Talk of the Town: Vans steal show in city cycling drive

IT seems the Capital’s van drivers missed the memo from Edinburgh City Council’s transport gurus about the new bicycle corridor launched yesterday.

The council’s transport vice-convener Jim Orr posed happily on his bike for photos at the junction of Buccleuch Street and West Cross Causeway, espousing the improved safety of the cycle lanes running from George IV Bridge to Edinburgh University’s science complex at King’s Buildings.

Only 50m down the road, however, a parked van had done its best to steal the show, completely blocking the bike path. Another van ended up across the designated path at the junction minutes later after hitting the brakes to avoid colliding with oncoming traffic, in signs that cars still rule the central city roads.

Sci-fi fans beam in

It could be the perfect night out for geeks and fantasy fans from the Capital and beyond.

Fans of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy will be eagerly awaiting the opening of his new adaptation of the Hobbit.

But at Edinburgh’s Cineworld they may find themselves outnumbered by Trekkies, after it emerged nine minutes of the new Star Trek film will be screened before the movie.

The promotion, which starts on December 13, will be the first chance to see footage from the eagerly anticipated sci-fi blockbuster, showing on the IMAX screens.

TOTT is already setting its face to ‘stunned’.

Risqué and returns

It was an X-rated hit in the Capital – and now it seems the controversial erotic festival is set to return next year.

The risque Festival of Erotic Arts raised eyebrows with events such as flagship club night Torture Garden and, er, a craft fair.

After the sell-out success of the event, organiser Donna McGrory is already drawing up plans for the next one, and told her Twitter followers she was “ruddy excited” about the “expansion” of the festival in 2013.

“I can barely contain myself,” she tweeted – though with the event not expected to take place till next June she’ll just have to.

Standing ovation for SuBo

It’S likely to be a jam-packed Christmas treat for fans of West Lothian singing sensation Subo next week when she meets fans in the Capital.

Susan Boyle will be signing copies of her new album ‘Standing Ovation: The Greatest Songs from the Stage’ at HMV’s Princes Street store, in Edinburgh, on Thursday.