Talk of the Town: When Irish eyes are sleeping, it's a cheat

HARDY Daniel O'Donnell fans defied the freezing temperatures to sleep outside the Usher Hall and bag the best tickets for his forthcoming concert.

Most turned up well equipped for the cold nights, with plenty of sleeping bags, extra jumpers and hats. However, the normal camaraderie between fans was shaken by allegations that some of them were decamping to their cars to sleep at night.

One female fan said: "We've seen this happen before at other venues. After everyone else has gone to sleep, they go and sleep in their cars. It doesn't seem fair that they keep their place in the queue."

We'd like to appeal for fair play at his next concert. After all, what would Daniel say?

A pretty drastic way to get a decent table for a meal

WITH Valentine's Day just around the corner, love might be in the air, but in the West End it will also be on the menu.

Three restaurants in the area are to reserve the best tables in the house on Valentine's night for diners planning to pop the question.

The Rutland Hotel, La P'tie Folie and L'Escargot Blanc are inviting hopeful Romeos to chat with their sommeliers, chefs and hosts to help them set up the perfect proposal.

The Rutland's general manager, Andy Dempster, says he hopes the hotel's Castle views will invoke a sense of romance in diners. And if that fails?

"Our head chef has come up with some special sharing dishes using aphrodisiac ingredients to help with any last-minute nerves," he says.

Stars are bus-ier than ever

IN TALK of the Town last week we brought word of an unidentified Proclaimer spotted on a number 10 Lothian Bus.

Our spy was obviously too dazzled by the singer's star quality to work out which of the twins it was, but thanks to another hawk-eyed reader we can reveal today that it was Charlie, who is apparently a regular on the number 10 to Colinton.

Maybe the recession will drive more of our stars on to public transport, so do let us know if you see Sean Connery on the 35 or JK Rowling on the 41.

All a question of timing

THE chairman of NHS Lothian, Dr Charles Winstanley, was absent from the most recent board meeting in Dalkeith.

His absence meant that vice chairman Eddie Egan hosted proceedings, and despite a hefty agenda, it finished in record time.

When events reached a conclusion at 2pm, the usually meticulous Mr Egan said what everyone was thinking: "We're obviously ahead of schedule because I was in the chair, and less able to ask as many questions as usual."