Tuesday June 16th 2026
Edinburgh King's Theatre reaches milestone in redevelopment with delivery of new canopy (photo: Duncan McGlynn)
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
As the transformation of Edinburgh’s beloved King’s Theatre nears an end and the stage is set for the opening weekend celebrations on 1 August, the Grade A listed building comes one step closer to reopening as it regains its front entrance canopy.
The impressive steel frame for the new canopy arrived last night from Glasgow manufacturer, Gray & Dick with a police escort due to its sheer scale. The frame measures 11.1 metres long by 4.1 metres wide and weighs 4.5 tonnes.
The installation of the King’s Theatre’s new steel and glass canopy will take approximately three weeks. Upon completion, the pavement in front of the King’s Theatre will reopen to pedestrians for the first time since February 2023, marking another major milestone in the redevelopment process.
The original canopy was a cast iron structure with a pitched glazed roof and triangular pediment to each side.
Here is the original canopy pictured at the opening of the King’s Theatre in 1906 with the pantomime Cinderella
The delivery of the new canopy is a complex and costly undertaking which has been kindly supported by the popular Black Ivy, a restaurant and boutique hotel just a short walk away from the theatre.
Fiona Gibson, Chief Executive of Capital Theatres, said:
“Although it has taken on a few different guises over the years, there has always been a canopy over the front doors of King’s Theatre and we are delighted to see it back to embellish the theatre’s iconic façade yet again. This is yet another step bringing us closer to the finish line. We look forward to raising the curtain at the King’s Theatre in just a few weeks.
“We are grateful to the team behind the Black Ivy, a fellow local business which makes Tollcross such a great place to live, work and visit. Their contribution to the cost of moving the canopy through busy streets has meant we could do safely to meet our deadlines.”
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