Borders Book Festival pulls plug on Baillie Gifford sponsorship after threats of disruption from environmental activists

Edinburgh-born comic and impressionist Rory Bremner is appearing at this year's Borders Book Festival. Picture: Lloyd SmithEdinburgh-born comic and impressionist Rory Bremner is appearing at this year's Borders Book Festival. Picture: Lloyd Smith
Edinburgh-born comic and impressionist Rory Bremner is appearing at this year's Borders Book Festival. Picture: Lloyd Smith
Forthcoming event will be last backed by investment firm

The Borders Book Festival have pulled the plug on Baillie Gifford as its main sponsor after it was threatened with disruption by activists over the company’s links with the fossil fuels

The move has been announced just days before the event was due to celebrate its 20th anniversary and in the wake of the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s decision to end its long-time partnership with the investment managers.

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They were among nine UK literary festivals targeted by the Fossil Free Books campaign over their Baillie Gifford sponsorship.

The Borders Book Festival enjoyed record numbers through the gates last year at Harmony Gardens in Melrose.The Borders Book Festival enjoyed record numbers through the gates last year at Harmony Gardens in Melrose.
The Borders Book Festival enjoyed record numbers through the gates last year at Harmony Gardens in Melrose.

An open letter published last month and now backed by more than 800 authors and literary industry workers demanded that all the events end their relationships with Baillie Gifford unless the company pledged to sever all links with the fossil fuels industry.

The letter warned that the targeted literary organisations could “expect escalation, including the expansion of boycotts, increased author withdrawal of labour, and increased disruption until Baillie Gifford divests."

Organisers of the Borders event, which is held in Harmony Gardens in Melrose, say the festival will no longer be sponsored by Baillie Gifford from the 2025 edition.

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They say they have taken the decision with “great regret” after eight years working with the company, saying that the partnership had made the festival “better and more accessible.”

Janey Godley is due to appear at the forthcoming Borders Book Festival. Picture: John DevlinJaney Godley is due to appear at the forthcoming Borders Book Festival. Picture: John Devlin
Janey Godley is due to appear at the forthcoming Borders Book Festival. Picture: John Devlin

It has warned that that company’s sponsorship, which has supported its children’s events and schools programme, will be “sorely missed.”

The Borders event, which is due to return from 13-16 June, has pulled the plug on its Baillie Gifford sponsorship days after organisers of Edinburgh’s annual literary celebration said they could not deliver a “safe and sustainable” festival this August under the “constant threat of disruption” from activists.

Organisers of the Wigtown Book Festival, which has also been targeted by the Fossil Free Books campaign, has also revealed it has been in talks with Baillie Gifford over its long-time backing for the event.

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Comedians Janey Godley, Rory Bremner and Jo Caulfield, athletes Eilidh Doyle and Allan Wells, broadcasters Clive Myrie, James Naughtie, Robert Peston and Louise Minchin, and the novelists Philippa Langley, Val McDermid, Chris Brookmyre and Michael Morpurgo are all due to appear at this month’s Borders Book Festival.

The event attracted a record attendance of almost 40,000 last year to see the likes of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, comedians Nina Conti, Rory Bremner and Jon Culshaw, tennis coach Judy Murray, and novelists Douglas Stuart, Robert Harris and Sebastian Barry.

An official announcement from the festival said: “The directors have announced that after 2024 the Borders Book Festival will no longer be sponsored by Baillie Gifford, following protests around their sponsorship of this and other book festivals.

"We took this decision with great regret because we have enjoyed eight happy and productive years working together to make our festival better, more accessible and in particular more attractive to children and families.

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"Without the support of Baillie Gifford we would not have been able to mount such a vibrant and varied children’s festival (where adults go free) and do all that we do with schools in the Borders.

"Baillie Gifford’s support has enabled us to put free books into the hands of thousands of children, and that aspect of their support will be sorely missed.

"We wish to put on record our thanks to the company for their solid and passionate support not only for our festival, its authors and audiences, but for all the book festivals across Britain who have benefitted from Baillie Gifford’s commitment to the world of books and readers.”

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