I’d like to invite you all to a party that I’m organising at the Sheffield Tap on Saturday, October 26th. The excuse (who really needs one?) is that I shall be celebrating the slightly ripe middle age of 50, and I’d like as many friends as possible to be there!
The Sheffield Tap (http://www.sheffieldtap.com) is a pub which specialises in a large variety of ales, lagers, ciders, wines, etc, etc. It is conveniently situated alongside Platform 1b at Sheffield Railway Station, so the only “crawl” involved for those of us who live in London will be getting across the bridge at the end of the day to catch the “up” train in the evening. I plan to be there with puzzles as close as possible to 10am, the pub’s opening time, but you are cordially invited to drop in whenever suits you, up until about 7pm.
There will be some sort of buffet, probably about £5-8 a head, but I’ll let you know as arrangements progress. For now, there’s a date for your diary, and I’d like to know probable numbers, so if you could express the likelihood of your attendance below, that would be great.
Bear in mind that there will be an extra hour’s recovery time that night: I was born in the hour that either doesn’t exist, or recurs: I’ve never been able to work it out…
Cheers!
Thanks, John. Sounds good to me – hope to be there.
Count me in for this, John.
Thanks, John! As you say, any excuse for a party but it’s hard to believe the reason for this one – you’re nobbut a lad! What do they say about wild horses? – of course I’ll be there!
Happy forthcoming 50th JH. I don’t think I’ll be able to make them northern parts, but if I see you between now and then, definitely a yeasting is called for.
Dammit! A Sloggers and Betters in a top boozer on my doorstep and I’ll be in Belgium with the choir! Happy 50th anyway.
flashling and wife will be there. Is there a nearby hotel to stay the night you can recommend?
I hope to be able to get there.
With 95% confidence the chance that I will be there is in the interval (92%,97%).
Hi John
I am aiming to be there.
Colin
I’ll make sure that I get all my marking done by late Friday night! Pub looks ideally placed to waddle out onto the late train.
I am happy to join too!
In fact, I just booked a train ticket, so there’s no way back.
Which was almost literally the case as there are major railworks around Peterborough that weekend.
More than two months to go but what an incredible prices already.
It took me about two hours to get into this Jungle and then to come out again with a return package less than half the price of a combined Cambridge-London / London-Sheffield journey [which would perhaps have been slightly more comfortable].
I am looking forward to see many familiar faces and hopefully some new ones.
And the Birthday Boy himself, of course – 50, wow [those were the days 🙂 ].
Hi John
I’d like to come too. Like flashling, will probably need a hotel for the night if you have any recommendations.
Bert and Joyce will be there!
Thanks John.
I had pencilled in a date for another Derby Day in November, but John’s get-together will be a most welcome substitute. I was going to suggest calling it S&B Midlands 5 until somebody kindly pointed out that Sheffield is not in the Midlands …
Looking forward to it.
Peter
Anyone looking for an hotel in Sheffield could do worse than the Novotel in Arundel Gate, located next to the Town Hall. It’s a fairly short walk to the venue but far enough to avoid being too close to the station which isn’t in the city’s finest quarter.
Have fun folks, and many happy returns JH
Sorry I can’t be with you all this time. I have just accepted a wedding invitation on that day.
Grrrr! I’m chairman for an event in Birmingham that day. But if by any chance that gets called off I’ll be with you.
Congartulations John.
Woo hoo! Very much hoping to be there (as long as I’ve survived my dad’s 90th birthday hooley earlier in the week). Sx
Definitely going now!
Hi John,
I’ll be there, hopefully with my good lady, who will 95% be there when I tell her that Tramp is going. Don’t worry – its the stevem you met in Birmingham before the Cockney rebel gig !
I’ll hopefully be making my way along too. Love a good S&B event!
Steve@21. Looking forward to seeing you and Maureen and all the other splendid crossword folk.
Count me in too, John – can hardly say no as you’re bringing it oop north.
Hope to be there to enjoy the festivities.
I hope to be there, especially as I will have celebrated a round number of my own earlier in the month. The only fly in the ointment is that the return journey will feature the dreaded Replacement Bus Service between Grantham and Ely…
Ah yes; you should try crossing the International Date Line – really fries your brain, that one. I had to get pencil and paper to work it out. Sorry I can’t be there, maybe another year. Many happy returns! All the best from Ian.
I’ll be there John. Will book my train tickets this afternoon.
Delighted to say I will now definitely be there (there was a potential band gig but we’ve ditched it).
I would love to attend and put some faces to names, and will try to make it happen.
Best wishes
Looks like it’s all coming together, folks. I’ve booked The Brewery Room in the Sheffield Tap for 100 people. The buffet menus look excellent, too…but which to choose? They range from a fiver per person for a Continental meat and cheese platter through a Ploughman’s Platter (£7), a wide variety of sandwiches with quiches and fruit (£7.50), “Pie & Peas” (choose your own pie, £9), and a “Classic Finger Buffet” (£11.50) to the Hot (pork) Joint Menu (£12). But we can choose pretty much what we want and they’ll price it accordingly. I’ll probably go for the £7.50 version below, though the pies option is tempting because they come with Henderson’s Relish.
Selection of Sandwiches, with various fillings on brown and white bread.
Honey Roast Ham and Mustard
Chicken Tikka
Egg Mayonnaise
Mature Cheddar and Pickle
Tuna Mayonnaise and Sweetcorn
Houmous, Red Onion Chutney and Rocket
Roasted Pepper, Goats Cheese and Pesto
Selection of Vegetarian and Meat Quiches
Bowl of Fresh Fruit
Selection of Mini Pastries
How does that suit? And is the price OK?
Given the location, may I recommend a flask of tea and a Tupperware box of sarnies?
Dress code: Anorak.
Anax, please refrain from knocking trainspotters. They share many traits with crossword obsessives, don’t you know (although not the anoraks, obviously …)
John, any of the above would be fine, and the £7.50 option is perfect. If I may venture some advice from arranging previous S&B events, just go ahead and fix it, and people will happily go along with whatever is available and put their money in the biscuit tin afterwards.
That said, pie and gravy (I think you call it jus down south) would be tempting.
Now come on, K’s D – trainspotters are nowhere near as odd as we are.
Actually, now I come to think about it, Anax … you’re right. But I’ll still bring my little ring-binder folder so that when things are flagging at John’s do I can look out of the window and write down the numbers of the engines.
Come on Dean, tea and anorak? Surely you mean Tees and Anorax? Agree with KD re going along with the food flow, although jelly and ice cream in paper dishes might be a nice addendum.
Seriously 😉 though, John: I’m greatly chuffed that you’ve chosen to come north of Watford for your big do – but then you and Jane have come to all our Midlands dos, I think.
As you say, spoilt for choice but I think yours is excellent – apart from missing out on the special chutney – and the price seems spot on.
As K’s D says, the company etc has always been so good that the food has never really seemed an issue anyway.
But “…when things are flagging at John’s do…”? – from previous experience, I think I’ll have gone home long before then!
[I urge all who have never been to one of these gatherings to give it a go.]
Sounds great, John. Thanks for organising. I’m from Wigan so it’s hard turning the pie option down but your food list does look good.
Great stuff, John. Date firmly reserved in all my diaries, paper and electronic.
I’m happy to go along with whatever comestibles are chosen (though apple pie and peas would be intriguing).
Sounds irresistible and we’ll be in the UK for the BV event. Please count the numpties in!
I’ll be there – train tickets bought already! Should be an excellent day.
Congrats John H.
I’d be delighted to attend such an auspicious occasion. And a nice chance to show off Sheffield’s lovely railway station.
Hoping to be there. Not a done deal yet but I enjoyed the Manchester bash so much I’ll be trying to rearrange accordingly.
Thanks for the invitation, John. I hope to be there.
A bit of family juggling will be required on my part, but I have a cunning plan my lord, and if the planets align as I expect them to I will be there.
I’m trying to make this work. 14 hours flying and at least one train trip and my wife asking why I would spend at least five grand for a lunch. My answer is that there will be a host of people there that I would like to meet.
Cheers…
I’m hoping to be there. We may site the motorhome nearby and I’ll bus in – otherwise it’s two and a half hours by train from Oxford.
I was pondering all this when I got to grandpuzzler’s contribution @47. Grandpuzzler, you are joking aren’t you? I converse on a US chat board and so long to join in their get-togethers. I was reminded how lovely it was to meet blogger scchua at a Derby meet. All the way from Singapore!
Jan @48: Not joking, my wife did ask me that. Was having lunch with Alan Hinton last week and I told him about the Sheffield blast. He suggested the Delta flight from Seattle to Paris and then Paris to Manchester and then train to Sheffield. If I don’t make it, I will still have had lunch with Brendan (that one) at his house in Portland last year. If anybody else wants to get together in the Pacific Northwest, I can be reached at grandpuzzler at yahoo dot com.
Cheers…
Congrats in advance, John! My test solver and I are planning to attend, so we look forward to meeting you all there.
Qaos.
John, thought I’d mention that I live in Sheffield (and I gather that you do not), so if there’s anything that you feel I could do to help at this end, just let me know.
Thanks for the invitation, John. Unless work messes up crossword, as it often does, I’ll be there.
It’s an ill wind…
I didn’t really think there was much chance of my musical event in Brum being called off, but today out of the blue it has been. So all being well I’ll now be heading to Sheffield!
Just checked what I typed a few weeks back, glad I did, I’m now a definite yes.
Hi John, I’ve been leaving it to this late stage but it looks very likely that I will be there. A friend happens to be travelling from Ireland to near Sheffield, so I’m OK getting there – as to getting back – who cares? Monday 28th is a Bank Holiday as well, so plenty of recovery time. 😉
We will be coming to your birthday party on Saturday. An excellent choice of venue.
I apologise for being so late in adding my name to this – thought I was going to be busy tomorrow – but I’d love to come too. I post mainly on GU as MsGeek but enjoy reading the posts here too. Looking forward to meeting everyone.
Hi John,
Sorry, I’m going to miss your party after all. Despite having spent an absolute fortune on private medical care, I’m still sitting immobilised in Derby with a slipped disk. Have a great day and I promise that I won’t drink the wine I’d bought for you and will bring to the next S&B.
I hope everybody has a great time, I’ll be there in spirit if not in body. Stevem