Assembly staff left reeling as damp forces ballroom to shut

Published on Wednesday 18 February 2009 08:57

ONE of Edinburgh's main Fringe venues could be out of action for this year's festival after dry rot was discovered in the ceiling.

Officials have been forced to close the Assembly Rooms' 400-capacity ballroom after damp was discovered in some of the room's beams.

City leaders have said they will do all they can to have the ballroom ready in time for the Fringe but the full extent of the work required and its cost will not be known for weeks when a full survey is finished.

The rest of the Assembly Rooms is unaffected but bosses have spent the past week rearranging 32 functions booked for the ballroom, such as conferences and corporate events.

All of the functions have been relocated within the Assembly Rooms bar one which had to be shifted to the nearby Merchants' Hall.

Fringe promoters – who would need access to the ballroom from around mid-July – have been alerted to the rot problem and it is hoped that work will get under way by the spring.

A 12 million redevelopment of the Assembly Rooms is meant to get under way next year but it is understood the dry rot work cannot wait until then.

Among the stars who have appeared in the historic venue's ballroom are cabaret act The Caesar Twins and the comedian Craig Hill, pictured.

The city's culture leader Deidre Brock said: "It is reassuring that the survey uncovered these problems at this very early stage of the refurbishment process and I'm delighted that our venue managers have been able to find alternatives for all events taking place up to mid-July.

"We'll now press ahead with repair work as soon as we can and we'll do all we can to have the ballroom ready in time for the Fringe.

"If anything, the discovery of these issues underlines the need to refurbish the venue and this council administration is in the process of doing just that."

It is not the first ceiling-related problem which has faced the Assembly Rooms. In 1998, the noise of a Stereophonics gig damaged part of a ceiling.

After next year's Fringe, council chiefs will embark on a refurbishment programme of the Assembly Rooms. This will include exterior improvements to both the George and Rose Street sides and adjoining lanes.

Inside, flexible seating will be introduced to the Music Hall and substantial acoustic improvements will be made.

Decorative finishes throughout will be restored and improved and the ground floor of the building will be returned to its original use.

It is also hoped shops and a restaurant will also be added to the building. Council chiefs are borrowing half the money for the project and the rest will come from public and private support.