With plans revealed this week for a new 8,500 capacity arena for concerts and events at Edinburgh Park, we’ve taken a look at how that compares with the Capital’s current concert venues.
For many years, music fans in Edinburgh have been crying out for a purpose-built top-class arena to host concerts by big names who tend to ignore Scotland’s Capital to play in Glasgow at venues including the 14,300 capacity Hydro, 5,200 Braehead Arena or 10,000 capacity SECC. While, more and more chart toppers are taking their tours to Aberdeen to play the 15,000 capacity P&J Live arena.
Although there are some great permanent music venues in Edinburgh such as the Playhouse and the Usher Hall, they can accommodate a lot less fans than the proposed arena at Edinburgh Park. However, the Capital does have temporary venues for hosting concerts on a larger scale such as the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle, The Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens and The Royal Highland Showground at Ingliston. And of course, the city’s sport grounds at Tynecastle, Easter Road and Murrayfield have also held concerts on a much larger scale.
5. Queen's Hall
Queen's Hall at Clerk Street in the Bridges has a capacity for 900 music fans to enjoy performances. Photo: Contributed
6. Edinburgh Castle
The concert set-up on the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle every summer ahead of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo during the festival has brought many big names to the Capital including Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and Tom Jones, pictured above in 2004, with a capacity of 8,500. This is the perfect sized venue for attracting big names to Edinburgh but is obviously only available during the summer months, with many music fans attending concerts there complaining that they can't purchase alcohol as the venue doesn't have a license. However, the popularity of the annual Castle Concerts shows again the demand for a good-sized indoor music arena in Edinburgh. Photo: Toby Williams
7. Leith Links
When the Proclaimers played in a big-top tent at Leith Links in June this year to 6,000 fans it was the perfect advert for Edinburgh getting an arena, showing that music fans want to come out in large numbers to see their favourite acts perform in the Capital. Photo: Kevin Quinn
8. Murrayfield Stadium
The largest stadium in Scotland has seen many large concerts over the years bringing the world's biggest names in music to Edinburgh, with up to 65,000 fans enjoying the likes of Beyonce, Harry Styles, U2, Oasis, The Rolling Stones and Robbie Williams, pictured above in 2003. While music fans in Edinburgh have loved seeing these big summer concerts they are craving an all-year indoor arena to see their favourite live acts perform in the city. Photo: Neil Hanna/The Scotsman