The Leith Theatre Trust is planning a £7 million makeover of the iconic venue, which has been closed for 30 years

An historic theatre is set to receive a new lease of life.

The iconic Leith Theatre is set to re-open as a music venue for this year's Edinburgh Festival, with a wider £7 million makeover planned.

The Leith Theatre Trust is aiming to bring the theatre back to its former glory, having been closed for long spells throughout the past century. Work has already began on the transformation of the building, which survived a bomb blast during the Second World War but was closed almost 30 years ago due to its condition.

The Scottish Government had pledged £190,000 to allow the building to be used for this year’s Edinburgh Festival, and the trust has also applied for a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Edinburgh City Council has committed £1 million towards the project.

A spokeswoman for the trust said: “We have appointed a design team to carry out a feasibility study for the complex.

“It will identify the costs for a short-term package of capital improvement works to bring the main auditorium back into regular use as a licensed venue for live music, performance and events, and for the long term re-purposing of the entire complex to a multi-space arts and community venue.”

Jack Hunter, chair of the trust, said: “We’ve had a lot of interest from promoters recently. They all underline the fact that Edinburgh doesn’t have a medium-sized venue like this. We want to take the next year to gain experience from major events to keep the profile of Leith Theatre up.”