I’m in for the 27th, as long as it’s later in the day (unless I can switch a shift with a colleague).
I’m happy with either in Bristol or outside. An easy place to get to by car is Cribbs Causeway (Junction 17 of the M5, only a couple of miles from the M4/M5 interchange), but if people are travelling by train, the city centre would be easier.
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I was thinking/hoping it would be one of those things that started around mid-afternoon and just went on until the last people decided to leave. Since we'll be arriving from all over, having a more fluid activity/plan seems best, too (so no dinner cruises). We would want to try to focus the arrival of the group to maximize the overlap in attendance to get the most people meeting up, but still allow flexibility for those who need to arrive late or leave early.
The latest trains out of Bristol city center (Temple Meads station) to London seem to be 21:45 (reasonably cheap at ~£15) and 22:30 (affordable, but quite a lot more than the other train, at ~£24).
In the alternative, there is also the possibility of meeting outside of Bristol. I'm not sure how many people will be arriving by train vs by car. If most are coming by car, outside of Bristol would be easier for them (that's me and my husband, but we're more than happy to drive into Bristol city center if it means more interesting activities/venues for meeting up). If by train, city center would be easier, I should think.
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Meanwhile, I'm looking for activities that are not going to be cost-prohibitive (ideally free!*), will be suitable for families and people of all abilities, and will offer some amusement/interest as well as ability for us to just talk and enjoy meeting up (preferably over drinks/food). Also, we need to be prepared for whatever the weather, since it's so far in advance.
* For people arriving before 5pm, I came across
Bristol Blue Glass, about 1.5 miles southeast of the train station at 357-359 Bath Road. There's a bus that eliminates most of the walking. Free admission to the glassblowing studio and shop. For £20, you can buy an "experience" and make your own bauble to take home (I suspect you don't get to do much more than blow through the tube, but I'm curious to find out!). Your bauble will have to cool slowly overnight in an oven, so would need to be shipped to you (£5.50 for shipping). I might try to talk my husband into this if we get there well early.
What I have been seriously considering is
Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf*, at
Cabot Circus. It's just under a mile from the train station (and there's a bus), they have a bar on-site, it's open to children (until 9pm), and it provides some fun activity. Plus, Cabot Circus Shopping Center will have plenty of shops and food/drink places we can move to (or start at).
* I'm a child, okay?! Also, they have adult packages, that include golf and booze. So it's not just for kids. But it's for kids, too.
Poll
