1042. 24.01.02 LONDON W1 - MARYLEBONE: Sec, GR. The Sec. met the GR at the latter's office, and proceeded to the "THREE TUNS", behind the Oxford Street "Marks & Spencer", where Courage Best and quality food were had - a surprisingly typical "local" in this location. The meeting was continued and concluded at the "CARPENTER'S ARMS", Seymour Place, Marble Arch. A very traditional "real ale" pub, with deep leather benches and a fine selection of beers with a South Midlands / Thames Valley flavour, of which Brakspears and Hook Norton were sampled.

1043. 28.02.02 LONDON EC3: Chair, SAR & N, WPR, Sec, GR, EAR, plus the following employees of Lloyds TSB: Gary Wootton (+ Karen), John Laird (+Vivien), Stephen Carter, Linda Rons, Nick Furlong, Gary Morris, Robin Yetman, Steve Tutty, Kevin Stockbridge; plus the following ex-employees of Lloyds TSB: John Franck, Frances Allen. This event, held up the spiral staircase in the "LAMB", Leadenhall Market, was held to mark the following events: 20 Years since the SAR started working for Lloyds TSB, 1 Year since the EAR retired from said institution, imminent send-off of Gary to Bogota, and noting of the EAR's and SAR's Birthdays. Quantities of Youngs ordinary, white wine and red wine were consumed, and Linda kindly provided crisps and nuts. The Chair ratified the establishment of a relationship between the SLBS and a Society based in Aston, near Sheffield, which had recently informed the SLBS of its formation via e-mail. At approximately 21.15 the Chair declared the meeting closed, and the remaining party (Chair, SAR & N, WPR, EAR) proceeded to Liverpool Street Station, where the EAR re-opened the meeting by way of a half of Fullers London Pride in the "HAMILTON HALL".

1043. 15.03.02 LONDON W1: WPR, Nadir, Rick, Judy: Fast becoming an annual event, a return visit was made to the upstairs bar of the "NEWMAN ARMS", Newman Passage, for Pie and Ale. A table had been reserved, with comfortable but low seats for all but the WPR, who had the unusual experience of looking down at everyone else from his bar stool. Nadir and the WPR had chicken and lamb pie respectively, while Rick and Judy had steak and kidney pudding. These were so filling that members were unable to manage any pudding. Fullers ride, Carling, and tonic water were drunk. All, including Judy whose first visit this was, expressed clear verbal approval and appreciation of the meal, and hoped that their act leaving a counterfeit one pound coin in the tip would not overly diminish the financial expression of this sentiment. Afterwards Rick and Judy returned to work, while Nadir very kindly treated the WPR to a visit to the "Paris Capital of the Arts" exhibition at the Royal Academy.

1045. 15.03.02 LONDON W1 - WESTMINSTER: Sec, GR, Anita, Michael (A's brother), & Sarah (of Dollis Hill). "CRYPT CAF�", St. Martin in the Fields. Food, Coffee, Fullers (Secretary only). "WALKER'S", off Whitehall, Adnams etc., "OLD SHADES", unseasonal visit, for Fullers, Bass, etc.

1046. 09.04.02 LONDON N1 - ISLINGTON: WPR (Convener), Sec, BS, SAR. Members met in the "EAGLE", City Road, Sheperdess Walk. Mentioned in the song "Pop goes the Weasel", the pub had seen better days and the interior was vast and dark with heavy wooden tables. Fullers London Pride was had until it had ran out. The SAR made a non-drinking appearance due to lateness in appearance at the venue. The WPR then conducted the party through the back streets of Hackney to the object of the evening's research, the "WENLOCK ARMS", Wenlock Road, which he had visited recently. Here a wide range of real ales was enjoyed: Adnams Regatta - aromatic, clean, almost a weissbier; Adnams Fisherman - dark and fruity; Joseph Holts - OK. The BS noted that the beer was professionally poured to the brim. There were gifts all round as the SAR distributed Brazilian and Spanish beer. The SAR presented the WPR with a book from the Webmaster, which he was unable to understand because it was in Portuguese, but appreciated greatly. On the day of HM the Queen Mother's funeral, the Society drank a toast to a fellow appreciator of Youngs beer. In preparation for the AGM, the WPR produced a consolidated membership list in which Judy and Nadir were formally added and Phil, who had never been a member, removed. The list was approved by all members present and it was agreed to forward it to the Webmaster. The BS e a Black Pudding sandwedge; the Secretary followed this lead by eating one of cheese, onion and pickle; the WPR and SAR shared a sausage sandwedge between them. At 9pm there was a mad scramble as the WPR attempted to locate his ringing phone (finally located in trouser pocket). The Sec and SAR lest to catch trains and the WPR and BS stayed for more Adnams Regatta before doing the same.

1047. 15.04.02 LONDON WC2: Sec (Convener), WPR. A rare Society cinematic evening occurred, the film being "24 Hour Party People", about the musical scene in Manchester in the 1980s and 1990s. This was preceded by drinks in the "HAND AND RACQUET", Whitcomb Street. After the film a re-inspection was made of the "MOON UNDER WATER", Leicester Square, which was found to have declined severely since the last visit and was now a rough dirty bar for youngsters of a similar description. The seats had been stripped out and replaced by stools, and blackboards advertised not real ales but jugs of more commercial drinks in a variety of bright colours. The ambience and clientele caused Members to feel old and out of place and it was resolved to strike the establishment from the list of acceptable venues.

08.05.02 LONDON EC3: EAR (Convener), SAR & N, Rubiela, Gary, Frances, John B, Chris K, David V. The EAR assembled a group of dinosaurs in the "WILLIAMSONS TAVERN" Bow Lane, and they nostalged about ancient Rule Books in the Lloyds Bank organisation. The Meeting took place in a quiet area of the pub, while the other half was packed with people awaiting Arsenal being declared top of the Premier League.

1048. 11.05.02 LONDON SE1 - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: Chair, Sec, WPR, SAR & N, BS, GR, EAR, SOS & Val & Lidiane, Adrian (TBA). A change of venue for the AGM was dictated by the increasing threadbareness and subsequent closure of the "Anchor" for renovation. The Society moved eastwards to the "THAMESIDE INN" where the Meeting began with the Chair, WPR, BS and Sec purloining an outside table for Refreshment of a liquid nature, being mostly Adnams and Fullers. When the SAR & N, and subsequently the GR and EAR arrived, an adjacent party conveniently vacated an adjacent table. Members were tapped on the shoulder by two puzzled violinists from Vienna on the adjacent table who could not understand why nobody had come to their table to serve them with beer while members were freely imbibing at the next table. They were directed inside the bar to get their drinks, which they did. The Chairman opened the meeting at 17.42, and requested the Minutes of the previous meeting, at which point the WPR produced the Minutes of the previous 23 AGMs, to the consternation of Members. The Chairman made a brief Statement, subsequent to which the WPR proposed a toast to the SYBS (who announced a simultaneous AGM in the Blue Bell, Aston, South Yorkshire, and the EAR proposed a toast to the Zinn Society of Frankfurt, Germany. The WPR then stood, and formally proposed that Adrian be elected as a member. He delivered an appropriate manifesto which involved a large round of drinks and was therefore elected unanimously with the title of TBA (Tirana Badminton Associate). The Society ratified the Royal Oak Retreat as acceptable behaviour subject to mobile telephony but not mobile telepathy being used as a communications medium as appropriate. Once the formal proceedings were closed, the Chair assembled a multi-disciplinary group of Members and frog-marched them to the Quiz Machine, obliging them to answer questions on obscure subjects which they did with considerable success. The Meeting migrated indoors at around 19.30 and closed at about 21.30, the venue having been approved of by all present.

1049. 19.06.02 LONDON WC1 - WPR'S BIRTHDAY: WPR, SAR & N, BS, SOS, Sec, TBA, Terry, Bernard, Charlie, Caroline & Jonathan (TBA's sister and nephew). The WPR decided to celebrate his birthday on a ship, therefore Members and Guests assembled beside Waterloo Bridge on the "QUEEN MARY" where Drinks were had on deck by way of refreshment, albeit those purloining them had a considerable wait in their acquisition in the downstairs bar, which was inefficiently compensated for by the opening of the on-deck bar just as the party was leaving. Despite the SAR's grumbles, a v. enjoyable evening was had in the setting sunlight. Using Mobile Telephony, the WPR reserved a table at the "Bali" Indonesian Restaurant, where a sumptuous meal was had.

1050. 22.06.02 EAST SUSSEX - CHELWOOD GATE / SEAFORD: GR, Sec. The Sec. was met by the GR at Surbiton, thence proceeding via East Grinstead to the "RED LION" Chelwood Gate in a remote rustic location, though with a garage full of "historic racing cars" adjacent. Despite its traditional "country pub" exterior, this proved to have been trendily modernised and somewhat wine-barish within, but Shepherd Neame and food of quality were sampled. An intensive tour of East Sussex villages then ensued, calling at Chailey, Offham, Kingston-by-Lewes, Rodmell (including visit to Virginia Woolf's house), Southease, Piddinghoe and Bishopstone. A rest was taken, and some Harveys sampled, at the "CINQUE PORTS", Seaford, a cosy town centre pub boasting of having once been a brothel, though no such trade existent at 5 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon. A brisk return to Surbiton was then made.

1051. 25.07.02 BS's BIRTHDAY: BS, WPR, Sec, SAR. The BS reverted to ancient tradition, calling a meeting at the "ANCHOR". He had to wait over half an hour to be served, thus the SAR decided to add his round at the same time, and a desperate drinker added one more pint to the round, reimbursing the BS to the tune of �5. The venue emptied out as time went on, and the SAR departed abruptly in the style made famous by the COB, followed at a more temperate pace by the Secretary. The remaining Members proceeded to a neighbouring establishment whose name has been forgotten.

1052. 27.08.02 LONDON W12 - HAMMERSMITH: SOS, WPR. The SOS met the WPR at Goldhawk Road station and led him on a guided tour of the riverside, pointing out notable landmarks including Fullers Brewery, good parking places, and many establishments marking the foundation or demise of bygone political movements. The "DOVE" was visited, which, though normally crowded, was on this occasion empty, allowing the WPR to achieve his ambition to hold a meeting in the smallest bar in Britain. This aim once achieved, members then took their beers outside to the upper level to enjoy the late summer sun and the excellent tasting Fullers Chiswick Bitter. An astounding Polish meal nominally of three courses was then enjoyed at the Patio Restaurant in Goldhawk Road, consisting of beer, starters, bread and butter, meat, dumplings, potatoes and vegetables, cakes, fruit, dessert, coffee and vodka.

1053. 22.09.02 KENT - MATFIELD / PETTERBRIDGE: GR, Sec. The GR collected the Sec. at Gravesend, thence heading south for an intensive tour of 8 villages in the Tunbridge Wells area. Shepheard Neame, and a robust Sunday Lunch, were had at the "WHEELWRIGHT'S ARMS", Matfield, a very traditional no-nonsense hostelry opposite the village pond, with loquacious Yorkshire landlord. The meeting then moved to the nearby hamlet of Petterbridge, where Badger was sampled at the "HOPBINE", a cosy establishment deep in the hopfields, the only dubious feature being that the "Gents" was hal;f a mile away in the garden down a steep flight of steps, so probably an unwise place to drink 8 pints on a cold winter evening� The villages of Brenchley, Pembury, Capel, Tudeley, Bidborough, Spelshurst and Leigh were then inspected (highlight being the view from Bidborough Ridge and the Marc Chagall stained glass at Tudeley church), before returning for a welcome pot of tea at Gravesend.

1054. 31.10.02 LONDON W1 - FITZROVIA: Rick & Phil (aka "Tumbling Dice"), Judy, WPR, Sec, BS, Tim (other), Phil, etc. (IPA, Guinness Pernod). The duo performed a traditional selection of their repertoire in the "DUKE OF YORK" with a Halloween theme, including "Sympathy for the Devil". The evening was also noteworthy for two spectacular beer spillages in the vicinity of Members - the BS got a free pint out of one of these, having had his shirt soaked.

1055. 15.11.02 LONDON WC2 - BLOOMSBURY: Sec, GR, WPR, BS, TBA. Members assembled at the "BULL & MOUTH", Bloomsbury way, for Ironside" on a busy Friday evening. After it had been established that the SAR would not be attending due to mislaying his wallet, the Meeting moved a short distance to "TRUCKLES", a City-style basement bar near the British Museum, where a timber-lined "room-within-a-room", with round table, was commandeered for the evening, after which the group was joined by the TBA's colleague Peter. Food and several half gallon jugs of "Davy's Old Wallop" were convivially consumed, the former consisting of plates of cheese with miscellaneous random accompaniments with which the GR expressed disappointment, and the service of the latter being somewhat erratic, due to the varying experience of the Anglo-French staff. After the Secretary departed to catch a train, the remaining Members proceeded to a neighbouring establishment whose name has been forgotten where they stayed until it closed. Next the BS departed to catch a train and the remaining Members proceeded to Soho to meet Adrian II and find somewhere else to drink; however, the WPR found that he could not drink any more and departed to catch a train; Peter expressed dissatisfaction and departed in search of more exciting night life; and the remaining Adrians proceeded to a neighbouring establishment whose name has been forgotten where they upheld the objectives of the Society to the extreme.

1056. 04.12.02 LONDON W1 - MAYFAIR: WPR; SAR, N, GR, Solange. Convened by WPR to investigate an area disregarded in the early days of the Society due to its then preponderance of Watneys pubs. Nadir, Solange and the WPR, who had been shopping together, arrived at the "(I AM THE ONLY) RUNNING FOOTMAN", Charles Street, to find the SAR pacing up and down outside unable to enter due to the volume of crowds. Nevertheless he was enticed inside, shortly followed by the GR, and members hovered near to a large painting of the Running Footman and soon commandeered a suitable table. Beerwise, members found that the selection had improved greatly, and sampled Pedigree followed by Youngs Ordinary, although regarding food the barman warned of severe delays so crisps were had instead. The GR remarked that it was his first time at a meeting without the Sec. The SAR produced a number of policy documents for consideration, and attempted to use a multifunctional quiz machine, which led to a loss when he forgot to collect the winnings. Keen to conduct more research, the WPR had brought an ancient pub guide and, after Solange had left to attend another event, he and the GR led members to the "GUINEA" in Bruton Place. However, this was v. crowded with no seats because half the pub had been walled off to form a deserted restaurant area, so members continued instead to the "COACH AND HORSES", Bruton Street for coffee (Nadir) and Charles Wells Naked Gold (other members) - very bland, forgettable, doesn't register. Food service was non functional despite a number of prominent boards.

1057. 19.12.02 LONDON W1 - WHITEHALL - CHRISTMAS MEETING: Chair, SAR, N, WPR, Rick, Sec, GR, BS, SOS, Valrita, Lidiane, COB, Sue, EAR and numerous guests including Akiko of Paraguay. This meeting in "OLD SHADES" marked the Silver Jubilee of the Society, and was duly celebrated by a full attendance of all Committee members. Attendance was further swollen by the presence of numerous guests of the EAR who all sat together at the East side of the room. The Chair opened proceedings in traditional fashion and made a rousing speech to universal acclaim. As part of a carefully devised plan, members old and young, though mostly middle aged, then brought out pictures of themselves taken 25 years ago, and passed them around, to everyone's great entertainment and delight, and the meeting was hailed a magnificent success.

1058. 30.12.02 LONDON SW19 - WIMBLEDON: WPR; BS, SAR. The traditional post-Christmas meeting in the "ALEXANDRA" (Youngs), was poorly attended in contrast to the previous meeting, and was notable mainly for the novelty of reasons for non-attendance. Rick was feeling unwell and gave a complicated explanation, along the lines that he would have come if he were drunk but was now too sober to attend. The SAR attended but left early to switch on his bread-making machine and to rearrange the contents of one of his recycling bins. Members were eager to display their new technology and the WPR took pictures on his new digital camera. The BS demonstrated the use of predictive text on SMS messages with unconvincing results, and followed this up with a demonstration of voice tagging.