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From a Suffolk pink thatch to a blue townhouse in London’s Notting Hill, these pastel gems prove Britain’s love for colour hasn’t faded — even as some residents push back on Insta-tourists. A Blue Beauty in London’s Notting Hill Even with the odd local repainting their house black to shoo off influencers, Notting Hill’s rainbow streets remain iconic. This five-storey Victorian stunner, coated in a soft blue with crisp white trims, stands out even here. Inside, it’s got the lot — a kitchen-diner stretching the full length of the lower ground floor and opening onto a private garden. There’s a…

Scotland’s summer tour heats up with a fierce clash against Fiji in Suva this Friday. Both sides have named bold lineups — and a few surprise changes — as they gear up for their 11th face-off in rugby history. Big Debuts and Bold Picks for Scotland Scotland’s selectors have rolled the dice. New face Fergus Burke, who qualifies through his Edinburgh-born grandad, gets his first start at fly-half. It’s a big shout — Burke slots in next to Jamie Dobie at scrum-half, with captaincy duties shifting to flanker Rory Darge. Behind them? A backline built for speed. Darcy Graham, Cameron…

E.ON’s Steven’s Croft biomass plant is stepping up as the backbone of Scotland’s new HyLion network — aiming to put green fuel in the tanks of cargo ships, passenger jets and even racing cars. A New Player in the Green Fuel Game It might sound like something from a science fair — turning waste wood and whisky fumes into clean fuel for the world’s biggest engines. But the HyLion alliance has a plan, and it’s serious. Sitting at the heart of it is Steven’s Croft near Lockerbie. Since 2008, this biomass plant has been chewing through waste wood and recycled…

Consumer Scotland says Ofcom’s latest decision to reform the Royal Mail’s Universal Service Obligation leaves Scottish customers in the lurch. Island communities and low-income households could feel the pinch first. Reliability Down, Prices Up — A Bitter Pill For many in Scotland, reliable post isn’t a luxury — it’s a lifeline. Grace Remmington, Consumer Scotland’s Head of Post, didn’t mince her words when she called out Ofcom’s ruling this week. She pointed out that Scots have already weathered shoddy delivery reliability and soaring stamp prices. Now, they’re being asked to accept even less for more money. Is that fair? Hard…

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing to meet US President Donald Trump in Scotland later this month, marking Trump’s first UK trip since his re-election. The meeting comes on the heels of their new trade deal that slashed US tariffs on British imports. A Surprise Reunion on Scottish Soil They only shook hands five months ago in the Oval Office, but a lot has shifted since then. Starmer, who has pitched himself as a steady pair of hands post-Brexit, now finds himself sharing tea and tartan with Trump — a president known for upending the rule book. Sources close…

Peter Clifford, once just an ordinary name in Felixstowe, is now making headlines for all the wrong reasons. After failing to appear in court multiple times, Clifford, 62, has finally been arrested in the quiet stretch of Aberdeenshire — ending a near four-year search linked to the tragic death of a young construction worker. A Fatal Day on Haughgate Close Dale Baker never made it home that December day in 2020. He was only 30, a construction worker from Felixstowe, just like Clifford once was. He’d been working on renovations at a house on Haughgate Close in Woodbridge when things…

For three decades, one Scottish company has quietly made life-changing moves feel a little less overwhelming — helping people start over, far from home, with more than just boxes and keys. From Singapore to Scotland: An Idea Takes Root Back in 1995, Mary Smith saw something many didn’t. After three years running relocation support in Singapore, she returned home and realised Scotland needed its own guiding hand for incomers. “It was a natural fit,” she says. “I knew how it felt to pack up your life, land in a new place, and not have a clue where to start.” One…

One of Scotland’s biggest social care charities is stepping up its policy influence — aiming to put the voices of vulnerable people at the centre of future health and care decisions. Quarriers Joins Forces With Voluntary Health Scotland Quarriers, which supports thousands of people across Scotland, has officially joined Voluntary Health Scotland (VHS). The move marks a clear shift in how charities shape national conversations on poverty, disability rights, and health inequalities. One line. With this partnership, Quarriers will now have a bigger seat at the table in policy discussions that touch on everything from funding reforms to frontline care…

Work has officially begun on one of Scotland’s latest battery storage sites — a move that could ease grid pressures and help households save on soaring energy bills. Building Big Batteries in South Ayrshire Field, the energy storage developer, has broken ground on its Holmston site near Keith in South Ayrshire. This is no small project. The Holmston battery site will deliver 50 MW / 100 MWh of capacity — enough to power up to 26,000 homes for two hours when fully charged. One line here. Construction should wrap up in the first half of 2026, with sister site Drum…

Calls are growing for the return of subsidised civic restaurants to tackle food insecurity and give Scots access to a hot meal for just a few pounds — just like their grandparents did. Cheap, Filling Meals That Fed a Nation You’d be forgiven for thinking taxpayer-backed public diners were just wartime nostalgia. But they were once a staple across the UK. Before, during, and after both world wars, around 2,000 civic restaurants operated across Britain, nearly 100 of them in Scotland. Aberdeen’s Castle Restaurant alone served 4,000 customers in its first month back in 1941. People swapped cold sandwiches for…