Smoke On The Water is back!

I'm pleased to report that Smoke On The Water, the Forest boat party, is returning to Westminster on Tuesday 22nd October.

It originally ran for seven years, from 2011 to 2017, as a summer event, and it was one of our most popular parties.

We retired it largely because of the cost – it’s now more than double what it was when it began - but I also felt it was running out of steam a little, and I found the uncertainty with the weather a bit of a headache.

I remember one year the heavens opened two hours before embarkation and it rained so heavily the South Bank was under water.

I thought that would deter many of our guests but, thankfully, it stopped raining and most of them came anyway, but even in summer the weather was a concern. (That said, we enjoyed some lovely evenings too.)

Anyway, Smoke On The Water is back and it’s returning for two reasons.

One, we want to try and engage with the huge number of new MPs and their staff, most of whom are new to Westminster.

Two, we want to bring together opponents of the generational tobacco sales ban, and Labour’s plan to extend the smoking ban to more outdoor areas including beer gardens.

Our vessel, as before, is The Elizabethan, a two-deck Mississippi-style paddle steamer with a unique sliding roof and covered open walkways on either side of the top deck.

Smoking is not permitted inside but for now at least you can smoke on the walkways and the open rear deck.

Guests will embark at Westminster Pier from 7.15pm and for the first 45 minutes the boat will be static, during which there will be a handful of (short) speeches.

At 8.00pm, The Elizabethan will leave the Pier and cruise down river towards Canary Wharf, returning to Westminster Pier at 9.45pm where guests will disembark.

Places are limited but if you’d like to join us RSVP by emailing events@forestonline.org.

PS. I first booked The Elizabethan almost 30 years ago when I was organising events for another organisation. It’s been refurbished several times since then and is a great venue for a party.

If you are unfamiliar with it, click here.