SCOTLAND’S biggest film festival was plunged into darkness today after an engineering blunder caused a power blackout across the city.
Revellers attending Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF), who pay up to £15 for show tickets, were evacuated from host venue Cineworld after their film was cut halfway through.
The multiplex cinema, at Fountain Park, was forced to temporarily close its doors this afternoon following the Scottish Power gaffe – which affected 2,000 other properties across the city.
EIFF organisers apologised to festival film goers for the blunder, which left some customers enraged.
One movie fan wrote on Twitter: “Cineworld in Edinburgh has had a power cut – this could affect our day.”
Another added: “Half of Edinburgh seems to be having a power cut! There was one at Cineworld half way through a film.”
Cineworld took to Twitter to confirm: “A power–cut affecting a large part of Edinburgh seems to have closed Cineworld Edinburgh for the time being, more news as we get it.”
Edinburgh Film Fest added: “Power Cut at @CineworldEdin. Sorry for the inconvenience. Time for lunch, maybe #edfilmfest.”
The festival started last week with the European premier of Disney Pixar movie Brave, which is voiced by Kelly MacDonald, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson, amongst others.
Celebrities attending this year’s festival include Jim Broadbent, Elliot Gould, Robert Carlyle and Tilda Swindon.
Scottish Power was forced to apologise after thousands of Edinburgh homes, shops, restaurants and council buildings were affected by a faulty sub station to the West of the city.
Areas including Craigleith, Telford, Drylaw, Ferry Rd, Granton and Dalry were all hit.
The world-famous Edinburgh International Conference Centre was amongst those buildings affected.
Edinburgh City Council said their north offices were affected by the power cut.
Scottish Power said the power cut was caused by a sub station fault on Telford Road.
A spokesman added: “We had a power cut at 12.45pm. Around 2,000 properties were affected, although many had power back within minutes.
“The power cut was caused by an engineering fault at a sub station on Telford Road. We would like to apologise for the inconvenience.”
Earlier this year tram workers brought chaos to Edinburgh after they sliced through a major power line during the rush hour.
The resulting power blackout in March hit a major Scottish government building, the five star Balmoral Hotel, stopping its famous clock, shops, and closed the public records office.
