Talk of the Town: The sums add up for a move to Niddrie

IF YOU want to save money – move to Niddrie. It's as simple as that, according to researchers who have cleverly calculated that Edinburgh workers can save £152 a month for every two miles further from the city centre they live.

As part of the research done by Gartoo.co.uk, Niddrie was named as the best value place near the city centre for workers to live.

It seems somewhat obvious, considering an average three-bedroom house in the area costs 122,000, compared with 400,000 in the more upmarket Morningside.

It's Dutch and go whether drink technique will take off

LOCALS at Rick's Bar, on Hanover Street, were recently left baffled when a group of ale drinkers started stooping their heads and slurping their pints off the bar top from glasses they brought into the pub with them.

Despite the strange appearance, the real reason for the bizarre behaviour was revealed after they'd finished a couple of drinks in the odd fashion.

The group were in fact undercover spies trying to gauge the reaction of a new Bols Genever ale by showing off a traditional Dutch method of drinking.

Kopstoot, where the drinker stoops before slurping from a specially commissioned tulip shaped glass positioned on the bar counter, is thought to have been developed over time because Dutch drinkers insisted bar tenders filled their glass full to the brim. Determined not to spill a drop, they opted to stoop and slurp.

It's a method drinkers everywhere are sure to have tried once or twice . . .

Kids have designs on style

WHEN it comes to designing the new Sick Kids hospital, health bosses knew who to ask. Children between the ages of three and 17 were asked to submit their ideas as part of the planning process for the 150 million hospital at Little France.

Places to hide and corridors where youngsters can play and relax were among the ideas.

Hanneke Scott-van Wel, a spokeswoman for the consultancy group Creation, said: "Rainbows and coloured glass evoking happiness and hope are a common theme."

Charity gig back on song

A VENUE which was forced to cancel a charity fundraising gig because of licensing problems has offered to host the event for free on an alternative date.

As highlighted in the Evening News, schoolgirl Annaliese Shishodia had organised the gig to raise money for Project Trust, a charity she plans to volunteer for in Peru later this year.

But it had to be cancelled at the last minute after GRV discovered it did not have the correct licensing in place.

Manager Emerald Eaton said: "It was an awful thing to have to do and we have never had to cancel a gig before. As a goodwill gesture we have offered Annaliese another date free of charge."