Talk of the town: Saddled with old fashion attitudes

ROUND-the-world cyclist Mark Beaumont would not have completed his record-breaking challenge without the hospitality of businesses across the globe.

So the 28-year-old was stunned to be turned away from a George Street restaurant on Monday, looking much smarter than he did during his 18,000-mile journey.

He told friends on Facebook: "Just got turned away from dinner reservation with friends in Edinburgh as wearing jacket & jeans - v smart. Such old boys rules are ridiculous."

He refused to "name and shame" the establishment, but said: "I have never been turned away from a restaurant or cafe in my stinking lycras when cycling around the world!"

But can we take any more weddings, Steve?

WEDDING chat consumed yesterday's city council's policy and strategy committee, as councillors looked ahead to "Royal Wedding Mark Two".

The Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips and England rugby star Mike Tindall will marry at the Canongate Kirk on July 30, and the venue comes with the recommendation of Green councillor Steve Burgess, who has stood at its altar and would "heartily recommend" it.

Four times-married deputy council leader Steve Cardownie quipped: "Canongate Kirk must be one of the only venues I've not been married in".

"There's still time," said a voice from the Tory benches.

Froggy Kreuger

IT might have been dubbed Freddy Krueger but a bizarre-looking frog is proving a hit at Deep Sea World in North Queensferry.

The South American frog stands on its back legs, puffs itself up and screams if threatened.

It has been nicknamed Freddy Krueger after the character from Nightmare on Elm Street due to its aggressive nature.

Deep Sea World's Aisling Thornton said: "Freddy is definitely one of the weirdest-looking amphibians in the world."

In the tick book

HE has the salary of a government minister on top of a career as a successful TV and film director.

But Mike Russell was caught on the hop when buying a romantic novel last week. The Education Secretary had to borrow cash from a hack at the launch of journalist Andrew Nicoll's new book.

But he insisted he was good for it, as a key figure of a Scottish Government about to get "substantial new borrowing powers".