Hi Guys
Any plans yet for the Live Drafts? I know Noel has booked two dates at the pub in Redhill again for Saturday & Sunday. Is anyone planning to stay over? Are we having a night out either Saturday or Sunday night (its Bank Holiday Monday) so I can stay in Surrey this year.
Cheers
Dean
I plan nights out both nights Dean - but I need to finalise things nearer the time - first I need to fill the second league (drafting Saturday). Saturday night I now plan to just be an informal pub crawl around the town centre as many open later on a Saturday and some have DJ’s or live bands. I plan to have a Carvery prior to the draft that day (Saturday) and hope many of the other players will want to as well to break the ice and make it more social as like a pre draft get together.
The Sunday - TFP Originals league draft - after it’s done I plan to go for a group curry - I have since been recommended one that is walking distance rather than the one I was planning to use so need to contact them and see about bookings and prices etc., but that’s what I have in mind.
I will be staying out late both nights - the last to go home - if busses trains have wound up I’ll get a cab so don’t fear not having someone to hang with.
The Sunday one - my plan at the moment is to get there on the day, early enough to eat before the draft plus catch up with the rest of the gang. Then I will be up for the curry followed by either (a) last train home, or (b) more likely, stay over in Redhill and head home after a fry up Monday morning!
Sunday -
Im also up for arriving early and getting stuck into a carvery. Well up for a curry afterwards too and if anybody else is up for it Im up for a bit of action post curry, whether that be a taxi to a cool pub, casino or dancers… If nobody wants the high level action late on I’m also good for chatting out the draft results in a local boozer.
Whether I stay over will depend on the plan as I have the option of taking the last train home.
Best Regards
Will be there earlier this time for grub and will still be there for curry + shenanigans!
Sounds good people - I was in there earlier and it’s been redone - more dining area now less lounge area/sofa’s etc., but good news is the area we took over last time is still similar and still a lounge area - I just need to get in there earlier to stake a claim I guess but equally once it starts filling with NFL attired guys getting loud I think others might decide sod this and move off of their own volition.
The Carvery costs more on a Sunday hence I thought it would be nice for those in my new league the Saturday that want to break the ice with other GM’s if turning up early could sit together or near each other so I said to the manager a table around 12:30 be good for me. A carvery is £6.29 or £6.99 with your choice of either Soup starter or Ice Cream pudding (Mon - Sat). I’m not sure if it’s expected but I left a few quid tip last night - I left £12 and my bill was £9.49. That included the unlimited refill Pepsi at £2.50 but you can get that on any of the softies - Lemonade, Pepsi Max or Diet Pepsi so I think would suit Simon who I know doesn’t drink - maybe Shani to and anyone else that wants softies.
On the Sunday it’s their busiest day manager said so those of you that want a Carvery best turn up early - think they open at 11am. - As I can only manage 1 dinner a day I will wait to eat at the Curry place post draft and as Drew said the draft went on a bit last time so to allow time for a good social night hope to start the draft earlier - say about 1pm.
Also I have to guess it right now but plan to visit the Curry place and book a table for the Sunday so will need to estimate the time and allow time to get there. Also need to guess numbers to. Not sure how good trains are on a Sunday or if we should share a fleet of cabs - ideal if trains go as it’s 1 stop and both venues are next to there respective train stations but if not sharing cabs should be no more than a few pounds each as it’s not far.
I’ll be driving down again so I can ferry 4 people to the curry place.
Good idea, a 1pm start on the Sunday sounds good. Meaning if we get there by mid day at the latest we should have time to eat and it shall be early enough to claim the area for ourselves. Noel do you think the carvery Sunday crowd might be a problem this year? Every man and their dog likes a roast on a sunday in England…
All things being equal, I will fly into UK the weekend before and spend the week in class down in Southampton. Means I should be able to come up for the draft on Saturday morning. Sunday evening I have another online draft so may miss the curry, but will be up for catching everyone at some stage that evening.
I’m in Southampton, Drew. Give me a yell nearer the time when you know your plans, and we can catch up for a beer maybe?
I’ve really no idea as I never go on a Sunday as I hate spending more than I have to so for the same thing I just go other days but by managers raised eyebrows when I said was doing two leagues this year I think it is busy but most people go to eat so I don’t see a problem taking over the lounge area as I think most people don’t go to eat accept those that want a quite drink and think by our size group peeps will just decide to shuffle off more than likely as they wont be getting there usual quiet drink on there own.
I am really, really sad to hear you won’t be making the curry night Drew - was looking forward to chatting with you as I bet you have some interesting stories to impart. 
Jon,
As the plan firms up, I will let you know.
Drew
I’ll be there on the Sunday, the plan so far sounds good! I’ll drive down, so yeah, can taxi people between the draft and the curry house too if necessary. Redhill’s tiny though, how far apart are the pub and curry place? 
Noel, I don’t want to be a pain but perhaps there is value in popping in a couple of times on a sunday afternoon to gauge how busy it gets? Or even better speak to the landlord about their expectations for the area we sit in on the Sunday? As you will appreciate carvery’s do swell up on Sundays and especially bank holiday Sundays! I appreciate the area we sit in is more like a seating area but I would be surprised if it was not used for meals when the place gets busy. My guess is that the manager might feel differently this year, if on the spring time bank holiday Sunday he starts to get busy.
Just my 2 pence.
Cheers
Not far it’s in a suburb called Earlswood - 1 train stop but think that train station is only part time as not many trains stop there. I would guess about 2 miles - if there was time could do a pub crawl to it but not sure there would be time - I know 3 boozers between the town and this place with the third being right next to it.
If you want to look up how far it is here’s the places website - it’s full address is on there:
I am sure people had miss-giving’s last year when I proposed this venue but think it worked out fine. To put your mind at ease I will pop in there one Sunday and have a word with the manager again. I will give him one of the cards for this website and ask him to come on as he said he likes NFL himself.
Noel, I totally hold up my hand and say that I was probably the most loud last year about booking an actual room for the draft but as you suggested all along it worked out sweet as can be with the plan you originally came up with. This year in my mind is different however, these Sunday roast places live all week for the giant Sunday trade and most good carvery’s will fill up on a nice Sunday afternoon, then there is the bank holiday Sunday, the holy grail for any self respecting carvery manager.
I really appreciate it if you could check with them, just because so many are coming from so far.
Cheers fella
It wasn’t just you mate, I was very twitchy too as I wanted the kick off draft to go well. It turned out great, so as long as the commish is going to check the place out I will go with his decision. IN NOEL WE TRUST !
Seems I can’t do a multi linked reply so in response to the last 2 posts seems like either tomorrow or next Sunday I am bound for the Toby and will thrash some things out with the manager and report back. Have no fear guys.