Edinburgh Corn Exchange: Take a virtual tour inside Scotland's 'first' socially distanced events venue

Family-owned venue has made changes to adhere to social distancing regulations, and now plans to get business events back up and running.

Hot on the heels of opening its socially distanced 250-person capacity beer garden last month, Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange is now launching a unique set-up designed to kick-start Scotland's beleaguered business events industry.

Known for hosting high-profile business conferences, meetings, exhibitions and award ceremonies, the family-owned venue is now working hard to get the safest events up and running, following the shutdown of the industry during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The new ‘socially safe’ Corn Exchange will have a capacity of 220-330 (compared to 3000 pre-Covid). Other changes at the New Market Road venue include safe, private, wipeable walled booths (2.5m x 2m) for up to six guests, walkways up to 4m in width, and a large screen, visible from all booths.

The Corn Exchange has made several changes to adhere to current government regulations for the events industry.

Paul Demarco, Managing Director, said: “Unfortunately, we are still in the dark about when 'events' will be allowed to happen and still there has been no financial support for the private events sector – despite the government stating there is £97m available for the industry in Scotland.

“Independent venues, promoters and the supply chain we all depend on are struggling to stay afloat – and we need to get the safest events back up and running.

“We feel business events are far safer to run than any other events – no loud music, easier to control crowds, removal of the risk of alcohol influenced behaviour are all simple reasons why. But the government seems to have branded all events as unsuitable – and that is just not true.

Demarco says the Corn Exchange are asking the Scottish Government to fast-track business events to help support the events industry as a whole.

The Corn Exchange in Edinburgh has launched Scotland's first socially distanced events layout.

“We were the first industry to close and are looking like the last industry to go back,” he says. “Furlough and the little support some have received (some have received no support) has not stopped the widespread business closures and redundancies we are now seeing.

“Let’s get events back up and running before it is too late,” adds Demarco.

For more information about the Edinburgh Corn Exchange, visit www.edinburghcornexchange.com telephone [phone].

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