ATBC 2003 Information for Delegates

ATBC 2003 Links

Travel Details

The conference will be held on the campus of Old Aberdeen, approximately 2 miles north of the centre of the city of Aberdeen. Rail services connect Aberdeen both north and south. There are regular direct trains to London, including a sleeper service, and services from Edinburgh and Glasgow link with other mainline routes. Inverness, the scenic West Coast and the Highlands are reached northwards. The railway station is located in Guild Street, next to the coach and bus stations. You will need a taxi from outside the station or bus to get to the Old Aberdeen campus. Taxis to Old Aberdeen cost around 5.00 and are usually available from outside the train station, otherwise, there are bus stops a few minutes walk away on Union Street and Littlejohn Street. From Union Street buses 1 (showing "Danestone"), 2 ("Ashwood") and 15 ("Dubford") heading north pass the main university entrance on King Street. Bus 20 ("Hillhead") from Littlejohn Street links the Old Aberdeen campus with the city centre, but runs at a lower frequency than the services via King Street.

The main traffic routes into Aberdeen are the A90 from the south and the A96 from the north. As you approach Aberdeen on the A90, follow the signs to the A92 (Fraserburgh and Peterhead). This leads round the ring road (Anderson Drive). Exit from the ring road at a roundabout onto Cairncry Road and continue to follow the A92 signs through two further roundabouts onto St Machar Drive. After a third roundabout, the road bisects Old Aberdeen and local signs will direct you to the main Old Aberdeen campus. To reach Crombie Hall, continue to the next roundabout, turn right onto Kings Street then take the third right onto University road, proceed across College Bounds and enter the grounds of Crombie Hall.

Aberdeen airport is served by direct routes to major UK cities and some direct services to Europe. British destinations include three of the five London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton), Manchester, Newcastle, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton and Norwich, and the Scottish Highlands and Islands. The direct international destinations are Amsterdam, Dublin, Paris (CDG), Bergen, Stavanger and the Faroe Islands. The airport is located at Dyce, about 7 miles from the centre of Aberdeen. Taxis from the airport to the University cost around 10. Airport buses link to the city centre, but you would then need to connect onto a local bus to get to Old Aberdeen. Most major car rental companies are represented at Aberdeen Airport.

Travel details and other information regarding Aberdeen University can be found here. Maps of Aberdeen are available here. Links to tourism sites in Scotland are available here.

Registration

Registration will take place at the following times and locations.

Sun 6 July 17:00 - 20:00 Crombie Hall reception
Mon 7 July 08:30 - 16:30 Central Refectory lounge (student section), ground floor
Tues 8 July 08:30 - 16:30 Central Refectory lounge (student section), ground floor
Weds 9 July 08:30 - 16:30 Central Refectory lounge (student section), ground floor
Thurs 10 July 08:30 - 16:30 Central Refectory lounge (student section), ground floor

Crombie Hall is marked 15 on the enclosed campus map, and the Central Refectory is marked 3. Please come to registration on arrival where you will receive your delegate information for the conference and your badge. Please wear your badge at all times. This assists with campus security and it will also enable you to identify fellow delegates.

Car Parking

Delegates who wish to park on campus must do so in the car parking area between Kings Hall and Johnston Hall. Please seek guidance from the porter in Crombie Hall on arrival. Parking elsewhere on the campus is by permit only and may result in your car being stickered by security.

Accommodation

Conference accommodation is in Johnston Hall (Standard rooms), Crombie Hall (Standard and Ensuite rooms) and Kings Hall (Superior Ensuite and Twin rooms). Delegates who have booked accommodation should collect their key from the porter's desk at Crombie Hall if staying in Crombie or Kings Hall and at Johnston if staying there. There is 24-hour porter cover in the halls and reception desks are manned from check in time of 1400 h and again prior to departure time of 1000 h. Soap and a towel are provided in your room. Tea and coffee making facilities are either provided in your room or within the communal areas of your accommodation. Please vacate your room by 1000 h on the day of departure. Luggage can be left with the Hall porter for safekeeping after checkout on the day of your departure, or whilst you are absent from Aberdeen on a field trip.

Meals

Breakfast for those residing in Kings Hall will be served in Crombie Hall dining room from 0730-0900 h. For those residing in Crombie and Johnston Halls breakfast will be served in Johnston dining room from 0800-0840 h. Lunches will be served in the Central Refectory dining room between 1230 h and 1330 h each day. Dinners on all days apart from Tuesday 8 July will be at 1900 h in the dining rooms of Crombie and Johnston Halls. There will a mixer in the Elphinstone Hall (30 on campus map) at 2030 h on Sunday 6 July and the conference banquet will be 1930 for 2000 h on Tuesday 10 July at the same venue.

Delegates not taking conference meals will find a bakery and other shops selling sandwiches and snacks on the High Street of Old Aberdeen. There are very few outlets serving food in Old Aberdeen in the evenings. The closest to the conference venue is a pub (the Bobbin Mill) on King Street opposite the junction with University Road. Alternatively there are numerous pubs and restaurants in the centre of Aberdeen, but this will require a 20-min walk or a short bus ride (bus 20, stops on the High St outside Kings College, and will convey you to the centre of Aberdeen in approx 10 min, and operates on a 30-min frequency in the evenings).

Meeting Rooms

The plenary sessions on the mornings of 7, 8 and 9 July will be in the Arts Lecture Theatre (see campus map). The contributed symposia will be held at various venues around the campus and will be well sign-posted. Posters will be displayed in the Central Refectory lounge, where the Registration Desk, Trade Exhibition, and Tea and Coffee will be for the meeting.

Coffee / Tea

This will be served at the times indicated on the programme in the Central Refectory lounge, ground floor.

Valuables

Delegates are asked to keep their bedroom door locked at all times. Special arrangements can be made for safe keeping of valuables on request.

Facilities

A bar will be open in Crombie Hall 1900 - 2300 on Mon 7, Weds 9 and Thurs 10 July. On the High Street which runs through the centre of Old Aberdeen there are two banks with ATM machines, a travel agent, a stationery shop, a Post Office and newsagent, a bakery, and a book shop. Buses to the city centre run from the High Street and King Street. The closest mini-supermarket (24 hours) and pharmacy are located around the roundabout at the intersection of St Machar Drive and Kings Street (see campus map).

A swimming pool is available for you to use whenever there is an Open Session - this is publicised on the web and follow the links for timetables) and on posters in our facilities. The charge is 4 per swim.

Access to Computers and Internet Services

Delegates can request access to computers and internet services during the meeting. If you are likely to desire or require access to internet services during the meeting and/or during your stay at the University of Aberdeen, please let the meeting organisers know by sending an email to atb2003@abdn.ac.uk. This will help us in planning to know how many people will require this service.

Childcare

Childcare is available for a limited number of children (0-5 y of age) at the university's nursery. The Rockinghorse Nursery is located adjacent to the residence halls where delegates will be accommodated, and within 5 mins of the meeting rooms. The rate for this service is 26 per day for under 3's, 23 per day for under 5's per child. Inquiries and reservations should be directed to atb2003@abdn.ac.uk.

Smoking

With one or two exceptions, a No Smoking policy operates within all campus buildings. The exceptions include designated smoking areas.

Emergency Services and Fire Procedures

If you discover a fire whilst you are in a building: Leave the building but make sure that doors and windows to the room where the fire is discovered are closed. This is particularly important at night when there is a greater risk that persons may be trapped by smoke. On your way out, break the glass of a fire alarm call point. These are the red, glass-fronted boxes usually found at the final exit doors to buildings. In the larger buildings they are also in staircase enclosures. The fire alarm will sound and a Security Officer will automatically be alerted. He will summon the Fire Service and arrange for them to be met and escorted to your location. Make your way to the building's assembly point and await instructions from the Fire Service. The assembly point is indicated on notices adjacent to the exits.

Do not use a mobile phone to summon the emergency services directly because this has been known to cause confusion. However, if you have any information that will assist the emergency services, you can use your phone to contact University Security on 01224 273939.

Important: Only tackle the fire with an extinguisher if it is safe to do so and you do not put yourself at any risk.

If you hear the fire alarm: The fire alarm is a continuous sounding of bells or sirens. Close doors and windows to the room you are in. Leave the building and go to the assembly point.

Important: Do not stop to collect personal belongings.

If the building you are in has a lift, do not use it. It could stop without warning between floors. Do not re-enter the building until the Fire Service have declared it safe to do so. If you are disabled or in any way unable to use stairs, move to a staircase enclosure and ask: a) someone to inform the Fire Service that you are awaiting rescue; and b) someone to remain with you in this position you will be safe until the Fire Service arrives.

If you have an accident: Report it immediately to a member of University staff. If you are on your own, report it to the nearest building Porter or University Security, which is located in the Reception Building. Make sure an accident report form is completed. Porters have the forms.

If you need first aid: Ask someone to contact a first aider for you. The names of first aiders are displayed at various locations in buildings. All Porters have first aid boxes. If a first aider or nurse cannot quickly be contacted, dial 3939 and ask the Security Officer to help.

In any other emergency: Where you may need, for example, the Police or an ambulance, dial 999 on an internal phone and give details to the Security Officer.

IF YOU NEED ADVICE OR INFORMATION ON ANY ASPECT OF GENERAL SAFETY, FIRE PREVENTION OR PERSONAL SAFETY, PLEASE CONTACT UNIVERSITY SECURITY (EXTENSION 3939)

Messages

For urgent incoming calls, the number is 01224 272257 and messages will be passed to the Conference Organiser. All queries regarding the Symposium meeting itself should be directed to the BES Office in London.

City of Aberdeen

The city of Aberdeen has a range of attractions and historic buildings far too numerous to mention here. Information can be found here.

Environs

Aberdeen is situated close to the scenic Scottish Highlands and Islands. Further details on tourism in Scotland can be found here.

If you have any questions about these instructions or any other aspect of the conference please call the BES Office on 020 8871 9797.