Bicycles

No room in your flat or stair for storing your bike? Join our campaign to lobby for bike racks in those wasted bits of space behind the communal bins (Will's idea! Wish I'd thought of it.) Suggestions for who to nag at the council or contacts at Spokes very welcome.

Who's who - the cats in this street

We thought it'd be good to know the names of the feline residents of this street. So starting with this friendly moggy, anyone know his/her name? Reply by clicking comments below.

Gillespie Cresc Video

See the street for yourself!!

What's your favourite?

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed a mini renaissance in Tollcross's local shops? What a godsend the guys at Scotts are and what entrepreneurs the owners of Lupe Pintos and Saunderson's are for coming up with Tollcross pie.

Have you got a favourite shop? Make a nomination and note why you like it and see if we can agree on the street's favourite.

A Bit of History

Do you happen to know the history of this street? If you have an anecdote or any other piece of information about its history, please comment. In 1803, as a result of a legacy left by James Gillespie, a wealthy Edinburgh manufacturer of snuff and tobacco, James Gillespie's school was founded for 65 boys and one master! The school moved to a larger building in Gillespie Crescent (see the tenement crescent on the right hand side of the photo) and as the school developed, girls were admitted as well as boys. 1908 the Edinburgh School Board took over responsibility for the school and it moved to a building in Bruntsfield links. In 1966 the current school buildings were built around Bruntsfield House and it continued as a school for girls. In 1973 the school became a co-educational comprehensive school taking in boys and girls.

HMO

Tenements enable more people to live close to all the attractions the city has to offer, than low density housing. They also mean we live unusally close to our neighbours.

If you're a tenant or a neighbour of a House in Multiple Occupancy (HMO) flat you'll be interested in how to make sure commercial landords are keeping their flats safe from the risk of fire, upholding minimum space standards and minimising unnecessary noise disputes.

Landords who wish to let a flat to three or more co-habiting adults have a number of obligations placed on them by the goverment which are administered by the council.

• They are reqiured to apply for an HMO license.
• They are also required to apply for the planning department for change of use from dwelling to HMO.
• Altering a flat in order to comply with the HMO license may require a landlord to get a Building Warrant and Completion Certificate.

Landlords must not advertise flats for rent until the HMO license is granted. This is a recurring issue in our street and any evidence of this happening should be reported to the council

Petition Goes Live - Please Sign Up

Follow this link to sign our online petition to get Gillespie Crescent Listed.

Surprised it isn't already Listed? So were we. Listing would prevent irresponsible HMO letting agencies ruining some of these wonderful Victorian flats by subdividing living rooms with walls along the length to overload flats with two extra bedrooms and ruining corncies and fireplaces in the process. Bedrooms end up above and below living rooms and the inevitable noise conflicts follow.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/protect-historic-character-of-gillespie-crescent.html

Repair grants and VAT zero rating your flat alterations (senistive ones that is) are other benefits of being Listed. If Marchmont Crescent and Warrender Park Crescent are B Listed . . . why isn't our wonderful street!