In pictures: Edinburgh Castle redraws shape of Tattoo with new arena

Published on Wednesday 16 March 2011 17:06

NEW images have been released showing how Edinburgh Castle's £16 million event arena will look when it is unveiled in the summer - as it emerged the value of the Tattoo to Scotland's economy is set to top £100m.

• A computer-generated image of a view of the seats from below the Castle

Organisers of the money-spinning event have revealed they will be able to boost the capacity for corporate hospitality events by 25 per cent from this summer as a result of the new-look arena.

And the Tattoo will be able to host gala receptions and major corporate functions for the first time.

A new glass-enclosed VIP area will boast unspoilt views of both the Castle esplanade itself and Castlehill and the Lawnmarket.

It also emerged yesterday that each seat will have 35 per cent more space - even though the capacity of the main arena is going up by about 100 to 8,700.

Portable toilets have been abandoned in favour of purpose-built facilities, while new "backstage" areas for up to 350 performers will be created in the new arena.

Independent research carried out in 2006 found the Tattoo was worth around 80m to the economy.

Tattoo sources yesterday said the new stand would help raise that figure to 100m.

• What Edinburgh Castle's new 16m event arena will look like this summer

About one in three tickets is sold overseas, and the 217,000 ticket sales from the event generate some 6m.

Plans to overhaul the arena - which had been largely unchanged since 1975 - were first unveiled four years ago, with the city council, Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise confirming funding by December 2009 when initial work on new foundations beneath the esplanade got under way.

Tom Chambers, major projects manager at the Tattoo, said: "Before, we had boxes for 121 people and a very small reception area that was effectively a corridor.

"Another fundamental improvement is that each seat now has about 35 per cent more space. There is more legroom and the seats are wider. Facilities have been greatly enhanced, including built-in toilets with hot and cold running water. It's a huge step up from the old loos.

"We've improved the production amenities, so there's a lot more room for lighting and sound equipment. There are also new rest areas for about 350 performers.

"Although temporary structures, the time it takes to erect and dismantle will be substantially reduced, freeing up the esplanade for more of the year.

"These improvements are critical for us. Without their implementation we wouldn't have been able to continue the Tattoo on the esplanade in its present form."