# London Dope Fest. You know you want to. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 7, 2001, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859 "2001-01-07T13:21:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2001, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/1 "2001-01-07T13:21:16Z")
In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=46333&pagenumber=2) I said I’d organize a London DopeFest (since the London Dopers seem incapable of doing it themselves :D) the next time there’s a RyanAir special. Well, as it turns out there’s one going on right now. It isn’t quite the every-flight-a-tenner I was hoping for, but still pretty damn reasonable for a weekend trip: £4.50 out and £19.50 return (plus taxes, of course). The weekends I could do this during the special-fare period are 27-28 January and 3-4 February. Do either of these work for anyone else? We have to move really, really fast on this BTW because the deal ends at midnight Monday - and I’m not sure if that means the midnight that begins Monday or the midnight that ends it! ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2001, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/2 "2001-01-07T13:25:45Z")
I can do either BUT the end of January is better for me. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2001, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/3 "2001-01-07T14:51:13Z")
I’d have to ride down on the bike so it would have to be an overnighter for me, still if you can arrange either date and maybe a London Doper can suggest digs that I can phone book then I’d be up for it. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2001, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/4 "2001-01-07T15:00:05Z")
I’d offer but I already share a one-room flat…sorry! ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2001, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/5 "2001-01-07T17:08:29Z")
I assume the plan for the LondonFest That Wasn’t is still on - i.e. meet up in Camden? So that’s probably around where you’ll want to stay, casdave. (I myself will be staying in my old stomping ground of Finsbury Park - dear God please let that Ethiopian restaurant still be there…) I am getting really excited about this - can’t believe it’s almost two years since I’ve been to London! I hope some other Dopers can make it … anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2001, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/6 "2001-01-07T17:13:46Z")
I think there were a few people interested. I’ll dig up one of the recent threads and post a link to this one. I know Camden pretty much inside out, but on a weekend I can make pretty much anywhere on the tube. There’s also a good (foodwise - the place is a concrete bunker) African restaurant in Covent Garden (“Calabash”, in the basement of an African community centre). ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2001, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/7 "2001-01-07T20:49:24Z")
Lodging in London is no problem for me 😉 HOWEVER: I’m going on a ski trip to Italia. And get this: I leave January 27, and I return February 3. Yes, really. **ruadh** , m’dear, as much as I’d love to come, I can’t make it in these two weekends. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2001, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/8 "2001-01-07T23:36:36Z")
That’s too bad Coldy. Let’s do it the 27th then (it’s a better weekend for me as well). Since I am not sure whether this RyanAir deal expires in half an hour or in 24 1/2 hours I’m going to book my flight now, so you guys better not back out on me 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/9 "2001-01-08T03:34:15Z")
Oh, sure, _now_ you tell me…Were you guys waiting for me to leave the country or what? Oh well, there is always the slim chance that I will be allowed back into the UK… ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/10 "2001-01-08T07:49:08Z")
Well you could have organized one yourself Duke 😛 ---
**Author:** ![fierra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@fierra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fierra)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/11 "2001-01-08T10:46:49Z")
I’m interested. I’m in Hemel Hempstead…is there a camden tube station or is it called something else? (I’m lazy too and don’t know London all that well… :rolleyes: ) Yeah, Duke shouldn’t have been so easily tempted by doughnuts (or donuts as he now has to call them 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![BornDodgy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@BornDodgy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BornDodgy)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/12 "2001-01-08T11:00:06Z")
whines around about still being in Austria… _leaves thread mumbling something like old people do_ ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/13 "2001-01-08T13:32:09Z")
I’m in Farnborough, but can get the train into town no problem. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/14 "2001-01-08T18:27:20Z")
Ack, Farnborough…my old home town… Yes, there’s a tube station in Camden Town. It’s on the Northern Line - from Farnborough you take a train to Waterloo and sit on the Northern Line. From Hemel Hempstead I’m not so sure, but if you can get to Euston you’ll be fine. There are also plenty of night buses from Camden Town back into the centre, so the last train shouldn’t be a big problem. If it does become tricky, I’m certainly open to alternative areas. ---
**Author:** ![fierra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@fierra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fierra)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/15 "2001-01-08T19:53:01Z")
Thanks Matt - Euston is right on the northern line so that should be fine. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/16 "2001-01-08T20:02:54Z")
I’m actually in Frimley which is just north of Farnborough, but nobody knows where Frimley is (unless you follow darts) so I just say Farnborough. Camden sounds fine to me. The last trains back on Saturdays are around 11:30pm and 1:00am. What time do the tubes stop running? ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/17 "2001-01-08T20:28:47Z")
Time and place folks, the date is fixed for 27th Jan ? ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/18 "2001-01-08T21:20:43Z")
I don’t know Frimley that well, although I spent the last eleven years in Farnborough (!). The last tubes are between 11.30 and 12.00, but the night buses run to about 3 or 4am. The last Farnborough train is about 1am, although sometimes it stops at Woking and you have to get a bus (bitter experience speaking). As for time and place, I can make it anytime of the day or night. Is everyone coming in the morning, afternoon or evening? If it’s Camden I suggest the Hogshead - near the tube, large and open, decent range of beers and not too horrific by London prices standards. I can supply a map once we’re all agreed. If Camden’s hard to navigate I’d recommend the Porterhouse near Charing Cross and then tube it. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/19 "2001-01-08T21:49:39Z")
Deffo the 27th casdave, I already booked my flight. (Which action was of course **immediately** followed by Sky Sports announcing they’ll be broadcasting a Celtic game at precisely the time of my non-changeable return. Really, I should be used to it by now…) Anyway, I’m arriving mid-afternoon so an evening meet-up would be best for me, and I don’t really care which pub, though I’d prefer to avoid the ones that’ll kick us out at 11.00 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859/20 "2001-01-08T21:55:05Z")
Hogshead’s an 11.30 place, but there a couple of bars and clubs round Camden that stay open, and I know a kebab shop that’ll serve you “under the counter” beers anytime. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-dope-fest-you-know-you-want-to/48859.md?page=2)