A DW Convention ?

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duncanpaul17
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Post by duncanpaul17 »

The 10th or 17th may will also be ok for me.

just a couple of thoughts.

if it proves difficult to arrange a bank account or a treasurer, is it possible to make a group booking but make each one of us
responsible for our own bills.

This could be done by supplying the hotel with all our names so they could charge us at the rate quoted.

Secondly, looking at both Nick's and KR's location all three of us will have a distance to travel and anticipate we would probably aim to reach the hotel by dinnertime. Would this be the time you would plan for the convention to start possibly with a buffet lunch
to cater for 'staggered' arrivals especially if there are others who will have a fair distance to travel.

Also thanks to Charles and Nick for carrying this forward, its up to the rest of us to support you.
K R Cope

Post by K R Cope »

Picking up on duncanpaul's thoughts:-

Whichever way Charles and Nick deal with the bookings/monies, I think that we should all make our firm bookings, with any necessary deposits/payments, as soon as details are settled...we don't want anyone to be out of pocket!

Regarding times, I think that we could comfortably arrive by mid-morning (10.30-ish), given reasonable weather and traffic conditions on a May Saturday.
But I appreciate distances involved for others, so would it be best to make any morning "business" informal and optional, then start the Convention proper after an early lunch?

Hope these ideas help.
Nick
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Post by Nick »

This is all good positive stuff and I think the Convention is going to happen. It is a good idea to have an informal morning until lunch I agree. Just generally meeting up and chatting, and possibly a screening of 'The letter to Posterity' to set the scene for the afternoon.
The next job I would say is to decide who we would like as a guest speaker. There is also the matter of how much he or she is going to charge. My view is go right to the top. Maybe a member of the Wheatley Family (is it Dominic?) maybe Charles can help here. I will put a few feelers out and see what comes back.
Charles
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Post by Charles »

Re possible speakers, I have indeed spoken to various people - I'll fill you in on what they said when we speak

All best
Charles
Jim
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Post by Jim »

I have no idea if I will be able to come over from New York, but I am following this discussion with great interest.

If/when the convention does come off, I hope there will be a page pf photos so everyone can share in the events of the day.
Charles
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Post by Charles »

We'll make sure of it !!!
Charles
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Post by Charles »

To keep you all up-to-speed, the following email should be going out to all those registered with The Library shortly :

..........

Dear All

I thought I would email everyone who is registered on the website with the latest update on the proposed Convention, as not everyone is a regular visitor to the Library.

The suggested date is Saturday 17th May next year, and the venue that is being discussed is the Corus Hotel in Elstree, Hertfordshire; parts of which were used in the filming of The Devil Rides Out.

Nick has negotiated prices with them, and they are £ 60 per person for buffet lunch and dinner on the Saturday with no stay, or £ 145 for buffet lunch, dinner and overnight stay (B&B). As a concession if couples are sharing a room, they will keep the price tag at £ 145 – the extra person only pays for their food.

We are still working out the provisional programme – we would probably kick off with a showing of the Letter to Posterity documentary, have plenty of time for chatting, all being well arrange a speaker or two, and in the evening show a couple of films (perhaps The Spy in White and one of the Hammer films).

We need to establish fairly soon if this is sufficient demand for this to take off.

Can you please email me if you would definitely come if we arrange this / if you might come ? If you wouldnÂ’t come, no need to reply and thanks for your patience.

Kind regards to all

Charles

...........

Thanks again to Nick for his effective negotiations. Let's hope we get a good response !

All the best
Charles
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Post by Charles »

Dear All

The Corus Hotel has confirmed we can have the booking for Saturday 17th May, with the prices in line with those set out before.

Single person 'day only' £ 60 (inc buffet lunch, meetings and dinner)

Single person overnight stay £ 145 (as above plus B&B)

Couples on overnight stay £ 170

The programme is still intended to be much as before, and there is a possibility that Christopher Lee will send us a special recorded message.

We need to proceed to firm bookings for those who are definitely coming fairly soon, so could I please ask all those who definitely propose to come to email me a confirmation by the end of next weekend (i.e. by the end of Sunday 16th March) ?

We will then let the hotel know, finalise things, and be asking for the money shortly after that.

Hopefully they will be able to cater for the odd latecomer, but we need to confirm we have a ‘critical mass’.

I'm sending this by direct email to everyone who expressed interest before - but I'm posting it here in case anyone was missed off the list or wants to come who couldn't before.

Best wishes to all
Charles
Charles
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Post by Charles »

Dear All

Good news - the Convention looks set to go ahead.

We have twelve people so far, which we reckon is a 'critical mass'.

We have to pay the hotel a month or so before the Convention date (17th May).

I'm away for Easter, but if everyone could have the money ready at the start of next month I'll email them where to send it.

If anyone else wants to join us, it's not too late to join in ... but if you can't make it we'll drink everyone's health.

Best wishes as always
Charles
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Post by Charles »

Dear All,

The Convention on Saturday 17th May looks set to go ahead. I'll be emailing all those who said they would definitely come / were strongly likely to come with payment details shortly.

If anyone else would like to come, it isn't too late !

Below for information I have set out the draft programme, the dinner menu, and a brief history of the Elstree Corus hotel.

I went and had a look at it on Thursday, and it's really lovely.

Thanks to Nick for his help with the organisation !

Best wishes to all

Charles

++++++++++++++++++++++++++



Provisional Programme



10.30 – 11.30 Arrive

11.30 Welcome & Messages of Greeting

11.45 Film : ‘A Letter to Posterity’

1.00 Buffet lunch

2.00 Iwan Morelius : ‘Lunch with Dennis Wheatley’

2.30 Charles Beck : ‘Future developments for the website
– the Dennis Wheatley Museum’

Followed by a round table discussion

4.00 Tea

and a chance to buy or swap books

5.00 Film : The Secret of Stamboul

6.30 Break

7.30 Dinner


After Dinner


Film : The Devil Rides Out


++++++++++++++++++++++++


Dinner Menu



Soup or Fish starter

---

Duck (Canard Duke de Richleau)

or

Chicken (Chicken Roger Brook)

or

vegetarian option

---

Fruit Salad (Frucht Salat Erica von Epp)


or

Cheese

---

Coffee

(apologies to DW for taking slight liberties with his 50th book celebration dinner menu !)

++++++++++++++++++++


A Brief History of Corus Hotel Elstree


In 1540, Commander Sir Arthur Trevor Dawson BT, Royal Navy, was the first occupant of Edgewarebury House.

In the early 1930s it was turned into a private country club and remained so until the early 1960s. It was operated as a hotel with a fine restaurant for some years until the recent expansion in 1989 added conference rooms, which moved the hotel to its present status.

The buildingÂ’s original features have been largely retained with several pieces throughout the hotel being of considerable age. The front door was originally part of the dungeons of Lewis Castle. As one stands in the entrance hall attention is immediately drawn to the outstanding features of the fireplace with Italian carved columns supporting the ornate mantelpiece.

The decorative frieze paintings around the upper part of the reception lobby were executed by Sir Norman Little depicting scenes from the Spanish Armada. It is understood that some of the wood was actually from ships involved in this battle. The beams and cornessons have been used to decorate the ceilings in reception. The wooden panel in our Beaufort room is believed to date back to the 1600s. In the bar there is a particularly fine set of old gothic panels made from ship lockers. The fireplace overmantel features some fine carving, which frames a medieval Spanish painting, produced on leather canvas.

The Corus Hotel Elstree is set in 10 acres of landscaped gardens and natural woodland, with views overlooking central London. Many television programmes and films have featured the Corus Hotel Elstree. In addition the Corus Hotel Elstree can boast to having entertained many famous celebrities, including Peter Sellers, Tom Cruise and John Cleese to mention a few.
Charles
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