Tilbury Douglas, a leading UK building, infrastructure, engineering and fit-out business, has successfully handed over the grandstand infrastructure for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, marking the 11th consecutive year of delivering one of Scotland’s most iconic live events.

Working within the historic setting of Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, the Tilbury Douglas team constructed the temporary 9,000-seat stadium which provides the spectacular backdrop for the world-renowned event. The stadium will host 24 performances throughout August, welcoming more than 220,000 spectators, while an estimated global television audience of around 100 million people will experience the Tattoo from across the world.

The project represents another successful delivery for Tilbury Douglas, continuing a long-standing relationship with The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Transforming the Castle Esplanade into a world-class performance venue requires meticulous planning, close collaboration and precise execution, before safely handing the facility over ready for rehearsals and performances.

Construction of the temporary stadium is a significant engineering undertaking involving the installation of more than 800 tonnes of steel across over 6,800 individual sections. The project also requires around 1,700 crane lifts and the installation of approximately 35 miles of cabling to create the finished venue.

Delivered within one of Scotland’s busiest visitor attractions, the project team carefully planned construction activities while Edinburgh Castle remained open to around 12,000 visitors every day. Maintaining safe pedestrian routes, protecting the historic environment and minimising disruption throughout the build programme were key priorities, requiring close coordination with The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Historic Environment Scotland and the wider project team.

Barry O’Hagan, Regional Director – Scotland at Tilbury Douglas, said: “We are delighted to have successfully handed over the grandstands for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, continuing what has become a valued 13-year partnership.

“This is one of the most logistically challenging projects we deliver and its continued success is a credit to our team, supply chain partners and everyone involved. Delivering a project of this scale within the historic setting of Edinburgh Castle, while the Castle remains open to thousands of visitors every day, requires careful planning, close collaboration and excellent programme management.

“The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is such an iconic event for Scotland and it is a real privilege for Tilbury Douglas to play a part in bringing it to life each year. We are very proud of what the team continues to achieve and look forward to another successful Tattoo.”

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Chief Executive, Jason Barrett, added: “Thanks to Tilbury Douglas and our hard working operations team, our world-renowned Edinburgh Castle Arena is ready to welcome thousands of spectators from across the globe once again this summer. There’s nowhere more iconic for an outdoor show, and we’re proud to deliver our successful events, in partnership with all our important stakeholders, year on year right here in Edinburgh.”