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Thread: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

  1. #1521
    Senior Member Cob's Avatar
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    Apology for absence! I shall be away on Saturday.

    Have a good meeting

    Cob
    Vive les chevaliers! A bas les têtes rondes!

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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    Quote Originally Posted by Cob View Post
    Apology for absence! I shall be away on Saturday.

    Have a good meeting

    Cob
    Hi Cob,

    Are you going to be at the meeting in the beginning of March?

    I have a lot of empty old Mabie Todd fountain pen boxes which I can bring around if you have use for them. Otherwise I am afraid I am going to have to throw them away.

    Cheers.

    Rui
    My other writing instrument is a pencil.

  3. #1523
    Senior Member Cob's Avatar
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    Quote Originally Posted by RuiFromUK View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Cob View Post
    Apology for absence! I shall be away on Saturday.

    Have a good meeting

    Cob
    Hi Cob,

    Are you going to be at the meeting in the beginning of March?

    I have a lot of empty old Mabie Todd fountain pen boxes which I can bring around if you have use for them. Otherwise I am afraid I am going to have to throw them away.

    Cheers.

    Rui
    Hullo Rui. How are you?

    Yes I should like the boxes very much.

    I hope to be at the meeting, however there is a pen show at the usual London venue on 10th March - I wonder if we are all intending meeting there instead of the usual venue as we do for the October show?

    Rgds

    Cob
    Vive les chevaliers! A bas les têtes rondes!

  4. #1524
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    Quote Originally Posted by Cob View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by RuiFromUK View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Cob View Post
    Apology for absence! I shall be away on Saturday.

    Have a good meeting

    Cob
    Hi Cob,

    Are you going to be at the meeting in the beginning of March?

    I have a lot of empty old Mabie Todd fountain pen boxes which I can bring around if you have use for them. Otherwise I am afraid I am going to have to throw them away.

    Cheers.

    Rui
    Hullo Rui. How are you?

    Yes I should like the boxes very much.

    I hope to be at the meeting, however there is a pen show at the usual London venue on 10th March - I wonder if we are all intending meeting there instead of the usual venue as we do for the October show?

    Rgds

    Cob
    We are fine thank you very much. Hopefully you are well too.

    The first Saturday of March is on the 3rd but I can ask my wife if I am also free on the 10th.

    Hopefully we will hear from the others about the 10th as I'll not have time to go around London as time is becoming very short on our side. Otherwise if you come to London near Liverpool Street Station pm me and I'll bring the boxes to work and meet you at lunchtime.
    My other writing instrument is a pencil.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to RuiFromUK For This Useful Post:

    Cob (February 8th, 2019)

  6. #1525
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    Just to confirm, there will be a meet up on the 2nd, even with the show on the 10th. I can't make it alas as I need to be in Bedford for ~15:30.

  7. #1526
    Senior Member Cob's Avatar
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    I'm afraid I shall not be around on 2nd March, but I will be going to the show.

    Cob
    Vive les chevaliers! A bas les têtes rondes!

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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    I'm another that can't make it on Saturday, but planning on going to the show.

  9. #1528
    Senior Member Cob's Avatar
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    Who will be there this Saturday?

    Cib
    Vive les chevaliers! A bas les têtes rondes!

  10. #1529
    Senior Member Voiren's Avatar
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    I will, provided I don't come down with the cold/flu my OH is just recovering from...

  11. #1530
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    I'm in Bedford again so once more will be missing.

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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    A pleasure to meet everyone again.

    A memosyne notebook was left behind. I picked it up, and will return it next time I'm at "the hole".

  13. #1532
    Senior Member oldstoat's Avatar
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    Hi everyone

    As you will recall we discussed the possibility last time of a change of venue in future. I apologise for the length of time it’s taken to get this out to everyone, but I have been ridiculously busy.
    Several of us have found the that the menu is limited to the point of screaming tedium, and recently the staff have been less than friendly. Annie and I had a drink at the Bloomsbury Tavern and found that it had a pleasant, well-lit upstairs dining room, with enough room for us, better prices and decent pub food. I think that it would be a good alternative. Tony pointed out that being on New Oxford St it’s on the edge of the tourist area but kindly volunteered to check it out on a Saturday lunchtime and let us know. It would at least make a change from the Bierschenke.

    https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bl...7!4d-0.1257724

    https://www.bloomsburytavern.co.uk/
    Some days, it's hardly worth chewing through the leather straps....

  14. #1533
    Senior Member Voiren's Avatar
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    It would be nice if there were still some at the Bierschenke - my OH specifically wanted to some along and have currywurst before heading off elsewhere! I'm not opposed to trying it. It's a little more annoying to get to for me, but not much in the grand scheme of things.

  15. #1534
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    Sorry but .....

    It will take 3-12 months to get most of the email account details for the attending members as very few are truly regular. While alternate locations can be found during then, it can only be discussed by all the members once we have everyone together, at which point we can, as a group, start trying alternate locations.

    Any replacement location must be near one of the major transport hubs that many of our members use and require minimal changes (which Bierschenke does, Bloomsbury Tavern does not).
    Any replacement location musty have a large safe area we can freely use or a safe free room we can use - Bierschenke can be a problem, but being quiet it is normally sage. Bloomsbury Tavern does offer a room, but it is not closed off access and they do not say if they charge for it.
    Any location needs to be away from tourists and crowds as that much reduces the chance of some one having a pen or two grabbed. Bishopsgate provides this, Tottenham Court Road does not, and this pub actually faces a major tourist attraction, The British Museum.
    Ideally where ever we go should have a decent menu option and prices - neither places satisfy this.
    A lesser requirement is parking near by as we normally have 1-4 people driving in. Bishopsgate is not good but actually due to the Barbican and deals it does with the likes of JustPark is not bad, Holbourn is just plain poor and expensive.

    I have no problem with changing venue, I'm not a big fan of Bierschenke, though it does provide what we need, but any attempt to move will take a good deal of time and patience. This just smacks of a few of the long term members forgetting that the club is far larger now and you can no longer just change location on a whim.
    Oh for the record I think this part of Holbourn is completely the wrong area due to the numbers of tourists and associated traffic, has poor direct transport links, and the pub is also completely wrong for our needs.

    My 2p.

  16. #1535
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    Firstly I’d have to say that “WE” the core group at Bierschenke did “NOT” make that decision, just a couple of people made that decision and it was discussed that we should discuss it. I believe we live in a democracy and this decision is not democratic! I have to agree with Gary. Although I have issues with how some of the Bierschenke staff treat us, the food is okay, it’s not perfect, the location is perfect for most of us that have to travel 1-3 hours to get to the meeting every month.

    Although nobody really runs the club per se, I know the initial club was formed by just a few on FP Geeks but it has grown massively since then to a much larger group and morphed into the London Pen Club. That larger group needs to be able to vote on where they are going to meet. Just saying “We’re moving the club to Bloomsbury Tavern” is not the correct way to do this. Firstly, it puts most of the members noses out of joint and it will force a split of the group, some will go to the new location, some will go to the old location. If that’s the desire to split the group by the few, then that’s a sad turn of events. If it’s that we have had enough with the current venue and think there’s a better venue for the majority, then people need the ability to know about the change and vote on that change. Having it dictated with a few weeks before the next meeting is NOT the proper approach to moving venues in my mind. People need to vote, there is I believe a core part of the group that find it much easier to get to Liverpool Street Station than to other locations, so they should have a say in this and not have it dictated to them. There may actually be a better location still close to Liverpool Street Station that might be better?

    As Gary has said, this process can easily take 3, 6, 9 months for everyone to be involved, people need a say in where they go. There may even be much better locations that are just as easy to get to for the majority that is better than Bloomsbury Tavern. I’ve drunk at the Bloomsbury many a times as it was my local for many years, it’s a very small pub, and completely agree with Gary’s sentiments that it’s very close to a British Museum and being very busy on Saturdays. With that comes risk of thieves, especially to some of us that have expensive pen collections that bring along to the club.

    I’m not averse to changing location if we can find a better location that is voted on by the core group. I suggest we do this in a proper democratic system with an online voting system for ease. We should give a 3 to 6 month period where we decide a move to a new location. If a small section of the group want to move ahead of that, then move, but I suggest we do this in a proper democratic process and not dictated, we are after all a democracy, let’s act like one.

    1. Create a committee group of 3 or 4 core members that are regular attendees to the club
    2. A schedule should be created by that group with a timeline plan
    3. 8 or 10 suitable locations should be submitted
    4. Members should be given the time to check out the venues in person and vote on by ALL members.
    5. Once a venue is chosen by the core group, people should be given at least 2 or 3 months notice that the venue will be changed to ensure everyone is aware when the new date is to switch to a new location
    6. If people want to remain at the current location, then the group can split and there will become two groups a London Fountain Pen Club and a London Pen Geeks.

    That’s my 2p on this subject, ultimately this is a much larger group, and the group needs to vote on the change and not have it dictated.

  17. #1536
    Senior Member oldstoat's Avatar
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    Hi Dave- it's not a decision but a suggestion. If no one gets the ball rolling, nothing happens.
    Some days, it's hardly worth chewing through the leather straps....

  18. #1537
    Senior Member Annie's Avatar
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    When I set this group up it was supposed to be fun. The Bierschenke no longer is. I intend rocking up to the new venue - The Bloomsbury Tavern on Saturday 4th May at 12.00. Anyone wishing to join me with their pens and ink is very welcome. Those who wish to stay at the Bierschenke, please do.
    Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/peachez


  19. #1538
    Senior Member Annie's Avatar
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    Nothing will happen. See you at the Bloomsbury.
    Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/peachez


  20. #1539
    Senior Member Voiren's Avatar
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    That sounds a better way of doing it than a committee, tbh! I favour the agile approach.

    I expect I'll be at the Bierschenke, but let us know how it goes? We've got enough people to have some of us go elsewhere sometimes.

  21. #1540
    Senior Member Annie's Avatar
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    Default Re: London 'The Hole' Geek Gathering

    I love the idea that I am being told that this is not the right way to do this. The last person who tried (and failed) to tell me where I can and can't go and with whom, was my mother and she's been dead for 30 years. I also don't need a lecture on democracy.

    I have a limited edition pen engraved 'London Pen Geeks 2016' and it commemorates the 'core' of this group. I am going to give the Bloomsbury a go on the 4th May if only because I am so bored with the menu at the other place because it resembles a carbohydrate loading diet and hasn't changed in years. Meanwhile, enjoy your committee.
    Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/peachez


  22. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Annie For This Useful Post:

    Beowulf50 (April 25th, 2019), Cob (April 24th, 2019), migo984 (April 24th, 2019), oldstoat (April 26th, 2019)

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