One of the Fringe’s most luxurious venues is back for 2024 with a bigger and better line-up than ever before.
The Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), which transforms into Pleasance at EICC during the Fringe, is partnering with an array of high-profile local businesses to create a dining and drinking hub in the heart of the city during August, to complement its stellar line up of world-renowned artists.
In collaboration with catering partner, Leith’s, the event catering division of Compass Scotland, the EICC will have a street food style offering, serving festival favourites, tacos, toasties and waffles. Toasties will be on offer throughout the day, with tacos and waffles available from 4pm.
The food is in line with Compass Scotland and the EICC’s commitment to sustainability, showcasing Scottish produce and working with local suppliers. Toastie options include venison, haggis and masses of local cheese, while taco flavours include fish and plant-based, banana blossom. Waffles will be available, with sweet and savoury toppings, including Cranachan, Biscoffee and Blue cheese and fig.
Enhancing the food options, the EICC is working with much-loved local partners, including Johnnie Walker, Cold Town Beer and The Little Parlour from South Queensferry; as well as Aperol and London Essence from further afield. The partners are working collaboratively, and the chef at the EICC has worked with Cold Town Beer and Johnnie Walker to create bespoke dips for the toasties, while London Essence has formulated a range of perfect serves with Johnnie Walker.
Johnnie Walker will bring a modern whisky vibe to the venue. A ‘grabber’ games machine offering merchandise and discount prizes and a Skee ball machine will be providing entertainment. Visitors will also be able to enjoy Johnnie Walker’s ‘perfect serves’, Johnnie & Ginger (Johnnie Walker Black, London Essence Ginger Ale), Pina Colada Highball (Johnnie Walker Black Label, London Essence Roasted Pineapple Soda, Coconut Water & Lime) Brown Derby Highball (Johnnie Walker Black, London Essence Grapefruit Soda, Honey Syrup). Meanwhile, Aperol is bringing the outside inside, with a Spritz Garden.
Cold Town Beer will be providing freshly brewed local beer, aligning perfectly with the EICC’s sustainable approach to hospitality, as the beer is brewed just half a mile away at the Grassmarket venue – keeping travel extremely low and championing local supply. Cold Town Beer is also working with the EICC creating ‘reverse stencilling’ to promote the partnership, getting the details out to audiences through the use of biodegradable paint on surrounding paving slabs.
In addition, Cold Town Beer will be hosting ‘meet the brewer’ sessions on Thursday 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd August from 7:45pm to 8:45pm and Sunday 4th and 11th August from 5:30pm to 6:30pm, allowing visitors to sample the beers and ask some burning questions.
With a new outdoor seating area, the EICC can cater for any weather, offering a sunny corner of the Capital or maintaining the Festival atmosphere in a safe haven from the rain.
The line up of shows at the venue for 2024 includes the return of sell-out shows from 2023, Trainspotting Live and Sh!t-faced Shakespeare, along with Italian illusionist, Arturo Brachetti with SOLO; a new show from Miriam Margolyes; and Buffy Revamped, among others.
The first shows for the Fringe at the EICC begin on 31 July and run until 25 August.
Claire McHardy, Leith’s General Manager at EICC said: “We’ve got a fantastic food and drink offering this year – along with a full range of incredible shows. Our chefs have been working hard over the last few months to create mouth-watering items for the street food stalls. The tacos are always a favourite; the waffles are impossible to resist, and we’ve perfected the toasties to ensure an unbeatable cheese pull!
“We’re bringing all the fun and atmosphere of George Square into our world-class venue – so whatever the weather, we’ve got audiences covered and entertained. We can’t wait to get started!”
David Hay, Managing Director of Compass Scotland added: “August in Edinburgh is like nowhere else – it’s little wonder people flock from all over the world to experience it. We’re proud that the EICC is playing a central role in entertaining the visitors to the Capital and working with such amazing partners, with everyone pulling out the stops to make the EICC a destination for all to enjoy.”
Marshall Dallas, Chief Executive at EICC, said: “We’re really excited about what’s on here at Pleasance at EICC this August – from the diverse line-up of artists to our exceptional street food and bar offering. Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do at the EICC, so we’re thrilled to be partnering with a collection of well-loved local food and drink brands to create something really special for visitors and locals as they enjoy this year’s Fringe.”
Under the brand Leith’s, Compass has been catering partner at EICC since it opened in 1995. Working collaboratively, they continuing to enhance the food offering to focus on sustainable, local Scottish produce in line with the company’s journey to net zero.
