The idea of regularly inviting people from all areas of the design and arts community was first mooted at the 2006 Royal Warrant Holders Luncheon. Everyone enjoyed an opportunity to relax and discuss at leisure their interests and concerns with the opportunity of gaining some insight or useful information from people in different disciplines.
The initial concerns of whether anybody would be able to find time for lunch were quickly dispelled, and we are now rapidly approaching the hundredth different guest. We have kept the format fairly simple, no more than eight people and a range of interests. We always try to include an architect and contractor, an art specialist and hopefully a representative of our heritage industry as well a member of the Royal Household.
One of the additional benefits of the lunches has been the inter-trading and knowledge transfer, there is almost always a problem solved or a strong contact for the future made and even old friends re-united.
Lunch has now become something of an institution with a regular date of the last Thursday of every month (excluding August and December), proceedings start around 1.00pm and finish when everyone has had enough or are likely to miss the last train home. Typically we are all still there at 4pm and quite often 6pm with people unwilling to leave the conversation or a new found friend.
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