Rig on track for refurbishment after cash award
Selkirk’s rig, reputedly Scotland’s oldest horseracing track, has been awarded £10,800 for refurbishment from the Payback Sports Facilities Fund.
Souter Gordon Newlands filled in the application, helped by Billy Birse, Scottish Borders Council’s community service manager – but they kept it a secret from The Rig committee. “We did not want to get our hopes up,” Mr Newlands said.
However, both men were rewarded with a phone call in December confirming their application had been successful.
“I was over the moon, as the rig was beginning to show its age after nearly 400 years of racing. We broke the news just recently to the committee who are also delighted,” said Mr Newlands.
A butcher who teaches apprentices for Scottish Meat Training, he added: “The works will be quite extensive, making the weigh house and overall appearance look up to date and wind and watertight.”
The application details their plans for major repairs to the roof and wooden racing fences, and replacing windows and doors – as well as holding more races outside the Common Riding.
He wrote in his application: “In recent years, due to the cost of maintaining this area, it has only been used one day per year as part of Selkirk’s Common Riding traditions. It is hoped that if refurbishments can be made to the track and building, then further races could be held throughout the year.
“At a single race meeting last year 3,500 spectators attended and all proceeds from entry were fed back to help other parts of Selkirk’s Common Riding celebrations survive in these difficult financial times.”
Mr Newlands told us: “Speaking to some worthies of the Common Riding, I do not think that there has been works on this scale carried out on The Rig. All we are waiting on now is for the Scottish Government to release the money to progress with the works, hopefully to be completed by June.”
The award is being funded by a £3million pot set aside by the Scottish Government for community service projects. The Payback Sports Facilities Fund aims “to promote the rehabilitation of offenders and help reduce reoffending by maintaining and improving sports amenities available to communities throughout Scotland. The work will utilise the labour of offenders sentenced to unpaid work in the community”.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Selkirk
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.