How long can this thing last?

[pensnest]

Hi all!

nopseud and I have been investigating sites and dates for next year's Camp Sparkle, and we think we need more input.

Firstly, how about setting the date? Friday 29th February (evg) - Monday 3rd March (morning). Most people have voted for March and/or February, so we're hoping this will suit. With Easter next year on March 23rd, the end of the month is certainly going to see a price rise, for any property we might be looking at.

Does that work for you?

Now, as we've mentioned, we've been thinking of running an extended version - the weekend would be the main Camp Sparkle, but if there are people interested in staying on a bit longer, we could have a jolly time for a few extra days, and maybe actually venture out of our accommodation!

This is one of many things which may determine our choice of venue. For instance, there are some nice-looking rentals which combine two or more properties, and we might hire one for the week and one for just the weekend, if the numbers work out that way. It will also make a difference to how much importance we put on our venue being accessible by public transport - if people will be leaving at various different times from Sunday to Friday, it won't be practical to give everybody lifts to the airport/elsewhere in the country. Also, if we are going to be staying on, it'll be important to have somewhere reasonably close by that is worth visiting.

It's really difficult to give you a clear picture of costs, but here are a couple of options which may give you an idea. The prices given below are based on prices quoted for 2007, we'll assume they won't be outrageously different for 2008.

If we went back to Little Brampton, the weekend's rental would be £950, and assuming 20 attendees, that's £47.50 each for the weekend. To hire the cottage for a full week is £1,250, so that's an extra £300 to be split between those who stay for the extra days. If we assume 10 people will stay on, they get to pay another £30 each for accommodation. Little Brampton is one of the cheapest options, but it does have the disadvantage of being very poorly served by public transport, so it isn't necessarily the best option.

One of the alternatives is a combination property called Rhinefield Bothy + Vine Cottage, which would be charged at a rate of £74 per person for the weekend, £87 per person for the full week.

As you can see, the extra days are really good value!

If we have lots of people wanting to stay for extra time, it probably makes sense to hire a single property, but if only a small number are staying on, a split property could make more sense. (Also, it'd be useful to know whether we can expect around the same numbers as we had this year, or more, or fewer. If you didn't sign up last time and would like to come, give us a heads up! And, if there's someone you were hoping to meet, nudge her/him to look at this post.)

With this *kind* of pricing in mind, and a reasonably definite date, can you let us know whether you would want to stay on beyond the weekend?

[Poll #1024587]

nb If you can't decide at this stage, please vote and expand on it in comments!


A brief note on transport: It looks to me as though Stansted is the only option for those of you wanting cheap flights from Scandinavia, and a very good bet from Germany too. I think there are ways in which we could rationalise the Stansted(+Londoners) transport, which obviously last time round was the biggest contingent by far. If everyone is able to get to Stansted for pickup at lunchtime on the Friday, and everyone who wants to stay for the weekend only can be returned to Stansted for, say, lunchtime on the Monday (ie flights no earlier than 3pm), then a minibus would work very well and be economical. And with not too many people wanting to go to Stansted on the following Friday, my car should be adequate for their return journey.

(ETA links, including the first Sparkly cottage for the benefit of those who weren't there.)

Comments

[nopseud]

Pen, do you want to add the link to the other cottages to the main post?

Rhinefield Bothy and Vine Cottage.

[pensnest]

Good thought - done.

[ninjetti75.livejournal.com]

Well, my vote is accurate, as I would LIKE to stay the full week, but I doubt it will be possible.

Unfortunately, I probably won't be able to get that much time off of work, because I'll have already used both weeks of my vacation for this year. My vacation rollover date is mid-April, so Camp Sparkle 2 is before that, I'm not sure how much time I'll be able to get off. Possibly a full week, but I'm not really sure. I'll have a better idea once we're in '08.

[pensnest]

Fingers crossed! It wouldn't be the same without you.

[trumpeterofdoom.livejournal.com]

Afraid I can't vote on anything until my new timetables come into play. For that date, it's about two weeks before my spring term ends, so things might be loosening up at that time, but I really can't say.

[pensnest]

I know it's going to be difficult for a lot of people to make a commitment this far in advance. :-/

[withdiamonds.livejournal.com]

I'd really like to come this time around, and I hope to be able to.

[pensnest]

Which would be awesome!

[lincolnkw.livejournal.com]

I'm shooting for making it this time. A week would be good!

[pensnest]

Cool! Be great to meet you.

[ephemera.livejournal.com]

ohh *squee* - those dates could not be any perfecter for me - that's the weekend at the start of break week, when I could certainly take Monday off, and possibly a day or two more. Here's hoping it sticks!

[pensnest]

You missed out last time - here's to an extended CS next year!

[turlough]

Camp Sparkle, yay!!!!

I want to stay the whole week and I'm certainly planning to do so, but you never know what might happen *keeps fingers crossed that nothing untoward will*

I looked at the other property that nopseud linked to and I have one slight misgiving about them: they're old converted conservatories and we're going to be there in early March, all that glass sounds very chilly that early in the season...

[adelate]

I'm being completely unfair to any place that isn't Little Brampton... I fell in love with that place, even with the wonky Internet and squeaky floors. [laughs] But there was really no need for the Internet because everybody was at CS anyway! ;)

[pensnest]

I'm not sure we would all survive an entire *week* without teh internetz, though! It was a very excellent venue, and I can't decide whether I think we should all go back there, or head somewhere else and hope it's just as awesome.

[adelate]

The ginormous TV was also good. [g] And I kind of like the idea of us all under the same roof instead of two, though obviously if there will be a lot of people, a change might have to happen.

[bubbleforest.livejournal.com]

I have to agree. I loved that cottage x a billion. :D

[pensnest]

Brrr! Mind you, they're in the soft and cushy South. We're also looking at places rather further north - not that that will intimidate you!

[msktrnanny.livejournal.com]

Hopefully, work will be had before then and I will be able to attend this time. Fingers crossed.

[pensnest]

That would be splendid! Fingers are duly crossed, which makes typing awkward.

[stellamira]

I would love to come again next year. But I'm afraid I can't vote right now, since I have no idea if I'm even gonna be in Europe in February.

Standsted is a very good bet for everywhere that Ryanair flies from (as well as other cheap airlines).

[bubbleforest.livejournal.com]

My vote is only a guess right now, because I have no idea where I'll be at that time next year. However, I'll do everything possible to get there, because, Camp Sparkle! How can I miss it!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_ducks/]

I would love to stay for the whole week. Thing is, I'm hoping I will have got myself a new job by next year and I have no idea what my money & holiday situation will be. It would have to be pretty dire to stop me, though. :)

[turps33.livejournal.com]

Wherever you go and for how long, I'll be there :)

[nikibee.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I'm new to the fandom but I would love to go. Timing wise, the summer would be best as I'm still in school in February and March. I might be able to make it, we'll see.

[pensnest]

Hi there. We settled on the spring as the prices go up rather a lot during the summer, I'm afraid. It's definitely worth it, if you can make it - we had such a great time this year!