Fringe venues seek up to £14m bailout

Edinburgh Fringe venues are asking for up to £14m to fund outdoor spaces so shows can go ahead this summer.

The four biggest – Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance and Underbelly – are among an alliance calling for Scotland's two-metre social distancing requirement to be relaxed, warning they may fail otherwise.

A dossier from the group says venues "do not underestimate the size of the financial demand"on the government, but cannot operate sustainably without financial support.

“Any August 2021 event cannot cover its costs, let alone generate surplus, under the current two metre social distancing requirements.

"To ensure they can retain staff and freelancers with years of accrued knowledge and experience from leaving the industry forever, there is a need for significant financial support."