Southside Community Centre

The Southside Community Centre is a community centre in the Southside, Edinburgh, Scotland. The centre opened in 1986 and occupies the former Nicolson Street Church, which was completed in 1820. Nicolson Street Church originated in 1747 when Adam Gib led the majority of his congregation out of the Secession Church at Bristo in opposition to the Burgher Oath. For this reason, Robert Small called the congregation "the mother Secession Church in Edinburgh". Their first permanent meeting place was a simple building off Crosscauseway. This was replaced by the current building on the same site during the ministry of lexicographer John Jamieson. A succession of denominational unions saw the congregation join the United Secession Church in 1820, the United Presbyterian Church in 1847, the United Free Church in 1900, and the Church of Scotland in 1929. Once a fashionable society church, the congregation faced decline in the post-war years and merged with Buccleuch and Charteris-Pleasance in 1969 to form Kirk o' Field Parish Church. The building was sold to the corporation and, after a period as a furniture saleroom, reopened as the Southside Community Centre in 1986. Managed jointly by the city council and the South Side Association, the centre continues to house a range of community facilities and groups. During the Edinburgh Fringe, it is used as a venue under the name Zoo Southside. The building was constructed in 1820 to a perpendicular Gothic design by James Gillespie Graham. It was gutted by fire and reconstructed by John Ross McKay in 1932. The building was gutted and partitioned internally ahead of its reopening as the Southside Community Centre in 1986. It has been a Category B listed building since 8 September 2003.