Edinburgh Filmhouse team celebrate milestone moment after signing 25-year lease with new owners

The independent cinema on Lothian Road, which opened in 1979, closed suddenly on October 6, 2022, following the collapse of umbrella company Centre for the Moving Image (CMI). This prompted a grassroots campaign to save the beloved cinema and established a new charity, Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd, set up by a group of former staff.

The group launched a crowdfunding campaign that saw huge public support, generating more than £300,000 to refurbish the beloved cinema. The team also secured £1.4million from the UK Levelling Up Community Ownership Fund £60,000 from the Edinburgh City Council.

Now, the team are celebrating their latest milestone after agreeing a 25-year lease on July 10 with new owners, property management group Caledonian Heritable Ltd.

A spokesperson for Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd said: “Signing the lease is a great reason to celebrate as it means we are a significant step further down the road towards re-opening the doors and putting great cinema back on the screens.

“As ever we want to acknowledge Screen Scotland (the Screen arm of Creative Scotland) and City of Edinburgh Council who have been working with FEL to secure a future for cultural cinema in the city. We have received substantial funding from both in enabling the process of taking on the lease on the building at 88 Lothian Road.”

Signing the lease means refurbishment works can now proceed with plans to add a fourth screen, increase accessibility inside the building and reduce the seating capacity from 450 to 350 to make it more comfortable for visitors. The Filmhouse team added ‘much remains to be done’ and ‘it will still take many months from here though, so we must still ask for your patience’.

The team has also announced two inaugural patrons to the Filmhouse, film director Charlotte Wells and actor Jack Lowden.

Charlotte said: “The Filmhouse was an essential part of my own story and I’m delighted it can continue to be that for others too through its film and education programming and its role as a public forum for film lovers. I’m proud to be an inaugural patron and can’t wait to sit back down there myself.” 

Jack added: “I made a bee-line for Filmhouse when I lived in Edinburgh and loved the diversity of its programme; showing films from around the world as well supporting independent and local filmmakers – and so many film festivals happen there. I’m delighted that it’s on track to re-open and honoured to be a patron and champion of what will be again a truly great, independent cinema.”

Isabel Davis, executive director at Screen Scotland, said: “The strength of will from Filmhouse’s many supporters – including Charlotte Wells and Jack Lowden - to save this institution speaks volumes: notably about its role in providing a way into the film making professions and in helping generations of audiences to access the life-enhancing world of global cinema in all its rich history and diversity.

“Our team at Screen Scotland saw from the outset what the loss of the Filmhouse would mean and threw themselves at the challenge of resurrecting it. We’re delighted to see Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd. sign the lease with Caledonian Heritable. It’s wonderful that the dedicated Filmhouse team can now begin the refurbishment which will take us all a step closer to opening the doors of this key cultural asset.”

Councillor Val Walker, culture and communities convener, said: “We’re delighted to see Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd. sign the lease with Caledonian Heritable. It’s wonderful that they can now begin the refurbishment which will take us all a step closer to re-opening this key cultural asset. Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd is much loved by the community, and this anticipated re-opening is very exciting for residents and visitors alike.

“We’re committed to having a home for cultural cinema in the heart of the city and for the wider sector going forward. Edinburgh is rightly one of the great cultural cities of the world and cinema is a key part of this landscape.”