Swinney set to bail out proposed ‘world class’ concert hall in cash crisis
Plus: City's world champions bid for glory in Tokyo; and Capital makes plans to sell itself to the world
Troubled Dunard Centre in line for extra government cash after costs soar again
The Scottish Government is ready to bail out the Dunard Centre concert hall as it faces another financial crisis.
The proposed concert hall, tucked between St Andrew Square and the St James Quarter, is intended to create a “world-class” venue for International Festival concerts and a permanent home for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. However, it has been plagued with financial and technical challenges, with the cost rising to up to three times its original estimate of £45m or more.
Work has stopped on the city centre site and crisis talks held with funders in an effort to kickstart the project. Now the Inquirer understands the Scottish Government is ready to step in with more financial support.
What’s gone wrong? The concert hall was originally supposed to cost £45m but the bill has repeatedly shot up over the last eight years. Impact Scotland, the charity behind the project, is not disclosing the latest estimate, amid reports it is “significantly” above the last confirmed figure of £114m. Construction industry inflation, redesign work, switching contractors and technical challenges - including excavating into volcanic rock in a tightly constrained site - are all said to have contributed to the problems.
Who is paying for it? Most of the money raised so far (£80m) has come from private philanthropy. That is principally from US former concert pianist Carol Colburn Grigor, who has donated an estimated £100m in total to the arts in Edinburgh and elsewhere, through her family trust the Dunard Fund. The Scottish and UK Governments have contributed £10m each and the city council £5m.
Is there a catch? The extra funding from the Scottish Government is expected to come with conditions attached, which could include securing match funding from private or other sources. When approached by the Inquirer, the Scottish Government said: “The Scottish Government is supportive of the project board’s efforts to attract additional funding from a range of sources, including the private sector. Officials are in regular discussion with the organisation and will continue to work with them as the project progresses.”
Will it be worth it? The concert hall will undoubtedly be an outstanding addition to the city’s cultural life. The 1000-seat auditorium is expected to host everything from classical music and spoken word performances to jazz and pop concerts. Designed by acclaimed architect David Chipperfield, it will be the first UK venue for the world-renowned Nagata Acoustics.
YOUR EDINBURGH BRIEFING
GOING FOR GOLD: Can Josh Kerr or Jake Wightman complete a remarkable world championship hattrick for Edinburgh Athletics Club? The club certainly knows How to forge world champions, as we reported last time round, when Kerr succeeded Wightman as men’s world 1500m champion. Tonight, Kerr and Wightman run in the semi-finals in Tokyo this afternoon, with the final taking place on Wednesday, at 2.20pm UK time. The field is reckoned to be one of the most open in recent years, but the good news for the Edinburgh runners is that three of their main rivals, including two-time Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, were surprisingly knocked out in the heats.
BEAR WILL BE BACK: Anyone perturbed to see DunBear, the 5-metre high bear sculpture which sits beside the A1 at Dunbar, has disappeared, can rest assured. The popular work by Kelpies sculptor Andy Scott will return once building work in the area, including a new Costa drive-thru, are complete, promise developers Hallhill Developments.
NO TO ROSE STREET HOTEL: A Portuguese luxury hotel operator faces disappointment in its plans to convert the former Rose Theatre into a 47-room hotel. City planning officials are recommending councilors reject the proposal from Morningbridge and Bomporto Hotels for the landmark building on Rose Street. The ex-theatre, which was also formerly the Charlotte Baptist Church, was put up for sale by Danish choreographer and director Peter Schaufuss in 2023.
STUDENT FLATS BAN ABANDONED: City councillors have agreed to drop plans for a moratorium on new purpose-built student accommodation in the Capital. Officials explored the possibility of a ban after SNP councillor Danny Aston raised the idea following hundreds of public objections to some recent student flat developments. Councillors agreed to drop the idea after officials warned them it ran against the city’s approved development plan and risked legal action from developers.
UPTOWN TOP RANKING: Edinburgh has been ranked second in the UK for sustainable growth in the annual Demos-PWC Good Growth for Cities Index. The index ranks cities on a number of criteria, ranging from income and business startups rates to health and environmental indicators. Edinburgh scored highly on several prosperity measures including the health of high streets, skills and jobs. Overall, York was the only city to out rank Edinburgh.
DINNER ABOVE BOARD: Historic Environment Scotland has defended a dinner one of its directors had in the Castle before the Military Tattoo after MSP Stephen Kerr described the arrangement as “very, very irregular”. The national heritage agency, which manages the Castle, said the director had paid for the dinner and that it had been held in a bar area within the Castle to help accommodate a disabled guest.
ARTS AT RISK: It hasn’t all been good news for arts funding in the Capital, despite the prospect of some extra investment in the Dunard Centre. Stage door staff at the Lyceum are facing redundancy and reduced hours at the theatre tries to plug a hole in its finances. staff jobs threat. Meanwhile, the National Galleries has repeated warnings it may have to close some of its gallery space as it struggles with a £20m maintenance bill.
FLIGHTS EXTENDED: Air Canada’s Edinburgh to Montréal service, introduced this year, will increase in frequency from three to four days per week when it returns in the summer. And after a successful year of operation, the route has also been chosen to operate on one of the airline’s brand new A321XLR aircraft.
NO VISITOR LEVY DELAY: Councillors are expected to brush aside calls for a delay to the implementation of the city’s Visitor Levy when the council’s finance and resources committee meets on Thursday. Accommodation providers will have to start applying the levy to advance bookings from 1 October, but the Federation of Small Businesses and the Scottish Tourism Alliance say businesses are unprepared, having been given insufficient information by the city council to properly prepare.
Pic of the week
THE BUSINESS
New convention bureau may be funded by tourist tax
Councillors look set to approve a new business model for marketing Edinburgh to business tourists in future – and their plan has strong backing from the sector.
The plan would see the marketing of the city for business events fall under a council-based convention bureau – Business Events Edinburgh – which would be jointly funded by the council and the industry and overseen by an independent board with both public and private sector members.
The aim would be “to position Edinburgh as the UK’s leading socially and environmentally sustainable destination for business events” with a focus of bringing more visitors during quieter months.
In a report to go before the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee next week, councillors will also be told that the imminent Visitor Levy should help provide a for a blended funding model, that will see the council make an initial investment of £400,000 per year for four years from 2026/27. Sector funding will be based around a tiered membership scheme, that will enable smaller venues and sector businesses to engage with and benefit from the marketing efforts.
The report details the value of business tourism to the city. As well as the financial and economic benefits high-spending conference and business tourists bring, the business events help spread tourism more widely throughout the year, and more than 80% of business tourists extend their stay and 85% seek to return for leisure stays.
A number of letters of support have been received for the plan from tourism and business organisations as well as individual businesses.
IN THE BLACK(ROCK): The world’s largest asset manager BlackRock will officially open its huge Edinburgh office, at Dundas House, in Canonmills, this week, to coincide with US President Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK. The American firm will also announce a £500m investment in UK data centres, which could potentially benefit the large expansion planned in the Lothians. Edinburgh was BlackRock’s first international base outside the US when it first opened an office here in 1998. Its new premises have space for up to 1,400 staff.
NEW STORE: Luxury retailer Dubarry of Ireland is to open an Edinburgh store at 54 George Street at the end of the month, selling boots, clothing, leather goods, scarves and gifts.
MISSION BOSTON: Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce is leading a fully-subscribed trade mission to Boston from 29 September to October 2. Boston, a global centre for technology, life sciences and education, is seen as a strong potential fit for Edinburgh’s business community.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
COLONY OF ARTISTS: The Capital’s biggest grassroots arts festival, the Colony of Artists, takes place on Saturday and Sunday, as local artists throw open the doors of their homes and studios in Abbeyhill. Read your Inquirer preview here and the event guide here.
LIGHT SABRES READY: The Royal Scottish National Orchestra presents Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert at the Usher Hall on Friday. A full screening of the film will be accompanied by the orchestra playing John Williams’ Grammy-winning score live.
EDDIE IZZARD’S HAMLET: Comedian Eddie Izzard brings her solo Hamlet to the Queen’s Hall on Friday, playing all 32 characters alone. Sounds exhausting. The critics have loved it.
QUICK BITES
CHEERS: A brandy and wine specialist bar - Caru by Candlelight – has opened its doors in The Arches, East Market Street. The bar, which will promote local producers, is open daily from 4pm to 11.30pm.
CREEL DEAL: A new Edinburgh seafood restaurant has opened at 81 Fountainbridge, formerly Toro Latino. Coast and Creel is from the same group of restaurants which includes the award winning Parrilla steakhouses in Musselburgh and Loanhead.