The RSPBA have announced today that both the Scottish Championships and the World Championships, scheduled for July 31 and August 13 and 14 respectively, have been cancelled.
The announcement is not totally unexpected and comes despite major efforts to accommodate covid restrictions which may still be in place mid-summer.
At the same time the Board of Directors of the Association have agreed that the Music Board should look at ways of staging some sort of pipe band event. In a statement they say:
‘At the Board of Directors meeting on 17th April, proposals from the Music Board have been approved. This gives permission for the Music Board to initiate activities which will support player and band engagement as part of a Restart Strategy. Further information will follow in early May.’
Pipe band championships at Paisley, Lisburn and Inverness have already fallen victim to the covid axe as has the complete Highland Games calendar, all for the second year running.
Solo championships at Oban and Inverness are still scheduled to proceed in late August and early September.
Today’s cancellations mean that if, and it remains an if, bands are permitted to compete from May next year it will be almost three years since they took to the grass in competition.