Essex & Adjoining Counties Meet - SUNDAY, 13 October 2024

[GreySilver Beast]

That was a very enjoyable evening in great company. Over 3 hours just flew by as we chatted. Food and service was great too.

However, we have decided to try something different over the winter months, as Friday evenings are not the best for travelling on the roads, especially at this time of the year.

Next meet will be a family friendly Sunday brunch (10 Dec), details to be sorted, as Haydn and I took on the task of researching possible venues in Essex. We'll see if we can tag on an optional drive if anyone is interested.

[Red & Black]

Please include me (possible Debbie) for the next meet on the 10th of December. Yes to, weather permitting, optional drive.

[Arnie_O]

Good to finally make it back to an Essex Meet.
Also great to see familiar faces.
hopefully can make the 10th

[Metelyk]

Put me down for the 10th please. Thanks

[Mare]

Hello, I'm a new-ish member of the forum. I would like to join the meet on the 10th please.

[Metelyk]

With regret I have to pull out of the meet on the 10th December.
Shame as I was really looking forward to it
I hope it goes well and now look forward to attending the January meet.

[GreySilver Beast]

After Gwyn and I "road tested" 3 venues for a possible Sunday Brunch, all turned out to be very good, but the one we tried yesterday had the advantage of a large car park, no requirement for a deposit or pre-ordering, and it was located slightly better for those approaching from the South. The manager was also very keen to accommodate us.

I will keep the other two venues as possibles for a future brunches/lunches, if we find this winter Sunday format is preferable for the majority

The venue selected is this one,The Black Horse Cafe:

https://www.oliversplants.co.uk/drinks-and-breakfast/

Date: Sunday 6th Dec
Time: 10am

It is situated not too far off the A12, between Coggeshall and Earls Colne, near Earls Colne Airfield. Ian Mothersole reminded of this venue, one that a few of us road-tested a while back on a Sunday runout. It currently has a small area set up as a Christmas Market, selling local hand-crafted goods. Gwyn and I had a look and ended up buying a few items! See pictures below.

I urgently need confirmation of whether you are coming and number in your party, so I can book whilst they still have availability. I spotted high chairs for Felix, plus any other infants who you may wish to bring along.

Would anyone want a post brunch drive around the area afterwards (30-60 mins max)? If so, please let me know and I'll set something up.

The other two venues, saved for later, are:

https://www.stratfordanchor.org/
and
https://hallfarmshop.com/

Red & Black has also suggested a couple of venues nearer Chelmsford. I hope to road-test these later and see if they would work for us in 2024.

Both are located a short walk for each other and are (just) inside the Suffolk border, but with very easy access from the A12

[SteveBishopRx8]

Me & Tina will be attending
Yes don't mind a post brunch drive either

[GreySilver Beast]

List updated on the first post - GSB - Events Team Admin

[Red & Black]

As we were, although the garden centre has swung it big time for Debbie!
Happy to do the 30 or 60 minute drive.

[SteveBishopRx8]

Table booked for 10am on 10th Dec for 11 adults, plus a high chair. We can fight over who gets the high chair

I'm pretty sure the cafe would be OK for us to adjust that number, should there be any changes in the next week or so.

I will mention it now, and remind everyone later, to park your car, if you are able, at the very back of the car park, so we can get some photos.

So, the outline is:

10am breakfast, maybe to around 11.30am
20-30 minutes to wander around the garden centre* (or as little/long as you like if not joining the drive out)
30-60** minute drive out (for anyone who wants to)

* We can agree a time to meet in the car park when the first person leaves the breakfast table.
** Duration TBA at breakfast, depending on weather. I'm hoping to recce two driving routes in the week before the meet, so we can decide on the day which to take.

[Ian.Mothersole]

Sounds great, Thanks Malcolm!

[New Duke]

Thanks for all of your research and booking it Malcolm, sorry for not replying sooner. Cheers for putting me on the confirmed list Nigel. Really looking forward to it.
I'm definitely up for a drive afterwards, I'll probably do one even if nobody else does

[GreySilver Beast]

Gwyn and I recce'd a possible drive out after the breakfast meet. It was difficult to decide on an endpoint, as many places will be very busy at this time of the year. We eventually decided to devise a run to the Tiptree Jam Shop, Tea Room & Museum (CO5 0RF); https://www.tiptree.com/.

Tiptree_360x.webp (35.46 KiB) Viewed 694 times

We test drove a ~35-40 min route this morning. It was a good job we did! One of the planned roads was completely closed to through traffic. So, the route we eventually took was:

Breakfast Run.png (276.68 KiB) Viewed 694 times

Right out of the Black Horse Cafe (B1024 north).
Right at roundabout onto A1124 towards Colchester.
Follow the A1124, through White Colne, Wakes Colne, Rose Green, Fordstreet.
Shortly after an Esso Garage on right, then past a double bend, turn right onto Seven Star Green (Turkey Cock Lane). Look out for a 13'6" height warning triangle sign on left, opposite the junction.
Follow this road, under the London mainline railway bridge, immediately followed by a bridge under the A12.
Turn right at main road junction, onto London Road (B1408)
After about half a mile, turn left onto School Road, opposite the "Queensberry Centre", signposted Copford
Straight on past the"The Alma" pub on your left
Follow this road (Birch Road) through Hardy's Green, onto Hardy's Green Road.
Caution, narrow in places, but mainly good road visibility.
At a crossroad, turn right onto the B1022 (Maldon Road), signposted Tiptree - Caution, fast road and limited visibility.
Follow B1022 until you spot a "Layer Marney" village sign on your left. 100m or so turn SHARP left onto "Smythe's Green"
Follow road as it changes to Clears Road (no junction involved), past "Park House Farm" on your left. Road changes to Newbridge Road
Follow Newbridge road for some miles. Road name changes to Chapel Road.
At crossroad with the B1023, Factory Hill, turn left.
Short distance to roundabout, with entrance to Tiptree site on right.
Follow "Visitors" sigh to right.
If you can, park in the "EXTRA CUSTOMER PARKING" area. through gap on right as you get to the car park - entry between hedge and brick wall.

RELAX, you've made it!

WARNING, as with all Essex roads, there are a few potholes, mostly on the nearside road edges in places!

There is a lovely Tea Shop (but likely to be very busy, a great shop and a small, but interesting, free museum, explaining the history of the site from about 1500 onward. The tea shop had no tables when we arrived at 1pm, but got a table within 5 minutes. Plenty of tables as we left, but it will be busier on Sunday. No tea room bookings are taken on Sundays (according to their website).

Museum

[New Duke]

Great planning Malcolm, thank you that's a lovely route. The Jam Factory cafe does indeed get long queues at peak times, it'll likely just be pot luck on the day how long the wait is. Super place though.

Could I please suggest an amendment/extension to the end of the route? Through Birch, over the reservoir, through Tolleshunt D'Arcy then up into Tiptree from the bottom. It means doing 30mph through a couple of villages but the rest is fun driving territory and usually quieter and faster, with some pretty scenery and places to overtake if someone feels brave. It's part of my usual circuit, although I normal carry on to Goldhanger and play my own version of the film 'Speed' from Tolleshunt to there: Maintain 60mph between the two villages, no touching the brake or lifting off for bends. Or the RX8 blows up. A fun challenge in wet conditions

I can't post pictures so below is a link to what I'd suggest. I won't be offended if you stick to the route you've tested of course!
https://maps.app.goo.gl/c3cTa9nNpTLG9S8A6

[Mare]

Apologies if it's too late, yes I can confirm attendance, and happy for the drive after

[GreySilver Beast]

Leaving shortly to get to the Meet by 10am and hopefully the Dartford Tunnel will be nice to me like it was yesterday when I attended the GT86/BRZ Drivers Club Christmas Lunch Meet at the Six Bells Boreham

Looking forward to seeing everyone and catching up with those members that I not seen for a while

See you all soon

GSB - Events Team Admin

[New Duke]

We will be leaving shortly, looking forward to seeing everyone soon

[Mare]

Thank you all for the warm welcome, was great meeting everyone.

Reece

[Mare]

The new "Winter Format" for the Essex Meet seems to have worked quite well today. Thank you to everyone for supporting this new format, especially "Mare" (Reece), for joining us for the first time with his lovely Winning Blue RX-8.

Pity the weather was rather miserable, dull and wet - but we are in December after all!

The food and service at the cafe seemed very good to me, even if some of the orders got slightly messed up. At least the staff quickly rectified the issues.

I'm glad no-one got lost on the 40 minute run to the Tiptree Factory, some of the right turns were a bit of a problem with all the traffic at this time of the year. The Factory Shop seemed popular with many, if the shopping bags/boxes were anything to go by

It was quite ironic that there was a Father Christmas on mock sleigh, together with his helpers, outside the Tiptree Factory, armed with charity collection buckets. All organised by........ the local ROTARY club

Steve is going to see if he can road-test a venue for January in a similar format, in the Chelmsford area. I'm happy to help and devise a post-brunch drive if we want to repeat this aspect.

A couple of pictures of the stars of the show, our cars!

Parked up at the Black Horse Cafe:

At the Tiptree Factory/Shop/Museum:

[Arnie_O]

Was great to see everyone today, specially as i normally see so many of you individually throughout the year.
Crissy and I enjoyed the drive out, even if it was a little relaxed when compared to the legent that was Harrizone's standards.
Hopefully we can do him proud in the warmer drier months.
Hope everyone had a gret Christmas, and Mare we will see you soon for that custom Midpipe.

[New Duke]

That was excellent. Sorry I had to bail out early. Very good to see everyone and thank you for all the organising Malcolm. Really good venues those were and going for a drive together was fun. I'd definitely hope for more of that.

(I won't make the January or February ones, will be booked up with 17-hour/6 day week work shifts . But am crossing me fingers to join you in March)

[Red & Black]

A huge thank you Malcolm, with a mention for Gwen (behind every good man is a good woman, as they say). You clearly had put a lot of time and thought into the very enjoyable Meet.
I'm still buzzing after the six car drive, a bit of a shame the weather had deteriorated, it's something that has been on my to do list for nearly 20 years!!
Looking forward to 2024 and more of the same please.

[Red & Black]

[GreySilver Beast]

Steve and Tina are doing a sterling job in testing a couple of possible venues for the next Essex Sunday Brunch meet. One venue has already got the thumbs up, but they want to check out another one, which looks like it could be even better! Both are in the vicinity of Chelmsford.

This seems like a good opportunity to see what dates suit people best for the next meet, so we can then be prepared to book a table as soon as Steve and Tina complete their mission.

Dates suggested are:

Sunday 28 Jan
or
Sunday 4 Feb

Bothe would be 10am, with possible drive out afterwards.

Gwyn and I can make either date.

Would anyone wishing to attend the next meet post up to confirm if either, or both, of the above dates work for you.

Once we have date and venue sorted, we can look to publicise on Facebook and see if anyone else who doesn't frequent the forum would like to join us