Edinburgh, 24-32 Calton Road
Bus Depot (Modern), Factory(S) (19th Century), Nightclub (Modern)
Site Name Edinburgh, 24-32 Calton Road
Classification Bus Depot (Modern), Factory(S) (19th Century), Nightclub (Modern)
Alternative Name(s) Studio 24; Calton Studios
Canmore ID 297803
Site Number NT27SE 6004
NGR NT 26455 73928
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/297803
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
Standing Building Recording (21 February 2020)
NT 26455 73930 A historic building survey was undertaken of the former Studio 24 nightclub at 24–26 Calton Road in Edinburgh on 9–28 January 2020. The works were undertaken in advance of the demolition of the building as a condition of the planning consent. The present building was constructed in the late 19th century as an industrial building, possibly housing two or three manufacturing businesses. It replaced a former early 19th-century timber yard which was itself located over the post-medieval backlands of the properties on Canongate.
By the 1930s the building was appropriated by Lady Haig as a poppy factory, and it retained this function until the 1970s, after which time it was used as a television studio, then a cinema and latterly as a nightclub and music venue called Studio 24.
Studio 24 closed down in 2017 and has remained empty ever since. The development will see the removal of the building to accommodate the construction of a new apartment complex. The historic building survey identified that much of the original internal divisions of the building had been heavily altered during the nightclub phase, where modern partitions had been added to accommodate a cinema and later a dance floor and bar areas, as well as staff areas, toilets and storage rooms. The original stone rubble walling, however, was exposed in many of the ground floor areas and the first-floor area to the S side, where blocked openings provided evidence of the original layout of the building. A modern extension was added to the structure in the 20th century, which provided kitchen facilities for the nightclub to the S side of the ground floor.
Archive: NRHE (intended)
Funder: Calton Studio LLP
Diana Sproat and Jamie Humble − AOC Archaeology Group
(Source: DES Vol 21)
OASIS ID: aocarcha1-385112
Archaeological Evaluation (14 October 2020)
NT 26455 73930 AOC An evaluation was undertaken, on 14 October 2020, of the site of the former Studio 24 nightclub and music venue at Nos 24–26 Calton Road in Edinburgh.
The area of the site available to trenching was extremely limited, as such a single 2 x 13m trench was excavated running NNW–SSE from the northern edge of the site. Five walls were uncovered within the trenching area, three of these lay below concrete and outside the area of the recently demolished 19th-century building that stood along the N edge of the site. These three walls are not depicted on any maps of the area and represent previously unknown archaeology within the development area. Probable 18th-century midden deposits containing green glaze ceramics were reached in a small area between two walls. These deposits continued deeper. It is considered likely that further deposits are preserved in situ below the uncovered features, and further archaeological works are advised.
Archive: NRHE (intended)
Funder: Calton Studio LLP
Victoria Huggett − AOC Archaeology Group
(Source: DES Vol 21)
OASIS ID: aocarcha1-405886