Fringe venue revamp to be 'reassessed' after project fails to secure heritage lottery funding

A £12 MILLION revamp of The Fringe's flagship Assembly Rooms venue is being "reassessed" after the project failed to secure funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Project leaders aiming to revitalise the Grade A-listed George Street events venue are now urgently re-examining the plans following the news that a 2.7m funding bid to the HLF was not awarded.

Councillor Deidre Brock, culture leader, said: "Obviously we're deeply disappointed, although we appreciate there is ferocious competition for funding in this challenging economic climate.

"The Assembly Rooms is an extremely important venue for Edinburgh and indeed Scotland's cultural and events offer, and there was already substantial financial commitment to the project in place from the council and other funding bodies. This is also bad news for our core customers, as the impact on them will be greater now than would otherwise have been the case.

"The Assembly Rooms is now, however, in desperate need of investment."

Deputy council leader Steve Cardownie said the council will now move to "plug the gap" left by the failed HLF bid.

He added: "It is imperative the building is refurbished, and nothing will deflect us from that course of action."