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Longchamp vs Amex catering. Some perspective



jasetheace

New member
Apr 13, 2011
712
Guys, witnessed an astonishing situation at Longchamp yesterday. The course had run out of beer and wine by the 5th race (the arc) of 9. Now that is a Food and Beverages Manager who could not understand his audience. Not sure what is says about the British and Irish raiding party but that is a different question
 


Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
I think the corporate hospitality company may be the same, Sodexo, not sure if they are also the course caterers?

If so, at least it is reassuringly the same on both sides of the channel :smile:
 


edna krabappel

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 7, 2003
47,228
At least they'd never have run out of burger meat though.
 


Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
69,869
Longchamp is a class act, just shades Goodwood in that respect IMHO. Not been to the Arc for a few years now, and maybe its changed, but admission used to be cheap as chips, you got a free racecard as glossy and top quality as any you ever got at any racecourse ever and you had Access All Areas apart from a half dozen seats roped off with a velvet cord that were reserved for the President of France. Best of all, the Pari-Mutuel (Tote equivalent) windows had separate queues for those wishing to bet in units of 1 euro, 10 euros or 100 euros. Not sure how much of that is still the case, but used to be a fantastic weekend away. Take the Eurostar, take a picnic. Maybe the Amex could adopt as a minimum the separate queue system, depending on how much the customer wanted to spend and how much fannying around they were likely to do. Planting a few trees outside the ground would look autumnally pretty also.
 






Guys, witnessed an astonishing situation at Longchamp yesterday. The course had run out of beer and wine by the 5th race (the arc) of 9. Now that is a Food and Beverages Manager who could not understand his audience. Not sure what is says about the British and Irish raiding party but that is a different question

Had half the crowd left by then?
 


Box of Frogs

Zamoras Left Boot
Oct 8, 2003
4,751
Right here, right now
Had they actually run out or was it that the bar staff just didn't know how to work the equipment?!?!
 


jasetheace

New member
Apr 13, 2011
712
Longchamp changing a little bit. Racecards no longer free and entrance fee whilst still cheap compared to UK has effectively doubled from a couple of years back.. The 4 euros to get into St Cloud on the Friday however remains one of the great bargains at a much underrated racecourse.
 




Balders

Well-known member
Aug 19, 2013
282
Longchamp is a class act, just shades Goodwood in that respect IMHO. Not been to the Arc for a few years now, and maybe its changed, but admission used to be cheap as chips, you got a free racecard as glossy and top quality as any you ever got at any racecourse ever and you had Access All Areas apart from a half dozen seats roped off with a velvet cord that were reserved for the President of France. Best of all, the Pari-Mutuel (Tote equivalent) windows had separate queues for those wishing to bet in units of 1 euro, 10 euros or 100 euros. Not sure how much of that is still the case, but used to be a fantastic weekend away. Take the Eurostar, take a picnic. Maybe the Amex could adopt as a minimum the separate queue system, depending on how much the customer wanted to spend and how much fannying around they were likely to do. Planting a few trees outside the ground would look autumnally pretty also.

I used to go the Arc every year for 20+ years up until 2008 and agree with the OP (best racing weekend apart from possibly the Velka Pardubice in Czech Republic but for different reasons lol)

Middle of last week, I had the sudden urge to go this year last minute and checked out the website - was shocked to see that the prices have gone up massively starting from about 20 Euro for the enclosure opposite the stands!! Prices for the Main Stand were being sold dependent on which area of the stand you wanted to frequent............that's not how I remember Arc weekend!

I do recall downloading a free entry voucher one year from the website that was available to all so how times have changed.

I also recall one year the beer running dry but not before the Arc...........so some things don't change.
 


This got me thinking, I've been to Longchamp about a dozen times and have no recollection of buying or even attempting to buy food. Back in the day you were allowed in with your own beer too. Having said that I haven't been since 2007 and that year my beer was refused entry but we managed to blag our way into one of the marquees, we paid £4 a time for them small cans of Kronenbourg but at least there was no queues.

In fairness to the organisers it is the ultimate 'one day a year' as I've been to Longchamp on non Arc race days and you can hear a pin drop.
 


jasetheace

New member
Apr 13, 2011
712
Own beer has now been formally outlawed. However after suffering for over twenty years at the hands of the French stewards, I personally benefited from both Cirrus and Gleneagles being demoted. They had to resuscitate me with smelling salts after the second decision!
 



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