Talk of the Town: Royal double-take has SuBo in a spin

SUSAN Boyle’s meteoric rise to fame has seen her pretty much do it all – and now she’s got a royal seal of approval.

The West Lothian singing sensation performed Mull of Kintyre for the Queen at Windsor Castle, minutes before coming face to face with Her Majesty.

SuBo was left starstruck following the brief encounter, which was part of the diamond jubilee celebrations.

Although the Blackburn crooner kept schtum over the details of the conversation, she said: “To say it was an honour was an understatement. It’s a moment that I’ll never forget.”

She then revealed another highlight was meeting Helen Mirren – we hope for SuBo’s sake there hasn’t been an embarrassing misunderstanding . . .

More tasteful way to raise money for charities

IT’S the ideal way to raise cash for those of us not designed to run marathons and jump off the Forth Bridge.

Stewart Brewing’s Battle of the Brewers has a more refreshing approach to charity.

It will label two beers, from Stewart and Cairngorm Breweries, as X and Y, and in exchange for a fiver, participants can taste both and vote for their favourite.

The event will take place at Cloisters, Bow Bar and Stockbridge Tap on May 30, with cash going to Cash For Kids and Stuart Andrew Lawtie Memorial Foundation.

Final gets a low Rankin

FOR the football crazy amongst us, it’s a date etched in the diary like no other. Saturday means only one thing: Hibs v Hearts in the Scottish Cup final.

And while many of us will be taking in the action on our local boozer’s big screen, city crime writer Ian Rankin will be otherwise engaged as he sips his pint.

He tweeted yesterday: “I admit I forgot all about the cup final when I arranged to do an interview in an Edinburgh pub this coming Saturday . . .”

Suppose it’s understandable cup final day isn’t red-ringed on Rankin’s calendar – he is a Raith Rovers fan, after all.

Cabaret is heavy going

A LITTLE light relief was in order at the end of a long week of tense political negotiations.

As Evening News cartoonist Frank Boyle celebrated his new exhibition at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, the live entertainment had to be right.

And so lyrical political satire from The Sensational Alex Salmond Gastric Band proved just the tonic.