Locals pull together a year after Simon San's death

A NEW festival is to be held in Restalrig and Lochend tomorrow to bring the community together a year after delivery man Simon San was killed by a single punch.

Mr San died on August 11 last year after 16-year-old John Reid punched him, causing him to fall back and hit his head on the pavement in Lochend Road.

Almost a year on, organisers of the Restalrig Festival say they want to show off some of the positive aspects of life in the area, and highlight the opportunities for young people.

Reid was sentenced to five years' detention after pleading guilty to culpable homicide and two other youths, Michael Roberts, 16, and Keir Rodger, 16, received shorter sentences for rocking his car and forcing him to leave the vehicle just before the fatal punch was thrown.

Leith Councillor Gordon Munro said the incident had sickened local residents. She said: "I think that a lot of people felt that this is not something that would have happened in their area. It took a while for people to recover from that shock.

"There's been a pulling together of the community. The Four Streets Residents Association has been set up by a handful of residents who live in and around the Lochend Restalrig hub who they felt that they wanted to improve their area."

He said the Ripple Project social and activity club had improved community facilities, and the festival would highlight the positive changes in the area.

The Festival has been organised by Hawkhill and Nisbet Court Tenants' Association, the council's community safety officer Mark Robinson and the Restalrig Four Street Residents Association, whose chairwoman, Pat Beaton, said members had been shocked by Mr San's death. She said: "I started our group up to just deal with things like dog dirt, but once I met up with groups from all around here, everybody comes back to antisocial behaviour.

"The festival is to try and take it to another level. We want the youth to see they can come in and see that there can be other ways to enjoy yourself apart from hanging about seeing where the next bit of mischief is coming from."

Nisbet Court resident, Moira Boyd, 68, added: "I think it's good that the festival's taking place here, right on our doorstep. I hope this is a sign that people are pulling together."

The festival, which is free, takes place on Saturday from 10am to 4pm at Nisbet and Hawkhill Court car park and Restalrig Lochend Community Hub. For more details contact Mark Robinson on 529 7090 or see www.edinburgh.gov.uk/restalrigfestival.