Thursday 29 January 2009

Catering for the Reunion

I have the menus for a buffet lunch if we hold this at Stouts Hill. Again this is dependent on numbers. The approximate cost of the buffet and room hire will be about £25 per head. As stated in other posts, we do have the option of making our way to the Rose and Crown at Nympsfield for a sit down meal (so long as they have your order in advance) which may, dependent on your appetite, work out roughly the same price.

I have about 20 confirmed for the reunion so far. Suggestions are always welcome but I do need to know soon from attendees as to which option they prefer. I will go with the majority.

Update: 29th January

The menus I mentioned above are quite elaborate, which of course adds to the price. I think that this is not really necessary and so long as we have tea, coffee and soft drinks with some finger food that should be satisfactory. I will probably arrange this myself with my sister and her friend helping out as she has been kind enough to offer. There is a bar where the Headmaster's study used to be and we can make use of that too. Stouts Hill may be able to staff it, if not I will attempt to arrange somebody to help. If anybody wants to have a hot meal afterwards, there is still the option of the Rose & Crown. This should keep the cost down to a more manageable level and also reduce my financial risk!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think that we should try to use Stouts Hill as it is the Stouts Hill reunion. Am looking forward to it.

Jonathan said...

Thanks, Alan!

Living in Spain, I had quite a decent three-course lunch out today for 13 euros (£12 at current rates). £25 is not cheap, but it's not outrageous, and if we're really lucky we may even get value for money.

If the alternatives are no cheaper, I also vote for the Stouts Hill buffet.

Anonymous said...

My vote is for Stouts Hill, seeing as we are already there. Hope they have changed the chef since 1979 !

Anonymous said...

My vote would be for Stouts Hill -which is, after all, the main reason for us attending.

Anonymous said...

I also think that it would be best to have it at Stouts Hill. That would enable us to visit the school grounds and, you never know, someone might end up buying a time share ! Looking fwd to it

Jonathan said...

Belated thanks for the update, which I've only just noticed because it wasn't e-mailed to me automatically.

Thanks also for your care with the arrangements. As far as I'm concerned, most arrangements are OK as long as we get something edible to stave off hunger around lunch-time. It is indeed kind of your sister and friend to offer to help.

Presumably the Headmaster's bar serves alcohol, which will be welcomed by some. It's also an appropriate place for any car driver found boozing to be given the ceremonial whack.

Jonathan said...

P.S. I don't think we should let you take on significant financial risk over this. You can ask people to pay in advance. Some may even do so (grin).

There are two systems that could be used here. The simple one is not to accept late payers (hire bouncers?). The more refined one is to charge a higher fee to late payers, perhaps increasing the fee slightly each month.

Any financial experts looking in can perhaps offer further suggestions.

Jonathan said...

P.P.S. If you take on any financial risk and it goes bad on you, remember to tell the government that you're a victim of the global financial crisis and that Gloucestershire is in urgent need of an economic stimulus.

You can expect a large cash injection that will enable you to pay yourself a normal, modest bonus of a million pounds or so, and wander off home thinking, "So that's what we have a government for."

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the kind comments Jonathan. I was thinking along the lines of it being research into the effects school reunions have on climate change/ global warming! We'll have millions thrown at us!
The bar in the study serves alcohol with a pre-set price list. This will be the first time that a visit to 'The Study' is a pleasant one.
I have learned from the local paper this week that the tennants of the Rose & Crown at Nympsfield have called it a day due to the current economic crisis. However, the outfit that owns the place is hopeful of new people taking over soon.
Regarding payments, I think that by doing some form of finger buffet myself I can considerably reduce costs, therefore making the visit much cheaper per head and reducing my liability. Pay on the door is most probably what will happen.
Things are starting to knit together now. There are are a few things left to sort out which I hope to do soon.
Alan Davis