Here is an update from Matt for those of you who have signed up to the TFT on the 26th, and a reminder for those of you who have not signed up yet….
“Some three years or so ago, I started the Fantastic Tavern. It was to be a meeting of people who cared about ‘digital’ – as it was then – gathering in a pub and having a conversation. Over the months, we have run 28 events and the community has grown to over 1000 Taverners.
We have explored so much together and enjoyed a fair few pubs and pints. It's been a great experience, made possible by great contributions – of time and content – from people.
Now it is time to assign the Fantastic Tavern to history.
In keeping with the brand, the next – and last event – is Last Orders at the Bar and it will be held somewhere magical on the 26th January (that's in three weeks). There are still lots of details to be planned but I wanted to ensure that you get a flavor for the evening and get it – and your attendance – in the diary.
Each year at about this time, we run a Trends Briefing. Typically friends and colleagues create the content and then pitch the trend to the audience. They in turn rate it as ‘hot’ or ‘not’ for the year ahead. Think Top Gear.
It’s great fun and also very informative. As it’s not broken, I’ll not change it this year.
Oh, go on then. Lets change it a bit. Change is good.
Firstly, we are inviting the students of Ravensbourne to create the content, not the typical crowd. This should give all of us a unique, fresh and cutting edge perspective on what’s going to be important to us this year – as practitioners but also as part of society as a whole. The students are briefed and already working away on some great presentations.
There will also be guest speakers not least my beloved friends from the Future Laboratories. Of course, we will not have time for one of their conventional trends briefing – an immersion I highly recommend – but they are preparing a point of view about 2012 to share with us. Trust me when I say that what they do and what they talk about is of the highest quality and well worth coming to hear.
Finally, lets reinvent the pub bit.
There is something – somewhere – that I have been involved in (a little) for several years and it's an incredible gem that I want to share with you. I’m going to ask you to take a trip with me. A short one.
The Greenwich Peninsula, home to the 02 and Ravensbourne, lots of new enterprises and some established one (like TFL) and the Council itself – is an incredible place. Moreover, it represents an incredible idea. There is something different happening here – something powerful and full of promise.
Today, at it’s heart there is Ravensbourne. I guarantee you that this place for learning and developing will power you away. Set aside your memories of education and come and see the future, now.
Then also hear the vision therest of the Peninsula – a vision for an enabled community that is being planned to be a better, prosperous, open and exciting place to work, live, learn and be entertained. You may remember we all brainstormed ideas for that vision in 2011? They are coming to life.
You have to see this to believe it, to understand its potential. Forget the Roundabout. This is where it’s at. It’s where something different is happening.
So yes, I’m asking you to be at Ravensbourne, which is at Greenwich North, at 6.30 for a 7pm start in two weeks time.
http://www.rave.ac.uk/about/maps-and-directions/
If you would like to be there and bring your colleagues and friends and haven’t already signed up, please email
Michelle.flynn@emc.com
If you would like to take the boat from central London to the north Greenwich terminal, we can provide times and tickets. Tell us you would like to get there on the boat in your email.
Greenwich Council, Marcus Donald and EMC Consulting have thrown some cash – very generously – into a tankard and there will be a pop-up pub, food and dancing.
I think that we have a memorable night planned and I’d like to think you could all make it – to hear the trends that we should think about in 2012 and celebrate the Fantastic Tavern as itcomes to an end. “
We already have over 100 people signed up so make sure you do not miss the grand finale.