English Chess Forum

Andrew Zigmond wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 06, 2018 8:26 pm

Although Fawlty Towers was set in Torquay the building used and the relatively few external scenes were filmed elsewhere (Dorset I think, may be wrong).

It was on the border between Wooburn Green and Bourne End in Buckinghamshire. Chosen, I imagine, by virtue of being within 30 miles of the BBC Centre at Shepherds Bush. It burned down quite some time ago and was replaced by housing. The exterior style was vaguely similar to some of the older Torquay hotels though.

It explains why you sometimes get matches at Bourne End interrupted by herds of wildebeest

Exeter is a much better place than Torquay but then again Torquay will is far, far better than Hull.

Are the hotellers, and the British organisers, looking forward to guests with communication problems, rather deaf, dottery, and bad tempered.
Also complaining about uninteresting views from the window...what did you expect....

Nick Grey >Exeter is a much better place than Torquay<

I did explore the possibility of Exeter. The university was the only place of any size and that was too small.
It is interesting that the EBU has abandoned Brighton for its annual festival because it is too expensive. Thus they rely on Eastbourne. That wasn't available this year as it is being refurbished. So they held the event dotted around different venues in London.

Re accommodation is it not normal to expect free WiFi in bedrooms nowadays? I could hardly believe it at Hull, staying in the Royal Hotel adjacent to the station, WiFi was free in the lobby (but you had to log on again every 30 minutes). In the bedrooms it was free for just two 20-minute sessions per day. Otherwise £7 per day for 24h coverage. I expect Britannia Hotels rely on business delegates (what the hell - charge it to the company on expenses). Even in 2012 at a 4-bedroom B&B in Whitley Bay I had free connection. I should add that the Royal was fine in every other respect but I gave it a WiFi blast in the questionnaire.

At Torquay it's one of the first things I'll check before booking. I want to play online chess and other games without the dreaded Connection Closed and an instant loss.

Paul Habershon wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 07, 2018 3:25 pm

At Torquay it's one of the first things I'll check before booking.

I get the impression from recent Congress weekends that the standard nowadays is that it's free provided you give them your name and email address. Not everywhere has coverage throughout the hotel.

If you have a mobile phone and a data contract, it's usually possible to set up the phone as a mobile hotspot and connect your laptop to it by wireless. It's a technology that's been around a number of years. I seem to recall from previous visits to Torquay, that it could be a dead zone for mobile phone connections.

Some hotels might for good reasons not have great coverage but I'm quite surprised that a hotel would charge for wifi. My experience is that you ask at reception for a password and that's that. But I suppose I go to cheaper hotels which obviously must offer better service in order to compete.

Paul Habershon wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 07, 2018 3:25 pm

Re accommodation is it not normal to expect free WiFi in bedrooms nowadays?

In the large hotels chains I stay at it's free to members of their loyalty schemes, but chargeable, and expensive, otherwise. In practise, that means handing over personal details for marketing purposes in return for free WiFi if you wouldn't otherwise join their membership programme.

I wouldn't expect it to be free at budget hotel chains though.

Paul Habershon wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 07, 2018 3:25 pm

Re accommodation is it not normal to expect free WiFi in bedrooms nowadays?...

At Torquay it's one of the first things I'll check before booking.

When I was in Torquay a few years back the hotel said it had wifi. When I arrived they told me there was no password but that they were having problems with it and connections could be intermittent.

Later in the week I discovered the wifi belonged to the hotel next door.

Nick Grey wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 07, 2018 7:48 am

...looking forward to guests with communication problems, rather deaf, dottery, and bad tempered.

I expect that this is an unfortunate sequence of words.

Not if you are a short sighted, deaf, bad tempered old woman that tries to communicate with Manuel at Fawlty Towers.

Si, que, what? On confronting Mr CK Watt aka Basil and demanding a discount because she cannot see a view (what did you expect? Erupting volcanoes, herds of wildebeest), find things, or hear the radio he whispers 60% or quid if you can hear this.

Torquay has changed a little bit but it seems only chess players or businesses demand free and hi capacity wifi internet. No wonder some chess players have communication problems. When I am not working the last thing I want is to spend numerous hours on the internet. If I play chess I do not want to spend a lot of time looking at a computer screen either.

The championship organisers should also give short blunt answers to those seeking significant grading prizes just because they qualify. My opinion.

Brixham is nice - and not too far away to consider playing at Torquay.

Nick Grey wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 08, 2018 12:02 pm

but it seems only chess players or businesses demand free and hi capacity wifi internet

Nick, you are clearly far more out of touch with the World than me - which is quite an achievement!

I doubt that.
When I go on holiday I want to switch off.
If I have a good walk and lots of fresh air that helps and also helps me sleep.

"When I go on holiday I want to switch off."

Holiday? - I assume I wasn't the only player at Hull seeking the weekly TWIC download!

I have already booked my room for the british and also will play some of the events there

My wife is not a big chess fan!!