Leith Theatre’s festival boost

THE chairman of the Leith Theatre Trust has said the success of the Light on the Shore programme at the Edinburgh International Festival has underlined the need to invest in the full revamp of the venue.

Around 16,000 people attended concerts and events at the building, recently brought back to life after many years of disuse.

It now needs the investment of several million pounds to make the resurrection of the concert hall complete, including a power supply, toilets and other vital infrastructure.

Fergus Linehan, the director of the EIF, said it would be “great” to stage more events at the venue in future, but that would depend on the Trust’s plans for its future.

Jack Hunter, chairman of the trust, said: “The Light on The Shore programme staged by the International Festival in Leith Theatre this month demonstrated that this wonderful building has the potential to be one of the best venues in the country.

“Sixteen thousand visited – they loved it, the artists loved it, the critics loved it, and it really delivered for a range of musical genres.

“I think this clearly shows that making the investment required to ensure the full regeneration of Leith Theatre to be a permanent fixture on Edinburgh’s artistic scene will bring huge benefits to the city and Leith.” www.leiththeatretrust.org