In Birmingham next tues 27th

[Paul Beazer]

Got a jolly out for work for the day, got a meeting at Birmingham international 11:00-15:00. Anyone in the area fancy meeting up for a coffee after?

They're even paying for me to bring my own car over from the island, joy. I havent done a long journey in mine since SM5!!!

[Nick Mann]

I'll be at work then! /pan Are you heading back the same day?

[Brunty]

Hmmm - I've a meeting in Oxford during the day, but might be able to join you for a chat and a coffee. What time do you need to be heading off?

[Paul Beazer]

My plan is to head back probably about 6 or thereabouts, as i dont fancy getting caught up in rush hour. Got an aunt to visit round the corner in solihull too!

[Nick Mann]

I finish work at 5. If you are around until 6 it might give enough time to meet for a coffee and chat.

Let me know your plans! I work not far from the M6 J6, so I guess I would come and meet you somewhere.

[Paul Beazer]

I finish work at 5. If you are around until 6 it might give enough time to meet for a coffee and chat.

Let me know your plans! I work not far from the M6 J6, so I guess I would come and meet you somewhere.
I've still got your moby number from when we last met (3 years ago next month), i'll drop you a text later on.

[ANTHONY]

and dont forget when you arrive in this country we drive on the left, you may have to fit headlight deflectors and fit a IOW stickers in the rear of your car. not to sure if you need a passport. have a nice day Paul /pan

[Paul Beazer]

and dont forget when you arrive in this country we drive on the left, you may have to fit headlight deflectors and fit a IOW stickers in the rear of your car. not to sure if you need a passport. have a nice day Paul /pan
Shut it you, its your mob im going to see in the first place!!

[ANTHONY]

its your mob im going to see in the first place!!could be in for a long day then

[Kieran]

Hmmm........:thinking:

I wonder if I can wrangle a 1/2 day....:thinking:

[pitslayer]

all i can say about birmingham, is dont go to the malt house, next to the nia, and seaworld, awfull beer, awfull food, awfull service.

[Brunty]

all i can say about birmingham, is dont go to the malt house, next to the nia, and seaworld, awfull beer, awfull food, awfull service.

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He seemed to think it was alright!

[Nick Mann]

The Malt House is a changeable beast. One day they will have a large selection of very good beer, the next they will have none.

The food is average, but not bad?

[pitslayer]

i had a pint of guiness that tasted like line cleaner.....then they told me the lines hadnt been cleaned for 4 weeks at least, then poured me another guiness of a different pump and said he wasnt going to charge me for it?

[Lillywotsername]

We went for lunch I think in the Malt house when we were last in Brum.... The wine was fine :D

Correct me if I have got the place wrong though Nick.

[pitslayer]

wine you cant go wrong with, they dont have to touch it.....the lines tasted either stale, not cleaned ina month, or of line cleaner...line cleaner is massively poisonous

[Vicky Mann]

Yep Lilly that is where we sampled some wine /drinkswine

The Malt House is usually a good pub; most of the lads I work with enjoy a pint or two there. Must have caught them on a bad day. As for the food, it is pretty much what is expected of a large pub.

[Lillywotsername]

I agree Vicky... The food was typical chain pub standard.

I know what you meant Pits.... I couldn't comment on the beer ( although Richy and Nick seemed to enjoy it) as I only drink wine and as I have done quite a few years of working in various pubs, I aware of the the toxicity of line cleaner.

As Vicky says... maybe you caught them on an off day.

[pitslayer]

lol....he stood there and told me and a mate that they hadnt cleaned the lines for 4 weeks at least.....its got to be doneonce a week, or it goes stale and tastes like beer thats been left out for 3 weeks open in the fridge, i cant be the only one who caught them on a bad day during the 3 weeks where the lines werent clean....

the steak sammidge i had, was very chewy and burnt to a crisp, i like it medium rare, and ordered it medium rare

should of drunk wine, but i prefer fine red wines, dont drink white wine, and the moat house had no decent wines by the glass

[Nick Mann]

Like I said, usually they have a good range of reasonable beer. I know many people who have been there for food & drink, including guinness, and then only complaint I have heard is that they had run out of guest beers. I myself have been there 8-10 times and have never had a bad experience.

They do very good BBQ's on the towpath in the summer.

[SGHOM]

They do very good BBQ's on the towpath in the summer.

Isn't it better to use a grill ?? :speechles /pan

[Brunty]

Birmingham has some great nightlife - but it's too focussed on bars and nightclubs, there is a lack of quality pubs in and around the city centre IMHO.

Pitslayer - depending when you were in Birmingham there are definately better places to go to around Brindley Place and especially a short walk away (BTW: I've suspected Clinton's aides chose the Malt House because of the photo opportunity and ability to attract a large crowd, not the quality of the beer - Mitterand was the coolest world leader present, he walked up and down Broad Street waving to people in the bars!).

Anyway Birmingham International and Birmingham's National Indoor Arena are miles apart so I doubt Paul will stumble upon the Malt House this visit.

Paul: PM your mobile and I'll give you a call on the day if I can get to meet up with you.

[pitslayer]

brunty, we just stopped in there for a pint and some food, whilst waiting for part 2 of the porn convention to start......that was a good day, lots of boobies+beer+no one caring about you staring at said boobies=rock

[Nick Mann]

Back on topic, where is the proposed meet to be? If I can get away from work a bit early, I would be up for a cup of tea somewhere? One place which would be good for Pauls return journey would be J15 of the M40. There is a large chain pub (can't remember which one) just off the roundabout, 2nd exit from the top of the southbound slip road. It would mean no getting out of Brum in the rush hour for Paul?

[Brunty]

Saxon Mill? - You'd have to go through Warwick to get there though.

[Nick Mann]

Just looked it up - The Porridge Pot

http://www.google.co.uk/maps?f=l&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=pub&near=longbridge&sll=52.259858,-1.608467&sspn=0.023378,0.05785&ie=UTF8&ll=52.268893,-1.606407&spn=0.046747,0.1157&z=13&om=1

Literally within a few hundred metres of the M40. I wouldn't go through Warwick to get there unless I fancied a drive!

[pitslayer]

porridge pot sounds tasty.........but i dont like porridge

[Paul Beazer]

anyone still up for this, where ever is best for all to meet, Warwick is a bit of a drive for you nick.

[Brunty]

Right, my boss cancelled tomorrows meeting, which means I'm in central Birmingham all day rather than being out on the road. Will make it tougher to justify coming out to meet you (wherever that may be) so I'll have to play it by ear.

[Nick Mann]

1/2 an hour from the Porridge Pot to my house.
The only problem I have is the time!

[Nick Mann]

Permission to start and finish early tomorrow has been granted! I will be at work for 06:00 to finish at 15:00.

I'll give you a call tonight Paul!

[Paul Beazer]

Ok chaps, you have my mobile, let me know.

Paul

[Nick Mann]

Senta text, Paul, to see if you are still up, but no reply. Going to bed now, as I am getting up at 5 in the morning! Give me a call during the day and tell me where to meet you!

[Paul Beazer]

Senta text, Paul, to see if you are still up, but no reply. Going to bed now, as I am getting up at 5 in the morning! Give me a call during the day and tell me where to meet you!
Was in bed by the time you sent that!

[Nick Mann]

I was on my way to work when you replied to it! /pan

[Brunty]

Nice to meet you yesterday Paul - hope you had a safe (and swift) journey back home.

[Paul Beazer]

Cracking to meet Nick, Vicky and Steve on tuesday. Must try and drag my sorry ass to a proper meet next year....

Was getting Petrol outside of Oxford on the A34 in less than 25mins after i left you, mwahahahaha!
Was at the ferry terminal in an hour and 50 mins, an average speed of 72mph including a petrol stop and random motorway closure in portsmouth, not bad i thought.
Sadly the next ferry was 00:30, so i finally hit the hay at 01:20! Zzzzzz

[Nick Mann]

Glad you enjoyed it!

Brunty deciding I was travelling too slowly on the way back up the M40 turned into a bit of fun! Facelift Legnums do look good at night on the motorway, doing a 'flyby'!!

[ANTHONY]

/ttiwwop

[Nick Mann]

What pictures? We met in a dodgy pub car park in the dark! /pan ;)

[Paul Beazer]

What pictures? We met in a dodgy pub car park in the dark! /pan ;)
No never, pub what, together? No not us, Nick who? What elephant?

[Nick Mann]

I don't know?

What Elephant?

[ANTHONY]

What pictures? We met in a dodgy pub car park in the dark! /pan ;)well that hasn't stopped you before