The North West Regional Committee have been forced to make a change in the date for the 2009 Regional Championships in Blackpool.

Original date withdrawn

The original date of the 15th March was withdrawn on the 29th April by the management of the Winter Gardens due to, as they put it "...an event overrun into the date/rooms being used which regrettably left no alternative but to move next years championships to another date".

They, of course, apologised if this caused any inconvenience.

The Regional Secretary informed the Winter Gardens of his Committee's displeasure and annoyance at being treated in this way and said the alternative date proposed by the Winter Gardens was not acceptable due to it clashing with several other regions.

New date

Finally the Winter Gardens have now confirmed that the venue will be available on Sunday 1st March for the 2009 North West Regional Championships, and this has had to be accepted by the Regional Committee.

The Regional Committee feel let down by the Winter Gardens over this booking as the Committee have always in the past done whatever possible to accommodate requests from the hall managementPeter Bates

Informed

All North West bands have been informed, by letter, of this change of date and the Regional Secretary has also had to contact adjudicators, percussion hirer, and all the stewards to ensure their availability for the new date.

So far all have agreed.

Schedule

The Regional Committee hope the bands will appreciate the change of date is not of their making and, given this early notice of the change, will still be able to include the Regional Championships in their 2009 schedule.

Let down

Peter Bates told 4BR: "The Regional Committee feel let down by the Winter Gardens over this booking as the Committee have always in the past done whatever possible to accommodate requests from the hall management.

It is possible people will say that the Regional Committee should look for another venue, but there are none in the North West with the three halls needed to run a one-day event."

He added: "A venue with only two halls would mean a two-day event therefore adding to the overall costs of running the Regional Championships."