Monday September 28th 2026
Borders MP John Lamont at Macari's Cafe in Galahiels
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Borders MP John Lamont said it with flowers when a cafe which has served Galashiels for more than a century closed its doors at the weekend.
Macari’s Cafe in the High Street has been part of town life since 1924.
On Saturday, September 26, it shut up shop for the final time.
As a gesture of thanks for the years of service, Mr Lamont, Conservative MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk, popped in to present a floral tribute.
He said: “I called in with flowers to say thank you.
“So many local people have memories of Macari’s, myself included, and it was lovely to hear some of the stories and see some of the history of the place.
“Thank you to everyone who has worked there and made everyone feel so welcome over the years.”
In a post shared on Facebook, Phil and Gina of Macari’s, said: “As we prepare to close our doors for the final time, we know we aren’t just saying goodbye to a café, we are saying goodbye to a little piece of Gala history.
“A place filled with stories that can never be recreated and memories that will stay with us long after the final cup has been cleared away.
“We will miss the familiar faces, we will miss the conversations, we will miss the laughter, we will miss the hearing all your stories, most of all, we will miss you.
“So after more than a century there is only one thing to say: Thanks you, thank you for every visit, thank you for every cup of coffee, thank you for every kind word, thank you for every memory.
“Thanks you to every person who worked for us over the years and thank you for allowing Macari’s café to be a small part of your lives.
“The doors may close, but the memories inside them will never disappear.”
It has emerged that the premises will continue to operate as a café under new ownership.
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