SCOTLAND'S oldest civilian pipe band could lose its home of about 70 years after the storm-damaged building was recommended for demolition.
City of Brechin Pipe Band had practised in the hall at Inch Park for decades before it was damaged by flooding from the River South Esk in October 2023.
The stone hall – which was also used as storage by the council’s parks department – sits beside the former Brechin leisure centre and the vacant flats at Meikle Mill.
Last year, councillors agreed that the former leisure centre should be demolished but allowed the hall to remain.
This was to let talks begin with the pipe band on a takeover of the practice hall.
The band received funding for a feasibility study on developing the building into The Beat (Brechin Education and Acoustic Traditions) Centre.
This estimated the cost of creating the new centre to be more than £445,000.
A deadline for the proposed building transfer was set for autumn 2026.
Future of Brechin Pipe Band hall to be discussed
Now a fresh report on the future of the practice hall will go before councillors at a full meeting on Thursday, where they will be asked to agree to the demolition of the building.
The report says that following the storm damage, the council received an insurance payout of £60,000 for the building, with no restrictions on how the funds could be used.
The band has since offered to buy the building for £1, with the request that the £60,000 be used to help fund its restoration.
In correspondence with the council in July, the band said it had “approximately £8,000 ringfenced specifically for building repairs and ongoing upkeep” with some funds raised through online crowdfunding.
An email said: “We, City of Brechin Pipe Band, would like to offer the council £1 to purchase the buildings.
“We would like to also receive as near to the full amount of £60,000 which the insurance company are paying the council for demolition, to help us carry out basic remedial work to make the building safe and progress with restoring our original side of the building.
“Our plan for the future is to make safe the entire building and restore our original half of the building to allow us to operate.
“Phase two will be to renovate the old parks section of the building, with phase three being to join the two sections up to create our centre for musical excellence.
“As you are aware, we cannot apply for any funding as we currently do not own the building, and funders state not to apply unless you meet their criteria, but we have no doubt that we can raise the money we need to carry out the works.”
Options for future of Brechin Pipe Band hall
Three options have now been set out for councillors:
- Option 1: Sell the building to the band for £1 and accept the risks of whether it can raise the funds for any or all of the proposed works
- Option 2: Sell the building for £1 and provide the £60,000 insurance settlement towards the capital costs of restoring the building, accepting the risks of whether the remainder of the funds can be raised
- Option 3: Use the £60,000 to demolish the building
Officials say the band has not supplied sufficient evidence to show it would be able to secure the building’s long-term future.
They say if a project to restore the building could not be completed, it may incur further costs if it were to become a “danger to public safety.”
The report by Graeme Dailly, director of infrastructure and environment, says: “Without the financial information requested from the band, officers are not in a position to advise on the realistic prospects of the band securing sufficient funding to deliver any phase of their proposed project and are therefore unable to recommend options one or two, leaving option three as the recommended option in this report.
“Ultimately the council need to determine what is the best long-term option for the Brechin Common Good Fund as owner of this building on the basis of the information which is currently available.”
Councillors will make a final decision on the future of the building on Thursday.
City of Brechin Pipe Band marks its 150th anniversary in 2028, making it the nation’s oldest civilian pipe band.
Following the storm damage, the band has continued its activities elsewhere in the town.
