Hawick Common Riding set to be sidelined for second year

Organisers said they would hold a virtual event again this year

Organisers of the event which traditionally kicks off common riding season in the Borders have recommended it should not be held again this year.

Hawick usually stages its celebrations in early June ahead of numerous other towns and villages.

The town's common riding committee contacted Scottish Borders Council for advice on its prospects this year.

In light of the response, organisers said the "responsible decision" would be to cancel it once again.

The town is one of many across the Borders which sees hundreds of people take to horseback to ride to its historic boundaries.

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Hawick is usually the first one held but was cancelled last year due to the Covid pandemic.

Its common riding committee met online on Thursday to discuss this year's event.

'Extremely challenging'

It was told that advice from the council was that staging any celebration in May or June this year would be "extremely challenging and unlikely".

However, the organisers were told that as vaccination programmes advanced there could be more opportunities to hold events later in the year.

The committee said its priority was to ensure the safety of everyone participating in its events.

On that basis it has taken the "difficult" decision to recommend the common riding does not proceed "in the interest of the whole community".

It added that it would endeavour to hold another virtual common riding and hoped people of the town would back the decision.