BORDERERS marking Burns Night on Monday were forced to do so from their own homes.
In the hours before families sat down to toast the Bard, butchers in the region revealed how their trade fared leading up to the celebrations.
Martin Baird, of Melrose, who “sells haggis all year round”, said his shop welcomed “quite a lot of people” ahead of Burns Night.
But he added: “It’s difficult to celebrate [Burns Night] right now.”
On the other hand, Stuart Noble, of S. Noble Family Butcher in Galashiels, said that he prepared very few haggis this year, adding: “It’s nothing like before the pandemic – it’s completely different.”
Coronavirus restrictions saw Burns events cancelled or moved online as public gatherings are banned under the current rules.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Mr Baird said his business has been "very busy" throughout – not least because of a surge in demand for deliveries.
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