The End of the Scottish Police Pipe Bands

**cessna152towser** · 3rd February 13, 04:08 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-21304122

It is the end of an era for the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band, which is making its last performance under that name at Celtic Connections.
Scotland's eight regional police forces are being merged into a nationwide one - and, on 1 April, Strathclyde Police will be no more.
The oldest civilian pipe band in the world will play on, but its new name has not yet been revealed.
It is hosting The Annual Piping Concert at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
After the lunchtime event on the closing weekend of Celtic Connections - Glasgow's annual folk and world music festival - it will embark on its latest name change.
It started life as Govan Police Pipe Band, then Glasgow Police and, since 1975, Strathclyde Police Pipe Band.
The new name is likely to include Greater Glasgow and organisers are confident the band will continue, with funding confirmed until April 2014.
Lothian and Borders Police Band announced in November that it was to disband after it was left with not enough members to compete.
Central Scotland Police announced in October that, because of the single force, it had disbanded its pipe and drum band and reformed it as a civilian one, the Bannockburn and District Pipe Band.

An unfortunate consequence of the merging of the Scottish Police Forces.

**Peter Crowe** · 3rd February 13, 05:47 AM

Yes Alex, but at least until April 2014 the former Strathclyde-ex-City of Glasgow-ex Burgh of Govan Police Pipe Band will continue to represent the new Police Service of Scotland (to be branded as Police Scotland). It is a little known fact that the City of Glasgow Police was the oldest statutory civil police force in the English speaking world (City of Glasgow Police Act 1800), preceding Sir Robert Peel's Metropolitan Police by 29 years.

Maybe the funds will be found after April 2014 to keep at least one Police pipe band going, although in the current financial climate, I hae ma doubts!

**OC Richard** · 3rd February 13, 06:52 AM

Glad to hear that the oldest and most-storied non-army pipe band on earth will live on (though in a new guise). It would be criminal to break up such a pool of musical talent and hopefully sponsorships can be found to fund the band.

And how long will the separate Army pipe bands be able to hold on to their tenuous existence?

In a couple weeks I'll see the Pipes & Drums of the 3rd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland (The Black Watch) who at least for now are continuing the dress and music of the old regiment.

**imrichmond** · 3rd February 13, 11:51 AM

According to the online piping magazine "Pipes|Drums", it was revealed at yesterday's Celtic Connections piping concert, which featured the Strathclyde Police, that the band will henceforth be known as the Greater Glasgow Police Scotland Pipe Band. That's a bit of a mouthful, but it does seem to indicate that the band will continue to be sponsored by the new, integrated Scottish police force. The Pipes|Drums article also says that the fate of the four remaining police pipe bands (Grampian Police, Fife Constabulary, Nothern Constabulary, and Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary) is still not known.

**Chas** · 3rd February 13, 12:09 PM

There is still some hope then.

Regards

Chas

**Jacobite Laddie** · 3rd February 13, 01:31 PM

Well, I'm pleased in a way, but I think the one force plan is a madcap idea and I wonder for how long the old ways will cling on.

**OC Richard** · 4th February 13, 05:25 AM

In many things in life there's a divide between the "lumpers" and the "splitters".

Seems to me that recently Scotland has been taken over by the lumpers:

"let's lump all the Infantry Battalions into a single Regiment"

"let's lump all the Military Bands into a single band"

"let's lump all the Police Pipe Bands into a single band"

I wonder what is behind this trend. Is it all about saving money? Or is their some underlying sea-change in how the Scots view things?

PS I hope that "lumper" isn't Glasgow slang for something nasty

**neloon** · 4th February 13, 06:19 AM

"is their some underlying sea-change in how the Scots view things? "
I don't think so. The military changes were inflicted from London and WERE about saving money. The Police (and Fire Service) changes were SAID to be about greater efficiency which, of course, may also be money-speak.
Alan

**TheSp8** · 4th February 13, 08:48 AM

We saw the Pipes and Drums of the Blackwatch, 3rd Battalion and the Band of the Scots Guards on 25 Jan. It was a great show. Only the Drum Major was wearing the Blackwatch Tartan, the pipers and drummers were wearing a red based Tartan. We were seated on the third row from the stage so that we could feel the music as well hear it. The version of Hector the Hero was out of this world.

I'm sure you'll enjoy the show.

YMOS,
Tony