Organisers of proposed Hawick funfair are forced to cancel the event

Hawick funfair will not be returning this year.

The Scottish Showmen’s Guild had aimed to set up a fair on part of the Common Haugh car park from Wednesday, July 14 to Sunday, July 18.

The funfair – which has been coming to the town every year for decades – normally includes a ghost train, fun house and children’s rides, including the waltzer.

But due to a combination of cost implications resulting from Covid-19 restrictions and scheduling issues, Alex James Colquhoun, chairman of the Scottish Section of the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain, was this week was forced to cancel both the Hawick fair and another planned for Carlisle.

Mr Colquhoun said he was “extremely disappointed” as he believes it is important to return funfairs to communities as soon as possible.

He said: “Unfortunately due to a combination of extra costs involved in putting the fairs on during Covid restrictions and not being able to secure dates that would be best suited to guild members wishing to attend both fairs, I am extremely disappointed to announce that the planned fairs in both Hawick and Carlisle will not now be going ahead.

"I can only apologise to everyone that has assisted in the planning of both fairs.

"This is obviously not the outcome we had hoped for.

"It is extremely important to get fun fairs up and running again but it must be viable for those attending and unfortunately we could not achieve this.”

The cancellation of the Hawick fair is particularly disappointing for Mr Colquhoun as his mum was born in the town.

He said: “There’s a little bit of a personal thing for me. The Hawick fair has been running for, I think, over one hundred years, obviously it was cancelled last year. We normally come for the two weeks of the Common Riding, that’s been the tradition.

"The people of Hawick have always been close to my heart and always welcomed the showmen.”

He added: “I’d like to thank everyone from Hawick and Carlisle that supported the guild and I’m sorry to disappoint you all but unfortunately we just couldn’t make it happen this time.

"Hopefully sometime very soon we can bring all the fun of the fair back to both Hawick and Carlisle.”