No happy ending for King's Theatre as refit plans scaled back

The Liberal Democrat/SNP administration had pledged 6m within its first budget to help kick-start a proposed 12m revamp of the century-old venue. But it was confirmed today that council funding for the project is set to be slashed to a maximum of 2m.

A third of the original money will instead be used to ensure that the revamp of the Assembly Rooms goes ahead.

Plans are now to be drawn up for a much smaller package of upgrades at the King's, falling far short of original hopes for the historic venue.

It is among a number of projects set to mothballed as a result of the pressure on council finances.

Council officials have recommended that 11.5m of proposed spending on "medium and low political priority projects" is put on ice, including regeneration projects, new schools and nurseries and graveyard repairs.

Councillors have been told that they need to axe a further 13.5m of "high political priority" projects as part of their budget proposals next month.

Brian Loudon, general manager of the Festival City Theatres Trust, which runs the King's on behalf of the council, said: "Clearly we would have liked to have been in the position where we could have had a major refurbishment of the King's but we understand that, given the current capital challenges the city council has, it will be difficult for them to do everything. There has clearly been a prioritisation exercise going on and we understand that, although obviously it is disappointing. But the fact we're still hopefully getting a reduced capital commitment to do some works and keep the King's going in the meantime is good news in that context."

Of the original 6m budget for the King's, 2m is now to be spent on the Assembly Rooms instead, as a re-examination of funding in the current climate had left its 12m project short.

It is hoped that, if a Heritage Lottery Fund application is successful, the new council funds will now allow the Assembly Rooms project – which the council has said will create a "world-class" venue – to go ahead.

Full plans were never drawn up for the 12m revamp of the King's. Detailed designs for the reduced programme of works will now be drawn up in the coming months, with work being carried out in three separate four-month periods over the next three summers.

Among the areas likely to be top priority are auditorium and roofing repairs, new sloping of the grand circle, a new first aid room, new adult changing room and a replacement of the existing boiler.

Mr Loudon still hopes that some funds will remain for upgrades that will "improve the customer experience".

"It was built in 1906 so as with any building you need to spend money on it to refresh it," he said. "There was a refurbishment in 1985 so we're now 25 years down the line and it's come to a point where we need to refresh the fabric of the building."

The reduced plans for the King's have been criticised by opposition politicians, who say that the 6m pledged to the revamp was a key policy area for the Lib Dem/SNP administration.

Councillor Gordon Buchan, culture spokesman for the Conservative group on the city council, said: "Members of the administration have expressed their support for the arts and festival venues but, when it comes to funding, the King's seems to be the poor relation in recent years.

"The issues for the King's will not go away and this is just storing up even bigger problems for the future. The administration obviously thought it was an important project given that they put 6m into it so they seem to now be backtracking somewhat."

However, the council said its money would ensure the King's would be open for the Festivals, including 2012 events that would coincide with the Olympics.

It also said that it will help make sure that the Assembly Rooms plans – which include music hall improvements, new bars, a fine dining restaurant and new shops – go ahead.

Councillor Deidre Brock, the city's culture leader, said: "In light of the funding gap in the council's capital programme, and given the current economic climate, this proposal is both a prudent and pragmatic step maximising benefit to the city's cultural infrastructure.

"Since it will not be possible at this stage to spend all of the money allocated to the King's without affecting its essential availability for the Festival in 2012, it has been recommended that some of that money move over to enable the proposed improvements to the Assembly Rooms to progress."

Council officials also recommended axing a series of other spending plans.

A new nursery and primary school at Granton waterfront has been put on hold as a result of the development slowdown in the area, while budgets for a series of areas, including parks and green spaces, housing and school repairs, are also set to be slashed. But as spending plans need to be reduced by 25m, councillors will still need to find a way to cut a further 13.5m of spending proposals.

Councillor Phil Wheeler, the city's finance leader, said: "We are facing extremely tough budget decisions due to the scale of the financial challenge being experienced by the public sector, which is unheard of in modern times.

"The amount of money we have coming in from capital receipts and government funding has reduced significantly. The council must now rebalance the capital programme for the next four years to take this into account.

"Come budget day on 11 February this council is going to have to face some very difficult decisions to balance the capital budget, while ensuring that key capital projects have the funding to go ahead."

This could be the final curtain for the city's 'Grand Old Lady'

Liam Rudden

UNEVEN stone stairwells, peeling paint, a blocked drain, damp brickwork, chipped plaster. It was during a behind-the-scenes tour with architect Colin Ross, in 2002, that I first realised how much work the King's Theatre needed to survive.

For decades, managers of the venue once hailed "The Grand Old Lady of Leven Street" had been forced to adopt a mend-and-make-do approach to ensure that the theatre could remain viable. That approach seems set to continue with today's news.

As the Capital's best-loved theatre, The King's deserves better. Having entertained generations since opening in 1906, and having showcased the talents of everyone from Noel Coward to Laurence Olivier and Sean Connery, the time has come for the powers that be to recognise the venue's historic and social importance and commit to a long-overdue full refurbishment. Failure to do so may yet see the jewel in Edinburgh's theatrical crown face its final curtain.

PROJECTS UNDER THREAT FROM COST-CUTTING

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

A total of 2.9 million was due to be spent on a project for new Granton nursery and Waterfront primary school in 2012-13 but the projects are set to be scrapped.

750,000 will be saved by not needing to develop a new Tynecastle Nursery School, pictured right.

A 686,000 budget for upgrades to school buildings has also been reduced by 476,000, although works already committed to will still go ahead.

CULTURE AND SPORT

Half of the 485,000 annual budget for upgrades of culture and sport facilities has been assigned to projects and will go ahead. But the remainder – 242,000 – is to be allocated to any projects.

Of the King's Theatre's 6m budget, 2m is to be reassigned to the Assembly Rooms, while 2m will be spent on short-term improvements. The remaining 2m would now be cut from the budget.

COMMUNITY SAFETY

Slash 50,000 worth of spending on cemeteries.

Mothball 220,000 plans for visitor facilities at new Craigmillar cemetery.

Reduce 9,000 of spending on scientific equipment.

PARKS AND GREEN SPACES

Cut in half the 2m budget for spending on the city's parks and gardens over the next three years.

Axe plans to spend 250,000 in 2010-11 on play areas within the city's parks.

HOUSING AND REGENERATION

Axe 300,000 for neighbourhood regeneration projects for 2010-11.

Cut 100,000 budget for improving stair lighting in 2010/11.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

30,000 reduction in spending on equipment for the Craigmillar-based charity Blindcraft.

CITY DEVELOPMENT

Scrap the department's 1.9m contingency fund.

FINANCE

Scrap plans to spend 46,000 on a new technology and communications technology strategy.

WASTE SERVICES

Reduce refuse collection spending by 100,000.