So I missed this letter below being read out last week - I got a look at it from the notice board this week.
From what I heard, this announcement was not received entirely positively as such, but there were apparently one or two for who this is a bit annoying.
Staying at hotels for the district convention is nothing new here - many are used to staying at the same hotel/B&B/campsite every year, and get quite friendly with the owners. But this year, it looks like not only do we have a new location for our district assembly (Glasgow - the S.E.C.C.?) but we are being told what hotel to stay at, supposedly to make things cheaper.
What I can't understand is, if this is really for the benefit of people, why didn't they do this years ago? Or is there a real reason they are doing it now? The other thing is, the attached list of hotels (which I've not included) looked like the prices I would probably expect to pay for those hotels anyway. They were mostly the budget hotels from what I could see - Premier Inn's etc.
Any one have any thought's on what they are up to here?
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November 30, 2012
TO CONGREGATIONS ASSIGNED TO SELECTED DISTRICT CONVENTIONS FOR 2013
Re: Dublin, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, and Telford
Dear Brothers:
We always look forward to our annual district conventions where we receive timely spiritual food. You have now received information regarding your convention dates and location. We are writing now to explain a new rooming arrangement.
NEW ROOMING ARRANGEMENT: In order to simplify and assist everyone needing accommodation, the branch office is taking a new approach to rooming for those attending your district convention. This arrangement will only be in selected areas, of which you are a part.
Qualified brothers have approached selected hotels in the convention cities and have negotiated the best rates possible for those attending each convention. They have blocked off a number of rooms in several hotels of good quality. A Recommended hotel List approved by the branch will be placed on the noticeboard at the end of the meeting. This will enable everyone to benefit from the arrangement. (Rom. 8:28) In the past, when hotels were aware that the same venue would be used for consecutive years, they would raise their hotel rates for the dates of our convention. By supporting this new arrangement, it will allow brothers to negotiate cheaper hotel rates for future years.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: From the Recommended Hotel List, you should select the hotel where you would prefer to stay. Each hotel has a unique code which you will need to quote if you are phoning the hotel or type in if you are booking online. All the hotels can be booked from December 10. The convention Rooming Department will monitor the arrangement and provide whatever assistance is needed through the congregation.
What should you do if you have already made a tentative hotel booking? In view of the above, we are encouraging all to support the new arrangement. We encourage you not to book a hotel that is not on the Recommended Hotel List even if you have stayed there in previous years. We hope you can understand the benefits of supporting this arrangement.
YOUR COOPERATION APPRECIATED: The smoothness of how the new rooming arrangement functions will largely depend on the cooperation of everyone involved. We do appreciate many brothers have access to Internet hotel offers, but may we encourage you to support the recommended hotels from the list, which will help to secure better rates. It could result in difficulties if a large number of delegates choose not to use the hotels listed, hut for one reason or another, make their own arrangements. The listing provided is broad enough to give a choice of good quality accommodation whilst using the most cooperative hotels.
BENEFITS OF NEW ROOMING ARRANGEMENT:
• Association with brothers and sisters
• Cheaper hotel rates
• Providing support for better negotiations in the future