ORGANISERS of a posh charity fundraiser had to ban its club members from dressing up as disgraced child abuser Jimmy Savile.
Sports celebrities including darts legend Eric Bristow and former rugby internationalist Gavin Hastings, attended the glitzy fundraiser in aid of Edinburgh Accies, Heriots and Watsonians rugby clubs in Edinburgh last night (Sat).
But organisers of the high-brow annual event were forced to issue a last-minute warning to attendees, after rumours some of the 425-strong crowd intended to dress up as the shamed TV star.
Organiser Struan Douglas warned patrons, who paid up to £395 to attend the event, that anyone wearing replicas of Savile’s trademark tracksuit, cigar, medallions and flowing white locks would not be welcome.
The solicitor, who is a senior partner at Haymarket-based Purdie and Co, said in his message to potential crowd members: “It has been brought to my attention that there has been some talk (hopefully a very poor taste joke) that some people are considering coming in fancy dress as Jimmy Savile.
“I can categorically say that this would meet with complete disapproval of most and therefore is not acceptable. We do not want to ruin a fantastic evening.”
On the event’s Facebook page he pleaded with club members to “show some decorum”, adding: “I know that there has been a bit of harmless banter going about fancy dress comments etc which is fine.
“I do, however, want to stress though that we do not want to spoil a great night by dressing as something that may be considered inappropriate by some or indeed all, so please keep it tasteful.”
Tickets for the upmarket evening at the Corn Exchange, called the enrolme.co.uk Legends of Darts competition, cost £20, with tables of ten in a premium area selling for £395.
Frank Spratt, executive chairman of Edinburgh Accies, said he hoped that none of the club’s members would go too far by dressing as Savile, who Scotland Yard said may have sexually abused 300 victims.
Mr Spratt said: “I haven’t heard anything about this at all. Personally I think it would be inappropriate, but it’s not for me to dictate how people dress. It’s up to the players how they behave, but I hope they behave properly.”
Savile, who owned a cottage in Glencoe, was a regular visitor to the Capital, having attended the Edinburgh Science Festival in 1994 where he met youngsters, and backed a campaign to save Jody the lioness at Edinburgh Zoo in 1999.
