New:
Plans for suggested layout of the Centre (click on 'Suggested Layout' on the menu above).
Updated Centre overview (see below).

Cam Contract Bridge Centre
There is an opportunity for bridge players in and around Cambridge to have their own Bridge 
Centre! The formal name of the project is the Cam Contract Bridge Centre (CCBC).
The building would be on the first floor of the Cambridge Rugby Club, Granchester Road, 
Cambridge (just off Barton road, opposite Wolfson College). We would have our own side entrance, 
over 300sqm of space (one large room with 15+ tables, one small room with 10+ tables, a kitchen, 
small office, hall/foyer and two storage rooms). The Centre would connect internally to the 
rugby club toilets and [larger] kitchen facilities, and also their on-site bar (when active). A 
lift at the CRUFC front entrance facilitates entry for disabled members, via their Camstead 
Suite.

Building work could commence early summer and be finished by year end. A schedule will be 
released when CRUFC are able to provide it. Currently, renting the property is the most likely 
outcome. Finance issues continue to be investigated, and an update will be issued when more 
information becomes available.

The Centre would be for the use of all bridge players; for example there would be lessons for 
players of varying experience levels ranging from novice through experienced, ‘No Fear’ 
sessions, normal club play, and Green Point events. There will be time and space for those who 
want a sociable game, as well as the more ‘serious’ players. Thus there would be opportunities 
to hold competitions, and even a Cambridge Congress. The only times not convenient for playing 
bridge would be Saturdays when CRUFC matches are played. 

The Centre would be purpose built and therefore provide a comfortable, well-lit playing 
environment. There is ample parking, including designated disabled parking. The club is close to 
the centre of Cambridge, whilst also convenient to reach from the A14, A10 and M11.

The role of existing clubs
To be financially viable the Centre must be used by many groups, but it would not be possible 
for individual clubs to simply move over to the Centre and hire a room for their evening(s). A firm 
commitment – in principle – is required to a long term move, in order that financial projections 
can assure the commercial viability of the Centre. It is quite understood that most clubs will 
choose to fully retain their autonomy and identity.
 
It is anticipated that each club would continue have its own committee which would be 
responsible for running their bridge sessions, calendars etc., in very much the same way as club 
committees operate with their current venue.

Various ways of structuring the Centre, which has to span both long term planning and 
week-to-week operations, are currently under discussion. Input is most welcome from clubs that 
elect to be part of the Centre community, and clubs that commit-in-principle are most welcome to 
nominate delegates to the steering committee that is working on the detail. 

Income and expenditure
To be viable, the Centre needs at least four evening sessions, and one afternoon session, of 
moderate attendance (9-10 tables). This is a conservative assumption based on what is actually 
happening at the larger clubs (except for the afternoon bridge session, which would need to be 
built up).

Once the Centre is completed, both rooms would be expected to be in use (either for play or 
teaching) each evening, and one hopes that sooner-or-later bridge would be played every weekday 
afternoon too. A prudent provision has been included for other potential profit making 
activities such as competitions and room hire.

CCBC would charge a membership fee of £5 and take a £2.50 playing charge (less for students, 
other concessions TBD). The Centre would pay reasonable costs applicable to the bridge as a 
whole, such as stationery, which would be impractical to stock on an individual club basis.
Clubs can then charge their own annual membership fee and/or table money, and thus could have 
subscription funds at their discretion to subsidise evenings, charge extra for Sim Pairs or 
competitions, have duplimated hands (or not), fund Trophies or prizes, and generally continue 
their own identity as they choose. Where items have not been included in the CCBC expenditure, 
it is assumed they would be covered by the individual clubs. Clearly, details need to be 
discussed, and the best way to do this is to become involved! 

Why should clubs commit-in-principle?
There are many advantages to having a Bridge Centre …

•	Assurance of long term good space
•	Ample parking
•	Disabled access
•	Own kitchen
•	Tables already set up
•	Comfortable chairs
•	Air conditioning/heating
•	Stable room temperature
•	Possibility of wireless bridge scoring system
•	Excellent lighting
•	Club and community feel
•	‘No fear’ Bridge environment in at least one session a week
•	Ideal for novices and newcomers
•	Master classes
•	Competitions
•	Increased playing opportunities
•	Space to expand to allow bridge congresses
•	Bar by special arrangement, or if sufficient demand

The business plan for the Centre projects operating every weekday evening. A slot has been 
offered first to the larger clubs in Cambridge already operating on those evenings. Should any 
club decide not to commit, or numbers be insufficient, the Centre would still hope to open with 
a session on that evening to comply with its basic business plan; however, everyone hopes that 
all such clubs will be enthusiastic about moving their venue to the new Centre!  Indeed, with 
two playing rooms, there is ample space available to host two clubs on the same evening.

At this stage, the best we could hope for from any club is a commitment-in-principle to occupy 
their evening slot at the Bridge Centre, subject to the details of the Centre that would emerge 
over the coming months. Clearly the final commitment would not be possible for any club without 
a lot more detail, which is being worked out at the moment. 

Thus we would hope that all club committees would be willing to raise the issue in the near 
future for discussion. The Centre would need a commitment-in-principle from each of the larger 
clubs by around mid-April, as the detailed business plan needs to be compiled and published soon 
after this time. At the time of this article, commitment-in-principle has been received from 
the Cambridge Club, Thursday Club and North Cambridge. Cottenham, at an AGM on April 4th,
decided by a close vote not to commit-in-principle to a move to the Centre. An 
invitation has been extended to the Blinco Club to consider participating. A similar invitation 
is extended to all clubs in the Cambridge area – do contact us if you have any questions, we
are enthusiastic for you to get involved.

Basic outline of Centre operation
There is a basic outline proposed at this stage for Centre operation:

•	The Centre would operate on a not-for-profit basis (the implications of being a charity 
	are being investigated, and this is the preferred structure if possible).
•	Player table money to the Centre is currently estimated at £2.50, with a further amount 
	completely up to the individual club (some might decide to charge no extra, and cover
	overheads via their yearly subscription); this table money would primarily go towards
	covering rental (or loan servicing), the remainder on venue overheads.
•	There is a modest annual subscription for Centre membership (currently £5).
•	Clubs would be expected to share existing resources; there is insufficient room for 
	individual dedicated large storage areas.
•	Clubs can just treat the Centre as an alternative venue; there is no requirement to 
	change the existing club structure.
•	Should the EBU implement their ‘Pay to Play’ strategy, it would still be entirely up to 
	the club whether it remains affiliated to the EBU; an evening slot is not subject to
	affiliation to the EBU.
•	The Centre may also seek revenue from other mind sport activities as a means of 
	generating revenue, but the primary focus will be Bridge.
•	The formal name of the Centre is 'Cam Contract Bridge Centre'.
•	A website exists at http://www.ccb-centre.co.uk/, and will be expanded as further 
	information becomes available.

Summary
To summarise, we have an excellent opportunity to promote Bridge in our area by supporting the 
establishment of our own Bridge Centre. 

The timing of this opportunity is such that we need to accomplish an astonishing amount of 
preparation and implementation work in a short period of time. There is already a growing 
momentum and commitment to make it happen. We hope that clubs will grasp this opportunity to 
secure their own slot(s) at the Centre, and decide to commit-in-principle to moving their 
venues, and thus cement their own important contribution towards making the Bridge Centre in 
Cambridge a reality.


[Most recent update: Tuesday 1st April 2008]