Lord Bracknell
On fire
This seems to suggest that someone has commissioned the new caterers to provide a particular kind of service, at a particular price level, without finding out what the customers actually want.
Don't blame the caterers.
Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊
1901 Club food
- Thread starter greyseagull
- Start date
This seems to suggest that someone has commissioned the new caterers to provide a particular kind of service, at a particular price level, without finding out what the customers actually want.
Don't blame the caterers.
Superphil
Dismember
I think you can blame the caterers, because whatever they've been asked/instructed to do, they have failed miserably. I assume they were asked to sell drinks at the bars, just like in over 350 other establishments in Brighton, they've failed at that by employing people who seemingly have never been in a bar in their lives, and also, have not heard, and do not understand the language we all call English. Furthmore, I am sure they were asked to make food that is edible, and provide it in a luxury environment, to a high standard, something they don't come close to doing.
The first point is right though, not a word of dialogue with the members, well, not with any I know, everything that is being done is told at us. We were told, in conversation just after the last game, that the reason they couldn't do the meals at the prices from the past 2 seasons is because whilst the club were charging us £40 a head for the meal, Azure/Interim were charging the club £60 to provide it. I suggested it was time there was a 1901 Club Committee, which was dismissed out of hand by the club as somthing impossible to do.
I think the unnofficial committee now sits in the Newmarket Inn, and many, many of the other members are voting emphatically with their feet, and wallets.
The Merry Prankster
Pactum serva
That is simply not true. When Azure started they were actually given less than a fiver per head to feed people. The rest went in overheads, Azures profit and the clubs cut. The club has always taken a fairly substantial cut of the £40. How dumb would the club have to be to employ caterers who charged £60 for that crap. They're dumb but not that dumb.
I sat on a "focus" group the other week (along with some odds and sods). We were pretty clear about what we wanted and didn't want. The club then emailed thanking us for our valuable input. They then proceeded to go ahead with the policy they wanted and we had made pretty clear we didn't. Now, surprise, surprise no one uses it.
The 1901 could have been a very successful operation, different from other clubs (how many clubs in our league have 3,000 premium members?). There was a huge amount of goodwill. Instead, right from the way it was sold onwards, it has been a pig's ear and it's getting worse. Cries out for someone with some vision and some radical ideas.
Superphil
Dismember
It sounded like a poor answer to me too, but that is exactly what we were told Mr Merry, perhaps he meant it cost the club £60 per head, even though they were only asking £40 from the members.
Out of interest, what did you tell them you wanted?
The Merry Prankster
Pactum serva
A reasonable meal, not fine dining, no bells and whistles at a reasonable price. The best idea I heard was do a steak and and kidney pie with veg £10 (or similar) as a stand alone at the just turn up tables and the same as the main course of a three courser with cakes £40 at halftime for a reserved table.
I'd like to get the guy's from the World's End in with some decent BBQ.
I'd like to get the guy's from the World's End in with some decent BBQ.
I guessed as much. I agree with your point about 3000 1901 seats. I have said similar myself. Forget the corporate/VIP/fine dining nonsense, accept 1901 for what it is and create something special. I imagine a more imaginative caterer would cut your arm off for the chance to try and feed 3000.
On the subject of BBQ have you been to Pit Cue Co in London? The finest BBQ meats I have had and the bone marrow mash is heaven. Very small, no bookings but you generally get a table is you arrive 5-10 mins before opening.
The Merry Prankster
Pactum serva
No. I'll try it next week.
ewe2
Well-known member
The large lounges should be for the fans and guests ,serving pies and pints,the smaller areas,for corporate or fans wanting fine dinning.
Box of Frogs
Zamoras Left Boot
Not as easy as allocating lounges to certain people as they will all want or need to sit in different places. .
If you restrict say BUPA to fans only and Overline to corporate there may be fans who have STs on the middle west and Corporate guests that need to be seated in the lower west.
There would be tooth movement within the west before, during and after the match.
If you restrict say BUPA to fans only and Overline to corporate there may be fans who have STs on the middle west and Corporate guests that need to be seated in the lower west.
There would be tooth movement within the west before, during and after the match.
Tom Hark Preston Park
Will Post For Cash
- Jul 6, 2003
- 72,344
Can't we chip in and send affordable food parcels from the North Stand to the poor mites in the 1901?
Peruvian food parcels?
Superphil
Dismember
Other way around perhaps, the Overline Lounge was the first lounge to be sold, and as such is full of fans, it would be quite unfair to displace those fans who were first in line to sign up for it. Use the BUPA for the dining area, then again, as it stands, I doubt they'd be able to fill one of the Gold Lounges with people wanting to eat that mess.
What Barber could have done is sold the South stand 1901 as a 'corporate' lounge/area. He had a blank canvass with that area but chose to continue the existing set up.
Last edited:
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
I wouldn't be happy to have to walk through a dining area and have to go upstairs for halftime. I had the opportunity to sign up to the middle tier but the choice of seats in the WSL suited me better. It would go down like a lead balloon if WSL members had to go upstairs at half time. The other consideration is that if only a small percentage of WSL members chose to eat how full would the bar upstairs be?
Superphil
Dismember
Exactly, none of the permutations would work, based on what they sold it on the basis of. As Herr T said, they should have made the new South lounge the corporate lounge.
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
The problem I see with that is that corporate fans would expect the best seats in the house and that would be on the half way line I imagine.
Who are these corporate fans you talk of? Existing fans or bods who simply fancy being able to have a jolly at the Albion every so often?
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
Non season ticket holders or casual fans being treated to a day out by suppliers I imagine. I personally think that with the right pricing and quality we don't even need a corporate area any different to what we have. It seems to me to be like trying to milk two cows when they have been struggling to milk one successfully. The fact that 1901 fans are eating and drinking elsewhere before a game in increasing numbers should be ringing alarm bells imo.
Keeping your existing customers/fans, who are there for the next three years at least, happy is more important than trying to woo new customers, again imo. It's not like they are having trouble filling 1901 is it?