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Edinburgh Live
an hour ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Live
Devastated Edinburgh restaurant owners in heartfelt note to diners over closure
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Edinburgh restaurant which specialised in turning junk food favourites into a fine dining experience have made the gutting decision to close. Posting an announcement on Instagram., Junk cited the challenging economic climate while they called out the Scottish Government for not doing enough to support small independent hospitality businesses. Starting off three years ago, Junk, the South Clerk Street eatery detailed how they poured their heart and soul into developing the business from a small marquee to a well established Newington business. They thanked their loyal customers and supporters while announcing their final day of trading would take place on Saturday May 31. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. In the post, they shared: "Dearest Friends, Family and Guests, We are truly devastated to announce the closure of Junk, Bar & Restaurant. We will be opening our doors for the final time this Saturday, May 31. "For the past three years, we have poured every ounce of our lives into this business — working countless hours each and every day to try to make it a success. Although we have failed, we are immensely proud of what we have achieved, and so grateful to our incredible team, past and present, for their passion, hard work, and belief they have shared with us every step of the way. "We started with very little — selling some wee bits in a gazebo one summer, before building and launching a restaurant from scratch. We learned to tile, floor, grout, screed, paint, and plaster. Creating a space that housed our wee dream. All of this was done alongside our talented friend and Head Chef, Stu, who's been with us from day one. We're eternally grateful for your dedication Stuggy. "To all who have supported us over the last few years, our incredible friends and family, as well as you wonderful folks that have come to eat our Junk - Thank You! Your feedback, kind words, and enthusiasm has pushed us forward to deliver what we believed was great food and service. You helped us realise our dream and thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your love and support has meant the world to us. "To the restaurants still managing to turn a profit in this climate — we commend you. The odds have been firmly stacked against us all. Through passion and sheer hope, we've kept our doors open as long as we possibly could. The heartbreaking reality is that we're one of many businesses either struggling or being forced to close. Please do what you can, if you can, to support local. Our biggest question is: at what point will the leaders of our government and country take action, implement meaningful change, and start supporting small, independent businesses? "Our final service will be this coming Saturday, May 31. We'd love for you to come down in these next few days, raise a dram with us, and send Junk off with a bang. "We'll be doing things a little differently for our final week — serving a full à la carte menu with almost entirely new dishes. This will be similar to our current small plates menu & will be the only menu running. "If you have any queries regarding our closure — including deposits, pre-payments, or vouchers — please email us at reservations-newington@ We'll get back to you as soon as we can, and appreciate your patience during this time. "We hope to welcome you one final time at Junk. "Thank you, truly, for everything. "Cam, Jade and the Junk Team x" Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox Junk's revised opening hours for their final week are as follows: • Thursday: 5.30pm – late • Friday: 5pm – late • Saturday: 4pm – late One customer said: "Genuinely gutted about this - one of my favourite places in Edinburgh." Whereas another added: "This is devastating - you were one of my favorites restaurants. We'll miss you!" While someone else commented: "I'm very sorry to hear this. What hard times and what an achievement to have persisted through it." To book click here.
Edinburgh Live
2 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
Origins and timeline of Edinburgh's gangland war as police launch huge operation
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Get the latest Edinburgh Live breaking news on WhatsApp Edinburgh officers are hopeful for a reprieve amid rumours warring factions in the ongoing gangland feud agreed a truce. Streets across the capital and Glasgow have descended into chaos in the past few months but there is hope an end to the conflict is in sight. With this in mind, the Record looks at some of the key incidents thought to involve drug lords including Mark Richardson and Ross McGill as well as the Daniel and Lyons crime clans. March 6. A masked and hooded thug is caught on camera throwing a Molotov cocktail at a beauty salon in Leith, run by jailed drug lord Mark Richardson's partner Stephanie Dignan. It signals the beginning of a new drug war. March 11. Stephanie's dad Steven's warehouse in Musselburgh, East Lothian is set ablaze. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. March 16 Another firebombing, this time in Portobello. A garage goes up in flames in the coastal suburb's Milton Road East. March 20. A shooting at a property in Niddrie linked to Richardson shocks residents when three shots ring out before the hood responsible flees in a white BMW. March 21. More gunshots are fired as a window is blasted at a ground floor flat in the city's West Pilton Bank at about 7.55am. March 23 A yob hurls a petrol bomb through a window of a property in Hay Drive, Niddrie, with a chilling video clip shared online later. (Image: Supplied) April 4 The Hay Drive property is targeted again. The blaze spreads to the house next door, with a dozen firefighters battling the flames. April 7. Four firebombing attacks in 24 hours, include three properties in Glasgow which are linked to the Daniel crime clan. Brazen hoods taking time to gloat by posting videos on social media to warn of more attacks. April 8 A Glasgow factory linked to the Daniel family is firebombed as the gangland turf war escalates. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox 26 April 2025. Four men appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to face fire raising and firearms offences following dawn raids. May 8 The office of Deuce Private Hire taxi firm, believed to be another business linked to the Daniel clan and Edinburgh crime boss Mark Richardson in Glasgow, is torched . May 22. Machete thugs slice open the skull of Mark Richardson's pal David McMillan snr, 54 in a bloody attack. He fights back before the thugs fled and drives himself to hospital.
Edinburgh Live
2 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh-Glasgow gangland war enters truce stage according to underworld source
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A crime clan war which has plagued Scotland's two largest cities could potentially come to an end after a truce was agreed, an underworld source has revealed. The news comes after a raft of escalating violent attacks in recent weeks with officers making arrests across the central belt. Footsoldiers on either side are understood to be nervously waiting to see if the new peace deal holds between the Lyons and Daniel associated gangs in the west of the country, the Daily Record reports. Last night a source told The Record: 'The turf war is we will just have to wait and see if it holds.' A well-placed source told how the Dubai-based Mr Big behind attacks on Daniel targets, Ross McGill, has agreed to end hostilities after being leaned on by cartel bosses in Dubai. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. They are said to be 'unhappy' over a police crackdown on the turf war which has led to a slowdown in the lucrative drug trade in Scotland. According to the source, McGill - an associate of Glasgow's Lyons gang - called off the string of attacks following a summit with an associate of the rival Daniel crime clan. It is not known if a mob in Edinburgh associated with jailed crime kingpin Mark Richardon have agreed to the truce. It comes after police executed attempted murder and arson charges against suspected gang members who have been rampaging since March. The source said: 'McGill immediately ordered the truce to get back to business after trade all but dried up as a result of the turmoil. The police scrutiny doesn't help. 'Both parties have talked to each other on the phone and everything seems to be resolved. The deal is done so Glasgow should calm down from now on. The Lyons have lost a lot of money for their backers and they are under a bit of pressure to get it back.' The source added: 'The last lot of nonsense was largely about the Lyons trying to get all the turf to themselves but the bottom line is there is not going to be any more violence in Glasgow. 'There has been a conversation with Ross and it is going to stop. We need to wait and see if there are any more outbursts but I don't think there will be. 'Yes, people were attacked but that should stop. As far as the gangs in the West of Scotland are concerned, there is no more war.' The crime feud has been playing out on the streets of Edinburgh and Glasgow in recent months. Trouble initially flared between the rival factions after hoods linked to caged cocaine kingpin Mark Richardson were accused of ripping off McGill over a stash of cocaine worth £500,000. It is believed counterfeit money was used to buy the drugs. We previously told how McGill offered £100,000 bounties for attacks on his top targets - with a new crime gang Tamo Junto carrying out a series of hits. Homes and properties linked to the Daniel family and Edinburgh mob boss Richardson, who is currently behind bars, have been torched. Earlier this month, Machete thugs also attempted to slice open the skull of David McMillan Snr, a close pal of Richardson, in a brazen attack at his Edinburgh home. McMillan managed to fight back before his assailants fled. He later drove himself to hospital. Two men were injured in a separate machete attack at a garage owned by Glasgow crime clan member Robert Daniel. The violent incident took place outside the 50-year-old's CS accident repair shop in East Kilbride. Two men, aged 41 and 45, were injured in the incident. Edinburgh Live understands Robert was the intended victim as his family have been targeted over their association with Richardson. The turf war has led to an equally dramatic police operation to catch the thugs. Chief Constable Jo Farrell named the crackdown Operation Portaledge. Last week, officers executed warrants at addresses in Edinburgh, Whitburn and Bathgate. A 21-year old man has since been charged in connection with two attempted murders and fire-raising in Edinburgh and Lanarkshire. Police also arrested and charged three men aged 18 and one aged 31 with fire-raising at the home of McMillan snr. Incidents across the country have led to a total of 41 arrests. The source told The Record: 'Individuals have alliances but the so-called gang war hasn't really amounted to much. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox 'Count up the bodies and an old woman and a kid got hurt, not particularly seriously, and a guy in Edinburgh got slashed. Other than that it was mostly doors that got a bit torched and a few slightly more serious fire damage. 'It's all a bit silly really. Most of it was perpetrated by teenagers and those teenagers are the ones who will be paraded through the courts and who will get attempted murder through arson charges and end up in prison for a long time, certainly double figures. 'Some of those people got involved because they owed a load of money and were told they could write off their debt. It could flare up again so people will have to wait and see. But for now, it's over.'
Edinburgh Live
2 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
Lyons crime family 'footsoldiers' to stand down in Edinburgh feud as police crack down
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Sources close to the notorious Lyons family crime clan have claimed they have taken the decision to step away from the gangland feud erupting across the capital. The move by leader Steven Lyons, 44, comes as officers crackdown on the escalating violent situation, with his footsoldiers now ordered to concentrate on the family's own interests. Reports of arrests in Edinburgh and Glasgow has travelled to Lyons' Dubai home. It has been previously reported the Lyons were supporting Dubai-based Mr Big Ross McGill by feeding him information on their mutual enemies - the Daniel clan. But the underworld source said Stevie Lyons has pulled their support over fears his henchmen could be jailed after cops arrested 41 people in connection with a series of linked incidents across the country since March, the Daily Record reports. He said: "The heat from the police is getting too much for Steven and he wants nothing to do with it anymore. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. "His mob are still very active in the north of Glasgow, while he is in Dubai and he wants to keep it that way so his lads are now under strict orders to keep out of the gang war. "They still have their own feud with the Daniel family and if the opportunity presents itself to target any of them they will take it, but it won't be for Ross McGill." (Image: Police Scotland) Six Lyons family associates, Brian Ferguson, 43, Andrew Gallacher, 46, Robert Pickett, 59, Andrew Sinclair, 38, John Hardie, 41, and Peter Bain, 51, were jailed for a total of 104 years in 2019 after being found guilty of plotting murder bids on five men from the Daniel clan. The source continued: "After losing so many key men , Steven is getting cold feet. "His troops almost wiped out the Daniel clan after they went at them heavily a few years ago, but they were significantly weakened when six of their top men got big sentences. "Since then the Lyons family have had to recruit another younger batch of enforcers and Steven doesn't want to risk any of them getting a big jail sentence, especially for a war McGill is fighting." Steven fled Scotland almost 20 years ago after narrowly escaping an assassination attempt at Applerow Motors garage in Balmore Road, Possil, in 2006. He was wounded in the attack but cousin Michael, 21, was shot dead and the crime lord left Scotland almost immediately afterwards. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox It is believed he initially settled in Spain but is now living in Dubai, where he has built up criminal connections and formed a close friendship with cartel boss Daniel Kinahan. The source said: "Steven is settled in Dubai and is worried the ongoing gang war could jeopardise his life in the United Arab Emirates." He added: "His plan is that he won't ever have to come home. "He has trusted associates who keep all his business and criminal interests going in Scotland and feels like this gang war is bringing too much attention his way and could alert the authorities in Dubai."
Daily Record
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Netflix Department Q cast from Shetland stars to Harry Potter icons
Department Q has finally dropped on Netflix and the cast is packed full of big names, including actors from Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey, Shetland and Harry Potter. The anticipated Edinburgh-set detective drama Department Q has launched on Netflix, boasting recognisable talent within its line-up. Featuring an impressive ensemble cast, the series includes stalwarts from beloved series such as Downton Abbey, Shetland, and Call the Midwife, not to mention familiar names from iconic films like Trainspotting and the Harry Potter series. Netflix describes the series stating: "A brash but brilliant cop becomes head of a new police department, where he leads an unlikely team of misfits in solving Edinburgh's cold cases." But who anchors the show and from where might you recognise these faces? Read on to discover more about the stars of the new dramatic thriller. Who is in the cast of Department Q? Matthew Goode - Carl Morck English actor Matthew Goode leads the cast of Department Q as DCI Carl Morck, reports Edinburgh Live. Downton Abbey fans are likely to recognise him as Henry Talbot, while The Crown viewers will remember him as Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon. The star has also fronted fantasy romance series A Discovery of Witches, starred as Finn Polmar in The Good Wife and appeared in BBC period drama Dancing on the Edge. He also has an impressive film resume, having starred in movies such as Woody Allen's 2005 film Match Point, 2008's Brideshead Revisited, 2009's A Single Man and 2013's Stoker. Kelly MacDonald - Rachel Irving BAFTA award-winning actress Kelly MacDonald is probably best known for her role in Danny Boyle's 1996 film Trainspotting, where she made her debut. Since then, she has appeared in many high profile films, including 2007's No Country for Old Men, 2001's Gosford Park, 2005's Nanny McPhee and 2011's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. She also portrayed Margaret Thompson in HBO crime series Boardwalk Empire, which won her an Emmy nomination. Additionally, she has appeared in Line of Duty, Black Mirror's Hated in the Nation and voiced Princess Merida in Disney animated film Brave. Alexej Manvelov - Akram Salim Alexej Manvelov is best known for his roles in various Swedish series, including 2020's Top Dog. However, he has also starred in several English language series including Jack Ryan, The Contractor and award-winning thriller Chernobyl. Leah Byrne - Rose Dickson Newcomer Leah Byrne has starred in TV mini series Nightsleeper and Deadwater Fell. Call the Midwife fans might also recognise her for playing Maggie Nickle back in 2019. Jamie Sives - James Hardy Jamie Sives has had a long career that began on stage in the National Theatre of Scotland's production of James III. His credits include Shetland, Annika, Guilt, Chernobyl and Game of Thrones. Kate Dickie - Moira Jacobson Celebrated actress Kate Dickie has too many credits to list, but many fans will recognise her for playing Lex in the BBC series Tinsel Town and Lysa Arryn in the HBO series Game of Thrones. Her other credits include 2006's Red Road, where she made her debut, 2012's Prometheus, 2015's The Witch and 2017's Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Mark Bonnar - Stephen Burns Shetland fans will recognise Mark Bonnar for playing Duncan Hunter, while Casualty viewers may remember him for his role as Bruno Jenkins. His other credits include Line of Duty, Unforgotten and Guilt. Shirley Henderson - Claire Marsh Popular actress Shirley Henderson is best known for her roles in the Bridget Jones and Harry Potter movie franchises. Shirley has won two Scottish BAFTAs, a VFCC Award and an Olivier Award. She has also appeared in Trainspotting, Doctor Who and Happy Valley. All episodes of Department Q are available to stream from today, Thursday May 29, exclusively on Netflix.
