Someone always ends up organising it. The office meal, the family get together, the annual catch up with the same six friends. That person gets the group chat, the dietary requests and the job of finding somewhere before every date has gone.
If that is you this year, this one is worth a look.
Bowden Lodge runs pre-Christmas celebrations across six evenings in December. Small groups, proper food, a pianist playing in the corner. Read on for what the night involves.
What the evening looks like
Bowden Lodge is a Victorian guest house, so the function room feels closer to a big front room than a hotel suite. We dress it with seasonal decor for December and set the tables for your group.
Doors open at 7pm. Every guest gets a complimentary glass of Prosecco on arrival, which gives everyone something to hold while the group gathers.
Anyone can book. You do not have to be staying with us.
Two ways to eat
You pick one menu for the whole group when you book.
The first option is a Christmas style hot and cold buffet. The food is delivered to your table on a three tier stand (one between four people). This takes away the need for queueing and jostling at the buffet table and is more relaxed and sophisticated.
The second option is a full roast dinner served to the table. Better for a group that wants a traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.
Tell us which one you want and we will take it from there.
What is on the buffet
Our kitchen cooks fresh on site. The Christmas buffet food covers hot festive plates and lighter cold options side by side:
- Platter of cold roast turkey and gammon
- Hot pigs in blankets
- Hot stuffing balls with sausage meat and cranberries
- Hot filled jacket potatoes topped with cheese
- Cheddar, brie and crackers
- Salad sticks and cherry tomatoes
- Chutney, pickle and cranberry sauce
- Assorted breads, three types
- Lancashire crisps
Someone in your group will build a plate of pigs in blankets and stuffing and nothing else. Someone else will stick to cheese, bread and salad. Both are catered for.
Then comes dessert. Each guest picks one of three:
- Apple and cinnamon crumble with custard
- Sherry trifle
- Christmas pudding ice cream
Tea and coffee round it off.
The pianist
Our resident pianist plays through every evening session. Live festive music, not a speaker in the ceiling.
The volume sits where it should. Your group can hear the music and still hold a conversation across the table.
After your meal, relax in our guest lounge
There’s no need to rush off after your meal. Relax in our guest lounge with your favourite tipple and enjoy the ambiance of the festive decor (featuring our Victorian village – you won’t be disappointed) and our 9 foot Christmas tree and subdued lighting.
The six dates
Bookings run on these evenings, all starting from 7pm:
- Friday 4th December
- Saturday 5th December
- Friday 11th December
- Saturday 12th December
- Friday 18th December
- Saturday 19th December
If a particular date matters to your group, get in touch now rather than in November.
Drinks and dietary needs
Bowden Lodge is licensed, so alcohol is available when pre-ordered from a set drinks menu, although if your favourite tipple isn’t listed, just talk to us and we’ll try our very best to source it for you.
We cater for dietary requirements on request. Flag them when you book and give us a minimum of 7 days notice for specific dietary needs. That lets our kitchen plan and shop properly rather than improvising on the night.
Stay over and skip the taxi rank
Here is the bit people forget when they book festive dining elsewhere. The evening ends and everyone scatters to find a lift home.
Bowden Lodge is a guest house as well as a function room. You can add overnight accommodation to your booking, so your group stays put, wakes up here and gets breakfast in the morning. Nobody drives, and nobody stands outside in December waiting for a taxi.
We also have off road parking on site for anyone driving.
Ask about rooms when you enquire about your date.
Who books these nights
A few ways groups use the evening:
- A Christmas meal for a small team or office
- A family meal before everyone splits up for Christmas
- A club or committee end of year get together
- A friendship group that manages one catch up a year
- A December birthday that deserves more than a table for four somewhere loud
Southport has no shortage of options for festive dining. This one suits groups who want a room that feels personal and owners who are there on the night. Andy and Jane run the place themselves, so you deal with them.
Who you are booking with
Bowden Lodge is run by Andy and Jane Gibbs. They own the guest house, they live on site and they are here on the night of your event.
That changes how the evening works. You are not passed between a sales team, a duty manager and whoever happens to be on shift. You speak to the same two people from your first enquiry to the last cup of coffee.
The food comes out of our own kitchen rather than a delivery van. We cook fresh on site and buy from local suppliers where we can.
It also means we can be flexible. If your group has a request, ask. We would rather sort it in advance than tell you no on the night.
Common questions
Do we have to be staying at Bowden Lodge to book?
No. The pre-Christmas celebrations are open to anyone. You just need to book a date.
How many people do we need?
Groups start at four. Get in touch with your numbers and we will confirm what we can seat.
Can we choose between the buffet and the roast?
Yes. You pick one menu for the group when you book.
Can you cater for dietary requirements?
Yes, on request. Tell us when you book so our kitchen can plan for it.
Is there live music?
Every evening session has our resident pianist playing throughout.
Can we get a drink?
Bowden Lodge is licensed and alcohol is available when pre-ordered. Tea and coffee is also available with the meal, and every guest gets a glass of Prosecco on arrival or an alcohol free alternative.
Can we stay over?
Yes. Overnight accommodation can be added to your booking. Ask when you enquire about your date.
What time does it start?
All six evenings begin from 7pm
Booking
Five things to have ready:
- Your date, from the six above
- Your group size
- Buffet or full roast dinner
- Any dietary requirements
- Whether anyone wants a room
December is not the only time we open the room up. There are other events on through the year if you are planning further ahead.
