PuG Summer meet 2013 (Anybody for... Leeds?) (or maybe Reading)

[trainman]

Tickets booked!!!
I arrive in Reading at 10:54 and have to depart at 21:34.

Just the 10.5hrs on the lash Strongers?

Trains:
a) Do NOT forget London-Reading groupsave. Can be bought on the day, if necessary. Organise groups of 4 for half price travel (as long as you return together), making it £8.60pp rtn to Reading (~30mins).
b) Strongers, did you remember the Southern hop on/off open day ticket? £14 in advance, & so much nicer than FCC.
c) Leeds - London, seems the £14.60s have gone. Gamblers who don't mind a longer journey could get day rtns to Sheffield and hope for super-cheapies on megatrain to StP (bidding opens ~01:00 29May?), before linking up with others at Paddington (see 'a', above)
d) Manchester - London, currently available £31.50rtn 06Jul but those prices not (yet?) open for 13Jul. Academic, as locals here have opined re Reading, and will be on the sauce elsewhere.
e) Liverpool - London, there is a 'same day rtn' (presumably on specific trains, which includes London travelcard, for £38. Can't see it for 13Jul yet but it's there for 06Jul so will presumably become available over the next few days.

Quinno, the pressure is ON!

[Quinno]

Quinno, the pressure is ON!

I've got a job interview today so in context, leading you lot around on the lash doesn't bother me! As acknowledged, Reading doesn't necessarily have the breadth of pubs that somewhere like Derby has, but there's more than enough to keep you lot busy for 8 hours!

[Mobyduck]

I was thinking we might still be trying to make a decision on the morning of July 13th.

Anyway yeah Reading sounds good, I certainly intend to be there

I reckon that is about 7-8 of us that have indicated we can probably make it, now to drum up some more interest since we have settled on a time and place!

Well I'm definitely on board and a mate of mine has indicated he may like to come along too.

[Gann]

That's the week the Wife has booked a cottage in Portmeirion village, so I wont be able to join this one..

But I will be thinking of you whilst attempting to increase the photo and review % for Gwynedd.

[Quinno]

That's the week the Wife has booked a cottage in Portmeirion village, so I wont be able to join this one..

But I will be thinking of you whilst attempting to increase the photo and review % for Gwynedd.

I went there earlier this year, it was lovely!

[Dave M]

That's the week the Wife has booked a cottage in Portmeirion village, so I wont be able to join this one..

But I will be thinking of you whilst attempting to increase the photo and review % for Gwynedd.

Sorry to hear we wont Be Seeing You. Good luck with escaping from The Village.

[trainman]

I've got a job interview today so in context, leading you lot around on the lash doesn't bother me!

A surprisingly relaxed approach to the task in hand Quinno, I hope the interview wasn't for a job in the pub-crawl industry!
Dare we ask how it went..?

[Mobyduck]

Well I'm definitely on board and a mate of mine has indicated he may like to come along too.

Just realized its the same date as my local beer festival so my mate who's promised to work a bit of it wont attend but I'm still going despite the beer festival I was looking forward to, I prefer pubs anyway.

[aleandhearty]

Would really like to make Reading, particularly with missing out on Leicester. Realistically, I'll probably have to combine it with a visit to family in London, to make it work.

[Quinno]

PLEASE NOTE REVISED MEET POINT!!!

Current route below (subject to change and timings are approximate!):

'Officially' (I will of course be available to meet the early birds who wish to Spoon-it-up with beer and breakfast at 10:30am!) meet at:

1. The Three Guineas - I will arrive midday, all to depart earlier than 1pm if possible
*Number 23 bus to Caversham
2. Fox and Hounds – arrive 1.15pm
Catch 22/24 back to town
3. The Nags Head– arrive 2.30pm. Pies available here for the hungry, take just under 10 mins to come out so order early. Largest ale selection so longest drinking time!
*Then catch 17 to East Reading
4a/b. The Retreat/The Lyndhurst – we’ll arrive here 3.45pm. As the two pubs are less than a minute apart and both quite small, in order to avoid bar cloggage and maximise drinking time, I suggest the group splits 50/50 and swaps between the two
*13 minute walk to
5. Hop Leaf – arrive 4.40pm
*8 minute downhill walk to
6. Zerodegrees – arrive 5.15pm. Depending on time, we may decide to split the group so the early departures get a fair crack at the Alehouse.
*Short walk to
7. The Alehouse (nee Hobgoblin) - arrive 6.00

That completes the circuit, based on SheffieldHatter being the earliest departure at 18.40

Given that there’s quite a large overlap in departure times, I think it’d be better to end at the Alehouse rather than start there, as Reading BR is only a few minutes walk. It also gives others a chance to try other pubs in RG1 from a central base if they wish.

For those going late, there’s the possibility of getting a pint and pie at Sweeney and Todd (just over the way from Zerodegrees) or heading back to the Nags (as Strongers will be doing his one-man tour of the Wild West (Reading)). From the Nags it’s around 10 mins to the station so long as you don’t get lost!

I’ve dropped some previous wildcards as my research has shown that there is not the quality to justify the time if we are to make it round sensibly (my crawling pace may be somewhat swifter than others!). The Jolly Anglers and Abbot Cook are too off-piste and not (IMO) good enough to divert out for. The Eldon will likely be closed as Trainman pointed out, which is a shame.