AirmaxUK

Based on personal experience, a lot of it maybe to do with easy availability: I live out the Chiltern countryside, west of London - not many guys around here, but we're only 28 minutes from central London by train. Guys won't travel out of town to visit even though we have tons of space and they can stay overnight. Why? Probably because guys in London can find what they need on their doorstep pretty much. Although, I find a bit odd as with population density in London being what it is many people live in shared spaces and the first question is usually 'can you accom?'. Yes I can, but they have to travel and they won't. That's backed by the my observation that other guys in neighbouring towns and villages don't mind a 10-15 mile trip - and we're all regulars in London for fun. I'm often in London for work (pre lockdown) and run against the 'can you accom?' issue which is why I tend to stick to places like central station, vault, etc. You might be finding a similar thing is happening with Nottingham and Lincoln. For me travelling is about risk - if I think someone might flake then I'll be less inclined to travel. If it's someone I know or have met before then I'd be more inclined. Also I always try and have a plan 'B' if I'm travelling a decent distance - perhaps a nearby sauna or something that ties with another of my hobbies and interests. What I never do is say I'll be somewhere and not show up. For me once the commitment is made there's no backing out. I've travelled London to Hull for a session before which was three hours there and three back with traffic... I have plans in the making to visit another BZ guy in Manchester and another in Blackpool when the Covid thing quietens down a bit more - both are long trips. I am in the early stages of planning a visit to Frankfurt to meet someone - but that will likely be combined with other reasons to visit Frankfurt, as that's a fair cost and time commitment. Andy

I think if you search these forums you'll find links and references to WhatsApp groups and similar.

Just seen this article in the London Evening Standard: [think before following links] https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/sex-illegal-england-coronavirus-lockdown-restrictions-a4456506.html I'll just leave that there, then...

I heard a trailer for this series which starts next week on BBC Radio 4 and it sounds quite interesting. There are ten episodes broadcast over two weeks, starting Monday 8th June 2020 with two Omnibus episodes available at the end of the week. After broadcast the programmes are usually available on BBC Sounds for a period, so you don't have to listen live. If you're not in the UK, I think BBC Radio is accessible from abroad, unlike BBC TV. The BBC Sounds App is a good way to do this. [think before following links] https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000jvrf/broadcasts/upcoming

Maybe lookout for scally/chav lads with their hands down their Trakkies scratching furiously. See plenty in places like McD’s

It must depend on the area. I know The Churchill in Oxford is still doing radiotherapy and chemotherapy. My local STI clinic is doing booked appointments only - no walk in clinics. As for crabs, lyclear and derbac-m treatments are available at chemists/pharmacy so a sti clinic may not be the best place to look...

Haven’t been lately but pre Covid I’d aim for no earlier than 23:30 on a Friday or Saturday and it always seemed to peak after midnight then a bit of a lull and then again in the small hours.

Interested to know which one is Drew Marks... The tall guy with the Mohawk? Berlin has some hidden gems - the tourist scene is something of a moneymaking circus these days. I prefer to go when it is not BLF/Folsom/etc and seek out some of the more offbeat backwaters where the locals hang out. That strategy has led to some of the very best experiences I've had in Berlin.

There is another long standing thread on here about London meet-ups - so why don't we pick an evening and have an unofficial BZ meetup at Vault 139 when it reopens (hopefully!) after Covid-19 is over...

I had forgotten about PlayPit+ nights!

Maybe I am romanticising somewhat, but the thing I remember about Playpit was how nothing seemed to matter - shape, size, age - everyone seemed to get off. And I remember the staff joined in. First time I was there, I got a welcoming I won't for get in one of the cubicles. My only regret is that back then I wasn't as far along my BB journey as now - so I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have.

The other evening I found a couple of videos on PornHub that were filmed in the old PlayPit behind the E.T. Baker shopfront before it moved further North up the Caledonian Road. They're long videos - both about 1h40. It was quite nostalgic seeing the play spaces I remember. But the real surprise was recognising some of the guys in it... and it left me wondering "where are they now". I'll post links to the videos in the "Bareback Porn Discussion" to avoid getting an infraction. Andy

For those that used to visit PlayPit in London - this should bring back a few memories: [think before following links] https://www.pornhub.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ph5db47df2af394 [think before following links] https://www.pornhub.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ph5b79729c8e851 Would love to know what became of these guys - I do still remember a few of them from when I used to visit.

Meant to say that this seems new behaviour since the changes that happened recently. Safari 13.1 on OSX Catalina 10.15.4

Have noticed that when the page loads, the notification (globe) button shows a red spot with the number of notifications outstanding. Once the page has loaded fully, the red spot vanishes so it looks like there are no notifications, however on clicking it I can see there are notifications - the exact number initially reported before it vanished.

It will be interesting to see how the situation develops: I think that clubs with dark rooms and bathouses/saunas will be among the very last places to re-open. The only other two outlets we have really are the apps and cruising spots. I am really hoping the latter enjoys a renaissance, as the hook up apps before the lockdown they were getting frustratingly sketchy when it came to arranging real meets. When you visit a cruising spot, you've made a commitment to the cause - unlike the apps where you can log off and have wank instead.

Oh yes - I've seen some where the TV is left on BBC News 24 or even UK Daytime TV and you can hear it very clearly - very much a distraction.

It happens. Some guys feel rejected if they get turned down and retaliate so they leave the situation with what they believe is the upper hand. The only other option is to ignore if you're not interested, but I think that make you look bad. My approach: Be honest, and rise above their insecurities if they react...

In some of the other sections of this forum there are some really good stories that have been written - some stretching to many multi-parts - and some are extremely popular. Followers anticipate each instalment eagerly... Given how guys seem to anticipate and discuss each chapter of the stories as they are written and published, it strikes me that this could be a great subscription revenue stream for studios. Now, I realise a lot of porn is about instant gratification but given the popularity of the stories on here, I do wonder if there is a market for stuff that has more emphasis on characters and a storyline - maybe even a mini-series. It has probably been done with the more 'fluffy' porn but I reckon there is a market for some less fluffy (TIM style) stuff with a storyline. I remember the 90's/00's Cazzo films that were harder in terms of content, but had a storyline (although usually quite a weird one) - and enjoyed those. Is anyone making this kind of stuff any more? Is there a demand? or am I alone in my appreciation of this kind of thing?

First time I watch a clip, it's all about the action and what's going on, but then I'll begin to notice details in the background of images. Particularly enjoy it when it is filmed in someone's house or room and you can see their personal stuff lying around, rather than a empty tidy anodyne hotel room. These details give little details away about the guy. What he likes: books, pictures, posters, cd/dvds, sports equipment... And also the circumstances of the film: a pile of discarded clothes and sneakers on the floor is more likely to mean it a real-hookup than something that's been intentionally filmed. There are extremeds, though: there was a clip I saw sometime ago filmed in a guys room and it was really dirty and messy - garbage on the floor, discarded clothes everywhere, half eaten take-aways, no sheets on the bed- just a bare mattress. On the other hand there was another clip I saw filmed in quite an expensive hotel room that had absolutely no personality or character. After I'd watched it once it had nothing more to draw me in... boring. Perhaps another dimension to all this is the TIM style videos that are filmed in cheap motel rooms and they come off with an atmosphere of someone renting the room to hook up and advertising on Craigslist or whatever. That strikes a balance and is quite a horny atmosphere. I guess it's a bit like the stories you read on here - the best ones paint a good picture about the guys using personal details so you can relate to them. And I think the same applies to Porn.

Work in N1 / Kings Cross, but only occasionally - mostly from home (South Buckinghamshire) especially right now in Lockdown.

This really resonates with me.

You think hankies are complicated? Anyone remember the online derivatives of the Hanky Code, known as the Twink Code and Bear Code? (In use circa 1995) People use to put these strings of letters and numbers in their email and usenet signatures to flag their interests and how they identified. You'd see things like: B8 d++ f? w++ k--? This is a Bear Code description of Father Christmas and translates to: B8: Very long beard d++: DADDY with a vengence! f?: furry in a bearish sense (no hard visual info available) w++: BIG TEDDY k--? totally vanilla (no hard visual info available) First there was the Bear Code and then the Twink Code. I can't find a full description of the Bear Code but here is a link to the full Twink Code: [think before following links] http://user.xmission.com/~trevin/twink112.html Back then I used: T6C2L1sh-da--w-c+y-e+g+f-k+++s+++q--

Don't get me started on how the UK discourages scientists and engineers - of all the people I knew from University on my course, I think I am the only one working in the field still. I do know a few still working in Science and Engineering but they emigrated to places like Norway and Germany. Most that stayed in the UK have found that careers in Banking, Insurance, Management welcome people with technical degrees and will pay 2x to 4x the salary. It's getting better that STEM in schools is improving and involving more, but we have to create the future opportunities and options for scientists and engineers careers to flourish or they will defect to the finance industry. I have immense problems finding good talent to work on my teams - and 90% of the time we have to import it. I get the sense that the UK economy doesn't really care for innovation and manufacturing any more. Sorry. Rant over. It touched a nerve!

What really makes a difference at these things is to be engaging and welcoming to everyone, not just guys you fancy... If you see someone on the sidelines, go make them feel welcome and involve them. It'll pretty much guarantee they'll feel more comfortable joining in and come back for more. Some guys are shy going to these kinds of events, especially the first time and it can be intimidating if everyone else seems to know each other and be at ease. I've had experience of small fetish parties for a long time - and we've seen all sorts over many years. 99.9% of the time the guys are wonderful and it's great - you meet some wonderful people... but you need to be be prepared for the minority who ruin the vibe: you may need to physically remove someone against their will when they're too drunk/high and spoiling things for everyone else. Knowing how to handle this is useful. people passing out (or worse) from being too high/drink/or overdoing poppers. poppers and viagra is a bad combo! there'll always be one guy who won't take no for an answer and be a complete nuisance to everyone else. The first time I give them a frank talking to, the second they get removed. The third, they get banned. On the other hand the scorned queen who approaches a guy, gets rejected, and then tells management the guy tried to sell drugs to get revenge. Some guy gets cum on his limited edition Armani suit (which looks like it came from Primark) after he's been in the darkroom and wants you to pay for it to be dry cleaned or replaced. People losing their stuff in the darkroom (usually their phone) and they want you to pay for a replacement. If you have a coat/bag check, people claiming they had stuff stolen. (CCTV camera in cloakroom area to prove nothing happened is useful) One party we had a couple of guys into dirty fisting (bear in mind this was a foot fetish party) who managed to ruin one of the dark playspaces. We ejected and barred them and had to close that room for the night. Risk assessments... think about how things might go wrong and how to avoid it in the first place, and how you'd handle it if it happens. Use that to draw up some house rules. One of the contentious things is whether you allow people to take photos/video with their phone in the party. On the one hand it's good publicity, on the other hand a privacy nightmare if someone gets filmed against their will. Having a clear policy "if you come in, expect to be filmed" or "filming/photos are banned". Personally I'd like to ban smartphones from inside play venues for a variety of reasons, but there is too much pushback in the UK from customers on this. It's kinda sad when you get guys in a party who are more interested in Grindr/Scruff than who's there in person! Andy