Venues for Matches – August 2013
While we have done some groundwork, every team should establish a normal home venue; it is unfair to expect the opposition to host matches, unless they offer. And contact possible venues before you fix matches for the season. Venues should be booked about a week in advance, at the same time as the match is confirmed by both teams. It is unacceptable to delay arranging matches due to uncertainty over the venue, or to cancel matches for this reason.
Bear in mind that venue availability is subject to change, and also that in several cases the people whom we have contacted are offering facilities as a favour. Therefore, any team that causes problems over arrangements could cause difficulties for other teams. If the away team cancels a match, they will be liable for any booking fees incurred by the home team.
Misunderstandings can occur when using new venues, so agree the details carefully. And captains should ensure that they have mobile numbers for both their team and the opponents.
What is an acceptable venue? This also depends on what one's opponents think, but we suggest the following:
- Ideally in zones 1 or 2, convenient for public transport and no more than 7 miles from Charing Cross
- Suitable playing conditions, with tables, bidding boxes, boards and stationery;
- Able to start not later than 7:00. Duplicated hands and print-outs are not compulsory, and neither is the presence of a director. (If a director's ruling is needed, go to www.metrobridge.co.uk and scroll down to the bottom of the Committee link. Or phone the Young Chelsea.)
All charges shown are for the match, i.e. all eight players. The prices below are higher than at the Young Chelsea, but the club has been charging competitively for matches. £44 per match currently compares with table money of £7-50 for members and £11-00 for non-members, which does not include food. Would having to pay slightly more than currently cause a team to drop out of the League? We hope not.
If any team is considering buying their own equipment, go to www.ebu.co.uk/bridgeshop or an alternative source.
Venues will also be discussed at the Captains' Meeting and AGM in September. One option for the future could be to hire one venue on certain pre-set evenings, on which the majority of matches would be played. We would then be able to negotiate lower match fees than those shown below.
Young Chelsea
www.ycbc.co.uk; email . Check the website for venue details, looking out for likely changes during the LBHCBA's 2013/14 season. In July, the YC moved from Earl's Court to a temporary home at Queen's Club (Palliser Road, W14 9EQ), a few minutes' walk from Baron's Court station. The playing area is quite good, and there are fewer duplicate tables on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If things work out, the arrangements – explained on the YC's website – could continue medium-term. Meanwhile, the YC's search for permanent premises continues: see www.ycbc.co.uk (regular updates at top right of homepage). The YC at Queen's Club will still be able to stage matches. Book matches with the club manager, Nick Sandqvist. Please try to give seven days' notice, and agree the starting time. 24 pre-dealt boards will be provided, with hand records, stationery, etc. The fee is currently £44, payable on the night. This includes light refreshments for both teams with tea/coffee, and there is always a Director available for rulings.
Acol
www.acolbridgeclub.com; email ; 020 7624 7407. 86 West End Lane, West Hampstead, London, NW6 2LX. Noorul Malik or Andrew McIntosh. The club plays every weekday evening at 7:45, and they would welcome matches at 7:00, or possibly earlier by agreement. The current match fee is £64, including boards, bidding boxes, stationery, hand records, Director available, tea/coffee and sandwiches. Parking is unrestricted after 6:30 and the club is right near the West Hampstead stations (Jubilee Line, Thameslink, etc., zone 2).
TGRs
www.tgrsbridge.com; email New Cavendish, 44 Great Cumberland Place, W1H 7BS. 020 7723 1617. Contact Gosia Gainska, Club Co-ordinator (or Artur Malinowski, General Manager, or Marilyn Malinowska). They also host matches, the location (not far from Marble Arch) is good and the playing conditions are excellent. The price is £80 per match, including boards, bidding boxes, stationery, hand records, Director available, tea/coffee and sandwiches. Parking is unrestricted after 6:30. There is complete flexibility on the start time. The price could be negotiable – for example, if a team wanted to play all its matches there.
Ned Paul
Ned Paul (www.nedpaul.com) teaches bridge and runs clubs in various locations round London. Contact him on 07792 715517 or, when he is not doing bridge, you can also try 020 8892 9429, or email He is happy to accommodate games for £40 per match, including boards, bidding boxes, stationery, hand records, Director available. The main options are Mondays at Putney Bridge Club, Winchester House, 10 Lower Richmond Road, Putney SW15 1JN, or Fridays at the Ruff Club, St Pancras Community Centre, 30 Camden Street, NW1 0LG. There is a club bar at Winchester House, and at the Ruff Club tea/coffee are provided free of charge. Food is not available, but you can bring in food (responsibility of home team) and eat at the table. Bridge is also played on Wednesday evenings at the Academy, Holland Park (57 Princedale Road, W11 4NP). This is a pub and you would need to arrange food direct with the pub (do not bring in food, please), but still book matches with Ned. Ned's website (www.aceshi.co.uk) has links to all his venues, and more details of locations are on the websites. Ned usually arrives half an hour before the session starts. Unrestricted parking starts at 6:30 at Putney (7:00 on Lower Richmond Road), 6:30 at Holland Park and 6:30 at Camden.
Civil Service Club
www.civilserviceclub.org.uk/contact_us.htm 13-15 Great Scotland Yard, London SW1A 2HJ. The location is excellent (apart from parking), right near Trafalgar Square. The London Duplicate Bridge Club and Civil Service Bridge Association play there and our contact (Mike Fletcher, who plays in the Civil Service team in our League) has kindly offered the use of their boards, bidding boxes and stationery. However, there will not be pre-dealing, hand records or the services of a Director.
Ring the office of the Civil Service Club between 9:00 am and 7:30 pm to make a booking: 020 7930 4881 (best to contact by phone, but their address is . Specify that you are booking a two-table bridge match under the London Business Houses Contract Bridge Association, as specified in the letter that they have on file, and leave your contact details. If there are any problems, speak to David Robery (Club Manager) on 020 7930 4881. There is no room availability on Wednesdays, and Tuesdays can also be busy.
The cost is £20 for the match, payable in advance by credit card. If cancelled more than three days in advance, the amount may be refundable. One cannot bring in food, so you should order a platter of sandwiches at the bar on arrival – currently £3 per person, drinks extra.
The start time is completely flexible, while the bar closes at 11:00. They will put out two tables (and a dividing screen between the two tables, if you ask for it) and show you where the equipment is kept. Use the Civil Service Bridge Association equipment from the basement, not the London Duplicate Bridge Club equipment from the Accounts office. The home captain should ensure that all the equipment is put back where it came from at the end of the evening.
The home captain should also make a voluntary contribution of at least £5 to the Civil Service Bridge Association, for use of the equipment – put it in a marked envelope in board 1 in the equipment box.
Other venues
Teams can try alternative venues – you can check out EBU's list of London clubs and Middlesex clubs. Also try neighbouring counties, e.g. Surrey. We contacted Andrew Robson's (no space available), while the RAC Club is for members only.