18th May 12 
Bid to keep pipe band championships
A BID to bring the British Pipe Band Championships back to Annan for a further three years has won firm backing.
As Annan prepares to host the final event in a three-year contract costing an annual ‘lion’s share’ of £80,000, Dumfries and Galloway Council are preparing a bid to renew the agreement through to 2015.
Confirming the bid, a spokesman for the local authority said it had ‘agreed to remit officers to submit a bid on behalf of the council to the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA).’
The move has been welcomed by council events champion Ian Carruthers, who said: “Obviously I fully support the council going back and bidding for it again for the next three years.”
More than 2500 pipers attended the 2010 event, which brought an estimated £152,196 to the region and attracted 3960 paying spectators, while 2011’s generated £226,000 and attracted 3600 paying spectators.
Councillor Carruthers said: “We had a lot of good support coming from Annan, for this event coming to Annan. We’ve labelled it the perfect crossroads for piping in the UK and there are so many benefits it will bring over the next three years providing we’re successful.”
And local High Street firms have backed the bid, and Councillor Carruthers’ assertion the event is having increasing benefits.
George Aitken, of The Lounge Coffee House, said: “We did better last year; we got a really good hit in Annan. We’d certainly welcome backthe championships again.”
Michael Pagani, of The Cafe Royal, also supports the move.
He said: “The first year wasn’t very good, but the second year was better. We saw a slight improvement, but any buzz around the town is good for it. So long as it’s financially viable, and we get some money back.”
A blind bid will be submitted, with the outcome expected in about one month.
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