Proposed gathering at Hertford Museum - 4/5 April 08

[Liz Jay]

Hi Kerren

Latest on dogs and Travelodges. Officially it's two dogs maximum per room, and a charge of £10 per dog, and only accepted at Managers discretion.

A very few will refuse them, usually these are the city centre ones though, not the typical just-off-the-motorway ones. Sometimes the staff just smile and wave you in saying they can't see any dogs (!)

We've taken three (and once four!) dogs in a time or two. Very naughty. Just had to make sure we weren't seen with all of them at once, and rely on the fact that to the casual observer one Bearded Collie looks pretty much the same as any other!!! My conscience is pretty much clear though as they never do anything untoward, apart from an occasional woof if there are voices outside the door. And the £10 charge is exorbitant for a single dog!!

Wasn't planning to bring any canines to the reunion unless they are specially invited??? (though I am sure Diva for one would LOVE to come and meet some new friends....)

Love

[icomefromalanddownunder]

I was unable to get onto the Travelodge site because it was so busy, but , in any case, won't be able to book a room until next Friday, when I get paid. I will book a family room for the night's of Friday 4 and Saturday 5, and am very happy to share with two other humans and as many furries as we can smuggle in

Rohan - it will be great to see you.

What about if, as each of us commits to attending we book a family room, thus ensuring beds for those who may not be able to decide until the last minute?

Phewwwwwwwwwwww - have to stop and activate the air con. 39 today, and 41 expected tomorrow.

xx

[Liz Jay]

Hi Caroline

Sounds fine to me and I'm happy to book those two nights as well, just need to know which T'lodge you are opting for - I would prefer the one with the offer (Baldock) since it looks slightly more countrified (I may yet bring a dog for your pleasure!) and also has the offer so saving £10, plus it's ever so slightly nearer home being a little way north of Hertford.

Will book a family room but bags I the double bed......

Love

[Katharine]

I would have to work out my logistics of this - I am already booked into a hotel in Blackpool for the Sunday night for a conference starting on the Monday. It MAY be possible for me, but I think I might opt out of Travel Lodge and stay with Mother in Cambridge and come for the day to Hertford then drive home before going to Blackpool. It all depends on cover at work etc.

[icomefromalanddownunder]

Hi Liz

Baldock one looks great. Have discovered that I can only access the Travelodge site when you guys are sleeping - very popular, and no wonder at the prices they are offering. Will post here once I have done it.

I too will book a family room for the two nights, so that's six of us accounted for .

Hopefully Munch will come back on line soon. If not, does anyone (Katharine or Jeremy?) have her snail mail addy?

Have just emailed Mary Mc and Alex, and emailed Bun yesterday.

Does anyone have any idea of a suitable (and economical) venue for dinner on Saturday night?

xx

[Foureyes]

I hesitate to appear to interfere in something which is not my business, but I am a regular user of Travelodges and would offer two words of warning. The first is that the actual lodges can sometimes be quite far from the place they purport to serve. For example, I once booked into one with the address of Grantham/Colsterworth, but it proved to be 8 miles south of Grantham down the A1. Secondly, not all Travelodges have an adjacent Little Chef; also, increasing numbers of these cafes are closing. For example, there is no Little Chef near one of the Sothampton Travelodges, which was difficult enough for the evening meal and impossible for breakfast. The only point I am seeking to make is that, judghng by my experiences, you need to check very carefully to ensure that a Travelodge is actually where you think it might be and that it olffers all the facilities you are looking for.

I would also add that I now frequently use Premier Travelinns, in preference to Travelodges. These are only marginally more expensive and offer much better facilities.

[Rohan]

As I live in Bucks, not too far away from Hertford, I'll probably drive over for the day rather than stay overnight - and hopefully join you for the meal on Saturday evening.

Rohan

[icomefromalanddownunder]

Thanks for the warning David, but I, and I suspect, Liz have checked the maps to verify locations. I must admit that some of the buildings aren't particularly aesthetically pleasing, but for 19 pounds a night, as opposed to 50+, I am happy to live with that.

I will travelling as a student, and on a very tight budget. There is no suggestion that all attendees should follow suit.

Best wishes

Caroline

[icomefromalanddownunder]

Hi Rohan

Do you have any recent knowledge of eating establishments in Hertford? Or perhaps all those people who have responded to the message from FR would have some input?
I'm limited to the info I can access online and can't say that I have discovered anything appealing. Anyone know what The White Hart is like these days?

To all those reading these posts for the first time, I will summarise arrangements to date (limited though they are).

At least two of us (Liz and myself) will be staying in family rooms at the Baldock Travelodge on the nights of Friday 4 and Saturday 5 - please don't feel obliged to book rooms here if your budget will stretch to something more exotic

I suggest that we meet at the museum at lunchtime on the Saturday (12.30), then revisit old haunts - The Meads, The Square, Tesco carpark, the Castle - any other suggestions - before getting together for dinner. Would people who stay overnight on Saturday like to meet for brunch the next morning before heading home?

Please people - start posting ideas . I am so grateful that the exhibition is coinciding with my time in Europe, and the only reason I jumped in to organise a get-together was to ensure that it was held at a time when I could attend, so please don't think that I will be precious about what other people might want to do.

Looking forward to a swag of posts next time I visit the forum.

xx

[Rohan]

Hi Caroline

I don't really know Hertford eateries at all.

Using this website gives a couple of cheap and cheerful chains that we use quite happily round here: http://www.restaurant-guide.com/uk+sout ... rtford.htm. ASK is in Fore Street and Cafe Rouge in Parliament Square and both would probably be reasonably good value. But maybe someone can come up with a personal recommendation ...

Rohan

[Liz Jay]

Hello again ladies

Made an executive decision and have booked for two nights (Friday 4th and Saturday 5th) at Baldock Travelodge. Family room so can offer space to two guests in any permutation of nights. Wine will be served.....canine company an optional extra at this stage.

Will have use of a car if anyone is arriving at Hertford by train. Is the exhibition at the old school premises? If my memory serves me right just a stone's throw from the station?

Getting excited now!

Love

[kerrensimmonds]

I will attend if I can, and almost certainly will be with canine companion who cannot be left alone at home (as I can do with her two feline brothers......). But will wait awhile to check that I can take some time off work, though I think that the main driver for this has moved to Saturday 5 April? That's fine by me.. and we must make sure that the Museum will be open to us that day (I guess that they would do so, even to the extent of opening exclusively for Hertford Old Blues. I will talk to the Curator and make sure that this is feasible).
So I will make my own booking at a Travelodge - but in the meantime I want to say thank you to Caroline for taking this forward so energetically. Already (especially if you look at my announcement on her behalf on Friends Reunited) there is a large number of Old Blues showing an interest in this.
Re. Herford eateries... last time, a group of us met up at the Cafe Rouge. It was great. Don't know how many they can accommodate, but is it feasible we could book the whole restaurant for the evening?
Kerren

[sejintenej]

Liz

I've been trying to PM you about Travel Lodge but unfortunately PM is still not working (despite emeiling Julian weeks ago).

Just be very careful about ensuring the EXACT terms of your booking
David

[englishangel]

Hi

I'm a perennial lurker to this forum - and would definitely be interested in this reunion. I can make any of the dates. Having failed to make any of the Horsham dates and missed Miss West's memorial service I will try harder to make this one actually happen for me.

Thanks a lot for suggesting it.

Rohan Bolton (1's and 3's 1959-1968)

I don't think we need to stay overnight but we could share a car.

[Liz Jay]

Liz

I've been trying to PM you about Travel Lodge ......

Just be very careful about ensuring the EXACT terms of your booking
David

Hi David

This is very cryptic so as I am sometimes a little dim I'll have to ask you to elaborate, sorry.