Birmingham Grand Hotel

[Roger de Coverly]

Those who played in the 4NCL more than twenty years ago may recall this hotel, possibly under the name "Moat House".

There were suggestions that it was to be demolished, but has been refurbished instead.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/esca ... ation.html

The staircase at least looks familiar.

[Joey Stewart]

My favourite 4ncl venue ever - the only one possible to reach via public transport.

[IM Jack Rudd]

The ones in Telford and Northampton are also very close to their towns' respective railway stations.

[Phil Neatherway]

Leamington is OK for public transport too. A short bus ride from the station.

[MartinCarpenter]

Buxton was good for that too

[Mick Norris]

Buxton was good for that too

Harrogate too I think

[JustinHorton]

My favourite 4ncl venue ever - the only one possible to reach via public transport.

We may be operating on different definitions of "reach" but I used to get to West Bromwich by getting a bus from Birmingham.

[Joey Stewart]

Didn't they stop playing there before the year 2000 though? I've only heard that venue talked about as a legend of the ancient world

[NickFaulks]

I'm still waiting to hear more about the Horton connection.

[Ian Thompson]

Didn't they stop playing there before the year 2000 though? I've only heard that venue talked about as a legend of the ancient world

At least one weekend was played there during the 2004/05 season. It wasn't very far from West Bromwich Albion football stadium. I'd expect there to be good public transport links to somewhere where 26,000 people might want to go at the same time.

[Jonathan Rogers]

a 4NCL nerd replies:

My first experience of West Bromwich was in November 1996 (but that was also my first 4NCL season, so it might have been played there before). It also hosted the final weekend of that season, where Invicta Knights seemed to have the title within their grasp but threw it away by drawing with BCM in the last round. Then it was a long while before we returned, and my next memory is the start of the 2002/3 season, just after the closure of the Grand. It also finished the season there, with the rather disappointing Telford (for train connection purposes) introduced for the other three weekends. Then in 2003/4 it was a 3:2 split in favour of West Bromwich, again finishing the season there. Telford was then dropped for 2004/5 and the next season was 4:1 between West Bromwich and Nottingham. I make May 2005 the last weekend held there. I remember the last day for (at least) three reasons:

1) my partner, having thought it might be fun to accompany me, got so utterly bored that she had taken the early morning train home rather than wait around for another minute
2) our two teams in the first division beat 5 GMs between them, my deserted self being one of the victors
3 Wood Green and Guildford were having their by now perennial last round shootout, with Wood Green having draw odds as usual, but it was played in its own room with spectators not allowed (but screen showing the play outside). I amused myself by telling people that spectators could not enter the playing room, lest they realised that half of the world class players had not actually made the trip and were playing remotely. Not many believed me, but I tried.

[NickFaulks]

I'd expect there to be good public transport links to somewhere where 26,000 people might want to go at the same time.

You are clearly not a Fulham supporter.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"You are clearly not a Fulham supporter."

I rather doubt 26000 people would want to go there...

[NickFaulks]

"You are clearly not a Fulham supporter."

I rather doubt 26000 people would want to go there...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/championship/table

[JustinHorton]

I'm still waiting to hear more about the Horton connection.

I didn't actually play you there did I?