Me and the mrs are thinking about going away for next weekend but are not sure where though. We just want somewhere where there are a few pubs and a few shops for her to have a nose around on the Saturday morning. Ideally it will be somewhere no more than 2 and a half hours drive, we have already ruled out York and Edinburgh becasue they will be heaving with Christmas shoppers

We flew to Dublin recently, just 40 minutes on air lingus, shame about the two hours in newcastle airport and the extra 50 minutes due to a delay!

That doesn't help you does it!!

You should be painting and laying carpets . Oh back to a serious note how about the Lake District a nice log cabin.

Chester is nice.

Football issues aside, Leeds is great for pubs and shops. Lots of places within easy reach too.

what grave said

I stayed in the Wheatsheaf Pub in Corbridge a few weeks back which was quite good, 5 mins by car into Hexham and a nice drive up Weardale to get there and back too.

All the restaurants and boozers a man could want in them parts.

There might be a bit of snow up there too to make it even more interesting

might give that a miss as they will also be rammed with Christmas shoppers

i like the sound of Chester though, we went there for the day once and it was a really nice city

London is only a couple of hours on the train, and the direct one from Hartlepool is due to start in a week or so.

Plenty pubs, plenty shops.

We went for a few days last week and it was really excellent.

I'd not been for years but will be returning soon.

Are you taking the piss again?

Beauty culture its gotta be Darlo ... aaarrr the River Skerne

Chester is heaving with Christmas shoppers. It's the main shopping centre for North Wales and they all come down from the hills this time of year.

If I wanted a night away in a place with a few little town shops a few pubs and a restaurant or two think about Kirkby Lonsdale and its not a bad run from Hartlepool via Richmond and Leyburn. Might be a bit quiet if she's looking for serious shopping.

Not sure how big a range of shops she wants.

How about Berwick? Plenty of pubs there...

Grangetown, Eston and South Bank are all nice.
Well, they are nice for anyone who is used to living in El Salvador.
Again, that's probably no use to you Fensy.

On a serious note - Plymouth is great, if you could be arsed with the travelling.

How about Wetherby some nice shops, some nice pubs and some even nicer fish shops oh and you are'nt to far away from The Mighty Leeds.

Try Harrogate
Good pubs, good restaurants, good shops, the valley gardens and you could see what is on at the international centre

I was about to say that! I've been a couple of times to The Yorkshire Hotel which was very good and quite cheap through easybreaks if i remember correctly.

Funnily enough she mentioned there earlier on, on the shops front she isn't that much of a shopper so enough to keep her occupied for about an hour or so, plus with her being pregnant she can't walk about for too long anyway

Kirkby Lonsdale for you three

Yup, Leeds isn't a bad place.

Nottingham used to be good, but couldn't say what it's like these days.

Dibble could give you some pointers

Plymouth is great.

I got married there.

And I've been drunk there loads of times.

So what is or was the final decision Mr Fens?

Peterlee?

Bing Yang.

Just an hour on the bus out of Lang Dung Bus Station.

Shag all there until New Year but it'll stop her spending all your money in the shops and you can drink cheap in the hotel and wave at the gawpers.

Skelton

I went there once. Never again.

The mrs has been feeling ropey for a few days so it is nowhere but looking at the weather it might not be too bad a thing