Published: Wednesday, 25th June, 2008 09:00
Borders Book Festival 2008
By Alexa Brown
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Comic Rory Bremner is pictured doing an impression of George W. Bush at the Borders Book Festival in Melrose.
TRADERS in Melrose reportedly saw a boom in business at the weekend as a result of the thousands of visitors who came to the town for the fifth annual Borders Book Festival.
It comes after shopkeepers were left disappointed by poor sales during the popular Melrose Sevens rugby tournament back in April, describing the event as: ‘a disaster’.
However, speaking about the weekend, Chairperson of Melrose Traders and owner of Papa Jacks café in Melrose Angela Dewar said: “It was a lot busier than normal, and tremendous to see so many people out and about. The book festival is a great thing for the town and I hope that the organisers can continue, and that the festival keeps growing as it seems to be.”
This year’s event sold more tickets than ever before, with more than 6,000 visitors attending Harmony House to hear a range of top class guest speakers, including, as well as Bremner, Alistair Campbell, Ian Rankin and Katherine Whitehorn.
It was also the first time that the presentation of the Sundial Scottish Arts Council (SAC) Book of the Year award took place in the town, with well-loved Scottish poet Edwin Morgan winning the £25,000 prize for his latest work. ‘A Book of Lives’.
Morgan, 88, was presented with the award at a ceremony in the Festival Marquee on Friday night, hosted by Rory Bremner.
He said about his work: “I believe there are no barriers in subject matter or style in poetry.”
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