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Take a look at what BID for Galashiels has delivered in our first year...

Rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, including the ongoing Iran conflict, are impacting global energy markets and creating increased price volatility. What’s happening Electricity prices have risen by around 10 to 30% since late February Gas prices have increased by 25 to 80%, depending on sector and exposure Businesses are directly affected, as wholesale market changes impact renewal rates and future contracts While the domestic price cap offers some protection f

Tangled Galashiels returns on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th May 2026 and is now a key fixture in the Galashiels events calendar. It brings visitors from across the UK and beyond into the town, creating a major opportunity for local businesses. What the event brings Over 1,000 ticket holders, plus additional visitors across the weekend High footfall across the town centre A strong boost for retail, food and drink, and accommodation A spotlight on Galashiels’ rich textile he

The Heartland Awards returned at the end of March and once again proved to be a fantastic success. Now in its fourth year, 2026 was the biggest yet, with the highest number of public votes to date and more businesses nominated than ever before. A clear sign of the strength and support within the Galashiels community. BID for Galashiels was proud to be the main event sponsor, supporting the continued growth of the awards and helping to maximise their impact for the town. Why t

This Easter, BID for Galashiels delivered a programme of activity designed to bring more people into the town centre and encourage them to explore more of what Galashiels has to offer. Activity was delivered across key locations, working alongside the Heartland Market in Market Square and activity at the Little Art Hub Workshops on Channel Street. This joined-up approach helped create movement throughout the town rather than focusing on a single area. What this achieved Enc

In Galashiels, we all want to see a busy, welcoming town centre. One that attracts visitors, supports local businesses, and gives people a reason to stay longer and come back more often. That’s why tackling vacant shop units is such an important part of the work we do at BID for Galashiels. At first glance, empty shops might seem like a cosmetic issue. Something that simply affects how the town looks. But there is strong evidence that it goes much deeper than that. A concept

We’re excited to share that Learning at Work Week 2026 will be coming to Galashiels this May (18–22 May 2026). This is a national initiative designed to celebrate and promote learning in the workplace. As part of this, there is a wide range of free national activity available, and we would encourage businesses and their teams to sign up and take advantage of these opportunities. Alongside this, we’ll also be delivering a locally focused programme right here in Galashiels -

We are committed to ensuring that every levy-paying business in Galashiels has access to the support, skills and opportunities needed to thrive. To help shape the right training, networking and business development support for the town, we’re inviting businesses to take part in a short survey. It’s important that future plans reflect the real needs of the people working in and delivering for Galashiels every day. By sharing your views, you will help us: identify the skills a

On Friday, Lewis, Jay and Mags met with Russel Griggs OBE, Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise (SoSE) and Kate Musgrave, Head of Enterprising Communities, to continue building a strong working relationship between the regional enterprise agency and the Galashiels business community. Through conversations with levy payers, we know many businesses are keen to better understand how to connect with SoSE and access the support they offer. One of our priorities has been helping

There has been more positive news for Galashiels, with MacArts gaining national recognition and The Little Art Hub securing major new funding – highlighting just how important the town’s leisure and creative venues are both locally and nationally. MacArts recently picked up an award at the Scottish Live Music Awards, held at Òran Mór in Glasgow and judged by a panel of 25 industry professionals. The venue was shortlisted alongside well-known names including DreadnoughtRock

A new national opportunity has opened for towns across the UK to showcase their creativity, heritage and community spirit through the UK Town of Culture competition , launched by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Inspired by the success of UK City of Culture, the programme aims to highlight the cultural contribution of towns across the UK. The winning town will receive £3 million to deliver a six-month cultural programme in 2028, while two finalists in each size

Across the UK, town centres are adapting to changing shopping habits, with around 14% of high street units currently vacant. While this presents challenges, it also creates opportunities for new businesses and fresh ideas to bring life back into empty spaces. Following our recent announcement about our partnership with The Vacant Shops Academy (VSA), BID for Galashiels is now moving into the practical phase of the project - identifying vacant premises and helping connect su

BID for Galashiels is pleased to announce a new collaborative partnership with Police Scotland aimed at strengthening retail crime prevention measures across the town centre. This partnership marks the first step in a series of initiatives that will be introduced over the coming months, all focused on supporting businesses, protecting staff, and maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for shoppers. A Proactive, Coordinated Approach Representatives from BID for Galashiels

Easter is fast approaching, and here at the BID we’re working behind the scenes to make it a weekend full of colour, activity and community spirit. With the Heartland Market taking place on Saturday of Easter Weekend (Saturday 4th April), we’re planning some additional activity to help create a real sense of occasion in the town. With brighter skies and warmer days (hopefully!) just around the corner, we’d love to see a true celebration of spring right across our high street.

BID for Galashiels is pleased to share an update on the Borders Mill Memories Project , an Untangled Yarns initiative being delivered in partnership with Heriot-Watt University . Following a recent call for expressions of interest, the project team has been delighted by the strong response from across the community. Many people have come forward keen to share their experiences and memories of the Borders textile mills - a heritage that has shaped Galashiels and the wider

What’s the name of your business and where can we find you? We’re Howden, located at 79 High Street right in the heart of Galashiels. How long have you been in business in Galashiels? We opened our doors in April 2014, originally known as Bruce Stevenson. Now, as part of Howden since October 2023, we’re experiencing an exciting period of growth. Being part of Howden enhances our capabilities, expands the expertise available to our clients, and ensures our positively personal

We’re delighted to be Main Event Sponsor for the Galashiels Heartland Awards 2026, building on an established event that has become a much-loved part of the town’s calendar. Over the years, the Heartland Awards have grown into more than an awards evening. They are a community-owned town asset - shaped by local involvement, public support and a shared commitment to recognising what makes Galashiels special. They highlight the people, businesses and organisations who put love a

BID for Galashiels were invited to speak with Kate Forbes during her recent visit to the town. The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to highlight the positive work taking place across Galashiels and to showcase the strong collaboration between local groups, businesses and organisations. We were pleased to share how partnership working is helping to reset, restore and rebuild confidence in the town centre. Our Chair, Lewis Roden, said: “Kate’s visit really showed the str

Today we held the prize giving for the Galashiels Festive Trail, which encouraged families and festive explorers to visit and explore the town over the festive period. The main prize, an iPad kindly donated by Fonehouse Galashiels , was won by Beth Hardie from Jedburgh. Congratulations to Beth, and thank you to Fonehouse Galashiels for supporting the trail with such a generous prize. The Festive Trail helped bring additional visitors into Galashiels, increasing town footfall

As the BID team continues to grow, we want to make it as easy as possible for levy payers to get in touch and speak to the right person. You can contact the BID team using the details below: Mags: mags@bidforgalashiels.com Claire: claire@bidforgalashiels.com General enquiries: manager@bidforgalashiels.com 01896 487007 If you’re not sure who to contact, general enquiries will be picked up and passed on. Mags and Claire are both here to help.