A Golden opportunity for Tattoo

THE city's popular Tattoo Exhibition and Cafe has moved from the Royal Mile after bosses got an offer they "couldn't refuse" from the Gold Brothers.

It has relocated from its prime location at the head of the Mile at Castlehill to a smaller space inside its city centre HQ on Market Street.

Tattoo managers said the building's landlords Malap, Surinder, Galab and Dildar Singh – the men behind the Gold Brothers budget clothing and souvenir chain – made them "an offer we couldn't refuse".

In exchange for leaving their present lease, they have been permitted to occupy the space on an annual basis during the Tattoo period itself as a "performer rest area".

Gold Brothers will continue to trade by day, but the stock will be cleared away in the evenings.

Tattoo marketing manager Alan Smith called the move "a prudent business decision". He said: "Outwith August this area was effectively 'dead' space.

"This clearly reduces our yearly outlay on the facility, but it remains available to us during an important period of the year."

The Tattoo's move looks set to fuel tensions between the Singhs and the unit's other tenant Geoffrey (Tailor) Kiltmaker and Weavers.

A dispute has run between the Singhs and business owner Geoffrey Nicholsby since they bought the premises last year.

He has accused the Singhs of trying to undercut his business in an attempt to force him to default on his lease. They have previously described him as the "tenant from hell".

He said: "The Tattoo Exhibition was something that was desperately needed here."

Malap Singh confirmed their intentions to continue their expansion. He said: "We are very committed to Scottish tourism, to the extent that we are now taking a substantial loss on our own Scottish-made kilts."