Coronavirus: Edinburgh residents sing Sunshine on Leith from their flats in NHS tribute

'We could hear the singing outside our flat and when we opened the window, it was so loud and so wonderful, it really made me feel emotional,' says restaurant owner and resident Aleksandra Murray

Community spirits were high in Edinburgh as residents in a block of flats in Leith sang ‘Sunshine on Leith’ from their homes together in tribute to NHS staff.

A video posted by restaurant owner Aleksandra Murray on Friday went viral on Facebook, with many admitting the “moving” video made them feel “emotional”.

Residents in Cables Wynd House, also known as the Leith Banana Flats, belted out the ballad by Scottish duo The Proclaimers as an act of community spirit through their windows as they practised social distancing.

Ms Murray, 32, told The Independent she and her husband were “overwhelmed” by the response to the video they posted on their restaurant’s Facebook page.

She said: “Our restaurant Borough is very much a part of the community and neighbourhood, and we’ve just had to close because of the measures so of course we were feeling quite sad about the situation.

“But we could hear the singing outside our flat and when we opened the window, it was so loud and so wonderful, it really made me feel emotional and a lot of other people felt the same way.

“We weren’t expecting the response we got when we posted it on social media, but I think it’s wonderful and it’s just what people need right now,” she added.

On Friday evening, Boris Johnson ordered all pubs, restaurants, gyms and other social venues across the UK to close for the foreseeable future, as he escalated the UK’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

People are being urged to stay at home and not to make non-essential trips anywhere.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned of “difficult days ahead”, and said she understood the government was asking people to “fundamentally change the way we live our lives”.

She added: “This crisis is reminding us just how fragile our world is. But it is also reminding us what really matters – health, love, solidarity.

“With compassion and kindness – and with the dedication and expertise of our NHS – we can and we will get through this.”

Scotland has reported a rise in coronavirus infections since Thursday to 322. There have been six deaths.

Ms Murray said the community spirit is “strong” in Leith and future sing-alongs organised by a Facebook group called ‘I Love Leith’ are likely to keep people from feeling alone.

“I think it’s really important for the community right now to have these sort of sing-alongs on a regular basis, just look at how people reacted,” she said.

“It will continue to encourage connections between people. I’d definitely join in next time if I’m not recording.”