What just didn't hack it?

[w00hoo]

The Solent room unfortunately did look deserted and underused, it could make a great larping space - especially for when increased numbers attending (I've absolutley no doubt that this WILL get bigger!) mean larger larps can be staged.

You could happily use the 'lower' area around the dance floor to LARP in while leaving the upper area and spots in front of the traders free for people to walk round and shop if they still wanted to.

Aside from getting more people around the traders it might be an opportunity for people who aren't LARPing at that point to sit in the upper area watching what is going on while board gaming or some such...

[w00hoo]

So would people be prepared to sacrifice a chunk of game time for an event?

Some people, yes. All people, no. Would be my guess. Some people don't like socialising that much and some people would have made time one way or another anyhow.

It doesn't surprise me that the snack bar takings were down. Between people getting wise to the food there and people having to return to lodges to change for the next game anyway I think eating 'at home' was probably a much easier thing than normal.

I suppose one option would be to get the site to do a large hot/cold buffet (if the kitchen would be up for it) for Saturday lunch time. Pay in advance of the Con so you'd have exact numbers. Time it between the two LARPing slots making sure to allow for costume changing time too. Hold it in the main hall where the traders are.

[Morgoth]

It doesn't surprise me that the snack bar takings were down. Between people getting wise to the food there and people having to return to lodges to change for the next game anyway I think eating 'at home' was probably a much easier thing than normal.

I think the site needs to be told that the reason no one eats at the Snack Bar is because, apart from their breakfasts, the food is completely and utterly and totally shite.

Which is a shame since the carvery they did on Sunday was actually quite good!

[mikey]

The Ringwood was worth drinking. I returned at least one other pint because it was crap and had what I interpreted as pipe scum floating on it

The Cavery was excellent - and relatively quick. It's the first time I remember seeing one. More!

Not having the upper bar open when we are playing in there seems silly

We need to create a virtuous circle to have more reason to be around the main area, when not "heads down" in something else. I did put two crates of board games behind the con desk, for people to sign out - though I don't know if anyone actually borrowed any....?

The longer gaps made the end of the first game FAR less stressful. Conversely, people cleared out and went back to their chalets

I'm still not sure whether it was good or bad for the main desk to be in reception rather than in the narrow corridor. It felt less intimate there, and took us off the solent room<=>bar route.

[Mist77]

The carvery was new, they have always done roast dinner on a Sunday for Conception (i suspect its a Naish standard) which has been a bit cheaper than that, but not quite as good.

The food down at the lower bar was on most days as well and is a VAST improvement on the snack bar by the main bar (some of the snack bar food is reasonable for the price, some overpriced for what it is, and some plain bad. Be picky and you do ok). Prices were in the £8-11 range but that lamb shank was GoooooD.... (what you would expect of a decent pub and quality was up to scratch).

Traffic in the bar was very poor, a lot of folks seemed to vanish back to their lodges the moment they were not in games. In fact i never even saw some folks i know who were on site! An official party during bar opening hours would be an idea (after midnight ones are all well and good but some of us are not night owls and would prefer one earlier and be up for a morning game).