Vast numbers of people enjoy Edinburgh’s extraordinary Tattoo during the Festival.  Most visitors however don’t appreciate that the performance also includes the construction and deconstruction of huge amounts of steelwork, taking up half the year.  During this time the views of the Castle and from the esplanade are obstructed, something as near neighbours we are only too aware of.  Kal Turnbull has come up with a solution; a permanent stone Arena.  This would be much less intrusive and of course be used the year-round.   The cost of a permanent structure would save money over time, when compared to the annual construction of the steel grandstand.   

 We have prepared a sketch of this.  Sinking the Arena into ground preserves the City’s famous silhouette.  It also preserves views of the esplanade with all its memorials and monuments, as well as the views of the Castle and of the city.  Beneath the Arena extensive and accessible facilities can be provided.  A key element would be maintaining pedestrian and vehicle access at all times.  

 The underlying stone is likely to be the fairly soft pinkish stone that much of the Old Town was built with.  This stone was of course protected from glacier erosion in the ice ages by the very much harder Castle rock.  With careful excavation, the stone might be suitable for the Arena’s construction, and this would meet our ideal of building materials being sourced from within 400 yards. 

For more information and to keep up to date, see Kal Turnbull’s posts.

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