Following up to Peter H.M. Brooks

>> I have always considered 8.00 for 8.30 to mean aperitifs served at 8.00,
>> dinner served at 8.30.
>> Is this not the case?
>>
>Yes, but that is time for a small sherry only, and then only if it is a tiny
>dinner party, eight people or fewer - any more and it takes longer even for
>sherry.

In the real world outside ng's for most people 8 isn't a "tiny"
dinner party.

With the dry sherry in a cooler, place bottles and glasses on a
table and tell the guests to help themselves, there is usually
someone willing to do the job amongst the guests anyway. It gets
them taking to one another and helps to destroy any potential
atmosphere of formality.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
UK walking "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Spain,cuisines and walking "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap