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Pifl ’81 Day 6: Harbour Road Bandstand

Friday, January 6th, 2023

Across Harbour Road from the Pifl branch of Norbury and Sons department store is one of the towns Bandstands.

Provided for the entertainment and edification of the population and visitors to Pifl by Victorian benefactors it was manufactured by W MacFarlane & Co. Ltd of Glasgow.

It has seen better days. The town council see that it is cleaned and gets a fresh paint job when it starts to look shabby because of its prominent site on the Harbour Road.

It is only occasionally used by local brass bands. There is little space near it for an audience and the noise of local attractions, the road and the harbour make it an unappealing place for them to perform. Sometimes during the season they will be lured there for a special occasion such as the Mayor giving a civic address or a festival.

It provide a stage for local buskers during the day. On day’s when the weather forecast is bad Professor Pridden sets up his Punch and Judy show here so the crowd can shelter from the rain. A section of the Pifling Harmonica Orchestra sometimes meet there for a practice session or to drum up interest in the run up to the annual Skiffle festival.

At night it attracts local teenagers sharing cheap bottles of cider and chips wrapped in newspaper.

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