One of Scotland’s oldest institutions has opened its doors for travel agents, event agents, hoteliers and the tourism industry to experience a new attraction before it opens to the public.
The historic Playfair Building at Surgeons’ Hall in Edinburgh is allowing industry experts and visitors the chance to sample food, music and entertainment which will soon be available for up to 16,000 visitors per year.
The event will be hosted by Bill Barclay, and a show will have bagpiping, Scottish musicians including accordionist Gordon Pattullo and fiddler Iain Anderson and a traditional display of Scottish dancers from the Angela Forsyth Dancers.
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is one of the world’s oldest medical institutions, founded in 1505 after receiving a Royal Seal of Cause from the town council which was ratified by King James IV 1506.
Scott Mitchell, the commercial director at Surgeon’s Hall said: “This has the potential to be one of the biggest dedicated events for visitors to Edinburgh that has been launched in years. We are determined to get it right, so it is essential for us to ensure the first people to test it out are those experts most deeply embedded in Scotland’s tourism industry."
The evening is the latest development of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Commercial Enterprises, and the event aims to sell and manages all commercial activities held within the College Campus, including the four-star, 77-bedroom hotel, Ten Hill Place. All profits support the charitable aims of the College which are education, assessment and advancement in surgery.
The events will officially be open to the public in May with tickets priced at £65 per person, and will include the show, dinner, a taste of whisky at the Address to the Haggis and unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks.