As well as being a stunning building to admire from the outside, New College is an excellent venue for hosting events as well. It stands on top of The Mound and so has an imposing look, visible from Princes Street and beyond. Like Edinburgh itself, which has old and new towns, the university has Old College and New College. Also like the city, both old and new are quite old indeed. The building dates from 1846 and houses the School of Divinity at the University. However, there are also rooms that can be rented out for events, and that's what brought me here.
Our ball happened in Rainy Hall, a stunning hall, with crests and coats of arms all around. Walking in through the main gate of the college brings one to the very Hogwarts-like quadrangle, which makes for some great photo ops. Once inside the building, all of the interior architecture also captures one's attention. However, I am far from an expert on this, so that's quite enough comments about architecture!
Rainy Hall is an intimate venue for events. It comfortably accommodated our ~60 attendees, but much more than this and ceilidh dancing would become somewhat difficult. Catering and bar service are provided by the University's own Edinburgh First, with friendly, efficient staff, and a good selection of drinks at the bar. The food quality is very good, though portion sizes leave a lot to be desired.
My recommendation to visit New College is twofold. As a tourist, the astoundingly beautiful building makes for excellent photographs. On top of this, for reasonably small events of up to 70 people, the Rainy Hall is an excellent venue to consider. read more