Terry resigned as Musical Director in early 1990 because of pressure of work but stayed on as drummer. He had already been involved with the St Josephs Light Operatic Society and had been offered the opportunity to be Musical Director for Canterbury Opera (), consequently the band was searching for a new leader.

There followed a period of huge upheaval and dissension. Several appointments were made but for various reasons the incumbents couldn’t stay. The appointment of ex-Army band musician Brian Hodges as M.D. promised great things and certainly it all started well. Unfortunately it didn’t work out and although the band’s sound improved, morale did not and a great number of long-standing members resigned. By late 1991 band members were asking for him not to be re-appointed. His appointment was finally terminated in 1992. To compound the frustration and low morale of the band members, Brian Hodges and his supporters (who had all been new recruits under his direction), on resigning from the then ‘Garden City Big Band’ formed a band of their own and being aware that the name was not officially registered but just a stage name, registered it for themselves. All steps that the Band took to reclaim its name failed. The original band members re-grouped and at a special AGM in March 1993 registered the band as the ‘Mainland Big Band Inc’

After the split in 1992 and until Terry returned to the Band as MD in 1996 there were two other appointed MDs - Richard Oswin (of the C.S.O.) and Noeleen Penter, an ex-band member. Neither were able to stay for very long. On some occasions, in the absence of an office MD members of the Band filled in - Kim Blackmore and Alan Ryan, and a number of others came and tried out for position after it had been advertised but either they were not suitable or did not want the commitment.

At the same time the Club scene was changing. New alcohol licensing laws had loosened the grip that tavern ‘booze barns’, RSA.s and Working Men’s Clubs had on selling liquor, and they were now competing with a proliferation of small cafés and bars as well as the sale of wine and beer at supermarkets. The Clubs could no longer afford to hire bands to the same extent as before and favoured small combos rather than the expense of a Big Band. The fact that the band had chosen this time to increase its fees (by a mere $35) meant it was difficult to find any work at all.

In the meantime some band members decided that it was time to spruce up the front wall of the band which still featured the dancing couple that was a hangover from the days when the hall was a ballroom dance studio. Over the Christmas holidays of 1994-95 four younger members (Stella Kennedy, Jessica Ballantyne, Hayden Crocker and Lyn Anderson), with the help of a cherry picker, painted a mural of their own design. It was decided to keep the name ‘Continental Lounge’ because it was a well-known local landmark, and it was as thought prudent not to advertise the Band’s ownership because of the potential risk to the equipment held inside. This whole-wall mural remained in place for the rest of the life of the hall.

In order to remove any remaining military connections of the band yet another uniform change was proposed resulting in the purchase of the existing claret-coloured reefer jackets.