Ten Questions: John Duncan

Published on Wednesday 16 July 2008 10:23

JOHN DUNCAN, 53, is director of the English Speaking Union Scotland, which promotes debating skills.

1 What is your earliest memory of Edinburgh? I remember when I was very young being taken by my parents to the zoo. I remember coming through on the bus from Glasgow, before the motorway, and just being amazed at the variety of animals that I had never heard of.

2 What are your memories of school? At Hutchesons' Grammar School in Glasgow, we had a tape recording project and the group I was in decided to record a fight in a Glasgow disco. When we were recording this in the studio, to simulate the noise I picked up a chair and hurled it across the room just as the janitor opened the door. Our names were taken and we had to see the rector on Monday. I remember that weekend being quite frightening!

3 Where is your favourite place in Edinburgh and why? I think probably Princes Street Gardens simply because you can sit in the park and enjoy the view of the Old Town running down to the castle.

4 What are the best things about Edinburgh? It's so compact as a city. It means that people tend to live in the city centre more than they do in, for example, Glasgow.

5 What would you change about the city? I would do away with this absurd tram project.

6 Describe a perfect Edinburgh day/night out. A Saturday having lunch and maybe a glass or two of wine, then spending the afternoon wandering around town popping into bookshops and then going for supper at a friend's house.

7 Which sports interest you? Cricket, more than any other.

8 What was your most embarrassing moment? It was many years ago when I lived in Hong Kong. I had been at a friend's stag night in Macau and, coming back on the ferry, I had my trousers thrown over the side of the ship with my passport and wallet in the pockets. I got back into Hong Kong with quite some difficulty!

9 What is your greatest achievement? Getting school debating taken seriously by the Scottish Government and education authorities. Over the last four years we have taken it from no real recognition to now where we have done eight projects with local authorities' and Scottish Government funding.

10 Sum up Edinburgh in three words. This beautiful city.