Talk of the Town: Deep thought's gone into this consultation

Its chief executive Alan Sutherland explains: "The cornerstone of our approach is that customers should be at the centre of future decision making. In particular, we think that customers should have more of a say about discretionary aspects of the investment programme and their timings."

In other words, the water industry wants to know what we think it should be charging us over the next few years. Now, it doesn't need a genius - never mind a potentially costly consultation - to figure it out. C'mon, do turkeys ever vote for Christmas?

Billy's Bragging about a new career move

HE'S gone from guitar-wielding political firebrand to patron of prison arts. Now does Billy Bragg have his eye on a new career?

He appeared at the Cameo Cinema on Thursday to promote Jail Guitar Doors, a documentary about his project of the same name, which places guitars in prisons, giving inmates something positive to focus on.

As he and director Alan Miles took to the stage for a Q&A at the end of the film, he took the mic and told the audience: "We're the comedians. We're hoping to get a slot at the Festival." Stick to the music and philanthropy Bill...

Smarties snap up a lift

IT WAS an event designed to bring the normally disparate teenagers of Pilton, Granton and Muirhouse together for a massive treasure hunt around Edinburgh - but one pair of teenagers proved they were ahead of the pack.

The newly resurrected Quest kicked off at Scottish Gas headquarters in Granton on Saturday morning, with the first treasure hunt clue directing the 70-odd teenagers taking part for the buses heading into town.

The Evening News was there to cover it but as the crowds dispersed, the two quick-thinking teenagers hitched a lift with our photographer.

"I thought it was quite enterprising of them," said our amused snapper.

Barking up the wrong tree?

IF A tree falls and no-one is around to hear it does it make a sound? And, more importantly, if the council hears it will it bother to listen and have it removed?

This was the question posed by one walker in the Corstorphine Hill nature reserve this week when he spotted a fallen tree blocking a path. Kenny McLeod said: "As I was not there I can't report if it made a noise or not - however, it would be great if it could be moved."