HALLOWEEN BASH
Saturday October 27, 2001
Manchester UK
Time: 6:30 PM until Midnight

The first in what we hope to be a series of KeoghCons.

The mini-con will be a Halloween Costume Bash. Costume NOT mandatory but if so it must be one of Brian’s characters from any one of his books. (Certain areas of the body must be clothed ... and you know what they are! No excuses.)

There will be a prize draw. Draw tickets are 25 pence each. Up to £300 of prizes will be donated by Brian and Silky. (The proceeds will go towards other prizes and the next KeoghCon.)

Brian will also do a reading to enthrall the group. This will be done approximately a half hour after the bash begins … while everyone still has all of his or her wits! He’ll do his favorite piece: "Wratha's Story” – an excerpt from Blood Brothers.

Brian will also do a signing session. The session will only be an hour so limit your books to two or three. But he will have signed all the raffle material in advance. (He'll be staying the weekend so there will be time to catch him at the bar to get those extra books signed.)

Membership is limited to 60 attendees only. So get your membership fee in as soon as you can.

There’ll be a cash bar and a finger buffet consisting of: a selection of open sandwiches, pizza slices, sausage rolls, potato wedges with sour cream and chive dip, mini assorted pies, mini onion bhajis with mint raitha.

There will also be background music. (Music will be kept low to permit conversation without shouting.)

The suite we have hired is on the first floor of the hotel and it is self-contained, away from the other conference rooms. We have our function room and right outside the room is a foyer with seating and the cash bar. We also have our own rest rooms.

There is a hotel no smoking policy in the function room itself, but smoking is allowed right outside the room in the foyer/bar area.

Several people from Möbius Entertainment will be attending. Möbius is the company which is now working on the Necroscope CD-Rom.

Membership Fee: £15.00 per person. (This includes the finger buffet as above.)

• For membership, send an email to: tickets@brianlumley.com; you will then receive further details.
• Method of Payment: Within UK: Cash, Check or Postal Money Order. Outside UK: Cash or Check.

We have been given a room rate at the Posthouse (soon to become the /Holiday Inn). Double En-suite with breakfast £50.00 – Single En-suite with breakfast £35.00. Posthouse Manchester, Palatine Road, Northenden, Greater Manchester, M22 4FH 0870 400 9056 – Calling from outside UK 01144 870 400 9056. Be sure to quote "KeoghCon" when making the reservation to be guaranteed the above rate.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The room rate of £50/£35 is only valid for Saturday night. If you want to stay longer you must call the central reservations number 0800 40 40 40. Tell them you want to book for Manchester Posthouse Palatine Road. Your "Leisure Break" deal might be the best as they usually come with dinner or breakfast or both dinner/breakfast. Or just ask for the cheapest room rate you can get.

Other Accommodation:

For accommodation in the general area with easy access to the Con:

The Drop Inn Hotel, 393 Wilmslow Road, Withington Manchester 0161-286-1919. £25 Single en-suite. – £40 Double en-suite. Both include breakfast and its a nice clean place.

Wilmslow Hotel, 356 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield 0161 225 3030. Single from £19.95 – Double from £30.65 haven't seen this one.

Palatine Hotel, Wilmslow Road 0161-446-2222. Single standard £22 – single en-suite £29.50 – double standard £36 – double en-suite £42.50 including breakfast. Looks nice from outside.

Holly House Hotel, Wilmslow Road 0161 434-6442. Only single standard £15 – double en-suite £35 including breakfast. Looks like a dive but good for lads....

These are all on one road simply because they are the cheapest and easiest to get to by bus or taxis, the areas are all good, nothing dangerous or nasty.

If anyone wants something a little more up market we have:

Willowbank Hotel, Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, Manchester, M14 6AF. Phone: +44 (0)161 224 0461, Fax: +44 (0)161 257 2561. Single from £35 – and double from £55.

Brittania Country House Hotel, Wilmslow Road 0161 434 3411. Usually has rooms from £39.50

(Accommodation info courtesy of Scarlet o’Horror)

Please Note: It is your responsibility to book your travel arrangements and hotel/B&B, as well as finding your way to and from the Con.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Be Warned! There will be no gate crashing! No fee – no entry. No disruptions to the bash will be tolerated. You will only be given one warning, if disruption continues you will be ousted, fee paid or not.