Friday October 30th 2026
St Margaret's House tenants outside Edinburgh City Chambers
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Nicholas Malizia
Edinburgh Council will push to delay the eviction of hundreds of artists based at St Margaret’s House after tenants gathered outside City Chambers on Thursday.
A vote at Full Council carried overwhelmingly 49-10, with the Conservative group dissenting, to aid the imperilled artists and charities.
Cllr Finlay McFarlane (SNP), who raised the motion, said: “It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee. There is a worrying trend of decline in equitable studio space.
“We can’t do everything as a council but we have a duty to the Edinburgh we want to see in the future to do what we can.
“I think it’s high time we have esteem for the importance of the creative workforce. If we were seeing decline in other sectors, alarm bells would be ringing.”
Tenants at St Margaret’s House received notice in late September that they must leave the hub by January 24, 2027. The centre in Meadowbank has rented out space to artists for nearly 20 years through charity Scot-ART.
The Caledonian Trust, who lease the building to Scot-ART, has said the building has been on the market for “some time” and they are in discussions with a “preferred party” for sale.
A number of tenants gathered outside City Chambers prior to the October 29 meeting with a sign reading: “Support St Mags”.
Maria Stoian, an illustrator based at the centre, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The building is really valuable to the arts in Edinburgh. It is quite distressing that we all have to move out at the same time.”
She feared a similar fate may face Summerhall tenants after developers unveiled plans to partially demolish part of the building to erect a hotel and student housing.
Maria added: “I don’t know where we can all physically go. I don’t want St Margaret’s House to be a cautionary tale that saves Summerhall. I want them both to be supported.”
Several tenants also gave deputations, urging councillors to help extend the eviction notice and support relocation.
Addressing councillors, Tiffany Wray, founder of Edinburgh School of Music at St Margaret’s House said: “The school is my livelihood. I am a single mother to two young children, and my income supports my family. The uncertainty surrounding our future has been deeply unsettling, both for me personally and for the 14 staff members who depend on the school for their income. I feel a great responsibility to them and to our students and their families.
“I began building the school here in 2018. Over the past eight years, we have grown from approximately 50 students to just over 300, and now have 14 members of staff. The affordable and flexible space at St Margaret’s House has made that growth possible, allowing us to establish a welcoming place for children and adults to learn, create and express themselves.”
Speaking in favour of the motion, Cllr Staniforth said: “What we need is permanent space for artists in the city. We don’t want a Fringe Festival where no home-grown artists can be there. We want to remain a city not just where culture comes but where culture flourishes.”
However the Conservative bloc worried the plans would impact officer time and budgets while “setting precedent and giving false hope”.
Cllr Tim Jones (Con) said: “Any attempt of councillors to intervene in private, or to referee legal terms between landlords constitutes an inappropriate overreach and sets precedent of future expectation for other groups and sectors.”
In the end councillors voted for Jane Meagher to appeal to the Chair of the Caledonian Trust requesting an extension on tenants’ eviction. Other avenues to support tenants will also be explored such as aiding relocation efforts and identifying council spaces to house artists.
A spokesperson for Caledonian Trust has said: “We have fully communicated that St Margaret’s House has been on the market for some time. We’re in discussions with a preferred party, but the process isn’t finished and it would be inappropriate to provide any more detail.
“St Margaret’s House has been an important home for independent artists and freelancers in Edinburgh and we have been proud to support them. However, the building is decades old and no longer meets the standards needed for its long-term future.
“Scot-ART has held the lease on the building for many years, on very generous terms, and is now serving notice to its sub-tenants. Vacant possession is targeted for January 2027, with plenty of time for people to plan ahead.”
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