Coronavirus brings down the curtain on HippFest in Bo’ness

Organisers had predicted it would have been the most successful HippFest yet.

The programme is packed with silent movies featuring masked crusaders, real-life martyrs and mysterious femme fatales; world-class live music accompaniment, talks, workshops and tours.

A major highlight was to be a rare screening of the 1923 epic “The Loves of Mary Queen of Scots”.

Now, however, because a number of performers are “understandably concerned” at the COVID-19 outbreak, the event has been postponed until late October.

A spokesperson for the festival said: “We send apologies to you all – our audiences, supporters, partners, guests, volunteers and staff and look forward to welcoming everyone at this later date.

“Tickets will be refunded in full. If you booked tickets online, they will be automatically refunded.

“If you bought tickets via the box office, please contact us directly for a refund.

“We would be grateful for your patience at this busy time while our colleagues attend to the necessary tasks.

“Please be assured Falkirk Community Trust venues remain open for ‘business as usual’ and there will be screenings at the Hippodrome over the Festival dates, March 18 to 22, and beyond”.

The replacement screening programme for the Hippodrome will be posted on the Hippfest website at https://www.hippodromecinema.co.uk/silent-film-festival/ early next week.

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