The 2012-13 food and drink thread - prices, running out, quality and choice etc

[Safeway]

but we arent a major sporting venue. this comparison keeps seeming to be made. you go to Wembley, Goodward, O2 as a treat, a day out. you go to the Amex every week on average through the season. different price sensitivities, pricing policies required.

Okay, maybe the comparison with the o2, Wembley etc is a bit off, but the Amex prices are still the going rate for most football grounds.

Like most people, I've got more of an issue with the service. Azure should be manning every available point of sale. There will always be queues, but if they're staffing all the tills then people will have far less reason to complain.

 

[clapham_gull]

The prices appear to be reverting to other major venues in their pricing.

Shame because of the song and dance made about the Amex being different, especially with the food.

I will definately be spending less. I may well end up spending it elsewhere but don't appreciate being ripped off. I'm not a captive audience and easily make other arrangements.

Fascinating the club have decided to do this. Maybe they are considering dropping prices post match ?

Why would you hang around at those prices ?

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Have the prices gone up in Dicks bar too ? Saw plenty queuing to get in there so no sign of a boycott yet

They were only queueing up because THEY thought it had ALREADY changed to ERNESTO'S with San Miguel at £5 a BOTTLE.

 

[Uwinsc]

Are we allowed to take drinks (with lids/caps) in? Be great if we can ... be a big money saver.

The only thing you can't take as far as I know is cans. I nearly always take a bottle of water or coke and some sort of snack

 

[Mutts Nuts]

Are we allowed to take drinks (with lids/caps) in? Be great if we can ... be a big money saver.

I sometimes take a flask of hotchocolate when it`s cold,so don`t see why not

 

[Mutts Nuts]

See you all at the Swan Barbie pre match then

 

[Gilliver's Travels]

These threads are always a bit baffling. You'd think Albion fans were some extinction-threatened species, uniquely dependent for their survival on a diet of meat pies and gassy lager.

Don't get me wrong: after the horrors of Withdean slop, those Amex pies soon became an amazing treat. But nobody depends on pies in real life, do they? Other foods are surely available - and a whole lot more cheaply too. (The anguished revelation that entertainment venue catering is expensive belongs alongside another concerning the toilet habits of bears.)

The answer, as others have said, is to vote with your feet. Enjoying the open air, amazing beers, tastily barbecued food and mingling with away fans adds even more to the matchday experience. The Swan will be even more appealing this year.

 

[rool]

The Swan will be even more appealing this year.

I intend to try this next game but, having never been yet, are there capacity issues and do the nazi stewards let you cross the bridge from the stadium or would I have to use the underpass down by the station?

 

[rool]

[MENTION=561]Insider[/MENTION] may wanna have a look.

I am sure he'll 'pass on your comments'

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

I intend to try this next game but, having never been yet, are there capacity issues and do the nazi stewards let you cross the bridge from the stadium or would I have to use the underpass down by the station?

The bridge is a right of way for pedestrians , the stewards cannot stop you.

There is a ATC reply from Insider which refers to a post on NSC from September 2011 which explains :

Falmer footbridge access - RESOLVED
Insider / All,

Confirmation on position re. Falmer footbridge received from the Football Liaison PC :-


" Nick,

You are absolutely right. There is a traffic order stopping vehicles going into Falmer village, but no order stopping fans walking through the village. BHAFC have agreed with Falmer Parish council to discourage Brighton fans walking through the village. Stewards will ask you to go the other route but have no legal power to physically stop pedestrians from using that route.

I hope this assists

Kind regards


Pc Darren Balkham "

 

[rool]

Nice. I like a bit of conflict with officialdom armed with facts like that

 

[Stuart Munday]

Nice. I like a bit of conflict with officialdom armed with facts like that

In fairness the guys that man the bridge are fine, they say would you mind using the other way, we normally say something like well yes we do actually then they say oh well we have to ask and then let us through, never had a problem. Although im getting a bit worried about how busy the Swan will be this season, it was just right last season but with more fans and an increase at the Amex it might be getting a bit too popular.

 

[rool]

In fairness the guys that man the bridge are fine, they say would you mind using the other way, we normally say something like well yes we do actually then they say oh well we have to ask and then let us through, never had a problem. Although im getting a bit worried about how busy the Swan will be this season, it was just right last season but with more fans and an increase at the Amex it might be getting a bit too popular.

Actually thinking about it properly is it easier, if you are coming from Falmer station, to walk through the uni anyway rather than up round the back of the stadium and across the road?

Failing that might just get off at moulscoomb and go to the hikers.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

What is the most one has paid for a standard drink in a pub/sporting venue?

I think £4.40 for a pint of beer in the Mitre in Fulham and £4.50 for a glass of wine at a Twenty20 game at Lords.

 

[middletoenail]

What is the most one has paid for a standard drink in a pub/sporting venue?

I think £4.40 for a pint of beer in the Mitre in Fulham and £4.50 for a glass of wine at a Twenty20 game at Lords.

About £13 for a pint of Heineken on top of a hotel roof in Hong Kong, although I was on expenses so it doesn't really count!

 

[clapham_gull]

Prices are steap but it's a football stadium, you'll find it hard to find one that's different.

You will also find it hard to find one that encourages people to turn up so early and leave late because of the transport problems.

By all accounts the club is the best in the league at staggered arrivals and departures. Highest percentage at turning up early apparently , welcome to be corrected if wrong.

Has this been achieved in part by selling food and drink at a smaller premium than would be expected ?

Fascinated that the club have whacked on the premium in parallel with the capacity increase.

Simply because of the transport issues. I don't have transport issues and have felt that I have somewhat benefited from them in terms of the pricing !

I'm sensitive to paying over the odds, even when considering the environment and I'm finished paying for food at the Amex.

The reasonable price experiment has obviously failed for whatever reason.

 

[Superphil]

Honestly people, who is paying £4 a pint at the Amex? Sort yourselves out FFS, load up your smart card, and pay £3.60 a pint, its not rocket science.

 

[clapham_gull]

Honestly people, who is paying £4 a pint at the Amex? Sort yourselves out FFS, load up your smart card, and pay £3.60 a pint, its not rocket science.

I've factored that in. Harveys is a bit of a luxary to me living up here so I will still buy a pint or two, but will take the opportunity to have a couple in HH now every now and then instead of the Amex. Not one really for mass produced food but last season I thought the pies were good value for money. Not anymore.

Someone made a comment about "the real world" and I agree. But in the real world I avoid being ripped off with inflated prices due to the place it is sold. That goes for "metro" supermarkets, champagne in restaurants, train stations etc...

Never thought the good times would last, but I assumed this approach was due to the transport complications. Making the stadium food and drink pricing competitive to persuade home away fans to select the Amex as place for pre and post match drinks.

I was obviously wrong.

 

[jezzer]

Alot of posts on here are ridiculously over reactive. No one likes price increases, i dont but the club need the money, whatever anyone thinks. The way they do that is to increase ticket prices, food and drink, the programmes now going up to 3.50, etc.
The reason they need the money is that the running costs of the stadium and matchday staff is now huge, along with the increase in players wages, etc. they have hardly increased the ticket prices, merely passed on some of the real costs they pay to rail and bus companies. They still offer 10% off advertised prices for sths, so the prices quoted by most here is generally false and the bottom line is why should tony b continue to put his hand in his pocket, hes spent enough hasnt he?
If you want a progressive club, with really good players, vying for the premiership in a state of the art stadium, there is a price, if we do get to the premiership, christ knows what we`ll be paying for seats then but its all relative, BHAFC is not a charity and cannot be run as such. Its understandable that the progression of the club could result in it becoming too much for some financially, most have a limit, but premiership football hasnt stopped most fans at clubs like wigan, swansea, wolves, reading, southampton, etc from supporting their team in the main over the years, why should we be any different?
As for azure, yes its very disappointing that the service is still appalling and hasnt improved, especially as the products themselves are in the main pretty good for football catering, but I`m sure Tony will be kicking them if it continues to be poor.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Anyone heard of price elasticity of demand ? If the price increase causes demand fall but not fall enough then the club makes more money. Im sure the club have it all worked out .

My guess is that the elasticity is such that a 10 per cent increase in price will lead to something like a 4 per cent drop in sales.

In other words ... if 1,000 pints are sold at £3.60, this will bring in £3,600. If the price goes up to £4.00 (an 11.1 per cent increase), sales will fall by 4.44 per cent, to 955 pints, bringing in £3,820 (an increase of £282).

From the point of view of the seller, the problems only start to arise if someone else can break into the market, selling beer at less than £4.00. As long as the Club can maintain their monopoly, they're OK. But if folk decide to buy their pints somewhere else, there could be a crisis.