The operator of Scotland’s largest arts festival has lodged plans for a new headquarters.

The new base in a former city centre school will also house recording studios and rentable rehearsal space.

A statement prepared by LBA on behalf of The Fringe outlines the refurbishment of 6 Infirmary Street into a “multi-purpose venue and HQ for The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society”.

The building is the former South Bridge primary school, built in 1886, which is currently South Bridge Resource Centre for Community Learning and Development and owned by the City of Edinburgh Council.

“The Fringe Society is currently fragmented across several offices in Edinburgh,” the statement reads.

“Its continued success has led to continual expansion and consequently the spaces they occupy are no longer fit for purpose.

“Infirmary Street has been identified as an ideal new home for the charity.

“This building will bring the team together, allowing them to provide better support for their performers and create a place that celebrates the culture and ethos of this fantastic charity.

the Infirmary Street premisesthe Infirmary Street premises (Image: Google/LBA)

“The building’s location within the Old Town of Edinburgh is minutes from current Fringe sites and offers the flexibility required for their annual expansion when numbers swell to support the festival.

“The proposals outlined in this document have been shaped by a series of collaborative workshops with stakeholders, investigative site visits and condition surveys to form a robust application for the refurbishment of 6 Infirmary Street.

“The approach taken is sensitive with a focus on preserving the existing character, whilst upgrading the building fabric and accessibility whilst maintaining flexibility for the future.”

The application adds: “The redevelopment seeks to be financially sustainable through the incorporation of rentable spaces such as rehearsal rooms and co-working areas, that offer services not available locally.

“This strategic planning ensures that the Fringe Headquarters not only meets current needs but is also prepared to adapt to future demands so The Society can continue its historical significance and ensure its legacy within Edinburgh’s cultural landscape.”


Scottish city has 'most expensive' Wetherspoon's in UK for pints, study claims

 

A Scottish city is home to the Wetherspoon’s pub with the most expensive average price of a pint across a selection of draught beers, according to new research.

The Edinburgh outlet had an average pint price of £6.80, in the research conducted for analytics platform Stocklytics. The study examined the average cost of pints of Carling, Budweiser, Guinness, Heineken, Peroni and Stella at every Wetherspoons branch in the UK, and put the Sir Walter Scott at Edinburgh Airport top of the table in terms of the average price, describing it as the "most expensive".


The rise of the multi-retiree family and what it means for your finances

 

This article appears as part of the Money HQ newsletter.

Sixty years old is the new middle age.

We’re all living longer, and by 2034, more than one million families may have multiple generations in retirement simultaneously – a 32% increase on today’s figure of 813,000.

A recent survey into the phenomenon, commissioned by SJP, suggests that this is the tip of the iceberg. In five years’ time, the number of multi-retiree families is set to rise by 150,000, topping out by 2044 – by which time there may be as many as 1.4 million in the UK population.