Tram works almost wrecked Leith before, so why try again? – Hayley Matthews

It’s time to admit the works to extend the tram network to Leith and Newhaven are a waste of effort, says Hayley Matthews.

An artist’s impression of trams on Leith Walk at Elm Row

I had a bit of a moan last week about all the roadworks in Edinburgh city centre just now and received a few messages from people saying how they think the council are acting in a way that’s detrimental for businesses in the area.

I do appreciate that a lot of these roadworks are flying up because there are some essential repairs. However, the tram situation down Leith Walk and along Ocean Terminal is just a sheer shambles.

The amount of times I’ve come out Ocean Terminal and headed towards Seafield only get to the casino before I realise I can’t get any further and then have to come all the way back on myself is frustrating!

The tram works going down Leith, I feel, is a huge mistake because I have to be honest, I’ve not heard one person say they’re excited about the trams going down there.

My analogy that I give to people when they’re coming into the city and ask why we have a problem with the trams going down Leith is this: would you think I was crazy if I knocked down half my house to build an extension, got halfway through the extension, built it back, then knocked it down again to rebuild because I’d changed my mind? Arghhhh!

The roadworks down into Leith, Newhaven and Ocean Terminal are a waste of effort. We tried it once and it nearly tore Leith apart. Surely we’ve learned our lesson and if there is ever a time to admit that we’ve got it wrong to save businesses and livelihoods in the area it’s now.

I’ll jump through hoops to tone up

In my head I haven’t put on any weight during the lockdown because, well, a) I haven’t weighed myself and b) the leggings that are 95 per cent elastic still seem to fit me.

I’ve never been thin and nor do I want to be. However, I do want to tone, feel strong and build my core. Toning my curves so my clothes feel better and fit more comfortably is an added bonus.

I’m actually happy at a 14/16/18 – the numbers don’t define me, who I am does. And let’s be honest, we’re all in the same boat here and I’m sure by the grey hairs and baggy T-shirts I see in the playground in the morning that I’m not the only one who has “let myself go a bit”.

But it’s good to keep fit and I think a weighted hula hoop could do just the trick! I can’t hula hoop but strangely enough, I can do the weighted hula hoop.

A friend put me on to them recently when she told me that she bought one a while back and described the benefits of it and how great it can be. I was hooked – or hooped, I should say.

So my goal is to tone the lockdown “spare tyre” whilst still managing to binge on Netflix and this is how I’ll be doing it: hula hoop clockwise for 30 minutes whilst watching Selling Sunset then switch to Dirty John for my half hour of anticlockwise hula hooping.

I’ll let you know my results in due course but will spare you the jelly belly pics!

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