The skirl o’ the pipes at the popular Royal Burgh of Dumfries Tattoo are to be silenced after the charity announced on Wednesday that it is over.
The charity’s board of trustees confirmed its intention to wind up and step back from producing the biennial spectacle, with rising costs, a drop in funding and too few helpers stepping forward being blamed for the move.
Its director of external relations, Lyle Hamilton, said: “This decision has not come easily and has only been made after significant effort has been made to attract a suitable number of volunteers, members and trustees to effectively run our charity.
“Additionally, like all in our community, we are feeling the pinch of rising costs driven by inflation, coupled with purse strings tightening by funding bodies.
“We ask, as a team, that you reflect on the good times that the tattoo has brought to our community, celebrate our successes and look back on our events fondly, as we will.”
He added: “Without the ongoing support of our community we would not have been able to produce the spectacle that has come to be attributed to the Dumfries Tattoo.”
Founded in 2012, the festival grew from a small community affair on a town centre car park to become one of the region’s flagship events.
Last year it was held in the Crichton grounds with, for the first time, a ceilidh afterwards in the Easterbrook Hall.
The outdoor spectacle has brought thousands of visitors from across the globe to the region and attracted famous names such as The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Pipes and Drums of the Royal Corps of Signals, The British Army Band Catterick, The Pipes and Drums of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland and The Police Scotland Federation Pipe Band.
It has also given young musicians and dancers from the region the opportunity to perform on stage alongside such nationally and internationally-acclaimed performers.
Performance director, Gavin Gillon-Maxwell, who was part of the original team who first set the event up in 2012 said: “Over the years we have seen so many acclaimed professional performers grace the streets of Dumfries – seldom is such a display of military massed pipes and drums seen outside the Edinburgh Tattoo. My thanks go to all the performers who have worked with us over the years to build the spectacle of the tattoo to the event that it is known and loved.”
Chairman of the board, Stuart Robb said: “The tattoo has been a hit with the community for many years and we are incredibly proud of everything that has been achieved.”
South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said: “I have attended the event for many years with my family and it has always been a brilliant and well attended occasion that adds to the towns events calendar.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the organisers and volunteers who have devoted their time and efforts to making this event such a success, and they should be very proud of what they have achieved.”
