Well! That's it. QU12 2007 has finished, the films are up, and I can get on with the Christmas shopping. I can say without hesitation that it has turned out better than I could have imagined, and has been an absolute ball for me, and evidently one or two others. (Those of you who filled in the questionaires, thanks, see below for results).
Would I do anything differently? Of course – there are generally ways that the benefit of hindsight indicates how things could have been done better, but would I settle for the final we had, for visiting Durham, Newcastle, Ross on Wye, Caerphilly Castle, Purley, Torquay, Weston on the Trent, Brandon, Purley, Cliffe, Kidlington and Randalstown? Yes. Would I exchange meeting all those people who attended for nearly £200 a hat worth 5p and 50 questions nobody knows the answer too? No way!
All of you really contributed something to add value to what I have done. Those of you who competed in more than one qualifier – you are the salt of the earth (I hope that for at least one of you it was well justified)(Teflon). Those of you who travelled long distances, how can I possibly thank you? (I guess Mike Abbott has to take the biscuit, but the North East boys, I hope this year is the start of a long and rewarding friendship). Those of you who have helped, encouraged and organised, I would have probably not done it without you, special big up to Chris Curtis for his absolutely priceless taking the reins for the final day, getting us a fantastic venue, looking after everybody and generally being a good guy who has risen above his world in addition to taking a shot on Art Garfunkle and smiling about it. Joy Wilson and Rob Hannah, if it were not for you my family and I would not have had the best two weeks of 2007 in Ireland and Torquay respectively – so thanks. John Barbour thanks for the photos, Gwilym Owen thanks for putting yourself 'on the line' and I suppose the biggest thanks should go to those people who came along and only got in a few shots themselves before being zapped. The Titans, Pat and Kevin. I really believe you should be getting at least a grand apiece for just turning up. I am working on it, meanwhile, thank you so much for adding such lustre to this thing I love. The rest of you I don't care about. (I do really, and you know it). (Especially Keith and Dag and Trevor and Martin and Lee and Mr Mike Foden and etc etc etc)
I did take extra pleasure in Catherine Searle making her second round and of course Judith making the second round of the final. Mark Kerr was sooooo unlucky in round one at Pontefract, as was Diane, both of them narrowly losing out to Pat but as you can see from the actual final – it all comes around! It is quite ironic when you look at previous rounds how it all worked out.
The Venues:
Some big, some small, all of them with their own character, They were all fab and I thank you.
The Parkside, Pontefract,
St Annes Hall, Rainhill,
The Ash Hill Inn, Torquay,
St Peter's Church Hall, Brandon
The Royal Oak, Purley,
Pill Harriers Club, Newport,
The Dun Cow, Durham,
The Saracens Head, Weston,
Heffrons Bar, Randalstown,
St Helens Hall, Cliffe
The Telegraph, Newcastle,
and the Police Club in Kidlington
The Contestants (with appearences including the final):
Mike Abbott (5)
Diane Hallagan (4)
Mark Kerr (4)
Chris Curtis (3)
Dave Taylor (3)
Lee Warburton (3)
Mike Foden (3)
Peter Robson (3)
Trevor Montague (3)
Barry Howbridge (2)
Barry Simmons (2)
Darren Martin (2)
Gwilym Owen (2)
Judith Searle (2)
Keith Marshall (2)
Keith Pointon (2)
Kevin Ashman (2)
Martin Riley (2)
Pat Gibson (2)
Peter Ediss (2)
Robert Hannah (2)
Scott Dawson (2)
Adam Wilson (1)
Alan Gibbs (1)
Anne Brook (1)
Anto McCann (1)
Beverley Barbour (1)
Cate Conway (1)
Catherine Searle (1)
Cathy Gillespie (1)
Christine Moorcroft (1)
Chuck Hopson (1)
Clare Miller-Jones (1)
Dag Griffifths (1)
Daphne Bustard (1)
David Saunders (1)
Don Purdy (1)
Graham Barker (1)
Greg Smythe (1)
Haley Walters (1)
Harry Searle (1)
Hugh Irvine (1)
James Webb (1)
Jed (1)
Jenny Arnold (1)
John Barbour (1)
Joy Wilson (1)
Kate Cooper (1)
Mark Labbett (1)
Martin Dyer (1)
Mathew Arnold (1)
Mike Leonard (1)
Mike Steer (1)
Neville Brook (1)
Nick Duffy (1)
Peter Duffy (1)
Phil Cooper (1)
Phil Duffy (1)
Ray Oakes (1)
Rhys Davies (1)
Richard Jones (1)
Seamus McCarthy (1)
Simon Curtis (1)
Steve Stenson (1)
Susanne Stewart (1)
Tony Gold (1)
Will Barney (1)
Winston Bustard (1)
The Staff:
Peter Brook. You too should be getting a grand a time to turn up – I bet you could talk me into it you silver tongued charmer
My Kids, Angela, Millie, Yvonne and Hannah and Z, your help was fantastic
Jeremy Beadle – Words haven't been invented to describe my appreciation.
Will Jones and Jake you have been absolute rocks, my main men, my head honchos my big cheeses. Without you it would not have happened.
For those of you who have filled in the feedback (there are 9 so far). These are the results. Out of 5, 1 = very poor, 5 = very good, The venues varied so cannot be taken as indicative for any given location.
How would you rate QU12 in terms of player enjoyment 4.67
How would you describe the balance of questions 4.33
How would you describe the standard of questions 4.33
How would you rate the format 4.33
How would you rate the concept in terms of “watchability” 4
How would you rate communications 4.22
How would you rate the venue 3.78
How would you rate the location 4.11
What are the chances of you playing next year 4.44
Average of averages 4.25
So thank you to all (tear in eye) and Happy Christmas.
Those of you who travelled long distances, how can I possibly thank you? (I guess Mike Abbott has to take the biscuit, but the North East boys, I hope this year is the start of a long and rewarding friendship). Those of you who have helped, encouraged and organised, I would have probably not done it without you, special big up to Chris Curtis for his absolutely priceless taking the reins for the final day, getting us a fantastic venue, looking after everybody and generally being a good guy who has risen above his world in addition to taking a shot on Art Garfunkle and smiling about it. Joy Wilson and Rob Hannah, if it were not for you my family and I would not have had the best two weeks of 2007 in Ireland and Torquay respectively – so thanks. John Barbour thanks for the photos, Gwilym Owen thanks for putting yourself 'on the line' and I suppose the biggest thanks should go to those people who came along and only got in a few shots themselves before being zapped. The Titans, Pat and Kevin. I really believe you should be getting at least a grand apiece for just turning up. I am working on it, meanwhile, thank you so much for adding such lustre to this thing I love. The rest of you I don't care about. (I do really, and you know it). (Especially Keith and Dag and Trevor and Martin and Lee and Mr Mike Foden and etc etc etc)
