John Gibson: Midlothian now has a Shanti town

Change of scene. And something of a mind-bender in a way. From one high street to another. Shorof Uddin has sold his Bangladeshi and Indian restaurant on Corstorphine’s High Street and set up another on Dalkeith’s High Street.

Both are bustling thoroughfares but has taken a brave heart to build from ground zero in the Midlothian town. Formerly, for decades, this was Dalkeith main post office.

Now it’s Shanti, Bangladeshi for peace.

“We had ten good years at Corstorphine,” the enterprising Shorof is saying, “but latterly increasing traffic and parking was making it nightmarish.

“Far as I know there are only two other Indian restaurants in Dalkeith, so there was room for us and we’ve had a lot of support from our loyal Edinburgh customers, even though we are now considerably more than a stone’s throw from the pandas.”

It’s been an everything-but-the-kitchen sink flit. Uddin has retained his staff, including the chefs. Open seven days, buffet only on Sundays.

He maintains the Edinburgh connection with In Touch, the eaterie he launched in Inverleith Terrace five years ago. His 23-year-old son Masum is in banking and works part-time at the 60-cover Shanti. He aspires to take over one day from his dad.

Afterwords . .

Here, here! is what I say on hearing that the Queen’s Birthday and New Year Honours should go to people for ‘going the extra mile’ in their communities, rather than to those who are paid to do their job. The jobsworths.