We won't let the roof cave in on our shows

BOSSES at the Gilded Balloon say it's business as usual after a chunk of ceiling collapsed at one of the venue's bars.

The ceiling of the Library Bar at Teviot Row House - used to show acts during the Fringe - crashed to the floor yesterday.

Thousands of festival goers visit the bar throughout August and September.

Nobody was injured during the incident.

A children's show on the floor above the collapsed ceiling was cancelled as a precaution, but bosses at the Gilded Balloon said no other shows would be affected.

A spokesman for Edinburgh University, which owns the building, on Bristo Square, said the venue had undergone a full set of health and safety checks before the festival kicked off. It is the oldest purpose-built student union in the world.

One bystander said it was lucky that nobody had been in the room at the time.

He said: "The whole bar area is cordoned off but I peeked around the side to check out the damage and it does look quite substantial.

"There is a large hole in the ceiling and there was quite a bit of plaster and dust around.

"Obviously, the main thing is that nobody was hurt, but the story could have been different if the bar had been packed with visitors. It wouldn't exactly have been a good way to start the festival.

"Hopefully they'll do a full check of the building because it is very old and if one big area of ceiling could suddenly collapse, who's to say another part won't?"

A spokesman for the Gilded Balloon today said the bar would hopefully be back up and running within a couple of days.

He added: "We are working with Edinburgh University, Edinburgh City Council and EUSA to make repairs to the plasterwork.

"While repairs are taking place, Fringe-goers will be able to use any of the other three bar spaces within the building. It will be business as usual at Gilded Balloon and none of the 100 shows running at the venue will be affected.

"I'd estimate that the damage was about the size of a small table. There is nothing to worry about."

A spokeswoman from Edinburgh University said: "A small section of ceiling plaster collapsed in the Library Bar of Teviot Row House at 7am on Friday. Nobody was injured.

"Work has begun to make the ceiling safe and secure and we expect the bar area to reopen in one week.

"Buildings at the university are subject to regular inspections and the bar is now closed so that we can establish how this happened.

"The remaining three bars within the building remain open."