Edinburgh Festival Fringe venue forced to make way for festival headquarters project reveals new George Street home

Greenside to stage shows in Royal Society of Edinburgh headquarters at this year’s Festival Fringe

A leading Edinburgh Festival Fringe venue operator forced to relocate from its long-time home to make way for a new multi-million pound headquarters for the event has revealed plans to relocate to the New Town.

Greenside, which claims its programme was the third biggest at this year’s festival, will join forces with the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) to stage shows across six spaces in its historic headquarters at the corner of George Street and Hanover Street.

More than 100 different shows will be staged in the venue, near the Assembly Rooms, as Greenside suggested it had been “displaced” from Infirmary Street.

Fringe venue operator Greenside will be staging shows at the Royal Society of Edinburgh building on George Street from next August. Picture: Ryan Johnston

Greenside hopes to forge a long-term relationship with the RSE, which has been based in the building since 1908. It has also withdrawn from staging shows at a conference and events venue in Nicolson Square due to planned building works.

Greenside, which has been staging Fringe shows for nearly 20 years, has used a Victorian school building close to the Pleasance Courtyard since 2016. However, it was forced to seek an alternative venue after being told the council-owned building on Infirmary Street was the preferred option for a permanent base for the Fringe Society.

First announced in 2017, the project took a major step forward earlier this year when it emerged it had secured £7 million from the UK Government.

Greenside, which will still be running shows at the historic Riddle’s Court complex off the Royal Mile, is moving to George Street despite the Fringe Society admitting it is unlikely its new headquarters will be up and running in time for next year’s festival.

The new Fringe HQ is earmarked for a Victorian primary school building used by venue operator Greenside in recent years.

A detailed business plan for the project still has to be backed by the UK Government. The Fringe Society also remains in negotiations with the city council to take over running of the building, next to the Dovecot Studios textiles studio and gallery, which is run as a community centre throughout the year.

Greenside director Darren Neale said: “Our new George Street home is an absolutely cracking building with a huge footprint. There are very few Fringe venues which have as many different spaces under one roof. We are going to have six studio theatres next year and we think there is scope to expand and do more if things go well.”

Its move has been announced days after another Fringe operator, The Stand revealed it would be pulling the plug on its George Street venue, citing its rising running costs and the growing “centralisation” of the Fringe in the Old Town.

Mr Neale said: “There is so much scrutiny now about the over-population of the Fringe in the Old Town and how condensed everything is. I have a feeling that, in the fullness of time, for the Fringe to harmoniously co-exist with the city of Edinburgh, it is going to take steps to broaden out.

Fringe venue operator Greenside will be staging shows at the Royal Society of Edinburgh building on George Street from next August.

“By having a really multi-genre venue on George Street, sandwiched between the old and new of Edinburgh, there will be a really interesting dynamic. We wouldn’t have jumped into this if we didn’t think there was a place for it in this part of town.”Professor Sarah Skerratt, chief executive of the society, said: "The Fringe is built on a long legacy of transformation and renewal. Over its rich history, venues emerge, some fade away and the epicentre of Fringe activity shifts, but at its heart the enduring essence of the Fringe persists.”