midlands venue vote

He's probably right, unfortunately. Too many unemployed, bored teenagers with nothing to do hanging round on the streets and getting up to no good. Heywood has mobile CCTV so they can focus on street crime hotspots bcause of all the vehicle offences.

Hubby`s family all still live there, but I don`t really enjoy going over there, and hubby hates leaving his car unattended.

number before I retired, I managed a bail hostel for women in Heywood. I agree, Heywood has deteriorated over the years. Some beautful countryside on the outskirts, but a deprived town with many problems and high crime rates.

We lived in Heywood till coming over here in 1977, and even Heywood has changed quite a lot, and not really for the better.

Bet the place has changed quite a bit since I was last there [early 70's!]. My ex studied at Salford Uni [in the old Brylcreem factory]. We lived at Eccles and then Worsley. Manchester has been blown up and rebuilt since then!

Manchester or thereabouts will probably be the venue for the NW meet-up. So will keep you informed. crimson.

Thanks anno; probably not going oop north again till next year, though. This is such a nostalgia fest..a meeting in, say, Manchester would take me back to student days!

crimson, you can come to the North West meet-up when we get it organised. Love to have you and Derby isn't too far away.

Had there been a direct train to Glasgow when I was oop north I would possibly have invited myself to the Glasgow meet up and, if I was oop north at the time of the Edinburgh one would invite myself to that also; I don't think it's a regional meet up as such, just a case of picking a convenient place for peope to travel to at that moment in time. I'm East Midlands as well, so I'll be travelling from Derby.

I don't think anyone has said which part of the Midlands you have to come from! Come one come all. If we were to be strictly geographical I know we would lose some from the SW so we don't want to do that! I am sure we all look forward to meeting you number

I`m EAST Midlands, can I still come?

More Latin?

But of course we are Grannybug! It seems almost everyone coming either hails from the Midlands or has happy memories of the region, ergo we are all lovely!

I am looking forward to meeting such an interesting bunch of people in October. Have loved all the chat about wearing purple ( reminds me of the song by Gogol Bordello ' start wearing purple' ) etc. What a lovely lot you are and I am glad I joined GN. happy days

I thought it was self service at the tearooms. if that's the case we pay as we go along. Or have I got it wrong?

Oh, it's got to be individual bills please. We sometimes go out for a meal with a group of the S.O.'s old college friends, and they always eat and drink far more than we do and then just split the bill [and most of them are far richer than we are . It makes us feel very awkward.

Don't suppose it matters much one or two either way. Its not as if we are pre-booking the meal and will have to pay for no-shows is it? How are we going to pay grace, will it be individual bills? I don't care what we do but don't want to be in one of those situations where people argue about the bill and who had what!

Perhaps you could ask GNHQ to be sure?

Good point, jeni!! I think I might have invented her or she could be my invisible friend - a conflation of OGM/eGJ/JessM??
So.... I'll delete her - if you are out there eGM - please speak now!!

Are you sure we have a eGM?

Bumping this up so that you can see the list (?) I have so far - please check!!!

glitabo
petallus
helmar
eGM
eGJ
jessM
grannybug
jeni
grrrranny
crimson
Barrow
maniac
numberplease
OGM
susiecb
bookdreamer
nanadogsbody
AlisonMA
yummygran
myself
That seems to be 20
Have I missed anybody out?
If so, please add, cut and paste to a new post. I have booked for 20 but could ask them to increase/decrease places nearer the time as long as I give a litle bit of notice.
Whew!

Please count me in too, I've got it in my diary now, looking forward to it

Heavy [groan] emoticon!

Haven't gone yet...love the last groan!