By Andrea Lambrou

Copyright dailyrecord

South Lanarkshire Council has hit a bum note with a local music shop after repeatedly failing to recognise the popular independent supplier for school instrument hire. Across the region, primary and secondary schools are once again inviting students to take up brass, woodwind and stringed instruments. But the team at Village Music in East Kilbride told Lanarkshire Live they were disappointed to see that, yet again, no South Lanarkshire-based music shops offering instrument hire have been included in the advice letter issued to students. Village Music are right on the doorstep of families in East Kilbride, but instead, parents are being encouraged by the Instrumental Music Service department to travel further afield to shops in Glasgow , Milngavie and even Edinburgh. Village Music director Jamie Finn said the lack of support has forced him to make the “very difficult” decision not to restock brass and woodwind instruments for hire once their current stock is gone. “For the past four years, we have been in direct communication with those responsible for issuing this letter”, he explained. “They are fully aware that Village Music provides the same (or similar) hire services at comparative prices, and that we stock the brands of instruments recommended by the instructors. “We are also an approved supplier on the council’s iProc system which allows us to provide VAT-free purchases of new instruments. “Despite this, the Instrumental Music Service department continues to choose not to support local independent suppliers – even those like us who actively sponsor local schools through Young Musician of the Year awards, events like Duncanrig’s RigRock Battle of the Bands, and offer work experience placements. “As a result, we have been forced to make the very difficult decision not to restock brass and woodwind instruments for hire once our current stock is gone. This is not a step we take lightly.” For more than 30 years, Village Music has proudly supported young musicians of East Kilbride and beyond through its hire scheme and have nurtured local talent through the Village School of Music. They are stockists of the brands most commonly recommended by instructors: Jupiter, Trevor James and Buffet. And also stock well-made but more affordable entry-level models under £500 – popular with parents of first-time players. Customers pay a small deposit up front to rent the instrument for four months. At the end of that period, the deposit is deducted from the purchase price if they choose to buy. Alternatively, the instrument can be rehired, or returned at no further cost. Jamie added: “Over the years, lots of parents have told us they got their own first flute, clarinet, or saxophone from us when they were the same age as their child. “These lovely full-circle moments are a reminder of the role we have played in the local community, which makes this situation all the more disappointing. “We have no issue with the council as a whole. We’ve had recent support from councillors and MSPs on the matter. “We also have support from many schools, classroom teachers, and a number of instrumental instructors – as well as lots of customer and local families.” Jamie claims the shop was listed in the council advice letter around 15 years ago, but was removed without any explanation. He added: “Since 2022, I have spoken with the department responsible for the letter each year to request re-inclusion. Despite being familiar with the shop they claimed not to realise we offered the scheme. “Around then we made a social media post highlighting that we offered the hire service, even though we were not included in the advice letter. I mentioned it was disappointing that Village Music (or indeed any music shop in South Lanarkshire) was not listed.” And he added: “It was agreed, as a gesture of goodwill, that we would remove the post on the understanding that Village Music would be considered for inclusion going forward. But we have still not been included in the advice letter. “Several customers have told us that, because we are not listed, they assumed we did not offer a hire service, we did not stock brass and woodwind instruments or that we had closed down. “It is therefore clear that our exclusion has a direct negative impact on our business and our ability to serve local families. Considering the decades worth of support we have given to local schools through sponsorship and work experience placements and more, it seems only fair that, if we meet the stated requirements, we should be endorsed – even if placed at the bottom of the list. “If there are requirements we do not meet, we would reasonably expect clear communication to that effect.” Jacqueline Wallace, Head of Education, said: “South Lanarkshire Council’s Instrumental Music Service (IMS) remains committed to ensuring that pupils and families receive the highest quality support when selecting orchestral instruments. The suppliers listed in our recruitment materials are specialist providers who offer remote access, competitive pricing, and reliable aftercare. These criteria are deemed essential to supporting sustained musical learning. “Our priority is to ensure that pupils and families receive expert guidance and reliable service when selecting orchestral instruments. The suppliers we recommend meet these standards consistently. “While other suppliers may be approved for general procurement purposes, not all currently meet these specific criteria. We value the contributions of all our local businesses and remain open to dialogue about how suppliers can meet the necessary criteria for future inclusion. “We appreciate the role of local businesses and welcome constructive engagement on how they can align with our expectations. “Village Music was considered but has been unable to meet the requirements we set to ensure young people’s needs are met.” In response, Jamie insists his business has never been assessed, adding: “Now that the council have responded we look forward to them confirming when we were assessed, by whom and to what criteria. We also look forward to reading their report so that we can make the necessary improvements to meet there requirements.” *Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . 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