Southside Association Report June 2019

1. Spotlight Cinema

Mike Wiles, Operations Manager, Spotlight Cinema, spoke to the meeting about plans for the former Odeon building at 7 Clerk Street. It is still the intention to fully restore this building and return it to use as a cinema, but the G1 Group have been totally absorbed in restoration of the Scotsman Hotel, which includes a 41 seat cinema, and work on the Clerk Street building will not resume until that is complete. It seems we are still at least a year away from getting a cinema in the Southside again.

2. Fly posting

Nigel Muntz, the Commercial Director of Out of Hand Ltd. also spoke at the meeting. This is the company which is contracted by the Council to manage the installation and removal of the various items of street advertising which are used during the Edinburgh Festival and Fringe. They also have a responsibility for keeping the area clear of fly posting and graffiti. The full terms of the contract are available on the Southside Association website.. There seemed to be some disagreement about the exact area for which Out of Hand will be responsible, but after the meeting Nigel Muntz confirmed that it is as we thought, a 50 metre radius around the advertising sites. There are also a number of complete streets named in the contract which have to be kept clean.

Nigel Muntz was keen to give the impression that he wants to work with the local community, and hopes we will report any problems to him. All advertising sites will carry contact information and we are encouraged to get in touch if there are any issues at all. "Better 3 reports of a problem than none" he said.

3. Murals

New lighting has now been installed in the pends at Haddons Court and Gibbs Entry, where the SA painted murals last year. Improved lighting had been requested before the murals were painted, but the request was turned down. While we welcome the improved illumination, we are very disappointed that the City Council decided on the new lighting after the murals had been completed, leaving areas of bare plaster, and taking wiring across the mural.