The Peeblean: Friday 23 May 2025
Peebles bus stop, Melrose 7s, Franco's Gran Fondo, Peebles Community Festival, school holiday dates until 2029, Beltane schedule, Care Home cafe drop in, Broughton Shop official re-opening
Welcome to Issue 20 of The Peeblean
TOWN CHAT
Jousting for your attention is Traquair Medieval Fayre on Saturday and Sunday.
Also this weekend, Peebles is represented at the Melrose Sevens - the tournament is being streamed live on YouTube and on radio.
Peebles Community Council are starting to explore the option of moving the main town bus stop from the Eastgate to the East Station Car Park (Edinburgh Road). The move is felt to be necessary to alleviate congestion on the Eastgate caused by waiting buses. Though a detailed proposal is yet to be presented (and the process could be be lengthy) this wouldn’t necessarily mean no buses stopping at the Post Office but could enable a rethink of the X62 service stops.
Meanwhile at Thursday’s council meeting, Council Convener Watson McAteer announced that 1,000 passengers had used the three new SBC-operated bus services in the first week of operation. Mike Kelly, Midlothian View.
Coming up on Saturday 31 May is the Peebles Community Festival. Though the wall-to-wall sunshine might have (temporarily 🤞) receded there’s going to be a real buzz around the town centre next weekend with giveaways, live music, market stalls and lots of family activities. The Community Festival is entirely organised and funded by Peebles Business and Retailers Association - formed three years ago to energise and promote Peebles as a destination High Street and support independent retailers and businesses. We can’t wait!
We’ve summarised all you need to know in a standalone post - why not share with friends and arrange a day out…
Chris Faulds has been appointed as the new editor of Border Telegraph and the Peebleshire News, replacing Callum Hodgson. Chris was formerly a reporter covering Alloa, Dunfermline and Central Fife.
I am just asking us to be careful that [what is recorded] is what the people say… because otherwise whose voice are we hearing?” Councillors discuss a new proposal for Community Conversations, read more below…
The Scottish Borders school holiday and in service dates for 2026-7 and 2028-9 have been confirmed. Links are below and we’ve also popped them in a scrollable post.
West Linton Community Council are calling for the SBC / Live Borders sport, leisure and culture assets review to make decisions based on “honesty, evidence and public input”. The full letter is on their FB page.
Event schedules for the 2025 Beltane Festival have been spotted around the town - we’ve added a pic to our June digital poster board. Posters are in date order.
EVENTS THIS WEEKEND
Saturday 24 May
Fiona Henderson School of Dance Junior School Show - Saturday and Sunday
Traquair Medieval Fayre, 11:00 - 17:00 on Saturday and Sunday
Plant sale coffee mornings in Eddleston (10:00 - 12:00) and Innerleithen Memorial Hall (sale from 08:00, coffee morning from 09:00). The YM Dancers coffee morning is at Peebles Rugby Club club rooms from 10:00 - 12:00.
The Blyth Bridge and District Tractor Run is leaving from Newlands Centre at 09:30, with an anticipated arrival time in Peebles of 13:00
Peebles Orchestra Concert on Saturday 24 May at the Burgh Hall - Haydn and Mendelssohn
Sunday 25 May
Christian Aid service followed by communal lunch in Stobo Village Hall (11:30)
Quercus Garden Plants celebrates 10 years since opening at Whitmuir
On Sunday 25, Peebles CC 55m Road Race leaving from Broughton Village Hall
Skippinish are at Biggar Rugby Club for their 50th anniversary celebrations
THIS WEEK - see our poster board for details
The Peebles Bank of Scotland closes its doors permanently Tuesday 27 May. A review by LINK has not recommended any new access to cash services at this time.
Eddleston Community Council meets on Tuesday 27 May at 19:30 in Eddleston Village Hall.
Shakespeare at Traquair opens on Wednesday 28 May
Drill Hall AGM on Wednesday 28 May at 19:00
Milne & Pickles / Wildwool ‘ Knit and Platter’ on Thursday 29 May (£15pp)
On Thursday, there’s a Step back in Time guided walk with a transport theme
On Friday, it is Kingsland PS summer fayre from 13:00 to 16:00
Friends of the Eastgate Ceilidh fundraiser at the Burgh Hall on Friday 30 May
WEEKEND 31 MAY - 1 JUNE
Innerleithen & Traquair Horti Society coffee morning (Union Club, 10:00)
Peebles Community Festival - Saturday 31 May
Walkerburn 7s tournament, Saturday 31 May from 13:00
Scones and Songs at the MacFarlane Hall, Saturday 31 May from 15:30 - 17:00
Roamers Wood Open Day, West Linton, Saturday 31 May from 14:00 - 16:30
Dawyck Spring Plant Sale, Sunday 1 June 10:00 - 14:00
Durty Brewing Quiz Night, Sunday 1 June
COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD
Peebles Care Home on Tweed Green is starting up a Drop-In Cafe for members of the community to come in and join residents for refreshments and home baking on the last Friday of the month from 14:00 - 16:00. Open to all ages and dementia friendly. The first one is this coming Friday 30 May.
Eshiels Community Woodland are keen to hear from any volunteers who could help with the splitting and bagging of logs on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June
Tweed Theatre are looking for memorabilia (programmes, posters, photos and videos) as they prepare to celebrate their 45th anniversary later this year.
BOOKING NOW
When we saw an announcement of Small Briefs come through we thought it was a reference to tighty whities, but it actually says Smail’s in Brief 🤣 and it is announcing shorter tours of the printing works in Innerleithen this summer - ideal for younger children or anyone with a shorter attention span. They also have a session called Open Drawers on the 13 June… 🙊
Franco’s Gran Fondo will be held this year on Sunday 27th July. £55 per person for the day including a choice of three routes, coffee and pastries in the morning and a meal to follow.
Doors Open Day in the Borders this year will take place on 6-7 September. The deadline for registering as a participant venue is Sunday 22 June.
AROUND AND ABOUT
The official opening of the community-owned Broughton Village Store after its recent refurbishment will be on Friday 30 May at 15:00. Lord Lieutenant Catherine Maxwell-Stuart will do the formalities and representatives of all funding organisations will be in attendance.
A second annual Polish/Scottish celebration is taking place at Barony Castle on Sunday 8 June. The event, "Connected by the Map", runs from 11:00 - 19:00 and will feature performances, Polish food stalls and outdoor games.
JOB VACANCIES
New vacancies this week at the vet school (Easter Bush), Barony Castle and West Linton Village Nursery.
NEWS ROUND-UP
As we reported last week, SBC is proposing to replace Area Partnership Meetings with a more flexible Community Conversation approach, believing this to offer a more responsive way of talking (and listening?) to communities. At Thursday’s Council meeting, councillors had the opportunity to comment on the proposals. Here’s our ‘we listened so you don’t have to’ summary:
Cllr Robin Tatler welcomed the move to ‘go to places that people gather’ and have facilitated discussions. He asked that the approach be designed to capture a diversity of voices and for this to be measured. He also suggested SBC shouldn’t exclusively set the agenda.
Cllr Elaine Thornton-Nicol (Selkirkshire) expressed concern at the sketchy details in the paper and asked for a timetable to be developed speedily. She also sought a reassurance that the community’s words would be reported accurately: “when you get someone to facilitate with the quiet voices, the unheard voices, what is said can be put into ‘speak’ and that’s not what they said and I am just asking us to be careful that [what is recorded] is what the people say and it is not written in a way to suit us. because otherwise whose voice are we hearing?”
Cllr Viv Thomson expressed her reservations about the paper which she said didn’t in her opinion reflect earlier discussions and feedback on the usefulness of Community Conversations. She specifically objected to the admission that the plan didn’t pass the rural proofing test when the Borders is a predominantly rural area.
Cllr Marshall Douglas said the general thrust was correct but expressed concern over SBC setting the agenda too tightly. He maintained the decision to scrap area partnerships was misguided.
Councillors also asked to be involved in decisions being taken on where to host events and where SBC could loop conversations into existing gatherings.
Borders Community Action is reminding all charities of new changes being introduced by the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) this year. They include publication of more details of charity trustees to make governance more transparent, publication of complete annual accounts, agreed procedures for dispute resolution and an accessible complaints process. BCA can support charities with their responsibilities under these new guidelines. They also support volunteering through matchmaking volunteers to opportunities, supporting workplace volunteering and collating details of funding pots.
Thanks for reading!
The Peeblean