Edinburgh City Council proposes to carry out a £12m refurbishment of the Assembly Rooms in central Edinburgh.

The publicly owned, 18th century venue on George Street in the New Town hosts year-round cultural events, such as ceilidhs, fairs and exhibitions, as well as performances by the Assembly Theatre during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and winter festivities held during the New Year ‘hogmanay’ celebrations.

The anticipated revamp intends to restore the Music Hall and Ballroom to their former glory, complete with new flexible seating, sound proofing and substantial acoustic improvements.

A new restaurant and a permanent bar will also be established , as well as a permanent visitor information area.

In addition, the facade will be enhanced and clearly signed to highlight the historical importance of the building to local people and visitors alike.

The initial £6m investment will be borrowed from the Prudential Framework, while the remainder of the funding will likely come from the Cities Growth Fund, Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian, the Scottish Arts Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Scotland.

The council will shortly appoint a design team and carry out initial fundraising, before submitting listed-building and planning consents in summer 2008.

The 22-month construction period is expected to commence on site in September 2010, with completion anticipated in time to kick off the 2012 summer festival season.