THE short-term future of a top Edinburgh arts venue has been secured after the building was put up for sale.
In May, the owners of Summerhall announced that they were planning to sell the site with estate agents claiming it had “endless” potential to be developed into student housing, a “boutique hotel”, or offices.
The arts complex acts as a major venue during the Edinburgh Fringe and contains a pub as well as hosting spaces for artists and small businesses.
Since the site was put up for sale, more than 14,000 people have signed a petition calling for the venue to be kept as a cultural space in Edinburgh.
READ MORE: Council 'failed' in its legal duties on controversial St Fittick’s Park plans
Summerhall owner Robert McDowell is selling the site through the Isle of Man based family-owned trust Oesselmann Estates Limited.
However, on Tuesday The Scotsman reported that a three-year lease agreement had been secured to allow Summerhall to continue to operate as an arts venue in the short-term.
Performance and exhibition spaces are set to remain in use for the length of the lease agreement following talks between managers, owners and property consultant Cuthbert White.
A closing date of September 18 remains in place for formal bids on the site.
Speaking to The Scotsman, Summerhall Arts chief executive Sam Gough said there was still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the future of the venue.
“We’ve no idea who is going to buy Summerhall, what is going to happen with it or whether there will be any sensible offers for it at all,” he said.
“Our aim has been to create the ability to stay at Summerhall to consistently do the job that we want to do.
“A three-year lease basically buys us time. When the new owners come in we will hopefully be able to negotiate a much longer lease with them.
"Summerhall, and all that happens within it, is a vital part of the cultural landscape in the city and it is imperative that it remains."
READ MORE: Miriam Margolyes on her new Fringe show, Nicola Sturgeon and Gaza
Some board members are calling for increased public support to save Summerhall, with announcements on a campaign expected soon.
The TV producer Debbie Christie, who sits on the board of Summerhall Arts, said: “We know this is ambitious and we can’t achieve it without public support.
"Summerhall is a much-loved venue which brings international acclaim to Scotland during the Fringe, but also provides a welcoming, safe, open and well-used venue for the wider public and arts community throughout the year.
"We will need as much support as we can get to make this happen and we will be announcing more ways people can help us as we go forward.”
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 here