04-04-2014, 10:10 AM
It was touched on in Junior thread <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://www.chessscotland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&p=10577#p10577">viewtopic.php?f=5&p=10577#p10577</a><!-- l -->, but didn't want to deflect on that discussion.
Admittedly I didn't check the facts from the offset, but a quick google has told me:
East Lothian (where I live) + Aberdeen have a clash here with the school term. Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Fife appear to have finished their terms just before the Scottish starts. Haven't checked the many any other areas/regions of Scotland. Andy H is right, East Lothian/Aberdeen and one or two others appear to be in the minority in finishing later. But still right at the start of summer isn't ideal for the Scottish and it does exclude some, not just kids, but those employed in education, and parents of kids who have to care for kids.
Being a regular tournament player it is with lots of regret and dissapointment I cannot experience our big flagship event this year. My kid is in school, my wife would have to take a week off work for the last school week, then near to another 2 weeks for covering me to go to the Scottish. She only gets 4 or 5 weeks hol a year. Not possible.
Myself and a clubmate have been discussing going to Scarborough in October, or the Lake District event. We would rather be playing in the Scottish, it is on our doorstep afterall.
This isn't a rant but a point being made. Can we look at having it a litte further into the summer next year? I appreciate there will be some pratical and logistical reasons for the early nature of this years event. No explanation of that is seeked or required here. If I don't mention it now however, myself and others may miss out again next year.
Admittedly I didn't check the facts from the offset, but a quick google has told me:
East Lothian (where I live) + Aberdeen have a clash here with the school term. Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Fife appear to have finished their terms just before the Scottish starts. Haven't checked the many any other areas/regions of Scotland. Andy H is right, East Lothian/Aberdeen and one or two others appear to be in the minority in finishing later. But still right at the start of summer isn't ideal for the Scottish and it does exclude some, not just kids, but those employed in education, and parents of kids who have to care for kids.
Being a regular tournament player it is with lots of regret and dissapointment I cannot experience our big flagship event this year. My kid is in school, my wife would have to take a week off work for the last school week, then near to another 2 weeks for covering me to go to the Scottish. She only gets 4 or 5 weeks hol a year. Not possible.
Myself and a clubmate have been discussing going to Scarborough in October, or the Lake District event. We would rather be playing in the Scottish, it is on our doorstep afterall.
This isn't a rant but a point being made. Can we look at having it a litte further into the summer next year? I appreciate there will be some pratical and logistical reasons for the early nature of this years event. No explanation of that is seeked or required here. If I don't mention it now however, myself and others may miss out again next year.