Councillor Brock counters "dangerously misleading" claims about Assembly Rooms refurb plans

The Council has been working for five years on the refurbishment plans, which will transform the Assembly Rooms into a premier events venue fit for the 21st century. The planning application will go before the Development Management Sub-Committee on Wednesday 8 December 2010.

The plans, which have been in the public domain since 2006, will see the beloved Georgian building restored to its original use, with retail units occupying the rooms on either side of the main doors and the elegant Supper Room being transformed into a 'destination' restaurant. This is in keeping with the history of the building as captured in the venue's Conservation Plan.

These alterations will largely finance substantial and historically sensitive refurbishment of the Assembly Rooms' events rooms - the Ballroom, Music Hall, Crush Hall and the East and West Drawing Rooms - which are all in desperate need of modernisation and repairs.

Cllr Brock said: "There are some dangerously misleading claims being made just now and it's crucial that people understand what the real situation is. The simple truth is this: the Assembly Rooms are now in desperate need of refurbishment, with parts of the building crumbling into disrepair (as evidenced by the partial collapse of the Ballroom ceiling last summer). Indeed, the Assembly Rooms will have to close altogether if they are not restored urgently.

"Our plans, exhaustively discussed with heritage bodies and other stakeholders, will revitalise this beautiful building, thus ensuring that our historic events venue can continue to host fairs, ceilidhs, gala evenings and concerts all 52 weeks of the year.

"The Assembly Rooms belong to the people of Edinburgh, and have done since they first opened in 1787. We are committed to ensuring that they continue to be enjoyed as a wonderful events venue by the people of Edinburgh for many generations to come.

"The refurbishment plans have won the unequivocal support of such prominent bodies as visitscotland, Creative Scotland, the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and the Edinburgh Convention Bureau, as well as interested companies such as Heritage Portfolio, Primark and Radio Forth.

"It's true that Assembly Theatre Ltd's previous three-week usage of the building's ground floor during the summer festivals period will be affected by our plans, as we will be restoring these parts of the venue to their original retail and dining use. This is essential if we are to finance the vital structural repairs to the principal events spaces upstairs, including the Music Room and the Ballroom.

"However, we are certain that far from diminishing the Assembly Rooms as a festival venue and cultural hub, this refurbishment will in fact enhance them. Indeed we already have notes of interest from a number of promoters and producers who recognise this and who want to take the venue on during the summer festivals period, as well as during the rest of the year.

"There is also strong interest in the revamped venue outwith the festivals period, from existing hirers and new business.

"Time and again we have challenged critics to provide us with a properly costed, detailed business proposal. This has not happened so we must assume there is in fact no genuine, realistic alternative."

ASSEMBLY THEATRE PROPOSAL FOR ALTERNATIVE COURSE OF ACTION

It should be noted that Assembly Theatre Ltd's proposals would require an investment of £4.6m just to keep the building functional - money the Council does not have.

Moreover, their proposals were not backed up by a business plan and would not have enabled the Assembly Rooms to be refurbished.

Although the Council has no legal contract to provide a festival venue to Assembly Theatre Ltd, we have worked closely with the promoter to identify new spaces. This year, for example, the Ross Bandstand was made available to Assembly Theatre Ltd.

It is important also to be aware that the Council is obliged to seek best value through the forthcoming tendering process for the building occupancy.

Assembly Theatre Ltd have, of course, been invited to note their interest in the tendering process going forward.

BACKGROUND TO REFURB PLANS' BUSINESS CASE

The ground floor was never historically intended as an events venue, and has, to date, rarely been used as such by hirers over the years outwith the summer festival three-week period.

The Council has established a mixed economy mechanism (ie Prudential borrowing plus stakeholder contributions plus Council capital investment) allowing the  level of investment necessary (£9.3M) to improve the building's infrastructure and services and the upper floor venue elements, while simultaneously contributing to the city centre regeneration strategies and improving, not removing, a festival and events venue.

The plan allows the ground floor to be utilised (as it was until as recently as 1950) as commercial units which serve to pay for the Prudential borrowing necessary to retain and improve the crucial events venues upstairs.