Letter: A strategy for survival of military bands

Sir: I read in the Independent that the axe is about to fall on our military bands. Given the millions of people out of work, I appreciate that military music has no automatic right to special treatment. However, these military bands have been in existence for hundreds of years during times when the country was nothing like as rich as it is now.

Why can we no longer afford to keep our bands? Am I being unduly simplistic, or can someone give me an explanation of the economics involved?

Yours faithfully,

PETER JONES

London, SE19

16 March