Edinburgh Corn Exchange
A large-scale Edinburgh events venue combining a historic early-1900s building with modern concert, conference, exhibition, and private event infrastructure.
About Edinburgh Corn Exchange
Edinburgh Corn Exchange operates as one of Scotland's largest adaptable event venues, with six distinct hireable spaces supporting everything from concerts and conferences to weddings, graduations, exhibitions, and awards ceremonies. The venue combines original architectural features with contemporary production infrastructure and in-house technical capability. The same building operates as the O2 Academy Edinburgh for live music.
As part of the Academy Music Group and Live Nation portfolio, the venue sits within a major live entertainment network while maintaining a strong corporate and private events operation.
Why bookers choose Edinburgh Corn Exchange
One of Edinburgh's largest flexible event venues
The Exchange accommodates up to 3,000 standing guests and transforms between concert venue, conference hall, exhibition floor, and gala dinner environment.
Historic character with modern production capability
Original wooden flooring, heritage architecture, and period features sit alongside LED lighting systems, integrated AV, hybrid-ready infrastructure, and in-house technical support.
Multi-room operational flexibility
Each main room has its own entrance, cloakroom, and private bar, allowing simultaneous events or large multi-stream conferences to operate smoothly.
Strong transport links beyond the city centre
Slateford station is a short walk away with fast rail connections to Haymarket and Waverley, and the area is served by numerous bus routes, making the venue practical for Scotland-wide events.
Spaces
The Exchange
Flagship blank-canvas hall for major conferences and live events
The Exchange is the venue's largest and most technically capable space, designed to transition between concerts, conferences, exhibitions, banquets, and large-scale celebrations. The hall combines high ceilings, programmable LED lighting, integrated AV, and direct access to production and loading areas, giving organisers substantial flexibility for staging and branding.
State-of-the-art LED lighting system, built-in PA system, LCD projector and screen, video conferencing capability, WiFi, air conditioning, blackout capability, natural daylight, 3-phase power, private entrance, cloakrooms, bar, direct loading access.
The Baron Suite
Mid-scale event suite with heritage features and atmospheric lighting
The Baron Suite combines original wooden flooring and a star cloth surround with programmable coloured LED roof lighting. The space is regularly used for weddings, receptions, private dinners, and medium-scale corporate events.
Star cloth surround, original wooden flooring, programmable LED lighting, WiFi, projector, natural light, private bar, private entrance, available for weddings.
The Concourse
Central reception and networking hub for large-scale events
The Concourse acts as the operational anchor for larger events, connecting the Exchange to loading areas, catering, networking zones, and registration activity. It comes complimentary with hire of the Exchange. During evening events, the space transforms into a reception and bar environment using its integrated lighting systems.
LED lighting system, four plasma branding screens, two projector screens, bar, cloakroom, natural daylight, air conditioning, 3-phase power, WiFi, direct loading access.
The Bistro Cottage
Characterful smaller venue with private outdoor decking
The Bistro Cottage combines three interconnecting rooms with a private outdoor decking area, creating a more relaxed and social atmosphere than the larger event halls.
Outdoor decking area, built-in PA system, LCD projector, flatscreen TV, WiFi, natural daylight, air conditioning, blackout capability, available for weddings.
The Newmarket Suite
Bright conference and training suite for smaller-scale events
The Newmarket Suite provides a more business-focused environment for smaller conferences, meetings, and training days. Large windows and high ceilings create a lighter daytime atmosphere, while blackout blinds and coloured LED lighting support evening events.
Built-in screen, AV projector, built-in PA system, flipchart, bar, WiFi, 3-phase power, air conditioning, natural daylight, blackout blinds, available for weddings, alcohol licence until 01:00.
Bert's Coffee Bar
Informal breakout and social meeting space
Bert's Coffee Bar is a smaller informal space that appears in third-party listings and the venue's own materials, where it is also referred to as a rock bar. It retains original features from the building's former use.
All spaces at a glance
| Space | theatre | cabaret | classroom | standing | dinner-dance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Exchange | 1,500 | 700 | 700 | 3,000 | 850 |
| The Baron Suite | 400 | 160 | 140 | 600 | 300 |
| The Concourse | – | – | – | 650 | – |
| The Bistro Cottage | 80 | 48 | 32 | 150 | 70 |
| The Newmarket Suite | 110 | 72 | 40 | 120 | 90 |
| Bert's Coffee Bar | – | – | – | – | – |
Guest numbers for the layout shown. A dash means that layout isn't offered in that space.
Facilities & amenities
Catering
Approach
In-house catering is provided by Saltire Hospitality. Styles include working lunches, hot fork buffets, three-course dining, canapés, drinks receptions, Asian cuisine, and graduation dining packages.
External caterers
External catering is generally not permitted, although approved external caterers may be used in selected circumstances, particularly for weddings. Confirm with the venue.
Bars
Each major event space includes its own private bar. The venue's alcohol licence runs until 01:00.
Dietary
Specific dietary and allergen policies should be confirmed directly with the venue at enquiry stage.
Is it right for your event?
Great for
- Large conferences
- Concerts and live entertainment
- Awards ceremonies
- Exhibitions
- Christmas parties
- Graduation events
- Large weddings
- Product launches
- Multi-room corporate events
- Scottish national events
Less suited to
- Ultra-luxury five-star events
- Small executive board meetings needing boutique privacy
- Rural countryside weddings
- Events requiring large amounts of natural daylight throughout
- Events needing hotel accommodation on site
- Events relying on on-site parking
- Fully step-free rail journeys via Slateford station
Accessibility
The building dates from the early 1900s, so some heritage access limitations apply. There is no lift to the balcony area, which is accessed via approximately 14 steps. Slateford station does not have step-free access to any platform, although the station does have an induction loop. Accessibility provision for specific event-space configurations should be confirmed directly with the venue.
Weddings
Ceremonies
Edinburgh Corn Exchange actively markets itself as a wedding venue and hosts ceremonies and receptions across multiple spaces, including the Baron Suite, Bistro Cottage, and Newmarket Suite, through to full-scale Exchange receptions for up to 1,000 seated guests. In Scotland, civil ceremonies are authorised through the registrar or an authorised celebrant rather than a premises licence, so couples should confirm ceremony arrangements and registrar notice with the venue and the local registration office.
Scale
From intimate weddings through to full-scale Exchange receptions for up to 1,000 seated guests.
Notes
Wedding packages include event management, atmospheric lighting, private bars, and flexible catering arrangements.
Location & getting there
Edinburgh Corn Exchange is located in the Chesser and Gorgie area of Edinburgh, approximately 2.5 miles south-west of the city centre.
Sustainability
The venue operates under Live Nation's "Empowering the Earth" sustainability charter. Group-level commitments include a 100% renewable energy transition, zero waste to landfill targets, elimination of single-use plastics, responsible food sourcing, food waste reduction, sustainable transport promotion, and science-based emissions reduction targets. Venue-specific operational sustainability metrics are not currently published.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The Exchange accommodates up to 1,500 theatre style or 700 cabaret and is regularly used for major conferences, awards events, and exhibitions.
Yes. Multiple spaces are used for wedding ceremonies and receptions, accommodating both intimate weddings and very large receptions.
The venue does not have its own car park. There is a drop-off point at the main entrance and limited on-street parking nearby, and the venue recommends arriving by public transport given the adjacent Slateford station. Some older listings reference a 200-space car park, which the venue's current information does not support, so parking arrangements for large events should be confirmed directly.
Yes. The venue includes built-in AV, LED lighting systems, video conferencing capability, projection infrastructure, and in-house technical support.
Yes. Slateford station is a short walk away and connects quickly to Haymarket and Edinburgh Waverley.
Yes. The venue supports both single-room hire and full exclusive-use multi-room events.