Where FoRP would like the Teen Area to be, by the Ice Rink:
And for where FoRP would like the proposed Outdoor Gym Area to be, by the embankment:
If you have any indoor or outdoor plants that need a new home, or you’re looking for something to brighten your home or garden, we have a drop off/pick up point near the log bench and to the west of the Rosebean Cafe
Please donate and help yourselves!
Our AGM will be held online on Wednesday, 8th October 2025 at 7:30pm on Zoom.
The meeting should last about an hour.
If you would like to attend, please email friendsofroseburnmembership@gmail.com and you will be sent the link for the meeting.
FoRP members have been emailed with an invitation. If you are not a member, please join for free at Join for Free!
You can see the papers for the meeting at http://friendsofroseburnpark.org.uk/files/2025/09/Friends_of_Roseburn_Park_AGM_2025_papers.pdf
The cafe will now be open on Tuesdays, meaning that the only day of the week it is closed will be Monday
Roseburn Park has been awarded FiT (Fields in Trust) status. This means the park is protected against developers and stops new buildings on this public land. The Friends of Roseburn Park (FoRP) first sought this status in 2017, but at that time we could not get sufficient Council support to proceed with our bid. With the conversion of the new cafe from the old toilet block and other local improvements, the park has become one the City of Edinburgh Council now agrees need protecting and so they have now approved our request. FiT status already applies to many Edinburgh parks; its protection is built around a legal agreement between the organisation Field in Trust and local authorities that ensures land so marked is protected in perpetuity.
To help mark the centenary of Fields in Trust, Roseburn Park has been selected as an example of a successful community park and one which FiT would like to commemorate. On Saturday 5th April 2025, the plaque (located under the Jubilee plaque at the cafe), was unveiled by the Lord Provost (Cllr Aldridge), the Chairperson of FiT (Ewan Gillies) and the Chairperson of FoRP (Jim McDonagh).
The help celebrate the event, there were activities in the park that day as follows:
11.30 Murrayfield Wanderers Ladies Team vs Livingston Ladies – No 2 pitch in west park
13.00 Murrayfield Wanderers Girls Practice Session- West section of park
13:00 Murrayfield DAFS AllStars/Dynamos practise – junior section on grass oval
14.45 Plaque Unveiling – Lord Provost, Chair FoRP, Chair FiT
15.00 Murrayfield Wanderers Select vs The Co-Optimists – No1 pitch in west park
An article about the celebrations can be seen in the Edinburgh Reporter here
On the 8th January, the Friends of Roseburn Park were delighted to receive a donation of ÂŁ250 from a masonic group based at Roseburn Gardens. The donation was on behalf of the RWM (Right Worshipful Master), his Office Bearers and Brethren of Lodge Robert Burns Initiated 1781.
Pictured from the masons are Asst. Treasurer Ricky Jones & RWM Jim Turner with FoRP chair Jim McDonagh in the centre..
Also present from the Masons was Treasurer Jim Godfrey.
The donation will be used to support capital projects and other initiatives in the park including the possible introduction of communal tubs & planters.
The meeting should last about an hour.
If you would like to attend, please email friendsofroseburnmembership@gmail.com and you will be sent the link for the meeting.
FoRP members have been emailed with an invitation. If you are not a member, please join for free at Join for Free! | Friends of Roseburn Park (SCIO)
You can see the papers for the meeting at http://friendsofroseburnpark.org.uk/files/2024/09/Friends_of_Roseburn_Park_AGM_2024_papers.pdf
We held our launch event on Sunday 2nd July- and we’re also hoping to find out what park users would like us to focus on next in our survey.
The video showing all the work carried out lasts 10 minutes can be viewed below:
The full story behind the conversion project can be found at All Cisterns Go!! | Friends of Roseburn Park (SCIO)
The 2023 Survey results can be downloaded here http://www.friendsofroseburnpark.org.uk/files/2023/10/2023_Roseburn_Park_Survey_Results.pdf
Here are the photos from the launch:
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| Roseburn Shop: | Raffle Prize: |
| Art et Facts | Voucher for ÂŁ50 framing |
| Brendan Haddock Jewellers | Necklace and earring set |
| Chapmans Property Management | Bottle of Prosecco |
| Claire Doig Hairdressing | Voucher ÂŁ25 |
| Connell McFadden Estate Agents | Bottle of Prosecco |
| Dine | Voucher for ÂŁ100 |
| House of Hound | Dog ball thrower |
| ID Hair & Murrayfield Skin Clinic | Basket of hair care products |
| Mortgage seekers | Bottle of Prosecco |
| Murrayfield Bar | Bottle of wine |
| Moving Pictures | Voucher for ÂŁ50 |
| Anita Glasby Opticians | 2x children’s sunglasses |
| Roseburn Bar | Bottle of Whisky |
| Roseburn Shoe Repairs | Voucher for ÂŁ10 |
| Ruby Rose | Hand painted bottle with LED lights |
| Sassy dog Groomers | Voucher for ÂŁ60 plus another for facial |
| Steven Henderson Hair | Voucher for ÂŁ75 |
| Tesco Express | Bottle of Rum, Jack Daniel’s and Sparking wine |
| Thallon Soulis | Voucher for cut and blow dry |
| The Hampton | Voucher for ÂŁ30 meal, plus compimentary wine |
| Turkish Barbers | Vouchers x3 for cut & shave. |
| Vigo Delicatessen | 2x free coffee |
| Wight’s Chiropracters | Voucher for a Chiropractic assessment |
The event was covered in the Evening News at https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/people/edinburgh-roseburn-park-years-of-work-by-volunteers-transfom-derelict-toilet-block-into-community-cafe-4203889 and in the Edinburgh Reporter at https://theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2023/07/grand-opening-of-rosebean-cafe/
SURVEY
Friends of Roseburn Park (FoRP) asked residents in 2016 what they’d like to see in the park. Since then we’ve helped deliver some of the things residents wanted– the toilet block conversion to a café, the log bench, a better new play park, a new mural, new trees, BBQ slabs and benches and so on. We now want to refresh that vision. For that we need your help!
We are distributing 2,500 paper survey forms to the homes around Roseburn Park. We are also collecting views on the same questions online at tinyurl.com/roseburnparksurvey .
Can you let us know what you think of the ideas we’ve put forward– and add any you think we need to consider? We’ll use your feedback as the basis for grant applications.
We look forward to answering your questions at the launch, to which we’d like you to bring your completed forms to. If you can’t make it, please drop your forms through the Armoury door letterbox opposite, at 13c Riversdale Crescent before 13th August, please.
We’ll email out the survey results to FoRP members– it’s free to join us; do so on our website at www.friendsofroseburnpark.org.uk/join-for-free
You can also comment or “like” FoRP’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/roseburnpark . Please email any questions you have to FriendsOfRoseburnMembership@gmail.com or quiz us at the Murrayfield Community Council meetings.
The video showing all the work carried out lasts 10 minutes can be viewed below:
1st May work starts- L to R. Kyle Purves (All Aspects Building), Cllr Frank Ross, Jim Mcdonaugh ( FoRP ), Pete Gregson (FoRP) and James Whyte (All Aspects Building)
Cllr Ross helped secure the lion’s share of the renovation costs from Edinburgh Council- the rest came from residents and small funders (see below). Any questions? Please email friendsofroseburnmembership@gmail.com
ABOVE YOU WILL SEE THE PROGRESS OF THE BUILDING WORK AS IT BEGINS IN MAY, ALL THE WAY TO COMPLETION
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ORIGINAL POSTING- 22nd March 2022
BEFORE
In the News: Edinburgh Reporter 23 March 2022 Edinburgh Evening News 25 March 2022 Edinburgh Live 23 March 2022
Work will start in early MAY on refurbishing the derelict toilet block in the park and converting it into a community cafe.
The Friends of Roseburn Park (FoRP) are delighted to announce that after ten long years of trials and tribulations, refurbishment of the derelict toilet block, set in the heart of Roseburn Park, will commence in early May 2022. Conversion of the block into a new café with public toilets should be complete by summer 2023.
It is anticipated that this new amenity will attract more people to the park, which lies in the shadow of Murrayfield Stadium, with this added attraction to the many sporting activities that take place there, and with café facing onto the FoRP Armoury Mural completed in 2019.
The now derelict toilet block is distinctive; it was built in 1903, designed by the office of the eminent City Architect at the time, Robert Morham, as the park’s pavilion. Later used as a bothy for the park keepers and was converted for additional use as public toilets in 1936. It has been closed since 1982. The refurbishment comes at a welcome time, as the roof is beginning to collapse and nature is taking over the interior, with roots crawling everywhere and trees sprouting from the roof.
The work could never have progressed beyond the initial concept in 2012 without the ceaseless efforts of FoRP Trustees and members who have provided their skills, expertise and time on a wholly voluntary basis. In addition, the support provided by architectural designer Craig Proudfoot of One Foot Square and technical input by Paul Harding has proven invaluable in getting this project off the drawing board.
The refurbishment work will be carried out by All Aspects Building & Construction Scotland ltd under the directorship of James Purves and will be project managed by Craig.
The plan is for the building work to be complete by Summer 2023, with the operator opening the café with hot drinks, snacks and ice cream and endeavouring to keep it open as much as is feasible throughout the year. FoRP knows from the Council’s footfall recording devise that 1800 pedestrians and 450 cyclists use the park every day. They believe that the café will draw even more users to enjoy the park, thus helping to make it a year-round going concern.
Funding the refurbishment has been the greatest challenge of all. Following the launch of the Air Raid Protection mural in Sept 2019, the then chairperson, Pete Gregson, organised a crowdfunder, and launched it with this leaflet, stuffed through thousands of local doors (around 6,000 live in the ward; most use the park) by a team of volunteers. The business plan and designs were made available to all at www.friendsofroseburnpark.org.uk/cafeconversion and FoRP, with their “buy a brick” scheme raised a total of £8,864 within 4 months.
This gave FoRP a strong foundation to leverage additional grants: Baillie Gifford Investments (ÂŁ1,000), Virgin Money Lounge (ÂŁ2,000) and the Evelyn Drysdale Trust (ÂŁ1,500) + (ÂŁ2,000).
In March 2020, with ÂŁ13,364 in the kitty, the Trustees proceeded to make applications to a variety of public and private sources for the outstanding monies required to fund the project.
This effort culminated in July 2021 with FoRP being awarded £66,000 by City of Edinburgh Council Placed Based Investment Programme. Proposed by The Lord Provost, Councillor Frank Ross, FoRP’s café project was approved for funding by Councillors enabling works to commence spring 2022.
Under the new chairmanship of Jim McDonaugh, FoRP Trustees then engaged in extended and intensive planning in getting the design finalised and the tender package prepared. Around 10 builders were approached to ask if they would be interested in tendering for the works.
In February 2022, negotiations finally completed and preferred supplier status was bestowed upon All Aspects Building & Construction Scotland Ltd. On the 2nd March 2022, FoRP finalised commercial terms with AAB&C and signed the contract with a start date of early May.
Jim McDonaugh said ”At last! This is exactly what our community and park visitors have been waiting for! The refurbished building will be so better than the present eyesore- FoRP are returning the exterior to the way it would have looked when it was first built, 116 years ago- and the interior into a warm and inviting cafe. Visitors will have somewhere to go for a hot drink and a snack – maybe even a light meal- when the work is complete.
It has not been a straight forward project, but working with experienced cafe managers FoRP have come up with a design that gives 30 sq m of floor space as well as a spacious public toilet, kitchen and storage. etc”
Pete Gregson said “It’s been a rollercoaster- on so many occasions I thought we had taken on the impossible; I can’t believe there will still be something to show to my kids in the park that will be there long after I am gone.”
Lord Provost and Ward Councillor Frank Ross said:
“Converting the old toilet block into a café for the whole community to enjoy is a great idea. It will help to support local jobs and volunteering opportunities, while providing a warm and accessible space for local people to meet up.
The conversion, which will include an accessible toilet, has the backing of local residents and I was delighted to secure the Council funding for the FoRP to allow it to proceed.
Additionally, income from the cafe will help to support other projects led by the Friends of Roseburn Park to improve the overall amenity and quality of the Park.”
Further materials on the background to the project can be found here
Volunteers from Friends of Roseburn Park’s task force, led by our Secretary, Barbara Knowles in May 2020, watering the many new trees planted over the past couple of years:
The baby trees dry out quickly and need plenty of watering in dry periods. Note the COVID 2-metre distance is being followed!