Has anyone mooted a PG meet this year?
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Has anyone mooted a PG meet this year?
Sounds like a good idea,would definitely be up for that but would need a bit of lead time.I suppose the location/venue is the big question but maybe that would become more obvious when those interested have shown their hand.With an advanced rail ticket I can get around the country quite easily ,but getting the boat there may take a little longer:)
I guess given the demographics we'd be looking at somewhere not much more than two hours north of the north London termini and equally accessible from the Midlands and the North with a good range of real ale pubs. That suggests the WCML or ECML, maybe Derby/Nottingham but both Liverpool and Sheffield are within two and half hours of Euston/St P on a good day and only an hour and a bit from New St.
I realise I could be ignoring those in the far flung south who would have an hour or two to get to KingsX, Euston or St Pancras before breakfast or those northerners who would need about the same time to get into Leeds, York or Manchester.
A little more central could be Leicester or Burton upon Trent or to be more left field........... Peterborough or Stafford.
Like last year November would be good for me should anyone get as far as dates. (Birmingham; 12th November 2010, was the last major "do").
We could of course make it an annual event and alternate between the North, South and Midlands with a once a decade trip to Wales or Scotland or even the Isle of Man;)
We've already had a few Southern meet ups this year! I'm certainly up for another national shindig if the date and location is kind to me.
The later it is in the year the better it will be for me and I'm up for a trip oop there where the sun don't shine.
Depends where & when of course, but if midlands, like say Watford :D, then somewhere with B & B or nearby Travel lodge where I could rest the bonce as I would stay over
November is more realistic for me.
If we said Nottingham then Bucking Fastard could moor up his boat and see it from wherever he stands in the pub
November worked for me last time. Later in the year, train companies probably have more scope for cheaper tickets. If anyone gets wind of some good deals, please pass on the news.
Later in the year like November probably best for us too.
I think everyone agreed that last year's meet-up was a great day out. It would be a shame not to make it an annual event. 'oldboots' thoughts pretty much echo my own as far as the logistics of train travel are concerned. To that end, I came up with Derby and Nottingham as provisional venues this year. Bearing in mind the neutrality of the second city, another possibility would be to return to Birmingham again, but visit a completely different set of pubs. However, I appreciate it possibly wouldn't be quite as magical as last year. In any case, nice to see the ball rolling.
November would be good for me, i think, assuming i survive the next round of budget cuts. Derby, Burton or Notts sound fine, but Birmingham is a little far when on the 51 bus! i can still hear the screaming kids. :eek:
Thanks for the idea Andy,however I wouldn't be too popular with the punters or management if I arrived there with my coal burning stove going on a cold November evening.:ninja:
Back to the point,a November meet up in Derby,Burton or Nottingham would suit very well.
To cement a growing trend November is preferable for me also..
Also no problem with Derby, Burton or Nottingham except that Mr fastard's and my track record of getting anywhere by train is currently not good as we almost didn't make Ware last Saturday because some Toe Rag had the copper cable away on the First Capital Connect line to East Herford and we had to resort to replacement buses...
So Boat may be a better option...
We seem to moving towards a consensus so let me throw in a suggestion and see who agrees (or suggests an alternative):
Nottingham.
Friday 11th November.
Meet up at the VAT & Fiddle (nearest GBG pub to the train station).
11 November + Nottingham are both good for me.
Although I would prefer Sheffield for the obvious reason, Nottingham in November sounds OK too.
11 Nov at the Vat and Fiddle ok for us too.
11th November in the VAT and fiddle is great for me .Looking forward to it.
May look at an overnighter or extended weekend since I haven't done Nottingham to any great extend as a drinker or a tourist! Also, no premier fixtures that weekend. It's also FA Cup 1st round and Burton Albion's new ground is one on my "to do" list so I could do a day in Burton on the Saturday if they get a home draw.
Just had a look at potential Nottingham pubs to visit. There's only 23 I have picked out in for my initial list and that's just within half a mile of the station. Looks like advance return fares from London will be around £30/40. Also looked at some hotels - a couple of decent looking central hotels for around £40/50 per night. I think this mightl be 3 or 4 day job for me.
I still have 20+ reviews from Notts to put on. We stopped in a big central hotel, near the station, Roger - it was fine - will find out what it was and let you know. Burton's new ground is so much better than the old - i went to the old ground when they were playing Hereford in the Conference and there was punch-up between the fans - can't remember who i saw at the new ground without checking my programme collection!
Are Conrad and Dave coming? and what will be on the T-Shirts this year?
I've got the Days Hotel and Jury's Inn on the radar. Just waiting for the cheap train tickets to kick in and then I'll see about booking something. I went to Burton's old ground in the 80's when Dartford played them in the FA Trophy semi final. It was er, quaint! With 5 'Spoons in Nottingham I won't be short of my customary breakfasts for a few days either!
I'll drive your car but I may have several halves so we can leave your car there and get the train back to Walsall and then you can fetch it when you're not working :)
On the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the year two thousand and eleven - should we meet up at eleven minutes past eleven? No chance of us forgetting the time and date then
Bloody Hell Roger, if a place has a licence it must go on your list. I can't think beyond V&F plus Newshouse nr station, but could spend all day in either.
Nottingham &, ahem, Beeston (at least Victoria & Crown) is great for beer & I'll deffo be up for it if circumstances allow.
I shall be touring with some good Burghers of that locale this weekend... in Sheffield!
Seems to be a gap in the footy calendar that wwekend, but can't see owt listed for Eng-er-land either?
Not back to work till Monday , but all of November was free before i went on Holiday (we are only allowed one person off at a time) so i should be able to make it :pray:
Hopefully I can make this one as well. A rather long train journey gets me there at 12:30 (and the V & F at 12:31) :p
I can then get back on the 18:45 from Nottingham. :cheers:
November 11 is fine with me , i have booked the week off to make sure , though after last year i maybe should have booked the week after off for recovery:D
Just checking this is still on for Nottingham on 11.11.11? Will be getting my train ticket tomorrow and just want to check first.
Cheers.
9.49 from Birmingham New St gets in 11.05, and the 10.49 at 12.05.
With our railcards price quoting at £19.80 for the 2 of us. If most are going to arrive after 12.00 we will aim for the 10.49 train.
I will catch the 9.51 from Telford and then the 10.49 from New Street so i will see you on the train .
It works out cheaper for me to buy a Telford-Birmingham return then a Birmingham-Nottingham return rather than a Telford - Nottingham ticket works out about a fiver cheaper or 2 pints at local prices
That's getting priorities right - savings in terms of pints.
My plan is to get the 10:05 from Leeds arriving Nottingham at 12:02, but it is a Northern Fail train :whistle: I guess A&H would get the same one if he is going?
(Cheap day return Leeds/Nottingham is £20.40 hence the 10:05 train)
My last train out of Nottingham is the 19:15, unless I want to walk 12 miles at the far end :eek: