165 Leith Walk

Today's main event was undoubtedly book group, which was a passover supper organised by one of our members. But other blippers got there first... So I had to use a #leithwalkshops picture I took earlier in the day, when I popped out for a head clearing lunchtime walk after a morning of peer review.

[As an aside, I'd note that what took me (as a native English speaker and high quality speed reader) quite some time would take most non native speakers/readers/writers days and days. We pay little account to the advantages that we have gained by having the whole EU-based peer review system run in our own language. But of course, we'll probably soon have no part in that system, for all its advantages and disadvantages...].

165 Leith Walk is opposite the contested Stead's Place building, where planning permission for a hotel/student accommodation based development has recently been refused. The 1930s art deco building (which used to be the tram depot offices) on the Walk itself has recently been renovated, and is used as studios and that sort of thing. I love the simplicity of this doorway which is on the side of the building away from the Walk. Behind this listed building, set back from the Walk, there were tram depot buildings which were in a bad state of repair, and which have now most been demolished. There's a big plot surrounded by Leith Walk, Manderston Street, Halmyre Street and Lorne Street, and much of it is currently derelict or empty. I'm not sure it's finally decided what will become of the site. Projekt 42, one of the gyms I use, was going to get a new build on that site, at the back towards Halmyre Street, but that's not happening now apparently, so it's moving - right at this moment - to a new "temporary" home which is rather nearby in an empty warehouse also set back from Leith Walk, and behind the row of garages on Manderston Street. That's part of the same block.

It will be interesting to see how this area develops over the next few years.