Gamma Consortium 2020 AGM and rally

[Theo]

The dates and location for our 2020 AGM and rally meeting have been fixed and are as follows:

Dates: 18-20 September

Location: The Fat Lamb, Crossbank, Ravenstonedale, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, CA17 4LL
Website: http://www.fatlamb.co.uk/

Prices:

Double room, 2 people, Dinner Bed and Breakfast, 2 nights = £290

Single Occupancy, DB&B, 50% of above rate + £30 per night supplement for single occupancy of double room, so price for 2 nights is £145 + £60 = £205
                                          
Price covers Dinner bed and breakfast for two nights - dinner being a multi choice three course meal followed by coffee on the Friday night and an Italian themed dinner on the Saturday night after our AGM.

We currently have 12 double rooms reserved and I’d appreciate an early indication of interest please to gauge likely take up.  There’s no commitment at this stage, in fact deposits won’t be required until June but if you’re interested in attending please let Ian Powis know.
 
The pub is in a glorious part of England between the Yorkshire and Durham dales and Cumbria and the roads in the area are superb.  It’s very car friendly and regularly runs weekend events for car clubs as you can see from their website and they even have workshop facilities in case any emergency repairs are needed.

The owner is an active classic car enthusiast himself.  The pub will also provide a room for use to use for our AGM.  

[Theo]

From our Treasurer, Ian Powis, who is organising this year's AGM:

Hello All,

The rules and regulations regarding what we can and can't do because of Covid-19 seem to be changing daily, but at the moment we're still planning to meet in September at the Fat Lamb in Cumbria - http://www.fatlamb.co.uk/

I've had the update at the bottom of this email from the Fat Lamb.  It's quite lengthy but I thought it worth sending.

A number of us have booked so we will go ahead with the meeting, however our block reservation of the remaining rooms has now been removed.  If you want to come you can book a room at the Fat Lamb now or leave it until nearer the date although then there's the possibility that all the rooms might be taken.  Deposits are not refundable but can be moved to a booking on another date if the event has to be cancelled or you can't attend due to a Covid related restriction.  If you want to book a room call the hotel directly and say you're with the Gamma Consortium party.  Also please let me know if you're coming and have booked.

If we don't take the whole hotel then obviously we can still meet at the hotel but would share the restaurant, lounge and snug etc with other guests.

All the best.

Ian Powis


-------------------

Dear Ian
 
I am delighted to be able to give you an update on the position regarding our accommodation of your group booking.
 
Following the government guidance at the time, we re-opened on 4th July, and are slowly getting back to normal.
 
Revised guidelines were introduced and from 1st August "Meetings of up to 30 people indoors are allowed in permitted venues if social distancing can be maintained and the venue can demonstrate it has followed COVID-19 guidance". I am pleased to say we have already got the "We're Good To Go" Covid-19 Industry Standard certification, and feel confident that we can accommodate your group safely and within the guidelines, during your stay.
 
To give you some idea of what to expect these are some of the measures we have introduced.
 
Importantly, for groups taking all of the hotel accommodation during the evenings, the restaurant, residents lounge and "snug" room will be reserved for your exclusive use. The only other people permitted to enter these areas will be members of the group who are staying at other accommodation outside.
 
We have changed the emphasis of our housekeeping activities to carrying out a thorough deep clean and sanitisation of the rooms between guests and we have dropped daily housekeeping. This means each guest is shown to a sanitised room and no-one else will enter that room for the duration of their stay, other than in an emergency. Replenishing of towels, toiletries, teas and coffees etc will be done via an order form at breakfast.
 
By seating some couples side by side in the restaurant (as opposed to opposite each other) we can accommodate up to thirty diners, ie fifteen couples, and still maintain one metre social distancing. The seating arrangements may seem a bit odd, but you would have the room to yourselves and would hopefully already be adapting to socialising whilst maintaining a healthy distance.
 
The bar area has been adapted with tables removed, and you would be able to socialise (again at a suitable distance) before and after dinner. There is of course, currently, no bar service and you are requested not to approach the bar. We will have staff on duty to bring your drinks to you. Guests will be encouraged to run up a "tab" for the duration of their stay rather than pay on a round by round basis - we will accept payment by card or cash at the end.
 
Masks and PPE. Surprisingly the use of masks and PPE is currently not recommended for staff. The precise wording in the latest guidance for hotels states "When managing the risk of COVID-19, additional PPE beyond what you usually wear is not beneficial. This is because COVID-19 is a different type of risk to the risks you normally face in a workplace, and needs to be managed through social distancing, hygiene and fixed teams or partnering, not through the use of PPE". and "Workplaces should not encourage the precautionary use of extra PPE to protect against COVID-19 outside clinical settings or when responding to a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19."
Similarly for guests, the use of face coverings in public areas is not recommended other than we are asked to "encourage" the use of face coverings in hotel corridors.
We are currently leaving staff to choose whether to wear face masks or visors - both of which we have provided. If official guidelines change before your arrival we will revise our instructions to staff accordingly.
 
Outside of the hotel, groups will obviously have to be aware of the changes and advance notice of visits to other places would be advisable.
 
 

[Theo]

Less than 3 weeks to go now and plans are progressing well. We will once again be joined by foreign members from Germany and Japan. Our venue, the Fat Lamb in Cumbria, have received the "We're Good To Go" Covid-19 Industry Standard certification and are confident they will accommodate our group safely and within Government guidelines. There are still some rooms available but please be quick if you'd like to join us as our block reservation of rooms has now been released.

[Theo]

Here's a few pictures from the event which while down in numbers this year due to the pandemic, it turned out to be another great Gamma weekend 

More pictures on the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.374878106870727&type=3

 

[Theo]

Here's a few pictures from the event which while down in numbers this year due to the pandemic, it turned out to be another great Gamma weekend  

More pictures on the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.374878106870727&type=3

... some more pictures...