The RSPBA has announced that next year’s UK Pipe Band Championship will be held at Ingliston, near Edinburgh Airport, on July 12.
It is the fourth major to be confirmed by the Association. Only the British remains outstanding. Ingliston has excellent car parking and bus and tram connections, making it ideal for competing bands and spectators.
Securing the venue, known officially as the Royal Highland Centre, is a success for the Association but there has been adverse comment on the choice of date, falling as it does on an important day in the Northern Ireland marching season calendar.
Gilbert Cromie, PP Northern Ireland Correspondent: I believe there might be a bit of a storm over the UK Championship date – 12th July. However the absence of Northern Irish bands from Edinburgh will not affect the actual competition very much.
Attendance from NI bands at the majors has been reducing since the financial crash in 2008, the Scottish and the Worlds the exceptions – the UKs too when they are held here.
Given the trouble that RSPBA is having getting the five Majors organised, it’s a great achievement to have four cleared and hopefully a fifth will come along soon. Moreover, this new UK venue suits NI and Eire bands – fly into Edinburgh Airport and you’re there.
The only point some might make is that RSPBA Majors should be held on dates that suit their branches. Generally, no competitions are held in NI after the All-Irelands [Londonderry, July 5th, 2025] and up to the third or fourth week in July. This is the time that many bandsmen, women and supporters go on holiday before the start of the second half of the season.
The Twelfth of July parades involve many pipe bands, whether on hire or leading the lodge that formed them. Some bands use an Orange Hall free of charge all year around in exchange for the band taking the lodge out to church services and on parade on the Twelfth.
Many bands are unable to compete without pipers and drummers from non-contest bands and these men and women will be expected to accompany their home band on the 12th.
I know of one Grade 2 band who generally compete with 15 – 20 pipers and 10 drummers. At the 12th parade they would be down to 7-9 pipers and five drummers, the others on holiday or with their home band.
