All those in favour of a Midlands Xmas Bash this year????

[jampot]

Please register your numbers here so we can get an idea of venue/cost/etc

hi yes

the dec dates are ok with me fri or sat NEC way sounds fine for me too

Theres me sort of comitting to coming, that is if I can fit behind the sterring wheel or if I havent dropped early

Ls - I been to a few pubs by me recently and they all have xmas menu's out already, OMG its only October F.G.S.

Call in at the Heron's Nest - and no Christmas menu (or at least they had one for Christmas Day, but that was all) - so looks like they are sticking to their no pre-booking thing. I saw exactly the same at another Vintage Inn last week, so guess it's across the whole group - which rules out both the Little Owl and the Bulls Head. I'll take dh out for a drink around there tonight and explore what else we can find in the area!

hi lunarsea

thanks for enquring for us ,hope u find something

Ok - I take it back..... drove over to the Little Owl and the Bulls Head tonight and they ARE both doing Christmas meals, starting from 1st December, they just didn't have the menus out yet.

Anyway, the menu is the same at either: Soup of the Day (served with a wedge of bloomer bread) OR Breaded Mushrooms (Served deep-fried with a creamy garlic dip)

Traditional Roast Norfolk Turkey with Victoria Plum Stuffing (Served with cheddar mash, freshly steamed vegetables, a bacon-wrapped sausage and a rich gravy)

Traditional Christmas Pudding (Served with Brandy Sauce)

Cost is £12 at the Little Owl (map here , or £12.50 at the Bulls Head (which is marginally further away from the motorway/International station).

Or if you fancy something with a bit more choice, and slightly smarter/more interesting menu, I also checked out the Bear at Berkswell (not too far south of J6 on the M42 - see map here ). Menu there is more expensive, at £19.99, but is as follows:

Roasted Cherry Tomato & Butternu Squash soup laced with Basil (served with half a crusty baguette & butter) OR Smoked Salmon, Creme Fraiche & Crab Parcel (served with brown bread and butter) OR Warm Salad of Crispy Duck, Walnuts, Spinach & Pomegranate (with a balsamic raspberry vinaigrette) OR Port & Stitlton Rarebit (garnished with cherry tomatoes)

Traditional Turkey & Honeyed Ham (served with sage & onion stuffing, bacon, chipolata sausage, cranberry & bread sauces)
OR
8oz Sirloin Steak with Bearnaise sause
OR
Fresh Haddock set on Walnut & Stilton crushed new potatoes (garnished with wilted herbs, capers, cherry tonmatoes and rocket pesto)
OR
Half a Roast Duckling (served with a winter berry and cassis sauce)
OR Miditerranean style roasted Vegetables, Spinach & Brie Calzone (a folded pizza parcel filled with vegetables, olives, spinach & cheese)

All served with a selection of fresh seasonal vegetables

Christmas Pudding & Brandy Sauce OR Festive Berry Pavlova OR Tarte au Citron (served with a raspberry coulis)

Coffee, mini mince pies & Bittermints

Which do you fancy girls? Either way they'd want a £10 deposit to make the booking, and would want choices of meals up front (though not necessarily at the time of booking).

The menu's sound fine with me and the cost isn't that bad (atleast not compared to the horrific cost of my works bash) Haven't checked out the locations but from what I can gather they're nr main roads / motorways so I should be able to find you all!

On a less positive note, I can't make the weekend of 3rd / 4th December as we're going to Oasis in Cumbria. It's been booked for months & we're sharing with friends so I can't drop out I could do the last weekend in Nov or the second weekend in Dec but please don't change any plans on my behalf (goodness hope that doesn't sound too self centred - it's not meant too )

hello all
Lunarsea great research, thanks duck (as they say round here).
Don't go changing dates on my account but Saturdays mean I have to get a babysitter beause of football. However, why not? I mean, grandma can come for a pre-christmas visit.
But if so I need to do some planning and liaison so let's decide soon.
Fridays are generally fine for me tho as luck would have it it's the school christmas disco on fri dec 3. agree weekend is best. Bearing in mind what Petesmum says what does everyone think?

The Bear at Berkswell is absolutely brilliant - i vote for that one!!!!!!

I lkie the Bear better too jampot - but I wanted to give people the option due to higher price, and being slightly further away from the motorway. Of course if we have any vegtarians that settles the issue as the Bear has veggie options, but the Little Owl doesn't.

Im a veggie

not really

LS - excellent.

As to the place The bear sounds great, but I would only eat the main course & pud as I dont like any of the starters.

I can do the 3 etc, but the following week would be a bit to close for comfort for me. As Clary & Pmum said, dont change things on my account.

Dh will be a bit miffed if I go out on the sat, but hey.

I'll leave it up to you guys, just n case I cant make it, put me as a provisional/possible.

Hope you all had a good weekend

Jampot, I was just about to post, you liar you aint veggie, then read the next posting, cheeky

bump... your votes please.

And anyone else is still welcome to sign up too of course.

The Bear menu looks lovely. Any of the suggested dates are fine for me, but I would prefer a Friday night to a Saturday night.

I'm in Worcester, the Bear sounds great. I fully intend to stay over somewhere locally, so that I can drink and head home sober the next day

The Bear is fine by me....I've been looking through this thread and am I right in saying the date is still to be decided?

The Bear sounds great, although I will probably head back same night as ds2 is only 5 months old and although he would be fine, I'M not quite up to leaving him overnight yet!

hi just missed your post fri nite lunarsea

thanks for all the hard work finding us a location

i,ll say yes to the bear never been there but it sounds and looks great to me

what date we gonna agree on?

had a busy weekend work is starting on the new kitchen and been working on the potty training with madam

tc chat soon

Fridays seem to be the favourite. So it's looking like it might well end up being 3rd December as both places did say that bookings for the 1st week of Dec were ok, but they had plenty for the week after.

NdP - I'll have a look round for places nearby doing reasonably accomodation. There's definately a Travel Inn at Balsall Common , which I'd pass going to/from Berkswell so could pick up/drop off if you like, or there's an Innkeepers Lodge near the NEC - I'll try to think of anything nearer.

hi yes can do fri the 3rd of dec there

hope that helps

3rd December okay here.

I can make 3rd December.

Heard from MadameB today she's gonna be able to access t'internet this week, so she'll post on here.

As I said dont count me in, I'll have to wait and see what's occuring etc closer to the date.

Driving might be uncomfortable or just about doing anything might be.

Hope all are well.

Sorry I can't make the 3rd as we're away. Hope you all have a great time.