Lifeline funding for concert venue and steam railway museum
One of Edinburgh’s bestknown concert venues has been handed a £240,000 lifeline to help it reopen once Covid-19 restrictions on live events are lifted.
Government agency Historic Environment Scotland (HES) will pay for the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh to overhaul foyer areas and toilet facilities over the next few months.
The work is said to be essential to ensure the venue, which normally has a capacity of 900, is able to operate while social distancing restrictions are still needed.
Less than half that number are expected to be allowed to attend the first shows when the venue eventually reopens.
Extra space will be created in the venue’s main corridor all the way between the front of the building to the bar.
The work, which will create of a one-way system in the hall, is expected to make it easier to access the main auditorium.
The Queen’s Hall has secured a share of £1.9 million worth of funding for more than 40 historic sites to help them recover from the impact of the pandemic.
It is the third tranche of lifeline funding awarded to the venue after the Scottish government and its arts agency, Creative Scotland, agreed £245,000 worth of support last year.
Nearly £1 million was previously spent on a two-year revamp of the building funded by the government and HES, which was completed in 2019.
The Queen’s Hall, which opened in 1979 after the conversion of a Georgian church building, has become firmly established as one of Edinburgh’s most important performing arts centres.
Nigel Griffiths, chair of the Queen’s Hall board, said: “Alongside much-needed support for loss of income from Creative Scotland, and the Job Retention Scheme allowing us to pay staff, this funding means that the Queen’s Hall can reopen for musicians when restrictions allow, with facilities audiences expect in a 21st century venue.”
The Scottish Railway Preservation Society also receives £158,654, while The Strathspey Railway Company has been awarded £57,700.
It runs a working steam railway museum which also takes passengers on a 20-mile journey through Spey Valley in traditional rail carriages pulled by locomotives.
Alex Paterson, HES chief executive, said: "From museums in the Highlands to historic venues and buildings in central Scotland and the Borders, we are pleased to support a diverse range of projects the length and breadth of Scotland as part of the Historic Environment Recovery Fund.
"By helping to protect jobs, reopen historic sites and maintaining investment in traditional skills training and apprenticeships, we hope to support the wider recovery of the sector and Scotland's economy.”
Several groups involved in the running and operation of castles have also received grants as part of the funding including Cawdor Castle (£100,528), Friends of Dundonald Castle (£39,575), the Duart Castle Partnership (£17,625) and the Castle Roy Trust (£11,248).