English Chess Forum

I assume that most chess clubs don't own the building they play in, so what is the room rate per week that you pay in rent to play in the room?

And what do you think is a reasonable rate?

Would it not be per hour? Or per evening? I am assuming most clubs run one night a week, for an evening of around 4 hours. Some clubs will be active enough to run another night of the week as well. Maybe some clubs are open at the weekends?

A fair few (most?!) clubs do also have long term storage space at their venues.

Whatever people do pay, a reasonable rate would definitely be more than most chess clubs - and obviously their members! - are currently willing to pay (Provided that you got genuinely better spaces out of it of course.).

Fair point about storage. I assumed most clubs get storage thrown in as an extra, but maybe some places include a storage charge? Maybe some clubs have no storage and just have to bring the equipment every time?

Chris - you were at our chess club AGM when the rates against alternatives (some without storage).
Also our limit of 3 hours (for setting up & putting away) & hence not being able to offer a longer session.
Of course with extra financial pressures from 1st April (mainly business rates - significantly here - talking about averages 20-50%) I expect massive increases. Also pressures to turn these clubrooms into housing.
Not least transport increases & far worse services so expect many of our working members will have to cut back on games.

Even churches are selling off premises.

To cap it all the snow is on the way so expect some real issues for tomorrow & to the w/e.

Four replies to date and no one has mentioned a sum of money!

David Blower wrote:I assume that most chess clubs don't own the building they play in, so what is the room rate per week that you pay in rent to play in the room?

And what do you think is a reasonable rate?

Nil

Not sure

Barrow chess club are fortunate to get a room in the local British Legion for free. There is an annual donation to funds, however.

I suspect a lot more clubs might have arrangements like that than you might think.

My board game club hires the function room of a pub. The cost to us is 0, provided our members between us buy enough food and drink at the bar.

A previous chess club of mine played in the function room of a pub. The landlord was a chessplayer himself and even turned out occasionally as a reserve for us. He wouldn't charge us for the room. We stayed at that pub while he was there and we left when he did.

The general question of a reasonable rate is impossible to answer. What part of the country is the venue? How big is the room? And so on.

I have negotiated several moves and had to inspect a lot of alternatives. Some host venues price themselves in three figures (as if we were a business conference) while others are free without conditions, with every gradation in between.

Our club plays in a social club. There is no roomhire rate but chess club members have to be members of the social club at a cost of £6.00 pa. This is paid out of the members chess club subscriptions.

What is anybody doing paying for a venue? As long as you are not playing on a Friday or Saturday night surely every pub in the world that does not have Sky would give you a free room? Just don't be divvies and try and take your sandwiches and thermos's along. We haven't paid for a venue for years, and there are at least 2 or 3 other venues we could move to if our current one ever fell through.

We would not be able to play anywhere in central Kingston-upon-Thames without paying. Which is where the club want to be.
Anyway I was too late to ask to club secretary because the match was starting & I was last one to finish so will get the info next week.

Also will point out no free parking so those costs are for visitors or those that drive. Excellent public transport links.

Also will have to let visitors & club players know again not to bring in drink or food because it is in a pub serving both. You can have a free tap water & tea & coffee is at a very reasonable rate (about half the price of everything nearby).

This type of behaviour can cost the chess club the loss of venue.

Blame the pub owners not the management - then again the churches & school halls community centres/scout halls charge more.

Has not been anything like a free let in my experience in last 30 years (except when we were at a shopping centre on A3 Roehampton).

Nick Grey wrote: (except when we were at a shopping centre on A3 Roehampton)

I thought that was a great venue. Spacious, good lighting, free parking, bus stop outside, nobody hustling you to leave. Shame you abandoned it.