New funding gap and delay emerges over long-awaited revamp

A long-awaited revamp of one of Scotland’s best-known theatres has been dealt a new blow after it emerged the cost of the long-delayed project had soared by £2.3 million in the space of six months.

Work on the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh has also fallen months behind schedule as a significant new funding gap has emerged. The latest problems have emerged since the UK and Scottish governments, and the city council, agreed to put an additional £8.85m into the project to ensure it could go ahead.

The latest setback has ruled out the revamped venue being used for the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) in 2025 but it is hoped that the pantomime will be able to go ahead at the new-look King’s later in the year.

Work on the ongoing revamp of the King's Theatre in Edinburgh has been underway since March 2023. Picture: Anneleen Lindsay

The cost of overhauling the theatre, which has been shut since the 2022 EIF, has risen from £25m to £37.9m over the past two years.

The latest budget increase and delay have been revealed in an official report for the city council, which is seeking approval to release £12m it has previously pledged for the project. The cost rises have been blamed on the need to dig out solid rock from the site of new lift shaft for the 118-year-old building.

However, Capital Theatres, which runs the venue on behalf of the council, has insisted it is “confident” it can close the funding gap through its fundraising efforts by the time the project is complete.

The new council report states: “Currently, the contract works are approximately 50 per cent complete. Overall progress has been good. However, the discovery of bedrock at the base of a lift shaft and the resultant works that will be required to rectify this issue have resulted in a 12-week delay and an additional cost of £2.3m.

“In light of this, the project budget has been revised and approved by the Capital Theatres board. The updated budget is £37.9m. The revised practical completion date is forecast to be 14 July 2025.”

A flatter stage, new backstage areas and a taller fly tower are expected to help attract a greater variety of shows. The back of the upper circle is being replaced by a multi-purpose space suitable for school groups, activities, workshops and events.

New stairwells and lifts are expected to improve access to every level of the King’s, which will have a ground-floor cafe-bar for the first time.

A spokeswoman for Capital Theatres said: “The construction team discovered bedrock closer to the surface than previously anticipated. This was situated in an area requiring to be dug out to create space for one of the two new large lifts.

"The additional structural alterations, design work and temporary support works required to remove the bedrock has resulted in an extension to the programme. As is often the case with heritage projects of this scale, the demolition works can uncover issues not previously apparent. Demolition will be complete this summer, significantly reducing the risk of further setbacks. 

"The redevelopment is now set to be complete later in 2025, with the first full production on stage likely to be the pantomime.”

The project was originally due to get underway in September 2021, but was significantly delayed by the pandemic. The revamp reached a crisis point at the start of 2023 when it emerged the cost was up from £25m to £35.6m, with the rise blamed on construction industry inflation and supply chain problems.

Capital Theatres launched a campaign warning there were “35 days to save the King’s” unless an £8.9m funding gap was filled.

An additional £3.85m from the Scottish Government and £3m from the city council was secured, allowing work to get underway in March 2023. The project received another huge boost in December when the UK government agreed to provide £2m.

Exclusive:King’s Theatre: Cost of revamp for Edinburgh theatre soars again as completion date pushed back

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