9am Briefing: Second fire at charity

A FIRE has devastated the home of a charity which provides help and support for lonely young people in Wester Hailes for the second time in as many weeks.

The Dumbryden Road building – known as The Log Cabin – was completely destroyed in last night's blaze, which followed another fire at the premises on August 15.

See today's Evening News for the full story.

Singh closes restaurant

ONE OF Scotland's best-known chefs has shut one of his two restaurants after running into money problems.

Tony Singh has been forced to close Tony's Table Bistro, in the New Town, after a dramatic slump in business. It closed on Sunday.

Mr Singh said: "It's been devastating but we'd rather take the decision now, when we can pay all our creditors."

Exodus fears for high-earners

THE CAPITAL must brace itself for an exodus of high earners in the wake of the banking crisis, senior business figures warned today.

The demise of HBOS, its takeover by Lloyds Banking Group and the problems of the Royal Bank of Scotland have damaged Edinburgh as a financial centre and threaten a knock-on effect on every part of the city's economy, including the housing market, they say.

Alistair Dickson, Scotland's most successful corporate lawyer, said: "We have still got to feel the effects of HBOS's move south. In the long run, I am worried about the future of Edinburgh as a city."

The fear is that as high-level decision-making in the banks moves south, the work for lawyers, accountants and others will also transfer to London.

Blind pupil passes music exam early

A teenager who lost both of his eyes at the age of two has passed his Advanced Higher music exam with a grade A despite sitting it two years early.

Saad Attieh, a pupil at the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh, took the challenging exam at the age of only 15.