Tangled Brings Footfall to Galashiels

This year marked the fourth Tangled Galashiels, the fibre and textile festival that has become a key part of the town's events calendar.

Celebrating everything from knitting, crochet and weaving to spinning, dyeing, felting and embroidery, the festival attracts makers, artists, craftspeople and visitors from across Scotland, the UK and beyond. Over the course of the weekend, Galashiels welcomed visitors who had travelled from far and wide to take part in workshops, demonstrations, markets and activities across the town.

For local businesses, the impact was clear.

Many businesses reported increased footfall and strong trading throughout the weekend, while both visitors and residents commented on the positive atmosphere in the town centre.

One business owner who embraced the spirit of the event by offering a discount to Tangled visitors was able to track sales through the promotion and described it as: "Such a successful weekend – one of our busiest yet."

A local resident also shared: "I was in town at the weekend. We went around every shop in Gala and the atmosphere was amazing. The town centre felt great."

Feedback like this highlights the important role events play in supporting the town centre. They bring people into Galashiels, encourage visitors to explore local businesses and create opportunities for new customers to discover what the town has to offer.

In response to feedback from businesses following previous events, BID for Galashiels funded a special Heartland Market pop-up during the weekend. The aim was to help create a stronger visitor route through the town centre, encouraging festival-goers to explore more of Galashiels and helping spread footfall across a wider area.

While Tangled is first and foremost a celebration of creativity, textiles and craftsmanship, it is also a reminder of the wider value that events bring to Galashiels. They create reasons for people to visit, spend time in the town and support local businesses.

A huge thank you to the Tangled organisers, volunteers, businesses and visitors who helped make this year's event another success. We look forward to supporting the festival in the years ahead and maximising the positive impact it brings to Galashiels and the town centre.