[Albion] Flasks banned from the Amex

[chaileyjem]

or notices up Sunday and effective immediately. Probably waiting for Caterers to stock up on tea, coffee and Bovril first.

All the either serious or jokey stuff about it being because PB wants to sell more Bovril which he says is nonsense and is clearly nonsense undermines an important debate worth having about actual risks, how policies are applied in similar stadiums and obviously how fans are treated.

 

[dylan_bha]

Someone has created a petition

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/removing-the-rules-on-flasks-at-the-amex

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Can you please post that reply along with the relevant question you asked?

Prior to this, the club said 'Flasks, glass and metal containers'. Have they now clarified their point regarding plastic?

The safety of spectators is of our paramount importance. This isn’t a new ruling and many clubs have adopted this in previous seasons.

I am sorry you remain unhappy however whilst your feedback is noted I confirm there will be no deviation from this club policy. You would be ill advised to bring alternative thermos flasks as these are likely to be confiscated.

Kind regards,

Above was response to my email below.

Thank you for you response and I know you are only the messenger, so please don’t tale this personally.
I think it is very unfair on your more elderly supporters who will find transporting hot drinks from the bars to their seats a greater health and safety risk to them and others than taking a flask of tea - not much of thought gone into that one I am afraid. It is a ridiculous decision, bearing in mind if anyone really wanted to smuggle anything into the ground wouldn’t have to go to much effort to break the security frisking. Have you any idea just what health and security issues are at risk here? In all my 56 years of supporting the albion I have never heard such bunkam. You will be hard pushed to disprove the current theory that this is just another revenue raiser - it will backfire because people are already having problems getting back to their seats punctually for the second half. Fans will be driven back home -but perhaps that’s what the club wants. Just get those who can keep dipping their hands into their pockets. Shame on the club for this.
Can you confirm that a plastic thermos (if there is such a thing) is acceptable?
Thank you.

 

[beorhthelm]

All the either serious or jokey stuff about it being because PB wants to sell more Bovril which he says is nonsense and is clearly nonsense undermines an important debate worth having about actual risks, how policies are applied in similar stadiums and obviously how fans are treated.

but what actual risks are there? have cricket, tennis, bowling grounds similar bans?

 

[clapham_gull]

This thread sums up a lot about the Albion behind the scenes today. I'm really sad that someone is so small minded has time to come up with this stuff. A sure sign that the transfer window is closed and the hierarchy can go back to harassing the supporters again. One day PB might just need the fans - oh no, he'll be gone of course to some new greater challenge - and some other poor soul will have to wind back on all this crap just to get people to come back again.

If you want to ban people bringing in food and drink then offer affordable, high quality fare with outstanding service that many other events do - not poor quality over-priced rubbish. You admit that the sale of drinks and food etc currently has no bearing on the club's profitability - therefore - do it properly.

Have you even thought of the profile of people who bring flasks of hot drinks to the stadium on freezing nights ? Security with some common sense would easily spot the interloper from Raqqa.

Annoying as it is, I'm sure Mr Barber or any of the board have decided in isolation to ban metal containers.

They would be acting on advice, advice which obviously they can choose to ignore or not.

From memory an atmosphere of increased security started after the Rugby world cup.

To me banning a flask just seems consistent with general security of banning aerosols for instance. With the higher profile of the club (and very high profile visitors and TV coverage) I suspect laptops will be next.

I just hope football continually review it and a flask doesn't become something else oddly banned by football clubs. Bins disappeared from Railway stations for years, but are now back albeit as a see through bag.

Oddly banned:

Cameras - When most people have a sophisticated one capable of taking HD video on their phone.

Aerosols - Football supporters obviously more inclined to use them as DIY flame throwers than other members of society.

Bottle Tops ( returned ) - Anyone remember the ridiculous few games at the Withdean when you were only allowed to bring in a bottle of water if the top was removed by the stewards ?

Oddly not banned.

Perfume. If banned in a large bottle by the airlines, why not football ground ?

Coins. The hooligan weapon of choice.

Large Bags. You can hide all sorts of things in a bag if it isn't going to be passed through an X Ray machine.




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[chaileyjem]

but what actual risks are there? have cricket, tennis, bowling grounds similar bans?

Yes for example Wimbledon, Old Trafford and Wembley all ban flasks for security reasons. But many clubs/stadia don't. Why ? I don't know. Do they have different risk assessments ? different profiles of attendees, more sophisticated security operations, different intelligence, less proactive management. ? Its clearly not being consistently applied to fans in the UK at least. So yes Its an interesting debate and useful one to have with the club focusing on how fans are treated but suggesting its spurious rubbish about trying to sell more overpriced Tea is a complete distraction.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

The safety of spectators is of our paramount importance. This isn’t a new ruling and many clubs have adopted this in previous seasons.

I am sorry you remain unhappy however whilst your feedback is noted I confirm there will be no deviation from this club policy. You would be ill advised to bring alternative thermos flasks as these are likely to be confiscated.

Kind regards,

Above was response to my email below.

Thank you for you response and I know you are only the messenger, so please don’t tale this personally.
I think it is very unfair on your more elderly supporters who will find transporting hot drinks from the bars to their seats a greater health and safety risk to them and others than taking a flask of tea - not much of thought gone into that one I am afraid. It is a ridiculous decision, bearing in mind if anyone really wanted to smuggle anything into the ground wouldn’t have to go to much effort to break the security frisking. Have you any idea just what health and security issues are at risk here? In all my 56 years of supporting the albion I have never heard such bunkam. You will be hard pushed to disprove the current theory that this is just another revenue raiser - it will backfire because people are already having problems getting back to their seats punctually for the second half. Fans will be driven back home -but perhaps that’s what the club wants. Just get those who can keep dipping their hands into their pockets. Shame on the club for this.
Can you confirm that a plastic thermos (if there is such a thing) is acceptable?
Thank you.

Thanks for confirming that.

I for one believe Paul Barber when he says it's not financial as in any case the kiosks are overloaded anyway, particularly at half time. However I cannot remember a decision by the club which has ever annoyed me more. As was said earlier in the thread, I consider a cup of tea and Englishman's birthright and am severely peeved as I would imagine, the actual risk from a thermos flask is negligible.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

IiIt's impossible that this will make the club money as the catering is running at 100% and the more that join the queues to buy tea, the more others will give up queuing and drop out.

Barber needs to sort out the catering wait first to have any hope of making more money selling tea.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Yes, I can see the security concerns. But as others have pointed out, currently legal items that are allowed to be carried in to the stadium could possibly also be adapted.

I even remember reading about a 'terrorist' sticking a phone up his backside, going to meet some Sheikh in the Middle East and his terrorist mate activating said phone as an explosive item.

So, from a personal point of view, I'm willing to take a risk that the bloke that sits next to me every game hasn't got Semtex in his flask or Semtex in his bum and is going to blow me to smithereens when his phone rings.

If said incident happens, then that is the variance of life/death/injury that we all take when we leave the house every morning.

If 'bum bomber' doesn't get me at the football, he might get me on the No.25 bus.

Of course it's serious frightening stuff if it does happen, but do we really want to cower from these cowards?

You've done it now, as soon as Barber sees this post he's going to ban everyone from bringing their bottoms to the Amex.

 

[beorhthelm]

Yes for example Wimbledon, Old Trafford and Wembley all ban flasks for security reasons. But many clubs/stadia don't. Why ? I don't know. Do they have different risk assessments ? different profiles of attendees, more sophisticated security operations, different intelligence, less proactive management. ? Its clearly not being consistently applied to fans in the UK at least. So yes Its an interesting debate and useful one to have with the club focusing on how fans are treated but suggesting its spurious rubbish about trying to sell more overpriced Tea is a complete distraction.

it seems to me "different revenue models" is as equaly valid as any of the other reasons. as long as there is no explanation as to why a thermos flask is a risk, the perception will remain this is the reason.

 

[dazzer6666]

I usually take a torch to evening games for the walk back to the car - it's exactly the same size/shape as a flare (I know because I've got one in the cupboard left over from a paintballing trip). No gate search steward has ever even asked me what it is, let alone asked me to take it out of my pocket.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Yes for example Wimbledon, Old Trafford and Wembley all ban flasks for security reasons. But many clubs/stadia don't. Why ? I don't know. Do they have different risk assessments ? different profiles of attendees, more sophisticated security operations, different intelligence, less proactive management. ? Its clearly not being consistently applied to fans in the UK at least. So yes Its an interesting debate and useful one to have with the club focusing on how fans are treated but suggesting its spurious rubbish about trying to sell more overpriced Tea is a complete distraction.

Care to explain the banning of sweets in 1901 lounges and seated areas?

I think some of it is revenue orientated.


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[Hiney]

Someone has created a petition

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/removing-the-rules-on-flasks-at-the-amex

Jesus wept.

 

[chaileyjem]

Care to explain the banning of sweets in 1901 lounges and seated areas?

I think some of it is revenue orientated.


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Yes. It is but so what. They are lounges or pubs or restaurants. Since when could you start bringing in your own crisps to the pub etc. Nothing to do with flasks in rest of ground.

Now If the club banned my Dad from taking in his sweets to the WSU then I’m with you but they’re not.

 

[carlzeiss]

Could the club compromise and allow plastic flasks but ban metal ones .

 

[Dave the OAP]

All the either serious or jokey stuff about it being because PB wants to sell more Bovril which he says is nonsense and is clearly nonsense undermines an important debate worth having about actual risks, how policies are applied in similar stadiums and obviously how fans are treated.

Didn't TB contact the FSA and they said the only club that bans flasks is old Trafford? If so why did barber say many clubs have adopted this?

In all the years of watching football, I have never seen anyone Luz a flask( they are a bit pricey to be fair) and I have not heard of anyone getting scalded with someone chucking coffee etc at them. I have not heard of a bomb being smuggled into anywhere in a flask..

If this is all about a terrorist threat, why are we not all expected to take off our shoes before we enter the stadium as there was an actual attempt to blow up a plane using this.


Is this really because someone has been caught drinking alcohol from a flask they brought in and suddenly our esteemed chief executive has been told that it is an epidemic and everyone who brings flasks in is a low life scum drinking alcohol in the stadium that they didn't purchase from the club?

As I said earlier, we have one of the best results in our history last weekend and here we are!

Sometimes I think the club deliberately look for confrontation!

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

What absolute bollox whoever performed the security risk assessment and mitigation plan needs sacking. How high is the risk on a flask, a good risk plan will work down from high to low and manage the implementation of said plan.
This would include a review of the body searches as you enter the ground, which are completely pointless, I could have had a nuclear warhead and 6 terrorists in my pockets on Sunday and they would have missed them.
This is all about money.

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Totally agree - I left my multi tool on my key-chain last season (completely by accident I have to say), and only realised it was still in my trouser pocket once I sat down at my seat inside the stadium. Screwdrivers, bottle opener, cork screw, pliers, a couple of small knives....passed straight through the "searches" at the turnstiles.

Always make sure its left at home now, but Im glad they are on the look out for those dangerous flasks this year...

 

[BensGrandad]

Could the club compromise and allow plastic flasks but ban metal ones .

Apparently not as the steward at our gate said Flasks with Hot Food in. no mention of being metal or otherwise. Which then leaves the question which is most concern the flask or the hot food?

 

[Dave the OAP]

Apparently not as the steward at our gate said Flasks with Hot Food in. no mention of being metal or otherwise.

If it is just because of hot food, barber is being disingenuous. It is all about revenue.

 

[el punal]

Will this be extended to include sandwiches, cakes etc.in all arears

Do you carry sandwiches and cakes in your rear?