Why there will be no 2020 event

Why there will be no 2020 event

Checkmate

As you’ll already have seen, we’ve come to the sad conclusion that there will be no Bury St Edmunds Chess Congress in 2020. We’d like to take some time to explain why, and to share some early thoughts about alternative ideas for this year and plans for 2021.

Venue Issues

We’ve been at the Apex, right in the centre of town, since moving there from the Corn Exchange in 2010. It proved to be an excellent venue for our event. When I took over the organising of the event from Bob Jones in 2015, the venue was costing a little over £2,000 to hire for the weekend. That was already a large sum, but by finding savings elsewhere, securing extra sponsorship in some years, and a bumper entry in other years, we’ve been able to keep the finances in balance. The costs have steadily increased since then, but in respect of 2020 we were facing a futher increase of around 25%, taking the costs to over £3,000.

We immediately began thinking about a change of venue. As Bury is a relatively small town, there aren’t many options, and there would be no telling if we could have any new venue on the dates we’d originally advertised. After thinking it over we decided to stay with the Apex for another year if we could at least match our previous years’ sponsorship, nudge up the entry fees, and perhaps be a little less generous with any discretionary prizes. To break even we’d still be depending on another big turnout, but a small financial loss would be acceptable.

Coronavirus

That was our thinking, and then COVID-19 hit. At the time of writing we’ve been in lockdown for almost four weeks, and speculation about how long it will last is rife. While we’re obviously hoping that the restrictions on public life will be lifted by the time of our event in the Autumn, many voices seem to be suggesting that some form of social distancing will still be necessary. If that’s the case, we’re likely to get fewer entries, perhaps especially from more vulnerable senior players, who usually make up a significant proportion of our entries. The numbers required for us to break even begin to seem like a stretch. The venue was pressing for confirmation plus a non-refundable deposit of £500. With some sponsors yet to be confirmed, we decided we couldn’t take the risk.

Moreover, while we’re in lockdown, it’s not now possible to do the necessary leg work to find an alternative venue in an aim to reduce costs. Checkmate.

What Now?

We’ll be looking for a new venue for the 2021 event. By then COVID-19 shouldn’t be an issue, but the costs at the Apex are simply not sustainable for an event such as ours. If you have any thoughts about what makes for a good venue, feel free to share them in the comments here, via our social media channels, our contact form or over email.

For 2020 we’re considering holding an online tournament around the same time of year that the Bury St Edmunds Congress usually takes place. Details are yet to be decided, but if this goes ahead (and it is very much an if at this stage) it’s likely to be a one day Rapidplay event, open to ECF members and with at least some prize money available. If entry isn’t free, it will certainly be no more than £5.

We’re really sorry to be disappointing all who have been loyal supporters of our event over the years, and hope you’ll be back with us again in 2021. In the meantime, watch this space for more news about plans for this Autumn and next. Stay safe.

Steve Lovell

Steve has been the organiser of the Bury St Edmunds Chess Congress since the 2015 event. He also helps run the Bury St Edmunds Chess Club and is Internet Officer for the Bury Area Chess League. Outside of chess, if there is such a thing, Steve works in IT at Greene King.

6 Comments

John A Hamer Posted on7:12 pm - 12 May 2020

I think i would be interested in joining the congress if it were on line Yours John A Hamer

Gert De Block Posted on1:15 pm - 23 May 2020

Hi Steve,
Thanks for explaining it, much appreciated.
The Apex is really nice but am more than happy to play elsewhere. Playing is still more important to me than the venue. I am happy with little.
Looking forward to the Bury Congress 2021! Thanks for all your efforts.

Dick Myhill Posted on6:53 pm - 23 May 2020

A shame but not unexpected. Is West Suffolk College or one of the schools a possibility for next year’s event?

    Steve Lovell Posted on9:38 am - 19 August 2020

    Bob and I visited the college a few years ago thinking about it as a possible venue for the Congress and for the Junior Congress. Unfortunately, none of their spaces seem to be quite appropriate. We are thinking about other schools, though.

Rani Pert Posted on4:59 am - 19 August 2020

Have you thought about Culford School?

    Steve Lovell Posted on9:31 am - 19 August 2020

    Thanks Rani. Yes, we’ve been looking at Culford School. In terms of price it looks like it wouldn’t be much of a saving, but we’ve certainly not ruled it out as yet.

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