Meetings...

[Jonty Bale]

So.. just looking at the list this fine Monday morning ;) and was
wondering if there is a date / venue set for the next meeting? I am
kind of assuming that they are going to be a regular thing... monthly,
or even quarterly? Are the venues always going to be in Manchester,
or are other NW towns going to be considered on a rotation basis?

Jonty

[Jonty Bale]

On Jul 28, 12:13 pm, Jonty Bale <jb...@gridscape.co.uk> wrote:
> So.. just looking at the list this fine Monday morning ;) and was
> wondering if there is a date / venue set for the next meeting?

</tumbleweed>

Anyone?

Jonty.

[Jeremy Coates]

Hi Jonty,

Sorry, I've been busy with deadlines this week, I was thinking of
perhaps using a Wetherspoons (free WiFi) - in particular: The
Waterhouse, Princess St. Manchester M4 2EG
(http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/pubs/pub-details.php?PubNumber=2103 -
awful website!). Anyone any experience of this place? It has a function
room so we could probably have presentations / projector (I've got
device & screen just need power).

Another alternative might be Rain Bar (80 Great Bridgewater St.
Manchester M1 5JG http://www.rain-bar.co.uk/ - where GeekUp meets) as it
also has function areas upstairs and WiFi available (in hour blocks when
you buy something at the bar), though I've not seen the upstairs -
anyone else?

Regards,
Jeremy

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[Lukas]

I know the Waterhouse well - and I don't think it's a viable option.
It's a fair size, but the layout wouldn't work very well, and it gets
very busy. When I say it gets busy, I mean it tends to be full first
thing in the morning (I go there for breakfast, not a morning
whisky!).

I can't think of any Weatherspoons in Manchester that would fit the
bill.

Rain Bar is a good option, even the upstairs in Britons Protection
next door.

Another possibility might be the bar/cafe in Contact Theatre. It's
quiet, and has the necessary facilities. It's out of town, on
Manchester University's South Campus, though it's little more than a
15 minute walk from the city centre - and on the busiest bus route in
Europe!

On Jul 30, 9:03 pm, Jeremy Coates <jer...@phpnw.org.uk> wrote:
> Hi Jonty,
>
> Jonty Bale wrote:
> > On Jul 28, 12:13 pm, Jonty Bale <jb...@gridscape.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >> So.. just looking at the list this fine Monday morning ;) and was
> >> wondering if there is a date / venue set for the next meeting?
>
> > </tumbleweed>
>
> > Anyone?
>
> Sorry, I've been busy with deadlines this week, I was thinking of
> perhaps using a Wetherspoons (free WiFi) - in particular: The
> Waterhouse, Princess St. Manchester M4 2EG
> (http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/pubs/pub-details.php?PubNumber=2103-
> awful website!). Anyone any experience of this place? It has a function
> room so we could probably have presentations / projector (I've got
> device & screen just need power).
>
> Another alternative might be Rain Bar (80 Great Bridgewater St.

> Manchester M1 5JGhttp://www.rain-bar.co.uk/- where GeekUp meets) as it

[Phil Wastell]

Lukas wrote:
> I know the Waterhouse well - and I don't think it's a viable option.
> It's a fair size, but the layout wouldn't work very well, and it gets
> very busy. When I say it gets busy, I mean it tends to be full first
> thing in the morning (I go there for breakfast, not a morning
> whisky!).
>

True, the layout of the Waterhouse would probably work against us.

> I can't think of any Weatherspoons in Manchester that would fit the
> bill.
>

I think the Moon Under the Water at the end of Deansgate is about the
only Wetherspoons that could accommodate but it's not the nicest of places.

> Rain Bar is a good option, even the upstairs in Britons Protection
> next door.
>

If there's a large group it's usually a struggle to seat everyone inside
at Rain Bar. If the weather's nice then it's great but otherwise...

> Another possibility might be the bar/cafe in Contact Theatre. It's
> quiet, and has the necessary facilities. It's out of town, on
> Manchester University's South Campus, though it's little more than a
> 15 minute walk from the city centre - and on the busiest bus route in
> Europe!
>

Contact theatre is nice. I'd completely forgot about that. Depends on
how far people are prepared to walk and whether it's big enough. Another
possibility is the Cornerhouse but, again, the layout might not may
accommodate a large group easily.

Anybody else got a suggestion? I think we need to base ideas on 25+ people.

Phil

[Barry Crosby]

*sticks in tuppence*

> I think the Moon Under the Water at the end of Deansgate is about the
> only Wetherspoons that could accommodate but it's not the nicest of places.

I've only been in the once.. A Wetherspoons is a Wetherspoons is a
Wetherspoons is a ..

>> Rain Bar is a good option, even the upstairs in Britons Protection
>> next door.
>>
> If there's a large group it's usually a struggle to seat everyone inside
> at Rain Bar. If the weather's nice then it's great but otherwise...

I dislike the Rain Bar; but I suppose it's a short distance from Oxford
Road and bar prices are /reasonable/ for Manchester.

>> Another possibility might be the bar/cafe in Contact Theatre. It's
>> quiet, and has the necessary facilities. It's out of town, on
>> Manchester University's South Campus, though it's little more than a
>> 15 minute walk from the city centre - and on the busiest bus route in
>> Europe!
>>
> Contact theatre is nice. I'd completely forgot about that. Depends on
> how far people are prepared to walk and whether it's big enough. Another
> possibility is the Cornerhouse but, again, the layout might not may
> accommodate a large group easily.

It'd be nice if it wasn't too far from the City-Centre stations for
those of us planning on coming from 30+mins away by train (who have to
make the same journey back afterwards). Then again, it'd be nice if it
was somewhere other than Manchester for a change.. ;) *ducks*

>
> Anybody else got a suggestion? I think we need to base ideas on 25+ people.
>

For out-of-the-box (perhaps!) thinking, how about a Hotel bar, or a
restaurant? I have no specific locations to suggest, not being vastly
aware of Manchester..

~lunus

[Jenny Dunphy]

Pizza Express on King St has a "conference room" that might do?
http://www.pizzaexpress.com/find-a-restaurant/restaurant/1221/?lat=53.48
095&lon=-2.24705&pc=manchester&baby=0&takeaway=0&bar=0&meetingroom=0&alf
resco=0&livemusic=0

Jen

Pizza Express on King St has a "conference room" that might do?
http://www.pizzaexpress.com/find-a-restaurant/restaurant/1221/?lat=53.48
095&lon=-2.24705&pc=manchester&baby=0&takeaway=0&bar=0&meetingroom=0&alf
resco=0&livemusic=0

>
>~lunus




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[Jon Spriggs]

On Jul 30, 9:03 pm, Jeremy Coates <jer...@phpnw.org.uk> wrote:

> Another alternative might be Rain Bar (80 Great Bridgewater St.

> Manchester M1 5JGhttp://www.rain-bar.co.uk/- where GeekUp meets) as it

> also has function areas upstairs and WiFi available (in hour blocks when
> you buy something at the bar), though I've not seen the upstairs -
> anyone else?

Hi Jeremy,

I just asked on Twitter (as I follow/am followed by a few meeting
organizers on there), and Paul Robinson replied with the following
list:

"Rain Bar, Briton's, Sand Bar, Kro1, The Bridge, and from Oct Lass
O'Gowrie will have function room"

With regards to the upstairs at Rain Bar, I recall it being pretty
posh on the first floor (if quite big), but the second floor is quite
sparse, albeit with a projector, which might be good for code reviews
and such. The Wifi at Rain Bar is temperamental at best, and you'd
best not expect any other traffic than HTTP and HTTPS (I know, I've
tried).

From past experience, there's a band practice area downstairs at TV21,
which might be available... but the main bar area is noisy, dark and
unusable, and gets worse if the band practice area is in use. There's
also a bar area downstairs at Bluu that is curtained off, so if
there's a reasonable number of people, that might be acceptable? There
won't be any wifi there though, which is a down point.

You might also be able to use an area at Waxy O'Connor in the Print
Works, I've seen them mark areas off in there before, but whether that
would be usable, noisy or have wifi, I don't know...

Regards,

Jon

[Matt Bourne]

is there a date for this yet ?

Matt

2008/8/1 Lukas <lukas...@gmail.com>

[Barry Crosby]

Jenny Dunphy wrote:
> Pizza Express on King St has a "conference room" that might do?
> http://www.pizzaexpress.com/find-a-restaurant/restaurant/1221/?lat=53.48
> 095&lon=-2.24705&pc=manchester&baby=0&takeaway=0&bar=0&meetingroom=0&alf
> resco=0&livemusic=0
>
> Jen
>

Pizza = Win, in my opinion. Good find. Anyone with experience of the
venue?

Always nice to be able to get some food at the venue rather than wolfing
a store-bought sarnie outside.

~lunus

[Jeremy Coates]

Matt Bourne wrote:
> is there a date for this yet ?

Not yet, need to sort a venue, then will put out a doodle.ch vote for
the best night from those available at the venue.

Jeremy

>
> Matt
>
> 2008/8/1 Lukas <lukas...@gmail.com <mailto:lukas...@gmail.com>>

>
>
> I know the Waterhouse well - and I don't think it's a viable option.
> It's a fair size, but the layout wouldn't work very well, and it gets
> very busy. When I say it gets busy, I mean it tends to be full first
> thing in the morning (I go there for breakfast, not a morning
> whisky!).
>
> I can't think of any Weatherspoons in Manchester that would fit the
> bill.
>
> Rain Bar is a good option, even the upstairs in Britons Protection
> next door.
>
> Another possibility might be the bar/cafe in Contact Theatre. It's
> quiet, and has the necessary facilities. It's out of town, on
> Manchester University's South Campus, though it's little more than a
> 15 minute walk from the city centre - and on the busiest bus route in
> Europe!
>
> On Jul 30, 9:03 pm, Jeremy Coates <jer...@phpnw.org.uk

> <mailto:jer...@phpnw.org.uk>> wrote:
> > Hi Jonty,
> >
> > Jonty Bale wrote:
> > > On Jul 28, 12:13 pm, Jonty Bale <jb...@gridscape.co.uk

> > IRC: #phpnw (irc.freenode.net <http://irc.freenode.net>)

[Jeremy Coates]

Hi All,

Just to update you all we've found a great venue (thanks Phil for the suggestion) for our monthly meetings: Revolution Deansgate Locks [1][2].  I'm just waiting to hear back from the events manager there as to our suggested dates (aiming for first Tuesdays of the month).

So what's it got going for it as a venue:

• Train / Tram close by
• Parking free after 6pm right outside
• Free WiFi
• Good food 'til 9pm
• Reasonable drinks prices (for Manchester that is)
• And we get the space free, which is big enough for up to 50 folks!

As soon as I know the dates for definite, I'll post event details (expect it to be 2nd Sept.)

Cheers,
Jeremy
[1] http://www.revolution-bars.co.uk/bars/?bar_id=127
[2] http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Arch+7+Deansgate+Lock+Whitworth+Street+Manchester+,+M1+5LH&ie=UTF8&ll=53.474855,-2.249987&spn=0.00742,0.019333&t=h&z=16&iwloc=A