SFX Weekender 3 - Your feedback.

[Grumpy old git]

Pakefield? That's it, thanks.

Hemsby was where Cult TV was held in 2006 (Not at Pontins, across the road at "Seacroft" - the full Hi-De-Hi experience! )

When the Cult TV team went there, we were being commissioned by Pontins to do an SFX Weekender style event called "Cineology".

They asked us down to Pakefield for a free 4-day full-board weekend just after St Patrick's Day to examine the site.
The food in that dining room was excelllent - going back for seconds excellent!

However, we only got 25 of the needed 250 registrations in the first 3 months so they pulled the plug. 2 weeks later, the banks pulled Pontins plug.

[SgtAngua_CW]

Part of the appeal for me though is that pretty much everything is under one roof.

People don't want to have to traipse all over the camp, especially if they only have a few minutes between things.

[Grumpy old git]

The distance between the checkin desk at the front of the main hall, to the other event spaces (the ship's hull in my pics),
was about the same as the distance from the main door to the Queen Vic at Prestatyn.

[SgtAngua_CW]

Exactly, everything's right next to each other.

You don't want a huge camp where stuff is spread out all over the place, so you're having to dash all over the place.

One of the benefits of Prestatyn over Camber is the fact that it's better for the disabled - everything on one level is preferable to the Camber disabled facilities, which I heard were quite poor. Not being disabled myself I didn't use them, so only going on what I heard.

Both Camber and Prestatyn need to improve their chalets for disabled customers too, as this appears to still be an issue.

[Grumpy old git]

Thinking about it, I don't think I saw any 2-storey blocks at Pakefield. The only steps I remember at all were to reach some tiered seating at the back of the ballroom.

SFX & Chic Festivals may want to involve "Electrical Eggs" - a fannish Disability group.

[SgtAngua_CW]

I liked the tiered seating, even if you were right at the back you still had a good view

[Dakki]

Originally Posted by SgtAngua_CW

One of the benefits of Prestatyn over Camber is the fact that it's better for the disabled - everything on one level is preferable to the Camber disabled facilities, which I heard were quite poor.

I agree with you on this one.

The tiered seating was indeed good, but I still prefered Cambers main void since there you could see the stage from the entire room. In Prestatyn you had to be inside the "ballroom" or stand by the side. And when you did that you were sort of in the way of people doing the rounds.

The screening zone was MUCH better in Camber. Having the bar on one side instead of in the back with a curtain in between worked much better. In my opinion.

[SgtAngua_CW]

I agree that standing at the sides caused a problem with people trying to get around Bartertown, but disagree with the rest.

Yes, the size of the Main Void at Camber was good, but the noise from the bar, the stalls and the signing queues made it nigh on impossible to hear what was being said on stage, which I not only found irritating, but also disrespectful to the guests. I much preferred Prestatyn in this respect. Perhaps moving Bartertown a bit further away from the Void would help. Also, don't block off one side of the Void, like they did on the Saturday.

I also much preferred the Screening Zone at Prestatyn - bigger, and didn't have to endure a constantly ringing phone or clattering glasses. I was always being distracted by the surrounding noise at Camber, but not at Prestatyn.

[Dakki]

Originally Posted by SgtAngua_CW

Perhaps moving Bartertown a bit further away from the Void would help.

Well as mentioned before, Bartertown should really be in a separate room...

[Matt AREA 51]

shameless begging letter - VOTE AREA 51 TOMORROW NIGHT (TUESDAY) ON BRITAINS GOT TALENT! Please tell all your mates - it could be the biggest shock in the history of the show - GO GEEKS!!!