Love the idea of the Wine, Cheese and Chocolate event... but I'm not quite sure what to do in terms of logistics for the meet up if we are meeting near Bristol Temple Meads station, rather than Cabot Circus, as it's going to be tricky for me to find somewhere to park that doesn't cost a bomb.
It would be nice to stay in a hotel, but the Holiday Inn Express is over £110 for the night (and even the ibis is £85), which seems a lot to pay when my parents live just 15 miles away. On the other hand, if I want to drink, I'd have to ask them for a lift... and that wouldn't be fair on them if it ends up being a late night. There's no train directly to where they live, so if I wanted to take a train, I'd still have to drive to the station on the other end (and the last train back is 11pm).