One week from now 147 bands will converge on St James Playing Fields, Paisley, for the British Pipe Band Championships, the first major competition of the season.
All of the organisational detail and logistics for an event which will host upwards of 5,000 bands people has been completed to the satisfaction of the RSPBA.
Site work begins on Monday with fencing and vehicle tracking being laid. All band buses will be accommodated on the field but there is no on site parking for the public. Instead shuttle buses will run all day from designated car parks in the town. Site preparation will be completed on Friday with the positioning of adjudicator tents and drawing of competition circles.
Here is a map of the site (click to expand):
And now details of how to get there:
‘The organisation from Renfrewshire Council, the local authority, has been nothing short of superb. We are expecting a massive crowd on the day and they can be re-assured that getting there is not going to be an issue. Shuttle buses from the designated car parks and admission to the ground are free.
‘We know the bands will play their part in making the day a total success. Each has their own playing time and pipe majors always have them ready at that given time. They know that if they miss their slot they cannot play.
‘Most of them have their day worked out to the last minute all based on the performance time they have been given. They are extremely professional in the way they approach competition nowadays and our stewards and officials will do everything we can to help the bands give of their best on the day.
‘There is a massive area for tuning and we will make sure the designated areas are as close to the relevant arena as is sensible. A huge amount of work goes on behind the scenes in staging a major championship, but when you see it all coming together so well it makes all the effort very worthwhile.’
• Get the results from Paisley as they come in via the RSPBA’s Twitter feed @RSPBAHQ. Read a report on the contest in Piping Press from Monday May 23rd. The picture up top is of Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band who will be defending their Grade 1 British title. For more on the British at Paisley click here.