Pleasance Courtyard

To locals, Pleasance is the slightly sleepy venue which mostly holds roomfuls of university societies practicing bongos, learning to juggle or carrying out some form of Zumba-yoga. But, to those who've swung by between the months of July and September, the venue is filled with fairground fumes of tasty hot food, throbbing with talent, and becomes a wonderful sort of mayhem.

The history of the famaous Pleasance Courtyard reads like that of many other successful Fringe venues. Launching as part of the 1985(!) Festival Fringe, the courtyard slash car park which sits between the historic Pleasance walls was transformed into a venue for all manner of entertainment. In doing so, an area of Edinburgh slightly bereft of Fringey goodness was transformed, and performers and audiences began flocking to the Eastern end of the Old Town.

Skip ahead 30 years and there's certainly reason to celebrate, with a dynamic and heaving venue which whips up a month full of gorgeous talent, fresh and established, all for the delectation of Fringe-goers. 

There also tends to be an excellent selection of food vendors, bars and pop-ups, so you aren't likely to go hungry while legging it round the premises to catch all the good stuff. A round of applause for Pleasance, please.

[Kate Pasola]