The Norfolk bash

[Neil54]

Count me in plus one. Two nights camping.

[TonyL]

Not much interest thus far, so I'll leave the thread running until the end of next week. If it doesn't look viable, I'll pull the thread and we'll call it a day for 2020.

Have a good weekend.

Dave

Looking like it'll be 2021, then?

[Unframed Dave]

Looking like it'll be 2021, then?

Yep, apologies to those that have put it in their diaries. Insufficient interest this time around I'm afraid.

I'll look at it again in the new year with a view to an April bash. That is of course unless anyone else wants to do it and covid restrictions haven't got us all locked in again.

Dave

[Chippendale]

Sorry to hear this Dave, seems as though we have let you down, I wish I could have come down and to the last one as well.
Thank you for the first event and the offer of the second, If you do hold another in the new year I hope its as successful as your first one and will try my damndest to be there.

Cheers

Melv

Chippendale (with clothes on)

[Unframed Dave]

I understand people's position Mel, weather, travel and this poxy situation. A lot of uncertainty.

Next year hopefully will be an improvement.

Dave

[Craig-P]

Sorry to hear this Dave, seems as though we have let you down, I wish I could have come down and to the last one as well.
Thank you for the first event and the offer of the second, If you do hold another in the new year I hope its as successful as your first one and will try my damndest to be there.

Cheers

Melv

Chippendale (with clothes on)

I can only echo Mel’s sentiment, Dave.
Thank you, mate.

[TonyL]

Definitely the correct decision, Dave.

And a big, massive, heartfelt thank you for keeping the Bash candle burning and opening your home and facilities to the cause. Truly a wondrous, selfless gesture. And you and Mick do it out of love and commitment to the cause, as whoever hosts it on the current basis most certainly isn't doing it without losing money. This, plus the anxiety, planning, getting all the behind-the-scenes bits and pieces in place.......you and Mick are certainly heroes and to be applauded.


I know it might not click with everybody, but remember before you offered to host? And a fair few said they'd prefer it to be "kept in the family" which is nice? And I appreciate that, I really do, especially for those camping like at Mick's enjoying huge freedom for a paltry sum, creating a unique atmosphere. But might it not be worth considering the use of a commercial venue for future events. Somewhere with existing facilities / suitable staffing etc so it's not just one or two people taking up the strain? One or two of the venues we'd semi-considered last year did also have campsites relatively close by, too........

We're looking well ahead now and it looks like we have a second wave of this dreadful pandemic to get through, too. Stay safe everyone, keep the faith, keep the Boing, keep in touch; we will get there and we will re-unite in Boingery nirvana sometime soon.

Love you peeps xxx

[MikeHW45]

The only drawback with commercial venues is the loss of personal touch and the relaxed atmosphere. Micks bash created a superb atmosphere which Dave and Verity complimented in style with their brilliant gathering. It is a huge amount of work which I’m more than happy to assist with wherever possible as are others, after all it is for us at the end of the day. Bring on the next gathering!!!!

[TonyL]

The only drawback with commercial venues is the loss of personal touch and the relaxed atmosphere. Micks bash created a superb atmosphere which Dave and Verity complimented in style with their brilliant gathering. It is a huge amount of work which I’m more than happy to assist with wherever possible as are others, after all it is for us at the end of the day. Bring on the next gathering!!!!

Mikey, I cannot disagree wth any of the above and yes, you're so, so right.......what Mick created for us is so, so special and unique.

And it is brilliant that good people like Trumpy Dave and your very good self are able and willing to arrive early and assist with the setting up etc. I am also aware that others offered their assistance also.

But I'm also aware of the look of the Bash field following the event. The amount of rubbish to be disposed of, things to be tidied away etc. I know Mick would very possibly deny this, but I often wonder if the pressure he put himself under to deliver such a wonderful event for us time after time may have contributed to his health deteriorating?

Money wise.....I realise that all us long-term Bash attendees (and possibly others, also) would also gladly pay a little more in the future to make sure that our hosts are, at the very least, not out of pocket following the staging of an event. To me, that would appear as a cruel smack across the chops and rubbing salt into the wounds. I've conversed with Dave and told him to keep the dosh that I sent for Craig and I as I want to contribute towards the cost even though we couldn't make it. But, as I say, for any future events held by our very own people, we should all be prepared to pay more and assist. We've enjoyed the very best fun imaginable for many years on the cheap now.

The Bash is here to stay now. Of that I'm sure. The Good People of Quigley Hollow will assure its future, whichever form The Bash follows.

Huge thanks once again to Mick, Shirl, Dave, Verity and all the good people whose dedication and hard graft has made The Bash the special and unique gathering that it is.

BOING!

[Unframed Dave]

We're happy to hold another but are also happy to sit back if somebody else wants to do it.

My only issue is that a lot of time went into the last one prior to the event and we're only prepared to write that time off if there are enough attendees committed to coming. I'm talking man weeks not hours, seems unbelievable I know, I certainly wasn't prepared for it. Covid had a lot to do with that.

Financially we were out by a small margin over the last one, but not enough for me to be concerned about and a second would see it cancelled out. We were planning on purchasing at least one other event shelter and possibly another of the plastic benches with any excess monies. I would also have removed the tree in the way of the shooting bench to provide more space. I don't like it anyway.

So, in conclusion, more than happy to arrange an April bash. If people want it at a commercial venue, also happy, but, it still needs an organiser. Somebody who is going to put their hand up and say "I'll do It". There are no such venues close to me, so I'm out.

I believe that a commercial venue will lose a lot. Some facilities don't take dogs, don't have access for campervans, won't allow unsupervised shooting........ I could go on.

The important thing is that it continues. As I said quite recently, this is much more than about shooting tin chickens and way more than selling a few rifles.

Dave

[Trumpetier]

I'm certainly up for a bash at your place Dave in April

An excellent venue for sure and it keeps true to the spirit of the "bash"

[MikeHW45]

As Tony said if it means paying more as individuals to ensure no-one ends up out of pocket then it’s a great idea. At the end of the day, it’s a lot of event for very little money.

[TonyL]

We're happy to hold another but are also happy to sit back if somebody else wants to do it.

My only issue is that a lot of time went into the last one prior to the event and we're only prepared to write that time off if there are enough attendees committed to coming. I'm talking man weeks not hours, seems unbelievable I know, I certainly wasn't prepared for it. Covid had a lot to do with that.

Financially we were out by a small margin over the last one, but not enough for me to be concerned about and a second would see it cancelled out. We were planning on purchasing at least one other event shelter and possibly another of the plastic benches with any excess monies. I would also have removed the tree in the way of the shooting bench to provide more space. I don't like it anyway.

So, in conclusion, more than happy to arrange an April bash. If people want it at a commercial venue, also happy, but, it still needs an organiser. Somebody who is going to put their hand up and say "I'll do It". There are no such venues close to me, so I'm out.

I believe that a commercial venue will lose a lot. Some facilities don't take dogs, don't have access for campervans, won't allow unsupervised shooting........ I could go on.

The important thing is that it continues. As I said quite recently, this is much more than about shooting tin chickens and way more than selling a few rifles.

Dave

Well, taking all that lot into account, it's sounding like Norfolk it is, Dave.

As long as you're sure? And, having run one now, you've a better idea of what to expect and have some components in place which can be used again.

Re the cost, now that you maybe have a far clearer idea, maybe a re-calculation might be required (you'll also know the minimum attendee requirement) and a new cost per head calculated to make sure that you're not out of pocket. I'm sure everyone involved will be happy to pay more, if needs be, to ensure the continuation and so as not to take your fine offer for granted.

[Unframed Dave]

Like I said Tony, I'm happy to do it but equally happy if anyone else wants to take it on.

The next one will be easier for us having done it once.

Re price, I'm happy where it is. The majority of attendees camp, they now have to pay extra for that.

Toilet hire cost 102.

Catering equipment, disposable flatware and cutlery was significant. We had to buy substantial quantities to get them at a reasonable price. We have more than enough for a second bash. Sanitiser, ditto.

Where we may come unstuck is tables and shelter. We were lucky to get the village hall to loan us their tables, but that cannot be guaranteed. We personally have 9 metres of tables, plus two dining tables if they survive being left out all winter, if they don't, they're going on the bonfire. I don't have room to store them internally. From memory we borrowed around another 10 metres of tables. To buy another 9 metres will cost around 200. Fingers crossed we can borrow again. Shelter is another issue. We put up about 13 metres of shelter, given the weather this was adequate, if it rains heavily though we need more and better. The ideal quality shelters are around 200 per 3.5 metres.

As you can swiftly see, one off bashes consisting of around 30 people can't support this. Plus storing all this stuff becomes a bit of an issue.

So, the more attendees, the better. Hopefully the thirty limit will be increased by April, but who knows. Then there becomes the issue of shooting space. Hard to judge as we had to allow social distancing this time around, again, next year, who knows?

What I can guarantee is that the more money comes in, the better the facilities we can provide. Not a penny will be unspent.

I know location is an issue, but the hardcore attended from Glasgow down to Southampton, via Rochdale, Birmingham, London and Middlesbrough. We have personally made the four hour drive to Micks at least 20 times now.

This thread may as well now serve to discuss future plans for the bash so if anyone has views, please throw them in.

Dave

[TonyL]

'It's the first of a month yet again and all the very best wishes to Boingerfolk the length and breadth of our fine land.

BOING!