Food
and accommodation
There were so many positive comments about the 2010
and 2011 courses and food was high on the list. Excellent choice and
quality was
heard over and over and the "Fair Trade" cookies actually elicited an
11/10 from one participant. The coffee even met with approval from the
Canadian contingent. A decent cup of coffee is as rare in
the UK as a decent cup of tea is in North America. (Blatant plug .....
see http://www.bobthecoffeeman.co.uk
to find the U.K.'s most amazing and excellent coffee!).
Collingwood
College is very proud of its reputation for hospitality and the warmth
of its welcome. We identified it as our ideal venue when we first
decided to relocate to Durham and we shall find out this year if (our) D.ream is right.
Collingwood College was founded in 1972 as the first purpose-built
mixed college in Durham University and named in memory of Sir
Edward Collingwood.
It stands next door to the Botanic Gardens in its own very spacious
natural grounds. There is a sense of being in a wooded haven yet it is
only a 15 minute walk into Durham City Centre. There is on-site parking
and a regular bus service from the bottom of the drive. Whilst all our
course activities and accommodations are now under one roof there is no
reason to spend all your time indoors.
The central focus of the course will be the activities in the Penthouse Suite. The opening and closing concerts and all the open rehearsals will take place there. The common rooms, dining room and bars are where you will find most people when they are not in their playing rooms.
Accommodation for our course is all en-suite with a limited number of double rooms available. All rooms are well equipped (radio alarm, internet access, hospitality tray etc.) and are serviced daily.
Those of you who attended the previous course will testify to the quality and variety of the food provided. There are extensive options sure to please most palates and the only complaint we ever heard was that just when you thought you were really quite replete an overwhelmingly tempting dessert would be on offer. The Dining Hall itself offers a good chance to mingle and mix.
A visit to the city is a must. The designation "World Heritage site"
may sound rather grand but Durham Cathedral and Castle and all that
surrounds it more than lives up to such a title.
