Filmhouse, who moved in to the converted church building at 88 Lothian Road in 1979, grew from the Edinburgh Film Guild, showcasing arthouse films and ran as a successful and popular cultural cinema venue for over 40 years. 

After merging with the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) in 2010, it became part of the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI) who in 2022 went into administration, leading to the closure of Filmhouse, EIFF, and the Belmont Cinema and the sale of the building to Caledonian Heritable.

The Open The Doors campaign was created to preserve Filmhouse, and by July 2024, with support from Creative Scotland and The City of Edinburgh, funding was secured and a 25-year lease signed with plans to reopen as a stand alone entity.

The works, which commenced in February, will see the upgrading of the cinema screens with new seating, enhanced leg room and better sightlines in all three screens with the creation of a fourth screen. 

The refurbishment will also include works to improve the accessibility of the Category B listed building, with the formation of ground level access into screen 2.

Other works will aim to improve acoustics and heating/ventilation, along with the renovation of the public toilets and refurbishment of the Café-Bar and foyer areas to increase space and light. The energy efficiency of the building is also being prioritised.

Up to 40 jobs are expected to be created in the reborn Filmhouse.

The project has received funding from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Community Ownership Fund, The City of Edinburgh Council and by Screen Scotland/Creative Scotland and the “Open the Doors!” Crowdfunder.

Ginnie Atkinson, chair of Filmhouse said: “We are delighted to be working with Clark Contracts on this project. Our experience with the team is very positive and it is exciting to see the plans on paper become a reality with changes happening on a daily basis. We are looking forward to opening again in the summer.”

Gerry Cummins, director at Clark Contracts, added: “We are excited to be delivering this project to bring the Filmhouse Cinema back to life, we look forward to working with Filmhouse and the design team to deliver the project which will provide a great facility for the public.”