Friends scale back Edinburgh Festival plans
'The building’s usual transformation into Fringe Venue 40 every August will not be happening this year.'
The Edinburgh Meeting House will not be operating as a venue for live performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2021. The building’s usual transformation into Fringe Venue 40 every August will not be happening this year due to ‘ongoing uncertainty about Covid-19 restrictions’.
Although it is likely that some events will take place this year, the prospects for small, indoor, seated venues are not good, said the Venue 40 Festival Committee. The Fringe was cancelled for the first time in 2020.
Meeting house managers Sue Proudlove and Tony Wilkes told the Friend that the Festival Committee felt that it would be unwise to press ahead, as the Meeting house would have to commit significant funds towards expenses such as seating hire and licences.
‘It is hoped, however, that the Meeting house will still be a part of whatever festivities do happen, and the committee is working on some ideas that will make the most of the building’s enviable location just off the Royal Mile. Sadly we won’t be needing to recruit our usual teams of volunteers… and we’d like to send our good wishes to all our regulars.’
The Fringe will celebrate its seventy-fifth anniversary in 2022.
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