Looking back at the news stories of 2023 is a reminder of the many different aspects of city life. Among the events which made the headlines were the problems with luggage piling up at Edinburgh Airport, the vandal attack on a CCTV camera used to enforce restrictions in a low-traffic neighbourhood and the soaring rents faced by students, as well as other stories like the plan for a replica to replace the too-fragile Jawbone Arch at The Meadows and hundreds of Kate Bush fans recreating one of the singer's most iconic moments in Holyrood Park.
13. A&E operating over capacity
Figures revealed that Edinburgh Royal Infirmary's accident and emergency department had been operating above capacity for 499 days in a row - including operating at 440 per cent capacity on occasion. Data obtained through freedom of information requests showed that between January 1, 2022, and May 14, 2023, the department had exceeded its patient capacity every single day. The hospital's A&E department only has capacity for 40 patients, but had had t cope with as many as 176 patients in the department at any one time. Photo: Greg Macvean
14. Big bill for trips
New figures showed that insurance claims from pedestrians who have tripped over on Edinburgh's streets had cost the city over £80,000 since 2018. Loose paving stones, overgrown plants, bollards, street clutter and all forms of trip hazard which can cause people to fall and injure themselves continued to cost the public purse despite efforts to make the Capital's streets safer. Photo: Ian Georgeson
15. Greta Thunberg pulls out of Book Festival
Climate activist Greta Thunberg pulled out of a planned appearance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival because of sponsorship Baillie Gifford. Organisers were forced to cancel the event after she said she would not take part. She said: "As a climate activist I cannot attend an event which receives sponsorship from Baillie Gifford, who invest heavily in the fossil fuel industry." Photo: Lucy North
16. Change of plan at Old Royal High School
Ambitious plans to transform the former Royal High School on Edinburgh's Calton Hill went back to the drawing board after costs more than doubled and the proposal to make it the new home of St Mary's music school were ditched. The scheme to redevelop the historic building were dramatically scaled back after the bill for the project soared from £45 million to around £110m. But the charitable trust behind the plans insisted it still intended to establish a new National Centre for Music at the site. Photo: Scott Louden