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2009
GUY GOODWIN - "Is There
More to Bo'ness Than the
Fair"?
This is probably a rather
emotive subject to write
about in the Fair programme.
But let me say, right now,
that I am not trying to play
down the importance of the
Fair in any way. It is the
most spectacular event of
its type that has ever been
held and not just in Bo'ness.
The fact that it has taken
place for the number of
years it has and continues
to get bigger and better is
a tribute to the organisers
and the people of Bo'ness.
It focuses the hearts and
minds of the community for
weeks - no months - before,
and ends in a crescendo that
is truly THE BEST DAY
OF THE YEAR.
As a family we have only
lived in Bo'ness for about
24 years but my father
originally came from
Grangepans. I have
fond memories of coming down
to Bo'ness from Falkirk on
Fair day to visit George
Grant and his family, a
friend of my fathers from
his youth.
I myself was a member of the
Entertainments Committee for
several years being
persuaded by the late
Malcolm McFarlane to join
and help run the fund
raising events that we were
already attending and
enjoying. I still help
out stewarding on Fair Day
and assisting at other
Entertainment Committee
events.
There is also Fair Royalty
in our family! Colin, our
youngest son, is married to
Lynette ( nee Murray), who
was Fair Queen in 1985.
I do not think I would have
much of a life if I did not
wholly support the
institution that is The
Bo'ness Children's Fair.
What I am trying to say,
however, is that there is
more to Bo'ness than just
the Fair. There are
other community and social
groups, places of
entertainment and interest
in the town that also need
all our support throughout
the year.
Bo'ness has a population of
between 14-15 thousand yet
it has a lot more going for
it than towns 3-4 times its
size. I am not talking
only about
commercial/business
ventures; I know life
is not easy for some of the
shops and let's look at some
of the other attributes of
Bo'ness.
The Hippodrome
The recent re-opening of the
Hippodrome as a cinema, its
original purpose, is a
building that is unique to
Scotland, not only the local
area. Its a tremendous
boost to the town and
provides an opportunity to
raise the profile of Bo'ness
and the town centre.
It is the culmination of the
major refurbishment work
undertaken by Historic
Scotland, Scottish Historic
Buildings Trust and Falkirk
Council to restore part of
the architectural and
historical heritage that is
the town centre of Bo'ness.
For this building to succeed
and flourish it requires
people to use its
facilities. Judging by
the ambitious programme of
films proposed I would like
to think that the people of
Bo'ness and the surrounding
area would be delighted to
support it and make it the
success it desrves to be.
There may not be holes in
the armrest to put your
buckets of popcorn or juice
but the building has been
sympathetically restored to
retain original features in
a building required for
modern day use.
Barony Film Society
Bo'ness has another
fuctioning cinema, not the
Star. There is a
cinema screen in the Barony
Theatre that is used by the
Barony Film Society.
For a small annual joining
fee you can see, once a
month, a different type of
film.
The society does not
generally show blockbuster
movies but concentrates on
specialist low-budget,
unique and interesting films
- some real little gems.
Films that do not generally
have big name stars in them
but can be just as, if not
more, interesting and
entertaining.
Barony Players
The same building is also
used by a group of amateur
thespians. The Barony
Players regularly put on
plays which are always well
attended and supported.
A great amount of effort and
hard work goes into each
production, the stage
setting, design and
manufacture of the scenery
for their shows.
Bonnie Bo'ness/Bo'ness
Enterprise
These two groups have over
the years taken on various
projects. A Bo'ness
Calendar has for the last 6
years been produced and sold
by these groups. A
photographic competition
runs annually to obtain the
pictures for the calendar
and this year Bonnie Bo'ness
is resurrecting the towns
Garden Competition.
The floral hanging baskets
that adorn the town centre
during the summer are paid
for by the individual shops
but the maintenance and
watering is undertaken and
paid for by these two
groups, not the Council, as
many believe. It is
the revenue from the sale of
calendars that helps cover
the not insubstantial costs.
The idea of a Mining
Memorial was long-held
Community Council Project
which was resurrected by
Bonnie Bo'ness and Bo'ness
Enterprise. The
committee that eventually
saw it through to completion
consisted of 2 Community
Council members, a landscape
architect and local art
advisor, Yvonne McBlain, who
worked with local children
on the design of the plaques
to be seen around the base
of the memorial.
Ballantine Engineering
refurbished the old mining
wheel, fabricated the
supporting frame for the
wheel, and helped position
the completed structure.
As you can see a lot of
local effort and thought
went into this memorial
tribute to mining and the
miners of Bo'ness.
Bonnie Bo'ness can also take
credit for the roundabout at
the bottom of the Wynd and
the refurbishment of the
lamp posts at the entrance
to the SRPS at Dock place.
Two of these lamp posts were
originally manufactured in
the Dock foundry, where
TESCO now stands.
The bulbs that in Spring
grace and brighten the
roadside at the entrance to
the town were also the work
of Bonnie Bo'ness.
Friends of Kinneil Estate
As the name implies Friends
of Kinneil Estate, a group
formed just over a year ago,
was set up to help promote
and develop Kinneil Estate
in Bo'ness. With the
Antonine Wall, which runs
through the estate,
receiving World Heritage
Status this could well
strengthen their case.
There is also the remains of
a Roman Fortlet in the
centre of the estate and
with appropriate development
could, hopefully, form the
start of another tourist
attraction in the area.
It may even lead to the
sympathetic restoration and
development of Kinneil House
and Palace. If we
could even see the area
developed as a country park
that would be a start.
Bo'ness Real Ale
Appreciation Society
The group was form in 2001
to run a Real Ale Festival
in support of the 400th
anniversary of the port of
Bo'ness. The
organisers enjoyed the
experience so much they
decided to run the festival
annually in October - I
know I was one of them.
The festival is sponsored by
local businesses and
individuals which covers a
considerable amount of the
costs. The revenue
from the festival is donated
to local groups, generally
groups who are working with
children and young people.
As an example of the
donations in the past few
years, £800 was given each
to the local Scouts and
Guides. £200 to each of the
7 parent and toddler groups,
£300 to the Vine Trust, £700
to Falkirk Council's youth
department, to help with a
project they were
undertaking, £100 to CHAS,
the children's hospice
association, and £200 twice
to the woman's refuge in the
town.
And from last year's
festival, £250 to support
and continue the Santa's
Grotto in the town and £250
to a project raising money
for MacMillan Cancer
Support, has already been
donated. The balance
of funds will be allocated
before our next festival
which is on 2nd and 3rd
October this year, in the
Town Hall - had to get a
plug in.
Music
Bo'ness has a long tradition
of music and bands.
The Unison Kinneil Band and
Bo'ness and Carriden Band
both celebrated their 150th
anniversary in 2008.
And, of course, not
forgetting Bo'ness Pipe
Band.
On the more modern, and
popular music front, there
is a small rehearsal and
recording studio in the
Recreation Centre, run by
Craig Hannah with the
support of Falkirk Council.
I believe there are
approximately 5-7 young rock
bands being nurtured along
by Craig at present.
If you take the Bo'ness
Children's Fair, the
community and social groups
I have mentioned, add to
this list the Children's
Theatre, The Bo'ness
Operatic Society, The
Bo'ness Hill Climb, The
Bo'ness Trust, The Scottish
Railway Preservation Society
and several others I have
either missed or do not even
know about, and then include
recreational areas like
Kinneil Woods, The Shore and
Crookies, you surely have a
town that a friend, Rob
Willox, coined "The Jewel in
The Crown of the Forth."
If you have reached this
point I can only say thank
you for reading my summary
of Bo'ness and I will leave
you with the following
thought. They may say,
"Your Future is in Falkirk"
but remember "Your Heart
is in Bo'ness."
A very Happy Fair Day to you
all.
GUY GOODWIN
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