English Chess Forum

Nothing much to report on this, other than Tim Spanton quoting a rumour that it may return to Liverpool.
https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2024/08/where-next.html

What changed logistically that it hasn't been possible to announce the following year's date and venue during the previous Championship?

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 07, 2024 9:11 am

Nothing much to report on this, other than Tim Spanton quoting a rumour that it may return to Liverpool.
https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2024/08/where-next.html

What changed logistically that it hasn't been possible to announce the following year's date and venue during the previous Championship?

I think it's just a lot harder to find good quality and affordable venues. That's become very noticeable for the 4NCL and I suspect is also true of venues big enough to host the British.

ECF Email

British Chess Championships 2025 - These will run over a week and a half from end of July into August. We expect to announce details including confirmed dates and venue for your diary very shortly, and certainly before the end of January.

Thursday 24th July /Friday 25th to Sunday 3rd August perhaps.

LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 07, 2024 9:44 am

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 07, 2024 9:11 am

Nothing much to report on this, other than Tim Spanton quoting a rumour that it may return to Liverpool.
https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2024/08/where-next.html

What changed logistically that it hasn't been possible to announce the following year's date and venue during the previous Championship?

I think it's just a lot harder to find good quality and affordable venues. That's become very noticeable for the 4NCL and I suspect is also true of venues big enough to host the British.

Why would you say that is the case nowadays?

Based on my experience, yes. I was on the ECF board when we were arranging the venue for the 2013 British at the Riviera Centre, Torquay. I recall we were told that it was going to cost a sum of about £10,000. We hadn't budgeted for this because previously these seaside venues had come pretty cheap (even free) on the basis that an event like the British would bring a significant number of visitors to the town boosting local businesses etc. From discussions at the time this appeared to be a turning point and I believe it has been much more difficult since then to arrange affordable venues for the British and similar events.

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 26, 2025 3:30 pm

LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 07, 2024 9:44 am

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 07, 2024 9:11 am

Nothing much to report on this, other than Tim Spanton quoting a rumour that it may return to Liverpool.
https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2024/08/where-next.html

What changed logistically that it hasn't been possible to announce the following year's date and venue during the previous Championship?

I think it's just a lot harder to find good quality and affordable venues. That's become very noticeable for the 4NCL and I suspect is also true of venues big enough to host the British.

Why would you say that is the case nowadays?

Covid certainly didn't help. The cost of venues and accommodation has also got a lot higher.

Well, most likely chess in England won't be affected greatly by having to choose venues that aren't quite as nice as the ones they chose before.

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 28, 2025 12:33 am

Well, most likely chess in England won't be affected greatly by having to choose venues that aren't quite as nice as the ones they chose before.

The bigger concern is that some events won't be sustainable and may disappear from the calendar.

MJMcCready wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 28, 2025 12:33 am

Well, most likely chess in England won't be affected greatly by having to choose venues that aren't quite as nice as the ones they chose before.

I think that attendance numbers at chess events are greatly affected by whether the venue is 'nice' or not.

However, more to the point is whether organisers can afford to pay for venues that fulfil all of the requirements for reasonably well-run events, such as rooms for refreshments and rest, adequate toilets, sufficient parking etc.

But they've been in steady decline for some time already haven't they?

Id say that it's the opposite right now and tournaments are filling up at record rates thanks to a large crop of new players transitioning from the online world into over the board, whether or not they remain enthusiastic in the future is debatable.

it's not really the fault of chess organisers that venues are so crap now, I'd say it's due to two major factors - 1. Global wars and the mass influx of refugees has led to hotels being used as immigration centers, which some unscrupulous chains are taking full advantage of and deliberately blocking out real customers in order to better plead poverty to the government to get immigration contracts.
2. Hyperinflation of property values making all rent exponentially high, this means that not only are chess tournaments massively restricted by their venue costs but again hotels are quite happy to be used as social housing as it is a long term source of free money so there's less key availability

Liverpool it is then: https://x.com/ecfchess/status/1885281776555209155

The Liverpool Echo article https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-o ... l-30904668