What's on where

Opera

February 7

Royal Opera House live presents La Traviata, Maltings, Berwick, 1pm (encore performance). Regarded as one of Verdi’s finest operas, this is one of The Royal Opera’s most popular productions. Tickets £16.75 / £15.75 concs, Child £8.75. Schools: student £5 & teacher free (min. 10 students). Contact the box office on 01289 330 999, or see www.maltingsberwick.co.uk (12A)

Music

February 5

Fifth February Feast of Music and Song, Eastgate Theatre, 7.30pm. Classical guitarist David McLeish, senior pupil at Peebles High School, together with Kyrre Slind, Brian Davidson, The Wednesdays choir, Tim’s Kitchen, pupils from Peebles High and many more guests, in concert to raise funds for David’s volunteer gap year in Malaysia with Project Trust. Tickets £10, £5 for schoolchildren. Contact 01721 725777 or see www.eastgatearts.com

The Indians, Buccleuch Centre, Langholm, 7.30pm. Ireland’s No. 1 Show Band. Tickets £17.50. Call the box office on 01387 381196 or see www.buccleuchcentre.com

Rolling Hills Folk Club, Darnick Village Hall, Melrose, 8pm. Featuring Tannara, four talented young multi-instrumentalists and singers. Entry £6 (£% concs). Free for Young Scot card carrieirs and under 18s. All welcome. BYOB

February 6

Boreas, Eyemouth Hippodrome, 8pm. Experimental folk from Scottish-Norwegian quartet. Tickets £12, from http://eyemouthhippodrome.org or by calling 01890 750099.

February 7

The Jenny Ritter Band, Buccleuch Centre, Langholm, 2.30pm. Accompanied by Ryan Boeur on guitars; Adam Iredale-Gray on fiddle; and Nate Sabat on double bass. Tickets £12 (£10 concs). Contact details as before.

Waverley Harp Trio, Kelso Old Parish Church, 3pm. An enthralling programme from three superb artists from Kelso and Edinburgh, finishing with Debussy’s great Trio. Tickets £12 (students £5, under 18s go free). Available at http://www.kelsomusicsociety.com

Kevin Montgomery and friends, Gordon Arms, Yarrow, 3pm. The Gordno Arms was the first place Kevin ever played in the Borders. He returns with Scott Poley on steel guitar and other stringed things and

Johnny McKinnon on piano. For further info and to book tickets, call, 01750 82261

February 8

String Theory presents Sally Barker, Tower Mill, Hawick, 7.30pm. Poozies frontwoman and former The Voice finalist calls in on Live music Mondays. Tickets £10. Contact the box office on 01450 360688 or drop in to the Visit Scotland desk.

February 9

Pupils of The Yehudi Menuhin School, Maltings, Berwick, 7pm. Talented young musicians from the world-famous specialist music school (for pupils aged 7-19) will perform a varied programme of piano solos and other chamber music. Tickets £12.50, (£10 Disability concs, £10 Student concs, £10 Unemployed concs) £11 Over 60s, Child FREE. Contact details as before.

February 10

Pupils of The Yehudi Menuhin School, Hippodrome, Eyemouth, 10.30am. See above. Tickets £10 (£8 concs). Call 01890 750099 to book.

February 12

The Legends of American Country, Buccleuch Centre, Langholm, 7.30pm. Europe’s number 1 country music tribute show. Tickets £18. Contact details as before.

Dance

February 6

Choreography competition, Eastgate Theatre, 2pm. Fiona Henderson School of Dance and Performing Arts presents the inaugural Evie Douglas Choreography Award. Admission free, but please book your ticket in advance. Contact details as before.

Film

February 5

Carol, Tower Mill, Hawick, 2.30pm. Therese (Rooney Mara) is a store clerk dreaming of a better life, who finds herself enchanted by a beautiful older woman – Carol (Cate Blanchett). Tickets £6 (£4.50). Contact details as before. (15)

Sunset Song, Tower Mill, Hawick, 7pm. Director Terence Davies’ exquisitely shot adaptation of Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s classic Scottish novel centres on the agrarian Guthrie family. Tickets and contact details as before. (15)

February 6

Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens, Tower Mill, Hawick, 3pm, 7pm. A continuation of the saga created by George Lucas and set thirty years after Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). Tickets and contact details as before. (12A)

The Hundred Foot Journey, Yetholm Film Night, Wauchope Village Hall, 7pm. The Kadam family leaves India for France where they open a restaurant directly across the road from Madame Mallory’s Michelin-starred eatery. Entry £5. Call 01573 420231 for more info. (PG)

February 7

Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens, Tower Mill, Hawick, 2.30pm. See above.

February 9

Sunset Song, Tower Mill, Hawick, 6pm. See above. Contact details as before.

Joy, Maltings, Berwick, 1pm. 7.30pm. Joy is the wild true story of Joy Mangano and her Italian-American family across four generations centered on the girl who becomes the woman who founds a business dynasty by inventing the Miracle Mop and becomes a matriarch in her own right. Tickets £7.75 / £6.75 concs, Child £4.75. Contact details as before. (12A)

Wild Tales, MacArts Centre, Galashiels, 7.30pm. Six taut, funny and emotionally charged short films with the common theme of revenge. Tickets £6 on the door. See http://www.macarts.scot/ for further details.

February 11

Les Anarchistes, Tower Mill, Hawick, 6pm. Paris, 1899. Brigadier Jean Albertini, poor and fatherless, is chosen to infiltrate a group of anarchists. Tickets and contact details as before. (12A)

February 12

Sunset Song, Tower Mill, Hawick, 2.30pm. See above. Tickets and contact details as before.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, Maltings, Berwick, 4.30pm. Alvin, Simon and Theodore have three days to stop Dave from proposing to his new girlfriend, saving themselves not only from losing Dave but possibly from gaining a terrible stepbrother. Tickets and contact details as before. (PG)

Talk

February 10

‘Piping Matters. including Northumbrian Smallpipes’, Glendale Local History Society, 7pm. Visitors welcome, £2 per talk. Live musical evening with pipes and a talk on their origin.

February 11

Climate Justice, with Pete Ritchie, Eastgate Theatre, 7.30pm. One of a series of talks and discussions exploring some of the challenges of climate change, and some of the ways in which we can work towards climate justice. Tickets £8, £6 for Tweedgreen members. Telephone to book a series discount.

Scottish Wildlife Trust Central Borders Group presents ‘North K2 Himalayas’, an illustrated talk by David Binns, Langlee Community Centre, Galashiels, 7.30pm. Non -members welcome (small donation).

Walk

February 6

Eildon Ramblers, Circular walk: Melrose - Gattonside - Earlston. Meet 10am Nutwood car park, Melrose. For further information and to register on the walk contact walk leader Lindsay Chalmers 02896 823831 or [email protected]

February 7

Scottish Borders Hill Walking Club, Cornhill to Coldstream walk, starting at Cornhill 10am. Shared transport from Newtown St Boswells, 9.15am. Contact group secretary Evelyn Horsburgh on 01750 76214 for further details.

Workshop

February 11

Galashiels Studio Club workshop, “draw or paint a clothed model”, Old Gala House, 7.30pm. New members always welcome. Members free/ visitors £4. Enquiries please phone : 01896 820023.

Exhibitions

February 6 - may 2

water Driven, Borders Textile Towerhouse, Tower Mill, Hawick. An exhibition on water driven technology from its early stages to the present day. Open Monday-Friday 10am-4pm, closed Tuesday and Sunday. Admission free. Call 01450 377615 for more information or email [email protected].

February 7-March 20

New to the Collection, Borders Textile Towerhouse, Tower Mill. View new additions of the knitwear that made the Borders famous to Borders Textile Towerhouse Collection. Opening hours and contact details as before. Admission free.

February 10-13

Jedburgh Hand ba’ exhibition, Jedburgh Royal British Legion club, open 10am Wednesday –12noon Saturday. Exhibition exploring the historic, and its links with a similar game, la soule, played in France.

Heritage

February 8

Family History Classes for beginners, Borders Family History Society, Archive & Research Room, Overhaugh Street,Galashiels, 6pm-8pm. Classes run for three monday evenings 6pm - 8pm. Starting any Monday until March 14 2016 to suit you. Contact via email for more information [email protected]

Pantomime

February 4-6

The Emergency Services Panto Group presents A Blast from the Past, Maltings, Berwick, 7.30pm. Join The Doctor and his companion on a fast-paced journey through pantos past as they race to save Berwick! Tickets £8 / £7 concs, Box (2 people) £24. To book, call the box office on 01289 330 999.

Market

February 6

Langholm Producers Market, Buccleuch Centre, 9am-1pm. Enjoy local produce from a wide variety of local stallholders all of whom bake, pickle, ferment, cook, butcher or make themselves. Admission free. Contact details as before.

Church group

February 3

Eyemouth United Congregational Guild, The Manse, 67 Hinkar Way, Eyemouth, 2pm. In a change to the advertised programme, this session will lool at health and wellbeing. Call 01890 751506 or email [email protected] for more details.

Bingo

february 12

Charity bingo night, Selkirk rugby club, 7.30pm. In aid of Marie Curie. Ticket price (£2) includes a light supper. Contact 01750 725564.

Open Day

february 7

Borders Pet Rescue Open Day, Craigsford, Earlston, 11am-3pm. The Rescue Centre is open to the public on the first Sunday of every month. Come and find out what we do and what you can do to help! Call 01896 849090 to find out more.

Attractions

Opening times may vary during the winter season

Abbotsford House, Abbotsford, Melrose: 01896 752043. The Historic House and Gardens are CLOSED to the public for maintenance from December to February inclusive.

Berwick Barracks: 01289 304493. Open Monday to Friday, from 10am to 6pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday. Admission £4.80, £4.30 concession, £2.90 child, £12.50 family.

Bowhill House and Gardens, near Selkirk: 01750 22204. Bowhill Estate will reopen on March 25.

Dawyck Botanic Gardens, Stobo, near Peebles: 01721 760254. Dawyck Gardens will reopen on February 1.

Dryburgh Abbey, near Dryburgh: 01835 822381. Winter opening: 1 October - 31 March, Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun, 10am to 4pm (last entry 3.30pm). Admission: Adult £5.50, Child £3.30, Concession £4.40.

Glentress Peel Visitor Centre, near Peebles. Top mountain biking trails, great walks and fantastic wildlife watching, visitor centre, cafe and bike shop. Call 0300 067 6900 for more details. See http://7stanesmountainbiking.com/Glentress---Innerleithen for details of facility opening hours.

Halliwell’s House Museum and Robson Gallery, Markey Place, Selkirk: 01750 20096. Re-opens on March 25. Open Monday-Saturday 11am-4pm. and Sunday 12pm-3pm.

Harestanes Countryside Visitor Centre, near Jedburgh: 01835 830306. Woodland walks, events, exhibitions, playparks. Open 10am-5pm daily.

Hawick Museum and Gallery, Wilton Lodge Park: 01450 364747. Closed until March 21.

Hermitage Castle, Hawick, Roxburghshire: 01387 376222. Hermitage will reopen on April 1.

Jedburgh Abbey: 01835 863925. Winter opening, 1 October - 31 March, Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun, 10am to 4pm (last entry 3.30pm). Admission: Adult £5.50, Child £3.30, Concession £4.40.

Mellerstain House, Gordon: 01573 410225. Mellerstain will reopen on March 25.

Melrose Abbey: 01896 822562. Winter opening 1 October - 31 March, Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun, 10am to 4pm (last entry 3.30pm). Admission: Adult £5.50, Child £3.30, Concession £4.40.

Old Gala House, Scott Crescent, Galashiels: 01896 752611. Opening hours March-May, Tuesday to Saturday 10am-4pm.

Sir Walter Scott’s Courtroom, Market Place, Selkirk: 01750 720096. Opening hours, March-April, Monday-Friday 10am-4pm and Saturday-11am-3pm.

Smailholm Tower, near Kelso: 01573 460365. Smailholm Tower will reopen on April 1.

The Three Hills Roman Heritage Centre, Melrose: 01896 822651. Reopens March 28. Entry £2; £1 school pupil or student; £5 family. Schools are welcome at any time.