Burns aficianados in Ayrshire are adapting their celebrations of the Bard to protect the health of the public.

With Burns Night fast approaching, the Ayr Burns Club have announced that they will not be commemorating the life of Scotland's best-loved poet with a traditional supper gathering.

They say the risks to community transmission of Covid are still too high.

They will however, still lay a wreath at the Robert Burns statue in Ayr town centre on January 25, with a select few socially distanced members of the club in attendance.

Melvyn McCrostie, the club's president, said: "As Covid restrictions continue to reduce some events numbers this year, we at Ayr Burns Club are holding a very much quieter event to honour our National Bard.

"To this end, the Ayrshire Burns community are postponing most of the planned Burns suppers for the safety of members, and community.

"Ayr Burns Club wreath laying ceremony is therefore not going ahead with the fuller ceremony.

"We are sorry that our normal annual ceremony, usually attended by faithful Burnsians led by our Provost, with MPs, MSPs, councillots and guests, will not take place."

The wreath laying ceremony will take place at 11.55am on Tuesday, January 25 at Burns Statue Square. Those participating in the service are: 

  • Alec Oates, vice president of Ayr Burns Club, who will lay the first tribute for and on behalf of the Ayr Burns Club and the people of Ayr.
  • James Waite, president of Ayrshire Association of Burns Clubs, on behalf of all members of the Ayrshire Burns Clubs.
  • Carole Oates, on behalf of Ayr Burns Club International No.1 of Ozark Mountains, Missouri, USA
  • Dr. Robbie McMahon, on behalf of General Raj Mehta, India.