A MUCH-LOVED Edinburgh cinema could return after a deal was struck between campaigners and the building’s new owners.
The Edinburgh Filmhouse closed suddenly in October 2022 after its parent company fell into administration.
Around 100 jobs were lost and uncertainty about the future use of building abounded, with many calling for it to be retained as a cinema.
It was sold to Caledonian Heritable – who also run other Edinburgh venues such as the Dome and the Theatre Royal – for £2.65 million in April this year.
Now, the company has agreed a six-month lease with the Filmhouse charity to allow it to fundraise and re-open.
READ MORE: Keir Starmer: It's 'un-British' to disagree with Labour's border plans
It will then enter a 21-year lease to allow it operate as a cinema alongside a café bar.
Caledonian Heritable have already started to renovate parts of the building and will gift all the projection equipment to the Filmhouse charity, including customised analogue 35mm and 70mm projectors.
Charity bosses say they hope to raise £1.25 million and reopen the cinema sometime in 2024.
Ginnie Atkinson, the former CEO of the Filmhouse and Edinburgh International Film Festival until 2010, helped found the Filmhouse charity in 2022 with three other former colleagues.
She said: “This is a significant step on the journey towards restoring cultural cinema provision for the city. Filmhouse is more than just a cinema - it's a home for cinema lovers and for film festivals and is proud of its track record in the area of film education, which would continue.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon sets up 'artistic creation' company after book deal
"We are delighted to be able to launch the fundraising campaign with the goal of opening the doors to a newly refurbished cinema building in 2024."
A Caledonian Heritable spokesperson said: "Caledonian Heritable have a long-standing appreciation of the vital importance of culture and the arts to the city of Edinburgh.
"We are pleased to be working with Filmhouse, Creative Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council in anticipation of a new era at this key cultural venue."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel