Hello,

I'm hoping there is an alternative number for this hotel rather than phoning this slightly expensive number for 'hotel and bedroom enquiries/bookings' - 0845 880 8101.

The address is The Derby Conference Centre, London Road, Derby, DE24 8UX.

Website is here for more details if needed - http://www.thederbyconferencecentre.com/about-us/index.html

Btw, I need to speak to the hotel and not book online.

Thank You :D

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~ Edited by Dave: Thread title amended

Try 01332 264 646 and let us know how you get on.

I found that number on www.192.com

sherbert wrote on Oct 16^th, 2010 at 9:01am:

Try 01332 264 646 and let us know how you get on. I found that number on www.192.com

Thanks for the quick reply, but I dialled that number and that number was not recognised.

Maybe that number is wrong on 192 or the hotel no longer uses it.

Whois thederbyconferencecentre.com gives the name of a member of staff who is identified as being Group IT Manager and the address is:

Kingston House
Catalis Rail Training
London Road
Derby
DE24 8UX

The telephone number given is that of the host.


Catalis is a company which specialises in health and safety training in a wide range of industries: Rail, Construction, Manufacturing, Electrical, Energy, Environmental, Public Sector and H.M. Forces.

On its homepage is another 0845 number, and all but the last digit is the same as the ones used by The Derby Conference Centre.

The Our History page on the Centre's website says:

Quote:

The magnificent building now known as the Derby Conference Centre was constructed 1937 as the first purpose-built training college for railway staff, and opened its doors to students in 1938. […] Built as a residential facility to train railway operatives and signallers, the School was designed to accommodate fifty members of the company's staff at a time and officially opened on Friday 22nd July 1938 by Mr Leslie Burgin, the Minister of Transport. […] In 2007 the RTC Group, parent company of the Derby Conference Centre, invested heavily in the site. Renovating the famous sunken lounge, bar, restaurant, conference suites and bedrooms to their former glory, and re-launching the site as The Derby Conference Centre.

The head office of RTC Group is (see its contact page) based at the Centre and several more 0845 numbers! For some reason, the Group's marketing department does not have a 0845 number, and instead uses 01332 861336.

As it was most probably the marketing people who insisted on rip-off 0845 numbers, they appear not to like them themselves.  ::)

Ganymede Solutions are part of the Group and are based at the Conference Centre and have, you guessed it, another 0845 number! Same for ATA Recruitment. Although Global Choice Recruitment does give its address as the Derby Conference Centre, its published telephone number is a 01252 one.

I think if we can crack one of these 0845 numbers, then we may be on to alternatives for them all....

Here is a list of the 0845 and 0870 numbers I have found and their purpose:

• 0845 880 8100 Conference Centre: Event & Conference Enquiries
  
• 0845 880 8101 Conference Centre: Hotel & Bedroom Enquiries
  
• 0845 880 8102 RTC Group: Switchboard
  
• 0845 880 8104 Ganymede Solutions
  
• 0845 880 8108 Catalis
  
• 0845 880 8116 RTC Group: Finance
  
• 0845 880 8120 ATA Recruitment
  
• 0845 880 8810 RTC Group: IT
  
• 0870 890 0030 Conference Centre: Main fax
  
• 0870 890 1880 RTC Group: Main fax

Catalis was aquired by TQ in July, but I doubt that would have had any effect on its telephone numbering.

A search of our forum and our database for these companies reveals nothing. However, a search of BT Phonebook for these names within DE24 returns:

Catalis Rail Training
Tel: (01332) 263663 Not recognised
London Rd, Alvaston, Derby, DE24 8UX

Tq Catalis
Tel: (01332) 574195 Rings
The Derby Conference Cntr London Rd, Alvaston, Derby, DE24 8UX

R T C Group
Tel: (01454) 310069 Rings, although this is not a Derby number, so not a useful lead
London Road, DE24 3LT

R T C Group Plac
Tel: (01332) 752792 Answers (without ringing) with a recording: "ATA Selection"
London Road, DE24 3LT

A T A Group PLC
Tel: (01454) 310069 As above
London Road, Alvaston, Derby, DE24 8PX


Googling reveals the number 01332 263122, which is similar to the one found by sherbert and like that one, is not recognised. However, 01332 861 835 has popped up and is within the same 1k block as the marketing department number highlighted above.

I suggest that the block belonging to this company may start at 861320 (or possibly 861310). 861000 is not recognised, 861100 belongs to a car dealership, 861200 is Fairfax Meadows and 861300 is Fairfax Meadows Telesales. 861999 is OCN East Midlands

861320 is ATA Selection; the same message as is on 752792. 861861 is answered by (possibly an individual's) voicemail identifying it as Catalis.


After all that, I tried 01332 861835 and got straight through to someone who answered as "Derby Conference Centre". Try it and let us know how you get on. Perhaps if this is not the best number to ring on, you could elicit a better one from the person you're speaking to.

Wow, thanks very much Dave for looking into that for me (great detective work) and others that will no doubt find this information useful if it leads on to finding the geographic numbers. A big thumbs up deserved there no doubt :)

As it is now Sunday and have family arrangements ahead, I will certainly phone on Monday and ask for the two main phone numbers listed on the website. I can phone lots of these local numbers as I don't pay for '01' or '02' numbers, all but the fax numbers. If you find anymore I'm more than happy to phone that department and ask them for the correct numbers.

Its a damn cheek the marketing department having a geographic number. As you found out yourself from more of those ripoff 0845 numbers. I will literally jump through fire before I even think of dialling 0845. If I don't get anywhere with the 01332 861835 number, I will ring the marketing department and try to get it from them and post them here.

My motivation being: I really hate why they think they can charge me for what is a guaranteed sale to them, this is madness - plus its not cheap to stop there but convenient for me and fits my price point on that date.

I called the 0845 880 8100 number and after several rings it went to the voicemail system. As they hadn't recorded a message, it said it was extension number 247.

This suggests that they don't have 1,000s of numbers (as it's a three digit extension). 861247 isn't the right number for this extension, perhaps 861347 is.

The number for bookings is - make a note of this - 01332 861850.

I've immediately added this to the database but needs verifying, I did phone up and sort out my hotel arrangements now without using ripoff numbers :)

The phone number I originally rang (01332 861835) was the IT department and I got the number from there.

wteSmithy wrote on Oct 20^th, 2010 at 10:18am:

The number for bookings is - make a note of this - 01332 861850. I've immediately added this to the database but needs verifying, I did phone up and sort out my hotel arrangements now without using ripoff numbers :) The phone number I originally rang (01332 861835) was the IT department and I got the number from there.

Many thanks for the feedback. I've promoted the entry you submitted to the verified listings and put a note on to say it's for Hotel & bedroom enquiries.

Also, I've added an entry for RTC Group for 0845 880 8810, which is the IT department with alternative 861835.



Thanks again. Please do let us know of other updates, additions and removals you come across that are needed in the database by posting in the Requests section.  :)

Anyone who has to deal with this company will end up needing their HQ number to make a complaint, and all you will find is 0845 880 8120. However, you can call the 'Derby Conference Centre' on 01332 861 842, and ask to be transferred. I wanted to speak with a Scott Bulloch of ATA today, and they put me through without hesitation, (OK, it diverted to his voicemail but he announced himself by name). Hope this helps.

UPDATE. I had to call ATA again, and this time managed to speak with a young lady who was most helpful and also told me that the direct dial number for ATA, avoiding the aforementioned switchboard, is 01332 861 862. Perhaps this can be added to the database?

Maclee wrote on Nov 14^th, 2013 at 1:51pm:

UPDATE. I had to call ATA again, and this time managed to speak with a young lady who was most helpful and also told me that the direct dial number for ATA, avoiding the aforementioned switchboard, is 01332 861 862. Perhaps this can be added to the database?

I've joined the thread you started to the one we have running on RTC Group, which is the owner of The Derby Conference Centre and ATA Recruitment.

Thanks for posting this alternative. I've added an entry for it.

Maclee wrote on Nov 14^th, 2013 at 1:51pm:

UPDATE. I had to call ATA again, and this time managed to speak with a young lady who was most helpful and also told me that the direct dial number for ATA, avoiding the aforementioned switchboard, is 01332 861 862. Perhaps this can be added to the database?

They seem to have now reallocated numbers and this one (862) may just go to voicemail, so instead, use the switchboard number which is 01332 861842. They can put you through to anyone at ATA.

Maclee wrote on Nov 26^th, 2013 at 12:26pm:

Maclee wrote on Nov 14th, 2013 at 1:51pm: UPDATE. I had to call ATA again, and this time managed to speak with a young lady who was most helpful and also told me that the direct dial number for ATA, avoiding the aforementioned switchboard, is 01332 861 862. Perhaps this can be added to the database? They seem to have now reallocated numbers and this one (862) may just go to voicemail, so instead, use the switchboard number which is 01332 861842. They can put you through to anyone at ATA.

Thanks for the update. I've replaced the 862 number with the switchboard and added a note to say that it's switchboard.