Lunch in London pre-Christmas?

[Marina]

Marina, Bells and Tigermoth are planning to meet up for lunch one Saturday in December. We're going to Vinopolis on the South Bank, near London Bridge station. The food and atmosphere are great there and although it is very child-friendly we are planning to leave any mobile offspring at home.
We'd love other Mumsnet members to join us. We're giving lots of notice in the hope that members not based in London might be able organise a day trip if they have plenty of warning.
Please e-mail me if you're interested: Marina

Oooo it'd be so weird to put faces to (nick)names...Are you going to wear badges/roses in your lapels/carry a copy of the Times? I'd love to meet up but at the same time I think it'd mean I'd start to censor what I'd write on this website so I think I'll skip (Phew they all say!). Have a lovely time.

You mail me your dates Suew and we'll work round it as none of us three have anything definite yet. We'd love to see you!
Hmonty, that's a shame but it's entirely your right. You let us know if your curiosity gets the better of you by December. Otherwise we will just have to drink a toast to absent friends and the Mumsnet Antenatal Club.

I might be able to make it though I'll still be breastfeeding (shame about the wine!) number 2 - who should be 4 months old then. If you are talking Saturdays, I can only do 1 and 8 of Dec.

Great Pupuce, that makes nine of us already! I had the 8th December in mind as it happens. Not too close to Christmas but getting festive.
If it helps people who are concerned about their anonymity at all, I wasn't planning to publish a list of who's coming on Mumsnet or anything like that. And provided your e-mail address is different to your Mumsnet nickname, no-one's to know which member you are. You could turn up as Jane Smith and no-one would know that you are Supermummy or whatever here.
Even if there is a link, of course, mum's the word from my point of view.

What a fantastic idea, I'd love to except I'm a million miles away! However, was planning on going down to stay with friends for the weekend (nothing to do with christmas shopping in retail heaven or anything so calculated, you understand)and it was around that date I was thinking - so if at all possible,I'll try for then. Not sure if dd will be with me or whether my ever so kind mother will have her for 2 nights (yes, this is the same lizzer who was having a fit about leaving her overnight a few months back - my how things change!) So, with that in mind I have a lot of grovelling to do and I'll email you Marina if all goes according to my crazy plan. If not then I may hold a Northern version for us lot oop 'ere, anyone??!!!

What an excellent idea, but I work Saturdays so may not be able to make it (boo hoo hoo) but I can see if I can get some time off, but with it being close to the christmas period I doubt I'll have much luck!

OK, let's say 1st or 8th and see which is best for most people. Lizzer, why not come down anyway and THEN hold a Northern lunch as well? Tis the season to be merry.

Marina, I'd love to come but can't commit at the moment. When do you need to know numbers by?

A fantastic idea, guys! But a tad too far to travel from Australia!

Winnie, not til mid-November I would have thought, which is when I'll book the table. We started alerting people this early to give everyone lots of time to mull it over and make arrangements (or come up with a good excuse to get someone to babysit).
Chelle, I think that's a fairly feeble excuse

Marina, if you're booking a table, does that mean you are just planning on eating there, or are you going to go around the place? Would love to meet up for the meal only, as have done the tour. It would also be a good chance to go xmas shopping without hubby et co.

BTW Hmonty, I bet you've not said anything on here that you wouldn't have said at your NCT coffee morning, so don't worry about that!

No Tigger though, shame!

Well, I think holding two would be a great idea - any excuse for a party! But seriously does anyone have any idea's as to where the Northern bunch could meet up? It would be so good...

BTW I actually had a dream about this a few weeks ago, never thought it would happen though - spooky!

Chelle what a poor excuse.

Lil, we were just going to lunch rather than tour. Anyone still standing could go round afterwards of course...I am ashamed to say I have eaten there several times and still not done the tour. Is it good?
Lizzer, how about Leeds? It has good rail connections and HARVEY NICKS amongst loads of other good shops and restaurants. I've only visited a couple of times but thought it was great.

Yeah Marina, Leeds sounds good - about 2 hrs away from me - right now we need a date, anyone? (see how subtley I'm passing on all the hard work!)

That Chelle though, tut, honestly you'd think she'd make bit more of an effort....

PS Marina - how did you know the mention of Harvey Nicks (Amen) would influence me, are you sure you don't know who I am!!!

I might be being pursuade here. This does sound fun...Although I'll be the sad * in the corner nursing a nice glass of mineral water (oh for a non pregnant/breast feeding festive season...Haven't had one of those for so long!). Lil are you going? Maybe we could have an antenatal corner! BTW I don't do coffee mornings...Too busy working...although after No3 arrives that'll all change. Actually I finish my contract on the 21st December so you call all help me celebrate. Just have to pursuade hubbie to babysit now......Watch this space.

Lizzer, my parents live and shop in Cumbria. Workington's M & S is the big time for them. The mention of Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester or Leeds and their SHOPS set my mother drooling like Pavlov's dog. Promise I don't know who you are or where you live...just that all the bracken-clad fells in the world do not equal a well-stocked Clarins concession. Don't you think...
Over to the Northern League for setting up your own party and keep us posted. Just remember - you could always come to both.
Hmonty - result. Glad to hear we tempted you.

Hmonty, am definitely on for it, we'll have to sit in the corner and compare bumps - mind you if a sneaky glass of shiraz comes our way, I won't tell if you don't!!!

Ah-ha Marina, forgot about your parents connection to area and how well you know about the lack of shops round here - fortunately there is now a (small) Debenhams in Barrow in Furness just down the road, but that's about it! You should see me in Selfridges in the Trafford Centre, Manchester - I'm the one with drool hanging out of the side of my mouth and 'is she on drugs?' expression on face!
Y'know, if we were super efficient and a few years down the line technology wise, we could have held both meetings at the same time and had a live link up via web-cams....anyone willing to donate two? Perhaps we could apply for sponsors?!! (Perhaps this is where Lizzer gets wheeled off by men in white coats, ha-ha!)

Well, I think for a future meeting we should persuade the owners of Calcot Manor to put all of us up for a free luxury weekend, while their staff look after our children, with promises of VERY glowing reviews on mumsnet!