English here too, but living in Austin, I’m having to make do with the upcoming BatDope.
I’ll be officially British in September, so I’ll up the % points if you need it.
Otherwise I qualify as a Londoner but an Aussie. And my partner, as a regular London dopefest attendee, has banned me from encroaching on his territory so I shall leave him to it and enjoy the peace and quiet!
Ianzin, you are welcome over anytime. just give me enough advance notice and I’ll make sure I get to the hardware store. 
Yes, this was very unexpected. I thought all the fellas were gonna take off their shirts and have a hairy chest competition 
YEOWZA!! Manwithaplan would have definitely won that one…
Though a couple days later I did meet yojimbo and that boy looks like he escaped from a fur farm! Not a bad thing darlin’, trust me… Nice and cuddly wuddly in a nice don’t feck with me sort of way. Besides, some of us like walking carpets. Heck, I married one
Dublin was fantastic. We are looking forward to going back as soon as we can.
Meantime… Midlands is a convenient location…
I’m in London - it’s Monday night (10 march) Did anyone else hear that Harrier fly across the whole city in about 10 seconds flat - I heard it come from London Eye direction, over King’s Cross and then head towards Holloway…
Anyone? It was pretty weird.
Unmentionables? Is that us Midlands Dopers? Am I really a Doper now? I’ve only been here a few weeks - does that give me Doper status?
Anyway, when I finish wibbling, I’m in the West Midlands…based in the Glorious People’s Republic of Wolverhampton but working in the ar*e end of Edgbaston.
A fest of some kind would be cool but there’s no way on earth I’d go to Lunnon.
Ahhhhhhh was i ever that young…
…oh wait…
i AM that young…
It’s jolly kind of all you chaps (and chapesses) to have a thread especially for little old moi!
Having been born and then worked in London for decades, I now live in t’Midlands*.
I do feel a trifle guilty at not having been to a Londope, but I did meet the brother of a doper at a chess match in Leicester once…
Is that enough rambling?
*statutory Northern reference
So i’m guessing that its going to be the midlands then.
Midlands sounds most promising. Where’s easiest to get to?
Leicester sounds fine plenty of small eateries there.
Small enough not to get too badly lost.
I think we should go to Birmingham. And I think we should go to Cadbury World. And the zoo.
Checking in from Scotland to up our percentage.
Wow, LeicsDope! I’m from Leicestershire by the way, Kal
BrumDope would be the funniest thing ever, its the scummiest shit hole ive ever visited. As for ‘Birmingham - probably better than you’d have expected’ as a slogan, i must say i strongly disagree. It’s as bad as you’d think and worse (I could talk for days about why that is).
I think Leicester and Nottingham sound like good ideas, although i don’t know what there is to do in Leicester, it would end up being known as ‘Anti-climaxDope’ or ‘LetDownDope’.
I vote Birmingham just for the comedy.
Cadbury World is a load of fun. Took my best friend and the BF (now hubby) there when I first moved over. Takes quite a while to go through but all the free choccie was great
Leicester wouldn’t be too bad - fairly close.
Nottingham, of course, is better… All we have to do is hop the #35 bus… 
Quite a few nice pubs near Nottingham Castle.
I went to a messageboard get-together at Cadbury World in December last year.
Brum is easier to get to than Leicester.
Yet another ex-pat (London-born and -raised) checking in from the San Francisco Bay Area.
For some parts, that’s true. For others it isn’t. Like any other town or city it has good parts and bad parts. You may feel it has more bad that good, but that’s your take. The centre/canal basin area is walkable from the station, there are plenty of bars and restaurants. China town is central too. I’ve only passed through briefly in the last couple of years, but I thought it pleasant enough YMMV.
An advantage is it’s easy to get to from most places because it’s a rail hub.
Francesca - Cadbury World is a motivating factor for me, too. But where’s the zoo?
That I am, logging in from rainy Fulham Broadway.
I’m from the UK. I think. Is that the island that’s sorta up and left a bit from France? 