Future Meet-Up Ideas & Planning Thread

As there was a lot of talk this weekend about ideas for future meets, it's a good idea to start to think about what we'd like to do as a group this and into next year.

I'm up for a lot of what was said in Manchester, like a joint Blackpool meet, a Halloween Whitby meet and a camping meet. One that I brought up was doing a Rock night where we can hit the rock clubs of the north (We're going to go to Jilly's one day ) though I'm not sure this kind of meet will be for everybody but doesn't mean everyone isn't welcome to come. I know we have meet up for peoples birthdays before but maybe we should try and have gettogethers for all members b'days.

I'm guessing that this thread shouldn't be just about joint meets, so any idea for both NW/NE or joint meets are welcome.
Now over to you guys


(Might be a good idea to make this a sticky thread)

Camping in the Lakes sounds great:

http://www.cumbria-the-lake-district.co.uk/

There are theme parks we could invade- Lightwater Valley in Yorkshire or Alton Towers in Staffs:

http://www.lightwatervalley.co.uk/

http://www.altontowers.com/themepark/

Durham is a nice city to visit, especially in the summer. Have a nice walk around the river and there?s the cathedral and castle too:

http://www.durhamtourism.co.uk/home.html

Northumberland has some nice coastline- Holy Island, Seahouses and Bamburgh. There?s also inland Northumberland, with Alnwick (has a massive 2nd hand bookshop called Barter Books, which is quite famous), Kielder Water (huge man-made reservoir), Cragside (with Cragside House and the grounds of the estate which are gorgeous in the summer), Hadrian's Wall and I?m sure there are some nice walking areas up there too:

http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/VG/

There?s Beamish Museum in Chester le Street (which is a little pricey, but it?s a day out)

http://www.beamish.org.uk/

There?s Newcastle (obviously!) with its shops, galleries/museums (Baltic, Discovery Musuem, Centre for Life, Laing Art Gallery, etc), nightlife (Legends rock club and Trillians rock pub!) and the Metro Centre close by:

http://www.newcastlegateshead.com/cityguideIndex.php?

http://www.metrocentre-gateshead.co.uk/

Yorkshire- Scarborough/Whitby/York

http://www.yorkshirenet.co.uk/

It?d be great to have a big meet in the NE and have a group photo taken at the Angel too?..

Cool, never thought about a theme park meet. I'd be up for going to either

And I'd like to do more NE things as well, since I haven't been up that way before. And it's not fair you guys coming down to NW all the time.

Hopefully any future job I get will free up my weekends making it easier to do more meets.

More ideas...

Alnwick Castle (used externally as Hogwarts, oooooh):

http://www.alnwickcastle.com/

Alnwick Garden (again, more of a summer thing, as it?s all outdoors and it has a gorgeous treehouse):

http://www.alnwickgarden.co.uk/

Leeds was a good day out- with shopping, The Armouries etc:

http://www.itchyleeds.co.uk/

Bradford- National Museum of Photography, Film & Television is v good and takes up a few hours:

http://www.visitbradford.com/

Wow. So many ideas of what to do in the future.

I hope these are gonna be spaced out over the years. I don't think my wallet would cope otherwise

They all look great Suzi

We should do something for European Capital of Culture 2008 (which will be held in Liverpool) - http://www.liverpool08.com/

Plus if you want to be taken on a Magical Mystery Tour, then I'm your man - http://www.visitliverpool.com/site/liverpool-in-a-day/beatles

Chester should be good for shopping and history - http://www.visitchester.com/chester/home

Not sure if anyone's into industrial history but there is a few places over the NW that might be of interst - http://www.industrialpowerhouse.co.uk/attractions.asp
Also I wouldn't mind going to the National Railway Museum in York - http://www.nrm.org.uk/home/home.asp

And if anyone up for a walk, then the NW has a few - http://www.visitenglandsnorthwest.com/walking/showMap.asp?County=lancashire





It does now seem that Wigan Pier is still open (I heard that the site was to be redeveloped) - http://www.wlct.org/Tourism/Wiganpier/wiganpier.htm

A lot of Very good idea's to choose from there Ill be attending York while most of you attend Celebration Europe in July
so Theres a York mini Meet !

We have talked about having a Camping event before and it sounds like a Great Idea Ill be up for it !

The Whitby Goth Weekend http://wgw.topmum.co.uk/
Its a Good weekend held Twice a year (Its NOT just for goths )The accom is ALWAYS fully booked up But there is a local Camp site within 5 minutes of the Abbey, The Music is Good and so is the night life.

Another good place to visit is Knaresbrough Near York http://www.knaresborough.co.uk/

All sounds nifty ... I am up for it all lol. All at once. Right now!

Can we go again already?

Seriously, I am keen to do any meets we can - will check out Lancaster for stuff to do. And I am keen to go to Whitby and York again. Don't think the Goth weekend will be the best time, let em have it. We can do it another weekend.

I suggested a Lindisfarne chill-out weekend, and maybe at some point a trip to Dublin for anyone who can make it over to the NW to get a superseacat across.

Dave - you better get to CE or we are so gonna put something explosive in that pipe of yours lol You can't miss this meet, seriously.

Ps - will do some Newcastle/Middlesbrough meets and what about our joint one with FF-UK Scotland in either Edinburgh or Glasgow?

Tim Id like to make it to Ce But Work now rules my life

Is anyone still interested in doing paintball - http://www.paintballnorthwest.co.uk/ - http://www.pbmania.co.uk/?gclid=CPPLyofr8ooCFQ7tlAod-XaOlA

Oh Sie, I looked up stuff on Liverpool's rock scene but didn't find much though I do know of two places that ain't bad: Roadkill bar which is next door to the L'pool's Fab Cafe and the Krazy House

I'm up for visiting anywhere that's rock, mate!

Cool, I'm up for seeing what rocking on your side

Aye. We need at least one night to rock about.

My apologies for scuppering our night of rock last weekend!

Well, in Newcastle we have Legends club:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=81610815

Trillians rock pub:

http://www.trilliansrockbar.com/index.htm

Revolution at Newcastle Academy, but the last time I went there it was a bit too emo for my liking and I felt like the oldest person there!:

http://www.revolution-rocks.co.uk/

Middlesbrough has The Empire (although looking at the site, I can't see one advertised):

http://www.theempire.co.uk/home.html

Isn't your fault it was a long weekend, I don't think any of us had the energy to party hard
We just need to miss out the early morning and other activities if we plan on going to a club

I'm getting too old for these late nights you know...give me a cup of Horlicks and some knitting any day.....

Another few places I've thought of:

There are some nice areas of coastline around Tyneside- with North Shields on the north of the Tyne and South Shields on (yes, you've guessed it) the south of the Tyne. Both have various things to do including:

North Tyneside:

Tynemouth- smallish seaside town with a big flea/2nd hand market at the Metro station (my best mate has a stall there with SW figs etc), the Blue Reef Aquarium, nice beaches and Tynemouth Priory. There is also a small toy museum on the seafront- haven?t been in, but I?d imagine it?d have SW stuff!

South Tyneside:

South Shields has Arbeia Roman Fort & Museum, a fairground, Souter Lighthouse and Marsden Grotto (a nice restaurant set within the cliffs)

Seaburn (technically Sunderland):

Hosts Sunderland Air Show every July. Free airshow which lasts 2 days.

Back inland again:

Newcastle also hosts Europe?s largest travelling fair ?The Hoppings? in late June.

Jesmond Dene is a narrow wooded valley just outside the city centre and is a nice place to get away for a couple of hours and even have a picnic. It has a small zoo and a nice restaurant and there are often events on in the summer. There?s a small arts & crafts market there every Sunday too.

They all sound good, we really should do a joint meet up in the NE sometime soon .

My friend Lauren usually runs the metal night in the Empire's top floor, so we're good for there.

Just a thought, anyone fancy doing a festival next year?

Download or Leeds?

I wouldn't know, I'm a festival virgin

Awwww.

*pats Cozmic's head*

Suzi and I will train you up

I pledge myself to your teachings

As long as you have a 'Travel John' with you at a festival, you'll be fine

I'm almost afraid to ask what a Travel John is, and I've been to festivals