Ernest
Stupid IDIOT
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Only 250 quid to [jump the queue for*] the Seven Stars Sports bar.. [* = get in to]
- Thread starter 7oaksgull
- Start date
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Milano
Well-known member
Dicks is normally packed so I can't believe that isn't profitable.
What did they expect? Kids are going to have a coke and a packet of crisps. I'd always assumed this was a loss leader based on that, they want to review who puts together their business cases.....
What did they expect? Kids are going to have a coke and a packet of crisps. I'd always assumed this was a loss leader based on that, they want to review who puts together their business cases.....
BBassic
I changed this.
- Jul 28, 2011
- 13,054
I can tell you if I was on holiday with my family I sure as shit would not be replying to anything that hasn't come from Bloom or Hughton and certainly not a fan pissing and moaning about having to pay to get into a bar. So, yeah, what a guy.
Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.
Hampster Gull
Well-known member
- Dec 22, 2010
- 13,465
Possibly has a very good personal assistant to do for him. He may have drafted before knowing this was an issue. Image and PR are to be managed. Or he is a workaholic
Some interesting snippets from PB's email:
Club losses are currently running at in excess of £18m pa. That's a sizeable increase on previous seasons, presumably as a consequence of the new, increased FFP limts and TB being prepared, evidently somewhat reluctantly, to fund them at this increased level, at least for the moment.
Subsidised transport, free wi-fi, free fan zone, interest-free ST DDs, and Dick's will remain funded as they are "...for as long as we can continue to afford them". They're clearly on the table for discussion at some point then. Best hope we get PL riches sooner rather than later then!
As previously suggested by some, @Ernest being one, I think, Seven Stars is to be members only now. Don't pay the £250, don't get in.
Part of the decision-making process has been the consideration to stop some fans being abusive to stewards, though the major consideration has to been to stop a loss-making enterprise.
*I have no axe to grind either way on this decision by the club - I've never used it.*
Club losses are currently running at in excess of £18m pa. That's a sizeable increase on previous seasons, presumably as a consequence of the new, increased FFP limts and TB being prepared, evidently somewhat reluctantly, to fund them at this increased level, at least for the moment.
Subsidised transport, free wi-fi, free fan zone, interest-free ST DDs, and Dick's will remain funded as they are "...for as long as we can continue to afford them". They're clearly on the table for discussion at some point then. Best hope we get PL riches sooner rather than later then!
As previously suggested by some, @Ernest being one, I think, Seven Stars is to be members only now. Don't pay the £250, don't get in.
Part of the decision-making process has been the consideration to stop some fans being abusive to stewards, though the major consideration has to been to stop a loss-making enterprise.
*I have no axe to grind either way on this decision by the club - I've never used it.*
Possibly has a very good personal assistant to do for him. He may have drafted before knowing this was an issue. Image and PR are to be managed. Or he is a workaholic
My judgment, based on previous interactions with him, is that it is very much the latter. His wife must be delighted...
Mr Smggles
Well-known member
Possibly has a very good personal assistant to do for him. He may have drafted before knowing this was an issue. Image and PR are to be managed. Or he is a workaholic
I don't think you can become a CEO of a football club without being a workaholic.
Well, you could be a relative of the Chairman, I spose...
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
When we first got the stadium, we were told, as fans, that we deserved the best, for all the rough times of fighting for the club.
I don't remember fans demanding padded seats, tvs on the concourses, free wifi or even the interest free direct debit. These were all given to us for our benefit.
Now, it seems, we've got to be so grateful for these benefits, when money has been wasted on directors of football who hadn't got a clue about which players were brought in, wasted on journeymen players that we can't get rid of, but still earning high wages.
By all means try to run the club in the best possible way, saving money, but don't sting the fans, because the plans for the hotel weren't good enough to get planning permission, or because you had to pay off contracts of useless employees.
beorhthelm
A. Virgo, Football Genius
- Jul 21, 2003
- 36,015
well a fee for membership makes some more sence than a fee to "jump the queue", but its still far too much. and what of irregular fans with children? i cant see it being taken up so end up losing even more money.
Surely if there is low or non existent take up they will just staff it accordingly.
I wonder if it was a mistake to lump the news of what now appears to be a members only club into a press release detailing the planned changes to the family stand as clearly there is no intention of the bar being a family area
I wonder if it was a mistake to lump the news of what now appears to be a members only club into a press release detailing the planned changes to the family stand as clearly there is no intention of the bar being a family area
Seagulltonian
C'mon the Albion!
It just goes to show, with a monthly loss of £1.8Mill. the club really needs to hit the promised land of the Premier League in the 2017/18 season!
Otherwise there could be some extra charges we "the customers", sorry I meant "fans" will be paying in coming seasons
If the club are trying to raise £40,000 by bringing in this charge and "covering the wages of 2 members of staff" in the process, I think our player recruitment is finished already for the coming season.
Otherwise there could be some extra charges we "the customers", sorry I meant "fans" will be paying in coming seasons
If the club are trying to raise £40,000 by bringing in this charge and "covering the wages of 2 members of staff" in the process, I think our player recruitment is finished already for the coming season.
Captain Sensible
Well-known member
2 members of staff costs 40k?
I wouldn't mind that job then, 20k to turn up 2 or 3 times a month to do a days work. Nice!
But that isn't what they pay them, it's Sodexo in the 7 stars as well.
They've turned it into a membership club. I used it a lot with my kids, believe me PB has pissed me off with this. At least make the concourses better places to have a pre match drink or something to eat. Or have more outside bars around the stadium, other than the one Harveys stand and have them open past 2.15!!!
I wouldn't mind that job then, 20k to turn up 2 or 3 times a month to do a days work. Nice!
But that isn't what they pay them, it's Sodexo in the 7 stars as well.
They've turned it into a membership club. I used it a lot with my kids, believe me PB has pissed me off with this. At least make the concourses better places to have a pre match drink or something to eat. Or have more outside bars around the stadium, other than the one Harveys stand and have them open past 2.15!!!
Henfield One
Well-known member
- Aug 5, 2003
- 466
I commend PB for his full, frank and prompt reply.
However I have a few points:
- Take out the VAT from the £40,000 and the Club receives a net £33,333.33;
- Surely such a sum (assuming 160 individuals buy into it - which is extremely doubtful, unless it's corporates and not families of course) could be raised via other means - in a Company that has a turnover of millions;
- Before every Saturday and several evening matches, we regularly queued for entry - and never ever saw any arguments that PB refers to;
- I couldn't care less about what other Clubs do or don't do. I am interested in our Club - and we have a reputation for doing things differently, thinking long term and investing in the future. The 7 Stars bar was a very good example of that - an excellent initiative that is an investment to help secure our younger fans;
- We usually arrive around 2pm with several of the Henfield Seagulls minibus families going straight to the 7 Stars, if access is going to be restricted, we won't arrive so early. I daresay other groups might be thinking on similar lines. This goes against the Club's policy of encouraging early arrival where possible.
- Where else can families go for a drink/tv and be able to sit down?
- By charging £250 per head, the Club has transformed the bar into a corporate hospitality area at the expense of families;
- Such a policy was bound to be hugely controversial and elicit gravely negative vibes - at a time when we are all Together. Announced shortly before the season starts with no (albeit perhaps token) discussions with supporters is not good.
This is ill-conceived and a big PR disaster for the Club - disappointing many families in the process.
It should be reconsidered at the highest level in my view.
However I have a few points:
- Take out the VAT from the £40,000 and the Club receives a net £33,333.33;
- Surely such a sum (assuming 160 individuals buy into it - which is extremely doubtful, unless it's corporates and not families of course) could be raised via other means - in a Company that has a turnover of millions;
- Before every Saturday and several evening matches, we regularly queued for entry - and never ever saw any arguments that PB refers to;
- I couldn't care less about what other Clubs do or don't do. I am interested in our Club - and we have a reputation for doing things differently, thinking long term and investing in the future. The 7 Stars bar was a very good example of that - an excellent initiative that is an investment to help secure our younger fans;
- We usually arrive around 2pm with several of the Henfield Seagulls minibus families going straight to the 7 Stars, if access is going to be restricted, we won't arrive so early. I daresay other groups might be thinking on similar lines. This goes against the Club's policy of encouraging early arrival where possible.
- Where else can families go for a drink/tv and be able to sit down?
- By charging £250 per head, the Club has transformed the bar into a corporate hospitality area at the expense of families;
- Such a policy was bound to be hugely controversial and elicit gravely negative vibes - at a time when we are all Together. Announced shortly before the season starts with no (albeit perhaps token) discussions with supporters is not good.
This is ill-conceived and a big PR disaster for the Club - disappointing many families in the process.
It should be reconsidered at the highest level in my view.
Captain Sensible
Well-known member
If it were £250 for a family of 5, say 2 adults and upto 3 kids, I could understand. But they haven't given any priority to families at all! It's just turning into a members club. I don't care what PB says, a family area where friends and family can gather pre and post match that aren't necessarily in the same stand was a good idea. Now it seems that I'll adjust my plans, arrive on a later seagulls travel bus and leave on an earlier one. Another thing about the club that has gone down in my estimations since the first couple of seasons at the Amex.
SweatyMexican
Well-known member
- Mar 31, 2013
- 4,155
If it were £250 quid to bring the entire population of Noah's Arc into the 7 stars bar, it still wouldn't be worth it. I'd never pay any sort of money just to GET INTO a pub. If the queues get worse because of this, I won't be going in there to meet up with family again. This better not happen to Dicks.
Captain Sensible
Well-known member
It's £250 each and members only. You can't get in if you don't have a 7 stars membership.
Don't think that's correct. The £250 simply guarantees you a spot.
'Meanwhile, fans wishing to use the 7 Stars Sports Bar in the East Stand can now guarantee a place by booking on a seasonal basis for £250.
There are 160 places available for the unique bar, which offers a complimentary pool table and table football, comfortable surroundings to watch live sport before and after the game, and a free matchday programme.
*
The package guarantees entry to the bar for every home league game, which opens three hours prior to kick off, and for a further two hours after the final whistle. Fans will receive a complimentary match programme, have access to a cash bar and can also purchase food and drink options usually available on the concourse'
Blue Valkyrie
Not seen such Bravery!
He didn't say that the members of staff were matchday staff, nor that they worked in the bar.
He was talking about the club as a whole, the 20K salary would have been for a full time role elsewhere at the club.
For the reasons above I think the £40k figure calculated just on memberships is slightly misleading. IF this works then as others have highlighted, where there was once a family of four there will now be four adults as realistically they are the only ones that could afford this. Consequently I would imagine the club expect to make more per person than previously. Give it some exclusivity by calling it a "membership" (there are cheaper private clubs in London!) and I guess they are hoping to appeal to a clientele with more money than sense....