Travelling to APAT events

[shug]

Seen a few comments about travelling recently and been on the disappointing end of travel difficulties myself. I recognise that a large number of APAT members are within easy access of a number of Southern/Midland venues. Could I suggest that venues near to major airport be considered for national championships. I am disappointed that Luton is hosting the team competition this year as it is a easily accessible from Scottish airports. I am not criticising, as I respect the great job that is done for us, just passing an observation for consideration for next years programme.

[Paulie_D]

I find travelling to Scotland/Wales/Ireland/Newcastle/Blackpool a pain....could we hold all of next years events in Luton or DTD please?

At the very least could we hold them in cities with train stations...oh, wait!

Sorry Shug!

[gerry5421]

I find travelling to Scotland/Wales/Ireland/Newcastle/Blackpool a pain....could we hold all of next years events in Luton or DTD please?

At the very least could we hold them in cities with train stations...oh, wait!

Sorry Shug!

not a very positive response , to what is a valid point , having just spent two weeks trying to figure an affordable way to get to cork from scotland , i agree with shug and all he asking for is some consideration in the planning of next years events

[poker_jason]

Love the Wales venues - then again I live in Wales and none of the others venues are remotely close! And Vegas - what with that it"s a whole different continent...... Wait, I"m going Vegas and very excited. 9 weeks and counting.

[Paulie_D]

I find travelling to Scotland/Wales/Ireland/Newcastle/Blackpool a pain....could we hold all of next years events in Luton or DTD please?

At the very least could we hold them in cities with train stations...oh, wait!

Sorry Shug!

not a very positive response , to what is a valid point , having just spent two weeks trying to figure an affordable way to get to cork from scotland , i agree with shug and all he asking for is some consideration in the planning of next years events

My response was meant to be tongue in cheek but I do think Shug is being a little unrealistic even if I"d love to see him more often at APAT events.

The complexities of finding appropriately sized venues who are both capable and willing to host an APAT event tend to mandate the locations rather than the ease of getting there although that does, of course, factor in.

As far as I know, with the exception of Cork, nearly all of the events this year (and in the past) have been close to air and rail links....and even Cork is not inaccessible.

Perhaps these weren"t convenient for travel from Scotland but them we"re limiting ourselves to London and Central England anyway if that"s an over-riding factor.

[Jon MW]

I think the main issue is finding suitable venues to hold them rather than any plan to make a good geographical spread.

I don"t know how many APATers live that way, but I wouldn"t mind a trip to Cornwall or Devon for an APAT tournament for example, I don"t think any have been held down there at all yet.

[Paulie_D]

I don"t know how many APATers live that way, but I wouldn"t mind a trip to Cornwall or Devon for an APAT tournament for example, I don"t think any have been held down there at all yet.

I"d be up for that but I don"t know of any venue capable of holding say 150 players (let alone willing to do so) in that area*....and that, as you know Jon, is the issue at hand.

BTW....Despite the success of Glasgow this year it"s often a close run thing whether we even hold the Scottish National in Scotland at all...but Des insists (picky innit).

*If anyone does, PM me and I"ll pass it on.

[gerry5421]

I don"t know how many APATers live that way, but I wouldn"t mind a trip to Cornwall or Devon for an APAT tournament for example, I don"t think any have been held down there at all yet.

BTW....Despite the success of Glasgow this year it"s often a close run thing whether we even hold the Scottish National in Scotland at all...but Des insists (picky innit).

well was this not the first year it was in Glasgow , and there was this talk before it even went ahead about not having a scottish leg next year, glad to see we proved it a worthwhile event.

Out of interest where would you propose to have the SCOTTISH national . Cork?

[MAIR]

I don"t know how many APATers live that way, but I wouldn"t mind a trip to Cornwall or Devon for an APAT tournament for example, I don"t think any have been held down there at all yet.

I"d be up for that but I don"t know of any venue capable of holding say 150 players (let alone willing to do so) in that area*....and that, as you know Jon, is the issue at hand.

BTW....Despite the success of Glasgow this year it"s often a close run thing whether we even hold the Scottish National in Scotland at all...but Des insists (picky innit).

*If anyone does, PM me and I"ll pass it on.

You seem to have an opinion Paulie when in fact you have no contribution to where the venues are, it is Richard, liaising with Des who organises them all.

I have to agree with Shug and Gerry wholeheartedly that the schedule this year is not favourable to many and that many events had very little turnout from members of the APAT forum.

I just hope that next year it will be better and that the venues are doable for a good percentage of members.

As for Cork this year, what a nightmare to get to when Dublin was such a good and easy city to be able to easily get to.

But I know how hard it is for Richard to secure venues for each event and I take my hat off to him on how hard he works to provide each event for us

[Paulie_D]

You seem to have an opinion Paulie when in fact you have no contribution to where the venues are, it is Richard, liaising with Des who organises them all.

Of course it"s just an opinion, I never said I had any input although Richard does occasionally involve me in the travel factors for the overseas ones.

I was merely stating the facts based on my conversations with Des and Richard. The factors I gave are the ones they have imparted to me and have stated in this forum a number of times.

As for Cork this year, what a nightmare to get to when Dublin was such a good and easy city to be able to easily get to.

I agree Dublin would have been better than Cork....but I refer you to my previous points. I have spoken to Richard regarding Dublin (specifically the Fitz) on a couple of occasions over the past 18 months and it was very unlikely we would be back there this year.

[gerry5421]

[Paulie_D]

Like I said, Scotland has been hard to find venues.....they have either been unwilling or unable to host in the past (or gone out of business) but Gala Glasgow has proved that it can be done and successfully too...and I"m pleased about that.

I feel confident that they"ll be very high on the list for next year...and as I said, it"s a short list.

It just goes to show that Des is right to insist (guess that"s why he"s in charge).

[MAIR]

You seem to have an opinion Paulie when in fact you have no contribution to where the venues are, it is Richard, liaising with Des who organises them all.

Of course it"s just an opinion, I never said I had any input although Richard does occasionally involve me in the travel factors for the overseas ones.

I was merely stating the facts based on my conversations with Des and Richard. The factors I gave are the ones they have imparted to me and have stated in this forum a number of times.

As for Cork this year, what a nightmare to get to when Dublin was such a good and easy city to be able to easily get to.

I agree Dublin would have been better than Cork....but I refer you to my previous points. I have spoken to Richard regarding Dublin (specifically the Fitz) on a couple of occasions over the past 18 months and it was very unlikely we would be back there this year.

That may well be Paulie, but your sharpness and lack of respect for the original poster"s valid point has a lot of people angry in the Scottish contingent.

[duke3016]

Not talking for Paulie but I don"t think he meant any lack of respect and sometimes the written word can come across wrong, it"s not easy to put inflection into posts.

[TheSnapper]

I have spoken to Richard regarding Dublin (specifically the Fitz) on a couple of occasions over the past 18 months and it was very unlikely we would be back there this year.

I definately think it is worth exploring the option of utilising one of the independent non Casino based tourney operators, hosting the Ireland leg in one of the many poker friendly hotels has a lot of merit.