Jennie chats to Tammy Waugh, hairdresser and co-owner of X Creative Collaboration, a creative co-working space for hair and beauty professionals to work independently from next to Ocean Terminal. Tammy tells us about her life, her hairdressing career and what prompted her and her husband to open a flexible co-working space and nurture a community o…

Jennie and Rumana sit down with Deidre Brock, who is the SNP MP for Edinburgh North & Leith. Deidre tells us about growing up in Perth, Australia, her former life as an actor (and featuring on Home and Away!), what brought her to Scotland, and what got her interested in politics. To learn more about Deidre's work you can check out her website and f…

We're back for Season 3! Keith and Jennie chat to Socks who is a Youth Worker at LGBT Youth Scotland, a charity based in Leith. Socks tells us about the variety of services and programmes the organisation provides, the important issues their young people are facing, and what she loves most about her job. Learn more about LGBT Youth Scotland on thei…

Stephen is a Scottish playwright and screenwriter. In 2007 he created the award-winning stage musical ‘Sunshine on Leith’ and went on to write the screenplay for the successful film version which was released in 2013. Stephen also created the BBC’s popular long-running drama, River City, and his TV work includes Doctor Who, Marchlands, The Bill, an…

For the final episode of Season 2, the Living Leith hosts, Jennie, Rumana and Keith, interview each other - chatting about what brought us to Leith, the meaning of life, Beyonce and Rihanna, what we’d like to be remembered for as individuals, and generally shooting the shit.

Jennie and Keith speak to their friend, Cherise Huth, who has lived in Leith since 2017, and worked in the area for longer. She has worked as a carer and telecare advisor, and is one of the most compassionate and hilarious people you'll ever meet. As a young person, Cherise was faced with homelessness - she shares her experience and we discuss soci…

This week, Jennie and Keith chat to Lizzie McGhee, Yoga Teacher and Founder of Off Grid Yoga - a company that hosts tech-free retreats for overwhelmed minds. Lizzie tells us about her career (and career changes), and her journey into digital minimalism, with many wise insights along the way. Follow Lizzie on Instagram and find out more about her re…

Jennie and Keith chat to mother-daughter business duo, Michelle and Ashley. Michelle is the Managing Director, and Ashley the Events Manager, of Mimi's Bakehouse - Edinburgh's most loved bakery. Mimi’s Bakehouse is a second-generation family business established in 2010, they've won Scotland's Cafe Bakery of the Year six years in a row and have six…

This week, Jennie and Keith chat to John - ghost story collector at North Edinburgh Nightmares. We hear plenty of spooky stories from around Leith and Edinburgh, and John tells us about his own supernatural experience, and why he loves these stories so much. Find out more on the North Edinburgh Nightmares website.…

Raheema Sayed is a local creative who loves the written word and how storytelling connects people. She tells us about her writing, storytelling, and her recent live performance at the Scottish Storytelling Centre. We discuss what stories mean to us, Raheema's obsession with dreams, her favourite writers and artists, funny stories about growing up i…

The Citadel is a community-based youth centre which has been in Leith since 1980. Their building is in Commercial Street, where they've been based for 42 years. In this episode Jennie speaks to Willy Barr, the centre's manager, and Connor Muir, a 21-year-old Citadel volunteer who grew up attending programmes and clubs there. Willy and Connor talk a…

Talha Imam is a cinematographer and creative director. After working in food and drink photography for a long time, he founded Gulp (previously Medialiciously), a food and drink content agency. At Gulp, Talha co-founded the Food Hero Scot campaign - an initiative designed to support and champion food and drink businesses who are leading the way in …

Personal Trainer. Author. Food Critic. Chef. Leith Festival Coordinator. Web Designer. Graphic Designer. Is there anything Tracy Griffen can't do? Tracy has been running her own fitness studio - Griffen Fitness - in Balfour Street since 2005. We went along to hear about her fascinating journey, meeting Coco the Fitness Pug as well. We discuss nutri…

Ben Macpherson is the MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, and the Minister for Social Security and Local Government. Ben tells us about his background and what led him into politics, about the different careers he’s had, and all of his favourite things about Leith - which is a huge part of his constituency. As self-proclaimed political dafties, t…

Tim Bell runs Leith Walks, home of the original Trainspotting tours, and is the author of Choose Life. Choose Leith: Trainspotting on Location. Tim’s lived a fascinatingly full life in Leith for the past 40 years. Tim discusses his time working as a Port Chaplin at Leith Docks, meeting seafarers from all over the world. He talks to us about Irvine …

Ellen Desmond and Lauren Nickodemus run Monstrous Regiment Publishing together, an intersectional feminist press, based in Leith, that they created to publish books and stories that are missing from bookshelves. The books they’ve published so far include The Bi-ble: Essays and Narratives About Bisexuality, New Testimonials: Essays and Narratives Ab…

Anna Higham is the longest standing member of staff at the Leith Theatre Trust. She tells us about the history of this iconic building and shares fun facts and interesting stories about the theatre's past, including the Female Chorus Bar, some of rock's biggest bands playing the venue, and a haunted door. We talk about Leith Theatre's partnership w…

Sinita is the Social Enterprise and Media Manager at Punjabi Junction, which is the social enterprise cafe that's part of the organisation Sikh Sanjog, set up in 1989 under the name ‘Leith Sikh Community Group' with the aim of providing support for women in the Sikh community. Sinita tells us about the journey of the organisation, how they've adapt…

Singer-songwriter Kirsty Baird is the Founder and Creative Director of Sing in the City, Founder of Chief Radio, and band member of Hanley and the Baird. Kirsty tells us about her varied career in music, from gigging in Leith bars at the age of 17, to performing at the Usher Hall. Kirsty shares stories about her band, Hanley and the Baird, who have…

Joanna is a Fitness Instructor and PT who has been in the fitness industry for 15 years, teaching different classes and presenting at fitness conventions around the world. In 2014 Joanna and her husband Leszek opened Fitness Soul Studio, a fitness and wellbeing hub based in Tennant Street in Leith, offering a wide range of fitness classes, programm…

This week we speak to James Donald, Scottish Weaver and Founder of PickOne Weave. James tells us all about weaving, the workshops and courses he runs, and we talk about looms and the types of skills and creativity needed for weaving. James talks us through new collective, Craft-ED, of which he is a part of - a directory of contemporary craft course…

Jordy Deelight is an Artist, DJ, host of Afternoon Deelight Podcast, and Leith's premier drag performer. In this episode, we chat about Jordy’s incredible career and accomplishments, their favourite shows and work they’ve done, venues they've performed and DJed in, and how they’ve adapted their drag performances and DJ sets for online experiences d…

Rumana Sayed is a freelance Graphic Designer from Leith. Rumana is currently working with Juice Droplet, a creative platform that shares lived experiences from the South Asian diaspora through their art and writing, aiming to reflect the multi-faceted experience of South Asian creatives. Rumana speaks to us about the range of work she’s done with l…

Jemma Neville is a writer and activist who authored the book, 'Constitution Street: Finding Hope in an Age of Anxiety' which is part memoir, social history and call to action. Jemma told us about writing and researching the book, including her experience meeting a medieval woman whose remains were dug up from underneath Constitution Street in 2009.…

On this episode we chat to David Duke, Founder and CEO of Street Soccer Scotland - a social enterprise that provides football-themed training and personal development opportunities for socially disadvantaged groups. Street Soccer Scotland's head office is in Leith, but they provide services all over Scotland. We talk about a great deal with David, …

This week we speak to Ali, a Nursery Nurse with the NHS who has lived in Leith all her life, growing up and raising her own family here. Ali tells us about the old train station, the old whisky bonds in Leith (and the accompanying smell), and swimming in Newhaven Harbour as a kid. We reminisce about Woolies in the Kirkgate, and Ali talks about the …

Billy has run a number of different bars in the Leith and Edinburgh areas for the past 15 years. The places he runs at the moment include Leith Arches, Bar Brig, Smoke and Mirrors and Hare of the Dog. Billy tells us what motivates him to design a hospitality space, and how he came to open Edinburgh's very first sustainable, eco-friendly bar, Smoke …

In this episode, we speak to Alasdair and Cyria Scott, who own the famous flagpole on Pilrig Street - well known for flying a variety of flags for different causes and from all over the world. A New Yorker and a Scotsman, Cyria and Alasdair tell us what brought them to Leith. They talk about renovating the manse they bought on Pilrig Street, and sh…

Brian Malloch and Phillip Logan run local independent shop, Logan Malloch, which is at the bottom of Leith Walk. In this episode, we speak to Bri about how he and Phillip quit their day jobs to start a business of their own - including renovating the shop which is part of the old Leith train station. Originally from Lochee, Dundee, Bri tells us all…

Jennie and Keira chat with lifelong Leither, Lucy Hale in episode two of Living Leith Podcast. Lucy tells us about some of her favourite Leith memories, and the local theatre and arts group, Active Inquiry, of which she is a member. Lucy talks about a production they did that was particularly special to her - 'Persevere' which was about the Gretna …

The Queen of Leith, Mary Moriarty talks about her history with Leith. She tells us about her time running the Port O' Leith Bar, the Ships at the shore, Trinity House, Mary Queen of Scots, Leith Community FM, Leith Festival, the Dockers Club and so much more.Oleh Living Leith