King's Theatre to close for two years for £20m refurb

Edinburgh's King's Theatre will close for two years in order to undergo a £20m refurbishment.

The building near Tollcross was opened in 1906 and welcomes over 200,000 visitors a year.

Now, Capital Theatres, the charitable trust behind the project, will look to develop a brand new stage, a new cafe-bar, a rooftop hospitality space, and new dressing rooms.

The design team will be led by Bennetts Associates as the appointed architect.

Duncan Hendry, Chief Executive of Capital Theatres said: “We are delighted to have appointed Bennetts Associates to lead the design team who will transform the King’s Theatre over the next few years. Bennetts have extensive experience of redeveloping theatres and heritage buildings across the UK and we were impressed by the elegance of their initial designs. We look forward to working with them to deliver a stunning building.

"The King’s Theatre holds a special place in the hearts of many people from Edinburgh and further afield. The King’s really is ‘Everyone’s Theatre’ and throughout this exciting redevelopment project we hope people will help us secure the future of their theatre. In early 2019 we will provide ways in which people can engage with, give opinion and support the project."