Millions more set to be pledged for King's Theatre in Edinburgh to get revamp back on track

Millions of pounds of extra funding is set to be ploughed into a long-awaited revamp of the King's Theatre in Edinburgh.

All-party support from the city council for extra funding is expected to lead to the Scottish Government coming up with additional money to help bridge a £9 million funding gap.

It is hoped the UK Government may also contribute to the refurbishment, which is seen as essential to ensuring the long-term future of Kings – one of the main venues used for the Edinburgh International Festival each year.

The local authority is set to commit £3m in addition to £4m previously confirmed by the council to help secure the future of one of its most historic performing arts venues.

The operators of the King's Theatre in Edinburgh are grappling with a £9 million funding gap over a long-awaited refurbishment.

The council’s move has emerged following a month of behind-the-scenes talks over the future of the King’s after its operator warned the venue was in the “last chance saloon” over the soaring costs of the refurbishment project, which was significantly held up by the Covid pandemic.

It emerged last summer the bill for overhauling the 117-year-old venue had gone up by around £7m, with a further increase revealed in January taking the estimated cost to £35.6m.

Capital Theatres, which runs the King's on behalf of the council, warned last month it would have to “hand the keys back” unless additional funding was secured.

Construction industry inflation and the war in Ukraine have been blamed for the rising cost of the project, which was expected to begin last autumn and take around two years to complete.

An image of what the King's Theatre in Edinburgh will look like under its proposed revamp.

Council leader Cammy Day said: “I will be personally contacting the Scottish and UK governments to say that we are nearly there now and to ask for their support. Some of our officers have been engaging with civil servants in both governments. We are hearing positive vibes from both governments that they are keen to work with us to get the King’s refurbishment over the line.

"We all know the King's is an amazing, iconic theatre, which is recognised across the world and also plays a key role in the local community. We’re adamant that we will keep the refurbishment project on track.”

Capital Theatres chief executive Fiona Gibson: “We ‘re extremely grateful to the council for generously increasing its investment in the redevelopment of the King’s. This pledge, though significant, is not on its own enough to make it possible for us to start work.

"We continue to work with the Scottish and UK governments to make the transformation of the King’s happen to save this beloved theatre for Tollcross, Edinburgh and Scotland, and preserve it for future generations.”

The Tollross venue has been closed since the end of August ahead of a planned start of work on the revamp.

The King’s is due to open to the public every day for the first time under its planned overhaul, which includes a brand new stage to help the venue attract world-class opera, theatre and drama productions, which currently bypass the venue.

Cramped and run-down dressing rooms, wardrobe and “green room” areas are also due to be transformed under the project, which also includes a “learning studio” for schools and community groups, a new box office, two new bars, and a street level cafe/bar.