View Poll Results: Please vote for the dates that best suit you (multiple selections possible)
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 25. You may not vote on this poll
Feb 11, 2015, 3:25 pm
Last edit by: KARFA
Ladies and Gentleman, having been born and grown up in Leeds, and as a proud FT member and contributor to the BA board, it gives me great pleasure to invite you to the Flyertalk Leeds Do in April 2015. Leeds is the third largest city in the UK, and the cultural, financial, and commercial heart of Yorkshire. Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBA) to London Heathrow is one of the newer routes on the BA network having started in December 2012.
Previous Leeds Do
Held on 6 December 2013
Attendee List
angeloedades, BLHD, chris1979, DGM1985, DYKWIA, fiona_, Gastrocnemius, hugolover, Jamier45, JohnSydney2000, KARFA, Polomarc, psollitt, rapidex, skye1, The Lady Tobias, Tobias-UK, toothy, YorkieFlyer
Party trains, planes, and hotels
Friday 17th April
JohnSydney2000 - LHR-LBA, BA1340, 0755-0855
Jamier45 (plane) - ABZ-LHR, BA1305, 0930-1110 & LHR-LBA, BA1342, 1240-1340
rapidex (plane) - LHR-LBA, BA1342, 1240-1340
angeloedades (train) - KGX-LDS, 1203-1416
Saturday 18th April
chris1979 (plane) - LHR-LBA, BA 1342, 14.05-15.05
skye1 (plane) (10D) - LHR-LBA, BA 1342, 14.05-15.05
Sunday 19th April
Jamier45 (plane) - LBA-LHR, BA1343, 1425-1535 & LHR-ABZ, BA1316, 1820-1950
rapidex (plane) - LBA-LHR, BA1343, 1425-1535
chris1979 (plane) - LBA-LHR, BA1343, 1425-1535
skye1 (plane) (10D) - LBA-LHR, BA1343, 1425-1535
angeloedades (train) - LDS-KGX, 1405-1624
Date, Time, & Venue
Friday 17 April 2015
Informal evening gathering for anyone arriving on Friday. See here for details.
Saturday 18 April 2015
→Things to do in Leeds if you are around during the daytime and not going to the simulator
Lots of details of things to do posted here.
→737-800 Simulator - afternoon
737-800 fixed based simulator at http://www.flightdeckexperience.co.uk/ - see here, here, and here for more details. Total cost will be Ł190 to be shared equally by those coming.
KARFA, toothy, Jamier45, JohnSydney2000, psollitt
Full details for the simulator group are posted here.
→Evening Do
1700-1915 Pre-dinner drinks - SkyLounge bar at DoubleTree hotel, more details here
1930 Dinner at Sukhothai Thai Restaurant, 15 South Parade, LS1 5QS
Menu [pdf]
Ł5 deposit per person, provisionally booked for 18
2130 Post dinner drinks, details in this post
Sunday 19 April 2015
→Plan for Sunday morning
Hotels
Doubletree - angeloedades 17/4-19/4, Jamier45 17/4-19/4, KARFA 17/4-19/4, toothy 18/4-19/4, Gastrocnemius 18/4-19/4, JohnSydney2000 17/4-20/4
Marriott - rapidex 17/4-19/4
Novotel Leeds City Centre - chris1979 18/4-19/4, skye1 18/4-19/4
There are various hotel options in the city centre, including Radisson Blu, Hilton, Novotel, Doubletree (formerly Mint), Park Plaza, The Met, and Malmaison. Also The Chambers Park Place which seems to be fairly new and has quite a few positive reviews on tripadvisor. These ones are all pretty central and will be near where we are going out to (wherever that will be).
Crowne Plaza, Travelodge, Jurys Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Premier Inn Leeds City Centre, Ibis, and Bewleys are outside the city centre. These ones may be a bit less convenient. The Queens hotel whilst central is really not recommended.
Despite the wording the Premier Inn Leeds City Centre is not in the city centre, and is out near the Holiday Inn. The Premier Inn Leeds City Centre Leeds Arena is closer to the city centre. However, city centre Premier Inns are often not very cheap on a Saturday night so I don't think they will offer much in the way of savings.
Personally I quite like the Doubletree and a few had a night there at the last Leeds Do. Have a look at tripadvisor for reviews and photos. As always check the price of the hotel separately to see what works out best. Hopefully there is enough to cater for any budget or loyalty program.
Also see this review by BotB on the Doubletree.
Airport
There are three daily BA rotations from LHR to LBA on Friday and Sunday, and two on Saturday;
Friday
LHR-LBA, LBA-LHR
BA1340 0755-0855, BA1341 0930-1040
BA1342 1240-1340, BA1343 1425-1535
BA1344 1925-2025, BA1345 2100-2155
Saturday
LHR-LBA, LBA-LHR
BA1340 0720-0820, BA1341 0930-1040
BA1342 1405-1505, BA1343 1540-1650
Sunday
LHR-LBA, LBA-LHR
BA1340 0755-0855, BA1341 0930-1040
BA1342 1240-1340, BA1343 1425-1535
BA1344 1925-2025, BA1345 2100-2155
To/From Airport
There is a 757 Bus Service that is every 30 minutes during the day, or every hour in the late evening. It takes around 35 minutes to get to the city centre and costs Ł3.60 for a single. Timetable here.
- If you are staying at the Holiday Inn Express the 757 goes along the main road right outisde (Kirkstall Road). Get off at the stop just past the fire station next door.
- If you are in the Doubletree/Hilton/Novotel then get off the 757 at Park Row (the bus turns right on to Park Row after passing the law courts and town hall). The stop is at the east side of city square. To go back to LBA on the bus you can get the 757 from stop S7 from right outside the station entrance (New Station Street). Some directions for the Doubletree and Hilton are below.
Alternatively, the only official private cab company at LBA is Arrow which you can pre-book, or book when you arrive at LBA. To use the taxi service head out of the terminal builidng and across to the marked up taxi "hut". You then book and pay for the taxi inside and then head outside to the specific taxi which you are booked on. The cost for LBA-city centre is likely to be around Ł22. Hopefully we can do a bit of coordination if people are arriving at LBA to share cabs.
There is no train service at LBA.
Rail
Leeds has one main railway station right in the centre of the city. There are plenty of trains run by East Coast to London King’s Cross, with one every 30 minutes usually. Journey time is around 2hrs 30 mins from London, and advanced tickets can be had for Ł13 each way. There are also direct services to Leeds from York, further north from Scotland, and from most other major cities in the UK either by Cross Country trains or TransPennine Express.
- If you are staying at the Holiday Inn Express then the best way is just to get a taxi - it is a short taxi ride and shouldn't cost more than Ł6. For the taxi rank at the station walk to the entrance/exit straight ahead after passing the ticket barriers, and it is across the road.
- If you are in the Doubletree or Hillton then the hotel is a short walk from the station. Head straight ahead to the entrance/exit after passing through the ticket barriers, across the pedestrian crossings. Take the covered stairwell on your right (round building to the right of the cycle shop - signed to Bishopgate and Granary Wharf), turn right again at the bottom and head under the railway arches.
Doubletree - whilst walking under the railway arches take the right turn after Brooks Newsagents - there is a sign for the DoubleTree here. Walk along Granary Wharf Arches and over the metal bridge, which spans the River Aire. Turn left and exit the arches in to the plaza. The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Leeds City Center is located diagonally to your right.
Hilton - follow the same route but do not turn right turn after the Centre Newsagents, instead keep walking until you pass out of the other side of the railway arches and the Hilton will be on your right hand side.
City Centre
Leeds city centre is fairly compact, and we are not likely to wander too far, so once you get here you can usually walk most places with 15 minutes at most. Alternatively, there are plenty of taxis at the rail station taxi rank, or at other taxi ranks scattered around the city centre. The Leeds Hackney cabs are black and white.
If you have any question about the Leeds Do please feel free to send me (KARFA) a PM.
The FT Leeds Do - 18 April 2015
Feb 11, 2015, 3:13 pm
#1
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The FT Leeds Do - 18 April 2015
Well here we go again, another Leeds Do. After organising one back in December 2013 I think it is about time we had another. In fact I think in 2014 we didn't have a Do in the North of England, so definately time for another.
I am suggesting the following dates in April:
I would prefer a Saturday Do and I think it gives others outside the region to come up for a Saturday evening event, whereas they may not be able to do so for a Friday event. However, I will leave the choice to you in the poll. I will ask one of our moderators to set up the poll for the four possible date, and I think we will let the poll run until the end of next week to give everyone the chance to see it and vote. There are some crazy folks who don't come on FT every day!
Format is to be decided, but the evening Do will involve a few drinks, and food at some point. I am not sure whether we will do a buffet like last time, or possibly do a set course menu somewhere as was done at the Paris Do last year. I will decide in due course.
The April dates seem to fit in with the many other Dos that are being organised this year.
Also something new to this Leeds Do, there will be some daytime events. Again I am just floating these as ideas, but the things that I think might be good are:
Lots of information will go in the wiki soon. Hope you can come along.
I am suggesting the following dates in April:
- Friday 10 April
- Saturday 11 April
- Friday 17 April
- Saturday 18 April
I would prefer a Saturday Do and I think it gives others outside the region to come up for a Saturday evening event, whereas they may not be able to do so for a Friday event. However, I will leave the choice to you in the poll. I will ask one of our moderators to set up the poll for the four possible date, and I think we will let the poll run until the end of next week to give everyone the chance to see it and vote. There are some crazy folks who don't come on FT every day!
Format is to be decided, but the evening Do will involve a few drinks, and food at some point. I am not sure whether we will do a buffet like last time, or possibly do a set course menu somewhere as was done at the Paris Do last year. I will decide in due course.
The April dates seem to fit in with the many other Dos that are being organised this year.
Also something new to this Leeds Do, there will be some daytime events. Again I am just floating these as ideas, but the things that I think might be good are:
- Afternoon walking tour done by Leeds Civic Trust - inspired by the walking tour at teh Paris Do
- Trip over to Rochdale to go to the fixed based 737 simulator I go to. I was thinking maybe if a few people want to go up I am happy to arrange a group trip over there for a few hours as a day event. It is about 1 hour drive from Leeds City centre. The simulator is this one Flightdeck Experience
As well as the cockpit the guy who owns it has built a cabin as well with 12 seats. You can see photos on the website. You actually get a simulated view from the windows as well. It makes it good for group outings and you can sit in the cabin for the time you are not flying in the cockpit. The reviews on tripadvisor are good as well. The person who owns it is a friend of mine and I am sure he would do us a good deal for a 2-3 hour session - I don't have any prices yet but think less than Ł50 per person for the whole session.
- Trip to Elland Road as suggested by Jamier45, Leeds are playing Cardiff at home on Saturday 11 April
Lots of information will go in the wiki soon. Hope you can come along.
Last edited by KARFA; Feb 11, 2015 at 3:48 pm
Feb 12, 2015, 12:00 am
#2
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Thanks to Prospero, we now have a poll set to run for 10 days. Please vote for as many dates as you can make. Once the poll is closed the winning date will be confirmed as the date of the Do.
Last edited by KARFA; Feb 12, 2015 at 1:57 am
Feb 12, 2015, 4:42 am
#6
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol, UK
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Posts: 5,352
Thanks for organising another DO KARFA ^ (and a Northern one at that to boot!)
Has the Leeds local economic situation recovered enough to support drinking another bar dry and thereby putting it out of business on following days causing bankruptcy like the last time?
I hope to make it but have quite a bit on in April so will have to see how the schedule works out first so won't be voting.
Thanks again, definitely one to make with a great host, a good location with plenty of points collection opportunities and fantastic company, so if you haven't been to a DO and this tickles the fancy...DO go
^
Has the Leeds local economic situation recovered enough to support drinking another bar dry and thereby putting it out of business on following days causing bankruptcy like the last time?
I hope to make it but have quite a bit on in April so will have to see how the schedule works out first so won't be voting.
Thanks again, definitely one to make with a great host, a good location with plenty of points collection opportunities and fantastic company, so if you haven't been to a DO and this tickles the fancy...DO go
^
Feb 12, 2015, 5:11 am
#8
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The 18th is the only date we can make, I'll be in Canada the previous week and already have an engagement on the 17th.
So definitely there on 18 and definitely not on any of the others
So definitely there on 18 and definitely not on any of the others
Feb 12, 2015, 5:31 am
#9
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We will see how the voting goes though.
Feb 12, 2015, 5:32 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Bradford, England
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Feb 12, 2015, 5:32 am
#11
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Thanks to all who have voted so far, good to see some of the usual folks as well as a few I haven't met before voting.
Once a date is set I will post a link on the Community Buzz forum.
Once a date is set I will post a link on the Community Buzz forum.
Feb 12, 2015, 6:24 am
#14
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The FT Leeds Do - 10,11,17 or 18 April 2015 [Poll]
As the double single malt was around £2.50 (macallan 10 I think) that mistake was very much in my favour all evening
Feb 12, 2015, 10:29 am
#15
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