JoeArthur
Elder Member
Magnus - thanks for some great comments. They made me laugh for a good ten minutes.........
Yet again I am called into action to defend Blackpool's honour.Jim - you should indeed follow your plan to go to all of the British tournaments. Wonderful events with English and Scottish people at their best, always fun to play with. Although the Scotts are a little hard for me to understand even when they do their best?.
Joe has a point though. Double one is held at a wonderful college in the middle of the summer, the other two are held in possible the biggest dump of the British isles, Blackpool, in November and February, respectively. And here I am not only reflecting on my own experience but also quoting my one and only Golf buddy, a British former ambassador who lives halfway between Blackpool and Scotland in the winter (as well as this summer due to Covid). He fails to understand that ASL outweighs Blackpool???.
Posted without comment :Yet again I am called into action to defend Blackpool's honour.
It is not a dump. It's in amongst a widely beautiful coastal area with a town centre which needs significant investment. It's run down through years of under-investment The South Shore where our tournament is held is reasonable (for what is a major town). And in fact a 30 minute walk from Lytham St Annes which is one of the most desirable and expensive areas to live in in the North of England. Bear in mind the North of England includes the Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland, Lake District, etc.
Ill-advised to judge an area by a one square mile area of it. You'd write off a lot of pretty desirable/popular places on that basis (including London).
Writtle is beautiful of course. But it doesn't have a coast. A major disadvantage for me. And the people can be somewhat parochial by comparison with Northern people. And, judging the two from a tournament attendee perspective myself, the living and eating accommodation in Blackpool is better.
So Spara...don't be put off by what people say about Blackpool. They know not what they do.
It's deprived. But you're not making your 8 hour journey to buy a house, try to find gainful employment, put your kids into school, or even have a summer holiday here are you? You're here to close yourself behind four walls for 3-4 days playing a table top board game.Posted without comment :
The map that shows where in England the most antidepressants are prescribed
Doctors made more than 64 million prescriptions of antidepressants in 2016www.independent.co.uk
And also:
England's most deprived areas named as Jaywick and Blackpool
Eight of the 10 most deprived neighbourhoods are in Blackpool, according to new statistics.www.bbc.co.uk
I happen to live a few miles from Margate in the South East of England and the joke is I travel 8 hours by car to go to one deprived seaside resort to another
Good point. And thanks.Double One is very pleasant in June (apart from the college beds : they’re shocking). What it doesn’t usually have is four of the top five currently active UK players according to the Crusader ladder : Toby Pilling, Mark Blackmore, Martin Vicca and Craig Benn. So if you want a more challenging game, then go to Blackpool - no disrespect intended to Double One attendees.
I totally agree, that's why I have been in Blackpool attending two tournaments in the last three years (dump or no dump). And one in Bournemouth or whereever it was. Plus two in WrittleYou're here to close yourself behind four walls for 3-4 days playing a table top board game.
Unless you need to provide distractions for your significant other who unwisely decided to accompany you to the tournament proximity to tourist attractions should not be a major factor in determining tournament locations.It's deprived. But you're not making your 8 hour journey to buy a house, try to find gainful employment, put your kids into school, or even have a summer holiday here are you? You're here to close yourself behind four walls for 3-4 days playing a table top board game.
I know there are elements of tongue in cheek. But I'm pretty astonished by your comments on the quality of the food at the Headlands which are at odds with most feedback I hear.I totally agree, that's why I have been in Blackpool attending two tournaments in the last three years (dump or no dump). And one in Bournemouth or whereever it was. Plus two in Writtle
However, I would have used modern technology to make sure the sentence "an award winning Hotelier and former award winning Restauranter" was cut out before it went overseas (such as to the EU where there are French, Italian, German and even Swedish readers ). I love you Brits, but a 50 year British seaside hotel and food in an unchanged 50-year old British tradition could be funny and enjoyable, but only in Faulty Towers???. I also love Charles, but he would be more appreciated by me if he had served food from his native Germany (or is it Austria???). Remember the joke
In Heaven: the cooks are French, the policemen are English, the mechanics are German, the lovers are Italian and the bankers are Swiss.
In Hell: the cooks are English, the policemen are German, the mechanics are French, the lovers are Swiss and the bankers are Italian....
(corresponds to my experience, except for the Swiss Lovers. There are enough blond Swedish women married to Swiss men to make this part questionable - but then again, maybe the guys they married were Bankers ).
There is one very good Indian restaurant though, maybe two, and I yet have to go to that Armenian place with Joe.
Your advice being "don't go to Martin's tournament - go to Double One in 2021 instead"Magnus - you very kindly bought me a pizza in Sweden. It will be my pleasure to buy you a kebab in Blackpool
Martin - I enjoy your tourny. You and Simon go to a lot of hard work to make it what it is. Charles who owns the hotel is a great host. I enjoy tasting the Scotch that Tony brings down from Scotland for everyone to help themselves. I was merely trying to provide some advice to a US player who might have been able to afford only one trip to the UK............
How screwed are you when you need Martin Mayers to defend your honor?Yet again I am called into action to defend Blackpool's honour.
Joe i'm taking the credit for this as I introduced you to the splendid Armenian Kebab!Blackpool has a shop selling the best kebabs that I have ever tasted
ARMENIAN KEBAB HOUSE, Blackpool - Updated 2024 Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor
Armenian Kebab House, Blackpool: See 120 unbiased reviews of Armenian Kebab House, rated 5 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #97 of 734 restaurants in Blackpool.www.tripadvisor.co.uk
That is one excellent Indian restaurant. I could go there every evening of Heroes, were it not for evening games.Magnus I remember well you were struggling with the Scottish accent when we went to the indian restaurant with Martin Vicca and Steve Cook. As an Englishman I struggled with Steve's accent after he had a couple of beers!!
Fortunately taste is mostly personal and thus this is an area we can agree to disagree .I know there are elements of tongue in cheek. But I'm pretty astonished by your comments on the quality of the food at the Headlands which are at odds with most feedback I hear.
I eat out a lot, in very nice restaurants (entertaining clients). I know my food.
Given your good taste in both Indian and Armenian restaurants in Blackpool, what other restaurants/take-outs can you recommend in the vincinity of Headlands?Joe i'm taking the credit for this as I introduced you to the splendid Armenian Kebab!
I try to be fair and support local business. Therefore, I will buy an evening meal at the hotel and lunches throughout and go for some local delicacy (if you call an Armenian Kebab and Indian Restaurant) as local.Given your good taste in both Indian and Armenian restaurants in Blackpool, what other restaurants/take-outs can you recommend in the vincinity of Headlands?
Delivery services would be fine...
And I thank you for it Ian. The best kebab I have tasted and I have eaten a few. I was not even drunk when I ate it eitherJoe i'm taking the credit for this as I introduced you to the splendid Armenian Kebab!
That's right. Sometimes I delight in watching some Texans enjoying some special Swedish dish... ?Fortunately taste is mostly personal and thus this is an area we can agree to disagree .