ancestry can be traced back to his maternal grandmother, Maria Anna Tusoli, who was descended from a noble family of Tuscan origin that had settled in Corsica in the 15th century. The Tusoli family claimed to…

A Proposal to Introduce Admission Charges for Some Venues The City of Edinburgh Council is considering a proposal to introduce entry fees for some of its museums and galleries, including the City Art Centre and the Museum of Childhood. The council says that the move is necessary to cope with the financial challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and to ensure the sustainability of its cultural services. The proposal, which will be discussed by the council’s culture and communities committee on Tuesday, suggests charging £5 for adults and £3 for concessions for visiting the City Art Centre, the Museum of…

Background Edinburgh council has been trying to regulate the short-term let market in the city, which is dominated by Airbnb-style properties. The council claims that these properties have a negative impact on the availability and affordability of housing, as well as the quality of life and safety of residents. The council has introduced a short-term let control area that covers the whole city, requiring owners of short-term lets to obtain planning permission and a licence to operate. The council has also set a cap of 45 nights per year for short-term lets in residential properties, and a limit of two guests per bedroom. Legal challenge However, the council’s policy has…

Scotland is in mourning after the death of John Byrne, a renowned playwright, artist and designer, who passed away peacefully on Thursday at the age of 83. Byrne was best known for his play The Slab Boys Trilogy, which explored working-class life in Scotland, and the TV series Tutti Frutti, which starred Robbie Coltrane and Emma Thompson. He was also a prolific painter, printmaker and theatre designer, whose distinctive style earned him acclaim and admiration. A life of creativity and passion Byrne was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, in 1940, into a family of Irish Catholic descent. He grew up in…

The Problem of Unaffordable Rents The housing crisis in Scotland has reached a critical point, as many tenants struggle to pay their rents amid the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, the average rent in Scotland increased by 2.3% in the year to September 2023, while the average wage decreased by 1.2% in the same period. This means that many renters are spending more than a third of their income on housing, leaving them with little money for other essential needs. The problem is especially acute in urban areas,…