15-12-2012, 12:21 AM
robin moore Wrote:Some feedback from Liverpool from parents...
Premier Inn- "Perfect". "So much better than in previous years". "Excellent staff".
Breakfast and lunch- "Perfect"
Saturday evening meal- There was a problem with the seating and timing but food has been described as "first class". Coaching- "Excellent". Matt, Calum and Jonathan came in for particularly high praise.
The one thing no-one has mentioned to me so far is costs. Obviously costs are important but everyone seems to have been happy to pay more for a much higher standard of food and accomodation.
One definite negative is that many parents felt that we shouldn't have played people up into older agegroups, Murad, Lennart, Declan etc. I accept the sole responsibity for that decision but as I have mentioned in an earlier post we were in a difficult situation with regard to the Scottish prelim exams.
Robin.
Nobody has disputed the standard of accommodation & organisation at the actual event this year. As you will read in my post above I am trying to get through that organisers need to consider 'all' & not make junior chess an exclusive club. The costs need to be fair & to do that is charge everyone the same but to make that fair you need to work out the costs for the players & officials first - then the parents.
Do you honestly think anyone would in this day & age actually say I cant really afford it, its too much for what we will get in return. No I don't think so, as apart from anything else they wouldn't want to let their child miss out on representing their country. Especially as they would have already committed before knowing the cost.
As for the 'difficult situation' regarding prelims. It wasn't the reason for all, notably Daniel, as some prelims are not until February (he just didnt want to do the Premier as didnt like it in 2007). The 3 x U16 boards had notified by 1st October their unavailability - 2 months notice.