Final Weekend: ALL rooms taken already for Sat 30 April!

[Roger de Coverly]

One for the 4NCL management to consider. I'm aware of the need to ensure that all the allocated rooms are sold, but if rooms really are unavailable, then you've got the opposite problem of exceeding the capacity of the hotel.

I wonder whether if it makes a difference to the demand as to where the weekend takes place. For instance does the 4NCL get less hotel residents when events are at Wokefield or Sunningdale?

[Mike Truran]

Contractually we don't have to fill our allocation, although of course in practice we're normally there or thereabouts - and the venues are always very understanding anyway given that the take-up wobbles around a bit from weekend to weekend but is generally fairly stable over the long run (i.e. 'no surprises'). What did give them a problem, as you will recall, was high levels of cancellations very close to the weekend itself (i.e. 'surprises'). Each season I normally negotiate with the venues to push our allocation up where I can in cases where there is clearly excess demand.

Demand tends to vary not so much according to the location, but depending on whether it's a Divs 1 and 2 venue or a Div 3 venue. For reasons I have never been able to explain, historically Div 3 conversion (i.e. participants vs rooms books) has always run at a lower ratio than Divs 1 and 2. It's something I keep on having to remind the venues about in terms of managing their expectations.

You're right of course - the 4NCL is now of a size where it's getting more and more difficult to find a venue in the right place at the right cost to accommodate it all. What Hinckley Island does have is plenty of playing space and a good quality environment, but, even with 360 bedrooms, as we have seen it does mean that demand will tend to exceed supply. The feedback I've had over the last day is despite this, the preference is still to have common weekends.

On the basis that no solution is perfect, maybe what we have now ( a combination of split and common weekends) is as good as anything. Hopefully that way at least some of the people are pleased some of the time! Another option would be to have a cap on the number of overall teams, but I for one would find that very regrettable.

[Keith Arkell]

Still nothing. I guess the time to try again is Sat 16th - ie inside the 2 week deadline after which captains are forced to hand back their surplus rooms.

[LozCooper]

Still nothing. I guess the time to try again is Sat 16th - ie inside the 2 week deadline after which captains are forced to hand back their surplus rooms.

Based on the evidence of the March weekend, there was a flood of rooms made available on the Thursday two days before the event. Staverton Park at least operated a waiting list and then phoned people as rooms became available, no idea if Hinckley will do the same.

[Mike Truran]

There are two main room release times: (a) the two week guillotine when captains block booking more than four bedrooms cancel their surplus rooms (b) as Lawrence says, the Thursday beforehand when small volume bookers make their cancellations. Hinckley Island do operate a waiting list, so I suggest you should also make sure you're on it.

[David Buckley]

I have 1 surplus twin and 6 surplus singles to release on Monday. Presumably if I simply tell the hotel that I don't want them they will go to whoever is first on the waiting list? It would seem a waste for them to end up going to the general public.

[Keith Arkell]

Just so as to avoid any confusion, I'm privately negotiating taking the twin off David. Thanks

[LozCooper]

I have 1 surplus twin and 6 surplus singles to release on Monday. Presumably if I simply tell the hotel that I don't want them they will go to whoever is first on the waiting list? It would seem a waste for them to end up going to the general public.

That's enough rooms for a whole team

[Mike Truran]

David et al - please advertise unwanted rooms on the 4NCL website (Hotel Rooms Clearing House page) as well as here.

[Ben Purton]

David Why have you got 7 spares out of interest....

Ben

[David Buckley]

David et al - please advertise unwanted rooms on the 4NCL website (Hotel Rooms Clearing House page) as well as here.

I have received enough interest from private messages to make a post to the 4NCL website redundant.

[David Buckley]

David Why have you got 7 spares out of interest....

Ben

Because I booked 7 rooms more than I need.

[Carl Hibbard]

Why book so many more than you need??

[David Buckley]

Why book so many more than you need??

I booked the rooms at the start of the season when I didn't know how many players would need them. I didn't want to risk having to go without. I have one team of 8, two teams of 6 each and usually have a non playing reserve or two. So I booked 20 singles and 3 twins. I can understand that some will find this excessive. In my defence I am releasing them early.

[John Upham]

Why book so many more than you need??

I booked the rooms at the start of the season when I didn't know how many players would need them. I didn't want to risk having to go without. I have one team of 8, two teams of 6 each and usually have a non playing reserve or two. So I booked 20 singles and 3 twins. I can understand that some will find this excessive. In my defence I am releasing them early.

I completely concur with David and I also booked 20 rooms way back when and will release any rooms not needed as early as I can.

If any one would like to take on the stress of running three teams with all the financial risks of having to pay for rooms personally and the fines that accompany that please pm me as they are welcome to have a try next season.

If I'd realised I would have to commit to rooms without knowing if anyone would pay for them I would never have taken on the role of a Team Manager when I did.