Blackpool piper sets sights on world stage and Tower performance dream
A Blackpool piper is set to take his sound to the world stage as he prepares for championship competition.
Blackpool-based piper Tom Collins has spoken about his growing passion for traditional Scottish music and his ambitions to perform in one of the town’s most iconic locations.
He has been playing the bagpipes for just over three years and is already performing with both the Accrington Pipe Band and the Warrington Pipe Band.
The Accrington group is recognised as the oldest civilian pipe band in the world, while Warrington’s ensemble is now preparing for a major milestone of its own.
The bands are heading to the world championships for the first time, marking a significant moment in their history. Collins says the distinctive sound of the pipes often draws crowds from across the area, with people stopping to discover where the music is coming from.
He said he would love the opportunity to play from the top of Blackpool Tower, to see how far along the promenade the sound could carry.
“It’s just something sentimental,” he said. “When you’re doing funerals and weddings it’s a special event. Especially for people with Scottish heritage, it can feel like a touch of home.”
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For Tom, the instrument is more than performance - it’s a way of connecting people through memory, tradition and place.
He said: “Because the sound travels so far people have been coming from all over to see where the noise is coming from.
“We often get people standing and watching. I would love the chance to play at the top of the tower to see how far up the Promenade the sound can be heard.”