It was not just musical hard work that paid off for the Harrogate Band after they won the First Section Area title as well as the awards for ‘Best Basses’ and ‘Best Percussion’ at the North of England Regional Championships in Darlington this year.

Six floods

In the past 18 months the band has suffered no less than four floods in their bandroom – taking six months to fully dry out and be in a fit state to be redecorated.

The musical success has therefore also come from hard physical graft then according to Chairman Keith Graham.

Drains

"Our bandroom is situated in the basement of a former dairy, and is surrounded by drains, gullies and sumps designed to keep the room cool," he told 4BR.

"These became overwhelmed by the amount of rainwater that had been collected and water was gushing through the bandroom’s floorboards.

Our landlord was great in assisting us with our rather large problem. But as one drain was cleared, another one appeared to be blocked. It seemed like a never ending task. People were even coming to band rehearsal in their wellies!"

When this was cleared the amount of water released flooded the street outside, much to our neighbour’s annoyance!Harrogate Band

Traced

He added: "The problem was finally traced to an unknown drain that runs through the middle of the building. When this was cleared the amount of water released flooded the street outside, much to our neighbour’s annoyance!"

Hours and hours of work to restore the bandroom were put in by band members led by 16 year old Bandroom Manager Joel Graham, and the hope is now that it is all back to normal at long last.

Goodbye

Meanwhile, the victory at Darlington was tinged with sadness as the band lost two of its most popular members — Nicky Godfrey, who has moved to live and work in London and stalwart Jason Harper who has decided to take some time off to sort out a long term embouchure problem.