Holmes Miller to lead Leith Theatre transformation

An early milestone within the National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported development phase, the announcement follows a rigorous tender process.

Holmes Miller aims to transform the building into a leading mid-sized performance venue and cultural hub, focused on live music, but offering a wide range of other exciting activities.

The practice is to collaborate with design team partners Narro Associates (structural & civil engineers), Hawthorne Boyle (services engineers), Doig & Smith (quantity surveyors), with additional support from New Acoustics and Charcoal Blue.

Architect Steven Coulson said: “Firstly, it is a genuine pleasure to be able to work with a client team who so obviously love and respect the Leith Theatre building. The Leith Theatre Trust hold a core value to maintain the heritage integrity and beauty of the existing 1932 building. This respect for history is balanced against a highly aspirational and inspiring client brief, which aims not just to refurbish the Theatre, but to reinvent it.

“As architects, we relish the opportunity to breathe new life into a meaningful cultural and community landmark. I personally am excited about making a building fit for everyone. This will include breaking down barriers to attendance – physical, accessibility, psychological or status, so that we can reunite this remarkable building, originally gifted to the people of Leith, back to the whole community.”

Homes Miller will bring to bear experience gained on successful heritage refurbishments of Paisley Town Hall and Watford Town Hall, both of which are performing arts venues of significant historic and cultural value.

The team has experience in unlocking the potential in rigid Classical building layouts, therefore, it is confident it can rise to the challenge of injecting some much needed flexibility and innovation into the Leith Theatre building.

Outlining its twofold technical approach to the project, Holmes Miller stated: “We plan to focus on a sensitive approach, studying and understanding the heritage language of the building so that new interventions can be complementary and appropriate.

“We will not seek to preserve every part of the existing building as a static artefact. We will analyse each part of the building to identify the significant elements that contribute to the building’s allure, while areas of lesser value can be explored as potential avenues for positive change.

“We are also committed to the principles of delivering sustainable architecture. For us, sustainable building design is good sense, an aspiration to build to the highest quality possible, with maximum environmental, social and economic benefit. So, it is of importance to us that we undertake a fabric-first approach to analyse and improve the building energy use.

“Our vision is to celebrate the theatre’s unique heritage while creating a vibrant, welcoming and accessible space for everyone. By combining restoration with creativity, we aim to ensure Leith Theatre once again thrives as a dynamic live venue.”

With Holmes Miller now appointed, Leith Theatre will continue working closely with its newly formed design team and project manager throughout 2026, building the detailed plans and evidence required to progress towards the Delivery Phase.

Lynn Morrison, chief executive from Leith Theatre Trust, said: “Holmes Miller joining us as our Architect Design Team feels like the start of a new chapter in a story that has taken decades to reach this point.

“Leith Theatre means so much to so many people, and carrying the responsibility for its future is something we feel deeply. I am pleased to welcome Steven and the wider Holmes Miller team as we begin the detailed work required to bring Leith Theatre back into permanent use.

“Their expertise will help us find practical, sensitive solutions for a building that presents both enormous character and real challenges. This marks the start of a steady, thoughtful revival that will allow this treasured venue to take its place once again in Leith’s community and Edinburgh’s wider cultural landscape.”

Bob Last, Leith Theatre Trust board chair, said: “I am excited that Holmes Miller are bringing their architectural imagination and experience to Leith Theatre, helping the Trust articulate a future for the building and its audiences and community that is forward looking but infused with the deeply personal meanings the building has acquired over generations of use.”