A PRESTIGIOUS brass band contest, which has been staged at Bradford’s St George’s Hall for more than 20 years, will not return to the venue next year, it has emerged.

The Yorkshire Brass Band Championships has made the Grade II* listed building its home for two decades, but since the theatre closed for a £5.4 million year-long refurbishment in March last year, a temporary venue was found for the 2017 contest.

But organisers have now confirmed that uncertainty around the hall’s restoration project, which is yet to properly begin, has played a part in their decision to move the competition elsewhere for good.

Positive feedback from bands about this year’s venue - Huddersfield Town Hall - also led to the unanimous vote at the committee’s annual meeting, making Huddersfield the championship’s permanent home from next year.

Peggy Tomlinson, secretary of the Yorkshire Regional Brass Band Committee, confirmed the decision.

She told the Telegraph & Argus: “It’s very unfortunate after so many years that Bradford will be losing the contest.

“But with the uncertainty over when the hall will reopen and positive comments from the bands about the backstage facilities at Huddersfield Town Hall, we had to listen to what the competitors were saying.

“I hope that it does reopen and is a successful venue again, as it was the traditional home of the Yorkshire Brass Band Championships for so many years.

“It must be very worrying for Bradford Theatres to lose regular customers like us.”

Former Lord Mayor, Councillor Mike Gibbons, who is also president of the City of Bradford Brass Band, was concerned about a lack of action over the St George’s Hall refurbishment so he recently quizzed Bradford Council bosses over its progress.

The Council confirmed that the tender process to find the main contractor had been completed and was now subject to pre-contract discussions including a budget review.

It also confirmed that the current target for reopening the venue was early 2018.

After hearing about the decision to move the championships from Bradford, Cllr Gibbons said: “It had been my hope that for the people of Bradford and for the audiences, the contest would return to Bradford, its home for so many years.

“I would have thought that this is the first of many similar situations and is indicative of the lack of progress being made to resolve the issues with the project.”

He added that the target reopening date was merely a “guestimate” and that “some certainty needs to be injected” into the project to allow the hall to re-establish itself quickly once it does reopen.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, executive member for culture, said: “Clearly we are disappointed if the Brass Band Competition organisers say they are not returning to St George’s Hall.

"We are eager to restore St George’s Hall to its former glory and once it is all completed and  open again for business, then hope we can open up discussions with the organisers and see if we can meet their requirements.”