SoAC 26 will be held at Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL over the weekend 16th-18th October.
As a follow up, myself and Gavin Parnaby (who has kindly volunteered to assist on Convention organisation) visited Cranfield for a site visit this week. We are agreed that the facilities offered are excellent.
Contained within the same conference area is a lecture theatre which we will use for the talks etc, and six large rooms each with space for at least two games. And if this isn't enough, each of the six rooms has four breakout rooms - and each of these has room for a 6' x 4' table. This extra space should help in the setting up and taking down of games issue where game organisers are waiting for a table to be cleared before they can set up - there is enough space for this problem to go away.
The central atrium area where an excellent buffet lunch (we sampled it!) will be served is bright and roomy. The bedrooms are fine, the restaurant where we will eat our evening meals is close by. The bar will stay open into the early hours if there is demand...
All in all, I believe this is the best venue yet for the Convention.
So - save the date, and start planning a game that you will run in one of the gaming sessions...
I took a few photo's while we were there, posting them here to whet your appetites figuratively and literally, the food was rather good. Couple of shots of the bar area and one of the informal coffee areas of which there are several, plus the main atrium with food set out (only half of the setup is visible), and there is lots and lots of seating available in there for lunch as well as a full battery of snacks and drinks available.
(https://1drv.ms/i/c/3439b94054bf169d/IQC3P6PJjoqtT4qSJzyZ-wOqAV_20GZ_4J6ESJSyT7EFvyY?e=YgapE7)
A couple of the largest of the 6 Richard identified in his post, easily big enough for the largest of games, and one of the smaller breakout rooms, sufficient to get a 6x4 and have space for players and paraphernalia if required. Lastly an image of the check in desk in the lecture space, the hotel has it's own reception and check in as well.
Conference centre buffets seem to have improved since I last attended one (a work conference, that is).
Looks impressive