Friends and workmates of Errol Sunday Market director Keith Payne have been sharing memories of their “main man” following his death.
The popular dad-of-five was diagnosed with cancer in 2022, and resolved to spend his last months raising funds and awareness.
Keith, who was affectionately known as Mr P, also found time to write a memoir of his half-century in the market trade, including his role in the success of the Ingliston and Kinross markets, as well as at the Morris Leslie Group’s Errol market.
Colleague Lee-Anne Wilson said his many friends were devastated by the news of his death on Monday.
“Keith had been with the business over 10 years and was known and loved by all his colleagues due to his friendly, helpful, and generous nature,” she said.
“He built Errol Sunday Market from the ground up. But he built strong foundations to ensure the market will continue to grow and thrive.”
She added: “Keith fought his cancer battle valiantly which in turn rewarded him with six months more than expected.”
“Thankfully, he was able to enjoy a final Christmas with his family. Our thoughts are with them just now, he was a real family man.”
Keith Payne popularity sent donations soaring
Keith was diagnosed with prostate cancer and advanced gastric cancer in March 2022.
By then there were no treatment options available to extend his life.
He continued working, and launched a fundraising appeal – Keith Payne, The Big C And Me – on behalf of three charities in the spring of 2023.
The aim was to raise £15,000 and give £5,000 each to Prostate Cancer UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK.
However, Keith’s popularity meant he soon exceeded those targets, raising £34,000 in six months.
It meant Keith could donate £5,000 to his pet charity CHAS and share the remainder among the three original causes.
Speaking to The Courier last September, he said every day had been a bonus.
“My diagnosis was a hard pill to swallow,” he said.
“I did a bit of ‘why me, poor me’ when I was told.
“But that’s not really in my character.”
Errol market success down to Keith Payne’s expertise
Keith, from Errol, was recruited by Perthshire businessman Morris Leslie to run the Sunday market at Errol Airfield just over a decade ago.
He had steered the Ingliston Market to giddy heights in the 1970s and 80s. In its heyday it boasted more than 3,000 stalls, attracting 500 coachloads of day-trippers from across Scotland and the north of England.
Thanks to his determination, Errol became another success.
Billed as “Scotland’s premier Sunday market and car boot sale”, it regularly attracts up to 10,000 people to Errol airfield.
Friends took to Facebook to share their thoughts of Keith after his death was announced.
One wrote: “Keith was ‘Errol Sunday Market’. What he achieved in setting up and establishing what is one of the best in the country was an incredible achievement, something I’m sure he was immensely proud of.”
Another said: “Never have I met someone more deserving of the description ‘true gentleman’.”
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