Iconic church building set for rebirth as concert hall

AN ICONIC city church building which has been put up for sale amid dwindling congregations could be reinvented as a dedicated concert hall.

The historic Central Hall in Tollcross is on the market for offers over 2.5 million after owners City of Edinburgh Methodist Church elected to relocate to Nicolson Square later this month, ending a 109-year association with the B-listed building.

Studies commissioned by the council's culture and leisure committee have identified a need for a "medium-sized" arts venue with a capacity "somewhere in between the Queens Hall and Usher Hall", and the landmark is thought to be an "ideal" candidate.

Local councillor Charles Dundas said: "I associate the building more with secular use and throughout its history it has been used as a big hall.

"Lots of great 20th century Liberals came to speak in Central Hall and so it was used for big public meetings. It would be an ideal as a concert space and lovely for it to continue in that capacity. The worst thing that could happen is nothing at all."

"I would love to see it being used in the same spirit as it was created, that is a big venue for big events, religious or secular."

David Maxwell commercial surveyor at J&E Shepherd, the firm managing the sale, said it was a "rare opportunity" for buyers and hoped to conclude a deal by Christmas. It would be sold as a whole and will never be broken down and sold as flats or anything," he said. "We have seen interest from other church groups but it would suit a concert operator just as well.

"In terms of a concert hall, if it could be used for something like that, it would be great, but as yet there has been no approach from anyone on this."

In the wake of falling attendances, four of the Methodist Churches in Edinburgh pooled resources and consolidated to worship at Central Hall in 2008.

Speaking on behalf of the ministerial team, Reverend Alan Whitson, said: "With reducing membership and higher maintenance costs it was decided that more bespoke premises were required. To this end the new church will move, at the end of September, to its Nicolson Square building preserving a city centre presence."

On the potential for a dedicated concert hall, Reverend Geoffrey Baines - another Capital pastor involved with the move - said there was a desire to see the building used "for the good of Edinburgh", but added: "Once it's on the open market we cannot dictate."

CENTRE OF ATTENTION

CENTRAL HALL was designed in a Francois I/Beaux Arts style by Edinburgh architects James Bow Dunn & James Leslie Findlay in 1899 and opened two years later by the Methodist Synod in Scotland.

The three-storey building, on the corner of Earl Grey Street and West Tollcross, has never exclusively been a venue for worship. The first films in Edinburgh were shown in the Central Hall, while concerts were also held frequently.

Its auditorium originally seated 2000 people, but was reduced by the 1930s.

At sale or let, the property could be divided into two lots. The first, comprising the church accommodation at upper floor levels, for offers over 950,000, while the second provides the whole building including rents from five retail outlets at street level for offers over 2.5m.