Latest news with #MargaretGraham
STV News
6 days ago
- Business
- STV News
Edinburgh Filmhouse to reopen following £2m refurbishment
Edinburgh's independent cinema Filmhouse is reopening after a major refurbishment and a fundraising campaign to save the venue. The historic cinema, which closed in October 2022, has undergone a £2m transformation that includes expanded facilities, updated technical capabilities, and improved visitor comfort. The venue will reopen on June 27 with three refurbished screens and public areas, with a fourth smaller screen scheduled to open in July. Originally a three-screen venue, the revamped Filmhouse will now offer four screens in total, including a new intimate space with 24 seats designed for private screenings and hires. The total seating capacity will be around 350. Councillor Margaret Graham, Culture and Communities Convener, said: 'It is wonderful that the Filmhouse will be opening its doors once again. I am sure that many people across Edinburgh and beyond will be looking forward to this event. 'This much-loved cinema is both a community hub and cultural asset for the city. Its refurbishment will allow even more people enjoy the magic of global cinema in the heart of the city. I look forward to seeing the programme of events that will be on offer once the Filmhouse opens for business.' Filmhouse has long been a cultural hub for Edinburgh and Scotland's film community, showcasing independent, international, and arthouse cinema alongside local film festivals. The reopening programme will feature many films missed during its closure and promises a diverse range of screenings, including live theatre and opera broadcasts. The refurbishment was funded through a combination of public grants, community fundraising, and private donations. The 'Open the Doors!' crowdfunding campaign alone raised over £324,000, supported by thousands of film lovers locally and globally. Supporters of the cinema include notable Scottish actors and filmmakers such as Jack Lowden, Charlotte Wells, Dougray Scott, Brian Cox, and Emma Thompson, all of whom backed the campaign to save the venue. The UK Government's Levelling Up Community Ownership Fund contributed £1.5m, alongside funding from Screen Scotland, Creative Scotland, and the City of Edinburgh Council. A long-term lease was secured with the building's owners, Caledonian Heritable, ensuring Filmhouse's presence on Lothian Road for at least 25 years. The building itself, a repurposed church dating back to 1978, has been carefully restored, including roof and stonework repairs. Inside, new seating offers extra legroom and comfort, and the foyer has been redesigned. The Filmhouse Bar, a popular social spot, has been refurbished to seat 100 people and will continue to serve locally sourced food and drinks, with an emphasis on sustainability. The cinema also plans to expand its educational outreach with a dedicated learning and engagement officer and partnerships with film schools. New leadership has been appointed to guide Filmhouse into its next chapter, including executive director Andrew Simpson and a growing team. Mr Simpson said: 'The love for Filmhouse never went away, it was just waiting to be reignited. The incredible response to its closure showed us how vital this space is, not just for Edinburgh, but for audiences across Scotland and beyond. We are returning with fresh energy, a clear plan for the future, and a commitment to delivering world-class film experiences for everyone. Filmhouse belongs to its community, and we're excited to welcome people back.' Filmhouse is expected to play a key role in this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival, with details to be announced soon. Scottish secretary Ian Murray said: 'It's blockbuster news that the much cherished Filmhouse in Edinburgh is re-opening its doors after three years. 'Thanks to £1.54m UK Government funding and much hard work from the Filmhouse team and partners, cinema-goers are set for a thrilling experience in a fully refurbished venue that meets modern audience expectations. I can't wait to take in a movie there.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
South Wales Guardian
27-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Edinburgh winter festivals worth almost £200 million to city
Research published by events organiser Unique Assembly found that more than 2.8 million people visited Edinburgh's seasonal attractions, which included an ice rink, Christmas market and a funfair. Outdoor Hogmanay events including the Street Party, Concert in the Gardens and the midnight fireworks were cancelled on December 31 last year due to worsening weather conditions, days after the torchlight procession was cancelled amid high winds. However all indoor Hogmanay events went ahead and welcomed an estimated audience of more than 25,000 people over four days. The report found that the total economic impact of Edinburgh's Winter Festivals was £198 million, combining the financial impact of both Edinburgh's Christmas (£150 million) and Edinburgh's Hogmanay (£48 million.) Alan Thomson, from Unique Assembly, said: 'We take a lot of heart from this report that, even having lost our outdoor events at Edinburgh's Hogmanay to weather, the Winter Festivals have still delivered not just wonderful and joyful opportunities for people to come together, but also huge benefits for the people of Edinburgh and for Scotland across traders, local families, communities and charities and our tourism businesses. 'We are working on our plans for this coming winter's celebrations and look forward to sharing those with you very soon.' The seven weeks of winter events and attractions were created and designed by Unique Assembly on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council. An annual audience survey of more than 3,000 people found that more than 70% of visitors from outside the city cited Edinburgh's Christmas as their main reason for travelling to Scotland's capital. Margaret Graham, Edinburgh City Council culture and communities convener, said: 'The findings of this report demonstrate that Edinburgh's world-famous winter festivals don't only draw a huge international crowd, boosting the economy and adding to the city's vibrant calendar of events, but, crucially, they deliver significant benefits to Edinburgh's local communities, businesses and charities. 'This is despite the cancellation of last year's outdoor events, showing just how far-reaching the programme of events is. 'I look forward to finding out more about this year's plans, which look set to brighten the city in the winter months.' Early-bird tickets for this year's Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party and Torchlight Procession go on sale on Friday May 30 at 10am at
Leader Live
27-05-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Edinburgh winter festivals worth almost £200 million to city
Research published by events organiser Unique Assembly found that more than 2.8 million people visited Edinburgh's seasonal attractions, which included an ice rink, Christmas market and a funfair. Outdoor Hogmanay events including the Street Party, Concert in the Gardens and the midnight fireworks were cancelled on December 31 last year due to worsening weather conditions, days after the torchlight procession was cancelled amid high winds. However all indoor Hogmanay events went ahead and welcomed an estimated audience of more than 25,000 people over four days. The report found that the total economic impact of Edinburgh's Winter Festivals was £198 million, combining the financial impact of both Edinburgh's Christmas (£150 million) and Edinburgh's Hogmanay (£48 million.) Alan Thomson, from Unique Assembly, said: 'We take a lot of heart from this report that, even having lost our outdoor events at Edinburgh's Hogmanay to weather, the Winter Festivals have still delivered not just wonderful and joyful opportunities for people to come together, but also huge benefits for the people of Edinburgh and for Scotland across traders, local families, communities and charities and our tourism businesses. 'We are working on our plans for this coming winter's celebrations and look forward to sharing those with you very soon.' The seven weeks of winter events and attractions were created and designed by Unique Assembly on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council. An annual audience survey of more than 3,000 people found that more than 70% of visitors from outside the city cited Edinburgh's Christmas as their main reason for travelling to Scotland's capital. Margaret Graham, Edinburgh City Council culture and communities convener, said: 'The findings of this report demonstrate that Edinburgh's world-famous winter festivals don't only draw a huge international crowd, boosting the economy and adding to the city's vibrant calendar of events, but, crucially, they deliver significant benefits to Edinburgh's local communities, businesses and charities. 'This is despite the cancellation of last year's outdoor events, showing just how far-reaching the programme of events is. 'I look forward to finding out more about this year's plans, which look set to brighten the city in the winter months.' Early-bird tickets for this year's Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party and Torchlight Procession go on sale on Friday May 30 at 10am at
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Edinburgh's winter festivals were worth almost £200m
Edinburgh's winter festivals were worth almost £200m to the city last year, despite the cancellation of the outdoor Hogmanay events, according to a new published by events organiser Unique Assembly found more than 2.8 million people visited Edinburgh's seasonal attractions, which included an ice rink, Christmas market and a events including the Street Party, Concert in the Gardens and the midnight fireworks were cancelled on 31 December due to worsening weather conditions, days after the torchlight procession was cancelled amid high Hogmanay events went ahead with an estimated audience of more than 25,000 people over four days. The report found the total economic impact of Edinburgh's Winter Festivals was £198m, combining the financial impact of both Edinburgh's Christmas (£150m) and Edinburgh's Hogmanay (£48m)Unique Assembly's Alan Thomson said: "We take a lot of heart from this report that, even having lost our outdoor events at Edinburgh's Hogmanay to weather, the winter festivals have still delivered."He added that they were working on next year's annual audience survey of more than 3,000 people found more than 70% of visitors from outside the city cited Edinburgh's Christmas as their main reason for travelling to Scotland's Graham, Edinburgh City Council culture and communities convener, said: "The findings of this report demonstrate that Edinburgh's world-famous winter festivals don't only draw a huge international crowd, boosting the economy and adding to the city's vibrant calendar of events, but, crucially, they deliver significant benefits to Edinburgh's local communities, businesses and charities."This is despite the cancellation of last year's outdoor events, showing just how far-reaching the programme of events is.
The National
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Edinburgh winter festivals worth almost £200m to city
Research published by events organiser Unique Assembly found that more than 2.8 million people visited Edinburgh's seasonal attractions, which included an ice rink, Christmas market and a funfair. Outdoor Hogmanay events, including the Street Party, Concert in the Gardens and the midnight fireworks, were cancelled on December 31 last year due to worsening weather conditions, days after the torchlight procession was cancelled amid high winds. However, all indoor Hogmanay events went ahead and welcomed an estimated audience of more than 25,000 people over four days. READ MORE: Loganair launches new summer route from Scottish Airport to 'untapped' island The report found that the total economic impact of Edinburgh's Winter Festivals was £198m, combining the financial impact of both Edinburgh's Christmas (£150m) and Edinburgh's Hogmanay (£48m). Alan Thomson, from Unique Assembly, said: 'We take a lot of heart from this report that, even having lost our outdoor events at Edinburgh's Hogmanay to weather, the Winter Festivals have still delivered not just wonderful and joyful opportunities for people to come together, but also huge benefits for the people of Edinburgh and for Scotland across traders, local families, communities and charities and our tourism businesses. 'We are working on our plans for this coming winter's celebrations and look forward to sharing those with you very soon.' The seven weeks of winter events and attractions were created and designed by Unique Assembly on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council. (Image: Getty Images) An annual audience survey of more than 3000 people found that more than 70% of visitors from outside the city cited Edinburgh's Christmas as their main reason for travelling to Scotland's capital. Margaret Graham, Edinburgh City Council culture and communities convener, said: 'The findings of this report demonstrate that Edinburgh's world-famous winter festivals don't only draw a huge international crowd, boosting the economy and adding to the city's vibrant calendar of events, but, crucially, they deliver significant benefits to Edinburgh's local communities, businesses and charities. 'This is despite the cancellation of last year's outdoor events, showing just how far-reaching the programme of events is. 'I look forward to finding out more about this year's plans, which look set to brighten the city in the winter months.' Early-bird tickets for this year's Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party and Torchlight Procession go on sale on Friday May 30 at 10am at
