... the leith police dismisseth us ...

Was 'The Leith Police Dismisseth Us', the first tolerance zone for substance abuse. I have this image of 'touchy feely' Edinburgh policemen gently steering drunken revellers on their way.

I like Leith. When I first visited it was a tough, working class area, linked to the busy docklands. It was a very friendly place and I was welcomed in spite of being English. It was also an area of bonded whisky warehouses. A friend used to smuggle some 'spillage' out.

It is now changing. The port has declined and much of the area is being developed. New Media businesses, where my son Tom works, and services are now being set up and there are quite a few new apartment blocks and conversions. There is also a new shopping centre and entertainment complex and the Britannia is moored there for added tourist

The development is better than Docklands as a lot of the remaining older properties are being kept. House prices are rising but the local community is not being completely swamped.

The area now has a combination of smart restaurants, cheap eateries and still a few bars where you can buy dodgy goods for cash.



List of tongue twisters