h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So what did we do well and what wasn't so hot?

Good venues, Good directions, Plenty of advance warning of date and the Meet page was very helpful. Nice to see who was going/thinking about it and to make arrangements for premeet etc. Quiz is nice way to break up drinking sessions. Food seemed fine and was needed.
£10 is good value for drinks plus buffet. Very few downsides as far as I can see. A big thumbs up from me.

Only thing I can think of is a more open venue for the games session would have been good- the partitions split the group up somewhat- I might actually have played, instead of just drunk , or maybe not.

*nods sagely*

All good points - especially the last one KA.

I don't know about the games session, as I was on the walk (and that was just fine )

As for the evening it is good to have a space to ourselves - you are more likely to talk to folk you don't recognise, as you can assume they are researchers.

I liked the quiz, something to break up the drinking is good although it was a shade difficult to hear (I'm getting old & we were sitting in a corner)
The prizes were pretty impressive too!

Is it necessary to have a buffet? it's often difficult to have the mix right for Veggies & other special requirements, would charging slightly less and having a basic menu of say sandwiches available be easier? - I don't know how flexible the pubs would be on this one.

Hmmm I am not sure - the room is free to hire and I think that they try to make sure you have a buffet. But we could definitely ask.

I would want some food to be available however.

I'd be suprised if any pub would go for that- can you imagine trying to cater for 100-odd people, all picking different stuff off a menu? In a pub, where everyone is wandering around- it's hardly like we were all settled at tables- it would be chaos!

I'd be suprised if any pub would go for that- can you imagine trying to cater for 100-odd people, all picking different stuff off a menu? In a pub, where everyone is wandering around- it's hardly like we were all settled at tables- it would be chaos!

Yeah I see that would be tricky, what I have seen before was sandwiches & nibbles on a go-up & buy them and walk away with them option.

I think it's always going to be a problem.

Mmmm. It's a possiblity- might it not be easier to declare "I'm a veggie" or whatever when you sign up, and have a buffet set aside for such freaks, I mean, people

Food was nice, Information easily available, relatively easy to persuade Mum with, venues nice, people friendly. I had a great time. Still smiling about it now!!!

Now where's Zak dammit!?!

The evening venue was very good - it seemed easier to mingle and meet people than the last winter meet (but that may just have been me knowing more people, or not having spent the afternoon in the pub like last year).

I thought it was a realy enjoyable night

the venue was good and it had a lot of cheap but clean hotels just around the corner

and it was fun putting faces to all the people I had met on line

I think Mina and Abi did a real good job

The only bad thing I can say about the night is that I got there at 7 o'clock ( so I was not late ) but by then the food had already gone, so as well as being hungry all night, it had also cost me £20 for 4 pint of beer "not a nice price"

So as much as I enjoyed it, I will think twice about paying that much next time


manda

As an addition to the foodquestion, maybe it is possible to have a continuous supply of and/or peanuts. The pub will like that, especially as the salted version increases thirst.

Manda, we gave the people who missed the buffet extra beer tokens. Did you not get any?

No ,

that is the first I have heard of it

manda

Well we can't have that. I will drop you an email!

Can that be used as a beer token next time?

Maybe next time the editors can have an official h2g2 editors badge.
This crumpled yellow thingies were a shame actually.
That is what you expect on normal researchers who are too lazy to think of one themselves.

Generally I thought the preceedings went well.

Afternnon:
I can only comment on the walk which was fantasic.
Can understand the view of the game playes, about feeling disconnected.

Evening:
The evening bar made it easy to mingle, and plesent.
Even with a smoking area, I did not notice smoke, and my clothing has no residue.

Food will always be a problem, as to supply qualtity and when to serve. There will always be those that devour everything in sight, leaving some hungry. I have no sugestions. The food was tasty.
I would hate to see the food guarded, only avalable by a food voucher.

Quiz great, well I would have to say that!

My tipple did not apear to be overpriced (location taken into account)

As to (Archangel) Marjin view of the Italaic's imaginitive name badges. I have to agree.

Constructive