Lomond & Clyde sitting out 2022 season

Grade 1 Lomond & Clyde of Glasgow has decided to sit out the 2022 competition season due to a loss of members over the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A band statements said that they are “short of comfortable numbers to compete,” even though the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association last week announced that Grade 1 bands would be provided dispensation in 2022 to compete with a minimum of eight pipers, three snare drummers and one bass drummer.

As Scotland relaxed pandemic restrictions, the band had been on a heavy recruitment drive. The group had had only the 2019 competition season with new Pipe-Major Don Bradford and Lead-Drummer Gary Corkin, who replaced David Wilton and Allan Craig, respectively. Wilton is now the pipe-major of Grade 1 Police Scotland Fife and Craig had remained with Lomond & Clyde after the move. Lomond & Clyde later announced that Adrian Hoy had taken over as lead-drummer.

There are likely to be only seven competitively active Grade 1 bands based in Scotland in 2022.

Lomond & Clyde is the second Scottish Grade 1 band to say that it will be on hiatus in 2022 as it looks to restore numbers.

Glasgow Skye Association has not made a formal announcement, but remaining representatives have said that the band will not compete in 2022 as it recruits a new pipe-major and lead-drummer after the departures of Ewan Henderson and Arthur Cooke after the 2019 season. Henderson subsequently joined the Glasgow Police Pipe Band, now called Police Scotland & Federation Pipe Band, and Cooke retired from competition.

With Glasgow Skye and Lomond & Clyde on hiatus, there are likely to be only seven competitively active Grade 1 bands based in Scotland in 2022.

Lomond & Clyde have made it known that those interested in joining should contact the band by email.

Related

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July 9, 2020