[EstorilBlue]

I think it would be pretty cool to have an Xmas Meal for the Southwest members. I have spent some time sorting a proposed idea out.

The area I propose for the meet is the Chipping Sodbury Masonic Hall, Hatters Lane, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol. I have aquired the private use the function hall and its 50 car, carpark, and we can have a fully catered 3 course christmas meal laid on especially for us (drinks cost extra). We then have one of two choices: Either walk the local high street and pub crawl, or stay in the hall where they have their own bar (cheap drinks), and drink inside the hall and just mingle with one another. It would be nice to have some input on which senario is best after the meal, as I will need to pay a little extra for the bar staff. If we do decide to walk the streets the cars should be totally safe as it is a private carpark, and ive negotiated its use until sunday morning. If by any chance you decide to drink alcohol and would like somewhere to stay, there are various B&B's and hotels along the highstreet, and you are welcome to keep your car in the Hall carpark overnight to save you any parking problems.

Ive managed to sort the Hall, Parking and 3 course xmas meal at a cost of ?15.00 per head. Friends, Partners and Family are of course welcome, but they will be required to pay the same as everyone else.

Ive penciled in Saturday December 3rd 2005, for this. Hopefully its a date most people can make.

If you would like to attend, please can you register your interest here, and I will start a list. I will need a minimum of 15 people on the list before I go ahead with the hall booking. I hope you will understand that if I commit myself to booking the hall that I will need your ?15 to be paid to me by the end of august. Once I have my 15 people I will book, and then look to get the money in.

Please can I have your support in this, as I have really managed to get us a good deal on the Hall, Parking and Meal and it would be a shame to see the idea flop. Can you all please put the feelers out and start getting names on the list, I really think this has the potential to be big, but only if we all put the effort in!

Names so far:

1.Estorilblue

2.BlueV5

3.Crime Fighting Superstar (+1)

4.W36 EJO

5.Andrew

6.MattyV5

7.Spanner (?)

8.GolfGirl (?)

9.SnrDiggan (+1)

10.Dubjon

 

[Blue V5]

You know i'd be a fool to miss out on this as it's literally on my doorstep []

I can also provide accomodation for a few people - albeit a lounge floor - if you are too tight to pay for a room []

I'd say a pub crawl after is best - we have 6 pubs in the high street
alone aswell as a wine bar and another couple of pubs about 1/2 mile
away so drinking establisments aren't lacking!

 

[Crime Fighting Superstar]

Hiya Estoril Blue, I'd be up for that mate! I'd bring my girlfriend too. Cheers Fella, Jimbo.

1.Estorilblue

2. Crime Fighting Superstar (2)

 

[Crime Fighting Superstar]

Blue V5, pub crawl sounds great!

 

[EstorilBlue]

Im happy with the Pub crawl! Basically we can have a meal and a chat, then leave the cars parked up and walk the streets!

Just searched loads of old threads and sent 43 PMs. My fingers hurt!

Ive got a few ideas for a few things to do around the meal too, maybe have a car of the meet competition?, a revised version of secret santa (basically everyone buys a ?5 pressie, wraps it and chucks it in a big box....then the box passed round and you s elect a different pressie!) []

 

[W36 EJO]

Pencil me in!

Don't mind pub crawl or just having the cheap drinks to be honest! The only potential problem with pub crawls is very often people split off and go their own seperate ways, but I really dont mind!

Love the idea of that ?5 pressie, lol...can just imagine some of the insulting gifts! []

 

[Andrew]

Yeah i'm up for this, sounds like a very good idea.  Nice work Mike. 

 

[MattyV5]

What sort of start time we looking at ?  (I play football)

 

[EstorilBlue]

The time is up for debate, but im guessing around 7pm to eat, but meeting up from around 6pm.

 

[Blue V5]

Ok, i've done some shopping around and the hotel i originally said is a tad too expensive- its a 4*!

However, on trundling through the high street today i suddenly realised
there are 3 pubs here which are hotels themselves - The George, The
Grapes and the Portcullis.

So, if you want i'll ask around tonight about prices. Shame my local The Oak doesn't do rooms - its the nicest pub of the lot!

Oh, and just out of interest for those that don't know sodbury, here is
a diagram of the high street showing the proximity of pubs.

 

[EstorilBlue]

[] Good Diagram Rich!

Ive sent out over 50pm's so far, yet only have a handful of names! []

 

[Crime Fighting Superstar]

Don't worry Mike. I'm sure we'll have a laugh even if there's only a couple of us. There's plenty of time to rope in more people.

Top idea though mate, it'd be great to meet some of the crowd. Cheers, Jim.

 

[EstorilBlue]

Ive got to be honest, after PM'ing over 50 people I think the response to this is a little poor.

 

[MattyV5]

I should be able to make this.  I will come up after footie.

 

[nosaj]

[] Good Diagram Rich!

Ive sent out over 50pm's so far, yet only have a handful of names! []

Might be to do with other evens that have already been suggested , Booked up AND on the same day as you have said , but posted way before you have suggested , doing the same type of thing , so they may be going to them , just a thought thats all []

(writes note to santa please send estoril a calander )[]

 

[EstorilBlue]

Yeah I know other xmas meets are on this day, but in fairness theres nothing in the Bristol area, hence thats why Ive organised this. I dont really think the other events will cause too much of a problem, as they are quite far away.

...actually I have just checked and the ONLY xmas meet in the southwest catagory, aside from this one, is in London going on to Brighton, so thats a good 400+ miles round trip!

As regards the calendar....im trying to make the 2006 Uk-mkivs.net calendar....so I dont think I need one!

 

[benjie]

Hi & thanks for the PM, I'd love to come - get more involved etc - but I can't because it's my work's Xmas meal the same night.  I know because I'm arranging it and it wouldn't look too good if the organiser didn't turn up would it?!!

 

[spanner]

Hiya,

Not sure how this topic slipped through my daily forum browsing. Sounds like a pretty good idea and a damn good laugh to me though. Trouble is, I can't say for deffo yet as I may be off to New York around then for a quick week away before Christmas. Need to finalise the date for that before I commit.

 

[EstorilBlue]

Benjie and Spanner, thanks for replying to this thread guys I appriciate it!

Benjie, shame you cant come buddy, have a good xmas works party though!

Spanner, hopefully you can make it...but New York is hard to compete with!!!

[<)]

 

[Golfgirl]

I'd love to come.....put me down as a provisional at the moment. Need to look at the Annual Leave situation at work before committing myself! I may also be going away in December so will have to speak to my mate about when we're going.

Loving the idea of a Secret Santa too[] I think I'd prefer to go on a pub crawl too rather than staying in the same place that we have the meal.