Parliamentary News Release

046/2004

7 September 2004

Holyrood’s First Day of Business

The Scottish Parliament today welcomed over 900 visitors to the historic first sitting of MSPs in the new Holyrood complex.

The main debating Chamber’s viewing gallery was full to capacity for the opening debate. Two hundred guests had booked their seats in advance and the remaining 25 seats were allocated to the first members of the public through the doors.

While the focus was on the MSPs getting the debate underway in the main Chamber, the first day of business was also keenly anticipated by hundreds of Parliament staff, all with important jobs to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the parliament.

With hundreds of guests making their first visit to Holyrood, it meant a busy opening morning for the Parliament’s visitor services team.

David Brownlie-Marshall was one of the five visitor services officers to greet the members of the public as they entered the main public area.

After the morning session visitors had taken their seats, he said: “It seems to have been going very smoothly.

“I wasn’t nervous at all about this being the first day of business. We’ve all been looking forward to today and we’ve done our training run, so we were ready.”

Visitors began streaming through the Parliament’s main entrance just after 9am.

One of the first to arrive was Mike Dougan, visitor services assistant manager at Our Dynamic Earth, which neighbours the Parliamentary complex.

Mr Dougan was invited over to take in the sights and sounds of the first day of Parliament, and, after watching the building develop from the outside, was impressed with what he found inside.

He said: “The parliament is really superb. I’ve been watching the complex going up over the last three years and it is as impressive inside as it is outside. I really like the main entrance, because the interior design is stunning and it’s so vast and welcoming.”

Visitors from all over the country arrived clutching their tickets for the opening morning, including Jane Diack from Banchory, who was keen to enjoy the Parliament’s first day in session.

She said: “I’ve been very excited about coming to see the new building, and as soon as I came in, I thought it was absolutely wonderful.

“I wanted to be here for the first day and looking around, I was struck by the quality of the architecture. It’s definitely something that’s going to last.”

Visitors were also drawn to the Scottish Parliament’s gift shop, where retail officer Annie Burgess oversaw a brisk opening morning of business.

She said: “Everything’s been fine today. People that have been coming in have been very impressed with the shop and the products we are selling. So far, it’s teddy bears and chocolates that have been the most popular.”

Security has been a key concern in the Parliament project, but security team manager Robert Duncan insisted there was no opening-day nerves.

He said: “Everything has been fine. We have been having live tests in the run-up to today and any problems that were identified have been addressed.

“This is a new building, but the way we have been looking at it is that this is the same job that we were doing when we were at the interim accommodation on the Mound, and everyone in my team has got the confidence and the skills we need to fulfil our duties.”

The first day of business was also a big occasion for members of the Parliamentary Prayer Scotland group, who, in their red blazers, have been a regular sight in the main chamber’s viewing gallery since the return of devolution five years ago.

Director Anne McIntyre led a group of 30 members, drawn from across Scotland, who took their seats in the main chamber.

She said: “We were keen to come here for the opening, and we’re delighted as the main chamber is absolutely stunning. It was momentous to be here for the first day in Parliament.”

Eric MacLeod

Media Relations Office
Scottish Parliament
EDINBURGH
EH99 1SP
0131 348 5389

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