1901 catering price hike - justified?

[Twinkle Toes]

You ain't seen me, roight?

I chuffing KNEW you'd be willin' for a shillin', H.

ps Let's make it a 50-50 blag & keep a dozen or so of our 'Gormet Pie 'n' Designer Korean Lager Deals' for ourselves. Be rude not to I'd have thought?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I chuffing KNEW you'd be willin' for a shillin', H.

ps Let's make it a 50-50 blag & keep a dozen or so of our 'Gormet Pie 'n' Designer Korean Lager Deals' for ourselves. Be rude not to I'd have thought?

Pint of Dark Tsar guvnor?

 

[trueblue]

Perhaps this is an attempt by Azure to finally make their shambolic operation workable. Increase the prices and reduce the queues to a level where even an hapless teenager on minimum wage can just about cope. Customers drop off but the revenue remains about the same.

I can just about handle the increase in prices but if they really are saying that Fosters will be the only lager on sale, I don't think I'll be bothering any more.

 

[Aadam]

Luckily I've been saving all over the summer and managed to save just enough for the £2 a month extra this is going to cost me.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Pint of Dark Tsar guvnor?

Sweet Geez. This is gonna be as easy as takin' tenners from captive football fans.

 

[Superphil]

Well that's a given innit?!

The words 'a fool & their money' immediately springs to mind.

Well I'm telling you, this (fully paid up 1901 life member) fools money will only be going on 2 or 3 smart card funded beers per match at the Amex from now on. I shall spend my lunch money at any number of decent hostaleries in the North Laine pre match. The best bit, I get to use Bennetts Field car park, turn up at 11am, use my travel voucher into Brighton, spot of something decent (in every way; quality, value and quantity) and then train back for a pre match pint, and football. Azure, I think you've lost all business of any value from this customer (and his wife), seeya.

 

[oxymoron]

Well I'm telling you, this (fully paid up 1901 life member) fools money will only be going on 2 or 3 smart card funded beers per match at the Amex from now on. I shall spend my lunch money at any number of decent hostaleries in the North Laine pre match. The best bit, I get to use Bennetts Field car park, turn up at 11am, use my travel voucher into Brighton, spot of something decent (in every way; quality, value and quantity) and then train back for a pre match pint, and football. Azure, I think you've lost all business of any value from this customer (and his wife), seeya.

Thats a lot of effort to save a couple of quid , are you sure you, should be in 1901. I have a few colleagues would buy your tickets if times or that hard.

 

[Superphil]

Thats a lot of effort to save a couple of quid , are you sure you, should be in 1901. I have a few colleagues would buy your tickets if times or that hard.

Yes, I'm sure, but thanks for your concern. It's not a lot of effort, in fact it makes for a great day out, we started it last season, when I was guesting on the Albion Roar a couple of times, and it works just fine. Now that the club have hiked prices so much, I'm going to do it more, it's not about saving a couple of quid, it's the principle, those price rises are over the top IMO, I'm not the only one who thinks that.

 

[honey boy zimba]

I think the club need to tell us who has implemented the price rises them or Azure as ive had conflicting information ,think it would stop rumour and find out who really running the show and making the decisions that effect us punters.

 

[LowerWesty]

It's not about the percentage, or the money

£1 on a pie and a pint and 30p on the price of a pint of Harveys? Well the Harveys is essential, but the pie will have to go. I don't really need it and the bonus is that I will feel good, as I can include it as part of my new diet plan?

But seriously you have to wonder if this won't backfire, it's not about the level of the increases, its more about the feeling of being taken for granted. Can you hear "oh there will be a bit of moaning and then the supporters will just accept it, they do regarding everything else, and although it saddens me to say so, we do.

Paid for my season tickets in April, up front and in full and I'm still waiting to receive them, 4 days before the first match, and I do need mine, as they have changed my card number without informing me and I couldn't log in my account without it.

When I eventually managed to log in realised that I had been charged, not the advertised price of £3.90 for a pint of Harveys, but £4.00. Ok it's only 10p per pint more, but if you multiply that by the number of pints of beer and lager sold, it's fair amount and you can bet we won't be seeing that returned to our E-Cash accounts, or given to charity.

The regulations regarding advertised prices, are explicit: "Price indications are controlled by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. These regulations prohibit any misleading actions or omissions that may influence a consumer's decision to purchase. Incorrect pricing (e.g. stating a lower price than that charged). It is an offence to charge more than the price indicated".

Has anyone seen any mention/recognition of the over-charging, or God forbid, perhaps an apology by the club, I haven't and I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Wilka]

Audioboo / Albion Paul Barber on Transport Catering Internationals

It would appear we have our new chief executive to thanks for keeping price increases to a "minimum" along with simplifying the menus! Good work Paul thanks for that

 

[southasp]

That is it, I am finished with the catering being offered in the profile lounge by Azure.
After not renewing their offer of a season long package as I had last year, I decided to give them the benifit of the doubt after hearing good reports after the Cardiff game that the quality of the food and service had improved and I booked a meal for today for two people, hoping that last seasons sometimes farcical events were a thing of the past.
How wrong could I have been, today in my opinion Azure reached new heights in how not to treat a paying customer, I will not go into details, as I have made a complaint and am awaiting their response and think it only fair to see how they handle it first. However, how Azure can justify any sort of price increase at all is completely baffling.
I estimated that people who were actually eating today were at least 25% down on last seasons average numbers,that surely must set alarm bells ringing with someone at the club that something is drastically wrong.

 

[Barnham Seagull]

That is it, I am finished with the catering being offered in the profile lounge by Azure.
After not renewing their offer of a season long package as I had last year, I decided to give them the benifit of the doubt after hearing good reports after the Cardiff game that the quality of the food and service had improved and I booked a meal for today for two people, hoping that last seasons sometimes farcical events were a thing of the past.
How wrong could I have been, today in my opinion Azure reached new heights in how not to treat a paying customer, I will not go into details, as I have made a complaint and am awaiting their response and think it only fair to see how they handle it first. However, how Azure can justify any sort of price increase at all is completely baffling.
I estimated that people who were actually eating today were at least 25% down on last seasons average numbers,that surely must set alarm bells ringing with someone at the club that something is drastically wrong.

Numbers visibly down today, I had a few meal last season with mixed quality/service.

It was overpriced then so not likely to book any meals this season. Will stick to a beer and the odd pie. Service behind the bar is as bad as ever and all the staff seem to have changed which cannot help matters.

 

[Icy Gull]

I thought that the food in the BUPA Lounge was excellent yesterday, as was the service. Credit where it's due.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

Numbers dining in 1901 are down from the high 700s to the mid 200s. An absolutely enormous drop.

 

[Superphil]

The profile lounge was very down on numbers, looks like all those (bar the odds and sods) who had a season long deal last year to eat have not bothered to renew. Azure have made a complete pigs ear of it, Elliot Moore was hovering about yesterday, [MENTION=12887]southasp[/MENTION] did you manage to collar him?

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

People may disagree, but I compare 1901 catering, to what I would expect to receive at a golf club.

Whilst the quality is improving the pricing structure is completely out of touch. Golf Clubs will offer a 3 course lunch (carvery style) and coffee at approx £20, I really do believe that until prices are reduced numbers will continue to fall.

 

[Titus]

Well I had the pie and a pint as usual, and they were excellent as usual. Price seems about right when compared to other similar outlets. Who needs 1901?

 

[Tory Boy]

Any caterers that count out the potatoes ain't worth a toss. I stopped eating school dinners about 35 years ago, f***ed if I'm paying £40+ for one in 2012.

Meals were better at the withdean.

TB

 

[greyseagull]

I'm really glad someone brought this up. The 1901 Club seems to be going downhill fast.

Yesterday, just one table (that's 1) were dining in our lounge and you could see the uncomfortable glances being shared by the staff/waiters, etc. Another table sat down with about 25mins to k/o and threw their food down. But still, two tables is down from the average 7-8 tables from last season.

But that's not all; where were the chairs? We had a growing number of families and individuals sitting down on the floor! On the floor!!! This is supposed to be a treat for visitors. On the effing floor!!!!

Our lounge manager was back for the first time this season "I doubt I'll be back", he says. "I've had enough and can't stand our catering manager. He hasn't got a clue."

And then an Azure special - I pay for two pies at the bar and go to collect it at the kiosk; they overcharge me for both. Sure, it wasn't a vast amount but I said to the poor girl handing out the pies that I didn't want to complain as it's not a significant sum of money. It's just the principal. It's happened too often now. And if it continues over the season that will all start to add up.

I wonder if they have been instructed to "accidently" overcharge customers a small amount so they won't complain yet will add up for them amongst the 25,000 fans....makes you wonder....