The Anniversary Herd needs your help please

Would Members feel happy about attending a Meet again?

  • Yes I feel ready for a Pub Meet

    Votes: 26 83.9%

  • No I don't feel ready for a Pub Meet

    Votes: 1 3.2%

  • I'm interested in a picnic in a park somewhere

    Votes: 16 51.6%
  • Total voters
    31
  • Poll closed .
Sorry but i don't really do sitting outdoors for a picnic unless its above 20C and guaranteed dry, may be we could find a pub or cafe with a covered / heated outdoor eating space (there are quite a few i Manchester and i am sure elsewhere). 🙂
 
I dont really do outdoors socialising either unless it's within sight of the toilets, IBS is quite limiting in that way especially if there is eating and drinking... I can manage an hour or two with starvation and a handful of pills but I get very nervous if I can't see the loo which makes it all worse of course lol...
 
PigglePuggle said:
I dont really do outdoors socialising either unless it's within sight of the toilets, IBS is quite limiting in that way especially if there is eating and drinking... I can manage an hour or two with starvation and a handful of pills but I get very nervous if I can't see the loo which makes it all worse of course lol...
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I laugh only because that's my entire life. I'm good with either indoors or outdoors however, especially if the weather's warmer than it is right now.
 
PigglePuggle said:
I dont really do outdoors socialising either unless it's within sight of the toilets, IBS is quite limiting in that way especially if there is eating and drinking... I can manage an hour or two with starvation and a handful of pills but I get very nervous if I can't see the loo which makes it all worse of course lol...
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I don't really like to be out of site of a loo either for similar reasons!
 
Lorcan said:
I laugh only because that's my entire life. I'm good with either indoors or outdoors however, especially if the weather's warmer than it is right now.
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I have no problem with outdoors-there's-the-toilets-just-over there :)
Unfamilar places with "oh I'm sure there were supposed to be toilets here but it looks like they are closed, there are some half a mile away?" is an all too familiar nightmare scenario!
I have a mind map of places I like, or dont like, based on public toilets. Colwyn Bay is great, public toilets both ends of the promenade plus a cafe in the middle and a pub by the station- nice service station with toilets half way there, 35 mins from home, sorted.
Lindisfarne... 2 toilet cubicles on the whole island? Half an hour's walk from the public carpark, 20 people queueing, after an hour's drive from the mainland services? Will never be going there again, although it was a lovely place it was rather hostile for the continence challenged!
 
PigglePuggle said:
I have no problem with outdoors-there's-the-toilets-just-over there :)
Unfamilar places with "oh I'm sure there were supposed to be toilets here but it looks like they are closed, there are some half a mile away?" is an all too familiar nightmare scenario!
I have a mind map of places I like, or dont like, based on public toilets. Colwyn Bay is great, public toilets both ends of the promenade plus a cafe in the middle and a pub by the station- nice service station with toilets half way there, 35 mins from home, sorted.
Lindisfarne... 2 toilet cubicles on the whole island? Half an hour's walk from the public carpark, 20 people queueing, after an hour's drive from the mainland services? Will never be going there again, although it was a lovely place it was rather hostile for the continence challenged!
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Been there - both Lindisfarne (thankfully in times before toilets were an issue although we needed a tearoom stop nearby as soon as were off the island) and planning any outings and trips around frequent toilet stops/availability of them for hub even more than me during any outings. Toilets and toilet stops have been our biggest issue during Covid...
 
I've walked into an Aldi before to ask if I could use the staff toilet because I was never gonna make it home fast enough otherwise. Can't imagine the pale, sweaty, clammy looking kid asking to use a non-public toilet looked great, but I was very grateful when the manager said yes.

My problem with toilets, however, comes with being trans. I dislike using toilets (unless they're unisex, and most aren't) for that reason. Doing so draws more attention than I'd like.
 
Lorcan said:
I've walked into an Aldi before to ask if I could use the staff toilet because I was never gonna make it home fast enough otherwise. Can't imagine the pale, sweaty, clammy looking kid asking to use a non-public toilet looked great, but I was very grateful when the manager said yes.

My problem with toilets, however, comes with being trans. I dislike using toilets (unless they're unisex, and most aren't) for that reason. Doing so draws more attention than I'd like.
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Toilets can be very complicated, my favourite 10 year old nephew is very anxious and has a pathological fear of urinals and wont go in the men's if there aren't cubicals... but as a 10 year old boy he knows it looks weird going in the ladies... but he can't pee if people are there...
Family outings for us are just mainly reviewing public toilet accessibility lol my other nephew has worse IBS than me too so its all about the toilets! Colwyn bay is good, nice spacious individual toilet rooms that are M/F/disabled/whatever for 20p a go :)
 
When I was in primary school I hated using toilets that weren't my home toilet. The bowls looked scary with the water in them and the noise they made was terrifying. If I had to use a public toilet I waited til it was empty before flushing so I could scoot out of the cubicle as soon as I flushed it without looking weird. Using a toilet in someone else's house was...fun, to say the least. Took a long time to get over that one, heh.

I started on hormone treatment only what, 6 months? Before the pandemic hit, so I haven't actually had a need to use one since I started. Before I'd use the female toilets only because male toilets don't have sanitary facilities (obviously) but now...I don't actually know. And honestly I don't want to make the decision lol.
 
Lorcan said:
I've walked into an Aldi before to ask if I could use the staff toilet because I was never gonna make it home fast enough otherwise. Can't imagine the pale, sweaty, clammy looking kid asking to use a non-public toilet looked great, but I was very grateful when the manager said yes.

My problem with toilets, however, comes with being trans. I dislike using toilets (unless they're unisex, and most aren't) for that reason. Doing so draws more attention than I'd like.
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It hurts my head that this is still even an issue, but we need to see more spaces like this.
These are some of my favourite toilets in London :D

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Swissgreys said:
It hurts my head that this is still even an issue
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I'm willing to say this is just a quirk on my part because I've not had to use public toilets since I started hormone treatment, and normally it would have come up already but, pandemic. It'll have to happen eventually, but I doubt anyone would give me any real trouble over it.
 
Lorcan said:
I'm willing to say this is just a quirk on my part because I've not had to use public toilets since I started hormone treatment, and normally it would have come up already but, pandemic. It'll have to happen eventually, but I doubt anyone would give me any real trouble over it.
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I would hope no one would give you trouble. I've seen some great, neutral facilities however they have all been individual toilets which require space. Most companies will prioritise space for customers to consume the food and drink they sell over toilets. I find this with baby changing too. Most have a pull down table stuck in the disabled toilet and tick off that they accommodate families. If maintained this is ok but I have lost count of the number of them with a missing safety strap and where the unit is clearly damaged and doesn't sit straight. So yea whoever inspects the toilets has clearly never tried to change the nappy of a nearly 2 year old while trying to use their body to hold the baby up so she doesn't just fall off 🤦‍♀️
 
Lady Kelly said:
I would hope no one would give you trouble. I've seen some great, neutral facilities however they have all been individual toilets which require space. Most companies will prioritise space for customers to consume the food and drink they sell over toilets. I find this with baby changing too. Most have a pull down table stuck in the disabled toilet and tick off that they accommodate families. If maintained this is ok but I have lost count of the number of them with a missing safety strap and where the unit is clearly damaged and doesn't sit straight. So yea whoever inspects the toilets has clearly never tried to change the nappy of a nearly 2 year old while trying to use their body to hold the baby up so she doesn't just fall off 🤦‍♀️
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Smaller places tend to be better, from experience. They tend to stick with one or two rooms that are unisex, disabled access, and with baby changing facilities - but they're nowhere near as widespread as they should be. And bigger places will just stick a row of stalls into two separate rooms and call it a day, because why serve two people if you can serve 20?

There's a change in attitude around these things now and it's much better than it used to be, but you've still got the neanderthals screaming about how "wokeness" and "political correctness" is destroying lives. /eyeroll.
 
Lorcan said:
Smaller places tend to be better, from experience. They tend to stick with one or two rooms that are unisex, disabled access, and with baby changing facilities - but they're nowhere near as widespread as they should be. And bigger places will just stick a row of stalls into two separate rooms and call it a day, because why serve two people if you can serve 20?

There's a change in attitude around these things now and it's much better than it used to be, but you've still got the neanderthals screaming about how "wokeness" and "political correctness" is destroying lives. /eyeroll.
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I think it comes down to people being scared of the unknown. I go with the "if it doesn't hurt me to... But makes things better for..." Then what's the problem really. In my younger days I would have appreciated more unisex toilets. When out the queues for the women's were always horrendous and I have been known in desperate measures to run into the mens
 
If Manchester is an option, The Wharf at Castlefield has a large covered outdoor space with heaters (pictured below). I think that you can specifically book a table in the covered area. It is a couple of minutes walk from Deansgate Metrolink and rail station.

I'm sure that there are similar facilities available in other towns/cities if anyone has some suggestions.

1644483376408.webp
 
YvonneBlue said:
If Manchester is an option, The Wharf at Castlefield has a large covered outdoor space with heaters (pictured below). I think that you can specifically book a table in the covered area. It is a couple of minutes walk from Deansgate Metrolink and rail station.

I'm sure that there are similar facilities available in other towns/cities if anyone has some suggestions.

View attachment 195670
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Looks fab! On a personal note, Manchester is just too far for me. Birmingham is more of an option but still 4 hours on the train from Poole. Hopefully the offer from the very lovely @eileen still stands and she can put me up overnight if the OH doesn't fancy a day out and drives it.
 
Betsy said:
Looks fab! On a personal note, Manchester is just too far for me. Birmingham is more of an option but still 4 hours on the train from Poole. Hopefully the offer from the very lovely @eileen still stands and she can put me up overnight if the OH doesn't fancy a day out and drives it.
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Birmingham is ok for me as i can get the train there. Someone more local would need to find a venue though.
 
Good feedback from everyone so far

@Jasicorn - you're entitled to your views and one of the options in the poll is to see whether people think it is too soon . A lot of peope won't be ready to start meeting up in groups ... and that's fine . This thread is to gauge how many members ARE ready to join in in a meet . Most of the members who have responded are UK members and I suspect , if a meet is arranged , it'll be somewhere in the UK .

I agree with @Merab's Slave , it is going to be very diffficult to organise a meet where everyone is happy .

I too like @YvonneBlue 's suggestion of the pub with a garden in Manchester .

I agree , Manchester is not suitable for everyone - but , although Birmingham is more Central , it will be very difficult to find a venue in Birmingham with a pub garden that we can guarantee getting a seat in .

Does anyone have any suggestions for suitable venues in Birmingham ? - If so , it'd be lovely if you could either post them on this thread - or message @Anniversary Herd
 
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Jasicorn said:
I am sorry I didn't mean to be, it is just with covid and all its dangerous.
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Sorry I was meant to reply earlier and got distracted with work. Yes that is why this poll has been put out. The restrictions in the UK have now been lifted and people are starting to return to "normal", or more like a new normal at least. Vaccines as well as the booster are available to all over 16s which probably means we are now in a position of it always being as risky as it is now. This is why this poll was created, to see if it is worth organising a meet given some members will still be uncomfortable with the situation.

I have to say a pub garden would be a good solution. I have done a couple of trips out recently, one to a restaurant and a couple of bars and one to the theatre. The theatre was pre restriction lifting and, even though everyone had to wear masks, I did feel very anxious beforehand and very tired after. It's amazing how two years of a pandemic has clearly had such an impact on mental health
 
I think compared to the US, in the UK we are very fortunate that most people are "on the same page" as it were regarding covid precautions.
Vaccine uptake is very high, especially amongst the over-30 age group most people here fall into, and everyone gets given free lateral flow tests every week, as many as we like- everyone takes a test before meeting friends or going to work, it's very much a polite social norm here to have all the vaccines and take the tests several times a week and pop on a mask in a crowded place or if you are reminded even if it isnt a legal requirement.
Teenagers dont always mask if they dont have to, but they have to covid test for school, we all just take covid tests here all the time- its like just a thing we do now, normal bathroom morning routine, do the test before you shower and brush your teeth, check the result after- its really the new normal now in the UK :)
 
So there are a few places I know of/ have heard of around the Midlands

The button factory Birmingham has an outdoor heated terrace though the menu looks limited especially if there are vegans attending Menus : The Button Factory

The Marquis Wellington Leicester (approx 5 min walk from the station). Don't think it's heated, would have to check as I haven't been since our works do in the summer but I know it's possible to reserve tables in the garden
Home - Marquis Wellington Pub & Kitchen Leicester

Canalhouse Nottingham Canalhouse | Castle Rock Brewery

I have friends and colleagues that live in Nottingham and Derby so can probably get some good suggestions there. Leicester city centre is very limited on outdoor space for eating/drinking for some reason.

But let's cut to the real important bit... Can we pick somewhere @Flutterby can attend with the Wawa's :))
 
I had a look yesterday for pubs with gardens and parks/gardens with cafes in Birmingham.
There's the Canal House pub, which has a big terrace overlooking the canal. The Canal House Bar & Restaurant Birmingham | The Canal House
And there are 2 parks, Aston Hall and Cannon Hill Park. Aston Park has a restaurant at the Hall (don't know if you'd have to pay to visit the house in order to use it), at Cannon Hill the Midlands Art Centre has a recently refurbished big cafe, but not with an outside seating area.
The only problem though with all those is that they are not so close to the train stations as city centre pubs.
 
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