Pipe down! Royal Regiment of Scotland’s finest to play hour later after complaints
FOR more than half a century, villagers in Ballater, Aberdeenshire, have been woken up at the crack of dawn by bagpipers at the local Army barracks.
But a senior officer from the Royal Regiment of Scotland has now put an end to the tradition, ordering his troops to instead play at 7am after receiving several “polite” noise complaints.
Soldiers from the regiment’s Balaklava Company 5th Battalion, who guard Her Majesty at Balmoral in the summer, will also no longer play at weekends.
Maj Robert Weir, the battalion’s commanding officer, said he hoped the break with military tradition demonstrated “my desire to integrate with the local community at the expense of my own orders”.
Troops at the 170-year-old Victoria Barracks traditionally play pipe calls three times a day, once at 6am, again at 12.30 for lunch and finally at 6pm for last parade.
However, in a message to the Ballater & Crathie Community Group on Facebook, Maj Weir said it had become “apparent not everyone enjoys getting up at 0600 to Johnnie Cope” – a popular Scottish folk song. He said he had received a number of “somewhat polite complaints to his staff ”.
While asking if people could stop swearing at the soldiers, Maj Weir wrote: “I’ll move morning pipe call to 0700hrs weekdays and there will be no pipe calls at weekends. I hope this gesture demonstrates my desire to integrate with the local community at the expense of my own orders.” Villagers speculated that the complaints would probably have come from holiday-makers or second-home owners, as many were saddened by the announcement.
David Cobban responded: “A bit of tradition that is special to Ballater. I would be happy to wake to the sound of the pipes every morning. I appreciate the traditions that continue and appreciate all that you do to continue it.”
Another, Alison Croft, said: “Love the pipes and really disappointed that a tradition for more than my 54 years here has to change, it’s absolutely shocking that the Queen’s Royal Guard have to change for who?”
Alistair Casie wrote: “The sound of bugle and bagpipes at the barracks is traditional.”
Following the outcry, Maj Weir said he would instruct his troops to start playing at 7am “for the time being”, adding he may “revisit the decision”.
Balmoral will close its doors to the public tomorrow and the Queen, who is staying at Craigowan Lodge, is expected to move into the castle shortly.
The Queen’s own piper, Pipe Major Paul Burns of The Royal Regiment of Scotland, who is not caught up in the row, is responsible for playing the bagpipes every morning.