Custom House, Leith

Custom House, Leith Custom House, one of Leith's most distinctive Georgian buildings, is now a buzzing creative hub and hireable event space in the heart of The Shore.

Custom House is a new opportunity for creative people to build a buzzing hive of activity in the heart of Leith. We have a blank canvas for you to transform. Custom House, built in 1812, on the edge of the Shore, can be turned into a venue for your latest event, pop up, or become the home for your creative start-up. The inspiring and unique space at the heart of Leith’s vivacious creative area, wi

ll suit any type of event from the grandiose to the quirky. You will find a huge range of rooms for all occasions. The labyrinth of space includes two large main halls plus flexible space for studios, performing arts, meetings, conferences, offices, weddings, workshops, recitals, fundraisers, concerts, gallery/exhibitions, films, markets and celebrations. The building is reawakening from its slumber as a store for museum artefacts and is evolving from its early life as custom house for ships arriving into Leith. Scottish Historic Buildings Trust is the charity looking for interesting pop-up uses for the building – meaning that for the next five or so years the building really is a blank canvas for people to do realise their creative ambitions. All proceeds from the letting of the building will go towards its ongoing upkeep and future restoration. If you’ve always wanted to showcase your art work or rollerblade between historic rooms or just have a space to be creative – we have an area for you. Custom House Leith is the oldest custom house in Scotland. An A-listed Georgian Building designed by Robert Reid in a neo-classical style constructed between 1810-12 with alterations by William Burns in 1825. Custom House is managed by the charity The Scottish Historic Buildings Trust. A charity devoted to saving historic buildings at risk and breathing new life into them for the benefit of future generations. All donations to keep the building running and to give to it's future are greatly appreciated. to find out the best way to donate for you please contact Gail at [email protected] or by telephone 0131 220 1232
Or donate via Pay Pal at https://goo.gl/sCz253

Final availability for an office floor at St Ninian's Manse, a distinctive building in the heart of Leith Shore, first r...
23/04/2026

Final availability for an office floor at St Ninian's Manse, a distinctive building in the heart of Leith Shore, first restored by Scottish Historic Buildings Trust in 1998.

With origins dating back to 1493, it is thought to be the oldest building in Leith and is topped by Edinburgh’s sole surviving 17th century steeple, now equipped with the amenities you can expect from a modern workspace, all within a sensitively preserved historic landmark.

An office at the Manse is ideal for creative, tech, professional and charitable organisations.

Arrange a viewing by emailing [email protected] or calling 0131 510 7879 before the final floors are let.

Update: This Studio Space is Now Let. Thank you for the huge amount of interest! We still have final availability at St ...
20/04/2026

Update: This Studio Space is Now Let.

Thank you for the huge amount of interest! We still have final availability at St Ninian’s Manse, so please get in touch if you would like to view.

Learn more about the Manse here: https://www.shbt.org.uk/our-buildings/st-ninians-manse.

Rare opportunity! A large and bright studio/workshop available to rent at Leith Custom House, with 495 sq ft of space with very generous ceiling height.

DM or email us at [email protected] to learn more and arrange a viewing!

Cinetopia x Leith Kino present Fiends in the Furrows, a new folk horror film festival in Leith from 23-26 April 2026! Fo...
14/04/2026

Cinetopia x Leith Kino present Fiends in the Furrows, a new folk horror film festival in Leith from 23-26 April 2026! Four days of films, markets, talks, events, pop-up food and drink, and fiendish fun 🪾🐐

The event at Leith Custom House will be set up in our car park on the evening of April 25th and all day on the 26th.

Taking place at indoor and outdoor venues across Leith, and collaborating with a host of local partners, small businesses and creatives, pre-sale tickets are now on sale! 🎟

Gather round, ye fiends of Leith, and let's make mischief... 👹

Poster art by Theo Cleary.

If you hadn’t heard we are hosting an open viewing at St Ninian’s Manse for businesses and charitable organisations look...
10/03/2026

If you hadn’t heard we are hosting an open viewing at St Ninian’s Manse for businesses and charitable organisations looking for adaptable office space.

This will take place across two one-hour time slots on Thursday March 12. The first from 11am to 12pm and the second from 4 to 5pm.

There are currently two floors remaining to let. Please reserve your space at the viewing via the link in our bio.

The building was originally restored by from 1998 to 2002. Because SHBT is a charitable organisation all income from our properties goes directly back into preserving and improving the building, and saving other at-risk historic buildings across Edinburgh and Scotland.

We are happy to announce a rare opportunity to attend an open viewing of the historic St Ninian's Manse for businesses s...
04/03/2026

We are happy to announce a rare opportunity to attend an open viewing of the historic St Ninian's Manse for businesses seeking a distinctive office in the heart of Leith Shore.

This will take place on March 12 across two time slots - 11am to 12pm and 4 to 5pm.

Reserve your space here: https://events.humanitix.com/st-ninians-open-day

With its origins dating back to 1493, the Manse is thought to be the oldest building in Leith and is topped by Edinburgh's sole surviving 17th century timber steeple.

2 remaining floors within the building are currently available to let as adaptable office space suitable for a variety of business types and charitable organisations.

Matthew Wilson: I thought you were real. I am real. February 27th - March 1st, 2026, 10 am - 5pm Opening event: 27th Feb...
23/02/2026

Matthew Wilson: I thought you were real. I am real. February 27th - March 1st, 2026, 10 am - 5pm

Opening event: 27th February, 6 - 8 pm

I thought you were real. I am real. is an exhibition of new work from Edinburgh-based artist and educator, Matthew Wilson

Working across printmaking, sculpture, and mixed media, Wilson’s practice examines the replication and overworking of preexisting materials. His work delves into how the meaning of imagery and objects shift when they are deconstructed, repurposed, sampled, or overprocessed, despite core elements of their original form persisting.

The work in this exhibition was created during a residency at Dundee Contemporary Arts and the Royal Scottish Academy’s Collections Department as part of the RSA Residencies for Scotland 2022.

Matthew Wilson graduated from the Royal College of Art (2018), and previously studied Fine Art at the University of Dundee (2013). He was recently selected for the RSA Residencies for Scotland programme (2022), as well as the Scottish Artists’ Benevolent Association Award (2025), the RSA Benno Schotz Prize (2024).

The creation of these artworks were funded by the Royal Scottish Academy W Gordon Smith & Jay Gordonsmith Bequest.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Custom House for the Leith Creative Trail on Saturday.We opened our doors for ope...
09/12/2025

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Custom House for the Leith Creative Trail on Saturday.

We opened our doors for open studios, an art market, and Trina Bohan’s .bohan.art Skyscapes exhibition in the gallery - a lovely day celebrating Leith’s creative community in one of the port’s historic buildings.

Thanks to all the artists, makers, and visitors who made it such a success.

Upcoming exhibition at Custom House Gallery, ‘Girlhood’, is a body of work by Edinburgh-based artist Verity Amelia (), e...
04/11/2025

Upcoming exhibition at Custom House Gallery, ‘Girlhood’, is a body of work by Edinburgh-based artist Verity Amelia (), exploring the shared rituals that travel with young women from youth into adulthood - gestures of care, mimicry and connection that form early and become deep-rooted.

It looks at the quiet, familiar rituals that move with us as we grow up; moments that hold friendship, tenderness and memory all at once, shaping how we learn to belong and care for one another over time.

Timings:
11th to 16th November
10.00 to 17.00
Custom House Gallery

This October, artist Trevor Jones () will unveil EXPOS3D BETA at Custom House, a groundbreaking immersive exhibition tha...
07/10/2025

This October, artist Trevor Jones () will unveil EXPOS3D BETA at Custom House, a groundbreaking immersive exhibition that pushes the boundaries of art and technology. Blending physical and digital, the show will combine paintings, sculpture, installation, AI video, AR layers and more. Visitors will step into a dystopian, graffiti-filled church-like world that confronts the urgent themes of surveillance, faith, rebellion and digital identity. The exhibition will draw audiences into a haunting space where the sacred collides with the technological and where they will come face to face with LOGOS, the all-seeing, all-knowing AI.

EXPOS3D BETA is free but ticketed. Visitors must book a specific day and time slot to attend

Book a ticket: https://www.trevorjonesart.com/expos3d/
Welcome to the future of art.

Opening Times:
12-18 October 2025
Daily 12pm - 6pm

Celebrate creativity and community at Custom House this October.On Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd October, 10am to 4pm, ...
01/10/2025

Celebrate creativity and community at Custom House this October.

On Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd October, 10am to 4pm, Bethany Christian Trust will host a special exhibition marking the 60th issue of The Bugle.

The Bugle is produced by the Bugle Creative Writing Group, a welcoming and supportive community of writers and artists. Through themed sessions, members create poetry, short stories, articles, artwork, and photography.

This exhibition shares some of the group’s most recent work and celebrates the voices and perspectives that have shaped sixty issues of The Bugle.

The Creative Writing Group is part of Bethany’s wider Creative Expressions programme, which offers opportunities for self-expression, connection, and confidence-building through the arts.

The exhibition is free to attend at Custom House, Leith, and all are welcome to drop in across both days.

In partnership with Bethany Christian Trust

Join us at Custom House this Saturday, 27 September, for Doors Open Day from 10am to 3pm. Step inside one of Leith’s mos...
22/09/2025

Join us at Custom House this Saturday, 27 September, for Doors Open Day from 10am to 3pm.

Step inside one of Leith’s most historic landmarks, explore its rich heritage, and learn more about our plans to create a new digital museum.

Here’s what you can enjoy on the day:
• Leith Market () at Dock Place Car Park, with local makers and traders
• Open Studios, with artists sharing their work and practice
• Heritage displays, uncovering the story of Custom House and its future with SHBT

Free entry, no booking required. We look forward to welcoming you.

Location: Custom House, Leith, EH6 6LH

This summer we were joined at Custom House by two Saltire Scholars (), Hamza and Millie.Over the past nine weeks they ha...
12/09/2025

This summer we were joined at Custom House by two Saltire Scholars (), Hamza and Millie.

Over the past nine weeks they have explored Leith’s history, met with community groups and museums, and assisted in the planning of a future digital museum at Custom House - a landmark SHBT project.

Both spoke about how much they learned from the experience: “Through each meeting and visit, we have learned more about Leith, its history, and its people, and how technology can make Custom House the hub for learning, creativity and community that they are looking for”...“We are extremely grateful to everyone at SHBT for making us feel so welcome, and the wonderful opportunities this internship is providing us.”

We’re so grateful to them for their energy and enthusiasm, and wish them the very best as they move on to university and beyond!

You can read more about their time with us in their own words on our blog - see link in bio.

Address

67 Commercial Street
Edinburgh
EH67DN

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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