The Business of Software

I am going to at this conference in Cambridge 4rd-5th Nov:
http://www.euroconference.org/
I believe some of the other regulars are going to be there as well (including Bob Walsh and Gavin Bowman).

How about a meet-up on the Friday night in the Crowne Plaza hotel lounge bar?

If you are local you can still come along on Friday night, even if you aren't going to the conference. If you are going to the conference, but can't make the Friday night, please come and say hello over the weekend.

While I may or may not come, may I recommend somewhere that doesn't suck quite so badly? How about the Salisbury Arms (Directions, though it's smarter to go down mill road if you're walking,  http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=CB2+3DT&daddr=CB1+2DW&ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=52.200716,0.130463&spn=0.012415,0.029268&om=1 ) which is about ten minutes walk from the hotel, or a couple of minutes on the number two bus if you're lazy.

>doesn't suck quite so badly?

Its the hotel the conference is at and its where I am staying. If it has drinkable beer and you can conduct a conversation then thats all I require.

There is also an 'Irish  pub' in the hotel. But it might be too noisy for my purposes.

> drinkable beer

Depends on your standards of "drinkable" I suppose. We've got so many breweries round this way that the mass produced crap starts to taste like piss after a while.

>the mass produced crap starts to taste like piss after a while

Less for my kidneys to do. ;0)

I vote for the hotel, because I get jet lag something awful and I'd rather not try to stagger too far back to my room, but I'll be there - whereever there is - and I promise I won't ask why after 1200 years Brits still insist that beer should be warm!

>Brits still insist that beer should be warm!

I can see we have some educating to do. ;oP

> Brits still insist that beer should be warm!

See, Merkin beer is only served cold so as you can't actually taste it. Also, don't get me started on "Fresh beer tastes better."

Bob, that seems like a dying cliche... I spent a week in England last May, visited about 12 pubs (i'm an alcoholic) in various parts of the London metro area: Archway, Oxford, Kentish Town, Camden Town, and the toursity areas in central London... and not once did I get a warm beer. 

I was somewhat let down.  Not only that, it seems like Brits avoid British beer like the plague, the most popular beers seemed to be Fosters, Guiness and Carlsberg.  Whats up with that?

If you are that close to the Eagle pub in Cambridge then I’d suggest that you try it one lunch time, if only for it's historical significance. Warm beer didn’t seem to hinder Watson & Crick in discovering DNA!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2804545.stm

The sunday lunch at the Eagle is horrible though, best avoided.

I too will be there.
There is a conference-related event at 7:30PM local time on November 3rd.  Gathering at the Anchor (http://www.cambridgeanchor.co.uk/) pub.

I'm also planning on being in The Anchor on Friday evening.

I'll be there too.

Gavin has just pointed out to me that there is already an event organised for Friday evening. Its at the Anchor pub from 7:30pm:
http://schedule.euroconference.org/
http://www.cambridgeanchor.co.uk/

Perhaps we can meet for a beer at the hotel from 6pm and then take a wander around to the Anchor at 8-ish pm? That should keep the real ale contingent happy.

Well, the Crowne Plaza is on the way to the Anchor from my house, so I expect I'll call in there first and can always move on if no-one's there or the beer is too bad ;-)

between the two, I'll be the American tilted to one side (left, of course) muttering "I want real British beer!" :)

Beth and I will be there (we're booked into the De Vere ("call me Bubbles") hotel just down the road, and should be in town from mid afternoon on Friday.

We've not made detailed plans yet, but we'll probably pop into the Crown Plaza on the way to the gathering to see if anyone is there.

It should be a fun and interesting weekend. :)

I'll be at the conference on the Saturday only... at least I'll be sober!

I'm hoping to make it to the Anchor at 7:30 on the Friday evening. Been there before, it's a nice pub.

Anna, Jim, Mark: look forward to meeting all of you!

I will join in as long as I don't have to drink real ale!

Sorry, not going to make it this evening - too much work to do.