Edinburgh theatres celebrate record-breaking year

THEATRES in the Capital are celebrating a record-breaking year after attracting bigger audiences and more money than ever before.

The Usher Hall. Picture; Greg Macvean

The Festival City Theatres Trust, which operates the Festival Theatre and the King’s Theatre, welcomed 423,735 people through its doors.

The Usher Hall enjoyed a bumper income of £4 million as the Lothian Road venue retained its five-star VisitScotland rating.

The Assembly Rooms also saw a rise in the number of visitors and income in 2015-16.

Councillor Richard Lewis, the city’s culture leader, said: “These figures are hugely encouraging for the city’s cultural development and the ongoing success of our arts theatre venues.

“Investment has been made in many of the city’s key venues in recent years but we know there are still great challenges ahead.

“As footfall increases and these historic buildings age, we must continue to strive towards future investment in our cultural venues.”