Thanks for the thought - maybe someday, but for now Endurodude has it right - VERY nice, but way too expensive. Our numbers are well under 1000, so we end up in a small corner, and they want way too much.

Very nice though!

Please keep trying, it's really hard for us from across the pond!

We're looking for somewhere much much cheaper, well under 1000 people.

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
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Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Ay up mi ducks!

Here we go for a first post.

Stumbled across this site by accident, I do most of my travels by bicycle. However, I live in the city of Derby which is the nearest urban area to your preferred location(s).

Okay, a few ideas that might help you find what you are looking for.

Lea Green - operated by the County Council has accomodation for up to 100 people but do offer additional camping, plus of course full catering facilities, with a quality pub across the road and Matlock Bath just down the road.

https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/educat...en/default.asp

University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington campus. Within 2 miles of junction 24 of the M1. At that time of year there will be no students so could provide the right facilities but at what cost?

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/about/c...toncampus.aspx

Likewise University of Derby

University of Derby

While potentially out of your price range, if you don't ask you don't get.

If it is just a venue with services bought in Bakewell Showground in the heart of the Peak District would be suitable. I have many contacts in Derby that could provide the technical facilities for the event.

Bakewell Show - Entertainment & Events for All the Family

Further afield I attended the inaugural bicycle touring festival at Waddow Hall, Clitheroe, Lancashire, which is operated by the Girl Guides.
Perhaps you could get some ideas by talking to the event organisers.

https://cycletouringfestival.wordpress.com/

Finally, how about the YHA they have plenty of hostels within the central England area some of which have additional facilities that could be utilised for larger numbers of people.

YHA Youth Hostels, Bunkhouses & Budget Holiday Deals

As mentioned earlier I live in the area. If it helps I am more than willing to do some basic research using your "needs" list. I've recently thrown myself down the road, falling off my KTM RC8, so am a desk jockey at present with not enough to do :lol:

Bullittboy

P.S. perhaps someone could PM me with a basic budget and I will have a quick chat with both the County Council and City Council to see if there is any funding help out there.

Just thought of another one. Derby Rugby Club already hold Motorcycle and scooter rallies. Pretty basic facilities but the city of Derby is on your doorstep.

Derby RFC | supporting Rugby in the Community

Hi Bullittboy, and welcome to the HUBB!

We are looking at several venues at the moment, but nothing definitive yet. I'll contact you by e-mail with more details of our requirements. Must haves:

• 2-3 presentation facilities, the largest should accommodate 300+ persons (otherwise we have to rent a marquee, and those are NOT cheap!)
• camping for several hundred tents and bikes on site, not 10 minutes walk across a busy road
• other accommodation/B&Bs/hotel rooms either onsite or a short distance away
• parking for 50+ cars/4x4s etc
• catering on site (or able to be organised, but we'd prefer not to have to organise it)
• bar on site

If you start with the above you may be able to rule out quite a few pretty quickly.

We lean towards venues where the establishment generates revenue from the camping, accommodation, food and drink and that is their business, rather than we pay rent to a fairgrounds and have to organise everything ourselves. Lumb Farm in Ripley was very good for a number of years, then we outgrew them.

Universities/colleges are definitely possible, especially during their summer holidays, as they usually have the presentation facilities, accommodation and food. Camping may be a stumbling block for them, and they may be too pricey.

Here's the colleges we've already contacted:

• University of Nottingham (passed me to East Midlands Conference Centre and then on to DeVere Venues, which has many facilities all over the country).
• West Cheshire College
• University of Chester
• University of Worcester
• Bishop Stortford College
• Repton School / Foremarke Hall
• Winchester House
• Princethorpe College

Devere was able to accommodate our numbers and camping only at their venue in Wokefield Park near Reading, but their prices are out of the stratosphere.

All the others in the list except Princethorpe College were too small or don't allow camping. After much discussion with Princethorpe over many months, they removed themselves from the running due to no availability.

Various racecourses, Hangar 42, all too expensive. Most of these venues assume that we'll have thousands of people, which isn't the case, or that we're charging hundreds of £££s for a business-type conference, which is also not the case.

It's been a frustrating process, but we haven't given up, and we'll be grateful for any help we can get!

Cheers,
Susan & Grant

__________________
Susan Johnson

Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Hi Susan.

Thanks for the additional information.

I am initially going to concentrate my search within the Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire area and think that I have found a potential site already that ticks 95% of the requirements for the HUBB with selected dates available within June, July and August.

Would HUBB be interested in additional sponsorship from an organisation that is not connected to overlanding?

Will make sure further discussions are kept to PM's

Cheers

Bullittboy

Well done! Let's hope it pans out!

Sponsorship - automatic answer is no, but always willing to have a look. Insurance companies are an example - travellers need insurance so they're ok, even though not "connected" to overlanding.

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Has anyone in the UK visited Baskerville Hall recently?

Baskerville Hall Hotel, Hay on Wye accommodation near clyro mid wales & Hay festival of Literature Guest house style

It used to be a bit run-down and catered mainly for stag & hen paintball/quad weekends etc. but I understand it has improved its facilities recently...

Certainly they have a lot of what would be required for a HUBB meet - five conference rooms (the largest holding 250 people), plenty of space for tent camping together with various room options, plus catering and a bar on site.

It is also located on the English/Welsh boarder in some wonderful trail-riding countryside - so perfect for any group ride outs; and regarding access from the rest of the country, not a million miles away from Hereford and the M5 at Worcester.

I'm not saying it would be perfect, but I trust it ticks many of the boxes?

I will endeavour to drop in there next time I'm passing and check it out in person, but in the meantime, does anyone have any recent (ie. this year) experience of the place?

Hope that helps...

Jenny xx

I've suggested Baskerville several times to G and S. Both at the end of the collaboration with Ripley and Donington. Don't remember being give a reason why it was or wasn't suitable.

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CURRENT RR WITH REGULAR UPDATES: The Wife Takes on Chlamydia: A South American Retrospective

Not sure what / if there was an issue with Baskerville Hall, perhaps not enough capacity. I've sent an e-mail with our requirements today, will advise what the response is.


We're in discussions with a couple of potential venues, still hopeful for 2016!

__________________
Susan Johnson

Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com