Dick's Bar ... What IS going on????

[Cowfold Seagull]

Getting up bright and early, and feeling positive after a really good result on Saturday, l thought l'd buy a copy of the Argus and mosey on down to Dick's to read the footy reports, and enjoy lunch.

What a mistake. Arriving there just before midday l found the establishment closely resembling the Marie Celeste. aka totally empty. After standing at the bar for a few minutes and shouting HELLO! HELLO! a couple of times, finally a rather bored, tired looking woman emerged from a door at the rear. Upon asking her for a chicken and ham pie, her response was, nahhh don't do pies no more, what about a hot dog? l enquired, no she replied, aint got none. Do you have anything hot l asked. We might have some stew comin out later she said. All they ended up being able to serve me straight away was a choice of two sorry looking baguettes, one tuna & cucumber, one egg mayo.

I was then asked if l wanted it served on a plate. Is there any other way of serving food I thought? The baguette, (on a plate) was brought to my table nearly 20 minutes later. Why it took so long to take it out of it's cellophane wrapper and transfer it to a plate the devil alone knows.

What a pathetic way to run a business. I appreciate that the Amex is in the middle of nowhere, (the university aside, who l'm sure have a number of their own food outlets anyway), and unless there is some sort of conference in house, that there is a very limited number of people wishing to lunch there. So that being the case, if they aren't going to run the establishment properly, and offer good service, they might as well open on match days only.

I for one certainly won't be returning.

 

[Mellotron]

I think the above is an instance where it would be better - for the reputation of the bar - for it to be closed rather than offer that level of service. Sounds completely amateur.

Might be worth an email to PB?

 

[beorhthelm]

i went there once as i was at the shop. similar, no food other than cold sandwiches and i dont believe there was any beer except lagers on

 

[rool]

The baguette, (on a plate) was brought to my table nearly 20 minutes later. Why it took so long to take it out of it's cellophane wrapper and transfer it to a plate the devil alone knows.

Did you see her wash her hands before serving you as I heard the previous customer bought a cheese roll?

 

[breachy]

How much longer will they keep it Dicks ...maybe Barbers Bar next?

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

They should turn it green and sell nothing but Grolsch, thereby profiting from the marketing highlighted elsewhere on this board!

 

[TSB]

It's the finishing point of the tour.

 

[Easy 10]

Not ideal clearly, but if they're only getting a sprinkling of customers calling in during the day, and not all of them for hot food, then its hardly surprising they don't have a supply of cooked pies drying up all day on the hotplates, on the offchance of someone mincing in for one on a non-matchday. The fact that the place was deserted tells its own tale, its probably barely worth opening up on non-matchdays.

Its a curious choice of somewhere to go for lunch anyway. There's about 467 other establishments in Brighton I'd visit for a lunchtime pint and a peruse of the paper before I'd even consider making a special journey to Dicks.

 

[drew]

I'm not exactly sure what people expect for a bar at a football ground on a day when there is no match! Think the idea that on non match/event days it should be shut is one thing or just advertise that only cold food is served during the day. Can't be economical to have the place set up to serve hot food on days when most will probably go to waste.

 

[fire&skill]

We ran a lot of events there last year, pretty much on a daily basis between April and September and our crowd would go in there at lunch. There was always a lot of people in there, service was good and they had pies on. Seems a shame that it's gone downhill so quickly because with a few people in there it's quite a nice place to chill over lunchtime.

 

[Ernest]

Until the name DICK'S is changed the BOYCOTT continues and I'm PLEASED to see our PROTEST is working

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I think the above is an instance where it would be better - for the reputation of the bar - for it to be closed rather than offer that level of service. Sounds completely amateur.

Might be worth an email to PB?

Yep, e-mail to PB sent this afternoon. Although l've a feeling that apart from apologising (hopefully), all he will do is blame Sodexo, and say that it is their problem, which of course it isn't, as the repercussions are felt by the supporters of the club.

 

[Mellotron]

Yep, e-mail to PB sent this afternoon. Although l've a feeling that apart from apologising (hopefully), all he will do is blame Sodexo, and say that it is their problem, which of course it isn't, as the repercussions are felt by the supporters of the club.

He shouldn't shift the blame, as ultimately it affects how the club is viewed. Would be interested to see his response...?

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

I thought it was also the staff 'canteen' with quite a few working at the Amex. Last time I was there on a non match day, Derek Chapman was also lunching.

Incidentally, is the East Stand still hosting the college kids? Apparently they served up to 100 during term time weekdays, with some very reasonably priced meals.

 

[robinsonsgrin]

it used be the main luncheon gathering place of amex staff.. so if they've taken their custom elsewhere hm!

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

Had she been tugging off a greyhound...?

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I'm not exactly sure what people expect for a bar at a football ground on a day when there is no match! Think the idea that on non match/event days it should be shut is one thing or just advertise that only cold food is served during the day. Can't be economical to have the place set up to serve hot food on days when most will probably go to waste.

I'm afraid that for as long as Dick's Coffee Shop and Bar advertises itself as serving light lunches during the week, as well as on match-days, l expect it to serve just that ... lunch, hot or cold, whenever it is open!

It's absolutely fine if they only want to serve cold food during the week, (in fact l think it would be a good idea), but if that's the case then they should advertise that fact, and take all the hot items off the menu board behind the bar. Worth noting though, that even if they were to rely on cold items alone, all that was available today, were two solitary lonely looking baguettes.

And the service ... don't even get me started on the service!

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

He shouldn't shift the blame, as ultimately it affects how the club is viewed. Would be interested to see his response...?

I'll let you know ... watch this space.

 

[Albion Dan]

Dicks bar is the single most disappointing development at the Amex. Why would anyone go there even on a match day? Completely devoid of atmosphere or character. It feels like an office overspill area that someone stuck a bar in. Such a missed opportunity and all it needed was a bit of considered decoration and fittings to make it a completely different experience.

 

[ofco8]

Was in there last Friday lunch time. A range of hot and cold food, over half full, including Paul Rogers, who came over for a chat, and Martin Perry and guest.
Took a friend who had never been to stadium before and he enjoyed. Oh well.