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The Southern England Regional Council is proud to announce
The Great Britain Championships 2010
Butlins Resort, Bognor Regis
Friday 15th - Monday 18th October
(Competitions commence Friday 15th October)
Syllabus Update
The syllabus has been updated 15 July to reflect changes made by CLRG to the ladies age groups at the All Ireland and World Championships. We have also amended the closing date for entries, which incorrectly stated Friday 1st August. This should have read Sunday 1st August. Our apologies for any confusion caused. Please download a revised copy from the Syllabus page.
Booking Details
Click here to find out more and book online
Booking lines open for Teachers at 9am on Monday 10th May 2010. Teachers MUST quote Great British Irish Dance Championships 865 and MUST provide their CLRG registration number, which will be cross-referenced against the current CLRG list. You will not be able book without your number.
Booking lines open for non-teachers at 8am on Monday 17th May 2010. Non-teachers MUST quote Great Britain Irish Dance Championships 862.
If any non-teachers book in the first week their bookings will be cancelled and deposits returned.
There should be no shortage of accommodation as there is no 'cap' on numbers of GBs guests. There will thus be NO FACILITY to book via a regular Butlins package and then buy a wristband. Those who do not book via the dedicated GBs line will NOT gain entry to the Irish dancing venues.
We are aware that times are hard for many people, and SERC have worked hard to ensure accommodation rates remain unaltered from 2009.
The dedicated GBs 2010 booking line number is: 0845 070 4785 -- PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION ABOVE BEFORE CALLING!
Background
The "GBs" is the second-oldest major Irish dancing championship in the World -- only the All Irelands is older -- and we are immensely proud to be the custodians of its traditions.
Having moved to the Butlins Resort in Bognor Regis in 2008, the Southern England Regional Council has worked hard to continue the Great Britain Championships as a unique event in the Irish dancing calendar. Always known as the 'friendly championships', the GBs has long had a reputation for coupling amazing standards of dancing with a real opportunity to renew acquaintances and to make new friends. We sincerely hope you will join us for a fabulous long weekend of Irish dancing and fun -- see above for 2010 booking details!
[The Resort at dusk.]
After leaving Brean Sands in 2006, the Council wanted a new venue that fulfilled two main criteria: firstly, the venue had to be an excellent backdrop for top quality Irish dancing but -- almost as importantly -- it had to embody the old 'Spirit of the GBs', which has 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.
Given the positive feedback we received, we believe both objectives were achieved, and we will be building on that again in 2010.
The Venue
The Butlins Resort in Bognor Regis lies 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 is 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' -- one of the competition stages.]
Accommodation
Finding good quality/good value accommodation is a big part of attending a major competition, so you'll be glad to know that the accommodation at the Butlins Bognor Regis Resort is excellent AND it comes at a great price. But there's more: you can choose self-catering and keep costs down even more, or pay a little extra to have your meals included. Furthermore, everyone gets to use all of the Butlins facilties, so your non-dancers will be just as happy as your dancers!
[The Ocean Hotel, opened summer 2009.]
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 menu on the left provides links to all the information you should need to plan, book and enjoy the 2010 Great Britain Championships. You will find essential information already in place, and more will be added as it becomes available, so keep checking back. Finally, if you have any queries that aren't answered on this website, please fill in a contact form and we'll do our best to get back to you as soon as possible.
[A view inside the Skyline Pavilion. Click the picture for a larger image!]