Darren Showler was last seen with a black French bulldog on Sunday afternoon. Darren Showler was last seen around 1.30pm on Sunday in the Barleyknowe Crescent area of the village. The 44-year-old is described as white, around 5ft 8in, with dark blonde curly hair. When last seen, he was dressed in black, with a blue North Face hat, white headphones, and black trainers. He was accompanied by a black French bulldog wearing a black harness with reflective straps and a flashing light attached. Darren is believed to be in the Midlothian or Edinburgh area. Inspector Allan Bath said: “Concerns are growing for Darren’s welfare, and we need to make sure he is safe and well. “We would urge anyone who has seen Darren or knows where he might be to get in touch.” If you can help, please call Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference number 3202 of Sunday, March 9, 2025. STV News is now on WhatsAppGet all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Follow STV News on WhatsAppScan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country '+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text+' "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title+" "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text+" has announced the sale of The Family Dental Practice in Gorebridge Built around You.Your expert business property advisers Established in 1996 by Dr Rahail Chohan, The Family Dental Practice is a three-surgery NHS dental practice that has steadily grown over the years to now attract patients from across Midlothian Dr Chohan decided to sell to allow him to retire Following a confidential sales process with Joel Mannix at Christie & Co it has been purchased by first-time buyer cousins Surya Somasundaram and Dr Usha Devi Vijaya Kumar “I established Family Dental Practice in 1996 from a squat the practice has grown solely through word of mouth and now attracts patients from across Midlothian I decided to put the practice on the market as I was looking to retire and wanted to leave my practice in the hands of capable dentists to continue its legacy the new owner of The Family Dental Practice “My journey into practice ownership has been both challenging and rewarding Coming from an IT background and having faced redundancy I was looking for a new venture after selling my restaurant This led me to invest in the dental sector with my cousin where I see great potential for growth and innovation I plan to recruit a dental therapist to utilise the third surgery and we have a full refurbishment scheduled for next year I’m excited to introduce modern technology into the practice and launching a new re-brand with state-of-the-art equipment.” and we were initially looking to sell his practice towards the end of 2019 Rahail decided to put his practice on the market The buyers were incredibly enthusiastic about this opportunity seeing it as a fantastic chance to elevate the practice to the next level they are eager to implement their own vision I am confident they will succeed in building upon the wonderful practice that Rahail has created and I would like to extend my thanks to everyone involved in making this deal happen.” Legal advice was provided by Nicholas Howie Lindsays and Kim Campbell at Thorntons. The Family Dental Practice was sold for an undisclosed price Visit Christie & Co’s Business Search page to find out more about current listings. Keep up-to-date with our latest listings and more… © Christie & Co 2024 | A member of Christie Group From left to right in the picture are: P7 pupil Ava Bryson P7 pupil Jack Fraser and Driver Graeme Barton Pupils at Gorebridge Primary School climbed aboard Midlothian Council’s new gritter this week to help launch a competition to give it a ‘thawsome’ name P7 pupil Ava Bryson thought the Snow Queen might be a contender while Rogan Collins from P1 was not convinced by Gritty Gritty Bang Bang Midlothian Council Leader Councillor Kelly Parry said: “We’re obviously struggling and need the public’s help “The gritter is one of two new vehicles to add to our fleet helping keep Midlothian moving when temperatures plummet to name this newest addition to our arsenal is a great way to raise awareness of road safety during the winter while injecting a bit of fun into this cold December.” The closing date for entries is Wednesday 18 December and the winner will be announced on Monday 23 December They will not only see their winning entry emblazoned across the new gritter but they will also get a family trip for two adults and up to three children on our new Alpine Coaster Cllr Parry added: “After the success of our JCB Pothole Pro competition we’re really looking forward to hearing what our quick-witted Midlothian residents come up with this time with 3,000 tons of grit and around 750 grit bins filled our roads crews are ready to keep the 380 kilometres of priority routes open.” To enter email communications@midlothian.gov.uk with your family-friendly gritter name and include a mobile number For more information on the council’s severe-weather response and which routes we grit first visit www.midlothian.gov.uk/severe-weather Subscribe to the Midlothian View newsletter XFASTINDEX Cruden will build a mix of 75 flats, cottage flats and houses. The development will include 10 extra care units, two bariatric units and one four-bedroom/six-person wheelchair-accessible house The primary heat source within the development will be air source heat pumps while high-performance insulation is expected to maximise energy efficiency Cruden managing director Fraser Lynes said at a ground breaking event last week: “It's been great to get our boots on the ground in Gorebridge today to herald the commencement of this innovative new development Scotland is facing a well-documented housing emergency and Newbyres will make an important contribution to alleviating the need for high quality affordable housing in Midlothian “We have been working closely with our partners at Midlothian Council to ensure the design of this development is tailored to meet the diverse needs of the Gorebridge community and the end result will be an impressive development with accessibility sustainability and community at its core.” Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk 2 hours Ebbsfleet Development Corporation is undertaking early market engagement for infrastructure works. 19 hours Following a recent expansion into North America, Murphy Group has now entered Australia. 1 hour Innovative tracked carrier manufacturer among 2025 King’s Award for Enterprise recipients 1 hour Modular construction business Integra Buildings has received royal recognition for its approach to sustainability. 3 hours MTX Contracts has been selected as the preferred bidder to build a diagnostic centre in Pitsea, Essex. 3 hours House-builder Springfield Properties has promoted Darren Thomson to construction director for its north of Scotland operations. © 2025 The Construction Index [Company No ' + response[i].created_nice + ' ' + response[i].description + ' Darren Showler was last seen around 1.30pm on Sunday in the Barleyknowe Crescent area of the village He is described as white, around 5ft 8in, with dark blonde curly hair. When last seen he was dressed all in black with a blue Northface hat, white headphones and black trainers. He was accompanied by a black French bulldog wearing a black harness with reflective straps and a flashing light attached Darren is believed to be in the Midlothian or Edinburgh area Inspector Allan Bath said: “Concerns are growing for Darren’s welfare and we need to make sure he is safe and well John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme The Edinburgh Reporter brings you news all about Edinburgh Cruden Homes has commenced a £17.5m social housing contract in Gorebridge The sensitive project replaces a 2009 development by Midlothian Council of 64 homes evacuated in 2014 after tenants suffered carbon monoxide poisoning - attributed to rising ground gas from old mine workings including 12 extra care units while retaining existing road infrastructure said: “It's been great to get our boots on the ground in Gorebridge today to herald the commencement of this innovative new development and Newbyres will make an important contribution to alleviating the need for high quality affordable housing in Midlothian." Gas protection measures will include the installation of a membrane barrier sub-floor ventilation and sealed service entries Groundworks will also include capping an abandoned mine shaft.   All comments are pre-moderated and must obey our house rules Police are appealing for information following a wilful fireraising which took place around 4am on Thursday afternoon  at a building site in Hunterfield Road Gorebridge The fire was deliberately started at a community centre currently under construction He was wearing a long-sleeved top with a distinctive pattern white trainers and carrying a black rucksack Detective Sergeant Dave Reilly of Dalkeith CID said: “This mindless act has caused thousands of pounds worth of damage and delayed the construction of a centre which is being built to benefit the local community “Anyone who may have seen suspicious behaviour in the area or who recognises the description of the suspect is asked to get in touch with us as soon as possible.” Those with information can contact Police Scotland via 101 or report this anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 This article has been written by Midlothian View reader Hazel Thomson with memories from Barbara Dickson Borthwick & District Pipe Band played in Gorebridge to celebrate the switch on of the Christmas lights The band originally started as a Fushiebridge Band but later became Borthwick Memories from the bands early days have been shared by Barbara Dickson Alex Hennessey was one of the original members led by Pipe Major Halliday who was ex Army trained and a strict disciplinarian were all members so it was quite a family affair Middleton and Gorebridge was very small in 1924 so it was a hard task to raise money for their uniforms so lots of activities were arranged and collections continued until they were finally paid the band paraded in Gorebridge in their splendid new uniforms of Royal Stewart tartan Borthwick Pipe Band has been well known in Gorebridge and area playing at Gorebridge Galadays for many years also Sale of Work days at Borthwick Church – lots more too numerous to mention although there was one very special occasion at Dirleton to celebrate the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 Borthwick Band had many loyal members from the local area over the years two cousins were in the band – all Hennesseys Dave Hennessey was Pipe Major until he died The band was originally supported by local miners so the loss of the mining industry was also a huge loss to the pipe band Despite that the band continued and in the 1980s the band formed a firm bond with the Trommler Pfeifer und FanfarenCorps from Hoengen in Germany and the two bands enjoyed regular exchange visits it decimated the band and it was effectively mothballed they have now reformed under the leadership of new Pipe Major Chris Crawford who played in the band from the age of 10 years other players who played in the band as children are also on board – Alistair McNeil (previous pipe major) Lead Drummer Lee Noon along with Callum Murdoch Chris recently commented: “We are progressing at quite a rate with 40 members already between learners and players We practice every Wednesday in Gorebridge Church Hall from 18:30-21:00 We are so excited about the future and are very confident we can guide the band to be bigger and better than ever before The future is looking good for Borthwick & District Pipe Band.” the band are currently fundraising so that they can provide uniforms They have a proud history and over the years have taught the art of playing pipes and drums to many people of all ages You can donate on their Just Giving page HERE The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response An Edinburgh restaurant group is set to open an Italian eatery on the outskirts of the city which was facing an uncertain future faced criticism from locals over the use of the historic building and has not fully reopened for nearly two years A post on the Midlothian restaurant's social media channels last year teased the reopening of the eatery after a year-long closure due to 'various reasons' the former owner has confirmed the business is under the management of the Giuliano's group from Edinburgh and will reopen soon as Milano Bar Restaurant The restaurant will stick to its Italian theme and offer up traditional and modern dishes with a choice of beers The takeaway section will retain the name Paolo's but also operate under new management The team said further details regarding an opening date and new menu will be posted online in the coming weeks They said: "We would like to update you all as promised in our last post We can now confirm that the restaurant and takeaway will soon open under new management of the Giuliano`s group from Edinburgh "The restaurant will be named Milano Bar Restaurant traditional and modern Italian dishes will be offered along with a wide choice of beers The takeaway will retain the name Paolo`s but operate under the new management Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages "Further details of opening date, menu and how to book your table will follow In the coming days the Facebook page will also be taken over by Giuliano and his team as we will no longer have any association with the business we take this opportunity to thank all the people that supported us over the years and wish Giuliano and his team all the best for the future." The previous owner's health and the Covid pandemic were previously mentioned as reasons which made it difficult to reopen the restaurant after such a long time Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right an independent PR consultant based in Gorebridge has been named among the 2024 Top 100 Women In Tourism award winners – a group of industry leaders selected from a peer-nominated group of 250 women ‘doing amazing things across the industry’ The Top 100 was first launched back in 2018 and this is the fourth edition of this important initiative led by Women In Tourism (WIT) a small group of destination leaders who are all passionate about the Scottish tourism industry and recognise both the challenges and opportunities for women within the sector The 2024 Top 100 Women in Tourism represent women working across nearly every area of the sector rural trailblazers and transport operators Inverness to Dundee; and Argyll to Aberdeen an independent PR consultant working with a wide range of tourism and nature clients including the Argyll & Isles Tourism Cooperative the groundbreaking South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere Speaking about this recognition Kirsty said: “It is a real privilege to feature alongside so many inspirational and innovative women in tourism There really are so many incredible women working in the sector and it is fantastic that Women in Tourism continues to inspire Commenting on the 2024 Top 100 Women In Tourism said: “The Women in Tourism Top 100 is now firmly established as one of the most prestigious honours in the Scottish tourism industry On behalf of the entire Women in Tourism Board I’d like to congratulate our 2024 Top 100 on everything they’ve achieved and for their continued passion for our industry “We were overwhelmed with the response to the call for nominations and loved reading each and every one and recognition for those that go above and beyond on a daily basis I’d like to give a huge thank you to every person that took the time to nominate someone doing amazing things within Scottish tourism “While the sector continues to recover from the pandemic we know that there are new challenges ahead It’s important to recognise the wealth of talent we have here in Scotland and we hope that the Top 100 inspires and motivates future tourism leaders celebrate with them and continue to shine a light on the thousands of passionate women working across Scottish tourism.” Read more: HERE and view the 2024 Top 100 Women in Tourism We use cookies to improve your experience of using our website Please let us know if you agree to the use of these cookies Gorebridge Parish Church was packed with friends congregation members and well-wishers for the ordination of Rev Tim Linford as assistant minister at the Lothian kirk which was led by former Moderator to the General Assembly "It will give me an opportunity to learn more about what Gorebridge does really successfully which is seeing church as family and valuing people – everyone has something to contribute but also building on what I have started in ministry." this was not the first such occasion for the Linford family His wife Victoria was a minister at Stow and Heriot Parish Church in the Borders although she has currently stepped away from parish ministry and is working in the principal clerk's office in the Church of Scotland offices in Edinburgh drawing on her background in corporate law Mr Linford acknowledged it has been useful to have another minister in the family for some support and advice While Mrs Linford was still a parish minister he was a locum minister in a neighbouring parish and the couple were able to bounce ideas off each other before each going on to preach in their own way The ordination has not been the only big event for the couple was born three weeks ago and parents Kieran and Sophie brought him to the ordination "That was brilliant – Noah got lots of hugs," his proud grandfather beamed The ordination was an important final step on what Mr Linford acknowledged had been a long and sometimes bumpy path towards ministry Originally employed in the defence sector where he worked for British Aerospace and Marconi Avionics he made the move into IT with local government at the start of the millennium He then took a career break to look after Kieran and Luke while his wife embarked on her own ministry career and made his own first enquiries about joining the ministry when he discovered he had undiagnosed dyslexia quite timely because we hit the pandemic at the start of 2020 and all my past systems engineering experience started coming to the fore," he said "I'd had theological training already so I was starting to mix digital ecclesiology and online media "I ended up using my post-graduate studies to research hybrid church I was training in real time as this was happening He met Rev Mark Nicholas of Gorebridge Parish Church at another ordination and felt the Holy Spirit was directing him to work at Gorebridge where Mr Linford completed his probationary period prior to ordination "The probation experience has just been amazing," he said mixing the technical and the personal and the online "My last research essay was looking at the techniques of Fred Rodgers who was played by Tom Hanks in the film A Beautiful day in the Neighborhood "He was an ordained Presbyterian minister in the United States as well as being a television presenter and seeing what we could do now with digital streams Contributing to the "bumpy ride" to ministry was a late diagnosis of autism. This has had an impact on Mr Linford's approach to ministry "There is a lot of neuro-diversity in Gorebridge Parish Church but there are a lot of people who feel they can come in and feel comfortable as they are "We are really doing some good work with them," he said "I have been pretty open about my autism diagnosis and what I can do and they have been encouraged by that "There has been a deepening understanding of autism recently and it affects so many people that I believe there is real mission in this and I want to figure out how to build on that for where I go next." Mr Linford said he had carried out quite a lot of research on the condition "I researched the experiences of an American pastor who was diagnosed with autism and how being open about that grew his ministry "A number of people have said to me that I am spearheading something here but it's also felt a bit like being a heatshield on a space capsule going into the atmosphere "I feel as if I have gathered a lot of heat at times but my feet have landed on the ground now so I have survived it!" Mr Linford's ambition is to have his own charge but in the meantime he is looking forward to extending his stay at Gorebridge "It feels that this is where God has called me and people in the church are very happy that I'm staying," he said Contact us A planning row in Gorebridge, Midlothian, could see a newly built home demolished over a projecting roofline thought to be detrimental to the character of the town Midlothian Council initially refused consent to David and Dawn Allan in 2017 arguing that the design by Liston Architects was neither traditional nor a sufficiently high-quality contemporary design This was subsequently overturned by a follow-up application in 2018 swapping white render for stone and a timber and glass screen The home was duly built in 2020 only for the owners to discover that a building warrant had been issued in error by the council Outlining the situation in an appeal to the Scottish Government Dawn Allan wrote: "In 2019 I was issued with a building warrant and a letter to confirm I could proceed with the construction My builders built the house according to this warrant plan with a few changes made along the way for which we submitted retrospective planning "It was discovered during this application that the building warrant was granted in error by Midlothian Council as the planning had not in fact been granted to accompany it This was only discovered once the house was built in 2020." Midlothian Council has now served an enforcement notice on the property as the building does not comply with the approved plans The owners now have until 20 April to make the required changes or else demolish the building by 20 June.  Council officers are calling for the owner of a house described as ‘humongous’ to face prosecution after they failed to remove roof extensions built without planning permission was built during lockdown despite a warning from planning officers that it did not match original plans approved in 2018 A bid for retrospective planning permission for the revised design was initially refused as was an appeal in late 2020 However a new revised plan was given the go ahead by planners a year later but a report to a meeting of Midlothian planning committee next week will tell members changes required through the approved plan have not been carried out The approved drawing for the house required ‘significant alteration’ to remove a large area of hipped roofing at either end of the home replacing it with a lower flat roof Council officers issued an enforcement notice earlier this year ordering either the high roofs were removed or the entire house demolished The report to councillors next week says neither action has been taken and asks members to allow them to “refer the case to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service for consideration to be given to prosecutorial action in relation to the parties who have breached the enforcement notice,” A fine of up to £50,000 could be imposed if a conviction is secured in relation to the alleged offence At a Local Review Body meeting in October 2020 councillors were told that planning officers spotted the house which was being constructed was far larger than the original plans and ordered the work to be halted that as the county went into lockdown and officers were no longer monitoring new builds the work restarted and the unauthorised home was completed Councillors refused an appeal over the refusal of a retrospective application for the house with Councillor Derek Milligan describing it as “humongous” Eventually a revised application was submitted which was approved but still required the demolition of the large roof extensions which were described as unacceptable but the work was not carried out The report to next week’s planning committee says: “In February 2022 the applicants were provided with a voluntary six month period to remedy the breach of planning control “No steps were taken to remedy the breach and on 18 November 2022 the council served a planning enforcement notice “Following a site inspection in July 2023 it was identified that there had been no compliance with either of the notice requirements and as a consequence the landowners have been formally advised of the consequences of non-compliance including reporting the matter to the committee seeking authorisation to take prosecutorial action.” Visit Gorebridge Parish Church on a Tuesday morning and you might not immediately recognise the minister among the dozen or so cheery folk who are busy running the second-hand clothes shop Rev Mark Nicholas could easily be mistaken for a roadie in a metal band especially when he's standing beside skinny malinky youth minister Ross Watters with his dreadlocks and – if you missed the sign outside the church—he'll tell you exactly why he's here "We are here for you because of Jesus," he says "The local church is the hope of the world It's Jesus' chosen institution to comfort the lonely reach the lost and see the renewal of local communities whose great grandfather worked with Salvation Army founders William and Catherine Booth in London was ordained into ministry at this very church in October 1999 A local boy who grew up in the neighbouring town of Dalkeith Mark says he always felt a strong sense of call to the communities he knows best "It's been a long time since there has been significant renewal in the Church in Midlothian and now after 18 years I'm starting to see that here I trust Jesus for that and that's my passion "Very Rev Albert Bogle has said that long ministries change the church and I believe they do," he says "So I was willing to buy my grave plot here if I had to "In some ways it feels like we are just getting started we are moving closer toward that first spirit –filled community." Gorebridge is a former mining village 11 miles southeast of Edinburgh in Midlothian and a scattering of businesses: a hair salon The housing is a mix of renovated cottages a short strip of two-story terraced houses a social housing estate and some former council homes surrounded by working farms but with an influx of young professionals moving into the new housing estate under construction on the edge of the green belt the council is now considering building a new one The village includes two of the 20 percent most deprived areas in Scotland and has both more older and more younger residents than the Scottish average this congregation seems well on the way to building the spirit-filled community that Mark links to the early Christian Church Visit on a Sunday morning and you'll find a local church that feels welcoming and relaxed Heartfelt singing is accompanied by an upbeat praise band Nobody looks twice at the baby rolling around on the floor and Mark's sermon is full of encouragement and uplift Mark wraps up with an invitation to stay for coffee before picking up a guitar and joining the band in playing the congregation out The majority of the 80 or so faithful gather in the hall with the children and teens and stay to chat and network for more than an hour "This is what happens if you are open to reforming what happens on a Sunday morning so it actually fits with the community you are called to serve," Mark says Mark says his wife Diane "deserves at least 50 per cent of the credit for what we're doing." they set out to build a multigenerational church "A lot of churches want the youth work done for them and they only want to bring young people in when they're ready to be the next generation of church," he says "We've made church very adult in a way that keeps Jesus from bringing the generations together open-hearted and full of people who are looking for what God wants us to do in our lives "We know we're not there yet but we want to be making room and loving every age The primary image of the Church in the Bible is family." Around 36 people volunteer as youth workers and mentors to serve a variety of groups for children and teens the Church has around 90 volunteers running a much needed food bank as well as the clothing store "They are the driving force behind everything we do It's about widows and orphans; it's about loving our neighbours "Our inspiration is that first Jerusalem church "The miraculous was taking place and every day the numbers grew That was church then and it is what church is to us now." Nine years ago the congregation hired Ross Watters on a part-time contract to build its youth work "We had a 3-year plan to get him full time and we did it in the first 15 months," Mark says "Our salaries are by far the biggest expense but we managed it because of the fantastic people in our congregation here." Ross grew up in a non-religious family but was "tricked" into attending a Christian camp with some friends "It was the first time I‘d heard the Gospel message," he recalls "I went forward and I got prayed for and I was hit hard by the Holy Spirit "That night I chatted for hours and I knew it was real Allergic to being called a youth worker because he believes youth ministry is just as much a ministry as any other Ross went on to work in a new charge at Gilmerton and earned his three-year bachelor's degree from the Scottish School of Christian Mission he says the youth club consisted of a handful of kids and sometimes they were Mark's But through engaging young people in activities from sports computing and music to bringing in professionals from the congregations to talk about careers At the heart of the mission is one to one mentoring and a deep commitment to loving each person even when their behaviour is difficult or self-destructive "It's very hard to get kicked out," Ross says "They know we are Christians and our job is to love them We want them to know that Jesus loves them." Some young people who had become dependent on drink and drugs after experiencing early neglect and abuse have been helped into recovery through the Church "Someone who is an alcoholic needs love just as much as everyone else Our mission statement is to encourage everyone to live in the reality of Jesus' love At the same time teenagers are encouraged to avoid embarking on adult experiences too early "We have a low incidence of teen pregnancy and high-risk activities," Mark says The Tuesday night leadership programme trains older teens to support younger ones The first group of young people who were mentored in the programme are now 18-23 and are actively mentoring 50 kids themselves Ross says every young person will have a one-to-one meeting at least once every two weeks and if they don't show up he will notice and check they are all right "What we don't want is for anyone to think ‘I disappeared for two weeks and nobody noticed nobody cares.' It's to prevent that," he says Around 30-50 young people turn up each week for Sunday club in addition to the Monday night youth club that works with P7-S2 and S3-S6 ages on alternate weeks A group of about 25 girls formed their own Bible studies group they get to make up their own minds," Ross says "If Jesus is the biggest decision you can make in your life—and as Christians we believe that—then we need to give you the truth So we have a wee gospel talk and on the back of that a chance to break into groups "We make space for kids to ask questions and to disagree Their opinion actually matters and they are not just being told what to think "Our role is not to teach them to be dependent on us It's to teach them to be dependent on God." Laura Paris working at the Gorebridge Lend and Mend Hub A Midlothian library is giving local residents the chance to work on their sewing skills after opening its own Lend and Mend Hub The hub gives locals the chance to pop in and take advantage of sewing machines whether they want to repair a tear or make new items of clothing from scratch a tailors dummy and even an overlocker to create professional seams and finishing And it is free to use thanks to funding from The John Lewis Partnership the hub has seen dozens of people popping in to brush up their sewing skills as well as holding classes for youngsters and beginners who want to rediscover the art Laura Paris is a regular visitor to the hub which is one of only nine operating across Scotland and discovered the hub after popping into the library to use its wi-fi used to be a keen dressmaker and regularly does alterations at home She has been bringing her granddaughter to the hub to pass on her skills She said: “I noticed the hub one day when I came in to use library WiFi I was blown away by the suite and the modern machines particularly the overlocker and embroidery machines “It’s a really valuable resource for the area and I have been telling family and friends about it I have been loving using the hub to spend quality time with my nine year old granddaughter and have been passing on sewing skills and doing craft activities with her.” The hub aims to not only encourage more people to sew but also to reduce inequality through access to resources it offers sewing classes and seasonal craft sessions Alison Dunwell who manages the Gorebridge Lend and Mend Hub said: ”I’d encourage anyone who is curious or interested to pop in and try out the hub “You don’t need sewing experience as it’s open to everyone If you do have a sewing project the hub makes it easier to focus because it is a dedicated space and we have all the equipment you need – not just the machines but also thread There is no need to book in advance to use the hub which has seen everything from large projects to a man popping in to mend the collar on his coat and a woman who was making draught excluding curtains for her camper van Midlothian Council’s Cabinet Member for community facilities “This hub is proving popular with the local community It’s helping people learn new skills or improve rusty ones and it’s providing a space to enjoy some creative fun with others It is also helping people play their part in reducing waste by allowing them to upcycle items and allowing them to save money by being able to make their own things during the Cost-of-Living crisis.” ​Alison is currently looking to get a sewing club started and also in the long term sewing sessions for young people. If you are interested then email gorebridge.library@midlothian.gov.uk or call 01875 820630 or pop into Gorebridge Library to express interest The removal of the new school along with expansion projects was in a bid to save £80m from spending plans. A paper presented to Midlothian Councillors on Tuesday this week included the ‘removal’ of the new Gorebridge High School along with other expansion projects at primary schools in a bid to save £80m in investment from its spending plans. A decision on the proposed cuts was later put on hold after Labour councillors called for more information on the basis for the decision to be presented to elected members. And it saw Labour accuse the SNP of turning its back on the Gorebridge and Newtongrange communities the school would serve while pointing out another new school which includes a £10m swimming pool is going ahead on the other side of the county despite soaring costs. However council leader Kelly Parry described the claims from Labour colleagues as a ‘desperate attempt’ to spread fear and pitch communities against each other. She said: “The SNP have always campaigned for a new Gorebridge High School and will continue to do so.” Labour councillors condemned the move to remove the Gorebridge school and proposed upgrades to other primary schools following the meeting on Tuesday. At the time Councillor Ellen Scott, the administration’s education spokesperson, insisted the work was not being removed but ‘rescheduled’. However Labour group leader Derek Milligan pointed out no additional spending for the projects had been included in future budgets for the next four years. Councillor Kelly Drummond who represents Gorebridge and Newtongrange, accused the SNP administration of attempting to mislead the public following the meeting. She said: “People in Gorebridge have campaigned for many years for a new high school and were encouraged when, around 5 years ago, the new school was added to the council’s plans by the previous Labour Administration. “Now their hopes have been dashed by this attempt by the SNP to remove it. The SNP can dress this up as much as it likes, but they are abandoning the people of Gorebridge and Newtongrange if they are successful in scrapping these projects.” Councillor Drummond added that the decision to push on with a new replacement school for  Beeslack Community High School, taken last year despite officers warnings the project cost had soared from £60m to £120m in 18 months. Officers had urged councillors to ditch parts of the new school including a swimming pool, sports pavilion and passivhaus design to save costs. Councillor Drummond said: “For years every SNP leaflet in this area has promised a new high School for Gorebridge and now, after less than two years in charge of the council, they are intent on ditching this.” “At the same time, the SNP Administration are supporting pressing ahead with the building of a new high school including new community facilities and a £10m swimming pool in at Easter Bush, despite the costs for this increasing dramatically. “It seems to me that the people of Newtongrange and Gorebridge are paying the price for this.” Councillor Parry insisted the Gorebridge school project work was continuing with talks over possible sites held just a few weeks ago. She said: “This is a desperate attempt by the Labour group to spread fear in our communities and is not reflective of the direction of the council. “The administration have held several discussions to secure land for a new Gorebridge High School as recently as the last few weeks, an effort the last Labour administration did not even bother with and are now furiously back peddling on as a general election approaches. “The Labour group’s time would be far better spent trying to secure improvements for Midlothian, than writing malicious gossip that holds no weight and tries to divide our communities by pitching one against another – an appalling lack of judgement. “Midlothian residents rightly expect better from their elected members, and we will continue to put Midlothian residents first, and leave the petty party politics to others.” Labour councillors have condemned Midlothian Council’s SNP administration for trying to abandon plans to build a new High School in Gorebridge as well as much needed upgrades to a number of other local Primary schools including Newtongrange and King’s Park Primary Schools refers to an “agreed set of changes” which removes these projects from the Councils plans Labour Councillors were dismissive of attempts by Councillor Ellen Scott (SNP) for suggesting that these projects were not “removed” Councillor Derek Milligan made it clear that the word “removed” means just what it says He asked officers to confirm that these projects no longer appear on any Council plans that go up to 2028 Councillor Kelly Drummond who represents Gorebridge and Newtongrange where two of these abandoned projects are located slammed the SNP administration for its attempt to mislead the public “People in Gorebridge have campaigned for many years for a new Gorebridge High School and were encouraged when the new school was added to the councils plans by the previous Labour Administration Now their hopes have been dashed by this attempt by the SNP to remove it The SNP can dress this up as much as it likes but they are abandoning the people of Gorebridge and Newtongrange if they are successful in scrapping these projects “For years every SNP leaflet in this area has promised a new High School for Gorebridge and now after less than 2 years in charge of the Council the SNP Administration are supporting pressing ahead with the building of a new high school including new community facilities and a £10m swimming pool at Easter Bush despite the costs for this increasing dramatically from its original estimate 2019 of around 41m to over £120m Labour Councillors successfully secured a pause on a final decision until Councillors have been given a full report on all the Council’s capital projects which they believe should have been provided before any projects were considered for removal A bid to build 308 houses on the edge of Gorebridge has been taken to Scottish Ministers after planners took too long to make a decision Plans for housing on farmland south of Gorebridge will be decided by the Scottish Government Reporter after Hallam Land Management lodged an appeal The development company which wants to build on land at Stobs Farm on the outskirts of the town said Midlothian Council’s failure to make a decision in the extended deadline given gave them cause for the action It is the second ongoing appeal to Scottish Ministers by housebuilders because of delays in decision making by the local authority who want to build more than 40 bungalows on a former school site near the village of Howgate took their case to appeal after no decision was made The latest planning application was originally lodged with the council’s planners in April last year Although the site is prime agricultural land Hallan Land Management argue that the local authority is not going to meet its housing targets in the next two years which allows them to put forward their proposal They say a report on the housing land supply showed there was not enough land to meet the housing targets required by 2024 And in their appeal to Scottish Ministers they say: “Case law also confirms that a ‘tilted balance’ in favour of granting planning permission applies in cases where a shortfall in the effective housing land supply emerges planning permission should only be refused where disbenefits of a proposal can be shown to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits “There are no disbenefits that outweigh the benefits of the appeal proposal.” The proposed new housing estate would be accessed off Lady Brae in the town which drew some objections from local residents and the council’s own transport consultant who pointed out the road only has a single hourly bus service and additional housing would ‘intensify’ traffic and could cause congestion at peak hours The Reporter is expected to carry out a site visit as part of the appeal Officers were alerted to the incident which took place on Hillside Crescent North, Gorebridge. Officers were alerted to the incident which took place on Hillside Crescent North, Gorebridge, around 11.45am on Monday. A man was taken to hospital for treatment following the attack. Police confirmed a 38-year-old man has been charged in connection with the incident. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 11.45am on Monday, April 29, 2024, officers received a report of a man having been injured by a dog on Hillside Crescent North, Gorebridge. “The man was taken to hospital for treatment. “A 38-year-old man has been charged in connection and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.” The operator of a builders yard which employs up to 17 people has lost his appeal against an order forcing him to shut it down Peter Joyce and Son bought land at Ashbank last year to expand the business but was refused planning permission by Midlothian Council to change the use of the site from vacant land to a yard and served with an enforcement notice Local residents complained rats from the site had been driven onto their land by work on it and alleged council workers were moonlighting on the site as well as accusing the operator of damaging phone lines and fencing Operator Rory Joyce denied all the allegations and accused council planners of putting “lies above jobs” He took his case to Scottish Ministers insisting the site was a “scrapyard” when it was bought and already in use as an industrial site However the Scottish Government Reporter has now dismissed his appeal insisting the enforcement notice stands and the business must shut In his findings the Reporter said: “I acknowledge the appellant’s wish to provide a site for his business I also saw at my site visit a number of commercial activities in the vicinity “I have considered all of the other matters raised but there are none which would lead me to alter my conclusion that the enforcement notice should be upheld.” In his appeal Mr Joyce said the firm had used the land to store materials and provide off street parking for a number of years before buying it from its previous owner He said: “We walked past this site daily with our family dog for 13 years and this site has always been industrial “This purchase then provided us with additional storage and off street parking for our many commercial vehicles and open yard space to accommodate our growing family business where we currently employ seventeen local residents including five apprentices at various stages of there careers.” He told the Reporter that he believed the council’s decision to refuse planning permission was ‘unfair’ However the Reporter said he was only able to make a ruling on the enforcement notice the council issued after refusing planning permission And he said Mr Joyce had confirmed in his own testimony that the business was operating without planning approval He said: “The appellant’s submissions confirm the use of the land for his business the siting of shipping containers and the laying of hardstanding ”On the basis of what I have read and seen I conclude the matters stated in the notice have occurred Almost 200 residents contacted healthcare services complaining of headaches I would like to become a community member of the following networks: Already a member? Login here All content © 2025 Environment Analyst From left to right are: Marion Kunderan Head of Programme at the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) Chris Godfree-Morrell Midlothian Library Service Development Leader (Digital & Collections) Sarah Findlay Midlothian Libraries Development Officer Victoria McQuillan Project Delivery Officer with the SLIC and Midlothian Council Customer Engagement Manager Annabel Cavaroli A new dedicated facility in Gorebridge Library which allows free access to equipment to repair As part of a trailblazing project funded by the John Lewis Circular Future Fund public libraries in key areas across the country will lead the way in developing a long-term model for circular economy activities while helping to tackle the cost-of-living crisis Gorebridge is one of nine library partners across Scotland have been selected to host a ‘Lend and Mend Hub’ as part of the pilot project managed by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) Midlothian Council’s Leader Councillor Kelly Parry said: “This is an exciting initiative that will give local communities the tools education and capability to reuse lots of everyday items that would otherwise get thrown away “Please come along to meet new people and learn new crafts while helping the environment and saving you money.” Scottish Government Culture Minister Christina McKelvie said: “Our libraries are at the heart of our communities and the first of the pilot ‘Lend and Mend Hubs’ will further enhance the services they provide locally “Giving people free access to repair or recycle everyday items reflects the Scottish Government’s commitment to sustainability and will be an invaluable resource in the current cost of living crisis.” Selected for their wide geographical spread and diverse community reach the partner libraries listed below will make up a ‘network’ of sustainable the hubs have been developed with insight and expertise from local teams and library members to ensure services are tailored to community needs Funding granted from The John Lewis Partnership’s £1m Circular Future Fund has been used for the equipment training and space upgrades needed to deliver these promising projects each library hub will also introduce an education programme to support new skills development helping to reduce inequality through equitable access to resources with a series of sewing workshops and repair cafes already underway at some locations said: “It’s great to see our ‘Lend and Mend Hubs’ take shape in what is an exciting chapter for our libraries our services are transforming and thriving in line with community needs giving people access to resources they might not otherwise have to support responsible consumption and learning “And at a time when all of Scotland’s communities are experiencing economic and environmental challenges the role of public libraries has never been more important “The introduction of this network has the potential to create a real impact Receiving over 40 million visits every year the Scottish public are familiar with borrowing from libraries but don’t always have the opportunity to extend this circular thinking to other aspects of their lives for example how they use household goods and clothing “We hope this pilot will help develop a long-term model for libraries to be a hub of circular economy activities while also providing valuable learnings to promote the urgent need to adopt a more circular way of living more widely for the long-term benefit of us all.” Midlothian Council “respects and understands” a decision by Gorebridge Community Development Trust to no longer be a community partner in the project to redevelop the former Gorebridge train station building The trust was due to take over the tenancy of the building after it opened as a café/restaurant in communicating with the council this week the Board of Trustees highlighted that the long and troublesome capital build and now the day to day running of community hub was challenging It required all the trust’s focus for the people and community of Gorebridge are in no position to revisit the same experience both in terms of financial implications and human resource This is a responsible and prudent action we are taking.” Council Leader Councillor Derek Milligan said while he was disappointed with the decision He said: “It’s obviously sad news but we respect and understand the trust’s view It’s understandable the trust will want to focus on making the Beacon a real success It’s already a landmark building serving the community so we’re confident it has a great future under the trust’s stewardship “We’re grateful the trust came to us relatively early on in the project While designs and planning consents are in place no tenders have gone out for construction work and no lease had been signed with the building’s owner Cllr Milligan added that funding partners have all been informed Restoring the station building was one of three Gorebridge Connected projects This partnership initiative with agencies including the council Scottish Government Borders Railway Blueprint Programme There are three main elements to the Gorebridge Connected project public realm improvements at Hunters Square and restoring the derelict Gorebridge train station building A £2 million pound project to repair and restore historic buildings in Gorebridge has been successfully completed after five years The Gorebridge Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme is a partnership involving Midlothian Council Gorebridge Community Development Trust and Historic Environment Scotland Thanks to grant funding provided by the project to local property owners 26 buildings have been restored in the historic town centre along with improvements to public areas around Hunter Square The regeneration scheme has also encouraged contractors and apprentices to take part in traditional construction skills training delivered in partnership with Edinburgh College 56 trainees completed the courses and 30 local children took part in schools awareness courses A number of local community engagement projects were also held to increase awareness and appreciation of Gorebridge’s unique history and heritage and to say thanks to everyone who has helped make it a success a special celebration is planned for the evening of Wednesday 9 May at the Gorebridge Community Development Trust office Local people are invited to attend the event to hear about the project’s achievements and view an exhibition and film on the regeneration work “By enthusiastically engaging with the local community the project partners have delivered significant improvements to properties and to the streetscape in the historic town centre,” said Councillor Imrie “They have also successfully delivered a training plan to improve skills and awareness in traditional construction skills and have increased appreciation of the town’s fascinating history and heritage.” As a result of the work already carried out in Gorebridge additional grant funding has been sought for further improvement work The ‘Gorebridge Connected’ masterplan has been approved for grant funding by the Borders Railway Blueprint fund and includes proposals for more improvements at Hunter Square There are also plans for a heritage trail to connect Hunter Square and the Main Street with the station and other sites of interest such as Newbyres Castle and the Stobs Mill Gunpowder Works site The repair and restoration of Gorebridge station for community use is also planned with the award of LEADER and Railway Heritage grant funding for the project Becca, 11, has been playing football for just over a year but recently she's had little opportunity to sharpen her skills. Following weeks of rain, the Goreglen football fields have turned wet and muddy due to poor drainage, making it unsafe for the young football teams who train there. Becca Laidlaw, 11, has been playing football for just over a year but recently she’s had little opportunity to sharpen her skills. Becca said: “It’s quite frustrating because everyday you just can’t play and you can’t do anything and if you try and come down and play with some of your friends it’s just really watery and you can’t do anything and you just have to walk home.” Becca’s dad, Grant Laidlaw said it’s disappointing to see his daughter being let down by cancelled games and practice time and time again. He said: “It’s frustrating for her and it’s not nice having to deal with that and trying to explain to her why other places in the local area have got the facilities and we’re left with this sort of thing. It’s such a shame.” Under 8s coach Cerys Lennie said she fears the local teams are being left stuck in the mud. “I think not giving them the chance to develop puts them behind some of the other girls in their area, because they’re going out to places like Bonnyrigg and Dalkeith. “They’re going up against players that have had training for weeks and weeks on end and they’ve had nothing,” Cerys said. Sarah Murray, mum of twin daughters, Sophie and Lucie, has launched a petition calling on MIdlothian council to tackle the issue following weeks of cancelled practice. She said: “When it rains heavily, which obviously it has at the moment, the water is not going anywhere, there’s no drainage so there’s nowhere for it to go so it sits for ages and then of course that’s why we don’t get the games. “Of course we know at this time of year we’re always going to get this kind of weather but because it’s not draining away, that’s where we’re having issues. So I just want something so the girls can go out and play their football.” A Midlothian Council spokesman said: “There have been six occasions since October 2023 when one or more of the Gorebridge pitches at Gore Glen and Birkenside have been deemed to be unplayable because of weather, two of these were because they were frozen. Clubs are credited if games are called off. “Following a report on the council’s outdoor football facilities published last year, the council is working with the local Newbyres Community Trust and stakeholders to help them source funding and develop plans to improve existing facilities at Newbyres Park, home to the local community club, Arniston Rangers.”