Page 28 - PBCMarch2018

Pickwick Bicycle Club Magazine Volume 15 No.1 March 2018 !28

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Additional Event for the 150 Anniversary

Pruffle & I (Hunt) have researched 4-5 venues in the Hampton Court area, with suitable
capacity for around 350-500 seating. The most suitable and available is the Esher hall at
Sandown Rcecourse. We have an estimated price based on a 4-course meal, reception drink,
tea/coffee and hire of the hall (with a bar) at £70per person, based on a minimum of 350
people. We have also decided that a Thursday in September would be most suitable, and the
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three provisional dates are 10 /17 /24 .
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As for the ride itself, I have planned a provisional, sensible route starting at the Diana
Fountain in Bushy Park, and following as near as possible the original route, but avoiding busy
roads, of approximately 8 miles.
With the possibility of 500 riders is this realistic for an open event?
We will need to fix a preferred date as earliest opportunity, before progressing by
contacting the police and the Royal Parks etc. We will also need some idea of numbers quite
early on to work out the logistics and feasibility.

The idea would be to start at 1o’clock with the last man home at some 90miutes later –
approx. 2.30pm. Participants would then convene in the bar at the Esher Hall (which is only 2
miles away) at 6pm, and be seated by 6.50pm to welcome Mr President and guests at
7o’clock. We have estimated dinner to take 3-3.5hrs, and concluding by 11o’clock. There is
plenty of parking on site and a number of hotels within 5 miles.

We are also looking into activities between the two events such as a tour of Hampton Court
Palace, a river trip on the Thames, or there’s even a golf driving range at Sandown.
We are considering the possibilities of a ladies gift, a participating member’s gift, plus
attendance of both the Chelsea pensioners & Horseguards, singing waiters and of course a
raffle.
Although partially based on our traditional twice annual luncheons, we believe this should be
a stand –alone event, and in the presence of our lady guests. Our intention is to keep the
overall cost for the whole event at maximum £100 per ticket.

We need Club members to contribute their thoughts & ideas on the above outline plans, so
please contact Pruffle (Aiden Hegarty) - jaheg@sky.com or myself, Hunt (Roger Hitchman)
roger.hitchman@sky.com as soon as possible.