The 2014 AGM in Weymouth - The Unusual Suspects

Here's a picture of your trusty Manifold Press authors and editors (no names, no packdrill) relaxing over a meal at our AGM, which this year was held in Weymouth. This was taken after a wonderful meal at Prezzo, where the staff couldn't have been more helpful - and we're disappointed to report that very little alcohol was consumed the whole weekend; in fact we worked out that it was precisely one drink each.

On the Saturday morning we went to the Abbotsbury Subtropical Garden and actually had our formal meeting in a corner of the Colonial Restaurant - nobody seemed to mind. We made a lot of decisions about the future of the Press, all of which were very exciting and most of which you will start to see evidence of over the next few weeks and months. Our business is gradually expanding, and we'd like to continue with that trend; we're hearing pitches from authors at UK Meet in a few weeks' time and after that we should have a very much clearer idea of how everything is going to shape up. One thing's for sure, though, it certainly isn't going to be dull!

Satisfied with our 'working day', we then settled down to enjoy the rest of our time in Weymouth. After a thorough tour of the gardens - which were a bit damp underfoot but otherwise spectacular - we all returned to our accommodation and then assembled again in the evening for our meal. On the Sunday, although some of us had to leave relatively early, the rest managed lunch at the hotel before a gentle expedition to Portland which culminated in a trip to the excellent Chesil Beach Visitor Centre; both the view and the cakes there are highly recommended. (They also have chocolate ammonites, which is more than enough reason for a visit in itself.)

Finally dispersing late on Sunday afternoon, we reached our separate destinations that same evening exhausted but extremely happy; this was our finest AGM so far, and plans for next year's extravaganza are already well in hand. In fact, we're counting down the days ...