Some promising news is finally on the horizon, as Edinburgh Filmhouse could be saved and remain a working cinema with its new owners, Caledonian Heritable. On October 6, 2022, the parent charity behind Edinburgh Filmhouse and Edinburgh International Film Festival, Centre for the Moving Image, went into administration. This marked the closure of two of Scotland’s most influential independent cinemas, Aberdeen’s Belmont Filmhouse and Edinburgh Filmhouse.
The news was shocking to many as Edinburgh’s beloved venue closed, and 102 employees suddenly lost their jobs. However, Edinburgh Filmhouse could be saved by its new owners Caledonian Heritable, as talks have begun with previous staff and a deal is close to be finalised with the cinema operating as before.
Caledonian Heritable bought The Filmhouse from Centre for the Moving Image for £2.65 million earlier this year. The company already owns well-known venues across Edinburgh, such as The Dome, Ryan’s Bar and Theatre Royal. So now, all we can do is wait for further news in the coming days, as hopefully a final deal will be reached soon for Edinburgh Filhouse to be saved. Remaining cautiously optimistic is the best way forward.
A spokesperson for Caledonian Heritable said: “We are working with the Filmhouse towards something that will suit both sides. We are working closely with the staff with the expectation of arriving at a scenario that will suit both parties and a statement will be released in a couple of days. It is all looking very optimistic that it will be able to continue to operate in a similar fashion as before.”