So who's going to the British Chess Championships?

[Stewart Reuben]

Dear Alex,
I have never had any problems about holding events in Birmingham, not just the British.
The problem for the British is that financially it can only work if we get a free venue. Nobody in Birmingham has ever encouraged me in this possibility. It is becoming a nightmare to get a suitable venue.
We require about 1000 sq metres playing area, it can be divided in two. Canterbury we are using a sports hall for all the games. We also need a lecture room for 100 people, evening events room and for post mortems. 3 offices.
About 1000 people require beds for two weeks. In Birmingham more people would stay at home and commute than in Canterbury.
A university campus have the advantage of greater security for the children.
We provide about 400 column inches of publicity in the national prestigious press.
I wish there were more people helping to find venues. but you are correct, it needs me to make the formal contact. But your starting off matters would be most helpful.

If you are under 21, it may be possible to get a bursary towards your expenses from the John Robinson Trust. Also anybody of any age can apply to me for a reduction in the entry fees to the British.

Monday David Welch and I are going to see Sheffield, a sports hall the description of which is magnificent.
I believe there should be no problem selling Birmingham as a holiday destination. that would not have been true 10 years ago.
Stewart Reuben

[Alex Holowczak]

We require about 1000 sq metres playing area, it can be divided in two. Canterbury we are using a sports hall for all the games. We also need a lecture room for 100 people, evening events room and for post mortems. 3 offices.

As far as I know there are two rooms that are usually subdivided into 3 or 4. I had an exam in one the other day, and 140 people were taking it, so they would potentially fit in there. They have a Sports Hall too, but I'm not sure how big it is.

About 1000 people require beds for two weeks.

A suggestion out of left field here... using the halls of residence? It would be much cheaper than a hotel, but then people would need to go to the rigmarole of buying their own food etc. That said, Birmingham is just over the road, so there is no great logistical problem there. I think that some of the facilities are shared, too. But in July/August, I'd think there were some available, I know that a new accommodation block will have been built by 2010 so that more than 2,000 people can reside there.

But your starting off matters would be most helpful.

I emailed all I know to the ECF.

If you are under 21, it may be possible to get a bursary towards your expenses from the John Robinson Trust. Also anybody of any age can apply to me for a reduction in the entry fees to the British.

That I didn't know. I'll look into it.

[Roger de Coverly]

using the halls of residence? It would be much cheaper than a hotel,

The British has used university accommodation in the past, most recently three years ago in Swansea. Universities price use of student accommodation during vacations at commercial rates, so the discount to a hotel is not dramatic. In fact I'd imagine the use of lecture rooms etc. for nothing is "conditional" on the number of bookings expected for accommodation.

Here's Aston's website for conference bookings

http://www.abs.aston.ac.uk/conferenceaston/default.asp

[Tim Spanton]

The main problem with the British for me has been the need to take two weeks' holiday but Canterbury strikes me as an innovative choice and, as it's a good walking area, I might be tempted -as long as all games are in one playing area (the last British I played at was in Swansea where the major open was plagued by virtually non-stop chatter from kids)

[Ben Purton]

Common , seriously , at least Swansea has the best student union and is by the beach , we cant seriously consider aston university because:


a) as most people know the two weeks holiday means most parents have to make it there holiday in summers.
b) The older group of players that go in the Morning tourns, would general prefer the seaside, Edinburgh is historic and was in centre of a capital city which wasnt overly expensive , so perfect for non seaside.

But I can't see aston university as viable, i assume its a 100% campus uni, this is the only positive it would have, but there are plenty of them.

Ben

[Alex Holowczak]

Common , seriously , at least Swansea has the best student union and is by the beach , we cant seriously consider aston university because:


a) as most people know the two weeks holiday means most parents have to make it there holiday in summers.
b) The older group of players that go in the Morning tourns, would general prefer the seaside, Edinburgh is historic and was in centre of a capital city which wasnt overly expensive , so perfect for non seaside.

But I can't see aston university as viable, i assume its a 100% campus uni, this is the only positive it would have, but there are plenty of them.

Ben

It doesn't need a great Student Union for cafes and things like that - Birmingham City Centre has lots of them, and it's only over the road. As opposed to a seaside holiday, if Sheffield is also an option, that doesn't have a coast that I know of... Birmingham is an historic city too, and is the UK's second city, and isn't that expensive. There are plenty of potential "days out", you've got the Black Country Museum in Dudley, Cadbury World in Bournville, Warwick Castle is a bit further afield, but commutable for a day trip. It has an open-top bus tour (apparently). It has theatres, cinemas... There's plenty for "tourists" to do.

[Ben Purton]

the Black Country Museum in Dudley, Cadbury World in Bournville, Warwick Castle is a bit further afield, but commutable for a day trip. It has an open-top bus tour (apparently). It has theatres, cinemas... There's plenty for "tourists" to do.

LOL the cadbury world , I mean personally i wish it was in London, because literally my whole squad would turn up then.

I dont think the midlands is the best place to attract people, I mean the 4ncl is there and thats great, its sort of 2-3 days of it is fine, 2 weeks nah

[Alex Holowczak]

I dont think the midlands is the best place to attract people, I mean the 4ncl is there and thats great, its sort of 2-3 days of it is fine, 2 weeks nah

If you're going to play chess, it would be good because it's in the middle of the UK, rather than a corner. If you're going for a holiday, then there are better places. You'd also get far more local entrants, since the local area has a higher population that somewhere like Torquay, or Canterbury.

Compared to Sheffield, I would put a Birmingham venue ahead of it, because it would offer the same things as Sheffield as a city, but have the advantage of being in the middle of the UK.

[Ben Purton]

You would lose the holiday factor, which is important, From my peer group literally none went to Liverpool , just the professional players.

I think Brighton should be explored again, that is a very good venue for being diverse in what it offers.

[Alex McFarlane]

Oh dear! Is the teaching of geography so bad in English schools?
Sheffield is much closer to the centre of the UK than Birmingham. Please remember that the United Kingdom does not stop at Hadrian's wall. (I assume that if the English schools don't teach geography they at least teach history.)

Haltwhistle, just off the A69 (joining Carlisle to Newcastle), claims to be the centre of the UK and has a map to prove it.

I won't get involved in the debate of Sheffield v Birmingham v Torquay after all they are all basically in the far south.

Alex McFarlane in Uddingston (now find that on the map - clue it is north of Watford!!!)

[Alex Holowczak]

Oh dear! Is the teaching of geography so bad in English schools?
Sheffield is much closer to the centre of the UK than Birmingham. Please remember that the United Kingdom does not stop at Hadrian's wall. (I assume that if the English schools don't teach geography they at least teach history.)

Sorry, you're quite right.

Haltwhistle, just off the A69 (joining Carlisle to Newcastle), claims to be the centre of the UK and has a map to prove it.

Quite a few places make that claim, and given that the shape of the coast isn't uniform, there isn't really a way you can say for sure what it is.

[Neill Cooper]

Haltwhistle, just off the A69 (joining Carlisle to Newcastle), claims to be the centre of the UK and has a map to prove it.

Quite a few places make that claim, and given that the shape of the coast isn't uniform, there isn't really a way you can say for sure what it is.

Actually, you can find the centroid of an area quite easily, as described at http://mathdemos.gcsu.edu/mathdemos/cen ... troid.html

That page also includes considering the important aspect of whether you are finding the centre of the land or of the population.

That leads on to the interesting question - when the British is in, say, Torquay are there more of less players from the South West?

[IM Jack Rudd]

There are, however, other places that could legitimately be described as the "centre". For example, the centre of the circumscribing circle, if one exists.

[Stewart Reuben]

Brighton has been considered. Indeed I visited there last year partly for the purpose of the possibility of the British. It isn't on. We held it in Hove 1997, next door to Brighton. Sadly the floor was too squeaky and they agree that this has not been improved. Brighton itself we would have to pay a commercial rate.

I am surprised Tim Spanton is not considering Torquay. That is one of our very best venues, albeit somewhat far for many players. Our biggest entries since 1981 have been in Plymouth and I will be investigating that. The ECF didn't bother for some years as the organisers found Torquay highly satisfactory.

Those of you who have written about the precise geographic centre of the UK have it wrong. Players from Southern Ireland are entitled to play and I would have thought that would make the geographic centre more to the West.

Anyway, it is nonsense. It is the centre of the location of chessplayers, taking into account the likely mode of travel that should be considered for this particular parameter. Other parameters include quality of free venue; suitability for a two week holiday; cost of accommodation; likelihood of finding financial support outside chess; a liking by some of variety; a liking by some of familiarity; whether holding the event in a particular location will help develop chess there; if there is a sponsor - his personal preferences.
There are seven areas entitled to hold the British Championships over a cycle, 5 Unions, Scotland and Wales. The MCCU is the one for which it has been most difficult to find a suitable venue.

Stewart Reuben

[JustinHorton]

Oh dear! Is the teaching of geography so bad in English schools?

No, it's just that many Southerners (a Southerner writes) have very little idea of Northern geography. You can have a lot of fun showing Londoners an outline map and asking them to guess where leading rugby league towns are located.

Haltwhistle, by the way, is notable for having a station whose platforms do not directly face one another.