Will the Square be sorted out by September?

[SJ & RE]

Still of topic, but we went for a joint birthday dinner last Saturday at a rather expensive venue we only visit for special occassions, birthdays, valentine, anniversary, Xmas lunch.
Ok we had to manouvre the wheelchair and my first real time out up and dressed. Had just right amount of medication to get there to allow the alcohol to kick in.
Prices were as follows which I bellieve apart from the wine compararable to one of the high class establishments one can find in the Algarve.
4 x Tio pepes=£11.20
2 x Normandy Cider =£7.80
lovely entrees of lobster bisque and english asparagus concentrated veloute and lovely cheese straws with poppy seeds n/c
1 x Vallado Doura wine = £24.95
1 X Beef Carpaccio = £6.95
1 x Scallops = £7.50
1 x duck in reduced maderia jus, and veg that he chose (rather fussy with veg)=£21.00
1 x huge lobster with cornish new baby potatoes, salad and tarragon and dill homemade mayo dip =£40.00
1 x trio of choccy desserts = £5.95
1 x pannacota with fresh fruit =£5.95
1 x birthday cake of 3 layers vanilla sponge with each layer stuffed with fresh cream and strawberries and covered with cream and topped with fresh strawberries and chards of marbled chocolate =£20.00
coffee for two, which was such a huge carraffe, I drank loads to be semi sensible 2 =£5.00
2 huge glasses of port n/c
+10%Service

Someone else can add it up as my maths are crap
Totally stuffed and extremely greedy I know

As we had pre ordered our meals as being a special, great hilarity as everyone wanted my lobster.
We brought the rest of the cake home to share with family and friends

As it is such a pretty place and formal with lovely starched linen, beautifully laid tables and very romantic as it is all lit by candles and has two adjoining sitting rooms , one log fire, the other a wood burner. Staff so friendly and attentive, that we love going there.
We must admit we have yet to find somewhere that matches in CVO and area for all the reasons. However that does not deter from the fab meals and locations we have been to out in CVO area and beyond.
I think cos of the pound/euro, for us Brits it is very much the same.

Now on baked beans on baked potatoes and lots of mince dishes,pot roasts etc for cost cutting to save up for next special and move from this hellpit of a rented farm

[Lesley Jean]

Mmmm that sounds lovely BSJ, where was that?? might have to give it a try, was it the one in Evershot??

[shanagarry]

A meal in Maximes would not cost as much as that and the setting is just as nice - without the fire!

[SJ & RE]

Hiya ,L.J, No not there, it was the Bridge House in Beaminster, since the new owners took over from London early 2000's it has improved so much. Once up and about Richard suggested a lunch meetup there, pretty gardens and good Brasserie,as well as the fine dining room, look up on website. Bridgehouse hotel beaminster dorset, til you find the right website. It shows the gardens, rooms etc, They are so good as managing the wheelchair for us.
Shanagarry, although Maximes is nice, it is way off the mark from above, agree pricing of wine high, but pricing similiar as I looked at the pricing list, and Maximes will not provide a different meal to the menu, as we found out when we asked there. Perhaps only for regulars this may be provided. The duck came with a sauce and veg Richard hated at Maximes and we asked if it could be changed and they said no as all pre prepared and despite asking two days in advance they were not obliging.

[TomUK]

Why has this topic suddenly changed into a gourmet special? Centered on the south of England, not even Portugal? Instead of going 'off topic' why don't contributors start a topic relevant to their input?

Anyway, gripe over, back to the original topic. Made two visits to CVO during last couple of weeks and entered by the 'IN' road as normal (no signs to tell us otherwise) - when the square is reached drivers are guided by temporary plastic bollards in a semi circle in front of Matabixo and up Estrada da Farol (Restaurant Hill) because the 'OUT' road is still being worked on. At the moment E.d. Farol is one way up and taxis have to do a three point turn by the rank and go up the hill. A check of the webcam today confirms that this is still the case. We parked at the top of the hill without problems and walked back down. When leaving we carried on up the hill and out that way. It is however, possible to drive a short way back down the hill until you are confronted by a 'no entry' sign and have to turn right. I presume this leads back to the top part of the original 'OUT' road.

The square is still pleasant enough closer to the beach area and restaurants seemed to be doing well. Noticed the public toilets have not re-appeared.

They have surfaced the square with nice block paving and the diagonal walkway has smart grey paving slabs. However, it struck me as typical of Portugal that the traffic that passes through the square is guided over the newly laid grey paving and this means EVA buses, tourist coaches and heavy lorries as well as hundreds of cars each day are driving over the new paving. What's the betting that when the diversion is removed, these slabs will have been cracked and broken under the weight of traffic and will need replacing!

Hope the above is useful to those visiting CVO by car in the near future.

[redford]

Why has this topic suddenly changed into a gourmet special? Centered on the south of England, not even Portugal? Instead of going 'off topic' why don't contributors start a topic relevant to their input?
Anyway, gripe over, back to the original topic. Made two visits to CVO during last couple of weeks and entered by the 'IN' road as normal (no signs to tell us otherwise) - when the square is reached drivers are guided by temporary plastic bollards in a semi circle in front of Matabixo and up Estrada da Farol (Restaurant Hill) because the 'OUT' road is still being worked on. At the moment E.d. Farol is one way up and taxis have to do a three point turn by the rank and go up the hill. A check of the webcam today confirms that this is still the case. We parked at the top of the hill without problems and walked back down. When leaving we carried on up the hill and out that way. It is however, possible to drive a short way back down the hill until you are confronted by a 'no entry' sign and have to turn right. I presume this leads back to the top part of the original 'OUT' road.

The square is still pleasant enough closer to the beach area and restaurants seemed to be doing well. Noticed the public toilets have not re-appeared.

They have surfaced the square with nice block paving and the diagonal walkway has smart grey paving slabs. However, it struck me as typical of Portugal that the traffic that passes through the square is guided over the newly laid grey paving and this means EVA buses, tourist coaches and heavy lorries as well as hundreds of cars each day are driving over the new paving. What's the betting that when the diversion is removed, these slabs will have been cracked and broken under the weight of traffic and will need replacing!

Hope the above is useful to those visiting CVO by car in the near future.

Absolutely Why don't they start a new topic ??? Moderators can you please sort if you can, very frustrating when one keeps getting topic alerts on response that not interested in!!!

Thanks for getting back 'on topic', and for your comprehensive and interesting report

[HampshireRich]

Why has this topic suddenly changed into a gourmet special? Centered on the south of England, not even Portugal? Instead of going 'off topic' why don't contributors start a topic relevant to their input?
Anyway, gripe over, back to the original topic. Made two visits to CVO during last couple of weeks and entered by the 'IN' road as normal (no signs to tell us otherwise) - when the square is reached drivers are guided by temporary plastic bollards in a semi circle in front of Matabixo and up Estrada da Farol (Restaurant Hill) because the 'OUT' road is still being worked on. At the moment E.d. Farol is one way up and taxis have to do a three point turn by the rank and go up the hill. A check of the webcam today confirms that this is still the case. We parked at the top of the hill without problems and walked back down. When leaving we carried on up the hill and out that way. It is however, possible to drive a short way back down the hill until you are confronted by a 'no entry' sign and have to turn right. I presume this leads back to the top part of the original 'OUT' road.

The square is still pleasant enough closer to the beach area and restaurants seemed to be doing well. Noticed the public toilets have not re-appeared.

They have surfaced the square with nice block paving and the diagonal walkway has smart grey paving slabs. However, it struck me as typical of Portugal that the traffic that passes through the square is guided over the newly laid grey paving and this means EVA buses, tourist coaches and heavy lorries as well as hundreds of cars each day are driving over the new paving. What's the betting that when the diversion is removed, these slabs will have been cracked and broken under the weight of traffic and will need replacing!

Hope the above is useful to those visiting CVO by car in the near future.

Absolutely Why don't they start a new topic ??? Moderators can you please sort if you can, very frustrating when one keeps getting topic alerts on response that not interested in!!!

Thanks for getting back 'on topic', and for your comprehensive and interesting report

Because this is a forum, and these topics are like a conversation - they drift to and fro - if you don't like it, go away!

[redford]

Why has this topic suddenly changed into a gourmet special? Centered on the south of England, not even Portugal? Instead of going 'off topic' why don't contributors start a topic relevant to their input?
Anyway, gripe over, back to the original topic. Made two visits to CVO during last couple of weeks and entered by the 'IN' road as normal (no signs to tell us otherwise) - when the square is reached drivers are guided by temporary plastic bollards in a semi circle in front of Matabixo and up Estrada da Farol (Restaurant Hill) because the 'OUT' road is still being worked on. At the moment E.d. Farol is one way up and taxis have to do a three point turn by the rank and go up the hill. A check of the webcam today confirms that this is still the case. We parked at the top of the hill without problems and walked back down. When leaving we carried on up the hill and out that way. It is however, possible to drive a short way back down the hill until you are confronted by a 'no entry' sign and have to turn right. I presume this leads back to the top part of the original 'OUT' road.

The square is still pleasant enough closer to the beach area and restaurants seemed to be doing well. Noticed the public toilets have not re-appeared.

They have surfaced the square with nice block paving and the diagonal walkway has smart grey paving slabs. However, it struck me as typical of Portugal that the traffic that passes through the square is guided over the newly laid grey paving and this means EVA buses, tourist coaches and heavy lorries as well as hundreds of cars each day are driving over the new paving. What's the betting that when the diversion is removed, these slabs will have been cracked and broken under the weight of traffic and will need replacing!

Hope the above is useful to those visiting CVO by car in the near future.

Absolutely Why don't they start a new topic ??? Moderators can you please sort if you can, very frustrating when one keeps getting topic alerts on response that not interested in!!!

Thanks for getting back 'on topic', and for your comprehensive and interesting report

Because this is a forum, and these topics are like a conversation - they drift to and fro - if you don't like it, go away!

Outrageous response to a perfectly reasonable request This is the sort of unjustifiable comment that one comes to expect from persons that dominate forums which in end drive members away!!! Moderators please take note of this totally unacceptable 'attack', not serving any good at all:!:

[Michael Crane]

Why not just move this topic to Chit Chat?

[Bruce Wallis]

Or start another section...."Flogged to death"

[redford]

Why not just move this topic to Chit Chat?

Why not just stick to the forum rules this was a very useful and interesting topic for all those in UK!

(Forum rules state: Keep all replies to a message on topic; Any off topic messages will be deleted)

[SJ & RE]

Whats wrong with going off topic. Infact I disagree we have.
Comparison became the topic once we understood the square is getting sorted and nearly there. As said some of the roads off from the camera are being dealt with.
So poo to you that threw your toys out of the pram cos you did not like the ebb and flow of topics slightly going adrift. You who have really blown a gasket over this should be ashamed of your impoliteness. And no I am not going to pick your toys up and give them to you, and even more so I may sabotage all threads by going off course, so there

[Michael Crane]

Perhaps this will close the topic?

"Will the Square be sorted out by September?"
No one knows! Ask again mid-August.

[e-richard]

On the subject of going off-topic.... continue here

[HampshireRich]

Outrageous response to a perfectly reasonable request This is the sort of unjustifiable comment that one comes to expect from persons that dominate forums which in end drive members away!!! Moderators please take note of this totally unacceptable 'attack', not serving any good at all:!:

Please Sir, Please Sir, the nasty boys are having a go at me - loosen up redford or you will be upset all the time! - or maybe be driven away