Concert arena - 'We must hope talks deliver positive result'

BOB Geldof was still drawing up plans for Live Aid when the city first started talking about building a major new concert venue.

So the latest twist in this long-running saga is likely to be met with weary shrugs of resignation rather than any real excitement or anger.

The council has chosen Ingliston as its favoured site and revealed it is in talks with interested developers.

But, in doing so, it is ready to dash the ambitions of an industry heavyweight which appears willing and able to build a 6000-capacity arena on the waterfront.

There are persuasive arguments for both sites, with Ingliston boasting great transport links, making it easy for millions of Scots to reach by road - or tram.

That could prove vital not just for attracting many concert-goers but also the exhibitions and conferences that such arenas rely on to pay their way throughout the year.

Yet the SECC thrives in Glasgow without great public transport links on its doorstep and the MTV awards in Leith were a huge success.

The port's bars and restaurants would make for a much better night out than an out-of-town venue and a major concert hall would be sure to kick-start regeneration in the area.

What we must hope is that the talks in which the council are engaged deliver positive results - and soon.

Once again Edinburgh is being criticised for being far too slow to let developers get on with the job and on this occasion there are no heritage reasons to complicate the process.

If nothing concrete develops this time, questions will be asked about why we turned away a company with a proven track record who were keen to start building.

We've waited far too long already. Let's get an arena built, wherever it is going to be.

Dog of war

The story of canine soldier Roy the Alsatian is stirring stuff that wouldn't be out of place in a Boy's Own comic.

Serving behind enemy lines in occupied Europe during the Second World War and going on daring parachute missions are the actions of a true war hero.

Jim Love's determination to keep the story alive will not only bring wartime history to life for his 12-year-old grandson, Connor, it is sure to inspire his classmates and others to learn more about our past.

And Roy deserves his posthumous moment of glory for proving beyond all doubt that a dog really is man's best friend.