RIP Bishops Castle

OK Guys & Gals, I'm going to start with a huge heartfelt apology

As some of you will know from the BC thread there have been some developments, I feel its fair to give everyone an explanation so here goes.

I booked BC way back in September last year & have frankly never been so organised lol.
As per usual I block booked the Boars Head accommodation (3 double rooms) and the restaurant for Friday evening as per usual, I had email confirmation from Darren the Landlord to verify this last Sept.

Last week Stevecat was chatting with me & informed me that The Boars were still showing accommodation available on various websites, I contacted Darren who admitted there was an oversight on his part (I now since believe that some accomodation was already double booked at that time) This was apparently my fault as I'd not left my card details with them to secure the rooms, In the past six years I have never been asked for these & would happily have given them.

Thinking everything was OK again I was then contacted by Darren on facebook to say for the second year running our weekend had clashed with one of his tribute acts so his pub would be closed to us from 6pm on the Friday (It was myself that spotted this double booking last year just a few weeks before & he had to delay his then act of Lionel Ritchie till a later date as I was first booked)
This year clashed with his Tina Turner act & he asked me to swap evenings with the Three Tunns which isn't ideal as those of you that attend will know (and it would require their co-operation too)
Darren insisted it was my fault as I'm on his pubs facebook page & its my responsibility to check the clash so I did & he first posted his tribute on New Years eve some three months after my confirmation.

I politely said to him about this & he then started ranting about them accomodating us in previous years despite some very awkward guests that I brought with me!
He denied he had confirmed via email too until I sent him a copy of it, Reluctantly he agreed to speak to his act on Monday (Today) as he couldnt contact them over the weekend.
Having gven this plenty of thought & discussion I was concerned that we might not be made very welcome in the pub so at 8am this morning I contacted him politely to say that after some thought we would leave things as they were & not use the restaurant as it was closed but would still happily take the three rooms B&B. This would then leave The Boars free to host their act as the pub was a private function.
The reply was astounding & I was told that he had already altered his act & told all his guests now (which is a lie as its still booked on the Friday & he couldnt contact them until today) & that our rooms would be released back into the system as a free for all as we were no longer going to use his Restaurant!!
Upon checking the rooms online as I wanted to rebook them for just B&B I found that only one twin room became available this morning which make me think two were already double booked.

So the story now turns to BC not having enough accomodation for us at short notice including the ride organiser lol, I think I've managed to contact everyone who had already booked & fortunately it appears everyone has been able to cancel without financial penalty.
I had been seriously thinking of moving the ride next year as although BC has been good to us its become a little repetative in both roads & pubs, Anyway the plan has had to come forward a year & with just over two months notice its left me with fewer options than I would have liked!

The date will stay the same, It will be based on Welsh tarmac again too!
I have found somewhere that is rich in B&B's with a gorgeous setting on the coast, some of you will know it well others not so well
LLANDUDNO, NORTH WALES is set for the Thundercat invasion





The meet & greet will be in The Palladium (LL30 2DD) which is a Wetherspoons unlike any I've ever seen.





The rideout will leave the Seafront on Sat morning for the North Wales ride & Saturday evening meal & frolics will be in The Cottage Loaf next door to The Palladium (both eateries have been tested by Mrs Shuker & passed with flying colours) which is a similar type of pub to the Three Tunns, I am awaiting a confirmation on this booking tomorrow but have been told it is limited to 20 places for eating, I am going to give priority with these places to those already commited to BC which is fair, & then those on a first come first served basis, I need you to reply to confirm if you wish to eat here please.

There are plenty of B&B's but please bear in mind that the area will be based around that of the Palladium Postcode & you will need to be within walking distance & that most places only offer on street parking, If you are a bit precious about your bike (we are!) then there are properties that have private driveways & garages etc (ours will be in the B&B back garden under cctv) please choose carefully.

Once again apologies for all the upheaval & I hope you can still join us, I cant deny I'm a tad excited about a fresh area!

Many Thanks Nick

As with everyone else whos a regular on BC it is saddening. But with the way things have gone with the boars head i can fully understand nick and ellies decision. Now is a good time to change.

I am saddened because i am losing my local thundercat ride out. But also this weekend event holds some good and one not so good memory for myself. It was my first introduction to large group riding. But also my introduction to some great people. These people make the weekends and not so much the place.

It will be great to ride some fresh roads. And im sure both Nick and ellie will do us all proud with a great weekend.

I'm still in.

What yah going to call it though.

Very sad after the happy memories of BC but it was beyond our control.

Looking forward to Llandudno. 50 shades of Grey! (Average age of Llandudno 89 lol)

Still in Nick as long as I can find secure parking, ill get on the case in the morning but defo a yes.

As previously discussed I think an email to The Three Tuns, petrol station, foxholes and the various B&Bs etc now looking to see a not so prosperous May takings as a result of the Boars Head might be in order. This ride out was good for the local economy and is sad for them but hey ho and on we go, seaside here we come.

Steve if you find anything give me a shout would rather be off road parking than sea front. Lol

Lol Steve, I have obviously contacted the Tunns to cancel our booking & to thank them for some brilliant service, beer & food over the last 6 years, the reply via email was to be honest just what I expected Tim to say!
He wasn't complimentary about the owners of the Boars in the slightest,
I've vented my views on tripadvisor (to be authorised) & on the fb log in for there,
However Both Ellie & myself have been deleted from Darren's personal fb & the Boars Head closed group to stop us seeing the Tina Turner tribute 'date change'
However I can still see it is Friday on the main website ;-)

And on the plus side Spoonies will save us a bomb on food & overpriced shit beer in the Boars

still arguing with the boss over holidays..but assuming I can get it off , I think we'd both still be in.... tips on places with secure parking would be good, don't fancy parking pumpkin in the street

TT_mark wrote:Steve if you find anything give me a shout would rather be off road parking than sea front. Lol

I'll do some research tomorrow and post my findings on here if that's okay with you Nick?

Still in B&B booked, 10 mins from the pub

LL1 here we come!

Shame all the other good people have to miss out on some welcome trade too.

That's fine Steve, banter away!
I'm as new to the area as everyone else Cath so can't advise sorry,  we went on booking.com & then rang the B&B up to ask about parking.
This year I'm also going to ask peeps if some of the regular veterans of BC will take a stint at Tail End Charlie to give the regulars a break please. It's not always a thankful job even at the best of times.
I hope peeps will bear with me & assist me this year as much as possible as I'm on unfamiliar territory.

Hey nick can we do a top gun impression by riding down raf Valley on anglesey.

I will offer my service's for TEC as i have some familiarity with the area.

Good, bold decision making.

I'm guessing Llandudno will have a plethora of accommodation options; I'll take a look myself and see what I can find.  When I discovered what was afoot I was hoping we'd end up by the sea!

I am happy to TEC.

Ditto for a stint TEC, it's about time I grew up!!

Ref the hotels is it worth people posting where they have booked to make life easier for others?

Cheers everyone!
I still think Nutty boys clowning around caused the demise of BC.......

You started that by saying I'll bet you....

I will tske a Stint at TEC if needed

What memories! This is like a wake at a funeral remembering old stories of an old bygone friend & laughing

Snowcat wrote: Ref the hotels is it worth people posting where they have booked to make life easier for others?

Not sure Steve as there are literally hundreds of rooms available, the chances of ringing the same B&B is minimal

In case we forget ..... We're in a four poster bed at Haversham House, 15 Arvon Avenue.

I just hope the OAP's are ready for us!!

Make a change to be younger than the troublemakers 'eh

robertcains wrote:

Snowcat wrote: Ref the hotels is it worth people posting where they have booked to make life easier for others?

Not sure Steve as there are literally hundreds of rooms available, the chances of ringing the same B&B is minimal

I was thinking if someone finds a bed with secure parking for the bike, share the info so others can follow, save a lot of duplicated effort. Plus it saves 20 odd of us scattered all over Llandudno eating sad breakfasts for 1

Ahh sorry Steve I thought you meant the opposite so avoiding ringing somewhere fully booked, I know we took the last room where we are staying.