The annual and umpteenth winter reunion of the Middle Bar Singers at the Anchor, Sidmouth, is next Friday. If anyone wants a lift down there from Hertfordshire or London, let me know. Herwith details from Tony Day, who organises the event... Middle Bar Singers Winter Weekend Re-union - 18-20 February 2000 The Middle Bar Singers are whoever is there and singing in the Anchor pub at Sidmouth Festival. It is a fringe event - an unaccompanied singaround - but with traditions of its own, having now been running every lunchtime and evening for the duration of the last twenty festivals. Our motto is a line from the "Farmers Toast" - "I can laugh, drink and sing". For many years now people who love the August middle bar sessions have got together for a re-union to break up the depths of Winter - and do some more laughing, drinking and singing. This used to take the form of a mega 24 hour non stop singaround (with no song to be repeated) from the Friday evening through to Saturday evening. Last year, however, we tried a new format - which people liked - so this year it will be repeated. We will be starting with an "arriver's session" in the Anchor, Sidmouth, at about 8pm on Friday 18th February 2000. Landlord Dave (new this year) is going to try for a late license, but he isn't optimistic. We can probably carry on until midnight if drinks are drunk up by the legal time. On Saturday 19th there will be a 12 hour all day sing - from open tap to shut tap - in the Anchor. Dave has promised that, unlike some previous years, we won't have to compete with karaoke or a band in the other bar on either Friday or Saturday! On Sunday 20th we plan to repeat the wonderful "survivor's session" we had last year at the Red Lion, Sidbury. This is a super little pub in a village three miles out of Sidmouth - with excellent beer, good food, and a landlady who surprised us all with a quality rendition of "Me Husband's Got No Courage In Him". The session will start at noon and carry on until numbers dwindle (about 4pm last year). There will be a walk from Sidmouth to Sidbury on Sunday morning (its fairly flat and not muddy) but for those that prefer there is a bus every hour. There are also buses to Sidmouth from Exeter (hourly on Sunday, more on Friday). None of the sessions are ticket events - there will be an optional collection in aid of the charity "Friends of Sidmouth Festival". Three local landladies have offered reduced rate accommodation for the weekend: Cheriton, Vicarage Road, Sidmouth (tel: 01395 513810) is entirely non smoking and has en suite rooms at £18 ukp per person per night. Shirl, also in Sidmouth, has rooms at £15 ukp pppn (tel: 01395 578476) The Red Lion, Sidbury (tel: 01395 597313) also has a few rooms, and has offered them at £15 ukp pppn this year. If people want to sleep in a camper van, this can probably be arranged. For details, or any questions about the weekend, contact Tony at tonyday@Exmouth.demon.co.uk