Generic bananas

Put down the banana and raise your hands in the air"

Bananas have been banned from an Aberdeenshire village.

The move isn't as Draconian as it sounds, though - it has been introduced in Portsoy as it prepares for the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, and bananas are believed to bring bad luck.

Festival organisers are hoping to ward off any potential misfortune from the event, which takes place on 4 and 5 July.

Banana ban signs have been posted, a banana amnesty has been introduced, and local businesses have come out in support of the action, with Portsoy Ice Cream removing banana-flavoured items from its range until after the event.

Chairman Roger Goodyear told BBC News: 'Bananas may be a delicious fruit, but they are considered bad luck on boats.We want to do everything possible to make sure our 2015 festival is a success and we don't want to take any chances.

'Our ban on bananas is a tongue-in-cheek nod to our seafaring heritage, and is a reminder that the ocean can be a mystical but dangerous place and, as such, there are many traditional superstitions among fisherpeople.'

Topics