Sir Tom Farmer to make final journey past the club he helped save

The hearse of Scottish business tycoon and former owner of Hibernian FC Sir Tom Farmer will be driven past the club’s stadium following his funeral so fans can pay their respects.

He owned a majority stake in Hibs for 28 years, selling his interest in 2019 to US businessman Ron Gordon, and was credited by current head coach David Gray as having “saved the club at a time of need”.

Sir Tom’s financial intervention helped block a hostile takeover from Hearts chairman Wallace Mercer in 1990 and he bought the club and Easter Road from the receivers of the parent company a year later amid serious financial difficulties.

Hibs would soon win the first of two League Cups of Sir Tom’s 28-year stewardship, and he also presided over the Scottish Cup being brought back to Easter Road in 2016 after a 114-year wait.

The founder of the Kwik Fit garage chain died at his home in Edinburgh on May 9, aged 84.

A minute’s applause was held for him at the Hibs v Rangers match at Easter Road on Saturday.

On Wednesday it was announced that following a private family funeral, Sir Tom will make a final journey past his beloved Easter Road stadium in Edinburgh on May 28 so fans and members of the public can say their goodbyes.

The hearse is expected to pass the club at around 12.45pm.

A memorial service for him is planned later this year to acknowledge his contribution to civic and public life in Scotland and beyond.

Sir Tom, a former director of MyTravel Group and ScottishPower, was hailed by Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney as a “generous individual to so many causes in Scotland”.

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said Sir Tom was a “proud Scot” and a “huge contributor” to Edinburgh’s community football.

Gray, whose late winner against Rangers secured the Scottish Cup for Hibs, said “it was a nice moment to be able to present the Scottish Cup to him for everything he’s done as a Hibs supporter and everything he’s been through”.

He added: “All the times he’s probably seen Hibs not win the Scottish Cup and all the pain he went through with that as well, so that was a real privileged moment for myself to be involved with the club on that day.

“I know how much it meant to absolutely everyone that day who was involved with the club, but no more so than him I’m sure.”

Born in Leith in 1940 as the youngest of seven children, Sir Tom started Kwik Fit in 1971 and grew it to become an international chain before selling it to Ford for £1 billion in 1999.

He married Anne in 1966 after they met at their local church, and the devout Catholics were together for 57 years until her death in 2023.

He was knighted in 1997 for his services to the automotive industry and made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 2009 for his charitable work, including as chairman of the board of trustees for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

He was the first Scot to be awarded the prestigious Andrew Carnegie Medal for philanthropy, and was made a Knight Commander with Star of the Order of St Gregory the Great by the Catholic Church.

His family said in a statement previously that Sir Tom’s life and career “touched many aspects of Scottish and UK life”, and his philanthropy would be remembered.

They added: “Sir Tom will be remembered by many for his deep commitment to his family, his work and his faith and for being at all times a proud Scotsman.”

Hibs previously paid tribute in a post on X, saying: “Hibernian FC are devastated to hear of the passing of former owner Sir Tom Farmer, aged 84.

“Thank you for everything, Tom. Rest in peace.”