September social

[Peter Corlett]

Hello, fellow camel-fondlers,

I haven't made an announcement for the upcoming social on the 5th of September
because I've not booked or even selected a pub yet! I'd like to offer up my
shortlist for you to vote and/or comment on.



King's Arms, SE1 1YT (London Bridge):
http://london.randomness.org.uk/wiki.cgi?King%27s_Arms,_SE1_1YT

This is a nice little boozer that I blundered into on Thursday. It does a
cracking pint of Harvey's. And unlike all of the pubs around Borough Market, it
was not only not utterly rammed, but quiet and pleasant.

The downside: They don't normally do food in the evening. I understand they
could come to an arrangement.



The Sultan, SW19 1BN (Collier's Wood)
http://london.randomness.org.uk/wiki.cgi?Sultan,_SW19_1BT

This is my local :)

An excellent pub, and the only Hop Back pub in London. In six years of drinking
there, I've had exactly one "bad" pint. Or rather, one that was merely OK
rather than perfect. Permanent fixtures are Hop Back's GFB, Summer Lightning,
Entire Stout. There's a rotating "guest" which is either a Hop Back or Downton
Brewery ale.

As to the downsides: again, it has no food, although the regulars just seem to
bring in bags of fried things from the chippy down the road. The other major
downside is that it is way out in south London in Zone 3.

While I'm not convinced of its suitability for a social, some of the other
London.pm folk have said that they would come to a social here. It's probably a
better choice for a random mid-month weekend social.



The Melton Mowbray, EC1N 2LE (Chancery Lane)
http://london.randomness.org.uk/wiki.cgi?Melton_Mowbray,_EC1N_2LE

A fairly typical Fullers Ale and Pie house in central London. The location's
right and it does beer and food.

This pub was suggested to me because the "First Thursday" science fiction group
meets there, and there is a bit of an overlap between our groups.
http://news.ansible.co.uk/london.html has some information. They even have a
funky "not always the first Thursday" system that puts me in mind of our
Orthodox/Heretics system. So we'd be going and gatecrashing them.

Gatecrashing is hardly unknown to London.pm, although it's usually random
people crashing us! So this idea appeals to me somewhat.



The Gunmakers (Farringdon):

We know it well. Are we sick of it yet?



So, feedback? Otherwise you're probably getting the Gunmakers again.