The Hub

The world’s most prestigious arts festival now has a permanent home

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that matches its reputation. On Monday 5 July, Edinburgh International Festival moves into The Hub, the former Highland Tolbooth at the top of the Royal Mile. Officially opened by the . Queen the following day, The Hub will . house a ticket centre, cafe, specialist . 1 music and book shop, as well as some splendid art works integrated into the - redesign of this Grade A listed Jen m E building. Anyone buying a ticket for a Festival event on the first day of business will receive a free day’s membership to The Festival Club, which will transform the building every evening come August. The Hub, Cast/ehi/l, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, 0737 473 2000, opens on Mon 5 Jul. See art listings, page 89.

A.A. Gill

A.A. Gill goes out of his way to get under people's skin. Gordon Ramsay chucked him out of his restaurant after a particularly vicious review and Mariella Frostrup castigated him for making light of Susan George’s rape in Straw Dogs. The Edinburgh-born, ex-male model and quasi-Dandy is set to annoy everyone with his new novel Starcrossed which asks some pertinent questions. Is fame the beauty parlour of the dead? Can the gods fall in love? Should a poet fuck with his muse? And so on. Starcrossed is published by Doubleday on Thu 8 Jul priced f 9. 99.

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