If this was the extent of the levelling up investment then I could see the issue & I too would not be very impressed. But reading the article these tables were installed using a fund specifically for increasing access to chess. In that case, they seem a nice idea.
“The investment forms part of a wider £1m package which aims to both support primary school children in disadvantaged areas to learn and play the game, as well as fund elite-level chess.”
LetIllustrious6302 on
Cool.
10 years of one game per day ~70p well spent.
Just hope they’re not vandalised.
terryjuicelawson on
They look fairly solid and I bet a lot of much more trivial stuff costs £2500.
>”I think the £2,500 for this board probably could have been spent on something that is actually going to get used,” he said.
Like what. People probably don’t appreciate what things even cost. It would be nice if they could run with it and try to make it a success and something to build on rather than whinge.
Fickle-Arm-6326 on
this is great but if you have chess pieces you also have a board, and if you have a board then what is this for?
or am I missing something…
jaylem on
Am I missing something, why didn’t they give the money to Deloitte? Why is there something to show for it? Seems like a bug fuck up.
DalMakhani on
At my local skatepark the skaters love playing chess, so much so that they have sharpied a board on the deck. The games, joints and dub are basically continuous. Hopefully these are similarly well used.
stonks420yolo on
There a chess piece vending machine nearby? A gashapon vendy perchance?
opotts56 on
The cost of this chess table maybe utterly ridiculous, but in front of Leeds townhall there’s a big chess set on the floor with those massive waist high pieces, and I always see people using it. People young and old, people of various backgrounds ect coming together for a game of chess. It’s nice to see really.
PixieBaronicsi on
I get that there’s literally nothing the government do that the BBC won’t try to spin a negative article about, but I thought putting up some chess boards might just about squeeze through
Papiluff on
I love it, I hope they do more benches and bits of greenery. My mum is old and overweight, she struggles a lot when walking about but there’s hardly anywhere to sit apart from park and city centre.
iamNebula on
It’s funny because Amsterdam literally just removed some there. Well not funny, shit as fuck.
TwoDisagrees on
Apparently it costs £180 to remove a cardboard box from a rental property now so who knows.
Old_Profit_9967 on
I’m torn on this because I’d absolutely.love to see some American style chess boards in our city parks. I think they are a great idea and I’d love to see some old boys having a game of chess in the sun with a beer or too. That would be a beautiful thing to see
But you know what’ll happen… I can see it already. You’ll have gangs of teens trying to vandalise these tables or smash glass over them..you’ll have fires and spray paint on them.. they won’t last a week before they get messed up.
So yeah. I’m torn. It’s a great idea but I dont think it’ll work here in the UK.
Maybe in a social club but not in a open public space
barcap on
If it lasts a century or more then it is worth it. Why not have it marbled or quartz so it is more durable and looks better?
Western-Addendum438 on
The issue is that this appears to be the extent of “levelling up” in the area.
gelectrox on
They look cool. 2.5K is nothing compared to the shit the government and councils tend to waste their money on. Ignore the moany bastards the bbc likes to highlight.
20 Comments
I do not actually see an issue with that. Improving the few green areas some cities have can only help communities for the small amount they cost.
There is *always* a better way to spend money, to get every last penny of value out of any project.
Sometimes we just need to say hay that’s neat let’s try it!
Maybe a little community can develop coffee shops popping up and a few folk sit and enjoy a game
Some kids are going to see that as a challenge, not to win a game, but to break it.
It’s a lot nicer then the [rusty planters](https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/council-responds-after-new-enniskillen-27360422) they put on the high street in Enniskillen
If this was the extent of the levelling up investment then I could see the issue & I too would not be very impressed. But reading the article these tables were installed using a fund specifically for increasing access to chess. In that case, they seem a nice idea.
“The investment forms part of a wider £1m package which aims to both support primary school children in disadvantaged areas to learn and play the game, as well as fund elite-level chess.”
Cool.
10 years of one game per day ~70p well spent.
Just hope they’re not vandalised.
They look fairly solid and I bet a lot of much more trivial stuff costs £2500.
>”I think the £2,500 for this board probably could have been spent on something that is actually going to get used,” he said.
Like what. People probably don’t appreciate what things even cost. It would be nice if they could run with it and try to make it a success and something to build on rather than whinge.
this is great but if you have chess pieces you also have a board, and if you have a board then what is this for?
or am I missing something…
Am I missing something, why didn’t they give the money to Deloitte? Why is there something to show for it? Seems like a bug fuck up.
At my local skatepark the skaters love playing chess, so much so that they have sharpied a board on the deck. The games, joints and dub are basically continuous. Hopefully these are similarly well used.
There a chess piece vending machine nearby? A gashapon vendy perchance?
The cost of this chess table maybe utterly ridiculous, but in front of Leeds townhall there’s a big chess set on the floor with those massive waist high pieces, and I always see people using it. People young and old, people of various backgrounds ect coming together for a game of chess. It’s nice to see really.
I get that there’s literally nothing the government do that the BBC won’t try to spin a negative article about, but I thought putting up some chess boards might just about squeeze through
I love it, I hope they do more benches and bits of greenery. My mum is old and overweight, she struggles a lot when walking about but there’s hardly anywhere to sit apart from park and city centre.
It’s funny because Amsterdam literally just removed some there. Well not funny, shit as fuck.
Apparently it costs £180 to remove a cardboard box from a rental property now so who knows.
I’m torn on this because I’d absolutely.love to see some American style chess boards in our city parks. I think they are a great idea and I’d love to see some old boys having a game of chess in the sun with a beer or too. That would be a beautiful thing to see
But you know what’ll happen… I can see it already. You’ll have gangs of teens trying to vandalise these tables or smash glass over them..you’ll have fires and spray paint on them.. they won’t last a week before they get messed up.
So yeah. I’m torn. It’s a great idea but I dont think it’ll work here in the UK.
Maybe in a social club but not in a open public space
If it lasts a century or more then it is worth it. Why not have it marbled or quartz so it is more durable and looks better?
The issue is that this appears to be the extent of “levelling up” in the area.
They look cool. 2.5K is nothing compared to the shit the government and councils tend to waste their money on. Ignore the moany bastards the bbc likes to highlight.