UK Steampunks! I propose a Banquet!

[Gazongola]

Any ideas? I just want an excuse to stuff myself silly.

[stockton_joans]

capital idea sir, i propose london for the location due to is easy accesability from all corners of this great nation and a suitably steamy venue needs to be found

[Doctor When]

London? Easy access from all over the UK? Surely some mistake... for the most fair and equal location, somewhere in the Midlands would be the most appropriate.

[Mr Peter Harrow, Esq]

Yes, London only has easy access from all over London, but only if the tubes and buses are running (which they do not most weekends). The temptation to suggest something in your own back yard because it is familiar and personally convenient for you is always overwhelming.

I might suggest the Master Cutlers Hall here in Sheffield, I have been to banquets there before, but
I am sure there are similar venues in Birmingham which are far more genuinely accessible than either London or Sheffield.

It might be advisable to research speciality banqueting companies and ask them to suggest a venue, and get costs. I am sure adding a Steampunk banquet to their normal fare might appeal to some but it won't be cheap.

[Gazongola]

I don't expecti ti to be cheap, but if we can aim at about £50 per person. I am talking about those decadent medieval all you can eat with your fingers jobbies.

[Rosel]

I don't expecti ti to be cheap, but if we can aim at about £50 per person. I am talking about those decadent medieval all you can eat with your fingers jobbies.

How about the Sheriff's table in Nottingham ? easy access, dressing up encouraged and lots of food.

[ladyelsie]

Rosel et al. I think the Sheriffs Table is now closed along with the tails of Robin Hood. I have been to a few 'medieval Banquets' at various locations including Warwick Castle and Hatfield house . They were fun but not Medieval more like fancy dress chicken in a basket with cheap booze. There is a restaurant in Nottingham called 1877, www.restaurant1877.com ,looks amazing. They advertise private dinning.  We could ask for a Victorian inspired menu. So how many ? The major and I . Lady Elsie.

[Sir A Poiselamppe]

Food and Booze wherever it is count me in....

[Mr Peter Harrow, Esq]

Bog standard 3 course rubber chicken banquets usually come in for around the £40 mark, £50 per diner is therefore unlikely to cover the additional cost of the more unusual fare required, or for additional courses. Ideally a banquet using the recent Heston Blumenthal Victorian dinner party menu as a guide would be what I would be thinking of, definitely not cheap.

I think Lady Elsie is right about the banqueting venue attached to the Tales of Sherwood Forest. For cost I would eschew the banquet, perhaps look towards steampunk afternoon tea instead. I dimly remember Mark Steel on "I have never see Star Wars" on radio 4 taking proper afternoon tea at the Cafe Royal/ Savoy/ similar, at about £29 per head, but the spread was impressive. Maybe check the high end venues afternoon tea menus and steampunk it, and see if a catererwould do it for us at a reasonable cost.

[Gazongola]

No no! We must have a banquet!

[ladyelsie]

Good morning tous la monde, I will contact 1877 in Nottingham and enquire how much a Victorian banquet a'la Heston would be. When I report back we will need numbers and date. Lady Elsie.

[Doctor When]

decadent medieval all you can eat with your fingers jobbies.

That's "Hollywood movie", not "Medieval", you're thinking of

[Mr Peter Harrow, Esq]

I often use medieval as as contraction of mediocre and evil, which does often perfectly describe Hollywood, so we are both right Dr.

Costing makes sense, if it is £100 a head you are going to get relatively few takers, and I wouldn't be surprised if it came close to that mark especially for a non standard menu, and the less takers usually the higher cost for everyone else. Then there is the drink, there would have to be lots of it and that will be an additional cost.

[Herr Döktor]

Registering an interest.


AKA Any excuse for a knees-up.

Herr Döktor

[Alexander Edmund Clough]

Afternoon Tea at the Ritz STARTS at £37 per person, with a glass of champagne weighing in at £16, and the dress code is Jacket & Tie for gentlemen - costuming with props would be a no-no, correct victorian attire would probably be OK.

Booking is required, up to 12 weeks in advance.

The afternoon tea menus can be found here: http://www.theritzlondon.com/pdfmenus/PALM%20COURT%20menu.pdf

[Skinner]

Chaps, really I think we might be better looking at a pub/restaurant, then the portions will be, yeh know, decent sized. Fer humans. With stomachs. If we can find one with some interesting decor we'd fit in a treat. Or near some other venue, make a day of it.

After a quick scour, I came up with this treat: http://www.victorianrestaurantattheprincealbert.co.uk/
Have a gander. First thing that struck me was the "largest antique brass collection in Britain". Tis simply fated!
Prices for Sunday Roast aren't too bad, neither. Three course meal and coffee is £14.95 per person... wait, can that be right?

I mean, I know I'm a fresh faced young whipper snapper but, what d'yeh think, Gents? (and Lassie, sorry M'lady Elsie)

[Pheobsky]

Just to throw a suggestion out there- but if we found a few willing people and a suitable place, perhaps we could cook ourselves a banquet?
Alternately if everybody bought a dish and/or ingredients to make it there? This'd work out a lot cheaper and from experiences of doing this before, I can vouch for its successfullness! (you do tend to end up with more pudding than main course though...but personally I don't see this as a bad thing)

[Mr Peter Harrow, Esq]

Spam sculptures are my speciality,(I make them for the Sheffield SF Group Hogswatch night party) they make a nice but often rude centerpiece (all pink, meaty and wobbling), I would be happy to make one for a banquet.

[Doctor When]

...perhaps we could cook ourselves a banquet?

Been there. Done that. Still have nightmares about the washing up. Not for me!

There's plenty of big Victorian pubs in central Birmingham I can speak to, but that's only if the concensus is for a central location with excellent transport links, good beer and cheap hotels...

[TimeTinker]

What about the Old Joint Stock in their panelled back room?

[Angharad V. Setherwood]

The metropolis of Birmingham would be good for me; though the Prince Albert in Bexleyheath also sounds like a fine establishment.

I also am a new recruit to this fine telegraph exchange, so I shall bow to the decision of the longer-standing members.

[Doctor When]

What about the Old Joint Stock in their panelled back room?

Advantages:	Disadvantages:
Good, well kept real ales	Funny looks from the usual clientele
Excellent sausages	Not steam powered
Pleasant Victorian-styled room
Fantastic vaulted ceiling in main pub
Central location, literally minutes from Snow Hill Station
Pies
Close to Dr. When
Minutes away from a bronze statue of Her Majesty Queen Victoria (God Bless Her)
Opposite a graveyard

Yup. I agree with Tinker.

[Skinner]

My Good Doctor, it's the funny looks from the Clientele that we -strive- for! I -delight- in them!

[TimeTinker]

Unfortunately we are starting to lose the shock value in the Old Joint Stock.  Even my best pith helmet with goggles hardly raised an eyebrow last week and Lady Elsie was in full bustle gown too.

A good dinner there could be the sort of regular social that people seem to be asking for.

[Doctor When]

Unfortunately we are starting to lose the shock value in the Old Joint Stock.

So next time, we take a Tesla coil with us.