King’s Theatre refurbishment is worth every penny – oh yes it is! - Donald Anderson
The costs of the King’s Theatre refurbishment have risen. Whilst I am sure that is a concern, it is worth every penny and let me explain why.
Edinburgh has more theatres and cultural venues than a city of half a million people should by rights have. That’s a product of the strength of both Edinburgh’s success as host to the world’s biggest arts festival and the strength of our year-round tourism industry.
Some people often ask what tourism, and the "Festival”, does for Edinburgh. Accusations are often made against the council and councillors that they “just care about the interests of tourists” and don’t care about city residents. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The reason the city strives to deliver successful festivals with extra visitors is because of the positive impact they have on the lives of ordinary residents. They do it for you.
That Edinburgh has the highest average earnings and highest disposable income of any city outside London is in no small way down to its success as a tourism destination. We also have more theatres, bars, restaurants and shops than many cities much larger than Edinburgh. Put simply, success in tourism and the arts has made Edinburgh residents wealthier than they would otherwise have been and they have more and better things to spend their money on.
So, what does all this have to do with the King’s I hear you ask? Supporting our festivals and helping them thrive year-round means having a range of venues that can host successful shows. Finding the money to provide many of these venues is a challenge and Edinburgh does not get any additional funding for providing these venues.
The Festival Theatre, Usher Hall and the Assembly Rooms have all been refurbished in recent history. The King’s Theatre is the last major venue that Edinburgh needs to renew, and that renewal was urgent when I was council leader 20 years ago.
I do not need to tell you what an awesome place it is. We all have our memories of amazing shows, and the King’s has played host to some of the greatest stars of stage and screen. Maria Callas appeared there, as did Laurence Olivier, Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen.
For many of us the fondest memories are not of high art. Taking the kids to the Panto are fabulous memories for our family and for generations of Edinburgh residents where it has been a staple every year since the King’s opened in 1906. The comedic genius of heroes like Stanley Baxter and Rikki Fulton and more recently the equally talented Grant Stott, Andy Gray and Allan Stewart has provided a lifetime of joyous memories for Edinburgh residents of all ages.
So, the costs have gone up by 14 per cent over a period when general construction costs have risen by 35-40 per cent and on a project of amazing complexity on a constrained site in one of the most precious historic buildings the city has.
And let us not forget that it will be made fully accessible to many Edinburgh residents with disabilities for the first time. About time too. It is worth every penny, and I wish the team at the King’s the absolute best of luck in securing its future for the next 100 years.