RBW 2010: Space cowboys. 5th-7th November 2010. Canary Wharf, London UK

Frequently Asked Questions

What is RBW?

RBW is London's only residential furry convention and 2010 will be the con's fifth year. Beginning with a single day event in 2005 focused around the signature boat party, RBW has since expanded into a fully fledged convention, although the boat party remains as a distinguishing feature and a highlight for many.

Where is RBW being held this year?

After the fantastic feedback we had regarding the change of venue last year, we will be returning to The Britannia International Hotel, set in the heart of London's Docklands.

This well-appointed convention hotel has friendly staff, excellent conferencing facilities, two separate on-site restaurants, a river-side bar, a swimming pool, a dedicated nightclub (which we shall once again be renting for Friday night's festivities!) and lovely, well-maintained hotel rooms. It is also 5 minutes walk from the extensive shopping and dining opportunities of Canary Wharf.

For further in-depth information about the hotel, please refer to their official website which can be found here.

How long will it go on for?

RBW 2010 will run from November 5th to November 7th.

How many places are available?

Due to the fact that we want everyone with a ticket to be able to board the boat and actually have space to socialise, we have a hard and fast attendance limit of 300. This will include the staff members!

Additionally, Executive tickets will be limited to 22 in order that we can get everyone on the London Eye along with our photographer, event co-ordinator and the obligatory London Eye staff member. Because of the strictly limited numbers, Executive tickets will not be confirmed until you have PAID IN FULL for them.

How much will it cost?

Basic membership will cost £105, discounted to £95 until May 1st, with two additional ticket types (Sponsor and Executive Sponsor) costing £125 and £175 respectively. More details are available on our Registration page.

Why aren't we booking hotel rooms through the convention like last year?

Last year, it was possible to book a hotel room through us when purchasing your convention ticket. These room prices were agreed with the hotel beforehand. This option required an immense amount of administrative resource for our staff team here at RBW, resource that could have been put to much better use elsewhere. It also came to our attention that it was possible to get a much better room rate for the days of the convention by booking through one of the numerous third party websites available. We'll be providing you all with links to these websites this year in order to ensure that you all get the best value for money possible.

Why does RBW only allow people over 18 years old?

Due to the nature of the event we're holding, allowing minors to attend the convention would put unnecessary legal responsibilities upon our volunteers. For this reason, we have decided to bring RBW into line with other UK conventions and impose an 18+ only rule.

How do I get there?

The Britannia International Hotel is easily accessible by foot from Heron Quays and South Quay DLR stations and is just 10 minutes walk from the Canary Wharf underground station or 5 minutes walk from Canary Wharf pier for the Thames Clipper. For those of you wishing to drive, there is ample on-site parking available at the hotel although this will incur additional cost. For more information, see our Venue & Travel page.

What about the boat party?

The RBW Boat Party will be held on Saturday, November 6th. After last year's roaring success, we've once again managed to secure the M.V. Erasmus for this year's event! With its unique dynamic lighting system and excellent integrated sound setup, the Erasmus is the perfect party boat.

For a more in-depth look at the boat and the party itself, take a look at the Boat Party page.

What will the charity be this year?

We thought we'd leave it up to you guys to have final say in that. Once the initial flurry of registrations is over with, we will be running a public vote to see which charity you would like to see your money go to this year. More details will be sent out by e-mail once we're ready to do this.

What does RBW stand for?

RBW is the Cortex classification for low-interest outer planets, or “Renegade Border Worlds.” Outpost Britannia orbits RBW-2010.

In light of this, we've backronymed this Alliance convention into “Rather Brilliant Weekend.”