VENUE : Jephson Gardens, Leamington Spa

LOCATION : Right in the very centre of the town, opposite the Pump Rooms

TIME : 3pm to 5pm, Sunday

TRANSPORT LINKS : Trains run from Marylebone to Leamington Spa. Coaches run from Victoria to Leamington Spa.

COMMENTS : Without doubt the Midlands’ finest setting for live music, in a Gardens which has won awards from the Royal Horticultural Society for Best Kept Park.

Leamington Spa was one of the few band seasons which continued to provide music throughout May, and if we have a good May, that can be the perfect time to visit, as the spring flowers are at their absolute best. Sadly, in 2009 the May bands have now been axed. This is a desperate shame, as May was the month I most enjoyed visiting Leamington Spa, and few other seasons have retained the May bands.

Don’t bother trying to find the bandstand in the Jephson Gardens – there isn’t one. The bandstand is in the Pump Room Gardens, and is not used any more. The bands set up and play in front of the glass houses, which does create one problem. The walkway is between the band and the fans, so your listening will not be undisturbed. It is much better when the bands set up down by the lake. This way, the walkway is behind everybody, and the slope of the grass is towards the band, which creates the ideal seeing conditions. You can even see the horn section. No band fans ever see the horn section!

The overall standard of Leamington’s season is up and down. In 2009, Warwickshire’s two finest bands both played there, along with Northamptonshire’s finest as well. Not every week was this good, but given the budget cuts it wasn’t a bad effort.

One truly outstanding feature of Leamington Spa’s season is that they actually try to get bands to play in foul weather, in one of the buildings next to the park. This is something which EVERY other band season needs to study, and learn from. It is not difficult, and the taxpayers deserve to get the entertainment they have paid for, for the money that has been spent. The only thing Leamington could do better is to actually make sure the policy is coordinated, and then announce it on the posters and promotional materials, so that the fans know in advance that they can travel on a bad weather day, and still hear the band play.

Facilities are mixed. There are lavatories and a cafe very close to the area where the band plays, and an ice cream van outside the park gates (Newbold Terrace). No chairs, however, are provided for the fans, which is a total pain.

MARK : 7/10 – Sadly Leamington Spa has to be nudged down a point this year due to the loss of the May bands.

WHAT LEAMINGTON SPA COULD DO TO IMPROVE : Stop booking the same band twice in the same season. Be more prepared to go outside Warwickshire to get top quality bands. Provide chairs for the fans. Have a settled rainout policy with a consistent indoor venue, and announce the fact on publicity materials. Please, please, pretty pretty please reinstate the May bands.

THE 2010 SEASON

The May bands have not been reinstated, but there are still some good bands playing in this excellent venue this year.