Third time lucky for Douglas as Melrose goes all out

And organisers have gone one step further, by naming their Melrosian, who this year is Douglas Crawford, who will represent the town in the festivities and in other Borders festivals.

Douglas was meant to be Melrosian in 2020 and 2021, but the pandemic ensured he never got the chance to enjoy a full festival.

Festival chairman Rob Moffat said: “We are going full speed ahead with it all this year, and we think it’s right that Douglas gets his chance to be Melrosian at a full festival.

"It's also very important for the town.

"Like everybody else, we’ve had two years out, and one of two things can happen from that, it can either just roll on from where it ended, or it can be given a whole new lease of life, and that’s what we plan to do this time round.

"We’ve slightly changed the format, and we’ve named Will Owen as Douglas’ left hand man, and he’ll be Melrosian next year.

“Both these guys play rugby at Melrose, so as we didn’t have a Burns Supper this year [the traditional announcement night of the Melrosian] we announced it in the clubrooms on Saturday night.”

For Douglas, it’s been a long wait to have his time in the spotlight, but he says he is more excited than ever.

The 26-year-old trainee sports psychologist, who spends his Saturdays playing scrum-half for Melrose, said: “The Melrose week will be really special, and to get the whole community together will be amazing.

But I’ve been told by my brother Donald, who was Melrosian in 2015, that the experience of representing the town at the other Borders festivals is just as special, and it’s something I can’t wait to be able to do.”

Douglas not only follows in Donald’s footsteps as Melrosian, his father Michael and uncle Cameron, both of the J.S. Crawford building firm, fulfilled that role in 1984 and 1989 respectively.

The festival week begins on June 19, but election night for the Festival Queen and her court will be held in the Market Square on May 6.