A further six-month delay in the refurbishment of the Scottish capital's main concert hall has forced the Royal Scottish National Orchestra to cut its 2008/9 Edinburgh season and revert to the Festival Theatre, temporary venue for the season just ended.

The Usher Hall has been closed for a much needed overhaul and will open briefly for this year's Edinburgh Festival, though with a warning that it will show some signs of being a building site.

Last year's regular Sunday evening Festival Theatre slot is no longer available and the RSNO concerts will take place on varying days.

The season's opening concert, set for Friday, October 3 in the Usher Hall, will now take place in the Festival Theatre on Wednesday, October 1. Some planned Edinburgh concerts have been dropped because the Festival Theatre is already fully booked on the necessary dates and the RSNO will only return to its natural Edinburgh home for the last two concerts of the season in May 2009.

Chief Executive Simon Woods said:"The RSNO is indebted to Festival City Theatres who have bent over backwards to provide a solution during this time. The RSNO had a fantastic season there last year and we are all delighted to be working with them once again."

"The Usher Hall redevelopment is crucial for the RSNO in a moment in our history when we are thriving and audiences are growing. Whilst the unforeseen challenges with the project are unfortunate, we are very pleased that we have been able to relocate to the Edinburgh Festival Theatre for the majority of our 2008-9 Season, so that we can continue to bring world class symphonic music to Edinburgh through this period."

The RSNO's Edinburgh concerts brochure will be available from Wednesday 25 June, when subscriptions go on sale through the Festival City Theatres Box Office on 0131 529 6000.