5th March 2024

We travelled to Stratford-Upon-Avon, parked in the P&R, and took the bus into the centre. This was our first time to Stratford since 1982. The company I worked for back in those days, Altergo Software, used to hold its Christmas party in the Hilton Hotel there. The hotel is now a Crowne Plaza. We had two Christmas parties there. The first time, Rosemary and I went to see a Shakespeare play. Most of which I missed because I fell asleep. The second time was in 1982. That was the last Altergo Christmas party because in March 1983 they had run out of money, and we were not paid that month. Did they pay for the Christmas party? During both visits we never saw anything of Stratford, other than the brief visit and sleep in the Royal Shakespeare Company theatre.

So, 41+ years later we decided to visit again, and not drive past on our way to somewhere else. What had changed? Well, there was nothing much to compare, only the hotel and the theatre. No idea what had changed in the theatre, I can’t remember much about it. The hotel looked the same, outside and in. It even still had the gas fired, coal effect fire in the foyer. Yes one of the Altergo employees, thought it was a real fire and had used a poker to enhance the blaze. Yes, there was one small change, a glass screen to stop unprovoked poking and no pokers to be seen.

The MAD Museum

Today we started off at the MAD museum, the museum of Mechanical Art and Design. A small museum above the shops, entry is up some stairs.

As the name suggests, the MAD Museum showcases a collection of kinetic art, automata, and robotics from around the world. These exhibits are not just for looking at; they are designed to be interacted with, making the museum a fun and engaging experience for visitors of all ages.

The museum features more than 60 exhibits, including:

• Rolling ball machines
• Automata (moving machines)
• Robots
• Witty design pieces
• Mind-blowing intricate moving contraptions

Many of the displays were interactive, so an excellent place to take the children. Unfortunately, there was a large group there when we entered. Thankfully their happy chatter disappeared and they left us in peace. We had even delayed visiting, ensuring we were not going there during the school holidays.

The video below, shows most of the exhibits that were working and on display.

Dirty Duck for lunch

We left the museum after nearly two hours and headed for lunch. Rosemary had elected to visit the Dirty Duck, a famous 18th Century pub, formerly known as the Black Swan and apparently popular with actors. Well, it did have an actor’s bar. We ate lunch there and I sampled a pint of Greene King Ale. The pub was not crowded, the food turned up quickly. It was Ok, but not particularly memorable.

After lunch we walked along the river, listening to the buskers in the background. Paid a quick visit to the hotel to see what had changed in 41+ years. Then it was into town and a look around the shops. Plenty of charity shops and odd curiosity shops. There was a Cat Cafe which took Rosemary’s fancy. It had a cat in the window. Thankfully, it was closed on Tuesdays.

Back at the bus stop we waited for the bus. Not a particularly frequent bus service, so quite a long wait, but R managed to dash into a nearby charity shop to emerge with four books from a series she loves.