Leigh thanks for you in-depth thoughts mate - much appreciate some great ideas.
My first venture with APAT was the Scottish Championship in Glasgow early November with a copy of the schedule below:
Fri 1st Nov:
21:00-23:59 APAT Scottish Cash Tour Championship (Phase One - Final Table Qualifier 1/2)
Sat 2nd Nov:
14:00-Final27 Main Event: APAT Scottish Amateur Poker Championship (Day 1) £75 + £7.50
21:00-23:59 APAT Scottish Cash Tour Championship (Phase One - Final Table Qualifier 2/2)
Sun 3rd Nov:
12:00-14:00 APAT Scottish Cash Tour Championship (Phase Two - Final Table)
13:00-finish 2 x APAT Dedicated Cash Tables (25p/50p and 50p/£1) (possibly from 12:00 tbc)
14:15-finish Main Event: APAT Scottish Amateur Poker Championship (Final Day)
14:30-finish APAT Scottish Pub Poker Championship £25 + £5
16:00-finish APAT Scottish PLO Championship £25 + £5
Obviously I"m aware APAT has some great "festival" events - wcoap etc - and one of my "main ambitions" is to develop more of a "festival" approach to all APAT events - as far as possible and as far as the APAT Board agree - so hopefully we"ll see much more of a "weekend schedule" like Glasgow - with "no bounds" on what is in the schedule nor the period it covers (ie Fri to Sun giving everyone - especially those who are "knocked out of main event" something else to aim for).
I am however a little disappointed by some of the events in Glasgow - the Cash Tour only had 9 each night of the Qualifying Events and the PLO side event was a STT - and the "APAT dedicated cash tables" were not utilised. Was this because it was Glasgow - lots of locals - lots of APAT Regs not in attendance - trip to Vegas - 2 separate night qualifiers for cash tour - cash tour buyin £50 to £200 - cash tour unlimited top-ups when £100 or less etc? (but at least it generated a Final Table).
I"m not one for knee-jerk reactions, so I"m still inclined to run the 2-night Cash Tour qualifier in Stoke as well to see how that goes (and again with Final Table before the Main Event resumes on Sunday) - have again asked the venue for "APAT-dedicated cash tables" for Sun and there are side events planned - one can but plan and hope - but one thing I know for sure - it will be a cracking weekend...