More 4NCL

[Mike Truran]

Thanks Alan - I've also sent round an email to all the captains to let them know about the new "clearing house" page on the 4NCL website which hopefully will help match up people holding too many rooms with people still looking for accommodation.

Thank you to the various captains for their suggestions for improvement before the new arrangements got finalised; a number of these got into the final version.

[Adam Raoof]

in the middle of a post-nuclear wasteland

That's not quite true. Post-nuclear wastelands tend to be evacuated. Believe it or not, people actually live around there...

Alex, when you've passed all exams perhaps you could do some investigation into suitable Birmingham venues?

[Alex Holowczak]

in the middle of a post-nuclear wasteland

That's not quite true. Post-nuclear wastelands tend to be evacuated. Believe it or not, people actually live around there...

Alex, when you've passed all exams perhaps you could do some investigation into suitable Birmingham venues?

I think Loz has already made such a search (albeit for much smaller scale events), and not found much to shout about. Will happily look though.

[LozCooper]

Alex, when you've passed all exams perhaps you could do some investigation into suitable Birmingham venues?

I think Loz has already made such a search (albeit for much smaller scale events), and not found much to shout about. Will happily look though.

Last summer I was looking in Birmingham for a venue to hold one or possibly two 10 player all-play-all events in July 2010 but clearly that is completely different to looking to hosting a 4ncl. Aside from the Briar Rose Wetherlodge which would just about squeeze in 10 players the hotels I visited all wanted at least £200 a day for a playing room and larger ones (suitable for a 4ncl) cost much more. Of course a 4ncl would be able to offer to book 100+ rooms so would be able to negotiate far better than myself who was only looking at booking about 10 rooms.

[Roger de Coverly]

I used to really enjoy playing in Birmingham. As a Welshman it was the closest venue I could hope for. I also used to really enjoy being able to walk out of the hotel in the evening and enjoy the nightlife.

For some parts of Wales, Telford is closer than Birmingham. The Telford Moat House was even in the city centre, if being on the roundabout opposite the shopping mall counts as such.

(edit) I meant the Telford hotel, not the Birmingham one (and what passes for a city centre in Telford )

[Justin Hadi]

Last summer I was looking in Birmingham for a venue to hold one or possibly two 10 player all-play-all events in July 2010 but clearly that is completely different to looking to hosting a 4ncl. Aside from the Briar Rose Wetherlodge which would just about squeeze in 10 players the hotels I visited all wanted at least £200 a day for a playing room and larger ones (suitable for a 4ncl) cost much more. Of course a 4ncl would be able to offer to book 100+ rooms so would be able to negotiate far better than myself who was only looking at booking about 10 rooms.

Just a thought, but you might want to contact local clubs for the playing venue and let players find their own accommodation. After all, the clubs already have the playing area once a week and the proprietors of the venues might offer discounted rates based on this.

[Matt Harrison]

I used to attend an annual board games convention in Birmingham (Midcon). A quick check on Google shows that it is still running, and this year was at the Thistle Hotel on St Chad's Queensway. Might be worth checking with them.

[Mike Truran]

Not enough meeting room space, and probably not enough bedrooms either I'm afraid!

[Matt Harrison]

And having spent some time reading their site it seems they are moving to Derby next year because of hotel problems!

[Gareth Harley-Yeo]

I used to really enjoy playing in Birmingham. As a Welshman it was the closest venue I could hope for. I also used to really enjoy being able to walk out of the hotel in the evening and enjoy the nightlife.

For some parts of Wales, Telford is closer than Birmingham. The Moat House was even in the city centre, if being on the roundabout opposite the shopping mall counts as such.

I, along with 90% of Welsh players who attend the 4NCL live in the south. As for the moat house comment, I was referring to the Paragon Hotel.

I guess it doesn't have to be Birmingham, just a venue which isn’t surrounded by either fields or motorways. Somehwere in the midlands would be nice though. All I and no doubt maybe people under pensionable age want is to be able to play in the day and socialise in the evening. One drink in the Barcelo/De Vere and I'm broke.

[Sean Hewitt]

I think people need to understand that the rate chess events need to pay to hotels for meeting space and bedrooms in order to make the event viable (given what chess players seem prepared to pay) is significantly lower than other events using the same hotels pay. Becuase of this, chess business is very much 'business of last resort' for the hotels, and they will always try to fill the space with higher fee paying, higher margin business instead. Mike's job is far harder than mine because he needs more space, and more bedrooms, but for less time. It's a miracle he is able to provide us with what he does.

A quick look at what it costs to play bridge for a weekend at De Vere Denham Grove (where e2e4 holds events also) gives an idea of the cost differential. Try booking the same room for a wedding and it would be even worse!!

Add to that chess guests sitting in reception eating KFC, sitting in the bar drinking their own drinks or cancelling 10 rooms with 2 days notice and it's no wonder that hotels prepared to host a chess event are few and far between! We even had one player turn up at an event with a sleeping bag and ask where he could sleep for the night!!

[Justin Hadi]

Hear hear. The 4NCL organisers do a wonderful job and it's not expressed often enough how difficult it is.

[Gareth Harley-Yeo]

Add to that chess guests sitting in reception eating KFC, sitting in the bar drinking their own drinks or cancelling 10 rooms with 2 days notice and it's no wonder that hotels prepared to host a chess event are few and far between! We even had one player turn up at an event with a sleeping bag and ask where he could sleep for the night!!

It's a sorry state of affairs, but when the hotels put such a ridiculous mark up on their food and drink, how can anyone who doesn’t have deep pockets and isn’t sponsored be expected to pay those rates? For me it's not a question of I'd rather a KFC than a meal in the hotel, I simply can't afford the meal in the hotel.

[Alan Walton]

Add to that chess guests sitting in reception eating KFC, sitting in the bar drinking their own drinks or cancelling 10 rooms with 2 days notice and it's no wonder that hotels prepared to host a chess event are few and far between! We even had one player turn up at an event with a sleeping bag and ask where he could sleep for the night!!

It's a sorry state of affairs, but when the hotels put such a ridiculous mark up on their food and drink, how can anyone who doesn’t have deep pockets and isn’t sponsored be expected to pay those rates? For me it's not a question of I'd rather a KFC than a meal in the hotel, I simply can't afford the meal in the hotel.

Yes, everybody knows that hotel meals are expensive, and its anybody perogative to get food elsewhere, but you have to appreciate the hotels right to demand it not to be eaten on their premises, would you think KCF would like you eating a BigMac within one of their restaurants (and vice versa)

[Mike Truran]

I accept these things are relative, but I don't think £13 for an evening meal at, for example, Hinckley Island is particularly unreasonable, and the venues do normally try to put on a beer, lager and house wine at discounted prices in the bar.