Talk of the Town

COULD Labour high heidyins be preparing to parachute former Defence and Scottish Secretary Des Browne into the Capital as a Lothians list MSP?

It's certainly a rumour that doesn't seem to be going away in the wake of George Foulkes' decision not to stand again at next year's Holyrood elections. An appearance by the city resident ex-Cabinet Minister at an Edinburgh University question and answer session has been enough to get at least one SNP blogger speculating on a plot to raise his profile among local voters.

Witchery casts a spell on sexy hotels top-ten list

THE Witchery has come in third in a list of Europe's sexiest hotels.

The top ten is compiled by editors and users of travel reviews website TripAdvisor and celebrates hotels offering "serious va-va-voom for those seeking a sultry sanctuary deux".

The Edinburgh hotel was beaten into third place by Black Tulip in Amsterdam and Propeller Island City Lodge in Berlin but can justifiably boast of making the top ten with a bit more subtlety and decorum. The Witchery is praised for its "aristocratic decadence".

Eagle's career is soaring

OLLY Foster will give a model performance - one way or another - when his Edinburgh Eagles rugby league team take on Welsh opponents Blackwood Bulldogs in a Carnegie Challenge Cup second round tie at Meggetland on Sunday.

The 30-year-old Foster is flying in straight from a cover shoot for the magazine Men's Health which he has featured on five times previously after winning a competition five years ago. The shoot is in London.

"They've been kind enough to invite me back a few times when I was injured and unable to play rugby league," says Foster, who also finds time to run a sandwich bar in central Edinburgh and also work as a personal trainer.

And they say football is the beautiful game . . .

Church banking on city semi

MARCHMONT St Giles' Parish Church has evidently decided that it has been rather too generous with the accommodation it has provided for its ministers over the years.

The Victorian semi in leafy Hope Terrace, which it has been using as its manse, has been put up for sale valued at 1 million.

Property consultant, CKD Galbraith, which is marketing the property, said the current owners have decided that the building is a larger property than required.

Fortunately the press release goes on to say that the current minister is of the same opinion.

It may have come as a nasty surprise otherwise.