New flags have been hoisted at Edinburgh Castle to mark the raising of the standard of the visitor experience achieved through a £2.7m investment programme.

The project’s priorities were to provide a warmer welcome for visitors, cut queues and make entry and exit to the castle quicker and easier.

Project milestones have included the removal of the old ticket office on the Esplanade to give visitors uninterrupted views of the Castle on arrival, the creation of a contemporary new ticket office and visitor reception area and the introduction of a streamlined new ticketing system to enable fast-track admissions.

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As part of the programme the Castle’s new branding and logo was developed, an official website was launched and new uniforms for visitor services staff featuring the new, exclusive Edinburgh Castle Tartan were also introduced.

Barbara Smith, Executive Manager of Edinburgh Castle, said: "All of these key developments have been carefully designed to make the experience of visiting the Castle even more pleasurable.

"The redevelopment of our admissions and ticketing systems mean that it’s now easier and quicker for visitors to access the Castle and time isn’t wasted queuing. We wanted visitors to get a great impression of Scotland’s premier attraction from the moment they arrive and are enabled to make the most of their time here exploring and enjoying all there is to see and do at the Castle."

Chris Watkins, Historic Scotland Head of Major Projects, who led the Edinburgh Castle Visitor Reception Project, added: "It has been great to see all of the elements of this ambitious investment scheme come together. Staff at the Castle and throughout many departments of Historic Scotland have worked extremely hard on this major project and I’m extremely grateful to everyone involved for their enthusiasm, support and hard work."

(GK/NS)