The Peeblean: Friday 31 January 2025
Bank of Scotland closure, nail salon opening, self-storage containers development, Wee Crook reopens, Broughton Shop, traffic lights at Hillend, Orchestra for All, Come and Try hill running.
Welcome to the fourth Friday issue of The Peeblean. What a blast January has been - from launch to 600+ readers in three weeks. Scroll down for details of the amount raised for Peeblesshire Foodbank this week.
TOWN CHAT
The news that the Bank of Scotland is to close in Peebles on 27 May was a shock for the community this week. The knowledge that these changes are sweeping across the banking sector doesn’t make this any less of a loss for the town and the high street. The announcement also means an uncertain future for the branch’s five staff members who will be discussing their options with bank management over the coming days.
The Bank of Scotland website has published the specific review details for every branch facing closure. A ‘Community Bankers’ visit is proposed for a Peebles community venue but there are no details of how frequently this will happen.
The story features in the Peeblesshire News today - Lucette Wood, Peeblesshire News.
David Mundell MP raised a topical question on the closure in the House of Commons yesterday.
A nail and beauty business is taking up the lease of the RSVP shop at 78 High Street. For any bargain hunters out there, there are big discounts to be had on RSVP remaining stock over the next couple of weeks before they close in mid-February.
Emma at The Super Store (behind Costa) has announced that the shop is for sale as a going concern: “It's a turnkey profitable business still with growth potential. No qualifications or experience are necessary to run the shop, just a sense of humour, a kind nature, and an interest in food, health and the community.”
Councillors on SBC’s planning committee meet on Monday 3 February at 10:00. On their meeting agenda is a decision on a self-storage development of 85 containers at South Park Industrial Estate (beyond Harbro). Objections were lodged from Peebles CC and local residents. The land is zoned for business in the local development plan and this looks to have contributed to the recommendation to approve by the planning officer. Peebles CC have also suggested conditions, should the planning committee agree with the recommendation. The planning officer’s report which will be presented at the committee can be read here. This meeting will be streamed live via Teams and the link is on the committee web page.
READERSHIP UPDATE
Our readership now exceeds 600 and thanks are due to everyone who shared our post and signed up this week. We added 148 readers this week, so our donation with Gift Aid totals £93.75. Thanks for making this happen.
Foodbank manager Fiona has posted pics of empty shelves now that this week’s orders have gone out. You can set up a regular monthly donation if you’d like to help offset their costs. Between £300-£400/week is being spent on food purchases in addition to the donations in stores.
COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD
Orchestra For All is an opportunity to try playing in an orchestra, hosted by Peebles Orchestra. Open to all players of any instrument, any ability, and completely free. There are four rehearsals on Wednesday evenings in February (starting 5th February) in Priorsford School, and a concert on Saturday 1st March, 2pm, in the Burgh Hall. We're playing music from Star Wars, Doctor Who, and well-known classical tunes. For more information and to register for free, visit peeblesorchestra.org.uk/orchestraforall
As a follow-on from their youth celebration last Saturday, Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn Parish Church have a survey running about the provision of youth activities in the area.
AROUND AND ABOUT
The troublesome junction where the A703 meets the A702 just south of Hillend is due to have traffic lights operational by the middle of March. During road closures last week, Bear Scotland completed the preparatory installation of the civils and electrical works to provide power and control for the signals. They told us this week that the completing works to install and commission the traffic signals are scheduled for the week-commencing 10 March. If you are heading to Murrayfield tomorrow you may want to take an alternative route.
Heading west, despite the storm damage at Dawyck Botanic Garden, the cafe does expect to re-open as planned this weekend. Andy and Susie, the owners of the Laurel Bank Tea Room in Broughton, have taken over the Dawyck catering operation and are looking forward to their first season in charge. There’s a new art exhibition opening as well.
Their other cafe, the Laurel Bank in Broughton opened on Sunday 26 January and opening hours are Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00 – 16:00.
Along the road, the cafe at The Wee Crook reopens on Saturday 1 February and their opening hours are Friday - Monday 10:00 - 16:00.
Broughton’s community-owned shop has been temporarily moved across the street to part of the village hall for several months to enable a refit of the shop premises. With the works now close to completion, the village hall committee have put a call out to the community to come up with ideas for what could replace the shop in the space. Proposals should be submitted by Monday 24 February to villagehallbroughton@gmail.com
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Friday 31 January
Tonight at the Eastgate Kevin Quantum brings his magic show with a second show tomorrow (Saturday) at 13:00. Tickets still available.
Saturday 1 February
Hay Lodge Park Run this week is supporting Doddie Aid 2025
Morag Brown and Lewis Powell-Reid at the Eastgate Theatre
Beach Crows play the music of John Martyn at No.1 Peebles Road, Innerleithen
Seeds of Renewal retreat at A Wee Retreat with Suzi Gibson
Sunday 2 February
Whitmuir’s Makers Market 10:00 - 16:00
Barony Hotel Wedding open day 13:00 - 16:00
Song over Scotland - Music in Peebles at the Eastgate Theatre
Though the week, Peebles Carers Support Group meet at the Tontine Hotel on Monday 3 February and on Tuesday 4 Feb there is a Time to Talk workshop on mental health at the Eastgate Theatre (14:00 - 15:30). On Weds 5 February a baby and child first aid course is running in Cardrona from 09:30 - 11:30. On Friday 7 February, sensory storytime is running at Peebles Library from 10:30 - 11:00.
At the Eastgate this week you can watch Macbeth (David Tennant and Cush Jumbo), or get along to see comedian Stuart Mitchell. Full listing here.
NEXT WEEKEND
On Saturday 8 February there is a fundraising ceilidh for Priorsford Primary School and it’s the Friends of the Eastgate Quiz Night. On Sunday 9 February dog lovers should head to Hay Lodge Park where there’s a Golden Retriever meet-up.
A full listing for the weekend of Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 February will be included next Friday. If you have anything to add email planner@thepeeblean.com
BOOK AHEAD
Blue Giant Orkestar are performing at Peebles Eastgate Theatre on Fri 21st Feb. Fiddler Luisa, who lives locally, describes BGO as a “a tunetastic trans-European gold-plated instrumental hydra of nuclear brass, searing fiddle, pounding tuba, one enormous Russian concert accordion and a percussion section that could flatten your house.” They draw inspiration from Balkan horos, Serbian brass festivals, Turkish pop songs, Bulgarian accordion fireworks and even a spot of Scottish ceildh.
Scottish Athletics are running a Come and Try Hill Running day for under-13s at Peebles Hydro on Saturday 1 March from 10:00 – 13:00. The session is described as a gentle and supportive introduction and will be run by qualified coaches. Participants don’t need to be part of a club to join in.For older runners willing to travel, an U18 day is running at St Fillans in Perthshire on Sunday 2 March with mountain runner and Commonwealth marathon medallist, Robbie Simpson.
BENCH OF THE WEEK
This week’s Bench of the Week has recently returned to the town from Fife where it was in the ownership of a man whose father was the last British Railways manager on the line serving Peebles. He had bought the bench, presumably when the line was closed. Malcolm Bruce, who is leading the project to acquire for the community the old Railway Building in East Station Car Park, was offered the bench. In bits.
The good-as-new rebuild of the bench is the work of Peebles and District Men’s Shed. The bench may be relocated in future as the project develops but for now you can visit and sit on it at the Quadrangle (off the High St) in front of the Burgh Hall.
Peebles Library, Museum and Gallery are running behind the scenes tours on Tuesdays at 14:00 on the 4, 11, 28 and 25 February. No booking required, meet outside in the Quadrangle.
Bench fans might also enjoy this podcast by Tom Rosenthal.
Thanks to Malcolm Bruce for nominating this week’s bench. Email your suggestions to BOTW@thepeeblean.com
NEWS ROUND-UP
The funding plea from Broughtonknowe Community Woodland is on the front page of today’s Peeblesshire News. The group need to raise £6,000 by 10 February to cover their legal costs. Read more on their website.
There are calls for more to be done to identify vulnerable households and ‘learn lessons’ from recent storm impact on electricity connections. Mike Thomson, Peeblesshire News.
Tweeddale Area Partnership meets on Tuesday 4 February and will consider funding bids for local projects - see last Friday’s Peeblean for a detailed agenda. This meeting is viewable from the Livestream link on the committee webpage.
The SBC consultations on the 2025-26 Budget and on school holidays 2026-29 both close on Sunday 2 February so respond now if you want to express a view.
The Scottish Government has proposed additional funding in their 2025-26 budget for the new high school building in Peebles. The Scottish Government’s budget is expected to pass in late February with the support of Scottish LibDems and Scottish Greens and with Scottish Labour deciding not to oppose it. Mike Thomson, Peeblesshire News and Megan Bonnar, BBC Scotland News.
The next public board meeting of NHS Borders takes place on Thursday 6 February at the Scottish Borders Council HQ in Newtown St Boswells. It will be streamed live on Teams. Details of the agenda will be published on Monday.
Thanks for reading! If we have missed anything please add it to the comments.
The Peeblean
Just wanted to say thank you for creating this Substack. We’ve just moved to the area and this has really helped us find our feet. We’ve been to two events advertised here so far!