Where is the Tattoo Performed
Castle Esplanade (parade ground)
First Tattoo?
1950, 8 items and audience of 6,000
Tattoo Development?
14 million visitors, first audiences from simple benches, now new £16 million stands and hospitality facilities since summer 2011
Visitors each year?
220,000 visitors, 20% Scottish, 50% rest of UK, 30% (65,000) overseas
Broadcasting
40 countries and watched by around 100 million tv viewers. First in colour in 1968. In Australia traditionally on New Year’s Day
Weather?
Never been cancelled due to the weather
Performance?
1,200 performers each year. Since 1952 they’ve travelled to Edinburgh from 50 countries across 6 continents. Dress rehearsals at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh with the Castle Esplanade marked out on the ground
Lone Piper?
First lone piper: Pipe Major George Stoddart played in every performance for 11 years, succeeded by son Major Gavin Stoddart , director of Army Bagpipe Music for 11 years
Producers?
Lieutenant Colonel George Malcom of Poltallch (1950-51), Brigadier Alistair Maclean of Pennycross (1952-5), Brigadier Jack Sanderson (1968-76), Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Dow (1976-71), Major Michael Parker (1992-94), Brigadier Melville Jameson (1995-2006), Major General Euan Loudon (2007-10) and Brigadier David Allfrey (2011-2020). The role is now split between Major General Buster Howes as the CEO and Michael Braithwaite as the Creative Director.
Stands?
Erecting and dismantling the grandstands takes 12 weeks and costs £1.5 million. New stands introduced summer 2011. replacing 37 year old award winning stands based on Mero system as used for Germany’s 1972 Munich Olympics
Money?
19 consecutive years sold out pre covid, generating £10 mill in box office receipts and contributes over £77 million to the Scottish economy and £30 mill in full-time employment
Tickets an travel?
35% tickets generated through travel trade, large number of visitors for edinburgh. 70% of visitors to the Tattoo say the show is their sole reason for coming to Scotland
Music?
First commercial 12-inch stereo LP record was released in 1961 and today the sights and sounds are avaliable on DVD, CD and Downloads
Name?
Takes its name from the cry of inn-keepers in Belgium and the Netherlands over 300 years ago. The ordered ‘doe dem tap toe’ (turn off the taps) when the fifes and drums of the local regiment marched through the streets signalling the soldiers to return to Barracks
Charitable Objectives
- The royal Edinburgh military tattoo is the army in Scotland’s contribution to Edinburgh’s international festivals
- If tattoo generates any excess earnings, it distributes a substantial proportion of its surplus funds to charitable arts and service benevolent organisations
- Include those helping: service people with disabilities, stress, sickness, unemployment, homelessness, infirmity and poverty
- Charities: the Soldiers Charity, Seafarers UK, the RAF benevolent fund and Edinburgh International Festival
Sponsorships?
Effectively self-financing and recieves little or no Government or Council grants, generates income from box office receipts, merchandising, sponsorship, hospitality and royalties
- Costs risen at 3x rate of inflation therefore Sponsorship support is paramount to maintain standards
- Partner: Innis & Gunn
- Sponsors: Tilbury Douglas
Sponsorships?
Effectively self-financing and recieves little or no Government or Council grants, generates income from box office receipts, merchandising, sponsorship, hospitality and royalties
- Costs risen at 3x rate of inflation therefore Sponsorship support is paramount to maintain standards
- Partner: Innis & Gunn (beer)
- Sponsors: Tilbury Douglas (construction), Heritage Portfolio (Caterers), Bernard Hunter (Crane Rental), Motorola Solutions (Tech), Pickerings Gin
2022?
- Draw inspiration from those around the globe who despite physical seperation continue to connect and share their voices creatively through word, song, music and dance
- Over 800 performers from across the world
- Cultural showcases from: Mexico, US, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK
- Military: British ARmy as lead, Massed Pipes and Drums, Tattoo Pipes and Drums, Tattoo Dancers, Tattoo Fiddlers and musicians from UK Military Regiments
Performance Times?
4th: Dress Rehearsal 6:30, Preview 9:30
- Monday to Friday at 9pm and Saturdays (+Friday 26th) at 6:15 and 9:30
- Same 90min performance each night that concludes with short fireworks performance
5:30?
3 Radios collected from Programme Pod
4 Scanners from Information Kiosk
Scan Castle tickets
Arrive from 5:45, Jacobite at 6:15 Gatehouse at 6:30, Dinner Party and Royal Gallery Dining Experience 7pm
Lead guests on foot to the correct location and hand over to Benugo team
6:30
Collect Programmes and prepare Royal Gallery
Deliver programmes to Contini Cannonball and the Scotch Whisky Experience
Collect 180 programmes for the Royal Gallery and 400 for Premier Seats from the Programme Pod
- Place the programmes on the seats (if wet hand them out)
- Corpoate ones go in the gift bag
Put pre-prepared gift bags on corporate and sponsor seats (pink and green)
- Made in advance
- Stored in pod
- Seating plan shows kids
- Extras made up in case
- Supervisor informed of those made, used for corporate, sponsors and items in kids bag
Extra Roles
- Security check whole area
- Check VIP entrance and stairs, Suite, Seating Area, Toliets for rubbish
- Check toliet roll, hand towels, Check furniture and cushions
- Check windows and doors, flowers and pots
- Check royal gallery seating area
- Always use stairs
Staff Briefing
- 7:25 - brief on team roles and important guests,
study seating plan
7:30 ?
Take post at bottom of stairs
- Welcome Guests
- Stand straight - keep an eye out for VIP guests
- Politely ask to see ticket, scan and toyal gallery pass
- Most arrive from North entrance
