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Site last updated 28 June 2008

Greater London Chess Club is a small but friendly chess club, based in central London. We run three league teams and organise an active programme of internal tournaments and special events, to suit players of all strengths.

Originally the works club for the Greater London Council and its predecessors, we're now open to all players, irrespective of employment, and about half of our current membership is drawn from beyond the ranks of the GLC. We remain the chess club for players who have worked for the Greater London Council, London Residual Body, or the current Greater London Authority, who are eligible for our London Civil Service, Post Office and Municipal Chess League teams.

We're always keen to recruit new members of all playing strengths for our league teams and club activities. You can get an idea of what the club does by browsing this site. We hope you will want to join us!

The club is on its summer holiday in July (apart from the Hastings friendly match) and August but will reopen in early September 2008. Click on the link below or visit the Calendar page to see what we've got planned for the new season.

GLCC - events at a glance 2008-09

Joining

If you would like further information on the club, or wish to join, please contact Paul Efstathiou, Club Secretary, tel 07917 732080. Alternatively, drop in on a Tuesday - your first two clubnights are free, with no obligation to become a member. The new member subscription is £25 (or £12.50 if joining after 1st January), for the first year. For subsequent years the full membership subscription in £50 per annum. Juniors pay 25% of the adult subscription. The membership year runs from 1 April.

Venue

The club venue is the Lower Vestry House, St George's Church, Bloomsbury. Our full address is:

Lower Vestry House
St George's Bloomsbury
6 Little Russell Street
London WC1A 2HR

Recently refurbished thanks to grants from the Paul Mellon Architectural Fund (World Monuments Fund in Britain) and Heritage Lottery Fund, the Lower Vestry House offers a comfortable playing room with tea and coffee making facilities. There are several excellent pubs nearby for post-match refreshments, and the club normally adjourns to the Museum Tavern at the end of an evening. The venue is accessible from the rear of St George's Church, on Little Russell Street (map). The picture top right shows the front of the church in Bloomsbury Way.

The entrance to the Lower Vestry House in on the right hand side of the rear of the church, down a short flight of steps (to the left of the steps in the picture, lower right).

Nearest tube stations are Holborn (5 minutes walk) and Tottenham Court Road (7 minutes walk). Buses from the west end stop directly outside the church on Bloomsbury Way and those from the City and south of the river, in nearby New Oxford Street. There is limited on-street parking near the venue (free after 6.30pm). Bloomsbury Square underground car park is only 5 minutes walk from St George's.

Club nights are Tuesdays from 6.30pm, September to June. See the Calendar page for further details.

GLCC = Gin Lane Chess Club?

The spire of St George's Church, with the statue of George I on top can clearly be seen in the background of Hogarth's famous 1751 drawing 'Gin Lane'. The Lions and Unicorns adorning the steeple in Hogarth's drawing were removed in the 19th century but have recently been replaced as part of the church refurbishment.

These pages are maintained by Nigel Blades

Club Newsletters

Newsletter 1/08
Newsletter 2/08