ROLL UP! ROLL UP! Midlands area Christmas Dinner/Get-together: Friday 3rd December

[LunarSea]

Midlands area Christmas Dinner is booked - please come along and join us.

Date: Friday 3rd December
Time: 8pm
Place: Bear Inn, Berkswell
Location: Close to J6 of M42, near the NEC - see map here
Cost: £19.99

Menu:

Roasted Cherry Tomato & Butternut 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 & Stilton 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
Mediterranean 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

Accomodation nearby: Travel Inn at Balsall Common - we should be able to fix transport to/from if people want to stay overnight.

HOWEVER... I do need deposits (£10 each) by next Thursday to confirm the booking. We may be able to add extra people on to the booking later, if they still have spaces, but no guarantees. I will also need your menu choices in advance of the meal (although not necessarily as early as next week.

Can anyone who wants to come either CAT me or send an email to
Midlands_Xmas AT mail2uk DOT com
and I'll get back to you with details of where to send cheques to.

Probables so far:
jampot (Solihull)
NomDePlume (Worcester)
GeorginaA (Worcester)
LunarSea (Leamington Spa)
Ailsa
Ronniebaby (Tamworth?)
MumtoLaura
whimsy (North Birmingham)
clary (Derby)
CHRIZ (South Birmingham)
Mum2girls (Coventry)
MadameButterfly (Burton?)
Lavender2 (Cambridge)

Bump

hi LS

thanks for sorting alll the arrangements for this xmas meet up really apprecaite it

tc look foward to it

Hi there,

I have replied to you email. I will be able to give ou a definite answer when DP gets home on Monday and I will send the cheque then (I remember to bring the cheque book with me).

BTW I now live in Aldridge.

I have just checked the link to the Travel Inn for 3rd December.

They don't have any rooms available for that night. Are there any other htels about that might have room?

MB - There's a B&B in Balsall Common which is the next village along from Berkswell (Berkswell station is actually more in Balsall Common than it is in Berkswell}. Or this one , or this , which is quite close to the station, or this .

If several people want lifts up to the Bear it will be easier if you all stay at the same place though!

Alternatively - there's a Premier Lodge by the Airport , or an Innkeepers Lodge on the A45 into Birmingham, or one at Meriden . I think there's also a Holiday Inn near the airport.

Right, The premier Lodge by the airport has a Double room available for that night £ 56.95.

Anyone fancy sharing?

Also the holiday inn Express by the NEC has a twin room for £79

TheInnkeepers Lodge has a Twin room available for £39.95.

Anyone interested in sharing, please can you let lunar sea know and I will give her my mobile number.

Bump. Have heard from MadameButterfly, MumtoLaura, GoerginaA and whimsy. Anyone else please can you mail for details of where to send deposits etc to midlands_xmas AT mail2uk DOT com

Hi there,

I have just spoken to DP and he has given me the all clear for coming and also to stay over.

I will sed the chq 1st class tomorrow.

Also I am going to book the room at the Innkeepers Lodge as it is the cheapest.

I have now booked the twin room at the Innkeepers Lodge.

Bump ... Calling jampot, NomDePlume, Ailsa, clary, CHRIZ, Mum2girls, Lavender2 and anyone else who wants to come along. Remember I need to know definate numbers by Thursday girls. Can you email midlands_xmas AT mail2uk DOT com so I can give you details re deposits. I have MB's phone number, which I will pass on if anyone wants to stop overnight and share a room.

I'll be there, will contact you about deposit. Have just texted NomdePlume to see if she is still going.

GeorginaA - I'll drive the Worcester gang, I don't particularly want to stay away overnight, so don't mind not drinking.

Oh fantastic Ailsa - I don't want to stay overnight either as ds2 is just too small for me to contemplate it yet (psychologically for me... he'd be fine!) I'm happy to pay my way or even pay all the petrol costs as long as you're happy driving.

Soz, just got back from weekend in Majorca.

LS really not sure, depends on bump etc, can I let you know much closer to the time, please xx

Hope all are well.

hi yes still coming thought i was paying the deposit to jampot at the meal next week the solihull one

hope you had a nice break there ronniebaby

tc all

I have posted my chq 1st class today

Bump ...

CHRIZ - It's too late for you to send the deposit for me to receive it today, but I am going to have to pay the deposits tonight so PLEASE don't forget next week.

jampot - can you give me a definate yay or nay, and we can sort out the money next week.

clary, Mum2girls and Lavender2 - can you get in touch (post here, or email midlands_xmas AT mail2uk DOT com) to say if you are still planning on coming along.

Anyone else in the Midlands area - I may still be able to get more places if you want to come along - in fact at the moment we have some spare as I've not had deposits/confirmations for all the places I'd provisionally reserved. Those guaranteed spare places will disappear tonight though if I can't pay a deposit to keep them, and there's no guarantee we'll be able to get them back later.

lunarsea, i'm really sorry, i've not been well (last week) and so didn't see threads on this.
All better now. Unfortunately this date clashes with DS1's school christmas disco and i really feel he will want to go so i don't think i can make it.
It's quite a lognway for me too (i'm not complaining as i can see it suits many of you to a tee and looks really nice as well.)
about this but another time.

hi there sorry must have got my wires crossed yes how much is it?

CHRIZ - deposit is £10, total cost of meal is £19.99 (the balance is payable on the day). As long as I know you are definately coming I'll keep the place, but I can't risk paying loads of non-refundable deposits and then finding we don't have the people to fill the places.

yay

Oh shame Clary.

I still cant confirm anything till zero hour, if I can get a space that close and can get there etc I'll come if not, I'll leave it.

I'm sure JP/LS/MB/Chrz will pop over in the new year to have a munch

I'll be back in the swing in the new year hopefully.

If I'm rambling ignore me, prego head

hi yes def coming

Yes ronniebaby would def like a munchie in the new year

tc ev1

Deposits sorted .... and we can add more as long as they still have space if anyone else wants to join in.