Bournemouth 2021 Planning and Quote

[Chris]

Dear All

I need to let you know that Bournemouth 2021 has NOT been booked.
I have consulted with Lorin regarding what I will be saying next:

Sav, I and Lorin had a nightmare this year due to the bookings not done, payments not done and then split hotel where rooms where changed without any communication to us BUT none of this to do with Daniel.

Daniel is no longer at the Queens.

So I want to give you the Quote from the Queens should you wish to take it up next year with what that entails.

Baseline is that they want a contract that ties you into a set sum of monies according to the amount of rooms you book.

Prices are:

£127.50 per person for the weekend = £255 for 2 adults
• £93.75 per person for the weekend for our cosy double = £187.50 per person for the weekend if you have sole occupancy in a cosy double ( THAT IS THE OLD SINGLES ) so NO SINGLES left anymore
• Kids wishing to stay over the price will be £27.50 per child inclusive of DBB

NOTE - No single occupancy of Doubles so your price will be £187.50

The Hotel said:
The above rate will include the entertainment too.
Hope that the above helps – I will get back to you regarding the bar prices and offers.
So no Bar Offers.

Scenario :
Let's say you booked 100 Rooms then you as an association WILL have to pay £20K regardless of the take up.

I also need to let you know that I was told this year by the hotel that I could not book exact rooms for you in future, they sort the rooms.

Lastly Chris and I have both decided not to be involved with this again and we will not come back again to sort anything, so you absolutely need an organiser re the hotel whom will sort bookings and payments and I am sure the committee will look into this should you decide to book at this venue.
I realise this is an AEBBA decision but I believe the Committee need your views before they make any decision as we need to look at the bottom line as Lorin said.

You do though need to understand that should you go ahead as an association you will be liable for £20K plus which is not viable without all monies paid in, before booking the venue.
This is in itself not viable.

Thanks for reading
Chris

[Chris_Sav]

Just to mention that this years accounts are on

barbilliards.proboards.com/thread/22634/bournemouth-2020-accounts?page=1&scrollTo=181303

where I made similar mention of next years ultimatum and you may see the figures involved.

It seems a great shame after AEBBA have given the Queens more than 20 years of lucrative trade at a quiet time of year.

We were messed around from pillar to post this year and had no warning of any of the crises that had to be sorted.

[bobhall]

Looks like will need to get something put into place sooner rather than later but this may not be a bad thing with what the queens are offering as it means looking at function rooms around the local area in other hotels and finding out prices sounds like the queens are not really that interested in the business anymore.

I personally would hate to see this tournament move to another area

[Chris]

Hi Bobhall

Chris and I looked at this three years ago and went round Hotels.
There was nothing in the local area that had decent rooms and function rooms for us.

I am not saying the Queens do not want our business, I am saying that if we take them up we are going to have to pay the bill for what we book.

So if you booked a room the AEBBA would need all the monies upfront so maybe by September and then the AEBBA would have to after collecting all monies contract into how many rooms they want with the hotel.

Chris x

[milhouse]

This was kind of expected being that the hotel has been bought by a big chain, they just do not care about giving any kind of discounts to small operations.
From what i see, since they took over, 2 years ago, there has been nothing but problems.
Now, i know this may not be totally ideal, but it is something i mentioned a few years ago...maybe the AEBBA could look into hiring a club to host the tournament (similar to any other event) and let anyone book hotels where they like?
I am sure this approach would guarantee the survival of the social aspect of the weekend and even get more entries from local(ish) people if they are not forced to stay in a certain accommodation?

[Chris_Sav]

As has also been stated so many times, the hire of the hotel accommodation paid for the function room use of two major function rooms for the whole weekend, one including free entertainment for guests and one for bar billiards and the cheaper bar prices.

Scatter people all around a resort away from the competition, the family & social aspect will be lost, especially without the social evening function room for two nights. Of this year's 175 residents, only 112 were players.

Large function room(s) would have to be hired for three days which would considerably increase the cost. The prize sponsorship donated by the Queens and worth a good £500 will also be lost next year. No way £700 can be raised from raffles etc if the social aspect is lost

Without the Queens and other personal sponsorship this year, Bournemouth only made £85. Outgoings were much higher to finance the groups format to try to encourage more participants in future.

So to run what I believe would become 'just another open' you need to find £800 without raffle prizes and also hire a big hall (at least £1k) for three days. Sixty pairs makes the entry fee a minimum of £30 a pair just to break even. I believe that would exclude many of the casual entries.

Three pin opens are dying on their feet so the 'special' aspect of Bournemouth must continue if it is to survive.

AEBBA have a big decision to make and they need to make it quickly. To help in this they need comments from the Bournemouth regulars ASAP to have some idea of the viability of 'Bournemouth' 2021.

[barbelman]

Bournemouth is successful because of its USP - i.e. everyone together in a seaside hotel.  Take that away and it becomes 'just' another AEBBA competition, or 'just' another weekend in Bournemouth.

Thanks to the efforts of successive and successful committees we have had a wonderful run of ridiculously low prices (some still moaned) and the current quote seems a lot in relation to that but it is 'only' £60 per person/per night including dinner, function rooms and entertainment.  You can't get a decent B&B for £60!!

Having said that I would guess it won't happen because some understandably just cannot afford it and others know the cost of everything and the value of nothing..

It doesn't have to be in Bomo but it needs to be by the sea and preferably on the South coast near the majority of participants.

Such a shame and I wish the AEBBA all good luck with it after the great weekend this year.

Tony

[Chris]

Dear All

If you don't post and say what you want I guess if wiĺl just fold.

There is light at the end of a tunnel even in these torrid times.

Chris xxx

[jordans]

I personally would be gutted should the weekend fold. I am in agreement with Tony that it's all about everyone being together in a seaside hotel.

Although the price has been increased, it's a £12.50 increase (which I know that some people may struggle with) £6.25 extra per night seems reasonable for a hotel that will have been fully refurbished, plus where ever you go they usually have a yearly price increase. I have to say though, I definitely had a feeling this year that the hotel did not want us there - perhaps because of all the work going on, but a definite atmosphere :(.

I think the hotel is only a small worry though compared to AEBBA finding someone to take over the organising of the weekend - I just sort out the part of the Wycombe booking and I know how much hassle that is, let alone sorting another 140+ people - whoever it is will have big boots to fill - thank you Chrissie and Chris for all your hard work over the years doing the negotiation with the hotel and sorting rooms etc.

Anyway - that's my thoughts, hope everyone is staying safe and well.

Dawn x

[bigtj]

Hi I agree will be a blow to see this weekend fold, but like many others I did feel the hotel was not as welcoming as usual, maybe the works or is it the new company. Before anything can be sorted we need to have someone do the leg work and organising of the booking arrangements for the event, even if it means moving to a new venue.

The actual running of the tournament is as usual very well run but we also come to the fact that we will not have Dave`s services for driving and delivering tables after August. I know Bournemouth is normally March but with the enormity of organising a suitable venue it probably needs to be put in place sooner rather than later.


Do not think £12.50 hike in the price is a real problem but with the experience of the last two years it is do the hotel want us and do we wish to continue using the hotel ??

[Chris]

Dear All

Bournemouth has NOT been booked for next year.

Response is too low and I believe there is no one to run it.

Chris