Talk of the Town: Driver finds right gear on buses

But no-one can deny that drivers at Lothian Buses do an admirable job transporting the people of Edinburgh across the city – despite the often spurious claims about their glum demeanour.

And at a company awards ceremony this week, the most beloved member of the driving fleet was named following nominations from passengers.

The winning driver is none other than happy-go-lucky Spaniard Raul Campos Folgado.

Raul far prefers couriering commuters around the city than his last job as a waiter, which sounds like it may have been a headache for all concerned.

“I didn’t know English at the time so I couldn’t wait the tables – people would ask me for a spoon and I would bring them back a cheese scone,” he said.

The force is strong around city’s St Giles’ Cathedral

AT the height of summer, the Royal Mile is thronged with magicians, musicians and street performers performing all manner of jaw-dropping feats.

But visitors to the historic thoroughfare were treated to a physics-bending showcase of Jedi-like proportions yesterday when two characters from the sci-fi smash Star Wars appeared to defy gravity by hovering above the earth at St Giles’ Cathedral.

Levitating Yoda and the Emperor from the Death Star caused something of a stir among tourists and locals alike, prompting one cry of “cut it out and stop overshadowing the Braveheart at Edinburgh Castle”.

Missing at tram meeting

DELEGATES at last week’s UK Labour Party conference were able to try out Manchester’s extensive and ever-expanding tram network. And if they could tear themselves away from proceedings in the hall, they could attend a fringe meeting entitled “Green Light for Trams”. The panel included shadow transport minister Lilian Greenwood and the chairman of UK Tram, but no speaker from Edinburgh.

Ale and hearty at festival

IF there is one thing the Capital doesn’t need, it’s another festival – right? Wrong. One of the biggest celebrations of traditional brewing is taking place in Edinburgh this month with the launch of Nicolson’s Ale Festival. Hosted across six historic city pubs, the festival will see 60 ales on offer and run until November 18.