The twenty-fourth Bristol Splunch will take place on Saturday, 17th August 2019 from 2:00pm - 7:00pm in Horts Bar, 49 Broad Street, Bristol, BS1 2EP, and for those who are still peckish/thirsty later at some eatery/watering hole elsewhere in or near the city. This is a vanilla meet; all over 18 from anywhere are welcome, and entry is free. I might even buy your first drink. What is it? It's a 'vanilla' pub social meet - drink, chat, meet'n'greet, listen, learn, advise, offer opinions, discuss substances, etc, make friends, maybe arrange a session. This is usually followed by a meal in the evening, and an outdoor mud session the following day; always subject to the bl**dy weather. If I can answer any more questions, I'll be delighted to help; and in any event to welcome you to the Splunch. How do I get there? Broad Street is about twenty minutes walk from Bristol Temple Meads railway station, easily accessible from almost anywhere in the country, and there are several car parks nearby. From the railway station exit, turn right along Temple Gate to the roundabout, cross over onto Victoria Street, continue over the river bridge into High Street, and bear gently left into Broad Street as High Street turns to the right into Wine Street. Horts Bar is about one hundred yards down on the right. From the bus/coach station, exit onto Whitson Street, left into Lower Maudlin Street, cross Lewins Mead to Rupert Street and turn right. After about two hundred yards, turn left into Christmas Street, cross Quay Street and through the stone archway into Broad Street. Horts Bar is about fifty yards up on the left. For those driving, at the bottom of the M32/Newfoundland Street, turn right onto Bond Street, take the first exit at the roundabout into The Haymarket, turn left into Bridewell Street, left into Nelson Street, right into Halifax Street and into the multi-storey on All Saints' Street - only £5 for the whole day, and closer than any other one. Please note that many roads in Bristol are subject to a 20mph speed limit; the previous mayor, who introduced the limit, was caught speeding. To get to the bar, from All Saints' Street, turn right into Pithay, right into Tower Lane, left into Newmarket Avenue, and right onto Broad Street - the bar is a few yards down on the right. (Politically correct notice other car parks are available in Bristol.) For those flush enough (or subsidised) flying into Bristol (Lulsgate) Airport, take the Airport Flyer bus service to the bus/coach station and proceed as above from there. Hotels the usual chains are readily available: All prices are for a double room. Premier Inn, Lewins Mead (approx a half mile from £78); Premier Inn, Haymarket (next to the bus station, approx a half mile: from £78); Premier Inn, King Street (approx a half mile: full); Premier Inn, Finzels Reach (approx. a third mile from £80); Hotel Ibis, Temple Quay (approx a half mile from £85); Hotel Ibis, Anchor Road (approx a half mile from £114); Travelodge, Anchor Road (approx a half mile: from £108); Travelodge, Mitchell Lane (approx a half mile from £80); Holiday Inn, Bond Street (approx 1 mile from £114); Holiday Inn Express, Temple Gate (approx three-quarter mile from £97); Novotel, Victoria Street (approx a half mile from £127); and Mercure Brigstow, Welsh Back (approx a quarter mile from £126); Hampton by Hilton, Bond Street (approx a half mile full). For those hotels that are not available for Saturday only, rooms seem to be readily available for two-night stays, either Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday nights at very reasonable rates. Other hotels are available; check laterooms.com or trivago or similar sites, or check the out-of-town hotels from the above chains. Dinner - please let me know if you'd like to stay for dinner on Saturday evening; it's likely to be Chinese or Indian unless there's an overwhelming vote for something else. I'll be hoping to do an outdoor mud shoot on the Sunday (always subject to mud and the bl**dy weather and availability of models and sober drivers). If you have any further questions, post them here or pm me. Mike.
A further update as numbers slowly increase and more people confirm, and add their names to the dinner list. I'm still waiting to hear from a number of possibles, so the throng could yet grow larger
A last update as numbers slowly increase and more people confirm, and add their names to the dinner list. I'm still waiting to hear from a number of possibles, so the group could yet grow larger
Definites & Probables
Cio-Cio & Godfarter3 CWUK Falkor & Custard GorgeousGeorge Iain-ecgunge Janet & Nick Messylaura & Mordicus (D) Nina-jay UKfun + 1 Vicguk (D) Wamadeus (D) and me, Mike Nomic. (D)
I'd like to say a big thank you to those who came to the meet, the diehards, the occasional visitors, and the two Bristol newbies alike, for making it the meet that it was. I hope you all enjoyed yourselves; I think I got to chat to everyone, some only briefly, others for longer, on a wide range of subjects. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible, especially returning newbies, at future Bristol and other meets.
Those who made it were: -
Christian Cio-Cio & Godfarter3 Falkor and Custard Iain-ecgunge ItalianSpanker Janet and Nick Kapitan Kitty Messylaura and Mordicus vicguk Wamadeus ... and me, Mike Nomic.
It was good to see turnout return to higher levels, and I look forward to the trend continuing
There were a lot (19) of no-shows, in addition to the notified ones, a great disappointment.
There was no mud shoot on Sunday due to a lack of scouting and suitable models. Have I retired from shooting by default? The next Bristol date is 16th May 2020. Prayers for good weather will be gratefully received, actual attendance also.