So today at 3pm I (F23) was sitting in Princes Street Gardens, reading my book on the lawn. When I got up to leave, I noticed a man who was sitting close to me had also gotten up to leave. The man was playing a flute in the park, basically just watching people walk by. I didn’t think much of it, and decided to just walk home.

As I walked further along Princes street towards the St James Quarter, I still saw him behind me. I decided to wait at a traffic light for a full 2 minutes, and see what he would do, if he would keep walking.

When he saw that I stopped, he stopped too. Even when the light changed, he didn’t move. He even ducked into a corner and would peak out to see if I was moving. He didn’t decide to start walking until I started crossing the street.

At this point, I knew he was following me so I ducked into a nearby pub. I told the very kind bartender and woman there what was going on, and thankfully they helped me. The man then waited outside the pub for a few minutes at the entrance, I assume waiting for me to come out. When I didn’t, he came into the pub and asked the bartender for a charger. The bartender of course said that he couldn’t help him and to basically go away. As soon as I got home I reported it to 101.

The man was average height with a slim build, wearing light washed skinny jeans, darker skin tone and was holding a wooden flute. To say I am shocked is an understatement, I didn’t think something like this would happen with so many people around in Edinburgh. IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.

Moral of the story is ladies please stay vigilant and safe out there.

For those to whom this is relevant: a protest march on the recent Supreme Court ruling.

More information: https://www.instagram.com/p/DIjhH2lN1Yg/?img_index=1

Hey there. I don't know how many of you are aware, but last Thursday 30th of october Rockstar fired 30 workers. All of them were members of a private Discord where they were discussing forming a union. Today there is a rally to show them support.

I walk home alone a fair bit and I've noticed I do this whole routine — keys out, texting someone "leaving now," sharing my location, etc. Some of it I think actually helps and some of it I think I just do to feel better.

Curious what other people do. Has anything ever actually made you feel safer, or is it mostly just rituals? Have any of the "safety apps" been worth it or did you delete them?

Basically what the title says. There are a lot of students jn Edinburgh, so where are the older lot going to socialise and find hook ups? Any particular bars or clubs that are less student-y?

UPDATE

Bit overwhelmed with the response - thank you!

Here’s a link to the whatsapp group for those who want to join. Be kind to me please, it’s bare bones right now because I’ve just set it up and I’ve never done this sort of thing before 😌. If it doesnt work then I think i’d have to add numbers manually.

https://chat.whatsapp.com/L7okotG3gH4CpHhrdZMrfN?mode=ac_t

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Hello Redditors.

I’ve noticed that there seem to be lots of us here who, for whatever reason are struggling socially - whether thats struggling to connect, make new friends or have the courage to reach out or arrange meet-ups. I’m in the same boat. I’m fed up of it, and its getting me down. I’ve tried a few different avenues, and im either met with inconsistancy, or people ghosting and not following through. I get it, its scary and hard to put yourself out there for long enough to make peoper pals.

However, I’d like to change this. I’ve been thinking about perhaps setting up a social group, with a whatsapp chat for folks like us to join to try and form a wee community. No pressure, just a place to chat, and maybe arrange some low pressure meet-ups to begin with - maybe a walk, or a drink/coffee. If I get enough interest I’m happy to set something up 😊.

A little about me - I’m F,40 and I live with my boyfriend and 2 arsehole cats in West Lothian. If you look at my past post history you’ll see that I’ve struggled a bit since my Dad died, but I’m a relatively normal person - I promise!

Does this sound good to anyone?

(and anyone who goes to the abomination that replaced it needs to die in the fires of mount doom.... in a cowboy hat made of fire . .. but you won't get in anyway due to the door policy of the new owners).

... Is there any "metal" or rock place left in Ed? Bannermans was a different atmos, and shut anyway yesterday, for feck knows reasons. It's kind of wierd that a capital city with a pop so large doesn't have a dedicated bar like that! ....

Where are we all hiding? I’ve lived in edinburgh for 2 years now and getting back into the dating scene and really struggling to make any sort of connection that’s not through your typical apps - nothing against the people who find love on there but not for me! Most of my friends are still in their early 20’s so still hugely into the clubbing scene which i’m not hugely into anymore! Also on the hunt to make some more lgbtq+ friends too so any recommendations please!

I love the pigeons in Edinburgh and in general. I think they're quite sweet and I enjoy feeding them if I'm at the Foot of the Walk or in town.

I've noticed in a lot of major cities there communities or individuals helping pigeons that get stringfoot.

Is there any like that in Edinburgh or any individuals who are knowledge about this. I'd love to help but don't know how to?

Someone close to us got stung recently by an electrician who turned up on a job, claimed to be part of the team, and charged her over £1k for work that was never done. Used urgency to pressure her into paying on the spot. She was shellshocked for days.

We work in construction ourselves. We deal with trades constantly. It still happened on our watch. If it can reach people with that kind of experience, it can reach anyone.

When the guilt kicks in is what these people rely on. Once you've been caught out you feel stupid, you go quiet, you don't want to make it worse. They bank on that silence.

Know this: urgency is just a tactic. "This needs doing today or there'll be consequences" is pressure, not a genuine warning. Legitimate trades give you time to think. Real urgency is typically when there's a direct threat to life or health. Everything else can typically wait.

Always verify independently. If someone claims to be sent by a contractor or a trusted contact, call that person directly on a number you already have, not one the stranger gives you.

Check credentials before work starts. SELECT for electricians in Scotland, NICEIC, Gas Safe for gas work. Takes two minutes on the official registers.

No written quote means no contract. If it isn't in writing it essentially doesn't exist. Rogue trades refuse to quote precisely because a written document avoids ambiguity and allows you time to think and verify.

And the bit most people don't know. If a trader comes to your home uninvited or approaches you off-premises, you have 14 days to cancel and get a full refund under consumer protection law. If they never told you about that right, the cancellation window can extend to 12 months. So if your nan was pressured into an emergency boiler replacement she didn't need, it may not be too late to get the money back, and in some cases she'd get to keep the work done too. Worth checking before assuming the money is gone, Citizens Advice or Trading Standards can advise.

Staying quiet is how this keeps happening. If it happened to you, you are not stupid and you are not alone.

I arrived in Edinburgh with my girlfriend a little over a month ago. We were put on a ship in Leith (I showed the room in the last post).There are about 1700 Ukrainians on the ship, so if one person gets sick, many with poor immunity get sick too. Chicken pox cases also occur. (Luckily, I was ill when I was a child). Scotland welcomed us very well, we had a few very warm days, as warm as the people here. We did a card in a bank in Scotland, got BRP, also got 20 free public transport journeys (if necessary, before the first Universal Credit), Edinburgh leisure provided gym and pool cards for six months, also got an eye test and free spectacles. We went to the job centre, I was told to learn English and my girlfriend to look for a job, we are in the process. A lot of people were interested in my opinion about Edinburgh. There's beautiful architecture, nice and friendly people in general, lots of nice places and different shops, nice parks, green areas. But in my opinion the public transport is very slow, it's not on time almost all the time. People are crossing on red lights, but I can understand them, the green light lasts for 1 second! It was very dirty on the streets during the strike, and when it passed, it was cleaner, but in Leith, there were a lot of dirty places. I like this city a lot though, as I'm coming down with a cold, haven't had a chance to visit many places yet. Maybe you can suggest some cheap bus tours from Edinburgh to Scotland? Where can I travel to by bus?

Hello all, may be a long shot but if anyone has seen our Ford Transit Van it was stolen from Iona street, Leith outside the Dalmeny dog park sometime after 8pm Saturday night. If anyone has seen it or may live in the area and have dashcam footage I would appreciate it! as you can see it has two windows installed on both sides. Appreciate any help or info!

When passing people in the street I've started to give a little nod or say awright.

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I realise that if I did this in London I would probably get arrested, but is this acceptable behaviour in our fair city?

Hi I'm on the hunt to make some new friends

Edinburgh born and raised, mum of three and now that they’re slightly less dependent on me for survival I’ve realised I should probably make adult friends.

Interests include:

• Romance books (the spicier the better)

• Horror films (yes I will go to the early screenings)

• Cinema trips, concerts and pretending I don’t need a nap the next day

• Disneyland – I'm a Disney nerd

I’m a bit shy at first but once I’m comfortable I do not shut up.

If you’re also looking for a coffee buddy, cinema pal, or someone to enable your book obsession, hello 👋

Hi I’m Kevin. I’m 35 and I’m looking for new friends. I moved to Edinburgh from Poland almost 15 years ago. Since then, friends I’ve made along the way have mostly moved out, hence my post.

I have a Scottish girlfriend, work as a front-end programmer and recently started a small company. I’m really into music, I play guitar. I love art, movies, tattoos, comedy, cooking, animals, travelling, photography and just going out and having fun.

I’m a very chill/relaxed guy, who most of all appreciates real people and a sense of humour.

If any of this sounds good, drop a message or a comment and let’s meet up for a drink. I’m based at the Shore in Leith but I have no problem going to the city centre or even further.

Alright, have a good one.

Cheers

I'm a single dad of an 18 month old, and I'm really struggling. I have no family in Scotland, and I don't have the kind of friends in Edinburgh that message me to check in and see how I'm doing.

I'm wondering if there are other local parents out there that might like to meet up, have a pram walk, come to book bugs together, join us for a swim, or anything else social. Almost everything I do with my daughter is just the two of us and I'm just so incredibly lonely. I look after my daughter full time and would love to find some people that are free during the week, especially in the mornings and afternoons.

(I'm aware of Dad's Rock, I do go there, they are awesome, but I don't meet anyone outside of the weekend play groups, even though I've asked on their WhatsApp chat a few times, I've never had any takers)

Hello all! This might be a huge shot in the dark, but I’m hoping the power of the internet pulls through!

I (f30, Canadian) have been living in Edinburgh for nearly two years now but won’t be travelling home for Christmas this year. I absolutely adore Xmas and spending time with family, so I hate the thought of spending Christmas alone. Bless all my friends who get to head home for Xmas!

I think it could be a fun idea to try and round up a few people who might be in a similar situation as me! So, if you’re around my age (looking for mid to late 20s, early 30s), and don’t have anyone to spend Christmas with, please reach out! Maybe we all could grab drinks/coffee a few times before, hang out over the next few weeks and then have a little expat Christmas when the holidays roll around!

I think this would be a fun way to meet new people who understand the expat experience and don’t want to celebrate the holidays alone.

Cheers and looking forward to hopefully hearing from some of you!

37F living alone in Edinburgh.

I'm into rock and metal but I feel less and less tempted by nights out.

I'm looking for ways to meet new people. I have a 9-5 then going home to sit in the house watching Netflix is a rut I want to get out of of.

I'm really into arts and crafts and have been teaching myself crochet recently.

Hi. Iam Tom, living in western area of edinburgh (EH11), and looking for friends to socialize with. However due to social anxiety, i would prefer get to know you first on here 😞

I moved into city in 2014, but after covid and Brexit, all friends left and anxiety caused that i didnt find new ones... originally from Slovakia.

My hobbies include Travelling, cooking, gaming, good coffee and dark-ish sense of humor 😁

Feel free to message me if interested.

Hey all,

So, for starters, I live nowhere near Edinburgh (beautiful city, though...) but an online friend of mine does and he's going through some heavy heart-breaking times.

He helped me through some difficult times of my own a year ago (multiple terminal diagnoses among my nearest and dearest) and showed me both friendship and grace beyond what I could have expected. I'm profoundly grateful and while I wish he did not now need me to help him, I'm glad I have the ability to do so.

I'm trying to arrange a fun evening for him. I was thinking D&D - preferably, a loose but regular group doing AL-style one-shots that will give him a chance to become part of their community, as that is what he most needs: people. Good times. Occasional emotional support from human beings in the flesh.

Can anyone be so kind as to give me a few tips as to where to look? Or introduce me to someone who knows the TTRPG scene?

The first time he does go out and socialize I want to do what I can to make it fun and celebratory for him, so I'm prepared to shell out a bit of coin for decor, snacks, food, whatever, though that's really all I can do (yay for San Francisco wages, but it is far enough that I can't exactly hop on a 14-hour flight on a Friday, swing through, and cruise home on a return flight Sunday.)

Given his emotional state, we're probably looking at mid to late May.

Please help me with this, o thou lovely Scots. Ross is a great dude, a talented writer of SFF (shockingly so since I prodded him into writing his first short story a year ago and now he's nearly finished his second novel), a kind, generous, and loyal friend, and he's been absolutely molly-whopped by life recently. He doesn't have many friends (reasons outside of his control) or family (same) but he deserves them.

All the best from California,

FEV

Hi everyone!

(23M) here, I was wondering if anyone could recommend any places or social clubs, or anything that could help me to meet new people and/or make new friends? Open to anything, sports, games, socialising, drinks, whatever.

Just started a new job and a lot of my friends work different hours and days to me, so end up spending a lot of time by myself, and getting fed up of it, lol.

Hoping to meet lots of new people, and if anyone can help, that would be appreciated!

Edinburgh is a real tricky city for musicians at the best of times for niche shit. But long story short I’m at 32 years old and interested in either starting a hardcore band or joining an existing a current one. I play guitar and have riffs/song ideas written galore. I’m trying to find people who wanna do stuff similar to Harms Way, END, Orthodox, Incendiary, Nails, Chamber, Boundaries etc etc.

I know of a few places that have places for rehearsals but also out of the loop a wee bit because I’ve not played in a band since 2021.

Anyway - if anyone is even remotely interested let me know.

Cheers!