Fourth season and transport, catering issues are still not sorted!

[Weststander]

One of my cards was rejected at the turnstiles. The nice steward there promptly checked it on his handheld thingy to make sure it was a valid season ticket, wrote down the number, and let me inside the ground. Easy. Looks like he'd done the same for quite a few people.

An equally nice steward did the first 2 bits, but then said without an email, I'd have join the queue at the ticket office. He had a scrap of paper where he made a note of the card also, adding it to many others, and said it had been a problem all afternoon. Not blaming him at all ... but the club, who had all Summer to get their systems workings 100%, and failed.

 

[The_Real_SussexSeagull123]

Catering has got worse. Southampton friendly and again against Wednesday they had sold out of a lot of things. Which when ordered about half hour being kick off is a bit rediculous. Normally spend average £20 a match at the stadium on beers and pie etc but price increase has put me off. Especially when it's not justified. Wouldn't mind if quality service or something has been improved but just seems to be worse and managed poorly. Disappointed with the catering yet again really needs to be sorted out. Noticed the fish and chips outside club shop good idea. But seriously £5 for a bottle of cider in dicks bar ...

 

[Keeping The Dream Alive.]

They're the most up to date figures available.

Taking those figures, a pint is more expensive at the Amex than every single London club, (bar Fulham, with whom we are level). That's comparing with a more expensive location than Brighton, and given those are Premiership grounds, one would expect to pay a premium.

The closest Championship club, Charlton, charge £3.35.

Sure it was more than that at Charlton last year.

 

[Gwylan]

I used public transport for the fifth time since the Amex opened. Like all the other times, it was absolutely fine - the train from Lewes wasn't even that crowded.

I can't really complain about the cost either - you expect to pay more at sporting venues. It's not even that expensive compared to local prices. I paid £4.30 for a pint in the pub in Stanmer Park last week and that's less than a km from the Amex. Sadly, Brighton's an expensive place, if you don't want to pay £4 for a pint, move up north

 

[Stat Brother]

Saturday was my first ever Amex experience without a pie and a pint.
Time (work later so arrive later) and a little bit financial, it's a lot of money to just wolf down food.

Anyway as odd as it was not eating and drinking I didn't die.

I guess having a choice isn't so bad after all.

 

[nwgull]

Left on final whistle, stopped to use gents in WSL and was still on train to Lewes at 5-10. I can't think of any other ground in the country (with 20K+ spectators) where that would be possible. P+R is always fine as well, and I'm usually on the A23 within 40-50 mins of the final whistle. There aren't many grounds where you can be back at your car and on your way home doing 70mph within that time either.

 

[The Birdman]

What are the discounts do you get when you use your e card/ticket!

 

[father_and_son]

I got to the station just after 2pm and the queue was a right mess. People were queuing onto Queens Road outside of Budgens which was impacting on other people trying to get out of the station. To be fair, the BT police at the back of the queue were doing a good job in keeping people out of the road and it moved quite quickly.

The biggest problem was people coming out of the station, looking at the queue going down the road and then pushing in by the taxi rank. If they had used barriers this wouldn't have happened.

What didn't make sense was, having shut the taxi rank down, not using the space there as the queuing area. Loads of empty space, keeping people in one place, not affecting non-football passengers or the traffic.

The Transport Manager says they will review the new arrangements with Southern and the police so will be interesting to see what changes for the Bolton game.

I was there at a similar time (though I think closer to the front than you), but what surprised me was they were not using the pen properly. The gates opened and they let people onto the train, instead of opening them BEFORE the train arrives and corralling them in the inner pen to relieve the pressure on the queue. The double queue system has worked very well for 3 seasons now, why was it changed? It's as if everyone at the station had forgotten what to do!

 

[Bozza]

What are the discounts do you get when you use your e card/ticket!

60 minutes or more prior to kick off – 15% cashback
30-60 minutes prior to kick off – 10% cashback
0-30 minutes prior to kick off – 5% cashback
Kick off – full time – 0% cashback
Full time – 30 minutes post match – 5% cashback
30 minutes – 60 minutes post match – 10% cashback
60 minutes or more post match – 15% cashback

 

[Bozza]

I was there at a similar time (though I think closer to the front than you), but what surprised me was they were not using the pen properly. The gates opened and they let people onto the train, instead of opening them BEFORE the train arrives and corralling them in the inner pen to relieve the pressure on the queue. The double queue system has worked very well for 3 seasons now, why was it changed? It's as if everyone at the station had forgotten what to do!

We left the BoT just before 2 and thought 'oh!' when we got to the station and joined the back of the queue quite some way out. I assumed it would take 3 or 4 trains before we would get on a train ourselves but suddenly, like you say, we were strolling through the gate through the empty 'pen' and walked directly onto a train, even getting seats.

 

[Captain Sensible]

I don't think £4.20 is that bad for a pint of Kronenbourg my main problem was not being able to one in the WSU at 2.30pm.

But 4.20 for Harvey's is a rip off. It's gone up 30p every season! Now the most expensive place for a Harvey's in Sussex is the Amex. 3.30 was good value, 3.60 was ok 3.90 was pushing it, 4.20....ripping off fans.

 

[Peter Grummit]

But 4.20 for Harvey's is a rip off. It's gone up 30p every season! Now the most expensive place for a Harvey's in Sussex is the Amex. 3.30 was good value, 3.60 was ok 3.90 was pushing it, 4.20....ripping off fans.

£3.40 for a very nice summer ale at The Swan.

PG

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

But 4.20 for Harvey's is a rip off. It's gone up 30p every season! Now the most expensive place for a Harvey's in Sussex is the Amex. 3.30 was good value, 3.60 was ok 3.90 was pushing it, 4.20....ripping off fans.

Of course the Amex is the most expensive place to buy a pint of Harvey's in Sussex!, where did you think it would be!, it's a big sporting venue. To be honest a pint of the very same beer in my local pub is knocking on the door of £4 now.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I think the issue with the price of beer etc is that they used to be an incentive to getting to the Amex early and staying behind for an hour or so which in turn helps the transport by spreading out demand on the services. If it was just purely about grabbing a pint during the half hour or so before the game and at half time I don't think people would be too bothered. But the incentive to arrive early and leave late is becoming less and less.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I think the issue with the price of beer etc is that they used to be an incentive to getting to the Amex early and staying behind for an hour or so which in turn helps the transport by spreading out demand on the services. If it was just purely about grabbing a pint during the half hour or so before the game and at half time I don't think people would be too bothered. But the incentive to arrive early and leave late is becoming less and less.

Agree with this. The top rate of 15% is not an incentive. I see this as just a bonus should I stay late. If you want to change travel patterns then you need a much higher percentage.

 

[Curious Orange]

Let me see...

* Arrived at Mill Road P&R at 1 o'clock, straight on bus to ground
* Got to ground, had a nice hot Balti pie and a lovely pint of Harveys and watched the football on telly until kick-off
* Watched entire game including injury time
* Got back on P&R bus for Mill Road after full time, and was back in my car at 5.30
* Got home to Surrey at 6.45 in time to put Junior Orange to bed

Total Transport and Catering Issues = 0

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Massive cock-up with the train queuing system, it needs looking at (again), though certain fans really dont help by pushing and shoving, but then you will always get that, it seriously needs to be better managed at Brighton Station. That said, the length of trains has significantly improved. The shortest you now get is 4-coaches and that is an Ashford service which Southern have used extra stock for instead of smaller 2-coach trains which normally get used. Seaford line trains have been doubled in length too, as have all Eastbourne services - so pretty much all services have at least 6 coaches. Midweek games will be no different for train lengths as the London commuter services take priority.

RE not letting fans into the "pen" before the train arrives - other passengers need to get off the train first - the trains are not coming in empty. Letting fans through would prevent people getting off trains especially as the amount of shoving that goes on at times is dangerous, and at a station like Brighton with large gaps between the train and the platform, there could be a serious incident.

Transport for me was fine on Saturday, however a 35 minute wait for a 23/25 bus isnt good enough, I could have walked along the Lewes Road and would have been at my destination quicker, in hindsight that might now happen.

Foodwise - my Pulled Pork Bap was horrible and overpriced - it was certainly better last season.

 

[perseus]

West Coastway actually cancel trains (train to Hove to connect with the London train) because of the football. And worse they leave trains in the station and would let people get on them (train after the non-train to Hove). Not sure the service warrants the special arrangements and a fee the railways get. Overcrowded when the football is not on.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

West Coastway actually cancel trains (train to Hove to connect with the London train) because of the football. And worse they leave trains in the station and would let people get on them (train after the non-train to Hove). Not sure the service warrants the special arrangements and a fee the railways get. Overcrowded when the football is not on.

No trains get cancelled for football. All Hove shuttle services ran on Saturday, though were retimed on some occasions. They leave trains in the station when full until departure as otherwise it would get held up down the line as it would have caught up with the train in front and it would just be sitting at Hove for longer until it is due to leave.

 

[Hotchilidog]

What's happened to the queueing system this year? I wasn't able to go saturday, but last season I thought it worked just fine and was very well operated. Not entirely sure there was a need for a change.