Barrel of Fun
Abort, retry, fail
I'm astounded that someone would do a deal, at whatever cost, for a three course meal followed by a small pie and then cakes. Did you fast for a few days beforehand or were you fattening up for a cold winter?
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This week's 1901 meal
- Thread starter Herr Tubthumper
- Start date
You're right, of course. Surely it's in both the club's and ours as fans' interest to help the club solve the problem? It has to be true that the club want to maximise revenue from all areas of the club's activities.
Although many on here have interpreted Paul Barber's comment to the effect that the more we eat at the Amex, the more money we have to spend on players as a threat or even blackmail, it's surely nothing less than the simple truth.
If the offering in 1901 isn't to people's liking currently, don't just take your custom elsewhere and sit back and say "I told you so" when the revenue drops and we don't get the players we want - how does that help anyone? Instead, engage with the club in a constructive way to offer suggestions and to tell them what you would buy (being reasonable, of course - a sirloin and chips for £5 is never going to fly). This last para is not targeted at you, abc, it's just a general comment...
Superphil
Dismember
And therin lies another problem, the club has so far dealt with everything unilaterally, as fans we stumped up £1000 each for the privilege of paying a further £120 a month (ncluding the VAT). They had the best part of £2M up front from us lot, as well as around £300K a month in season ticket DDs, I think it's about time they actually listened to us, and actually implemented some of what we ask for. All in, the club has had around £8.5M (Eight and a Half Million Pounds)* from the 1901 members since the club launched, and that doesn't include anything they may have made from the sale of drink and food.
3000 members
Say
1000 @ £1000 lifetime membership = £1M
2000 @ £500 5 year membership = £1M
Say
1500 Platinum members @ £99 a month x 24 months = £3.56M
1500 Gold members & £79 a month x 24 months = £2.84M
Bear in mind, for most of us the VAT is added to those figures and is not reclaimable.
As I say, I think it's time they provided us what we want, rather than ignored us.
Lord Bracknell
On fire
It's not just about fans spending more, though. It's also about the Club getting their running costs right - can running costs be cut, without jeopardising the value of sales?
Yep, loadsa money, for sure. If they don't reach out to you, reach out to them is my motto. I have several times and always been listened to. Time will tell whether anything actually changes, which is all that counts, of course!
Absolutely right. Talking about 1901 food specifically, I do wonder if the allowed cost per head for ingredients is high enough. The patty in my burger last week was ok, but not more. Certainly not near GBK. I'd be happy to pay an additional couple of quid, but if they're only spending 20p currently (I exaggerate for effect), then £2.20 still won't be enough.
More generally, the club does have high overheads. It is possible, with care, to take overheads down materially without affecting service levels - I've done it a few times. "With care" being the key phrase...
When I say gourmet food, I don't mean "The Ivy" gourmet, I mean "gourmet burger company" perhaps akin to Prezzo/Ask/Strada/Browns.Part of the problem is unrealistic expectation, and in your quote "£14 seems about right for gourmet food", you have indeed 'summed up the problem nicely'.
i.e. Not courdon bleu stuff (or indeed gourmet in the truest sense of the word), but indisputably a cut above lasagne 'n' chips.
Superphil
Dismember
To be fair, Lasagne without chips is a cut above Lasagne 'n' chips. As indeed a bag of chips is a cut above Lasagne 'n' chips.
I am sure that most 1901 members would eat or dine (in its many different forms) in their lounges if they felt the 'offers' were good value, not least to support the club for the reasons you and Paul Barber allude to. Good value of course means fair quality at a fair price. Unfortunately the club and the paying customers are poles apart at the moment in their view of what constitutes a fair price and fair quality and the customers are voting with their feet.
I think Paul Barber is genuinely trying to listen to fan's feedback on numerous issues (not just catering) and he is doing more than most would in his position to communicate with fans. By doing so he will always give an opportunity to the knowckers to pick out certain lines and blow them out of proportion. However I do think he has a blind spot regarding the catering and this was first evident at a 1901 meeting last season prior to the sacking of Azure. He kept talking about the 'football experience' and why this meant it was reasonable to charge much higher prices than a top restaurant. He seemed unable to appreciate that as all the 1901 members already have a ticket, the option of food is purely one based on value and convenience and is not a requirement to enjoy a day's football. He also was very proud of the menus on offer but seemed to think that fancy wording automatically meant quality and therefore a high price.
Unless the Club take on board that they do not have a captive market, that they are not selling tickets for United vs City when the only way of getting a ticket is via a hospitality package and that every single catering establishment in the world has to offer something that is perceived as fair value by its target market, then the dining areas will remain empty.
On the plus side the Overline lounge has been much more pleasant with the greatly increased space available to non diners!
Yep. I think these comparisons are spot on. I'd be happy enough to pay, say 10% (maybe even 20%), more than those outlets for very similar dishes. But, the quality has to be comparable.
Superphil
Dismember
A very fair response and, you have the benefit of experience with 1901 in previous seasons which I don't. It's undoubtedly true that food uptake is poor. In my lounge last Saturday, I saw 10 meals consumed, 5 @£12 and 5 @£14, which is dire.
The bit in bold: If we're in the PL at the end of the 5 year fixed price deal, I strongly suspect that the club will try to do this with at least some of 1901. We'd be able to attract proper corporates if we're in the PL and be able to charge £150-£300 per game (depending on the opposition and how the team were performing) for a package to that crowd. Quite how they'd implement that given the current profile of a lot of 1901ers and the T&Cs associated with the licences would be a major challenge, but I believe they will want to if they can.
You mean you've been sitting on the chairs, at the table that have signs on them saying "seats for diners only"?
To be fair, the small print said "if you're not eating please be prepared to give up your seat to a diner", at least in my lounge. The large print did indeed say what you said though.
Superphil
Dismember
seagullsovergrimsby
#cpfctinpotclub
If punters are moaning about a £14 buffet would they go for a Piglets Pie and Chips at £7 ?
Dover
Home at Last.
All this talk about money, and I do seem to remember that ".....the club will only need 12,000 season tickets to break even."
Superphil
Dismember
I don't think it's the money they (we) are complaining about, it's the offer, and the service. They're trying to sell us lasagne (almost certainly made in a food processing factory somewhere) and chips for double the £7 you canget a pie and chips elsewhere in the ground. I'm happy to pay £4 for a (Piglets) pie, because they are good. I'd pay £14 for a buffet, so long as it was a proper buffet, and so long as it was a really good selection of quality food.
I believe the uptake of pies, in the lounges, remains strong.
I'd be curious to know what makes a lasagne & chips twice the price of a Piglets & chips.
You mean you've been sitting on the chairs, at the table that have signs on them saying "seats for diners only"?
Well there's no one 'dining' on them!
There are plenty of intelligent, fair people amongst the 1901 membership. It astounds me that the Club or PB don't try and harness this. Whilst a great deal of goodwill will has been lost, I have no doubt most Members want to support the club and make the 1901 'expereience' work for all parties. Why on earth doesn't PB set up some form of focus group or genuine consultation exercise?