Pretty much how I'm fixed as well with the 15/16 June, July is fully booked for me and in August I only have 10th/11th free.
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We've usually done July in the past, but as discussion has started early, June is certainly doable. However, train tickets for 15th/16th will already be on sale, so agreeing the destination pretty damned quick would also be good.
I think this info is now slightly out of date. Didn't London Midland lose the franchise last year? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-40886873
You're absolutely right and if I thought Abellio were going to make any better a job of it I might bother to use the correct names. Their performance on the lines out of Liverpool Street is dismal and when they were forced to hand over stock to TFL when Overground took over the Chingford and Cheshunt lines they handed over all the dross that was only fit for scrapping. A fine example of their competence is the fact they planned to take over the Wales franchise from Arriva in partnership with er, Carillion.
More than Newcastle-u-Lyme or Lichfield, on a rough count. I last did Lichfield in 2013 - eight pubs in just over two hours with my Luton mates before attending what I hope will turn out to be our last ever game at Tamworth (we held on for a 4-3 win after going 4-1 up with half an hour to play - I did wonder if the team had done their own pre-match pub crawl too). Too many Marstons pubs, though mostly very nice pubs. Now two micros and a "we're not really a micro", so a bit of variety and competition. Could be interesting. (Trains from Tamworth to Lichfield are frequent and it's a quick journey; Tamworth is fairly easy to get to from all parts of the country because of the lines crossing over. Hint: it can be cheaper to buy a ticket to Tamworth and then a separate day return from Tam to Lich City.)
Loughborough has over 40 pubs in the centre (Lichfield only 49 in the entire postal district). Downside: lots of student pubs.
I've only ever been to one pub in Newcastle-u-Lyme, so wouldn't mind seeing what else there is. Anyone want to make a case for it? Or Stamford?
Is Lincoln in the Midlands? And how about Norwich - fantastic city for pubs but almost as far east as Moscow.
How about a poll? (With closing date, say the end of next week so that people can get their train tickets sorted before they become too pricey.)