On Friday the 15th of February I will be flying to London, I’m only there for a couple of days and I’ll be attending a birthday party on the Saturday night. That does mean that I have, at present, Friday night free.
So, my London-based blogging friends, are you about? Fancy a social gathering? I’ll be based in Wandsworth but I’m willing to travel. I have little to no knowledge of how far is too far when it comes to London, and I have little to no idea of where might constitute a reasonable place for some strangers to meet.
Ohh yes, we are strangers, don’t kid yourselfs. I may know a lot about you, and vice versa but it’s never the full picture now, is it.
Anyway, don’t let that put you off. I know many of you have been through the first tentative blogmeet type things, so let’s not call it that, let’s just say that some of us will meet in a pub/bar somewhere.
And yes, I know that what I’m basically asking is for someone to organise a blogmeet on my behalf but, honestly, I AM worth it. Honest.
So, Friday 15th February. Anyone free?
I’m probably up for that. Don’t know Wandsworth particularly well though.
Just to clarify, it can be anywhere central London I guess. I have most of the afternoon free to travel…
Not being much help here, am I!
Well, I’d love to meet you, obviously Gordon – I will have a looksee at what we are doing and if I’m likely to be coming in to the office that day. Can we be somewhere round Victoriaish? (I’m being lazy because of trains, but hell, I got here early, I get to try and steer the beast!…)
Victoriaish is fine by me.
Wherever that is (heads off to find map of Londonium).
Alas it’s a little far for me. But do enjoy yourselves.
I’m quite tempted. I’ll have to confer with the Keeper of the Diary but I might saunter up. It depends when you are planning to start, as I have to head back ridiculously early due to train drivers going to bed at 10pm in these parts. And I’ll have to be “dry” as I’ll have to drive home from the station to Ruralville.
Victoria is ok for me. London Bridge is better (and there are some decent places to go around there).
Of course, I’ve said that I’ll turn up at one of these things before…
I’d love to. Victoriaish is great for me, too.
I might pop over to say hi, I’m near Victoriaish anyway, and it would be nice to meet.
I’ll meet you and you can you buy me a birthday drink*. Don’t worry – you don’t have to talk to me.
*Chances, however, of me actually being in London = limited.
Any progress on this? It’s looking worryingly likely that I might be able to go.
Gordon – I suggest that you nominate someone who lives in that there London to scope out a venue and arrange a supply of name badges.
Count me in. I can do Victoriaish, though it’s not an area I’m in very often so I’m struggling to think of recommendations.
Beer In The Evening lists The Cask & Glass as the closest pub to the tube (39 Palace Street), with a rating of 7.2 out of 10 (which is pretty good for them).
It’s a Shepherd Neame pub (decent real ale, for those who care about that kind of thing) and looks very cosy, but might possibly be a bit small & thus crowded for a Friday.
But then, that’s going to be an issue pretty much anywhere worth going. And many of the other pubs close to the tube seem to be closed (permanently or refurb).
I can go and check it out on Thursday evening, unless anyone has any other suggestions?
Another suggestion would be somewhere more central (apparently Victoria isn’t really?).
“What about somewhere more central? Like, say Charing Cross?
Choice of venue could be this lovely pub (great beers on tap, fab food):
http://www.themarquess.co.uk/index.asp
It’s close to four tubes: Covent Garden, Charing Cross (a mainline station and on two tube lines) Leicester Square and Temple.”
(quoted from an email)
Everyone’s mental geography of London is different, based on where you live, where you work, where you stayed when you first came here, etc.
For me (living in war-torn SE London), Soho & Covent Garden are the centre. However, my W-postcode sister-in-law would say Knightsbridge and Kensington.
So, I’d agree with the view that Victoria isn’t central and Covent Garden is, but I’m also happy to go wherever’s best for those with longer journeys home.
Having said that, if Anna uses Victoria and Graybo uses London Bridge, we could look at somewhere between the two that gives them both easy access to their termini.
I like The Ship & Shovell, next to Charing Cross station. It’s busy during rush hour, but tends to empty out after about 7-8pm once people have caught their train.
It’s about two mins walk to Embankment tube, from where it’s three stops (direct) to Victoria and three stops (with one change) to London Bridge.
Disclosure: Charing Cross is my terminus, so clearly this is great for me. But my reasoning is entirely unselfish and I’ll happily go elsewhere.
Oh yeah, the S&S does decent real ale and the food’s not bad either(nothing special, just standard pub grub). It’s a split-site pub too, which is a novelty.
I can get to Charing X – it’s an easy overground journey from London Bridge.
Last train back is 2147, which is a pain, but I’ll be sober anyway as I’ll have to drive home the last three miles when I get back to Ruralville. I figure by 2130, everyone else will be pissed and snogging/puking/falling over (delete as appropriate), so it’ll be fine to leave then.
When is the planned kick-off time for this? I might be tempted to knock off work early and come up in time for tea.
Ahh right.
So.
Can we say Charing Cross then? Happy to go with either suggest bar/pub in that area.
OK.
Time? Well I’m free most of the afternoon, so we could say… 4ish? That way some of us might be able to get some seats??
Gees, anyone would think I’d never planned a blogmeet before!
Ha Ha is by CharingX thats not bad. Or the Piano and Pitcher around there is fairly good and you can even book an area off.
Oh an the birthday party is mine, and you’re all invited to that too if you didn’t get an invite.
Well Charing Cross is the ‘technical’ centre of London. I’d also be very interested in turning up for a pint or two.
Might it be worth using Upcoming?