The Workforce Mobility Project funded by the Edinburgh & South East Scotland City Region Deal invites employers and educational institutions in Midlothian to participate in the current round of engagement. The purpose of this is to better understand the sustainable journeys available to individuals travelling to access work or education.

What do you need to do?

Why take part?

  • You will receive an analysis of the journeys available to your employees/students traveling to and from your premises. Sustainable journeys include:
    • Bus/Train and other public transport
    • Walking, wheeling, and cycling
  • You can use this analysis for the following:
    • Develop and employee workplace travel plan (Free support via Travel Know How Scotland)
    • Implement a workplace parking levy
    • Adjust shift times to align with public transport schedules
  • Your participation in the engagement process positively contributes to the identification of key areas of travel demand which can help public transport operators plan and optimise routes.

Find Out More about the Project

The Workforce Mobility Project Website

Digital Brochure

An Edinburgh nursery group is doubling the number of spaces for local children and creating 40 jobs, answering the call for more pre-school daycare in the city centre.

St Margarets Nursery & Pre-school is taking a significant step in its growth journey as demand from locals continues to soar. Owned by Edinburgh-based Consensus Capital Group, the care provider owns three childcare sites across the city, one at Craigmillar Park, another on Craiglockhart Avenue and a third recently acquired site on West Savile Road.

Both the Craiglockhart Avenue and West Savile Road nurseries are undergoing complete refurbishment to offer more space for children, doubling St Margarets Nursery’s total capacity from 120 to 240 children. Due to the increased spaces available at the two refurbished sites, the number of staff will double from 40 to 80.

In a bid to keep energy costs down and reduce its carbon footprint, the two renovated sites will be fully fitted with LED lighting, and energy efficiency measures used throughout the refurbishment.

The business decided to undergo the extensive refurbishments – completely transforming the space at each nursery – to ensure it offers the best care environment available in Edinburgh. It approached Bank of Scotland for support, securing a £1.5m funding package towards the renovations of the two buildings.

Once complete, the nurseries will provide modern purpose-built functional spaces that meet the diverse needs of the children and be better equipped to cater to its range of dance, cooking, sports, and early years curriculum.

Craiglockhart Avenue will reopen in June, and West Savile Road later in the year.

Mark Emlick, Chief Executive at Consensus Capital Group, said: “We know how important quality care for children in a safe environment is for families, and the demand is high. By as early as 2023, St Margarets’ Craigmillar Park site was already receiving waiting list requests for 2025. But now, thanks to the support of Bank of Scotland, we’re completely revitalising two buildings in Edinburgh, delivering not only fresh, modern nurseries but offering more space for the highest quality of childcare.

“Our team is hard at work, and we’re just about ready to unveil the newly refurbished Craiglockhart Avenue nursery this spring. Looking ahead, we are committed to the ongoing development of the nursery and our plan is to double St Margarets’ offerings once again, providing even more childcare options and job opportunities for the local community.”

Grant Fraser, Relationship Director at Bank of Scotland, said: “It’s hugely rewarding to be backing St Margarets Nursery in tackling Edinburgh’s early years care shortage. Creating new nursery places is crucial for busy families in the capital, where the demand for childcare keeps growing.

“We’ll continue to stand by Scottish firms across all sectors to help them grow and prosper and we wish St Margarets all the best ahead of their first opening in June.”

DWF, the global provider of integrated legal and business services, has been reappointed to BT Group’s legal panel, marking another milestone in its partnership with the multinational telecommunications company.

The legal panel will be in place for the next three years and is comprised of 11 firms – a reduction from the previous 15. DWF and the other 10 firms will now be able to bid for all of BT Group’s external legal work moving forward.

UK & Ireland regional managing partner at DWF, Hilary Ross, said: “We’re thrilled to be reappointed to BT Group’s legal panel and to be given this opportunity to continue supporting such a valued client. Over the last five years we have worked closely with BT Group and supported them on a wide range of interesting projects. Most importantly, we value BT Group’s culture and desire to connect for good. We are particularly proud to have partnered with them on a unique joint traineeship programme in Northern Ireland, designed to break down barriers, promote social mobility and foster inclusivity in the legal profession.”

Sabine Chalmers, General Counsel, Director of Regulatory Affairs and Company Secretary for BT Group, said: “The firms selected for our next Legal Panel underwent a rigorous selection process, during which they provided clear evidence of best-in-class capabilities across a wide range of fields. We’d like to thank all the firms that took part in the review, and we look forward to working with our confirmed Legal Panel firms to help drive BT Group’s strategy and objectives.

Lumo continues to lead the rail industry in the journey to reduce food waste and plastic, with the open access operator introducing eco-friendly drinks onboard made from wonky and surplus apples

Lumo, the Tyneside-based train operator, is taking sustainable travel to new heights with an exciting partnership with innovative UK drinks brand, Flawsome Drinks. This collaboration introduces a refreshing twist to onboard refreshments with apple juice made from ‘wonky’ and surplus apples, offering passengers a guilt-free, eco-friendly choice.

Flawsome Drinks, a B-Corp certified company committed to fair and green practices, crafts these delightful cartons from apples that would otherwise go to waste. Packaged in 100% recyclable paper cartons, the apple juice eliminates plastic entirely. The partnership is the latest move by eco-conscious Lumo in its dedication to provide the most sustainable travel experience by rail or air between Edinburgh, Newcastle and London.

Martijn Gilbert, Managing Director of Lumo, said: “Sustainability is at our core so partnering with Flawsome Drinks, who share our ambition to reduce waste and plastic from our operations was an exciting decision. We’re thrilled to offer customers a greener, healthier and more sustainable soft drink option when travelling with us.

“Together with Flawsome, we are setting new standards in sustainable travel we hope others will follow – travelling with Lumo shouldn’t just be good for your pocket; it should be good for the planet, too.”

Karina Sudenyte, Co-Founder and CMO of Flawsome Drinks, said: “Our drinks are deliciously sustainable, crafted from wonky and surplus fruit to prevent food waste. It’s fantastic that Lumo customers can now access healthy, vegan, and sustainable options onboard while supporting fair practices for farmers.

“Back in 2020, the UK government introduced a ban on single-use plastic straws, with much of our industry scrambling to find sustainable alternatives. We’re spearheading the paper revolution with our packaging and we’re thrilled that Lumo are fully on board.”

Lumo has also replaced plastic wine bottles onboard with recyclable cans made from recyclable metal. The product, packaged in County Durham, is also suitable for vegans. This shift reflects Lumo’s dedication to minimising non-recyclable products onboard by seeking sustainable alternatives.

Since its launch, the new sustainable option has got customers on the East Coast Mainline going bananas, with sales exceeding expectations in the initial weeks. Available on all Lumo services, this eco-friendly initiative marks a significant step forward in sustainable travel, setting high standards for the industry to follow.

Edinburgh has experienced its most successful year of Living Wage accreditations to date.

A record 17 organisations showed their commitment to the Living Wage agenda by accrediting as Living Wage employers in 2023/24. This is the most successful year for new sign ups in the city and has resulted in 933 employees receiving a direct uplift in pay.

The new sign ups mean that there are now 720 accredited Living Wage employers based in Scotland’s Capital. These organisations have voluntarily committed to paying their employees a wage rate that is based on the cost of living and enables them to meet their everyday needs.

On top of this, 10 employers have pledged to provide secure hours alongside payment of the real Living Wage by becoming Living Hours accredited.

This latest achievement is in line with Edinburgh’s work to tackle poverty by 2030, by helping to address low pay and insecure work in the city.

It also builds on the inspiring work of Living Wage Scotland that has just entered its 10th year of working to promote fair pay. The organisation recently reached a significant milestone of having 3,500 accredited employers.

Councillor Jane Meagher, Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, and Co-Chair of the Edinburgh Living Wage Action Group, said:

“Edinburgh is currently home to over 20% of Scotland’s accredited Living Wage employers, which is a great achievement. We’re proudly leading the Living Wage movement and I’m incredibly grateful to all the employers who are choosing to prioritise the wellbeing of their workers by paying the real Living Wage, despite increasingly challenging business conditions.

“With the cost-of-living crisis serving as a stark reminder of what life on low pay means for workers, tackling in-work poverty together has never been more vital. So, these figures for Living Wage sign ups are encouraging, but can’t be taken for granted.

“We must keep working together to break down barriers and champion the true value of people’s jobs, particularly with minimum and living wage levels increasing. Everyone deserves a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.”

Kat Brogan, Managing Director of Mercat Tours and Co-Chair of the Edinburgh Living Wage Action Group, commented:

“The Real Living Wage is a crucial element of ‘Real Living’ – a happy, healthy, fulfilling life.

“The Living Wage Scotland movement binds together a powerful and growing group of like-minded businesses who believe in activism – business for good.

“The Edinburgh Living Wage Action Group serves our aims in three ways:

  1. We celebrate Living Wage employers who pay the Real Living Wage and choose to go beyond, supporting Real Living more broadly in creative and practical ways that has real impact on their teams’ lives.
  2. Where employers want to reach this goal, we’ll provide advice and guide them to becoming accredited.  This will benefit their team, their business and Edinburgh as a thriving city which offers a quality experience for all.
  3. As members of the Living Wage community, employers’ views are presented to local and national Government by the Action Group, a powerful advocate on behalf of Living Wage businesses.

“We’re inspired and excited by this community who take such great effort to provide a Real Living for all they can.”

Rachel Morrison-McCormick, Projects Co-Ordinator at Living Wage Scotland, said:

“Congratulations to the Edinburgh Living Wage Action Group and Living Wage accredited employers across Edinburgh for the most successful year of growth in our capital city yet.

“These employers continue to play a significant role in the continued growth of the Living Wage employer movement across Scotland as they choose to commit to going beyond the minimum and pay the only rate of pay calculated on the cost of living.”

The busiest season ever for Forth Ports’ Capital Cruising business, kicks off this month. A record bursting 161 cruise calls are booked in this season calling across Scotland’s east coast, carrying an estimated 235,000 passengers who will be visiting Edinburgh, Fife and Dundee during 2024. This is further growth for the cruise business, which welcomed 149 vessels in 2023, where ships sail directly into the Port of Leith, Rosyth and Dundee’s cruise berth as well as deep water anchorages in the River Forth for Newhaven and South Queensferry.

The cruise season in Scotland traditionally runs between April and October bringing thousands of passengers who visit the attractions of Scotland including the capital city. Edinburgh is a globally popular destination and viewed by the cruise market as a “marquee” cruise destination with iconic attractions, events, heritage and culture and most importantly, the city is known for welcoming cruise lines and cruise passengers.

Dundee is enjoying further strong growth in cruise, with 16 calls booked for 2024. Their season starts on 27 April with the arrival of the Seaborne Venture. In 2023, the port welcomed 14 cruise ships and in 2022 it had four.

Commenting, Rob Mason, Head of Cruise at Forth Ports, said: “We are excited to have started our busiest ever cruise season. Cruise is an important contributor to our local and national economy. Over the past decade, there has been an incredible 93% growth in the attraction of cruise in Scotland with an expected 1 million passengers calling into Scotland’s ports, generating an incredible £130million for the country’s economy.

“91% of cruise passengers repeat a cruise with 60% returning to a destination. We are working hard with the city, destination partners, communities and the wider cruise industry to meet the industries challenges and deliver another success cruise season. We look forward to giving a warm Scottish welcome to cruise passengers this year.” [*figures from Cruise Scotland].

The cruise industry is firmly committed to the sustainable future for cruise travel both at sea and onshore, as cruise lines embrace new technologies, innovations and the uptake of sustainable alternative fuels. Whilst significant work is also being undertaken to ensure Edinburgh is recognised as a sustainability driven destination. EZ Bike Tours located next to our port in Newhaven provides environmentally friendly electric bike tours of the city as a shore excursion option. The launch of the Edinburgh Trams extension last year will also allow passengers easy access to the City using the tram stops in Newhaven and also at the Port of Leith.

Forth Ports’ has set out its commitment to reducing its own carbon footprint with ambitious targets to be carbon neutral by 2032 and net zero by 2042. Action is already underway and last year the Port of Leith becoming the first large mainland commercial port in Scotland to provide a shore power connection which allows ships to switch off any diesel-powered generators or engines.

The firm’s Corporate and M&A team has advised longstanding client Calcivis on a £5m funding package

Independent UK law firm Burges Salmon has advised Calcivis, a Scottish biotech that aims to revolutionise early-intervention diagnostics in dentistry, on its £5 million investment. The funding was provided by the Scottish National Investment Bank and IFS Maven Equity Finance, which is managed by Maven Capital Partners and is part of the Investment Fund for Scotland, delivered by the British Business Bank.

The investment will support the company as it brings its flagship dental technology to the US market after the US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), granted premarket approval. This is the most stringent regulatory review of the safety and effectiveness of medical devices and Calcivis is the first Scottish medical device to secure FDA certification. The Edinburgh-based biotech also anticipates a wider roll out across the UK and other European markets. The investment is expected to see Scotland benefit from the potential returns of a multi-market launch with a product that contributes to meeting urgent needs at a time when millions across the country struggle to access dentistry health.

The Burges Salmon team advising Calcivis was led by senior associate Katie Carter, partner Danny Lee, solicitor Will Penfold and trainee solicitor Anousha Al-Masoud from the firm’s Corporate and M&A team. The firm initially advised Calcivis on its equity investment by Archangels in 2021 and again on a follow on investment in 2022.

Katie Carter comments: “Scotland is home to many biotech companies whose cutting-edge technologies are set to revolutionise healthcare and Calcivis is a prime example of that. We’re thrilled to have worked once again with the company and to see it grow from strength to strength with this latest investment round supporting its ambitious expansion plans in the UK, Europe and the US, the largest market for medical technology.”

Adam Christie, CEO of Calcivis, adds: “Early diagnosis and treatment of tooth decay is essential, allowing patients to reverse the damage to their teeth before it is too late. This investment will enable us to launch our innovative product to global markets – first in the US and eventually in the UK – leading to faster diagnoses and early intervention treatments. This technology has the potential to revolutionise prevention in oral health care, with cavities impacting more than two billion people globally, according to the World Health Organisation. We look forward to seeing where this product will go with the support of both our existing and most recent investors the Scottish National Investment Bank and Maven Capital Partners. It’s always a pleasure working with the Burges Salmon team and we’re grateful for their excellent advice throughout the whole process. The firm really understands what we need and how we like to work, and they adeptly guide us through investment process complexities with ease.”

Burges Salmon is known for advising many of Scotland’s leading biotech companies and supporting them as they scale up their operations. Notably, the firm recently advised cancer therapeutics company Cumulus Oncology on a £9 million funding package and life sciences company Cytomos on a £4 million investment to support the development of cell analysis solutions for the biopharma industry.

Burges Salmon celebrates its fifth anniversary in Edinburgh this year where the firm has developed a strong presence and a growing reputation as a market leading corporate practice acting on high value and complex transactions and supporting fast growing companies. The firm has a strong track record working with pharmaceuticals, healthcare, life sciences and biotech companies across the UK.

Edinburgh Leisure is pumping up the volume with their first festival of fitness classes at Meadowbank Sports Centre on Saturday, 4th May 2024.

The Super Saturday Fitness Class Festival will be an opportunity to try over 15 different fitness classes on a Super Saturday Workout like no other.

You can work up a sweat with the crowds at popular high-octane favourites like Bodypump and Zumba or try out some new acts like Shapes. And if you prefer life in the slower lane, their relaxation stage will be offering more peaceful Yoga and Pilates sessions.

With activities starting from 9am across four different stages, there will be something for everyone. Spaces are limited so make sure to book your classes now online or on the app.

Entry is free for Edinburgh Leisure members and just £5 per class for non-members. All classes must be pre-booked.

Edinburgh Leisure offers more classes across the city than any other provider and they have recently unlocked their Fitness Class Membership to ensure customers have access to all the classes they want, wherever they’re at, in the city or in life.

Their Fitness Class Membership now offers full access to more than 750 fitness classes a week across all their venues.

And if you sign up before 31 May 2024, you can take advantage of their No Joining Fee Offer – available for a limited time only. To join now, https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/join

To find out more about Super Saturday and to pre-book the fitness classes on offer, visit:  https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/super-saturday.  If you’re on the Edinburgh Leisure app, click the Fitness Class Bookings or the Super Saturday Tile on the Meadowbank Sports Centre’s tile.

Dentons, the world’s largest global law firm, has announced the promotion of 12 new partners in the UK, Ireland, and Middle East (UKIME). The promotions take effect on 1 May 2024. Over the past 12 months, the firm has also recruited nine new partners   across the London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dublin and Abu Dhabi offices, amounting to 70 new partners that have joined the UKIME region over the past three years.

Paul Jarvis, Dentons’ Chief Executive for UKME said, “The development of this exceptionally talented group of lawyers into our next generation of leaders is something we are extremely proud of. I look forward to working with all of our newly-promoted partners as we continue to drive connectivity across our core practices, sectors and geographies in order to support clients on their most complex global matters and mandates.”

Dentons’ new partner are:

  • Joe Byron Evans (Banking & Financial Services, London)
  • Rachael Del Riccio (Corporate, London)
  • Joe Collingwood (Corporate, London)
  • Carolyn Burns (Competition, Glasgow)
  • Zeena Saleh (Regulatory & Investigations, London)
  • Luci Mitchell Fry (Restructuring & Insolvency, London)
  • Claudia Thomas (Projects, London)
  • Graham Richmond (Projects, London)
  • Kanishka Singh (Projects, Abu Dhabi)
  • Elouisa Crichton (People, Reward & Mobility, Glasgow)
  • Andrew McGrath (Real Estate, London)
  • Jennifer Cass (Technology, Media and Telecommunications, London)

About Dentons

Across over 80 countries, Dentons helps you grow, protect, operate and finance your organization by providing uniquely global and deeply local legal solutions. Polycentric, purpose-driven and committed to inclusion, diversity, equity and sustainability, we focus on what matters most to you. www.dentons.com

Navigating the world of property transactions can feel overwhelming at times, especially when it comes to understanding the tax implications involved. In Scotland, the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) is the key player in this arena, replacing the UK Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) from April 1st 2015.

LBTT operates on a system of thresholds and bands, ensuring that the tax levied is proportionate to the property price. It’s important to note that if the property you’re purchasing falls below the threshold, you won’t be liable for LBTT. This approach means that different rates and bands apply to various property types and buyers, for example, most buyers to date have enjoyed exemptions for residential properties with a purchase price of up to £145,000.

However, additional considerations will come into play for properties like second homes, where additional charges may apply. Calculating LBTT is typically made easier with the use of online calculators, which factor in property value, type, and any relevant supplements. Your Solicitor/Conveyancer will be able to give you an accurate figure of payable LBTT in order to avoid any confusion or miscalculation if you are unsure. This is often a cost that many purchasers overlook when budgeting as they are unaware of the implications.

Having been in place since 2015, new LBTT regulations have been brought into force from 1st April 2024. Further to a Consultation in 2023, the Scottish Government has released its formal update on Land and Building Transaction Tax (LBTT), alongside new draft legislation.

Replacing a Main Residence
Notably, changes will be made to the way in which the Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) is applied. A 6% ADS will now be charged to anyone buying an additional residential property anywhere in Scotland, such as a second home or residential buy-to-let property.

A buyer moving between properties now has to sell their former home within a specified period after buying their new home in order to reclaim the ADS which may be incurred as an overlap. ADS may also be avoided where a new main residence is acquired within a specified period after selling a previous main residence. In both cases, the specified period has been extended from 18 months to 36 months for transactions completed on or after 1st April 2024. This will bring Scotland broadly in line with time periods that apply in England, Northern Ireland and Wales for the replacement of a main residence.

Small Shares in a Property
Previously, the full value of a property that you owned was counted as ownership of another dwelling for the purposes of calculating ADS due, regardless of the share of that property that you owned. This has now been changed so that only the value of your share of the property you own will be taken into consideration. If the value of your share is under £40,000 then that will not be considered ownership of another dwelling for the purposes of ADS.

Inherited Dwellings
If a buyer inherits a property between concluding the contract for the purchase of a property and completing that purchase of their new main residence, the inherited dwelling will not be counted towards the number of dwellings owned for the purposes of calculating ADS. The inherited dwelling may still be counted towards the number of dwellings owned for future purchase transactions, however.

Divorce or Separation
From 1st April 2024 there will now be a Divorce and separation exception if the following conditions are met:-

  • Two dwellings are owned at the end of the effective date (i.e. the date the new property is purchased), and
  • The first dwelling was at any time the buyer’s previous main residence, with a spouse, civil partner, former spouse, or former civil partner, and
  • The first dwelling remains the main residence of the buyer’s spouse, civil partner, former spouse, or former civil partner and there is no intention to reside together again as civil partner or spouse, and
  • The ownership retained in the first dwelling is as a result of a court order or former agreement in connection with a dissolution or annulment of the civil partnership, separation or divorce.
    In cases where the above criteria are met, the first dwelling is not considered a dwelling owned for the purposes of calculating ADS.

For further information on the recent LBTT changes please contact;

Sarah Wyllie
Senior Solicitor
Email: swyllie@gilsongray.co.uk