It seems the 4BR Editorial on brass bands projecting the right image to the general public and media may have been read by at least one national newspaper or two…

The Observer

'The Observer' ran a small article in its 'Review Section' on Sunday 14th February, which although sympathetic to banding, still made the lazy mistake of headlining it with the title, 'Trumpet call for brass bands'.

...informing their liberal minded readers that it was now 25 years since the end of the Miner Strike, and that the number of registered bands had dwindled from 35,000 to 7004BR

35,000 — 700

The article written by Gareth Grundy highlighted the news of the release of the CD 'The Music Lives On Now the Mines are Gone', featuring Grimethorpe Colliery Band amongst others, informing their liberal minded readers that it was now 25 years since the end of the Miner Strike, and that the number of registered bands had dwindled from 35,000 to 700.

Dodgy

Despite the rather dodgy research, the article also highlighted BBC 2’s forthcoming programme featuring Dinnington Colliery Band entitled, ‘A Band for Britain’ – although it rather flippantly asked the rhetorical question to whether or not this now meant that a brass band would be featured on the main stage at Glastonbury this year.

Another paper?

Thankfully, 4BR has been informed that another leading national newspaper may well be undertaking a feature on a London based band, looking at how brass bands are working towards projecting a better and more updated PR image.

We'll wait and see on that one then…