Hilaryanne Posted August 27, 2021 Share Posted August 27, 2021 I am visiting the ROH for the first time in many years. We will be making the journey from Cornwall by train and back by sleeper. I was wondering what other people's experiences were of getting a cab after the performance - with covid we prefer this option Also I see the Cloakroom is not open so if I am wearing a coat and have a small bag .... I am not sure what to expect. Can I just sit on my coat? Sounds trivial but I like to plan every detail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted August 27, 2021 Share Posted August 27, 2021 Can you take a folded carrier bag and put your coat in the bag and have it between your feet? That's what I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilaryanne Posted August 27, 2021 Author Share Posted August 27, 2021 Thank you Rob, I was worried as I read somewhere that they wanted you to have a small bag the size of a briefcase but that is a good idea. I don't mind sitting on my coat if it is not frowned on. I last visited the ROH when I lived in London back in the last century! I want everything to run smoothly. Is it cold in the theatre? I have often been air conditioned to within an inch of my life in theatres as they don't want the audience falling asleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryrosesatonapin Posted August 27, 2021 Share Posted August 27, 2021 Hilary - how much time do you have between end of performance and getting to Paddington? There are always cabs after a performance, but sometimes you have to walk along a bit and wait around. If you have an hour or more that's safe, if less - could be tricky. You might also book a minicab in advance - eg https://www.londonminicabservice.com/ (I just did a websearch and haven't used them as I always drive in). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNC Posted August 27, 2021 Share Posted August 27, 2021 Surely the cloakroom will be open for the Autumn season? but I forget whether large bags (like overnight bags) we’re not allowed anyway due to space and potentially security rather than covid measures? do people use lockers at train stations in those circumstances, or just book overnight stays anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNC Posted August 27, 2021 Share Posted August 27, 2021 Also with coats I tend to try and neatly fold it and put it on my lap. But I also sometimes place the folded coat on top of/halfway in a bag on the floor between my feet as Rob has suggested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted August 27, 2021 Share Posted August 27, 2021 Hello Hilaryanne and welcome to the Forum! About 4 years ago when I had a dreadful journey I had to go straight to ROH with my overnight back. The cloakroom was fine about storing it. If you have got time and the cloakroom is open it would be worth putting your coat in too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilaryanne Posted August 27, 2021 Author Share Posted August 27, 2021 I read on the website that the cloakroom is closed. The performance finishes at about 22.35 and the train actually leaves at 23.45 though boarding is earlier. I am the sort of person who likes to arrive early so if I could book a black cab I think I would but so far the websites I have found seem to aim at business bookings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilaryanne Posted August 27, 2021 Author Share Posted August 27, 2021 Oh no not a dreadful journey. The whole thing is costing a fortune which I am fine with but want it all to run like clockwork. I have other bookings as well but this is the first of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilaryanne Posted August 27, 2021 Author Share Posted August 27, 2021 I have booked a black cab! So happy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted August 27, 2021 Share Posted August 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Hilaryanne said: Is it cold in the theatre? I have often been air conditioned to within an inch of my life in theatres as they don't want the audience falling asleep. I don't think it's cold in the theatre unless you're up in the amphitheatre, where I have known there to be draughts on occasion. Also it depends on how full the place is, of course. The ROH, being listed, has an air cooling system, not air-conditioning. Sometimes the vents are under the seats, in which case it's a good idea not to cover them up. Welcome to the forum, BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilaryanne Posted August 27, 2021 Author Share Posted August 27, 2021 Thank you Alison. I am now obsessing about booking a meal. I managed to book a meal for the Magic Flute performance on 4th October earlier this evening but now when I tried to book a meal for a performance in November for The Nutcracker I cannot remember how I did it. Is it because it is too far ahead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted August 27, 2021 Share Posted August 27, 2021 (edited) 7 minutes ago, Hilaryanne said: Thank you Alison. I am now obsessing about booking a meal. I managed to book a meal for the Magic Flute performance on 4th October earlier this evening but now when I tried to book a meal for a performance in November for The Nutcracker I cannot remember how I did it. Is it because it is too far ahead? In the past the ROH has sent an e-mail when booking for the restaurants open. Eat & drink (roh.org.uk) Edited August 27, 2021 by oncnp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilaryanne Posted August 28, 2021 Author Share Posted August 28, 2021 Perhaps that is it I have perhaps had an email for booking the restaurant for the Magic Flute. I am not going mad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 Just a heads up; as a non-account holder I once booked a black cab which didn’t arrive; I phoned the company 10 minutes after the agreed time to be told “We’re still trying to find a cab in your area; hopefully we’ll find one in the next 20 minutes”. I said to cancel it and that I’d try to hail one, which fortunately I did. If you can exit the ROH very promptly indeed after the performance, and start walking up Bow Street towards Longacre, you have a better chance of nabbing a black cab. I’m disabled so it takes me ages to get out, by which time all the cabs have been hailed. I’ve never been cold in the ROH, by the way. ☺️ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilaryanne Posted August 28, 2021 Author Share Posted August 28, 2021 Thank you for this Anna, I have used Dial a Cab. That is really dreadful as the whole point of booking a cab in advance is that you expect them to make sure they have one reserved. Do you remember who you used? I am going to put Uber on my phone though I have never used them and I don't know how quickly they appear. I wonder now that Uber is a think if black cabs do not have quite as much business. With a disability they should have made you a priority. I have allowed 15 minutes for getting out of the theatre. Thank you for your reply it is really helpful to know what others have experienced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilaryanne Posted August 28, 2021 Author Share Posted August 28, 2021 Anna, that was really helpful, you have alerted me to the fact that Dial a Cab have appalling reviews and are totally unreliable. There does not seem to be reliable black cab reserving service but at least your advice has alerted me to the problem. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 Oh gosh. I think I used Computer Cab/Comcab because you can make cash bookings without opening an account. As an alternative, is there a bus from the Covent Garden area to Paddington? If I’m on my crutches I usually shuffle down to Aldwych and get the bus to Liverpool Street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilaryanne Posted August 28, 2021 Author Share Posted August 28, 2021 With Covid we wanted to go by black cab. In the olden days jumping on and off buses and going by tube was second nature but we have been so careful during the past year or two that going to the ROH is a massive step and the tube a step to far. Quite annoying that booking a cab in this day and age seems to be beyond possible. I have made the sort of itinerary that I used to do when my husband was travelling for work to make sure he arrived at the airport on the right day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 Try an Addison Lee car. Cheaper than a black cab, more comfortable than Uber and they will message you with the registration number as the show ends. 020 7387 8888 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilaryanne Posted August 28, 2021 Author Share Posted August 28, 2021 That sounds brilliant capybara I will investigate - thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm365 Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 I think it might be difficult to locate even a booked car/cab in the scrum as everyone leaves the ROH. If you walk down to the Strand, it might be easier to pick up a black cab - they tend to be coming back from Waterloo or the City. I have been waiting at a bus stop and seen empty cabs come past in the direction of Trafalgar Square. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilaryanne Posted August 28, 2021 Author Share Posted August 28, 2021 Addison Lee booked thank you Capybara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 If it’s not a Saturday performance I’d take the tube, I’ve never really found it THAT busy and I get off at Paddington too 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilaryanne Posted August 28, 2021 Author Share Posted August 28, 2021 We have barely been out to a restaurant since Covid so we are super careful - I might ask the taxi to meet us round the corner - I used Addison Lee which Capybary recommended. We used to catch the tube all the time without a second thought but it will be a while before we are ready for that again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 1 hour ago, Hilaryanne said: We have barely been out to a restaurant since Covid so we are super careful - I might ask the taxi to meet us round the corner - I used Addison Lee which Capybary recommended. We used to catch the tube all the time without a second thought but it will be a while before we are ready for that again. You can ask for your booking to include the instruction to wait where you want it to. But Floral Street has often been closed to traffic lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 I had a terrible experience the one and only time I tried to be really organised by pre ordering a London Black cab. I usually take public transport after theatre trips but knew I’d be quite late on this occasion (December 2019 so pre pandemic) Anyway the ordered cab did not turn up so tried by a different method by ringing from a hotel in St Martins Lane but after waiting half an hour for that one I got lucky and managed to get one by hailing in the street!! I felt slightly guilty in case the ordered one eventually did turn up but it was pretty late by then so just went with the flow!! I won’t use an Uber on my own for a variety of reasons but I’ve never heard of Addison Lee before....is it a mini cab organisation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 16 minutes ago, LinMM said: I won’t use an Uber on my own for a variety of reasons but I’ve never heard of Addison Lee before....is it a mini cab organisation? Addison Lee is a large, London-wide taxi and courier service. You can ask them the price before you book and, with a fixed price, you don’t have to fret every time a traffic light turns red! Their cars can’t use the bus lanes but the drivers seem to know their way around. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 I should perhaps point out that it's not uncommon for traffic on the Strand side of Covent Garden to become completely snarled up at theatre chuck-out time, although that's probably due to the number of theatres in that area. I'd probably walk out of the immediate area - say down to Trafalgar Square - before hailing a cab. Hopefully it will be easier on the northern side. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 I’m usually over warm in the ROH. How obtuse that the coat check is not available. Both that and the self service ones were open at Sadlers Wells. That’s going to be a problem for patrons now that it is cold. I’ve a mind to circumvent the counter and use the hangers myself!! Or leave it by mistake (ahem) on a hook in a bathroom. I realise the coat retrieval process is a nightmare for social distancing … but then we will all have been in the auditorium together for hours 🤷🏼♀️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilaryanne Posted October 3, 2021 Author Share Posted October 3, 2021 Thank you for this Fiona, we are going home by sleeper so I am fussing about what to wear and a bag which will hold some clothes so I don't have to sleep in my dress and have toothbrush etc. I think I will wear my coat and sit on it in the theatre. I am both excited and anxious about the logistics train taxi theatre meal opera taxi sleeper. What could possibly go wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peony Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 Might just be me but I think that timing is quite tight, I definitely wouldn’t be putting anything into the cloakroom! How about getting some medical grade masks to keep in reserve if you have taxi problems as the tube is generally a lot quicker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 8 hours ago, FionaE said: I realise the coat retrieval process is a nightmare for social distancing … but then we will all have been in the auditorium together for hours 🤷🏼♀️ But not necessarily close to the same people ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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