Charlie, Rannoch Terrace, Clermiston – ‘aye, Edinburgh, there’s no place like it!’

“I was born in the West Port, not far from Tanners Close where Burke and Hare committed their murders back in the days of the grave diggers and body snatchers in Edinburgh. But West Port was also where the first Fire Brigade in the world was formed. Braidwood was the name of the guy who started it. He was actually called as the first witness at Burke’s trial.

After school I joined the army and I spent years away from here, mostly in Germany. I enjoyed Germany, it was a grand place to be posted, but man, when I got home on leave and arrived back at Waverley Station, it just felt wonderful to be in Edinburgh again. Aye, Edinburgh, there’s no place like it!”

John and Kate Murray, Holyrood Park Road - ‘over 50 years later, and still together’

Where did you first meet?

John: “We met in the Bibliothek amerikanisches Institut in Regensberg, on the Danube, in 1970.”

Was it love at first sight?

John: “Absolutely.”

Kate: “We were on the same language course. I'd been feeling a bit fed up, so I'd wandered off to see the local market. After that I went to the library, and that’s where I met John. We started talking and decided to go for a coffee together that afternoon - and here we are, over 50 years later and still together.”

John: “I’ve been retired for about 20 years. Kate was a teacher, and I was a librarian; books are an aphrodisiac.”

It's obvious that you're a close couple. How would you describe your relationship?

John: “Oh, a combination of sympathy and lust! Really, we have an understanding of each other.”

Kate: “We both love reading and walking, so we have shared hobbies. Yes, we have a close relationship.”

Do you ever feel the need to have time apart from each other?

“No!”

How do you feel about the future?

John: “Absolutely splendid. I just keep going really. I don't worry about the future. I just go from day-to-day on the basis that, ‘Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof.’”

Have you thought about how you would cope if one of you was left without the other?

John: “At this stage in life, it’s just coming to terms with one's mortality. If you survive and become old - and others do not - you eventually end up in a position of some loneliness, I suppose.”

Kate: “No. I shy away from it, I suppose. We have two daughters, one in Edinburgh and one in London, so I suppose that would help. I really can't bear to think about it.”

Alfie, Stephen, Declan and Mark, Sighthill Court

"We've had so many laughs together, and we've got so many memories!”

Ian, Café Truva, The Shore - ‘D’ya wanna go offshore boy?’

“I went on to the oil rigs in ’74. I came down here for an interview with a company called Santa Fe. This American guy said, “D’ya wanna go offshore boy?” I said ‘Yes’. There was a pallet on the floor with boxes on it. He said, “I'm going for coffee now, so move those boxes from there to there.” I thought, “So, that's an interview? Alright.” He came back 10 minutes later. “Good jab,” he said, “you’re goin’ offshore tomorrow.” And that was it!

I got paid £3.00 an hour which was fantastic wages. That was 106 hours per week, which included overtime. So, it was £300 a week. I had two mates at the time who played for Hearts and for Hibs called Alan Gordon and Jimmy O’Rourke. They were the two top goal scorers in Europe at the time. I was getting paid way, way more than they were.

My dad was a very good footballer. He was earning £8 a week as a crane driver in 1949, when he went to Hibs for a trial. They offered him a contract – at £5 a week! So that was, “No, thank you!””

Were you good at sport?

“I did a wee bit of boxing and a wee bit of wrestling. I used to go to the El Dorado on a Tuesday. All the big guys were there like Giant Haystacks and Big Daddy. I used to go backstage to do what they called ‘warm-up wrestling’ with them. You got thrown about for 10 minutes to warm up the big guys, and then they came out for the big fight. It didn’t hurt you or anything, they’d just put you into locks and things like that. Mostly it was showmanship. They were all friends. After the wrestling was over, they all went to the pub and had a few pints together.”

How do think Leith has changed over your lifetime?

“Oh, massively. See twenty-five years ago - some of the pubs down here, you'd need a platoon of SAS to go into them! They were rough. My brother and another guy came off a boat in Leith at lunchtime once to go to their union office. Then then they went into the Tower Bar which was next door to it, to have a quick pint before they went back to the boat, and they got set upon by two guys in the bar - and the barman! And my brother is a local. And that was at lunchtime. And the Police didn't want to know anything.

See now, though, anybody can walk around here at night, and nobody says boo to them. We've moved on. And it's a good thing.”

Great Junction Street - ‘health care is worrying’

“Health care is worrying. When you go to the doctor and describe what you're feeling, say a pain, you don’t know what the problem really is. I have a side pain. That pain maybe means a lot in my body, but the doctor gives me a pain killer. But what if, deep down, that’s not the problem? What if the problem involves other organs? What if, at the end of the day, this thing going on inside your body is destroying your life? At first, it’s just a small pain, but it can take a life ultimately.”

What do think of the health care you receive?

“It is not as good as it was before the pandemic. You can be on a waiting list now for months and months. And what if the problem is accumulating all the time? It is going to trigger other things in your body. And then, when you are seen, you are not able to cure what the problem was. But if they can detect the problem at an early stage, then maybe they can cure that problem. But because they have taken so long to see you and discuss the problem with you and how you are feeling they can't do anything to help you and you're hopeless. And that is the end of your life. You know? It is very worrying.”

Street Preacher, Leith Walk

Donnie, Colinton Tunnel - ‘this is going to be contested territory’

"Discussion and disagreement are things we really need to learn. People must have the ability to challenge and to be challenged, to correct and to be corrected.

On that topic, a colleague of mine said something controversial recently and immediately I thought, 'Oh, this is this is going to be contested territory!' So, I started gently questioning it and at that point there was tension, because immediately you're holding a flag and all that that might represent.

It was an interesting experience. We had 20 minutes of tension, and then about three hours when we were just engaged. In the end we realized that we actually want the same thing - we want a better future where all humans live together in a peaceful integrated fashion, and anything that's not towards that effort is seen as counterproductive at best."

Chris and Rae, The Meadows - The Partners’ Dance

Justine, Hailesland Place - ‘there are no exceptions’

“I’ve lived here for 3 years now, and I feel very safe here. My neighbours are wonderful. We are of all ethnicities: Indian, Asian, Scottish, other British, Black, White, you name it, and they are all fantastic, just amazing. And there are no exceptions.”

Female students, Old College, Edinburgh University

"When girls are educated, their countries become stronger and more prosperous." Michelle Obama.

This photo was taken on 26 March 2022, three days after the Taliban banned all girls in Afghanistan from attending secondary school.

‘Eddie’ (proprietor), Café Truva, The Shore

How did Covid affect your business?

“I used to have three cafes. I opened one in the Royal Mile in 2008, but I had to sell it in 2020 because of Covid and because of the landlord’s attitude. I also one in Lady Lawson Street that I opened in 2011, but I sold it too in 2021. So now I have only this one at The Shore. This is actually the first one; I opened here in 1998.

I had a lot of support here from people during Covid. They were great, and really supported me whenever they had a chance to get out.  We got good support from the government too, I can't deny that. It saved my life. But if I’d kept the café on the Royal Mile, the funds from the government wouldn’t even have covered the rent. For the one on Lady Lawson Street, my landlord was very helpful and didn’t charge me for nearly half of the year. But I sold that one too.”

Do you think COVID has changed people?

“Since COVID I think people have become lazy and are ordering takeaway deliveries through technology much more. Carryout delivery cyclists are everywhere. It wasn't like this before COVID. Why did people's mentality change so much?

I think technology is making people lazy. People are even ordering breakfast deliveries – it’s scary. If everything is put in front of you, of course you will become lazy. I would as well. Nowadays you don’t have to leave your chair. Your dinner, your bank, everything is right there for you on a screen. This is the scary part of this century, you know?”

Since COVID how have things developed for you?

“All these new traffic restrictions have really damaged my business. Now even some regulars no longer want to come because there is no free parking. It's like the government wants to collect back all that they gave us. Parking restrictions are having a big effect. I must buy fresh ingredients every day, and I need to use a car. One day I was bringing a new microwave to the shop. It took time to get it in and sorted out, and when I got back to the car, I had a ticket. How do they think I’m supposed to get it here? By helicopter?!” 

Vroni Holzmann, Middle Meadow Walk - ‘Channel 4 called me’

“It all started in 1999. I wanted to join the Fringe, so I put a piano out on the street, on the Royal Mile. And now I go on tours all over Europe, but I always come back to the Fringe. I always want to be a part of it. I’ve had this piano since 2000, so next year we will have been together for 25 years. It was made in 1937 by a company called Steingraeber, in Bayreuth in Germany. Amazingly, that company still exists. I was there this year, and they did some work on it for me. It’s an amazing story.

I’m in Edinburgh most of the year. I live here. But I do other forms of art like photography, cartoons, I’m a classical composer, I write poetry and all sorts of different things.”

Which of those art forms is the most important to you?

“All of them! I’m just creative, and when I start doing something that is the most important at the time. The piano started taking over a lot recently because Channel 4 called me and asked, ‘Can you play for us?’ And then I had to really concentrate on that. It was for a program they ran called The Piano with Claudia Winkleman. It’s a really nice program where they are just inviting pianists to play pianos in public spaces. I was filmed playing in a train station.

But the bit I am missing is the commercial side. I am good at art and being out on the streets, but as for the whole commercial side … I can’t make money, not really; I’m just rubbish at it. I just want to bring my art to the people. But I think if you are in this position, then what you have to do is just ignore the money, be poor and just do the art. Because if you think about it a lot it just distracts you. It would be nice to have an agent, but I’m still waiting for that call!”

Euan, Leith Walk - ‘now I’m enjoying what I really want to do’

“I’m a dog walker. My business is called Pilrig Paws, and this is Maisie, Pudding, Becky and Remy. I’ve worked with the other three for up to five or six years, but Becky’s a new start. She’s a rescue dog from Bosnia and she’s scared of everything, so I’m working with her to get her used to city life. She’s doing really well.”

How long do you think it will take for Becky to adjust?

“She's been with her owners for five months and I've been walking her for one month now. I think for her to be really settled in this environment will take three to five months. She lived in the Bosnian countryside where she wasn't exposed to as busy an environment as Leith.  I'm not sure what the ethics around the treatment of animals is like over there, but a lot of dogs come over with behavioural problems. It takes a lot of time and training to understand what’s causing those. Becky’s extremely nervous; you can see her tail is tucked under, she's shaking and she's desperate to just go back home. She’s just seen a skateboarder, and skateboards are a trigger. She's fine with bikes, but she must have had a bad experience with skateboards. As a puppy that would be enough to scare her for life; dogs remember. We’re doing immersion training which involves getting her into an unsettling environment. We go anywhere within two miles of Leith really, mostly to parks and around the Water of Leith.”  

What’s your background in relation to animals and dogs?

“I was quite lucky in that I grew up around rescue dogs that my parents used to take in, and a whole menagerie of other animals! When I left home, I went off to study and got a ‘normal’ job doing office work, but I didn’t enjoy it – I really didn’t enjoy it. A few pals said to me, “Why don’t you walk some dogs?” So, I did. That was 10 years ago. Admittedly, when I was working in the office I was making much more money, but I wasn't enjoying it and I wasn't enjoying life. As soon as I started the dog-walking I lost weight, I was happier and now I’m enjoying what I really want to do.”

The Consumer, Princes Street

Ozi, Coalhill, Leith - ‘sometimes you just want to cry’

“People say I'm strong but, hmm, I don't know if I could say I am strong. I just try to just stick things out. Sometimes I do feel strong, but sometimes when I’m alone I let all the bridges fall, because that's the only time I have to ease everything out.

But then, when I'm standing in front of people, I try to be strong because I feel like people look up to you, even without you knowing it. You are an inspiration to people around you without your knowledge, and when you come off strong, I think you give other people the inspiration to push on too. Being strong is not about not having emotions though; we always have our emotions and sometimes you just want to cry. But then, being able to lock it up and tell yourself that you can do it - I think that's the biggest part of overcoming.

You know, every time you pass a test, a stronger challenge comes forward. Then it all depends on how you are able to push through, how determined you are to keep pushing until you achieve that goal and that destination that you've set for yourself.”

David, Calder Park - ‘I’m pretty happy with it all’

The bin men’s strike in Edinburgh has been called off. How do you feel about that? 

“I don't get personally involved with the politics. I trust the Union to deal with that. I think they represent us well, so I pay my dues, and I leave it to them. I've been doing this for 10 years now, and I'm pretty happy with it all.”

Eva, Union Canal path, Wester Hailes - ‘this has made me really happy’

“I’ve just finished Gymnasium in Switzerland, which is like High School here, and now I am having a gap year to travel a bit and to do some internships. Then, later, I’m not quite sure what I want to study, but I think it will be physiotherapy, or maybe also something to do with art or movies. I’m very interested in editing movies.

I first came to Edinburgh for three months as an exchange student from Switzerland. I really like Edinburgh! I have so many good memories here. I think it is my favourite place, although Venice is very special too.”

What is your happiest memory?

“It’s a very hard question. Maybe it’s not just one moment, but the moments when I realized how it is to just do what I want to do. So, when I started having a bigger distance to my parents to do what I wanted to do. That’s a very good feeling. I was maybe around 17 or 18. That’s also when I started travelling.  In the earlier years I liked to be at home and alone in my room, and then later I realized how it is to just travel and to go outside and this has really made me really happy.”

Urban Explorer, Union Canal, Wester Hailes

Science student, Murrayburn Road - the power of example

“I came to Edinburgh from Nigeria two years ago, to study pharmaceutical science.

Edinburgh is such a beautiful city, and very friendly. I think it must be one of the friendliest cities in the UK. My very first week was a big challenge though, just trying to find places I needed to go, and working out the bus routes. But the most challenging part was the weather. Oh, man. It is very hot where I come from, and I felt it very cold when I arrived here. This is my very first experience of living away from home, but I think it is good to move away from your comfort zone. I’d consider staying here long-term, but it depends on what opportunities come.”

Who inspires you?

“My older sister has been a big influence on me. She loves challenges, and I really admire her courage and how she has handled and overcome everything that has stood in her way. She pushes herself to get on with life, no matter what, and she reacts very positively to all the changes. She seems able to handle anything in her path. So, I look up to her a lot. She’s a great example, and an inspiration to me.”

Lyndsay, Rannoch Road - ‘poverty is the big one’

“I'm lucky to be quite happy. But I’ve faced challenges, like a lot of people, in my mental health.”

How do you deal with that?

“I play sport but the main thing has been the support of my friends and family. It’s not always easy to ask for that support, but sometimes it's necessary. They’re very supportive which is why I feel lucky. I enjoy talking with them and spending time with them. When you speak to people who haven’t got that, you realise just how lucky you are. 

I'm a social worker. I see how some people struggle. I think that helps me to put things in my own life into perspective. And my own challenges help me in my work. They help me to have empathy, and to relate to people who are going through difficult times.”

What do you think people are struggling with most?

“I think poverty is the big one. It affects a lot of people's mental health. I think a lot of social problems stem from that and from the social isolation it creates. Having more equal opportunities from the beginning would be very helpful.

We help them with our own skills, providing one-to-one support, and we signpost them to other sources of government or charity support depending on the area and the details of the case. But there's not enough provision out there, not compared to the need that exists.”

What are your aspirations for your own future?

“My ultimate ambition is to retire early, and live a nice, relaxed life! Not that I don't love my job, I do, but I just think that there's more to life than work, work, work and achieve, achieve …  I think that we should all be able to just live a bit more peacefully, to have enough to live comfortably, but not in excess. That’s a good life. Our value doesn’t come from what we’ve got. I believe that.”

John, The Westsider, Wester Hailes - ‘we raised £10,000’

“I'm 63 and I've been drinking since I was 14. But I’m not an alcoholic. Not yet, anyway.  

I've got COPD, and heart and kidney problems so I've been on the sick for years. I woke up one morning a couple of weeks ago so exhausted I could hardly move. I reached for my phone beside my bed to call my daughter but I'd no credit left; I'd forgotten to top it up. So, I just lay there until I could move again. It felt like forever. My neighbour's a junkie, and there are people coming and going all through the night, so when I go home, I just lock my door and keep myself to myself. That was quite a scary one.

My mates are scattered all over Wester Hailes, but we gather here at the Westsider every day. I know everybody in there. It's the hub of this community. It was going right downhill until about six months ago when the new owner, Big Alan, bought it. Man, he's really improved things already. We've got darts competitions now. We held a charity event a few weeks back. We raised £10,000.”

Loraine, Oxfam Shop, Raeburn Place

““I've been working in Oxfam since I retired over 10 years ago. I wanted to do something purposeful in my retirement, and I'm interested in books. I read a lot, especially female authors, and once you start paying £2.50 for a book it's hard to go back to paying £10.99!

But it's become more than that. I'm part of a community, and I have friendships with the other volunteers. I meet a lot of very interesting people and engage with them on many issues, especially books. That's what it's all about. Having people in your life, having a purpose in your life that gives you a reason to get up in the morning. I look forward every day to the chat and the banter here. It makes all the difference.”