UK Meetup - London - September 10th 2022 - Thanks

[Gouty]

Mechanical Keyboards UK Meetup 6 - 10th September 2022



We have FINALLY re-arranged the long delayed MKUK meet (that was originally supposed to happen in March 2020)

If you already have a ticket from when they were on sale way back in 2020, and you didn’t get it refunded, you will not need to buy another ticket. You will have an email from Mechboards UK with instructions to redeem your new ticket which will include venue information.

There are a limited amount of tickets right now (available here) however more will be going on sale in a few weeks after we've given everyone a chance to claim their old tickets from the last event.

We also ask that you don't share the venue publicly. Please also read the ticket page carefully are their are some age limits etc.

Edit (18/05/22) - We've stopped selling new tickets for now in order to give everyone who purchased a ticket for the cancelled meet a chance to redeem their new ticket. Once we've done that we will make the remaining slot available.

Edit (06/06/22) - Remainder of the tickets back up for sale SOLD OUT

Old text follows below:

Hello All,

It's that time once again for a UK meetup, back in London

Loads of stuff planned, competitions, presentations, demonstrations, huge raffle prizes!

We need more vintage boards though! There are normally quite a few, but we are often outnumbered by the RGB monstrosities

Tickets available here.

Venue address and meetup timings are included with the ticket (in a PDF). You don't need to print this off, just check in on the day. As always we do ask that you do not make the venue public.

If you purchase multiple tickets in one order, the same applies. Just check in on the day on the sign in sheet (each person will need to check in), and it will show the quantity of tickets you have purchased.

For vendors there is a vendor specific ticket, this allows two people early entry to set up and guarantees table space to showcase and sell your products!

Be sure to join the MKUK Discord to keep up to date with all meetup news.

Let me know if you have any questions and hope to see you there!

[Gouty]

Update that was posted to our discord:

Planning continues on what is set to be the keyboard event of the year but we thought we’d take this time to address some concerns.

Obviously, we are acutely aware of the COVID-19 outbreak and its potential impact on the event. We have no intention of cancelling the meetup unless we are made to do so. That said, we are keeping abreast of broader planning, and while the government has not yet implemented widespread restrictions, they have not ruled out limiting gatherings and movement. There is also a possibility that the venue itself may cancel the event and not allow us to attend.

We’re optimistic about the whole thing, and working under the assumption that it is going ahead (and very excited!) but we’re also being realistic that there is a chance it may not. Hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. Our possible contingency plans currently include relocation, rescheduling and refunding (all the "re"'s).

We would like to encourage you all to look into your arrangements too, be pragmatic, some of you are travelling a long way to come, check your insurance and cancellation policies for travel and accommodation.

Of course we will keep you updated, and welcome any questions.

There will also be further announcements nearer the time with guidelines regarding best practices and hygiene, and we will be taking measures at the event to make sanitisation available for attendees and keyboards.

In more FUN news, we have confirmed donations for giveaways and prizes from the likes of (in no particular order and I’m sure I’ve forgotten some) Mechboards, Cherry, GMK/Uniqey, Signature Plastics, Yiancar Designs, Jelly Key, Pexon PCs, Novelkeys, Alchemist Keyboards, IDB, proto[Typist] (whoever that is), Cooler Master, Das Keyboard, Vortex, WASD, Zeal PC, Ultimate Hacking Keyboard, CandyKeys, SantiGo Customs, Kustom PCs, Kaihl, Leopold, The Keyboard Company, The Key Company, Durgod, Glove Caps, myKeyboard.eu, Keebworks, Mechbox, and more to come I’m sure!

We have a number of presentation and workshop spots lined up, if you have any suggestions or want to put yourself forward let us know

[Gouty]

Important meetup news posted to the MKUK discord:

These are unique and uncertain times. As I’m sure it has become apparent, the London meetup on the 28th March is not going ahead. We want to keep you all as safe as we can; and it would be irresponsible to hold the event in the current climate

The reason why it has taken us so long to formalise this announcement is due to challenges with our venue. Currently they have given us three options.
1 – Cancel the event with them, and lose all of the money paid to date (paid by a member of the meetup team).
2 – Move the date to later in the year – either 24th October or 28th November.
3 – Hold the event.
None of the team think options 1 or 3 are viable.
Option 2 is the choice we have made. We need you to help us choose which of the two dates we go with. There is a strawpoll at the end of this post with those two options which will be open for 24 HOURS ONLY.

If you have already bought a ticket – its valid for the new meetup no matter what.
Please don’t refund your ticket unless you know now you can’t make this new date – or trade it to someone who can. The venue is not refunding us any money – just moving the date of the event. That means refunds will have a financial impact on the individuals making sure the event happens. Right now the tickets sold only just cover the expenses paid out.


We can’t wait for the meetup to come around again - we have a shit-ton of sweet ass loot to share with you guys (Gouts did an amazing job begging for freebies)… and also because it would be great to see you all again

Please be safe – follow the government advice, and drop in on the Discord server if you ever need a chat.

https://www.strawpoll.me/19576226

[Gouty]

Good news everyone! The venue has confirmed the meetup has been moved to the November 28th (the date which won the vote).

If you have already bought a ticket – its valid for the new date. Please don’t refund your ticket unless you know now you can’t make this new date – if you find you can’t make it you could always trade it with someone who can. The venue is not refunding us any money – just moving the date of the event. That means refunds will have a financial impact on the individuals making sure the event happens.

In other news we had a competition to make a “meetup hygiene guideline” poster which was won by Meowsaur.



In lieu of the of the meetup this Saturday there is an informal “virtual meetup” happening on the discord server, we’ve not got much planned, but I will be “presenting” the prize for the poster and showing off some of the generous donations we’ve already received to give as prizes once the event actually takes place in November.

[Gouty]

So, I’m sure you all realised, due to the lockdown etc. that this event was again postponed. Everyone with a ticket was informed via various channels but I thought I’d update this post to reflect it.

Instead, again, we are having a virtual get together:

https://discord.gg/ZS3b2N3m.

We don’t have a huge amount planned, it’s a little ad-hoc, but current plan is, social stuff this evening/tonight, then come by, show off your keyboards and shoot the shit tomorrow from 1pm. Server will be up all weekend, do with it as you wish! Thanks to Bleddyn for setting up the server and clack fancy for the template. If you want to give any talks or anything, or donate for giveaways, let one of the organisers know. We’ll be making further announcements in the meetup server. Hope to see you there.

[Go-Kart]

I was going to post about U.K. meet ups until I saw this. Is this THE U.K. meet up? Any thing happen up North? And is that Discord the place where one would find out about or even organise such things? (I don't yet do Discord.)

[Palatino]

Any meet-ups in the pipeline? Christmas-time London-based extravaganza, anyone?

[Muirium]

Make it Bristol later this month and I'm there. Bristol's near London in the same way as October's near Christmas!

[Palatino]

Hmm I could probably get to Bristol for a little one weekend. Which dates are you there?

[Muirium]

Nah, just midweek, alas. And I'm flying in, so not exactly time for a Kishsaver demo!

[Palatino]

Alas, foiled again! But I’ll get you next time, you and your little Kishy, just you wait…

[Gouty]

First post has been updated to reflect new date and to include information about purchase/redemption of tickets.

[Muirium]

Location secrecy because ticketing is hard somehow? Seems odd. Or maybe there’s secretly separate locations so your heavies can beat up some outnumbered keyboard dweebs and take their four figure unobtainium? Pretty smart racket actually. If I ever run one of these, with secret locale, everyone better beware!

Model MF owners get free entry if they bring theirs! No reason. <whistles>

[Gouty]

Damn they're on to us! It's just so randos don't just turn up without a ticket, something we've always done. We still check tickets, but it just makes it easier.

It's a really nice venue, in a very good location.

[Go-Kart]

I will almost certainly be in attendance. Work is the only thing stopping me from buying a ticket right now.

[phinix]

Hmm.. I may go as well.
Would be interesting train trip to London. Take my family, let them go loose in London center and I would go for meetup.
Doable

[Gouty]

We've stopped selling new tickets for now in order to give everyone who purchased a ticket for the cancelled meet a chance to redeem their new ticket. Once we've done that we will make the remaining slot available, and I'll update here to let you guys know. Would be really great to get more DT people, we've had some good vintage and eclectic boards in the past, but we always need MORE

[Muirium]

Would be interesting train trip to London.

Have you rode on one here? Just try pricing up that trip! And yes, I really do just mean the train ticket. They’re insane.

[Go-Kart]

Fellow DT members north of The Wirral are welcome to travel down in my whip. Just get here and I'll drive.

[Muirium]

Think I’m probably in back with the rifle.

[phinix]

[Go-Kart]

Think I’m probably in back with the rifle.

As long as you have space for your Kishy, too!

I'm thinking, whilst I'm not wishing to be an exhibitor, would it be fruitful to bring some vintage boards along? As mentioned above by Gouty, the DT contingent would be able to cover that angle

[phinix]

Think I’m probably in back with the rifle.

I would be the guy in a hat, with a stick

[Gouty]

Tickets are back up for sale. Link in the top post

[Gouty]

Sold out! Hopefully see some of you there!

[Go-Kart]

Sold out in four and a half hours!? Ah, come on!

You just don't want scousers there!

[Gouty]

Thank you to everyone that came. I had a great time, saw some great keyboards, and I hope you did too!

It was the biggest UK meet (so far!) with 163 checked in attendees. We gave out over 20 keycap sets, over 20 keyboards/kits (and one IOU for an AKB OGR), through both raffles and competitions on the day. These generous donations came to us from nearly 30 different vendors and brands.

Special congratulations to Anakey who won the best vintage keyboard (and the runner up prize too) with his Accodata Keycat, and Linotype CRTronic keyboard.

Huge thank you to everyone involved.

You can see and share photos of the meetup here.

Hope to see you at the next one!

[Crizender]

Hope to see you at the next one!

Thank you for organising everything! I had a lot of fun for my first meetup, and it was good to show off some of the buckling spring clones I've amassed over time

I will definitely be there next year!

[Gouty]

Video of the meet made by _IanOfEarth

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8ISJtVdbJo[/youtube]