As anyone coming to a Birmingham.pm Social over the past few years will have experienced, The Dragon Inn has now become a popular haunt for the theatre crowd, and trying to get a table for our get togethers has proved infuriating at times. As such, JJ and I have had a think, and opted to try out the BrewDog pub on John Bright Street, close to the Navigation Street and John Lewis entrances to New Street Station, and the same short walk to various bus stops.

The BrewDog Birmingham pub, has on tap a selection of beers, ales, stouts and ciders, together with cans and bottles, both of their own range, and those for some guest breweries. They also serve food, together with vegetarian and vegan options, so hopefully it will make a refreshing change for us.

Note that the pub also has a downstairs area, so if you don't spot us at a table upstairs, it's worth checking out downstairs too. Once we get familiar with the venue, we'll try and locate at a regular table, to make it easier to find us.

Due to the current situation with the lockdown, the bars and pubs are currently not open, and we're not sure when we're likely to reconvene our socials. Given there is still a lot of uncertainty with the current opening of various social venues across the UK, it's possible we may not start up again until September, or possibly later. We'll keep you posted on when we are likely to meet again. In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy.

In light of recommendations to avoid gatherings, tomorrow's social has been cancelled. It's possible the April social may also be cancelled, and we'll advise if this is the case in due course.

Stay safe out there.

It is with deep sadness that we have to annouce that our friend Alan Stanger, who has been a member of Birmingham Perl Mongers for over 15 years, sadly died on Wednesday 11th March, following complications having contracted pneumonia.

Alan has been a regular at all our socials and technical meetings, and despite coming to Perl later in life, found it to be an exciting language. Nearly every social he would pick the brains of Colin, JJ and myself. He had big plans to write distribution applications, and although he'd started, sadly he never got to finish them.

Farewell Alan.

Last week's December Social had to be postponed unfortunately, but will be happening TONIGHT, at the usual place, The Dragon Inn on Hurst Street.

I'm hoping to be there earlier than normal, to try and secure a decent table for a change, so please feel free to join us from about 5pm this evening.

Due to various circumstances, unfortunately we've cancelled tonight's social. All being well we will be back next month.

Note that next month we'll be meeting a week later, on July 18th, but we will be in the usual place at the usual time. See you there.

Aaron Trevena (TEEJAY), is visiting the GoDaddy offices this week, and has accepted our invitiation to join us for the January Scoial Meeting, which is *TONIGHT*

As usual, we'll be in The Dragon Inn on Hurst Street, from about 6pm onwards. Please feel free to come along and say hello.

For those who don't know Aaron, he has been a long standing CPAN Author (TEEJAY), and London Perl Monger, as well as leading the Devon & Cornwall Perl Mongers for several years.

Due to illness, and offsite meetings, we're rescheduling the January Social meeting to a week later, 16th January.

We'll be at the usual place, The Dragon Inn, around 6pm onwards. Hope to see you there.

Due to me being abroad for work next week, and generally clashing with other Christmas events, we are bringing the December Social Meeting forward by one week, to this coming Wednesday, 5th December. Still at the usual place, The Dragon Inn, so hope to see you there. 

Due to a high profile match taking place tonight, The Dragon Inn is likely to be showing the game on their TV screens. As such, the chances of us grabbing a table and being able to hear ourselves think is probably a bit remote.

As such, we're moving the social to next week, July 18th. See you then :)

Due to the second Wednesday for February falling on Valentine's Day, 14th Feb, we've moved this month's meeting to Wednesday 21st February instead.

We'll be at the usual place, The Dragon Inn, just a week later than normal ;)