HRH Prince Charles visits The Mainstreet Trading Company
Blog · Posted November 19, 2019
Friday 1st Nov, 2019, saw a very special visitor arrive in our little village of St Boswells.
HRH Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay (as he’s known when in Scotland), had a day out in the Scottish Borders. He spent the morning in Hawick, opening a new hi-tech factory for knitwear firm, Scott & Charters, the first new mill to be opened in the town for 40 years.
From Hawick, the Royal party made their way to St Boswells (where the streets have never looked so tidy!), arriving at the doors of Mainstreet to cheers from the crowds. The high street looked great, festooned with Union Jacks, including one so large it covered most of a hedge.
The Duke of Buccleuch welcomed His Royal Highness to the village, introducing him to Bill and Rosamund de la Hey, founders of Mainstreet, who took him on a tour of the bookshop and café, meeting staff and customers.
Local author, Margaret Skea was also at the shop to meet the Prince, along with children from St Boswells Nursery who welcomed him to the Mainstreet Book Van with a cheery rendition of The Wheels on the Bus!
Bill then introduced HRH to the Kitchen team, continuing on into the Deli & Home shop where he enjoyed a dram of ‘Tamoshanta’ (made by Pilton Cider) and chatted to staff, commenting it was lucky his wife wasn’t with him as she would have enjoyed the shopping.
Prince Charles then met some of our brilliant local Deli suppliers including Hardiesmill, Doddington Cheese, Peelham Farm and Chainbridge Honey.
Leaving Mainstreet to more cheers from the crowds, the Prince made his final stop in the Borders to open the new offices at Tweed Forum in Old Melrose.
It was a huge privilege to be part of the Royal tour of the area, the perfect end to Mainstreet’s year as Britain’s Best Small Shop.