Usher Hall woes 'to run into 14th year' with latest delays

Published on Sunday 11 October 2009 22:24

A MULTI-million-pound overhaul of Edinburgh's flagship concert hall has been hit by a fresh blow after it emerged the unveiling of an extension is set to be delayed until 2010.

The new glass "wing" at the Usher Hall was expected to open this month after eleventh-hour delays ruled out its use during the Edinburgh International Festival.

Although bosses insist the venue may be ready by Christmas, audiences are still being greeted by a building site and staff have been told it is unlikely to be ready until well into the new year.

The new crescent-shaped building has not yet been handed over by contractors for fitting out. The delay is the latest problem to hit the second phase of a long-term revamp. It means a saga dating back to April 1996, when part of the ceiling fell in after a Tony Bennett concert, is set to enter its 14th year.

It is the third delay in nine months for the second phase, which will see the creation of a cafe-bar and restaurant, box office, corporate hospitality facilities and space for workshops.

One member of staff said: "We've no idea when things will be ready. You can tell by the look of things it won't be anytime soon. We've been told it's highly unlikely it'll be before the end of the year.

"We've had quite a lot of people asking about bookings in the extension for the festive season, but we've had to pretty much rule that out."

Andrew Burns, leader of the opposition Labour group at the council, said: "It's very disappointing to hear the Usher Hall refurbishment is delayed once again. The lack of certainty needs to be resolved urgently."

The first phase of work, mainly to the hall's main auditorium, was not finished until the autumn of 2000, while the second phase did not get under way until the spring of 2007 due to fundraising problems.

It is not known what impact the new delays will have on the budget for the project, which at 25 million is almost triple original estimates. It is running around five years late. The cost of the revamp was originally put at 9m in 2002 but it has continued to escalate, despite council chiefs "pegging" it at 19m in 2006.

Problems discovered beneath the A-listed building led to its reopening being scrapped last spring. Plans to unveil the wing during the festival, when the new-look hall was finally ready, had to be shelved in June.

A spokesman for the council added: "Contractors are continuing to work on the wing. Once this is completed, the new spaces will be furnished. It is anticipated this work will be completed by the end of the year."