DATE & VENUE CHANGE

[loopymowse]

The hotel is on the south bank of the Great Ouse River, facing west. Come out of the hotel front door, turn right and walk across the bridge over the river and you're into what passes for Bedford town centre; various cash machines available. 5-10 minute walk tops.

Wireless internet in the rooms and communcal areas, although at the somewhat pricey rate of £15/24 hours (for "business" spec - i.e. pretty much unlimited; there was also a "domestic" (or something similar) spec which had some restrictions on download which i think was £12 for 24 hours).

There's a tasty Chinese takeaway on the part of Duck Mill Lane which runs along the south side of the hotel.

 

The hotel is actually part tower block, so it's actually a reasonably decent landmark; the communal areas (bar etc) are two storeys high, and then above part of them is about 8,10,12 or so floors of residential area. There is also an annex at the back of the hotel (half brown roof half white roof on the staellite image) which is about a three storey high building with about another 40 or 50 rooms in it.

 

If you cross the bridge and go into town there are any variety of Wetherspoon/Litten Tree/Hobgoblin chain pubs that seem to do food which is cheap and cheerful (although the clientele there on the Saturday night I was there was definitely of the unpleasant meathead variety. There's also a Nandos just over the bridge if that tickles your fancy. We didn't find much at all open early (noon) on Sunday lunchtime when we were looking for a pub lunch - walked past several of the pubs and Nandos that were either closed or uninviting. If you feel like pushing the boat out, the Fleur De Lis in Mill Street (http://fleurdelisbedford.rtrk.co.uk/) does excellent food and decent sturdy portions of it. When we were there the Sunday roast was £8.95 and you had a choice of beef or turkey, and there was a free dessert as well. (Interestingly the Nandos and some of the pubs had opened up by the time we strolled back around 2-ish.) To be honest, apart from that one pub, I didn't think that much of Bedford town centre, but there again I guess that's hardly a major consideration for conventioneers either.

 

This is excellent intel for us, thanks for typing out!

I made some notes from it

[bandcat]

I know that this has probably been asked before but as I've not been to any type of convention I don't know anything about the format or facilities so am wondering if its accessible by people with disabilities and will the format be similar to some other conventions I've seen around?

 

apologies if this is the wrong place

[TommyT]

I know that this has probably been asked before but as I've not been to any type of convention I don't know anything about the format or facilities so am wondering if its accessible by people with disabilities and will the format be similar to some other conventions I've seen around?

 

apologies if this is the wrong place

Might be best to ask the hotel. I can't see anything specific on their website (http://www.bedford.parkinn.co.uk) but if you give them a call or drop them an e-mail, they may be able to tell you how well equipped/how accessible the hotel is generally. From their contact info page, their details are Tel: +44 (0)1234 799988

Fax:+ 44 (0)1234 799902

Email: info.bedford@rezidorparkinn.com

Certainly I found their reception staff very helpful when I needed to check some details with them over the phone.

[Queen_Sindel]

I know that this has probably been asked before but as I've not been to any type of convention I don't know anything about the format or facilities so am wondering if its accessible by people with disabilities and will the format be similar to some other conventions I've seen around?

 

apologies if this is the wrong place

 

Tommy has already kindly posted the hotel details. They will be able to answer you questions about the venue being accessible for disabled persons best.

 

As for the convention itself, you are correct, the format is similar to other events around. Not the Collectormania type, but the ones held in hotels over weekends. There's going to be stage talks by all guests, photo sessions, autograph sessions and party.

 

If you need any help at the event itself the staff will gladly help you out, and everything possible will be done to accomodate your disability.

[bandcat]

thanks to you both will look into it

[wabit]

The Infinitly Better shop was in Swindon I think.

 

I knew the shop name was something like that, this'll bug me until I or someone with better memory can recall it.

I hope to get to Bedford morning-ish on the Friday so I might try to find the location and then I'll know what shop it was - if the shop is still there...

Anyone living in Bedford or visited can tell us useful intel about the place? Where cash machines, internet access, etc are?

I can't remember anything from 2004 except how cold I was that day

 

 

I was there and it was bloody freezing. Can't for the life of me remember what the shop was called! My first time at meeting any of the Stargate cast and I was hooked, so after £1000's of money spent and 100's of friends made I LOVED it and plan to carry on as long as there is Conventions around.

[Psychosis]

I'm driving from Crewe if you need a lift seeing as I go through stoke on the A500, I'll be going down friday afternoon and coming back sunday after the closing ceremony

 

Hi, I'm just about to book my hotel, just wondering if you're still willing to give me a lift?

[firefly9]

I tried booking a hotel room online and it said the hotel isn't available on the dates I picked (20th to 23rd). Is anyone else having the same problem?

 

I was also wondering if anyone from Bedford (or Showmasters) could post some info about alternative hotels in the area? 100 rooms isn't very big at all.

 

I have to agree with the people saying that getting to Bedford is a nightmare (I live in Edinburgh). I'm a bit disappointed with the choice. It's a shame that a hotel near a major train station or airport couldn't have been picked. I know several people who say they aren't coming just down to the location alone.

[Queen_Sindel]

You will need to call the hotel and make a reservation. The whole hotel is blocked for the event, this is why the online booking won't work.

 

EDIT: E-Mailing the address Tommy has posted might work, too.

Edited September 26, 2008 by Queen_Sindel

[habitualangel]

I'm driving from Crewe if you need a lift seeing as I go through stoke on the A500, I'll be going down friday afternoon and coming back sunday after the closing ceremony

 

Hi, I'm just about to book my hotel, just wondering if you're still willing to give me a lift?

 

Hello yes I can still give you a lift - I'm going down friday afternoon (prob around 3ish to avoid the traffic on the M6 - as long as I'm there before the gold ticket party I'm ok if you need to go a bit later) and coming back sunday after it finishes.

 

I'm not doing this weekend but am doing eclipse so if your there I'll come and say hello!

[Psychosis]

I'm driving from Crewe if you need a lift seeing as I go through stoke on the A500, I'll be going down friday afternoon and coming back sunday after the closing ceremony

 

Hi, I'm just about to book my hotel, just wondering if you're still willing to give me a lift?

 

Hello yes I can still give you a lift - I'm going down friday afternoon (prob around 3ish to avoid the traffic on the M6 - as long as I'm there before the gold ticket party I'm ok if you need to go a bit later) and coming back sunday after it finishes.

 

I'm not doing this weekend but am doing eclipse so if your there I'll come and say hello!

 

Great, thanks a lot! I'm at Eclipse also.

[Psychosis]

I'm driving from Crewe if you need a lift seeing as I go through stoke on the A500, I'll be going down friday afternoon and coming back sunday after the closing ceremony

 

Hi, I'm just about to book my hotel, just wondering if you're still willing to give me a lift?

 

Hello yes I can still give you a lift - I'm going down friday afternoon (prob around 3ish to avoid the traffic on the M6 - as long as I'm there before the gold ticket party I'm ok if you need to go a bit later) and coming back sunday after it finishes.

 

I'm not doing this weekend but am doing eclipse so if your there I'll come and say hello!

 

Great, thanks a lot! I'm at Eclipse also.

 

Actually, not to be cheeky, but I don't suppose you've got room for one more, have you? A friend wants to come. I'll pay towards petrol costs of course.

[bandcat]

habitualangel you're coming from a similar area to me - have just taken the plunge and booked - just hope I can get the time off signed off now LOL

[habitualangel]

 

Actually, not to be cheeky, but I don't suppose you've got room for one more, have you? A friend wants to come. I'll pay towards petrol costs of course.

 

No problem, I'm meeting my friends down there so plenty of room!

 

habitualangel you're coming from a similar area to me - have just taken the plunge and booked - just hope I can get the time off signed off now LOL

 

Always good to hear of a fellow local stargate fan - are you from crewe?? lets hope you can get the time off - If not I can feel an illness coming on!! Did you come to the last one?

[bandcat]

habitualangel you're coming from a similar area to me - have just taken the plunge and booked - just hope I can get the time off signed off now LOL

 

Always good to hear of a fellow local stargate fan - are you from crewe?? lets hope you can get the time off - If not I can feel an illness coming on!! Did you come to the last one?

 

Not Crewe but close by and I've never been to a convention before but have been trying to find one I was free for and then when the first 2 guests got announced for this I talked my mum into coming with me. I've no idea what to expect couldn't afford a gold pass but hope I stand a chance of getting a pic with the guests anyway. Hoping to meet fans I chat to online that are going too

[Nixster]

habitualangel you're coming from a similar area to me - have just taken the plunge and booked - just hope I can get the time off signed off now LOL

 

Always good to hear of a fellow local stargate fan - are you from crewe?? lets hope you can get the time off - If not I can feel an illness coming on!! Did you come to the last one?

 

Not Crewe but close by and I've never been to a convention before but have been trying to find one I was free for and then when the first 2 guests got announced for this I talked my mum into coming with me. I've no idea what to expect couldn't afford a gold pass but hope I stand a chance of getting a pic with the guests anyway. Hoping to meet fans I chat to online that are going too

 

Talk to everyone! We're all pretty friendly (I'm saying nothing more)

[MadOne]

Not Crewe but close by and I've never been to a convention before but have been trying to find one I was free for and then when the first 2 guests got announced for this I talked my mum into coming with me. I've no idea what to expect couldn't afford a gold pass but hope I stand a chance of getting a pic with the guests anyway. Hoping to meet fans I chat to online that are going too

Talk to everyone! We're all pretty friendly (I'm saying nothing more)

(Or to put it another way, we're a bunch of nutters who will happily chat until 3am every day!)

[Nixster]

Not Crewe but close by and I've never been to a convention before but have been trying to find one I was free for and then when the first 2 guests got announced for this I talked my mum into coming with me. I've no idea what to expect couldn't afford a gold pass but hope I stand a chance of getting a pic with the guests anyway. Hoping to meet fans I chat to online that are going too

Talk to everyone! We're all pretty friendly (I'm saying nothing more)

(Or to put it another way, we're a bunch of nutters who will happily chat until 3am every day!)

 

I would never say that. he he he

[trekkiefan]

If anyone needs a lift from Northampton, I'm happy to give .

Going on Friday afternoon, coming back Monday morning

 

Not Crewe but close by and I've never been to a convention before but have been trying to find one I was free for and then when the first 2 guests got announced for this I talked my mum into coming with me. I've no idea what to expect couldn't afford a gold pass but hope I stand a chance of getting a pic with the guests anyway. Hoping to meet fans I chat to online that are going too

Talk to everyone! We're all pretty friendly (I'm saying nothing more)

(Or to put it another way, we're a bunch of nutters who will happily chat until 3am every day!)

 

I remember staying up that late at Chevron 7, time of my life that was.

[Psychosis]

 

Actually, not to be cheeky, but I don't suppose you've got room for one more, have you? A friend wants to come. I'll pay towards petrol costs of course.

 

No problem, I'm meeting my friends down there so plenty of room!

 

 

You're a wonder!

[Peggy]

I'm traveling down from Liverpool in the car. I may not know the way, but i'm trusting my good old faithful Tom Tom. So if anyone needs a lift, let me know. :)

[Psychosis]

 

Always good to hear of a fellow local stargate fan - are you from crewe?? lets hope you can get the time off - If not I can feel an illness coming on!! Did you come to the last one?

 

Hellooooo *waves* I meant to give you my email address at Eclipse 2 but missed you! If you're still okay to give me a lift can you email me? My email is in my profile, next to "MSN" (that's not actually my MSN address, lol).

[du_berg]

Anyone living in Bedford or visited can tell us useful intel about the place? Where cash machines, internet access, etc are?

I can't remember anything from 2004 except how cold I was that day

The hotel is on the south bank of the Great Ouse River, facing west. Come out of the hotel front door, turn right and walk across the bridge over the river and you're into what passes for Bedford town centre; various cash machines available. 5-10 minute walk tops.

Wireless internet in the rooms and communcal areas, although at the somewhat pricey rate of £15/24 hours (for "business" spec - i.e. pretty much unlimited; there was also a "domestic" (or something similar) spec which had some restrictions on download which i think was £12 for 24 hours).

There's a tasty Chinese takeaway on the part of Duck Mill Lane which runs along the south side of the hotel.

Talking of Duck Mill lane, whilst the hotel's street address is on St Mary's Street, the car park is at the back of the hotel, and is only accessible via Duck Mill lane off Cardington Road - you cannot get there directly from the front of the hotel without driving round the one way system, which is a small pain in the butt. And the car park isn't immediately obvious (because the big sign in the car park saying "Park Inn" faces east and west, and you approach the car park from the south. so don't see the wording. So, for those driving and wanting to park, you need to get onto Cardington Road, turn into Duck Mill Lane, and the hotel car park is right at the north end of Duck Mill Lane. Duck Mill Lane then turns left (west) and runs along the south side of the hotel, but you cannot get a car out of Duck Mill lane onto St Mary's Street or vice-versa as it's closed off to vehicular traffic - OK, you could get a motorbike through (MK42 0AU is the postcode; go to maps.google.co.uk, enter the postcode, go to the largest possible scale, and then click on the "satellite" option button. The Park Inn is the set of buildings just to the right of the bridge on the south bank of the river.)

The hotel is actually part tower block, so it's actually a reasonably decent landmark; the communal areas (bar etc) are two storeys high, and then above part of them is about 8,10,12 or so floors of residential area. There is also an annex at the back of the hotel (half brown roof half white roof on the staellite image) which is about a three storey high building with about another 40 or 50 rooms in it. If you park in the car park, you can get to reception by going through the back door of the hotel (in the annex) and then wending your way through the corridors, but unless it's absolutely sheeting down with rain, it's easier to walk along the south side of the hotel along Duck Mill Lane and then turn right and go in the front door.

 

No real ale in the hotel bar, to the best of my memory, but I think they had some fizzy keg stuff like Worthington. Don't think they had draught cider either, but they did have draught Guinness, Becks Vier, Stella (I think) and the magical nectar that is Leffe Blonde. Disappointing choice of whisky. OK for a hotel bar, and thankfully not in a hurry to go to bed :-)

 

If you cross the bridge and go into town there are any variety of Wetherspoon/Litten Tree/Hobgoblin chain pubs that seem to do food which is cheap and cheerful (although the clientele there on the Saturday night I was there was definitely of the unpleasant meathead variety. There's also a Nandos just over the bridge if that tickles your fancy. We didn't find much at all open early (noon) on Sunday lunchtime when we were looking for a pub lunch - walked past several of the pubs and Nandos that were either closed or uninviting. If you feel like pushing the boat out, the Fleur De Lis in Mill Street (http://fleurdelisbedford.rtrk.co.uk/) does excellent food and decent sturdy portions of it. When we were there the Sunday roast was £8.95 and you had a choice of beef or turkey, and there was a free dessert as well. (Interestingly the Nandos and some of the pubs had opened up by the time we strolled back around 2-ish.) To be honest, apart from that one pub, I didn't think that much of Bedford town centre, but there again I guess that's hardly a major consideration for conventioneers either.

I've probably also got the name of the taxicab firm we used a couple of times over the weekend, somewhere; they were pretty good.

 

 

Oh my word, thank you so much for that!!!! I'm going to get lost anyways, but that'll make me get less lost. I'm hoping it'll be like my journey to the Park Inn in Northampton where I took about 5 wrong turnings and somehow ended up on the doorstep!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

xxx