Use the links, left, for more information |
Our thanks go to our Platinum Sponsors for the GBs Championships 2008
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ANNOTATED IRISH DANCING SITE MAP
We have had a Butlins site map annotated with the Irish dancing locations. Download it here (PDF, 264kb)
Teachers' Reception
The Teachers' Reception is on Friday evening, starting 7pm sharp until 9pm. There will be food and drink provided, and there will be a presentation with important information about the GBs weekend. Teachers will also be able to collect their GBs programme and VIP wristband. Please note that those teachers who cannot get to Butlins in time for the Reception will be able to pick up their programme and wristband from the Information Desk, located in the Conference Centre area, on Saturday morning.
If you are attending the GBs but have not received an invitation to the Teachers' Reception, please click here for the invitation, and reply to Maria Diggins by return.
GREAT BRITAINS 2008 - IMPORTANT UPDATE
It has been brought to our attention by the hosts of this year's Great Britain Championships, Butlins, that there has been an incresing number of calls to their booking lines to amend bookings, and to add additional family members to existing bookings.
Having completed the collection of all outstanding monies, the site is at capacity for guests staying overnight.* Whilst Butlins will do everthing in their power to amend existing bookings on a like-for-like basis, they are unable to accept any requests to add additional persons in already full apartments/rooms. The only time they will add a person is when a apartment/room is under-occupied.
[* This does not include pre-registered day guests, who are in addition to those staying overnight.]
Butlins do not have the ability or capacity to add rollaway beds to existing units. Requests for these cannot be complied with.
Due to the increased demand for additional beds, Butlins are aware that some guests may resort to alternate ways in gaining site access for their additional guests.
As a result, Butlins are increasing their gate security. Only those arriving who have a legitimate booking reference will be allowed access to the site. Butlins staff will cross check the booking against the numbers entering and will only allow the numbers on the booking to gain access. Should families or persons on the same booking be arriving at different times, a note will be made as to how many from each party have arrived and when the remainder of the party arrives a check will be made against the total booking.
Should any person arrive, competitor or not, who is not on the booking, access will not be granted.
Once on site, at check in, Butlins will again cross check the members of each party against the original booking to ensure that the party matches in size and age of guests. At this time Butlins staff will issue the weekend wristband to each guest. This wristband must remain attached to the guest all weekend.
Note that this wristband is unique to the GBs weekend and will be issued by Butlins staff at the time of check-in. Spare wristbands for guests arriving late will not be handed over to alternate family members. Any guests arriving late must visit Butlins Guest Services in person to have their wristband secured. At this time a further cross check against the original booking will be made.
These wristbands are under Butlins' control. This is not an SERC policy and we will not be able to intervene on behalf of a guest should a dispute arise. The only wristbands available from the SERC information stand are for those guests who are booked on-site, but as Butlins standard guests rather than via the GBs booking line.
For those guests, different wristbands can be purchased, for the entire weekend, from the GBs information stand in the Rendezvous Conference Centre. A day pass for these guests is not available. The cost of these wristbands is £15 per adult with children going free.
Any person wishing to gain access to the competition halls or entertainment venues must have one of the above wristbands.
The only other way to gain site access is via the day gate on a daily basis. Separate guidence notes regarding this system are available on the website but all guests should note that the registration period for applications closed on September 19th, as previously advised.
Should any person(s) be found in breach of these rules they will be escorted off site and future access will be denied. For dancers, this may also mean their disqualification from the Great Britain Championships.
In addition to the additional security measures being carried out at check-in, Butlins staff will also check rooms for evidence of additional family members by the way of additional beds being set up in apartments (e.g. air beds).
UPDATE 2
For those staying on site but who booked under a standard Butlins reference (as opposed to an Irish Dance package where guests receive their wristband at check in) Weekend passes/wristbands are available from the GBs Information Desk in the Shoreline Conferance Centre.
These wristbands will only be available to purchase from 4pm to 7pm on the Friday and then throughout the weekend (i.e. not in advance). The cost will be £15 per adult (for the entire 3 days of competition plus Friday night's entertainment). Children are free but still require a band.
For guests staying on site under Butlins standard packages, wristbands are not available for individual days.
UPDATE 3
The GBs Marketplace will open at 4pm on the Friday. The Marketplace is in the foyer of the Shoreline Conferance Centre.
The following vendors will be situated in this area:
- Reelpix
- Camelia Rose
- Feiswear by John and Rose Clarke
- Ken Barrett Mechandise
- Irish Dance Magazine
In addition to the vendors there will be an information stand selling programmes and wristbands.
UPDATE 4
To avoid congestion in the Shoreline Conferance Centre on the Friday night and assist in getting competitions started on time, dancers' competition numbers will be available for collection from Reds from 4pm to 7pm on the Friday night.
Should you be unable to pick up your number at this time, uncollected numbers will be available to collect side stage approximately 30 minutes before each competition commences.
UPDATE 5
Registration for day passes has now closed. Only those who applied via the GB website will be entered on the GB off-site register. Inclusion on this register will allow off-site TCRGs/ADCRGs and competitors (on the day they are competing only) free access to the site. Any other person who registered must pay the specified fee each day they wish to enter.
Please note that Butlins also operate their own day passes but these are for the general public and will not gain you access to the dancing areas.
All day pass registrations have been logged and cross checked against competition entries. No confirmations will be sent out of your application.
Please do not travel if you are staying off site and you failed to complete the application form by the due date.
UPDATE 6
Your attention is drawn to the rulings contained within this years syllabus, which can be viewed and/or downloaded at:
http://www.greatbritainchampionships.com/images/GB2008SYLLABUS.pdf
In particular please note ruling 9, which states: "All
competitors must be ready to dance 30 minutes prior to the
published time. They must
also report to the Stage Stewards promptly, and
dance in the prescribed order. Failure to report
in time to dance in order may lead to disqualification."
This ruling will be strictly enforced throughout the Championships.
UPDATE 7
Start (rotation) numbers will be advised within the programme. Check-in will commence 30 minutes before all competitions, when dancers should be side stage ready to dance. Any dancer who has not picked up their number on the Friday night may do so at side stage up to 60 minutes before the competition starts.
UPDATE 8
Dancers have been placed in a strict rotation order in the programme according to the dances indicated on the entry form submitted by their teacher, and therefore no change of dances to the 1st and 2nd rounds will be permitted. However, dancers will be permitted to change both Set Dance and Speed as per the Oireachtas Syllabus.
FINAL TIMETABLE
[Updated 13 September]
The Final Timetable has now been published. Click the 'Schedule' link, left, and then download the timetable in PDF format.
PRE-REGISTRATION FOR DAY PASSES
Please note that the pre-registration period for day passes has now closed.
The Southern England Regional Council (SERC) and the Great Britain Championships Oireachtas Committee are proud to introduce the all-new Great Britain Championships, to be held in Bognor Regis, in October, 2008. The Championships will be the 2008 Secondary Qualifier for Great Britain.
[The Resort at dusk.]
Since leaving Brean Sands in 2006, the Council and Oireachtas Committee members have been searching for an alternative venue able to fulfil two main criteria: firstly, any choice had to be an excellent backdrop for top quality Irish dancing but -- almost as importantly -- it was vital to embody the old 'Spirit of the GBs', which had a unique atmosphere for so many years. Everybody wanted a return to the days when families could get together and socialise with their friends from around the globe, but nobody wanted to compromise on the quality of accommodation and food.
We think both objectives have been achieved -- for this year and hopefully for many more to come. A return to the special GB's atmosphere means returning to a 'holiday camp' venue, but one with a VERY different style from the past. Just wait till you see what's in store for you and your families!
The Venue
The 2008 GBs will be held at the Butlins Resort in Bognor Regis, on the English south coast. Despite being within easy reach of London and its airports, trains and motorways, the Resort is surrounded by the rolling South Downs and bordered by two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). Quite apart from all the facilities offered by the Resort itself, there is a choice of wildlife parks, quaint villages, castles and beaches close by. You won't be bored on this trip!
['Centre Stage', which will be one of the competition stages.]
Accommodation
Squaring the circle between finding good quality AND good value accommodation is a big part of attending a major competition, so you'll be glad to hear that you won't need to compromise this year. No longer the hard choice between staying on site and camping in a poky chalet, or staying off site and missing the fun. The accommodation at the Butlins Bognor Regis Resort is excellent AND it comes at a really great price. But there's more: you can go self-catering and keep costs down even more, or pay very little extra to have your meals INCLUDED. And as if that wasn't enough, you and the kids get to use all of the facilties, so you'll have no problem keeping everyone happy this year, even if you have non-dancers with you!
[A bedroom in the Shoreline Hotel.]
Last but by no means least, you would expect the venue to provide all that is necessary to host a top-class dancing event: from providing a framework for the dancing through to top class technical support. The team at Butlins is outstanding and professional, so you won't be disappointed there either.
The navigation area on the left provides links to all the information you will need to plan, book and enjoy the Great Britain Championships, 2008. You will find essential information already in place, and more will be added as it becomes available, so keep checking back.
[A view of the Presentations stage inside the Skyline Pavilion. Click the picture for a larger image!]