New recruit at the helm of the Tattoo

Published on Wednesday 11 May 2011 13:15

'You've got to me before I've put my earring in and grown my hair." This was the new boss of the Tattoo talking. He'd caught me off guard too. No shine on my shoes, last pally with Cherry Blossom was when the old king died.

&#149 David Allfrey on the esplanade

Well, it was early doors. Gabbing in Brigadier David Allfrey's Market Street office at 9:45am. He's the newly-installed chief executive and producer of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo that will again be televised round the world to untold billions come August.

It's all so palpable. And it's genuine, his joy at clinching the job.

"'Are you running in the competition?' colleagues asked of me when it came up last autumn. I'd been a soldier all my life, I was 51, with four years before demob, the timing was ideal in some respects, so I compiled a CV," he says.

"I found myself on the short list, leading to an interview in Ramsay Garden and I became a civilian on May 3. Over the moon? Listen, I keep pinching myself wondering if it's all true, expecting a tap on the shoulder and a voice telling me, 'C'mon, you're dreaming'." The wake-up call sees him in charge of one of the biggest shows on the planet.

It's been a long road to get to Edinburgh Castle though, having been commissioned into the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in 1979, eventually going on to command the regiment from 2000 until 2002. Up until last year, he was commander of 51 (Scottish) Brigade.

As a young officer he served in Germany, Northern Ireland, Canada, Belize and the Far East, later taking his regiment through two tours in Kosovo. His last three years have been spent in Stirling - and now, here he is in Edinburgh.

We photographed him on the Esplanade the day before he and I met, checking out the ongoing construction of the new stands.

Work began last year on the 16 million project, which will ensure more leg room for spectators, better disabled access and upgraded rest areas for performers. The former stands are 36 years old and are based on the system used for the 1972 Munich Olympics.

"We'll accommodate 220,000 people as before, but with significantly improved facilities, seating and viewing. Scottish steel, imported from Aberdeen - you've seen the three huge cranes.

"We're having a special inauguration of the new stands on August 5." A VIP guest will open the arena in fact, their identity closely guarded until nearer the time.

The Brigadier, now 52, will be at the helm, in a manner of speaking, with the Royal Navy at the heart of this year's Tattoo owing to its nautical theme, which he has just exclusively revealed.

"Yes, there'll be a distinct whiff of seaweed about the proceedings, a cry from the odd seagull. We'll have the Royal Marines Band and naval bands from other countries.

"I've just seen in the Queen's Hall some Indian dancers - possible Esplanade material. And Spain's Consul-General yesterday discussed Spanish involvement next year. It's good to know the Ministry of Defence regard the Tattoo as very important. For us it's equally important we continue to sell and support our military."

David's taste in music is eclectic and his experience in the entertainment world strong. He has produced, or directed, many military spectaculars over the decades, including the 50th D-day Commemorations on the South Coast and the Scots Dragoon Guards' album Parallel Tracks, as well as playing a leading role in Edinburgh's celebrations of Armed Forces Day, last summer.

Although he can't play an instrument, he does keep blowing a trumpet for the Tattoo. "It's a jewel in the Scottish economy. I read it's worth 80 million. A boon to tourism.

"Myself, I first got to know it when I came up with my parents on holiday, we have relatives in North Berwick. Never did I dream . . ."

His own house is in Tisbury, Wiltshire. Here in Edinburgh he and wife Fiona, a general's daughter, have moved into a flat, convenient for him to walk to work through the West End and Princes Street Gardens. They have a son and daughter, Edward and Olivia, working in London. If he's not busy with work, or listening to music, you'll find him dabbling in the odd bit of furniture-making or watercolour and oil painting.

But what about the pipes? "Every barracks, every square, I've had the pipes - a positive joy to my ears."

We'd had half an hour, Brigadier David Allfrey MBE and I. Although he had another hectic day ahead of him he was still smiling. A good-humoured man. Time enough for me to tap him on the shoulder and reassure him this quite definitely is not a dream.

Basically a family man, his pride and joy, but he had omitted to mention his beloved George - until now. Something to do with the Official Secrets Act perhaps?

George is his Springer spaniel - 13 years old and stone deaf. "But we sometimes think he's just deaf when he wants to be and pretends," he smiles.

You could, I suspect, ask of the Brig, "What's it all about Allfrey?"... without risking a firing squad.

GOOD COMPANY

Brigadier David Allfrey is the eighth producer of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, taking over from Major-General Euan Loudon, who retired last year after three years in the post.

The first producer was Lieutenant-Colonel George Malcolm of Poltalloch (1950-51), who was followed by Brigadier Alistair MacLean of Pennycross (1952-67), Brigadier Jack Sanderson (1968-76), Lt-Col Leslie Dow (1976-91), Major Michael Parker (1992-94) and then Brigadier Melville Jameson (1995-2006).

This year's Tattoo runs from August 5 to 27 and looks set to be one of the best yet. For ticket details, call 0131-225 1188.