Out of the Blue Flea Market

Out of the Blue are hosting another flea market at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall in Leith on Saturday 31 October, from 10am to 3pm. There will be more than 45 stalls of pre-loved items to dig through, so it's a good one if you're after a bargain and don't mind spending a few hours browsing. Entry is free.

The market is run by Out of the Blue, an independent cultural social enterprise that's one of Scotland's leading community and arts development organisations. Their whole thing is about giving artists and others who face barriers to creativity a place to meet, work, and develop skills, and then passing those on to the local community. The flea market is one of the ways they bring people into the building.

The venue itself has a bit of history to it. The Drill Hall was built in 1901 for the Royal Scots Regiment and was designed by Sir Rowand Anderson, who also did the National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street and McEwan Hall at Edinburgh University. It's been the trust's headquarters since 2004, and after the 'Gretna 100' project in 2015, which marked the centenary of the Gretna rail tragedy, the building was regraded from 'B' to 'A' listed. Since then, sustainable restoration has turned the former military building into a participatory arts and cultural centre, with artists' studios, rehearsal and performance areas, exhibition spaces, and a well-reviewed cafe.

So, if you're in Leith on the 31st, you can drop in for a look. The market runs from 10am to 3pm at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street, Leith EH6 8RG, and it's free to enter.