The Factory Visit (aka the Factory Tour, Shangri-La, Nirvana or Meet the Oompa Loompas) is every Lush fan's idea of heaven. The usual way of achieving this pilgramage to the inner sanctum is to win a competition on the forum - sometimes easy, sometimes ridiculously difficult (Big's CD competitions for example - he must have the most eclectic record collection in the universe). There are exceptions to this - the lucky factory visitors at the end of 2006 were all personally invited by Big and Hilary because of their worthy contributions to the previous incarnation of the forum (some may say the gobbiest ones, but that would be unkind ;))
During these visits, forumites get to meet and greet the Lush Mafia, including Big, Mo, and Hilary, with plenty of other important Lush players too, including Auntie Pamela, Jack Constantine, Titty, Tanamana and Helen Ambrosen. Sometimes wining and dining take place, often at a local and rather upmarket fish restaurant. The Lush factory is actually spread over several buildings, with each one tending to concentrate on a particular product group:- ballistics, bubble bar slices, fresh products, soap, gifts, etc. There are opportunities to get your hands dirty making products, pouring soaps, and grabbing freebies, and generally get a really close look at what goes into the products - literally. It's a day out that many a Lush fan would kill for!
