Talk of the Town: Salt cave sprinkles health boost to city

WHEN it was announced that a health-giving salt cave was opening in the Capital, there were more than a few raised eyebrows.

But it has been announced that more than 2000 patients have been treated at the Marionville Road practice in its first year.

Pete Flynn, who owns the Edinburgh Salt Cave, said he was delighted with the success of the business, which it is claimed helps people with respiratory problems and can improve skin conditions.

Mr Flynn said: “I am sure there are many alternative therapies out there that do not work, but people are far too quick to tar them all with the same brush.

“Halotherapy, or salt therapy, is proven to work and the number of happy patients that we have treated proves this.”

At TOTT, we’ll be the first to eat some humble pie – with extra salt.

Luxury zoo popcorn is the kernel’s secret recipe . .

IT’S the cinema-goer’s snack unlikely to ever hit the artistically arranged platters of the city’s fine dining establishments.

But it seems even the humble bag of popcorn is appealing to the luxury market these days, with a special quality range going on sale outside Edinburgh Zoo.

Gourmet Popcorn is part of a new spread of nibbles at kiosks of Compass Group, also including a Sweetie Shop and, in summertime, the Big Griller BBQ.

Tip your hat to yourselves

IT’S often said that the British aren’t the biggest tippers.

But we’re happy to report that residents in the Capital are the best of a bad bunch – when we’re on four wheels at least.

A survey has shown that taxi passengers in Edinburgh are twice as likely to tip their driver as Londoners. The tired stereotype of the tight Scot has also been disproved, after it emerged that 90 per cent of us always give our driver something extra.

We dig deep too, paying an average of more than £1 extra for a trip – more than half of the UK population.

Maybe it’s sympathy for the impact of the trams.

It’s too much for Irvine

TRAINSPOTTING author Irvine Welsh erupted to news that the Spice Girls were reuniting for the launch of a new musical based on their story.

The Edinburgh writer issued a scathing appraisal of the five-piece using words that should not be uttered on TOTT, before saying: “Claim you were being ironic when you saluted the ‘cultural phenomenon’ back in the ‘90s”.

You don’t wannabe on the receiving end of Irvine’s ire.