Talk of the Town: Teaching your dog will do the trick

Even buskers are having to do that little bit more to stand out from the crowd, with the simple act of playing guitar not enough to warrant a donation.

So it was nice to see one street performer stepping up to the mark. The guitar player had set up his pitch on Princes Street, along with the type of sad-eyed dog usually guaranteed to melt a few heart-strings and loosen a few purse strings.

And just to make sure they sealed the deal, this adorable companion wasn’t just lying around – but was working the crowd with collection cap in mouth.

Odds on that William Hill wasn’t counting on that

ONE chap who isn’t worrying about money is the lucky city punter who scooped the biggest ever individual pay-out in William Hill Scottish Cup history.

The online punter’s £100 accumulator paid out £101,200 after all four of his chosen teams won their first-round ties by four goals or more last weekend.

Cove Rangers beat Glasgow University 4-0, Huntly defeated Newton Stewart 6-1, Culter beat Burnisland Shipyard 4-0 and Wick Academy thrashed Coldstream 9-1.

What are the odds he did the Lotto that weekend as well?

’Ow could it ’appen?

IT’S the cop shop where Rebus grilled his suspects and home to the city centre’s most vigilant bobbies.

But it seems Lothian and Borders’ finest have been let down by the website boffins at Fettes HQ, who believe Torphicen Place is home to West End Police Station. It’s worth pointing out Torphicen is actually spelt Torphichen – with another “h”.

The mistake has been in place for as long as Talk of the Town can remember.

It’s animal magnetism

THE Jungle City animals have proved a great hit with both city residents and visitors alike. One of them, in fact, has been a little bit TOO popular.

Tigris, by Andrew Archer, a tiger sculpture made up of small metal rings, had to be cordoned off at the weekend, and two hastily-produced notes gaffer-taped to his back declaring “UNSTABLE STRUCTURE PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH”. We were glad to hear that this wasn’t the result of him toppling over, however – it was merely a precautionary measure after people were spotted sitting their small children on his back for a photo opportunity.

What it is to be popular