Hamilton as a venue for the popular Beat the Retreat ceremony.

Regiment commanding officer Lt. Col. David Burch yesterday announced additional Retreats would instead be offered to the two other venues.

But he would not say if the parade, which has been performed along Front Street for almost 30 years, is likely to return.

West End Development Corporation managing director Mr. George Smith yesterday welcomed the prospect of additional parades -- a valuable attraction at Dockyard for cruise ship passengers and locals alike.

However, St. George's Mayor the Wor. Henry Hayward was more circumspect.

Accommodating additional retreats in St. George's would not pose a problem, he admitted. But he would prefer that the Regiment settle its differences with Hamilton instead.

"We are always happy to have more attractions but it would be better to have them spread across the three venues,'' he said.

Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge, has expressed disappointment following the announcement that Hamilton would be excluded as a venue for the event this year.

That was in spite of a letter from Tourism requesting the ceremony be switched to Tuesday nights but which was turned down.

Yesterday Lt. Col. Burch said switching to another night was not as simple as it appeared.

The majority of the band were part time members and had jobs and families to juggle in order to perform, he said.

The Retreat ceremony was withdrawn from Hamilton last summer after Lt. Col.

Burch claimed Harbour Nights activities on Wednesdays interfered with the band.

In August, he sent a letter to Mr. Woolridge setting set down the Regiment's terms and conditions for performing the parade.

"By this we meant that the two events should not proceed together,'' Lt. Col.

Burch said. "We published our schedule at the end of the year with the idea that Harbour Nights would be moved -- we honestly believe the two events don't go together.'' In spite of his chagrin, Mr. Woolridge would not be drawn on whether funding for the event, which is Tourism-sponsored, would be affected.

"Two wrongs don't make a right,'' he said.

He added, however, that Tourism had already budgeted for this year's performances.

"I am just sorry that visitors and locals alike will not have the benefit of seeing Beat the Retreat on Front Street,'' he said.

Lt. Col David Burch