Lodge Socials

Lodge Social Life

As well as the meals after the regular Lodge meetings, most Lodge of Instructions holds a Christmas meal in December where they try some of the restaurants close to their LOI meeting places. Ladies Festivals

For many Lodges "Ladies Festivals" have been regularly held for many years. This is where the lodge can thank their wives and girlfriends for supporting them through the year and raise money for the masters chosen charity for that year.

Quite a few Lodges have ladies festivals and members of all lodges and guests are most welcome.

For the Royal Leopold Lodge the venue for these occasions for a good number of these years was the Frascati Restaurant in Oxford Street, W1 until it closed about 1954-55. Thereafter a few other places were tried such as The Rembrandt, SW7 (four years). The Bonnington Hotel in Southampton Row, and The Connaught Rooms (four or five years). In 1967 we changed to the Elizabeth Suite in Barrington House Gresham Street, EC2 and used this venue for many years.

In the 1990's it was decided to make the ladies festivals into a weekend occasion where the Lodge and their guests can spend the weekend at a hotel, in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Previous Ladies Festivals were held in Bournemouth which was chosen because hotels cater for these functions at very reasonable rates. Other venues around the country do cater for these functions also.

Bournemouth itself has an excellent shopping centre, plenty of tourist attractions in the surrounding areas and the ladies have plenty of facilities to help prepare for the evening festivities.

After going to various hotels the Lodge had returned to the Ocean View Hotel (previously the Chesterwood) where the staff and management were very friendly and made our stay welcoming.

The weekend consisted of:

Arrive Friday afternoon/evening. Settle in with a four course evening dinner.

Saturday breakfast, then meet at 6pm until late for the evenings festivities.

Sunday morning breakfast and a hot/cold Sunday lunch. All Inclusive.

Extra nights were available at very reasonable rates if lodge members and guests wish to have a longer week-end.