Selkirk Common Riding is a “community event that reflects the 21st Century Selkirk”
So said Provost David Anderson at Friday night’s Ex-Soldiers Association dinner dance and Colour Bussin’ at O’Malleys in the town.
The Provost was making his toast to the Royal and Ancient Burgh when he referred to the Association’s Standard Bearer, Fiona Deacon being the first woman Standard Bearer. He said: “I think it has surprised a few people just how smoothly and seamlessly this has been accepted. There is a view that because we commemorate our ancient history and traditions we must be antiquated in our views on things. On the contrary, I’m very proud at how inclusive our Common Riding is, with no barriers on the grounds of gender, race, or religion. It is a community event that reflects the 21st Century Selkirk and long may it continue to do so.”
He talked too about the future of the town: the good news of the Cross Keys opening as an office, meeting room and exhibition place, set against the bad of NGT closing.
He continued: “The example of adapting the use of the Cross Keys shows that any setback can be seen as an opportunity for someone else. Let’s hope a new use can also be found for the NGT building. Dare I say it, it’s just about the right size for an indoor sports pitch, without any problems over parking and access?”
He revealed he met the council’s museum service staff who gave him a list of memorabilia the service holds for Selkirk.
And he told diners: “We are hoping to sit down with the various crafts and organisations later this year to do a stock take on what other bits and bobs are scattered throughout the town to see if we can fill in the blanks and decide on what other artefacts could be preserved. Potentially having a site like the Cross Keys to display some of these things would give that project an added impetus.”