Let's Eat To The Clique

[lupestripe]

We called in at the York Meet yesterday in support of the current Big Yorkshire Weekender (Leeds is today).

We hadn't been to York for a while, largely because the bar is not particularly good. Not only is it frequented by loud stag and hen parties but the drinks are standard and vastly overpriced. The converted church theme is good but the staff seemed to treat us with disdain too, although that wasn't aided when we got a bollocking because someone had brought their own food into the venue. Still, there aren't many large bars in York, particularly those with a secluded section, so the meet has to run under the restrictions placed upon it. I can certainly understand why the bar is used.

The other thing we noticed was just how cliquey it was. The Hull furs, Leeds furs and York furs, aided by the poor seating arrangement, never really mixed and aside from seeing my Leeds and Hull friends, we didn't speak to anyone else let alone meet new people. Perhaps this is a metaphor for the fragmented community we have become - people rarely travel out of their locales these days - but it was something clearly discernible.

We were only there an hour before we went to an excellent liquor store on Stonegate where we met some more of our Hull friends and bought some wondrous high strength lagers and real ales. It was great catching up with people and going to York was definitely worth the trip but I still don't see myself regularly attending these meets in future.

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Comments

[avon-deer.livejournal.com]

When I first started in the fandom, there was a lot more travel to London and other areas that went on. And a lot more furs from the South came to Northern meets as well (in those days pretty much exclusively in Manchester.) I don't think the people have changed all that much in the 13 years I've been attending meets. But the cost moving about the country HAS. Blame fares.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I think that's part of the story but also, because there are far more furs now, there is no longer a need to move around the country to socialise. If you live in a city or even a large town, there is enough of a furry presence without needing to go elsewhere.

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

I'll admit, I've seen that kind of clique talk before - and invariably, it comes down to the very human phenomenon of people feeling most comfortable chatting or sitting themselves next to people they already know. Even in the Bay, the very same sentiments are expressed - not in regional terms, but just groups of friends, sometimes labeled as different subcultures, given the rather wonderful variety in the Bay. ^_^

i suspect there may be an element of unwillingness to travel, too, but I could be very mistaken. How often do, say, London and Leeds meets see furs from outside the area? I know you sometimes travel, as does Ent. I can't speak directly, as I've not been to a furmeet in several years; even if there were one locally, I'd take a lot of persuading to come along. Not really a furry thing, so much as not finding cons and meets to be compatible with me.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I think travelling outside your city is now very rare. Aside from Southpaw, no London furs seem to come here at all these days and the reverse is probably true too. Manchester and Leeds furs - two cities barely 40 miles apart - rarely socialise with each other now either and, as York proved, when people do travel they tend to only talk to the furs who are from their local area, negating the point of travelling in the first place. Aside from cons, which I think have had a negative influence on this, furry is far far more localised now.

[avon-deer.livejournal.com]

I might be the exception to the rule, but for me it is ALL cost. I have loads of friends I'd love to see more often down in London, but the cost of getting down there is just prohibitive. Unless I want to spin the "reasonable ticket" wheel of fortune. I have better things to do with my time than try to outwit TOCs

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

Judging by the lack of visits we now get at main meets from further afield, I think part of the situation is down to cost while the other part is inclination. I certainly don't hear that many people complaining about the prohibitive cost of travel while simultaneously, people often highlight how happy they are that they now have larger local meets to attend. I think both factors are in play here but your point is certainly valid and is one of the reasons why I don't travel much (in the UK) myself.