Bid to rescue neglected Scottish theatre reaches major milestone as 50-year deal is agreed

A 21-year campaign to secure the future of a neglected Scottish theatre has reached a major milestone after a charity secured a crucial agreement to run the venue for the next 50 years.

The deal between the Leith Theatre Trust and the city council is expected to unlock a multi-million pound refurbishment of the 93-year-old building.

The charity was formed in the wake of a campaign to prevent the property being sold off for development.

The trust has been in negotiations over a possible long-term lease for more than a decade, with a number of short-term agreements allowing the venue to reopen on a temporary basis since 2017 to host festivals and one-off events.

However the venue has not been open on a permanent basis since 1983 due to its poor condition and it has been on Britain's official "Theatres at Risk Register" since 2016.

Leith Theatre has not hosted any public events since 2022 while repairs and early investigative work has been carried out throughout the building.

The charity said the lease agreement would provide "vital security" for the future of the building as it would allow it to "confidently" plan and fundraise for the long-term redevelopment of the building.

The deal has been clinched weeks after it emerged that Leith Theatre will host a pop-up season of shows this summer - opening with a new stage musical adaptation of the classic 1980s film Restless Natives, which was partly set and filmed in Edinburgh.

Leith Theatre opened in 1932 after being gifted from the city of Edinburgh following its controversial merger with the port, but was almost destroyed by a bomb during the Second World War.

It reopened in 1961 but fell into decline in the late 1980s despite being used for pop and rock shows, and Edinburgh International Festival productions.

By the late 1980s, the building's condition had declined so badly it had fallen out of use completely and it was eventually earmarked for sale in 2004, before a local campaign forced a rethink from the city council.

The charity said the long-term lease agreement was a "vital step" towards realising ambitions for the reborn theatre to become a "beacon of regeneration and heritage preservation," as well as an "innovative cultural and community venue."

Chief executive Lynn Morrison said: "“I feel so proud to play a part in safeguarding such a unique and incredible heritage asset, so many of which are now commonly under threat.

“Saving this particular building has been a strong local response to that threat.

“The lease now gives us the stability to develop and steer this project towards refurbishment and sustainability as a key piece of cultural infrastructure in the city.

"I believe this space can be transformational for Leith and I am excited to plan for its long-term future."

Trust chair Bob Last added: "Leith Theatre will now be an important part of Leith and Edinburgh’s future cultural and community landscape.

"I look forward to continuing to work with the theatre as we seek to unlock further capital investment and bring more and more vibrant life back to this iconic space.”

Val Walker, culture convener at the city council, said: "A 50-year lease is a remarkable milestone, and I’m very excited to see the venue thrive as a lasting music, cultural and community asset.

"This is the beginning of the next chapter. With the continued interest and enthusiastic support for the venue I very much look forward to seeing what the future holds.”