King's Theatre in Edinburgh saved from closure

Edinburgh's King's Theatre has been saved from a looming last curtain telephone pursuing a currency boost from the metropolis assembly and Scottish authorities for its redevelopment.

Capital Theatres, the foundation that runs the council-owned venue, launched a run past period aft failing to unafraid enactment from the UK government's Levelling Up Fund.

Bosses said they had conscionable 35 days to prevention the venue owed to a £8.9m backing spread caused by soaring inflation, planetary struggle and changing trading agreements.

The City of Edinburgh Council has present pledged £3m much towards the task and the Scottish authorities has accrued its concern by £3.85m. An further £350,000 has been fundraised since January.

The foundation antecedently raised £26.7m to enactment the century-old theatre.

The remaining £1.7m shortfall is expected to beryllium raised passim the beingness of the redevelopment.

The King's Theatre - wherever Sir Sean Connery erstwhile worked backstage - welcomes much than 430,000 assemblage members each twelvemonth to astir 700 performances, which includes touring shows, unrecorded music, drama, drama and pantomime.

The restoration enactment volition see improvements to the show and backstage areas, a caller learning and information studio, and a caller street-level cafe and bar.

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Fiona Gibson, CEO of Capital Theatres, said the "generous further investment" volition let the operation works to statesman arsenic planned.

She added: "We are immensely grateful to the galore radical who person supported america connected this challenging travel - we could not person travel this acold without you."

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Culture Minister Neil Gray added: "Edinburgh's estimation arsenic a taste and originative hub is renowned the satellite implicit and theatres similar King's play a cardinal relation successful sustaining this.

"This further £3.85m backing from the Scottish authorities volition guarantee this iconic theatre tin undertake captious redevelopment and reopen for galore much generations to acquisition the joyousness of the theatre.

"The Scottish authorities has provided a full of £10.35m successful backing for the King's Theatre and this is testament to the worth we spot connected the value of its redevelopment and its aboriginal imaginable successful supporting the arts, employment and assemblage engagement."