Usher Hall's refit won't be finished ahead of Festival

THE centrepiece of a much delayed revamp of the Usher Hall will not be ready in time for this year's Edinburgh Festival, city leaders have admitted.

A refurbishment of the A-listed venue will be partially completed in time for the 14 August launch of the Festival, but its glass-covered extension will not be ready until autumn at least.

It is not clear at this stage how much the Usher Hall's latest delay will cost taxpayers but it is likely to take the price tag over the £25 million mark – £16m more than originally quoted in 2002.

Work on the extension will now continue throughout August, with the area in front of the venue cleared and a temporary surface put down to improve access for festival-goers.

When the festival season finishes on 5 September, workers will move back in to install a new lighting rig, and work on landscaping the public areas in front of the hall will begin.

In January, the Evening News revealed the cost of refurbishing the Usher Hall had rocketed by nearly £5m to £25m following construction delays.

City leaders and the hall's main users today put a brave face on the latest delay for the project, but it is likely to raise questions about the council's project management skills as it follows a series of recent setbacks for the city's tram line.

Karl Chapman, the Usher Hall's general manager, said: "As we began to unravel the building, the problems began to become apparent, from the extra piling needed to walls not being strong enough to support staircases.

"These have been challenges and it is why we have faced delays, but I think we are doing a good job of marrying the modern and the traditional and making it a venue the city can be proud of."

Among the improvements inside the main hall are lift access to all floors for the first time and improved bars on all levels.

The new glass-covered wing will contain a cafe/bar, box office area, hospitality spaces and extended office accommodation.

Councillor Deidre Brock, the city's culture leader, said: "Festival audiences are in for a real treat this summer – they will be the first to attend concerts in the Usher Hall following its extensive internal revamp.

"We are looking forward to opening the new wing; presently, work is ongoing, continuing to completion in the autumn.

"The Usher Hall is shaping up to be a truly world-class music venue for the 21st century."

The cost was originally put at no more than £9m in 2002, but it has continued to escalate, despite council chiefs "pegging" the refit price at £19m in 2006.

Roy McEwan, managing director of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, said: "On the basis of a recent visit, the refurbishment is shaping up fantastically and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra is really looking forward to opening this year's Edinburgh Festival."

Curtain up for fresh look
STEPPING behind the battered blue safety fencing, the impressive new stone "podium" sweeping around the Usher Hall gives an insight into how the city's grand old lady is close to smiling again.

It is painfully evident why the extension will not be ready for the Festival, but inside you can see it taking shape, skilfully blending the old with the new.

The A-listed venue's infamous toilet and bar queues have been tackled by nearly doubling the amount of comfort facilities.

Period features have been brought back to life and, although a little dusty, it is clear the revamp will place the hall in good stead for the coming decades. It is just a pity about the price tag.