Rochdale Contest Cancelled

[Roger Thorne]

Courtesy of Brass Band World . . .


Contest cancelled due to low entries
ONLY 12 entries received for four sections of the 45th annual Rochdale brass band contest, due to be staged at Wardle High School on January 25, have led organisers to cancel the event. "It's not financially viable," said contest official Lana Clough. "I don't blame the bands, a lot of them are struggling. I believe it's the first time it's been called off, though the venue has been changed at very short notice in the past. People may try and link the decision with the tragedy affecting my band at Friezland - that's not the case. But it's not the end of the contest. We will try and put it on next year and make it bigger and better than ever."

:wink:

 

[Straightmute]

From our perspective it was the decision to use Wardle and not the Town Hall which was the deciding factor in us not entering. Whilst the acoustic of the Town Hall is problematic the venue did lend a sense of occasion to the contest and the town centre is a better place to spend the day than a school on the outskirts.

Still, it's a pity that they've had to cancel and I do hope that the contest can be revived in future, hopefully at the Town Hall.

D

 

[Lauradoll]

Yeah it was much better at the Town Hall. And there was a lovely pub just across the road.......aaaah the memories........

 

[horn1]

It's a shame it's been cancelled, but I do agree it was much better at the town hall. With the Flying Horse just across the road what more could you ask for!!!!

 

[MattB]

I must admit to being really disappointed by the cancellation. Rochdale Contest has always been a fixture for as long as I can remember, and to have it cancelled due to lack of entries is ridiculous.

I appreciate the venue could be better, but surely that is no reason not to enter! We've all played in some chicken sheds in the past haven't we?

I have been on this board before about moving back to the Town Hall. I think it's a good idea, but not entering and therefore the contest is cancelled is not going to make Lana Clough think "Ooo, we'd better move it back to the Town Hall quickly!" All she is now thinking is that people don't want the contest at all.

Twelve entries for this contest is a feeble effort, and bands in this area need to pull their fingers out before we lose the contest altogether.

Matt.

 

[Lauradoll]

I must admit to being really disappointed by the cancellation. Rochdale Contest has always been a fixture for as long as I can remember, and to have it cancelled due to lack of entries is ridiculous.

I appreciate the venue could be better, but surely that is no reason not to enter! We've all played in some chicken sheds in the past haven't we?

I have been on this board before about moving back to the Town Hall. I think it's a good idea, but not entering and therefore the contest is cancelled is not going to make Lana Clough think "Ooo, we'd better move it back to the Town Hall quickly!" All she is now thinking is that people don't want the contest at all.

Twelve entries for this contest is a feeble effort, and bands in this area need to pull their fingers out before we lose the contest altogether.

Matt.

I think for many bands it's too soon after Christmas. Plus I know several bands are going to Preston, which gives a couple of weeks extra preparation time. Maybe it's the timing rather than the venue. I've played at both and at the end of the day it's just a contest, doesn't matter where you play. But I do think it's too soon after Christmas for bands to have a team ready for action!!

 

[horn1]

I think if the venue was the problem this would have happened years ago. However, Manchester and District Contest in November is also held at Wardle High School; seeing as though these contests are effectively next to each other I'm sure the fact that the venue is the same has something to do with the number of bands entering. Wardle isn't the best venue for a contest, even though the contests are very well run, so the incentive to go to both isn't that great. It is very close to Christmas but bands I have played with in the past have seen this as a positive thing, chance to get everyone back in practise quickly etc.