sort the catering out please. its farcical

[The Large One]

It really does need looking at. It's now very noticeable that the numbers staying on for a post-match drink have fallen dramatically because very disappointingly, 3 years after the Amex opened, the service where I sit, in the WSU, has got worse. On Saturday, once again, there were loads of people wanting a post-match pint but gave up as it was taking an absurdly long time for people to be served. It's no better at half-time and virtually impossible to leave your seat on the half-time whistle, get a drink or a bite to eat, and be back for the start of the second half. It should be possible to do that . I don't know why the bar staff don't just line up dozens of pints like they do at the cricket. Most fans accept some queuing is inevitable but how long is it reasonable to wait to be served?

Regarding after-match stuff - the amount of people sticking around can be influenced by how well the team played. I've noticed that people stay longer if we've played well. One of the first thing people want to do is have a natter with their friends about the game over a beer, and possibly see other results or even match highlights. If there's nothing to you want to see, or are too cheesed off with caring about how others teams got on, people disappear.

Also on Saturday, the WSU concourse was like a greenhouse.

That said, service was still pretty sluggish last Saturday.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Someone who has worked in catering will know why this isn't done but my observations have always been:

Put two staff on each kiosk. one greats you, takes the order and takes your payment. That's 20/30 seconds of work.
In that time the person next to them listens to the order and grabs the items, including pre-poured pints.

Again, perhaps in the real world it wouldn't work like this but the current system of someone taking your order, and money and pouring your drink is, to my untrained eye anyway, not efficient.

This is absolutely no criticism of the young staff themselves who are working in pretty mad circumstances. It must be quite initimidating at times.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Regarding after-match stuff - the amount of people sticking around can be influenced by how well the team played. I've noticed that people stay longer if we've played well. One of the first thing people want to do is have a natter with their friends about the game over a beer, and possibly see other results or even match highlights. If there's nothing to you want to see, or are too cheesed off with caring about how others teams got on, people disappear.

Also on Saturday, the WSU concourse was like a greenhouse.

That said, service was still pretty sluggish last Saturday.

Agree with that but there are still plenty of people who, though disappointed with the result(s), want to stay on and have a drink but gave up because the service was so slow. Why is this still an issue more than 3 years since moving into the stadium? These things should have been sorted out long ago. Getting there a little early and staying on afterwards, was one of club's central tenets of the Amex "match day experience" which would also have knock on effects with post-match transport and of course boost the club's income. In the WSU it's really not working. As a result everyone misses out, the fans and the club.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

I can see no reason why our business cannot be looked at liked other businesses. The stands are not interconnected as such and could easily be split into a 4 + 1 for 1901. You then set up a Champion/Chalkenger strategy where a whole stand is given to the Challenger company. If they underperform they are replaced by another Challenger. If they outperform the 'Champion' they get another stand and so until they get lot and their first stand is given over to a new challenger who can take them on.
A monopoly situation with no competition isn't getting the franchise holder to work hard enough

 

[Uncle Buck]

Would it not make some sense that rather than having pints of the excuse of lager and cider, they just sell bottles in the busy periods as this would speed that side up?

 

[um bongo molongo]

You expect them to employ professional (restaurant quality) staff to serve in the kiosks for approximately 23 games a year and will only be needed for an hour and a half before the match, 15 minutes at half time and then a couple of hours after the match?

Who would bother with that as it wouldn't be worth their while financially and they would be better off working elsewhere in a more permanent setting (like a restaurant) hence why most working the concourses, etc are from the uni and earning a few extra quid. They arn't looking for a career serving people in stadiums (even if that were possible) and they get a high turn over of staff as people leave uni and new students take their place on degree courses so even if you were to invest heavily in training, then the likelyhood would be that within a season, they would have left anyway.

You'd like to think a bunch of university students would be intelligent enough to organise themselves and show a bit of initiative...

 

[Return of the Rev]

After serving me at half time in the east stand upper and only having a card method of payment which the guy refused to take but he insisted on me leaving my shoes as security till i could borrow enough cash to settle,on my return i found that he was wearing my shoes and said i would have to come back on the final whistle to collect them.I found them on the counter after the game missing both laces.

 

[amexee]

I waited a few mins in EU for a pint of Harveys to be poured, the head scrapped off with a spatula to be topped up from a half pint full of froth and the same process repeated several times.

The lad seemed totally amazed when I told him that if they tilted the glass so the beer ran down the side of the glass instead of splashing into the bottom, the process would be so much easier.

In fact I don't think he believed me!

 

[crabface]

Didnt think the queues where to bad in the West Upper due to people being outside seeing the band.

However the club do need to sort something regarding half time as it is impossible to get food or a drink due to the queues unless you leave your seat on 40 minutes.

Perhaps a few seperate areas for drinks that have already been pre poured so they can have a nice steady flow of people.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Saturday was the first time I've tried The Swan, and what a breath of fresh air that was.

 

[Return of the Rev]

saturday was the first time i've tried the swan, and what a breath of fresh air that was.

bloody eck was that in the 1901! We only get steak pies on the east

 

[Superphil]

Saturday was the first time I've tried The Swan, and what a breath of fresh air that was.

But surely their matchday staff are only there for approximately 23 games a year and will only be needed for an hour and a half before the match, therefore will be completely incapable of pouring a beer without 3" of head, or without putting their fingers in the glass to pass it to you?

Or, the owner of the Swan has spent the best part of 15 minutes explaining to their students how to operate a beer tap, and how to use a till.

 

[Bold Seagull]

bloody eck was that in the 1901! We only get steak pies on the east

very good.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Saturday was the first time I've tried The Swan, and what a breath of fresh air that was.

The first rule about The Swan is you don't talk about The Swan!

 

[Rugrat]

Saturday was the first time I've tried The Swan, and what a breath of fresh air that was.

Ssshh (shush)!

 

[Bob!]

But surely their matchday staff are only there for approximately 23 games a year and will only be needed for an hour and a half before the match, therefore will be completely incapable of pouring a beer without 3" of head, or without putting their fingers in the glass to pass it to you?

Or, the owner of the Swan has spent the best part of 15 minutes explaining to their students how to operate a beer tap, and how to use a till.

Or because they open all week, they are able to have staff on rotas, and insist on most Staff working for peak periods, such as a Football game?

 

[Bob!]

The bar outside the ground with the music stops serving at 2pm!!

 

[Pavilionaire]

I watched the Barber / Bloom Q&A session with NW Sussex Seagulls on YouTube so have heard Barber's explanation for why the service is below par. I take all of what he said on board but I think he's underestimating the significance of the issue.

The football is only part of the matchday experience - often the best part of the day is catching up with mates. So if the catering is unacceptably poor and some people choose to go home rather than have a pint or two after the game then the dynamic of the day changes.

A drawn game and a decent catch-up with mates means you've had a good day, but a drawn game and everyone ****s off because the queue hasn't moved for 10 minutes then becomes a pretty mediocre day.

 

[The Large One]

I watched the Barber / Bloom Q&A session with NW Sussex Seagulls on YouTube so have heard Barber's explanation for why the service is below par. I take all of what he said on board but I think he's underestimating the significance of the issue.

The football is only part of the matchday experience - often the best part of the day is catching up with mates. So if the catering is unacceptably poor and some people choose to go home rather than have a pint or two after the game then the dynamic of the day changes.

A drawn game and a decent catch-up with mates means you've had a good day, but a drawn game and everyone ****s off because the queue hasn't moved for 10 minutes then becomes a pretty mediocre day.

There is only so much the club can tell the caterers.

 

[Rugrat]

There is only so much the club can tell the caterers.

Agreed, there is only so much that can be done when you are trying to deal with vast amounts of people in a short period of time and with unskilled casual staff.

I think the suggestion of pre pouring beer is fine except that the complaints will then be 'my beer was flat/warm' or both so damned if you do, damned if you don't

First season there were fellas with the back packs of beer and handpumps ... surprised that didn't continue