Tea Dance HMS President 23rd October

[stewart38]

Who coming on board then ?

HMS President free tea and cake 2-6pm £10

For those who dont know this is a fixed boat down by the Thames (Near Temple)

I do miss the old days (last time 2001 ?) when you could ceroc on boats that cruised down the Thames. I dont know why they havent bought them back, they were so popular (and dont blame the Insurance !)

[TiggsTours]

Seeing as I'll be up in town, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the greatest Briton who ever lived, and who is the reason we are not French, I may pop down.

[Missy D]

I will be there! Only been once before and heard on wed this might be the last one ever. Not sure how true this is.

[stewart38]

I will be there! Only been once before and heard on wed this might be the last one ever. Not sure how true this is.

They have been saying that since 1954 but there is some background to that !

[WittyBird]

I will be there! Only been once before and heard on wed this might be the last one ever. Not sure how true this is.

yay sweetie see you there!

[RogerR]

Cruising boats have such a low licensed passenger restriction compared with stationary boats, plus dancers tend to turn up (fashionably?) late and miss the boat.

[Paul F]

2 hour/37 mile drive there.....

danced 5 tracks.....

2 hour/37 mile drive home.


Thats 4 hours to cover 74 miles all to dance in a crowded venue with people constantly banging into you. Couple that with guys doing full drops and music that is exactly the same as a normal freestyle.

To say I am in bad mood is an understatement

If anyone sees me within 500 yards of the HMS president again they have the permission to throw me in the Thames.


Im serious !

[WittyBird]

2 hour/37 mile drive there.....

danced 5 tracks.....

2 hour/37 mile drive home.


Thats 4 hours to cover 74 miles all to dance in a crowded venue with people constantly banging into you. Couple that with guys doing full drops and music that is exactly the same as a normal freestyle.

To say I am in bad mood is an understatement

I can understand that! the floorcraft was worse than I have seen it there! I couldnt believe people were doing full drops either.

I had a couple of nice dances.... stewart38 & PaulF!
But in general it wasn't as good as it normally is.......

[David Bailey]

I can understand that! the floorcraft was worse than I have seen it there! I couldnt believe people were doing full drops either.

I had a couple of nice dances.... stewart38 & PaulF!
But in general it wasn't as good as it normally is.......

When I went, back in the earlier incarnation, the only reason for going there was for socialising, if you know a lot of people there. It was lovely in the summer to have a little bop, then retire outside in the sunshine, have a cuppa and watch people walk past.

But the dancing then (and presumably now) was not great - busy, rocking boat, sloping fast floor, etc. It's amazing people can even dance there really.

[Andy McGregor]

HMS President free tea and cake 2-6pm £10

Free tea and cake? £10

We do a tea dance some Sundays in Findon Village Hall (just North of Worthing). We charge £5, the floor's fab, people love it and there's loads of sarnies, choice of cakes, flapjack, biccies, choice of teas and coffee. How much do we charge? £5 - and we still make a modest profit

Maybe you're paying extra for the sloping floor. Or possibly the airstep demonstration

[Paul F]

Maybe you're paying extra for the sloping floor. Or possibly the airstep demonstration

[Missy D]

2 hour/37 mile drive there.....

danced 5 tracks.....

2 hour/37 mile drive home.


Thats 4 hours to cover 74 miles all to dance in a crowded venue with people constantly banging into you. Couple that with guys doing full drops and music that is exactly the same as a normal freestyle.

To say I am in bad mood is an understatement

If anyone sees me within 500 yards of the HMS president again they have the permission to throw me in the Thames.


Im serious !

I landed up dancing on the carpet for my own safety. I have only been once before and few months ago and i think it was about £7 plus you got tea, coffee. WATER and cakes. Now its £10 and you have to pay about £2 for water.

If i think of it as more of a socialising event then i have a good time. The people were very friendly. Thank you Paul F for the lovely dances hopefully, I will get to dance with you again soon with more that a square foot of sloping floor to dance on

[stewart38]

2 hour/37 mile drive there.....

danced 5 tracks.....

2 hour/37 mile drive home.


Thats 4 hours to cover 74 miles all to dance in a crowded venue with people constantly banging into you. Couple that with guys doing full drops and music that is exactly the same as a normal freestyle.

To say I am in bad mood is an understatement

If anyone sees me within 500 yards of the HMS president again they have the permission to throw me in the Thames.


Im serious !

I saw you dance a number of dances with Missy D and WB and others and I wasnt really looking but must have been 10+ that I saw. So I guess you post for effect ?? Very few drops etc were done. Yes and great music was jiveable that good news to not absecure crap

More room for us anyway next time

Sorry Missy D couldnt grab you for a dance you were busy dancing with Paul F

Free tea and cake? £10

We do a tea dance some Sundays in Findon Village Hall (just North of Worthing). We charge £5, the floor's fab, people love it and there's loads of sarnies, choice of cakes, flapjack, biccies, choice of teas and coffee. How much do we charge? £5 - and we still make a modest profit

Maybe you're paying extra for the sloping floor. Or possibly the airstep demonstration

Maybe because its a boat on the Thames it cost more to hire ??

ok floor is crap (its a boat)

£10 for dance on river with as much cake coffee crisps and crap you stuff for face with , good value errrrrrm I think so

Guess thats why its going to be crowded,those that dont like it please stay way more room for those that do

Why they cant do a dance on moving boat , i dont know

last ceroc one i went on , on the Thames in 2001 was packed but hey wouldnt suit everyone as there was water on both sides

[Paul F]

I saw you dance a number of dances with Missy D and WB and others and I wasnt really looking but must have been 10+ that I saw. So I guess you post for effect ?? Very few drops etc were done. Yes and great music was jiveable that good news to not absecure crap

Ok, it was possibly more like 5 or so women but apologies for not keeping an exact count.
If you need me to be more exact there was:
A young girl with a red top on (2 dances)
A lady with , it think, a beige blouse type thing on (1 dance)
Paulette (1 dance)
Paulettes friend (1 dance)
Missy D (2 dances)
WittyBird (1 dance)
and one other lady but cant remember what she was wearing.

Ah! thats 9 dances. My humble apologies. I was so far off the mark.

Very few drops were done! How many do you need to be done to make it dangerous. Twice in one track I narrowly avoided walking into a ladies head. Thats twice too much and the guys who were doing them have no place on a crowded dancefloor IMO.

Yes and great music was jiveable that good news to not absecure crap

I have no idea what this means

[Zebra Woman]

I Yes and great music was jiveable that good news to not absecure crap

I don't know what I'm missing as I have never been tempted to try to the HMS President.

But I do know - I love to dance to what you call 'obscure crap'!
So on that basis, I don't think I would have enjoyed it very much Stewart!

[David Bailey]

Maybe because its a boat on the Thames it cost more to hire ??

ok floor is crap (its a boat)

£10 for dance on river with as much cake coffee crisps and crap you stuff for face with , good value errrrrrm I think so

Guess thats why its going to be crowded,those that dont like it please stay way more room for those that do

Whilst I don't disagree that the cost is dictated by the venue organisers (and President costs a lot - something like £1,500 I'd guess now), I'm not keen on the general "if you don't like it, don't come" type of response.

Are we not allowed to criticise a venue now? If we like some aspects, but don't like others, surely we should be allowed to provide feedback on those areas? And surely any decent management should welcome criticism as valid (and free!) customer feedback?

OK, fair enough, in this case it's "I'm never coming back", so there's not much you can say, and of course you're not The Management, but I'm not happy with a response that drives away dancers, especially good ones.

[stewart38]

Whilst I don't disagree that the cost is dictated by the venue organisers (and President costs a lot - something like £1,500 I'd guess now), I'm not keen on the general "if you don't like it, don't come" type of response.

Are we not allowed to criticise a venue now? If we like some aspects, but don't like others, surely we should be allowed to provide feedback on those areas? And surely any decent management should welcome criticism as valid (and free!) customer feedback?

OK, fair enough, in this case it's "I'm never coming back", so there's not much you can say, and of course you're not The Management, but I'm not happy with a response that drives away dancers, especially good ones.

The impression I get from Paul F he doesnt want to come back , no dis respect there and of course everyones entitled to their opinion, god ive even been know to have a few. If some really hates a venue then thats fine but one can try to have a balanced argument so others are not put of trying it.

They may hate it or not

Point id make if i was about to crack some poor girls head open id tell the DJ re the dangerous nature of some dancers. It was mention over a year ago and probably people need a strong reminder , its no place to do such stupid moves.

The comment re 'crap' music was a stupid throw away re mark I made !. Yes clearly there isnt the challinging music played (which is a bit sad) more of a bouncy feel but hey they didnt play show me the way to Amarillo so there trying to cater to all tastes. I like all sorts of music

At the end of the day people vote with their feet. The fact you get 300 + people turn up on wet winday day in October on a third rate boat suggests .... a business opportunity

some one PM lets get a dance on a moving boat !!

[Paul F]

The impression I get from Paul F he doesnt want to come back , no dis respect there and of course everyones entitled to their opinion, god ive even been know to have a few. If some really hates a venue then thats fine but one can try to have a balanced argument so others are not put of trying it.........

Apologies for my last post Stewart. It was a tad bit confrontational

My original post about the event WAS abrupt and not very well balanced because I was in such a bad mood. I tend to type and post messages based on how I feel rather than planning what i need to say.
Its not often I will not post any balanced points on a venue or event but, in this instance, unfortunately i did.

Im sure many people do enjoy it as it is an event with a difference. Its fair to say I wont be back but Im sure it will keep on and thrive.

[Gus]

Apologies for my last post Stewart. It was a tad bit confrontational

To put things in context this post was the FIRST time I have EVER heard Paul be negative about an event (even though we've been to event that I personally thought were dire, Paul has still praised them). Paul's view has been backed up by some of my mates. Their personal view, to be blunt, waqs that it was cr*p! They are entitled to their view and they have made their point like yourself. I know that perosnally, having taken into account the respect I accord to the sources, its not an event I would frequent from now on. Shame, because in the old days it was a superb event.

[David Bailey]

To put things in context this post was the FIRST time I have EVER heard Paul be negative about an event (even though we've been to event that I personally thought were dire, Paul has still praised them).

I'm trying to think if I've ever been positive about an event...

I must have, surely...