Edinburgh Filmhouse is close to being saved as a cinema in talks between staff and new owners, Edinburgh Live can reveal.
Pub firm Caledonian Heritable has confirmed that a deal is close to being reached that will see workers continue to operate the movie side of the business while the new owners look after the hospitality.
The Filmhouse was bought by Caledonian Heritable in a deal worth £2.65million earlier this year.
The firm managed to secure the business from the Centre for Moving Image after the previous owners were forced to file for administration in October of last year.
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The new owners will add the much-loved Edinburgh site to a number of other businesses that they own in the capital, including The Dome, Ryan’s Bar and the Theatre Royal.
It is understood that an announcement could be made in the coming days that will confirm an arrangement that will see Filmhouse staff manage the cinema while Caledonian Heritable run the restaurant and bar.
A source close to the deal has confirmed that the new owners were working alongside staff from the Filmhouse to find a solution that would suit both parties.
There is optimism that the business will be able to reopen and operate in a similar fashion as it had in the past.
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.”
Whilst a deal is yet to be finalised, there is genuine hope that the Filmhouse will reopen to capital residents in the near future.
Originally constructed in 1830, the Filmhouse extends over three floors and has a total size of 20,068 square feet.
The B-listed former church kept its period feature over the years, including a segmental ceiling in Cinema One.
