THE days of Melton Mowbray as the focal point of the English Indoor BA Championships are over.
After holding the final stages of the principal competitions at the Leicestershire club for 18 years, the championships are moving to Nottingham for the next three seasons.
The reason for the switch is financial. With falling membership, lack of sponsorship and therefore a smaller income the EIBA were looking for a cheaper venue to stage their showpiece finals which include the Liberty Trophy.
The nationals were put out to tender and Nottingham, who have housed the women's championships over four of the past six seasons, got the nod.
One of the main costs at the nationals is the installation of temporary seating - almost half of the £13,000 outlay - and this is expected to be cut from the budget, or at least severely reduced, in the future.
The big plus about Melton Mowbray was its size - some 500 spectators were accommodated at this year's Liberty Trophy final - and Nottingham cannot cope with those numbers.
However, the Liberty is expected to be moved to Potters, the Norfolk leisure resort near Lowestoft which is already the venue for world Championship events. The Ryman Denny Cup is also heading there.
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