Leith Theatre

The Leith Theatre opened in 1932. It was built for the people of Leith 'as a gift from the people of Edinburgh', following the 1920 incorporation of the Burgh of Leith into Edinburgh. The building is part of a complex that includes Leith Library, Registrar's Office and the Thomas Morton Hall, all designed by Bradshaw, Gass & Hope. A classical facade in cream sandstone ashlar. The building suffered bomb damage in 1941 and remained closed until the rebuild was completed in 1961. It closed again in 1988, but has remained in good condition. A sumptuous Art Deco circular entrance and box office leads to the main auditorium for the Leith Theatre. The auditorium floor in the main theatre is slightly raked with no fixed seating, there is a U-shaped balcony and proscenium stage. It is more restrained and classically detailed with a barrel-vaulted ceiling and glazed roof lights. There is also the Thomas Morton Hall, a smaller flat-floored hall with a stage. A community trust (Leith Theatre Trust) was established in 2004 to examine the options for the re-use of the theatre complex. Architects PagePark conducted an options appraisal study on the repair and future use of the building. In June 2013, Leith Theatre Trust announced that they had been successful in their bid to take over the management of the Leith Theatre complex, and in 2016 signed a five-year lease from Edinburgh Council. The theatre is structurally sound but there is surface deterioration due to weathering. Although the theatre had been open for pop-up events prior to the pandemic, there is still much work to be done and Leith Theatre Trust continues to fundraise for a major capital works project to enable the building to open on a permanent basis.