1901 Club food

[Tooting Gull]

Also, let's remember when we say 'corporate' there are varying degrees. I know for a fact there are what I would call real, diehard Albion fans in the 1901 who buy two or more seats and put it through their company books as entertaining. Nothing wrong with that, they take clients, all totally legit and corporation tax deductible but the purchase is driven by the love for the Albion. It is far, far easier to justify (and hurts less) putting such a 'luxury' expense through company books rather than feel the impact on your own pocket, and directors have always indulged their own personal whims for entertaining be it horse racing, football, whatever.

This type might well pay more. Then you have the more 'pure corporates' who either have offices in the city or county, employ a lot of staff in the area, or have a lot of clients in the area. They may not be Albion fans but it is the perfect venue to entertain for them. They would do boxes, or if they didn't want to commit to that degree, pay a lot more in the 1901.

The people who couldn't or wouldn't pay more are the fans who are just that, fans, but have pushed the boat out slightly for a marginally superior fan experience.

 

[Smeagull]

The North Stand is the place to be tomorrow.

Tomorrow's fixture provides an opportunity for you to grab a meal deal, with chips now available from the centre kiosks in the West Lower, East Lower and North Stand concourses.
This week's meal deals are any hot food item with chips and a soft drink for £8.50; or you can grab a hot food item, soft drink and crisps or a chocolate bar for £7. You can upgrade to a pint of beer for £1 extra.
Guinness will be available in the North Stand kiosks 1 & 2 and in Dick's Bar; while Dark Star is also available in Dick's Bar, as requested by fans. If sales go well the club will continue stocking both products this season. The guest pie for this game will be the chicken and chorizo and these will be available in all kiosks, subject to availability, so we advise you get to the concourse early to avoid disappointment.
Meanwhile, salt beef and pulled pork sandwiches will be available in the centre kiosk in the North Stand.

Why don't we get chips in the ESU?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The North Stand is the place to be tomorrow.

Tomorrow's fixture provides an opportunity for you to grab a meal deal, with chips now available from the centre kiosks in the West Lower, East Lower and North Stand concourses.
This week's meal deals are any hot food item with chips and a soft drink for £8.50; or you can grab a hot food item, soft drink and crisps or a chocolate bar for £7. You can upgrade to a pint of beer for £1 extra.
Guinness will be available in the North Stand kiosks 1 & 2 and in Dick's Bar; while Dark Star is also available in Dick's Bar, as requested by fans. If sales go well the club will continue stocking both products this season. The guest pie for this game will be the chicken and chorizo and these will be available in all kiosks, subject to availability, so we advise you get to the concourse early to avoid disappointment.
Meanwhile, salt beef and pulled pork sandwiches will be available in the centre kiosk in the North Stand.

Sounds like a damn fine dining experience to me

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I think I paid £6 for bangers and mash last season. Now it's £14 at the Burnley game.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

£14 for bangers and mash? Laughable. £6 for bangers and mash is over the top, but £14?

This is taking the piss.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

£14 for bangers and mash? Laughable. £6 for bangers and mash is over the top, but £14?

This is taking the piss.

Own up, is there anybody at all on planet Falmer who would actually PAY that without having a gun held to their head by Peruvian gangsters?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

£14 for bangers and mash? Laughable. £6 for bangers and mash is over the top, but £14?

This is taking the piss.

£14 is one laughable thing.....but knowing it was only £6 last season makes it a joke. How on earth can they justify the increase?

 

[Superphil]

This is what passes as cheesy chips at Stevenage this season



For £4

 

[The Merry Prankster]

If I see anyone paying £14 for bangers and mash I will seriously question their sanity.

 

[s e boy1968]

After several conversations/emails with the club about this we really are hitting our heads against a brick wall. They honestly believe the 'sporting venue' justifies the pricing of all the food offerings so far. To now try and sell Bangers and Mash, however good it may be (and this will be questionable!), at £14 just reconfirms the mind set that I believe they have and won't change. I actually believe that as they make a loss from the food in 1901 there's a hidden agenda to eventually do away with all food other than snacks and the real corporate dining in the main lounges. They can only do this once they have done the 'lip service' and explored all avenues etc...
I know 1901 members who had the full dining for the 1st two seasons that are now going to the Newmarket on the A27 prior to the game, if that doesn't speak volumes nothing will!!!

 

[Titanic]

After several conversations/emails with the club about this we really are hitting our heads against a brick wall. They honestly believe the 'sporting venue' justifies the pricing of all the food offerings so far. To now try and sell Bangers and Mash, however good it may be (and this will be questionable!), at £14 just reconfirms the mind set that I believe they have and won't change. I actually believe that as they make a loss from the food in 1901 there's a hidden agenda to eventually do away with all food other than snacks and the real corporate dining in the main lounges. They can only do this once they have done the 'lip service' and explored all avenues etc...
I know 1901 members who had the full dining for the 1st two seasons that are now going to the Newmarket on the A27 prior to the game, if that doesn't speak volumes nothing will!!!

I must admit, I don't get the basic idea of going to a football match, arriving 90 mins early and having a 'school dinners' meal?

I can understand an hour early with a burger or pie and a pint, and I get the fine dining 'corporate' bit too... the bit in the middle seems a bit odd to me.

Can anyone explain it to me?

 

[Dave the OAP]

I must admit, I don't get the basic idea of going to a football match, arriving 90 mins early and having a 'school dinners' meal?

I can understand an hour early with a burger or pie and a pint, and I get the fine dining 'corporate' bit too... the bit in the middle seems a bit odd to me.

Can anyone explain it to me?

To be honest I havent got to the Amex before 10 minutes to kick off yet as I tend to ( and so it appears do quite a few others) stay in the Virgin club although it does seem to be that they are starting to discourage this ( no burger and chips and a pint for £7 for the last game - be intersting to see this saturday)

I have had one or two pies in the past at the Amex and I really wasnt that keen on them and therefore I just now dont bother queueing for anything ( I also geta coffee before I leave to walk to teh ground).

I suppose I am one of those customers that the club don't really want!

 

[Box of Frogs]

This is what passes as cheesy chips at Stevenage this season

View attachment 46293

For £4

It is exactly what it says it is!

Did make me LOL though!!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It is exactly what it says it is!

Did make me LOL though!!

They should call it Deconstructed Cheesy Chips and charge £8.

 

[Superphil]

I must admit, I don't get the basic idea of going to a football match, arriving 90 mins early and having a 'school dinners' meal?

Can anyone explain it to me?

In previous seasons, including at Withdean, a group of us who have become great friends from meeting at football, have enjoyed doing it as a bit of a treat a few times a season. We don't see much of each other away from football due to geography so it worked quite nicely. Withdean was more expensive than the last two seasons at the Amex, but it was far, far superior, the food and service, were head and shoulders above the Amex, it certainly was a lot better than school dinners. We carried on the tradition at the Amex, but I don't think we ever thought it was any good, especially the buffets, for which we got a refund (the Liverpool game). After Azure got the hoof we hoped it would improve, but it didn't really, certainly not enough to make us do it more, to call it school diiners is an insult the the education authorities efforts to feed the children.

Now it has come to the point where we are unlikely to get to the ground much before kick off time, such is the poor standard of everything. We're going to plan 'get-togethers' in Brighton pre-match, and hop on the trian in time for kick off. For the Burnley game we're all going to the Swan, a bunch of other 1901ers have started using it, we did for the last match and it was really good.

Even the "Odds & Sods", a group of 15 or so long standing fans who had a table for a meal for every match for the past two seasons, and for many years at Withdean, have called it a day. I understand they have now got a deal from the Newmarket Inn just up the road from the stadium, they get fed and watered, and then a minibus to the ground in time for KO. They must have collectively been paying well over £20K a season to the club.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Even the "Odds & Sods", a group of 15 or so long standing fans who had a table for a meal for every match for the past two seasons, and for many years at Withdean, have called it a day. I understand they have now got a deal from the Newmarket Inn just up the road from the stadium, they get fed and watered, and then a minibus to the ground in time for KO. They must have collectively been paying well over £20K a season to the club.

Jesus. No disrespect to the other diners but the club should be doing all they can to keep the Odds and Sods guys. That was one ever-present big table of big spenders.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Also, let's remember when we say 'corporate' there are varying degrees. I know for a fact there are what I would call real, diehard Albion fans in the 1901 who buy two or more seats and put it through their company books as entertaining. Nothing wrong with that, they take clients, all totally legit and corporation tax deductible but the purchase is driven by the love for the Albion. It is far, far easier to justify (and hurts less) putting such a 'luxury' expense through company books rather than feel the impact on your own pocket, and directors have always indulged their own personal whims for entertaining be it horse racing, football, whatever.

This type might well pay more. Then you have the more 'pure corporates' who either have offices in the city or county, employ a lot of staff in the area, or have a lot of clients in the area. They may not be Albion fans but it is the perfect venue to entertain for them. They would do boxes, or if they didn't want to commit to that degree, pay a lot more in the 1901.

The people who couldn't or wouldn't pay more are the fans who are just that, fans, but have pushed the boat out slightly for a marginally superior fan experience.

Seemingly not, according to HMRC?

BIM45020 - Specific deductions: entertainment: expenditure which is not allowable

Expenditure that is incidental is not allowable

Expenditure on business entertainment is not allowable as a deduction against profits. Nor may a deduction be made for any expenditure which is incidental to business entertainment - ITTOIA05/S45 (4) and CTA09/S1298 (5).

 

[Mileoakman]

In the cause of market research, (but mainly because my old lady won't be around to rustle me up a meal on Saturday), I will be trying out the gourmet beef burger and fries in the 1901. Comes in at £12, (less my 10% e-cash discount = £10.80). I'm not holding out much hope even though its marketed as British beef burger, tomato relish, cornichon, onion rings, rustic chip.

Does anybody know what cornichon is by the way? I'm also a bit concerned its described as 'chip', (singular), which sounds a bit mean.

I shall report back in due course.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Does anybody know what cornichon is by the way?

A small gherkin.

BTW, how do you know what's is being served on Sat?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

BTW, how do you know what's is being served on Sat?

They send an email out containing the menu prior to each game, or pair games in this case.