Coronavirus forces cancellation of two more Borders festivals at Galashiels and Innerleithen

2019 Galashiels Braw Lad Robbie Lowrie leads the gallop up the town's Scott Street at last year's gathering.

Both Galashiels Braw Lads’ Gathering and Innerleithen’s St Ronan’s Border Games have now bowed to the seemingly inevitable and decided against pressing ahead with their events this year.

Those abandonments follow the scrapping of this year’s Jethart Callant’s Festival earlier today, the first event to be removed from the region’s common riding calendar for 2020.

More are certain to follow, given the Scottish Government’s guidance against convening gatherings of more than 500 people.

A spokesperson for the gathering said: “In line with advice from the government, we have taken the unfortunate decision to cancel this years braw lads’ gathering in its entirety.”

Stewart Wilson and Keith Belleville, joint secretaries of the Innerleithen event, added: “It is with deep regret that we have taken the decision to cancel all spring and summer events associated with St Ronan’s Border Games 2020, namely our April coffee morning,May introduction night and all games week events inJuly.

“This decision has been made using clear guidance received from Scottish Borders Council and a multi-agency safety advisory group which we completely agree with and respect.

“Our aim each year is to enjoy the health, safety and enjoyment of our townsfolk and visitors during the festival, and this year’s Covid-19 pandemic makes it impossible for us to guarantee those aims.

“The severity of the situation that has brought about our announcement today can be quantified by the fact that the games have run every year since their inception in 1827, only ever being cancelled in the past during the Crimean and first and second world wars.”