Cabaret Voltaire
Cabaret Voltaire is an Edinburgh music venue and nightclub hosting live music, comedy, club nights, and private hire events, with a dual-space format including the Cabaret Cafe. It operates as an official Edinburgh Fringe Festival venue under Scotsman Group.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Cabaret Voltaire does
Cabaret Voltaire is a privately operated music venue and nightclub located in Edinburgh's historic Old Town vault systems at 36-38 Blair St. The two-storey venue comprises a subterranean main room equipped with a state-of-the-art D&B sound system and tailored lighting (standing capacity 230, seated 90, up to 500 when both rooms open for club nights) and the upstairs Cabaret Cafe, a cocktail lounge and bar with capacity for 120 guests. The venue operates as a multi-functional arts space hosting touring artists for live music and comedy, recurring resident club nights (Midnight Bass, WIRED, FLY), and serves as an official Edinburgh Fringe Festival venue.
The business operates a diversified revenue model across five streams: bar sales across the main club and cafe, event ticketing via TicketWeb, private booth and room hire with bottle-to-table service, full cafe space hire for corporate and private events, and student midweek pricing. Go-to-market combines walk-in trade with online reservation channels (DesignMyNight for booth bookings, TicketWeb for event tickets) and a direct events team handling private hire enquiries. Customer segments span music and nightlife enthusiasts, University of Edinburgh students, private event hirers (birthdays, corporate, film shoots), and touring artists.
The venue is operated by Scotsman Group, a Scottish hospitality company, with Cabaret Voltaire functioning as a subsidiary under the group alongside the adjacent Cabaret Cafe sub-brand. Distribution is single-site, domestic Edinburgh-only, with digital channels (Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud, email newsletter, student app) serving as the primary marketing infrastructure. The company has no disclosed funding history, no patents or AI capabilities, and operates as an established, mature entertainment asset within its parent group's portfolio.
Cabaret Voltaire firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cabaret Voltaire
- Legal name
- Cabaret Voltaire
- Website
- https://thecabaretvoltaire.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Cabaret Voltaire is an Edinburgh music venue and nightclub hosting live music, comedy, club nights, and private hire events, with a dual-space format including the Cabaret Cafe. It operates as an official Edinburgh Fringe Festival venue under Scotsman Group.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cabaret Voltaire industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Music Venue & Nightclub
- NAICS
- Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nightclubs & Dance Clubs (THAFAEAC), Cabarets & Variety Nightlife (MPAGAIAI)
Keywords
Where Cabaret Voltaire is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cabaret Voltaire business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Bar Sales: Revenue from sale of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages across the main club and Cabaret Cafe spaces. Drinks menu includes cocktails, draught beer, and bottles.
- Event Ticketing: Revenue from ticket sales for live music performances, comedy shows, and special club nights. Tickets sold via TicketWeb integration.
- Private Booth and Room Hire: Revenue from private booth reservations (booth tables, mid booths, back booths, window areas) and full room hire for events including birthdays, engagements, hen/stag dos, and corporate functions.
- Bottle and Table Service: Premium bottle-to-tables packages offered for booth bookings, generating higher per-transaction revenue through dedicated hostess-led table service.
- Private Hire (Cafe): Full cafe space hire for events including product launches, film sets, and private parties, with AV equipment and fully serviced bar options.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Student pricing - midweek drinks |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Booth table hire |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Live event ticketing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | App-based student discounts |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Cabaret Voltaire product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cabaret Voltaire operates a two-storey live music venue and nightclub in Edinburgh's Old Town vault systems. Downstairs houses a multi-functional arts space hosting touring artists for live music, comedy, and club nights specialising in electronic, drum and bass, and techno music. Upstairs operates Cabaret Cafe, an easy-going cocktail bar with chilled DJ sets and acoustic performances. The venue also offers private booth and room hire for events including birthdays, corporate functions, and product launches.
Product overview
Cabaret Voltaire is a two-storey music venue in Edinburgh's Old Town featuring a subterranean nightclub with state-of-the-art D&B soundsystem and tailored lighting for live events and clubbing (Standing Capacity 230, Seated Capacity 90, up to 500 with both rooms), plus Cabaret Café—an upstairs cocktail lounge seating 120 with laid-back DJ sets and acoustic performances. The venue operates weekly recurring club nights (Midnight Bass, WIRED, FLY), hosts Edinburgh Fringe Festival events, and offers private hire across multiple spaces including various booth configurations. Product is available via DesignMyNight for booth reservations and TicketWeb for event ticketing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cabaret Cafe: A cafe and bar operation situated on the upper level of the Cabaret Voltaire venue complex.
Products and services
- Cabaret Voltaire (Main Venue) Subterranean nightclub and live music venue located in Edinburgh's Old Town vault systems. Hosts touring artists for live music and comedy, transforms into a nightclub for electronic, drum and bass, and techno music. Features a state-of-the-art D&B soundsystem and tailored lighting with 230 standing / 90 seated capacity in main room.
- Cabaret Café Upstairs cocktail bar and lounge space inspired by Amsterdam and Copenhagen hangouts. Offers laid-back DJ sets, acoustic performances, drinks receptions, and casual seating for up to 120 guests. Serves cocktails, draught pints, and bar service.
- Weekly Club Nights Regular recurring club nights including Midnight Bass (Drum & Bass), WIRED (student night), FLY (house), and Saturday guest events. These resident nights act as community anchors and pull regular crowds.
- Private Hire (Main Venue) Venue hire for club nights, gigs, and room hire. Includes multiple booth options (Booth Tables, Mid Booths, Back Booths, The Window) and Room 2. Features include fast-tracked entry, hostess-led table service, and bottle service packages.
- Café Private Hire Private hire of the upstairs café space for birthdays, hen/stag parties, engagement parties, film sets, and product launches. Includes drinks packages, cocktail classes, AV equipment, and dedicated event staff.
- Live Music Events World-renowned live music and comedy venue hosting touring artists. Official venue for Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Past performers include Ben Howard and Frightened Rabbit. Offers tech spec documentation for artists.
- Student Deals Discounted drinks pricing available midweek for students with valid student ID. Includes discounted pints, spirits, cocktails, shots, and slushies. Also features app download promotion with additional exclusive deals.
Quantifiable outcome
- Edinburgh Fringe Festival official venue annually
Companies that use Cabaret Voltaire
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Cabaret Voltaire technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature1 record
Cabaret Voltaire partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- DesignMyNightcoreDesignMyNight provides the online booking widget and platform for booth and table reservations on the Cabaret Voltaire website. Used for direct consumer reservations for private booth bookings and event reservations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Cabaret Voltaire competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Barrowland Ballroom: Glasgow historic live music and ballroom venue. Comparable on the iconic-historic Scottish venue positioning, touring artist programming, and large-capacity live format, but in a different city.
- King Tut's Wah Wah Hut: Glasgow iconic live music venue. Comparable on Scottish iconic-venue status, live touring artist programming, and discovery of new acts, but operates in Glasgow rather than Edinburgh.
- SWG3: Glasgow multi-purpose arts, live music, and events venue. Comparable on multi-format venue (live + club + private hire) model, but a larger, newer build in a different Scottish city.
- Sub Club: Glasgow long-running nightclub. Comparable on underground Scottish club programming and electronic/dance music audience, but a pure nightclub operator rather than a multi-format venue.
Direct peers
- Sneaky Pete's: Edinburgh live music venue and bar in the Cowgate area. Directly competes for indie/alternative touring acts and student footfall within the same Old Town micro-market.
- Summerhall: Edinburgh multi-space arts and Fringe venue with bar and event hire. Comparable on Edinburgh Fringe programming, multi-room hire model, and arts/live music crossover audience.
- The Bongo Club: Edinburgh multi-room live music and club venue in the Old Town. Closely comparable on format (live gigs + club nights), location, and student/indie audience mix.
- Liquid Room: Edinburgh mid-capacity live music and club venue. Directly comparable to Cabaret Voltaire on city, capacity tier, live-gig-to-club format, and student/nightlife audience overlap.
- The Queen's Hall: Edinburgh established live music and comedy venue. Comparable on the city, seated live-performance programming, and appeal to touring artists and comedy audiences.
- The Caves: Edinburgh atmospheric vault venue hosting live music, club nights, and Fringe programming. Directly comparable on the unique-vault venue concept, Fringe activity, and private-hire model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cabaret Voltaire social profiles
Digital presenceCabaret Voltaire financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cabaret Voltaire leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cabaret Voltaire subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Cabaret Voltaire funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cabaret Voltaire M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cabaret Voltaire
What does Cabaret Voltaire do?
Cabaret Voltaire operates a two-storey live music venue and nightclub in Edinburgh's Old Town vault systems. Downstairs houses a multi-functional arts space hosting touring artists for live music, comedy, and club nights specialising in electronic, drum and bass, and techno music. Upstairs operates Cabaret Cafe, an easy-going cocktail bar with chilled DJ sets and acoustic performances. The venue also offers private booth and room hire for events including birthdays, corporate functions, and product launches.
Is Cabaret Voltaire a public or private company?
Cabaret Voltaire is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Cabaret Voltaire founded?
Cabaret Voltaire was founded in 2012. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Cabaret Voltaire based?
Cabaret Voltaire is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Cabaret Voltaire make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Bar Sales are the primary driver. The others are event Ticketing, private Booth and Room Hire, bottle and Table Service and private Hire (Cafe).
Who are Cabaret Voltaire's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Barrowland Ballroom, King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, SWG3 and Sub Club. Direct peers are Sneaky Pete's, Summerhall, The Bongo Club, Liquid Room, The Queen's Hall and The Caves.
Does Cabaret Voltaire have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cabaret Voltaire.
What industry is Cabaret Voltaire in?
Cabaret Voltaire's product category is Live Music Venue & Nightclub. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAEAD, Live Music Venues & Concert Bars, with a secondary code of THAFAEAC, Nightclubs & Dance Clubs. Its NAICS code is 722410 and its SIC code is 5810.