1901 catering price hike - justified?

[Herr Tubthumper]

I know it sounds daft, but yes, that is exactly what they were expecting, that's what I was told.

I take your word for it. Any start up business is very lucky to have immediate and sustained success so I cannot decide if it's stupidity or arrogance for them to think they would sell out. If they did their sums on full houses at £38 plus drinks then I imagine they're f***ed as they have another 4 years to go.

 

[Superphil]

I take your word for it. Any start up business is very lucky to have immediate and sustained success so I cannot decide if it's stupidity or arrogance for them to think they would sell out. If they did their sums on full houses at £38 plus drinks then I imagine they're f***ed as they have another 4 years to go.

I was also told that Azure came in with a very, very late bid which was very, very much lower than that of the nearest other bid. It does sound to me like both they and the club got it a bit wrong.

 

[Beach Hut]

Maybe there is a get out clause at some point with Azure ?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I was also told that Azure came in with a very, very late bid which was very, very much lower than that of the nearest other bid. It does sound to me like both they and the club got it a bit wrong.

Oh dear. Well, both Azure and the club have a year worth of data now. I hope they have both been working hard to rescue the situation for the coming years. If they fail again this year it will be down to incompetence and not wildly inaccurate forecasts.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

I surprised that you are surprised at whats going on here. Everything is connected and if you want a team to compete at the top level, you need a top level stadium and that is going to cost every supporter at every level a lot of money.

Even with Abramovitch at Chelsea look at the prices, look at the cost of season tickets at arsenal. Prices will go up at the amex because if they don't the club will go bust trying to reach the Prem. Its happening across the board, we need to use every sq ft of the ground on non match days as well. 1901 was meant to be for business Albion fans but many supporters bought seats there to guarantee a season ticket. If we get promotion in the first five years for that reason alone it will have been worth every penny. The idea of 1901 was to have it sold to businesses that would use all of the dining areas - not necessarily to be full every game but with most of those businesses taking clients and guests that would use and fill the dining. That's failed on two points, firstly the standard of catering and service and secondly because some of the non business fans just want to watch the match and are not going to buy a £38 -£41 3 course meal.

The problem with 1901 is that its currently not much better than standard season tickets and with the food on offer currently its poor value. The view and the seat is great but catering wise its hit and very bad miss! Some of the food is excellent but then poorly served and then some of the food has been terrible and the alternative snacks on offer very expensive and little choice.

1901 is oversubscribed - but with the wrong people/fans. 1901 presently can't move up in standard or down in price! Its all very well others taking the p*** but without 1901 and all the other corporate style income the club gets we wouldn't survive so its a problem that needs to be addressed or there could be a massive problem when we have a bad run and attendances drop. We need income and it takes a lot more than pie and beer sales in the other areas

The club would have done better to set up a big bar/snack /light meal area in the new east sections called something like the legends club and offered the non business fans in 1901 to move to that. They then should put the price of dining in the 1901 to £60 a head and make it really Michelin standard dining including wine. They then could offer birthday/celebration meals in 1901 and would be able to mix this in with the existing business 1901ers

 

[Silverfox]

I have tickets for 1901 bought through my business but even as a business expense we have decided that the quality is not there for the cost. Without any drink included these meals are worth no more than £20 - £25. Like others we now entertain either in Brighton or Lewes before the game. As regards complaining, we have filled in the occasional survey but it seems no one takes any notice. The best protest is to not book the facility. While the facility in general improved through last season the management (or lack of it) training and organisation was a shambles. The young staff are great, work hard and try to please, its not their fault. Lets hope Azure have taken a good look at themselves in the close season.

 

[Josky]

Agree with most of the sentiments on here, particularly those of Silverfox and The Complete Badger. When we bought out 1901 tickets one of the reasons was because we had the opportunity to have a nice meal before the game.

We've tried the meals again and again last season, giving Azure another chance each time to improve as the season went on and by the end we were in no doubt that things weren't going to improve. As for complaining, it was pretty clear from every feedback form we filled in how unhappy we were with the food, we'd even sent starters back they were so poor and I've spoken to one of the ladies in the Azure booking office a couple of times regarding how poor the food was. They were even going to arrange someone to give me a call. That, of course, never happened. I've never heard anything back regarding any of the feedback we've given. So as for complaining it does not work in this case. Very worrying.

When we signed up to this, we were led to believe this would be fine dining. It isn't. We use these tickets for ourselves, but if we were using these tickets for entertaining corporate clients there is no way we'd be keeping them. You simply do not get value for money. We thought, surely, a price drop would be on the cards to get as many people as possibly. At £25 a head it would possibly make sense, but £41 now is unjustifiable.

As a result of all of this, instead of having two 1901 season ticket holders who were happy to buy the majority of hospitality meals for a season, they are now lumbered with two 1901 season tickets who simply won't eat there now. Madness.

And as for the coffee at half time situation....

 

[BHAFC_Pandapops]

Not as like 1901 members can't pay for it now is it.

 

[Icy Gull]

I also happen to know that for the upcoming season Azure suggested making the Profile Lounge and possibly also the BUPA Lounge eating only, and shift the drinkers to the other bars, I believe they were told that would not happen.

I'd be fascinated to know where Azure thought all the non eating 1901ers in the BUPA lounge were supposed to go if they weren't eating. The lounge has as many not eating as it does eating. Did they really think that there would not be total outrage at shifting everyone to a bar somewhere else?

If this was true it seems Azure are even more clueless than I originally thought.

 

[Superphil]

I'd be fascinated to know where Azure thought all the non eating 1901ers in the BUPA lounge were supposed to go if they weren't eating. The lounge has as many not eating as it does eating. Did they really think that there would not be total outrage at shifting everyone to a bar somewhere else?

If this was true it seems Azure are even more clueless than I originally thought.

I think everything you've said is spot on, they got it wrong, they either misread the tender documents, or misunderstood them, or were lead up the garden path. They were disappointed from the start about the (low) numbers booking tables, I guess they have got used to the feeling, perhaps if someone else had won it things might be different. I know one of their suppliers who wants to deal direct with the club as they don't feel they get a fair or appropriate deal with Azure. Similarly, when I asked them about sourcing local producers, the response was basically that they have to search far and wide to find meat, veg and other suppliers because there isn't enough capacity locally. More likely eggs from Poland are cheap, and chickens from Europe are also cheap. Sod the taste, quality, and assurances that they'd use local suppliers, think about how they can put something on the bottom line after hopelessly underpricing their bid.

 

[abc]

So?

Couldn't make the Chelsea game myself. If you were in the 1901 was the platinum catering busy? If you availed yourself, was it improved/up to scratch/worth £41?

If you were just drinking/passing through, how was the lounge experience?

Football was clearly great - this is purely a question about Azure and the hospitality and the 1901 experience

 

[Mutts Nuts]

I think everything you've said is spot on, they got it wrong, they either misread the tender documents, or misunderstood them, or were lead up the garden path. They were disappointed from the start about the (low) numbers booking tables, I guess they have got used to the feeling, perhaps if someone else had won it things might be different. I know one of their suppliers who wants to deal direct with the club as they don't feel they get a fair or appropriate deal with Azure. Similarly, when I asked them about sourcing local producers, the response was basically that they have to search far and wide to find meat, veg and other suppliers because there isn't enough capacity locally. More likely eggs from Poland are cheap, and chickens from Europe are also cheap. Sod the taste, quality, and assurances that they'd use local suppliers, think about how they can put something on the bottom line after hopelessly underpricing their bid.

It`s not possible to do fine dining for the amount of people that are in room 101 ,any body with half a brain could see that ,it`s not corporate it`s air port lounge

 

[channon]

I was at Chelsea Saturday and could not believe what I was told ordered my usual 3 kids meals with pies now 4.50 a rise of a pound ok not to bad I thought but got told only doing kids meals with 1/2 a hotdog . Had a chat with duty manager and asked for money back but the poor lad behind counter could not open till as his card said he did not have the wright level he was getting a bit flusterd kept telling his mate he needs a new job I told he will as this lot won't last long if they keep screwing the fan as like me will now arrive later and go else were first to eat .next series of rip off Britton could be film at Amex catering

 

[greyseagull]

So?

Couldn't make the Chelsea game myself. If you were in the 1901 was the platinum catering busy? If you availed yourself, was it improved/up to scratch/worth £41?

If you were just drinking/passing through, how was the lounge experience?

Football was clearly great - this is purely a question about Azure and the hospitality and the 1901 experience

I'm in Mezzanine Gold North. They no longer have the counter to buy pies or those meat rolls. You have to order them at the bar and then someone comes and finds you with it. Obviously with a queue you could be waiting a while. They also don't sell snacks anymore (no crisps, chocolate, etc.) and upon asking them, they said that's the way it's going to be for the season. There was also only 12 seats for non-eating guests for a capacity of approx 220. Plenty of people sitting on floor. I also overheard a waiter saying eating-guests had been complaining all day as the complimentary cheese and biscuits has been scrapped dispute being advertised. Only positive is that we now get complimentary tea and coffee throughout the game rather than having to wait for half-time.

 

[salty seagull]

I thought the strippers in the BMW MINI lounge were a better standard than last season.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

I'm in Mezzanine Gold North. They no longer have the counter to buy pies or those meat rolls. You have to order them at the bar and then someone comes and finds you with it. Obviously with a queue you could be waiting a while. They also don't sell snacks anymore (no crisps, chocolate, etc.) and upon asking them, they said that's the way it's going to be for the season. There was also only 12 seats for non-eating guests for a capacity of approx 220. Plenty of people sitting on floor. I also overheard a waiter saying eating-guests had been complaining all day as the complimentary cheese and biscuits has been scrapped dispute being advertised. Only positive is that we now get complimentary tea and coffee throughout the game rather than having to wait for half-time.

Yep coffee was a nice touch. All the TV's are HD. I heard the pie /snacks service was just off for that game. If you are not happy contact Dodge or Marcus.

 

[Notters]

The people who did the catering at Withdean must be laughing now.

 

[viscentaye]

The people who did the catering at Withdean must be laughing now.

I know, for a fact, that they are!

 

[empire]

well they wouldnt of been able to do it,they are tin pot

 

[Superphil]

The people who did the catering at Withdean must be laughing now.

I sit just along and behind them, I bet they are still a little cheesed off, but I think they have a wry smile about them at the absolute hash that Azure are making of it.