Half time behind the Home Stand

[Posh]

Given the speed of service over recent weeks we took the decision to go down for refreshements four minutes before the half ended. Even then it took 20 minutes to get served. The queues behind us were utterly ridiculous. I know from my own experience we’ve lost sales because you either can’t get served before the match kicks off or if you do get there the food has run out. Today, I reckon we lost in the region of £1,000 in sales because about 200 people didn’t get served or didn’t order beer because you would have two minutes or less to drink it.

Firstly, I readily accept that it is difficult to find staff on New Year’s Day. However, there are lots of people working across the ground and it must have been possible to redeploy staff to help. With only two tills open it was always going to be painful.

Secondly, I don’t blame the staff who all do their best to cope but they’ve been dealt a shit hand by those above them. If this was a one-off and a big bank holiday game I could understand but it is week after week after week. The fans are being treated contemptibly and worse of all everyone loses - fans who stand in queues and never get served; staff who face the brunt of complaints; and the club who lose huge amounts of revenue and goodwill.

It really isn’t hard to resolve and a roof isn’t going to solve anything. By my reckoning I’ve seen directors behind the stand twice in the last four seasons. If they’re going to solve it I think it’s time they or senior staff spent some time taking a look as it is an embarrassment, especially when other clubs act on issues like this in days not years.

[Ispyshrimp]

you mean there were pies and hot dogs left to purchase.

thats a first as they nearly always run out

[Posh]

you mean there were pies and hot dogs left to purchase.

thats a first as they nearly always run out

I’ve no idea. Most people had given up.

[KenH]

Local choice was just as bad. Ridiculously slow service - 3 behind the counter, one doing the drinks whilst the others just watch and wait. How much would it cost for a second hot water urn? Also, pies had run out after the first 10 or so customers.

[Westgate Wanderer]

Any chance we can complain about what's going on ON THE PITCH??

[Posh]

Any chance we can complain about what's going on ON THE PITCH??

No. Get your own thread.

[Aspers]

[Seasider9601]

Just read a post on the Facecloth “fans” page about this issue too Posh

[cragbankshrimp]

I bought a drink inside the ground for the first time as JB's was to busy and I couldn't believe the time it took to get served until I got to the counter. I ordered a Tetley's (other alcoholic drinks are available) and had to wait for the person serving to pour the drink from the can into a plastic glass. Surely you can let the customer pour the drink, therefore allowing more people to get served. You aren't allowed on to the terraces with the plastic glasses never mind cans so the argument that the cans can be used as missiles doesn't stand up.

[MfcChris]

you mean there were pies and hot dogs left to purchase.

thats a first as they nearly always run out

Nope, ran out. I left to queue at 3:40 and was still about 10 people in front of me at 4:05, where we saw there were no pies left. Needless to say I then gave in as only wanted a pie and wanted to watch the game.

It was awful service. We knew there was a bigger crowd so why not get more pies and more organised or get more pies from another stand. The time taken from my view was that the same person was taking the order, pouring the drink, taking the money and then working out the change (slowly). Can there not be separate queues? (Also the usual husband and wife (I think?) were not there, who are undoubtedly the best at the job).

You're right Posh if a director stood in that queue for 20mins like we had to, to be then told they had run out, something would get done.

[redrobo]

Maybe if we had a Stadium Manager with overall responsibility to ensure that ALL aspects of the match day experience functioned to its maximum could address all genuine complaints such as those above.

I've only frequented the home end on one occasion to witness the complete shambles that fans have to accept. I don't in ever agree with Posh but he's 110% right in his valid criticism relating to the former Omega Stand catering. Wonder what it is costing the club in terms of lost revenue....

[Phil Anderer]

I went to the loo at half time under blocks D/E and the queue there was back to the loo wall, so no way people would be served before the start of the second half. TBH we take our own refreshments, as long ago realised it's not worth waiting, and the club aren't losing out as I would rather watch the footie than miss it queueing.

[Posh]

I made a point this Saturday of saying thanks to several of the team that serve from the hatch. They always smile and always polite. Everyone was served and they were cleaning up before second half kick off.

Sadly, the problem doesn’t lie with the staff or the fans but with the directors and management. Going by the response to the Shrimps Trust’s suggestions, this in my view was really poor from Graham Howse. To quote the newsletter:

The Trust put forward several suggestions to improve the organisation of the half-time catering, including setting up barriers to provide distinct queues; dividing the queues up into separate alcohol, food, and hot drinks queues; using the room next to the serving hatch in the home end to handle one of the queues; serving cans or plastic bottles of beer to customers instead of spending time pouring out each one; pre-pouring drinks so that they are ready to hand over; and pre-ordering food and drink before the game.

Graham said the club had already looked at most of these ideas and rejected them. Queue barriers would need a steward to supervise them; customers often order a mixture of food, hot drinks and alcohol so segregated queuing would not work; a safety officer at the club had forbidden handing over cans and plastic bottles to customers as they could then smuggle them into the terraces / seats which is against League rules; pre-pouring drinks does not work because the drinks have to be chilled to a certain temperature so that they pour more quickly, etc.

The Trust still believes some these ideas need to be tried, as the club must be losing out on a large amounts of revenue with the current arrangements.

Graham appealed for 5-6 volunteers to operate the away turnstiles for the upcoming games against Bury on 9th February and against Lincoln City on February 23rd. A large away following is expected for these 2 games, so 5-6 turnstile volunteers would free up 5-6 club staff to help with the catering. Trustee Paul Hodgson immediately volunteered, and if anyone else wants to help with turnstile duty at either of these games, please contact the Trust here.

All the ideas were entirely sensible ones and common at others clubs. Instead they’re dismissed out of hand in ways that echo the worst of what we’ve had before (some of the responses above are utter nonsense and smack of people who can’t be bothered to even try to solve a problem). Instead, the only things are you bail us out. Give us volunteers - without any form of volunteer programme, so we don’t have to find and pay staff.

Maybe he should lead by example and man the turnstiles? Maybe come down and spend a match in the home end? Maybe then fans would be viewed as part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

[Wild Bill]

pre-pouring drinks does not work because the drinks have to be chilled to a certain temperature so that they pour more quickly, etc..

So the reason you usually get a luke-warm can of Carlserg is because they are being temperature-controlled for optimum pouring? Does this explain the continental-sized head they also often serve?

Seems like the Trust are getting nowhere with the board. It may be time to consider a half-time boycott. Not something I'd like to see but perhaps the only way to get their attention.

[Gone_Shrimping]

Maybe the answer is to let a professional catering company run the catering in both ends of the ground at an agreed rate. Also bring back the burger van again at an agreed concessional rate.

[Vinny]

I gave up using the home-end refreshments on a regular basis years ago because of the slow, slow service, often long queue, frequently "none left" and lack of shelter. No chips The whole back of the stand is often a bleak waste of space. Missed money-making opportunities, and poor supporter facility. All unwelcoming.

[KenH]

Maybe the answer is to let a professional catering company run the catering in both ends of the ground at an agreed rate. Also bring back the burger van again at an agreed concessional rate.

I've said many times, we should get in a proper catering/management company for the entire hospitality section of the club, to run the boxes, catering, bar and concourse counters. PNE use such a company for their function rooms who look after the marketing, administration and operations. It's a pretty standard business model for the hospitality industry, i.e. owners of hotels, country houses etc who don't want to run them get a management firm in to do it instead. Such a company would pay rent for the facilities and the club would have no involvement at all - the management company would deal with staffing and run the admin/marketing from their head office.

[Shrimpy]

Maybe the answer is to let a professional catering company run the catering in both ends of the ground at an agreed rate. Also bring back the burger van again at an agreed concessional rate.

I've said many times, we should get in a proper catering/management company for the entire hospitality section of the club, to run the boxes, catering, bar and concourse counters. PNE use such a company for their function rooms who look after the marketing, administration and operations. It's a pretty standard business model for the hospitality industry, i.e. owners of hotels, country houses etc who don't want to run them get a management firm in to do it instead. Such a company would pay rent for the facilities and the club would have no involvement at all - the management company would deal with staffing and run the admin/marketing from their head office.

Are you Joseph Cala? That was what he intended to do if he bought the club.

[KenH]

Are you Joseph Cala? That was what he intended to do if he bought the club.

No, I was saying it long before he appeared.

[Posh]

Maybe the answer is to let a professional catering company run the catering in both ends of the ground at an agreed rate. Also bring back the burger van again at an agreed concessional rate.

May well be the answer. But in the absence of a general manager and without the management that’s there given the freedom to make those changes it will never happen. We can’t even change how we open cans or change how we queue so what chance something like that?