For the second year in a row Scotland will be represented at the European Brass Band Championships by the band that finished fourth at the Scottish Championships.

Finance

Kingdom Brass will make the trip to Montreux in 2011, after the Scottish Brass Band Association revealed that 2010 Scottish Champion, Co-operative Funerlcare, runner up, Whitburn and third placed Kirkintilloch, have all declined the opportunity due to the financial costs involved.

It is understood that each of the ‘big three’ in Scotland were unable to commit to raising the £15,000 to £20,000 required to make the trip in May next year.

Disappointment

The news will surely come as a disappointment to SBBA, especially after it was awarded the honour of hosting the championships in Perth in 2014.

However, more cynical observers have pointed out that the decisions may also have been influenced by the fact that there could be a real possibility of at least one of these ‘big three’ being faced with funding a trip to the Grand Shield contest in Blackpool around the same time if results do not go their way at the British Open in September.

The decision may also start to raise the same type of problematic 'qualification' questions for the Scots that have plagued their English counterparts in recent times4BR

Problem

The decision may also start to raise the same type of problematic 'qualification' questions for the Scots that have plagued their English counterparts in recent times.

No worry

That however doesn’t seem to have worried a delighted Kingdom Brass, who are already competing at Blackpool next year. Secretary John Todd is reported as saying that, '…this experience will inspire our players to an even higher level'.

Kingdom recently came runner up at the West Lothian Festival beating Co-operative Funeralcare in the process before losing out to Whitbun in the final.