Talk of the Town: Ex-chancellor is no darling of the SNP

THE SNP has announced it will spell out its detailed proposals for the independence referendum later this month.

Unfortunately, the party doesn’t seem to be so good at spelling out the names of its opponents.

A press release issued recently said there were reports Labour was going to “draft in Alasdair Darling” as an alternative leader. Unless the Nationalists have discovered a previously unknown Labour high-flier we presume they are thinking of Edinburgh MP and former Chancellor Alistair Darling.

Bad sign language would leave a saint very faint

TALKING of spelling mistakes, St Andrew must be turning in his grave at the sight of this street sign in the Capital.

The bright yellow board, situated on North Bridge, points out that both North St Andrew Street and South St Andrew Street are closed.

But the sign includes one important error – the inclusion of the letter ‘s’ at the end of Andrew.

As one disgruntled resident pointed out: “You’d think the council could spell Edinburgh’s street names.” We know, people in glass houses . . .

Premiere in second city

WHEN Trainspotting hit screens across the country it was well noted, despite being set in darkest Edinburgh, how many of the scenes were filmed in Glasgow.

Now Irvine Welsh’s Ecstasy, also set in the Capital, has stoked up tensions between the cities again.

This time, it is because it will be premiered in Glasgow as part of its film festival, delivering a “snub” to Edinburgh.

The event on the west coast happens four months earlier, and its director Rob Heydon said it was for “commercial reasons”.

As luck would have it

AS far as tempting fate goes, it could be a step too far.

The Edinburgh Dungeon has challenged visitors to undertake three “luck-defying” challenges on the Friday 13s in 2012.

Those to complete all three challenges will win tickets to the Dungeon’s End of the World party in December – if they survive.