Location(s)

When fire destroyed the old Gilded Balloon, a gap was left in the Cowgate like a pulled tooth on the face of the Old Town. The pain was doubly felt by those Fringe veterans who had enjoyed many a rabble-rousing time and sweaty night in its dank, cavernous chambers.

Arts impresario Hartley Kemp, organiser of C Venues in Edinburgh, saw the potential and the symbolism of moving into the vacant lot where the building had once stood and struck a deal with the developers of the gap site to create a tented village venue.

After an inauspicious first year in 2007 where the uneven ground at the venue became full of puddles due to deluges in August, the venue came back with a bang. This year it returns with a skateboard park, along the lines of the Ocean Terminal Transgression Park, featuring extreme sports (including extreme unicycling).

There's also a beach. Yes, you read that correctly. C Venues laid down 250 tonnes of sand, pitched the beach tent, and donned hawaian shirts and straw hats. Venue organisers are planning on mixing sand castle and volleyball competitions with a programme of salsa and funk.

C Soco has a licensed cafe-bar and will be serving food and drink til late, as well as a black box theatre.

The Urban Garden connects via a ramp to C Soco at Adam House on Chamber St.

Depending on the progress of the developer's plans, the tented venue could be in operation again at the former Gilded Balloon location in 2009 before, in true Fringe style, the venue will disappear into the annals of history.