This Argus letter writer doesn't rate the Amex catering too highly

[timbha]

why does this loyal fan find it necessary to rubbish the club in the Argus who print almost everything without validating?
I wonder what the writer would do if he has a bad meal somewhere else. Does he write to the Argus when his fish and chips have a few burnt bits?

1901ers have been moaning about the catering for two years. They seem to complain about most things.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

It's mental but if these fools keep paying it for what looks like utter gash then......

 

[shabba]

Yes he does have a point, I had considered writing to the club myself. The club has a duty to provide good food, good service at affordable prices, then they will fill the stadium with diners and then they will make a profit!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

There is something rotten in The Albion's decision makers right now.

This.

 

[perseus]

Third division grub stakes now.

 

[niknokseagull]

Exactly. We all want the club to maximise the income from catering, but that won't be achieved by just jacking up the prices to an eye-watering level, lowering the service and quality to an absolute minimum - and then relying on a mixture of loyalty and a supposedly captive market to generate the increased income. (And that principle applies outside the posh seats as well).

Exactly right. This has even happened on the Candy Wagon. The former joy to be found in the ritual purchase of a bag of sour dummies has been dented slightly this season by the fact that there is has been a significant reduction in the number of dummies in each bag (guessing we've gone from 150g previously to the current 110g), the quality is markedly worse with many broken or disfigured and to top it all, the price has gone up 20p a bag.

Barber out?

 

[APACHE]

Surely the answer to all this is, that if it's so bad don't buy it. If the club can't sell it, food or drink, in any part of the ground they will have to get it sorted if they want to make decent money. Again if it's not good value, don't buy it.

 

[Rugrat]

I'll refer back ..... again .... to my post #43.

I think we are in agreement ... see my post #24

 

[The Large One]

why does this loyal fan find it necessary to rubbish the club in the Argus who print almost everything without validating?
I wonder what the writer would do if he has a bad meal somewhere else.

Is he rubbishing the club? I don't see where he is doing that. He is unhappy with Paul Barber's response to people not eating at the stadium.

Does he write to the Argus when his fish and chips have a few burnt bits?

He might if the fish & chip shop in question sent an article to any given publication criticising customers for not coming along any more.

1901ers have been moaning about the catering for two years. They seem to complain about most things.

Oh, OK, so they should stop then? Right you are.

 

[Gilliver's Travels]

When the East Stand Brasserie opened in 2011, I thought the whole lunch experience was pretty fantastic – hardly cheap, but an excellent occasional treat. Food surprisingly good, price a bit high but not eye-wateringly. That was then. I understand it's closed altogether now – and no longer operates post-match as a bar? How so? Extraordinary.

Like others, I'm astonished that, after two years of trying, the Albion seem to have made such a hash of catering at the Amex. But, unlike others, I don't see it as something to go to war over. I come to the Amex for the football. Anything else may be a bonus.

These days, The Swan gets my pre-match business. It's an absolute pleasure to eat and drink there among fellow fans, with quality and price never an issue. Granted, it'll never cater for 26,000. Which is probably the secret of its success. Meanwhile, the Amex goes into the box marked 'Avoid at all costs'. So sad.

 

[rool]

These days, The Swan gets my pre-match business. It's an absolute pleasure to eat and drink there among fellow fans, with quality and price never an issue. Granted, it'll never cater for 26,000. Which is probably the secret of its success. Meanwhile, the Amex goes into the box marked 'Avoid at all costs'. So sad.

I need to try this. What is it like post match? I usually hang around to get the 18:52 Victoria train from Lewes but the North concourse has been noticeably quieter this season and all the TV's were turned off really early last Saturday so there seemed no point sticking around.

 

[Superphil]

When the East Stand Brasserie opened in 2011, I thought the whole lunch experience was pretty fantastic – hardly cheap, but an excellent occasional treat. Food surprisingly good, price a bit high but not eye-wateringly. That was then. I understand it's closed altogether now – and no longer operates post-match as a bar? How so? Extraordinary.

Like others, I'm astonished that, after two years of trying, the Albion seem to have made such a hash of catering at the Amex. But, unlike others, I don't see it as something to go to war over. I come to the Amex for the football. Anything else may be a bonus.

These days, The Swan gets my pre-match business. It's an absolute pleasure to eat and drink there among fellow fans, with quality and price never an issue. Granted, it'll never cater for 26,000. Which is probably the secret of its success. Meanwhile, the Amex goes into the box marked 'Avoid at all costs'. So sad.

I need to try this. What is it like post match? I usually hang around to get the 18:52 Victoria train from Lewes but the North concourse has been noticeably quieter this season and all the TV's were turned off really early last Saturday so there seemed no point sticking around.

It is comments like this that the club needs to take notice of, no offence to timbha and others who feel the complaining is disproportionate, it may seem that way to you, however, the club had a winning formula, which may have been costing too much, but they have turned it into a losing debacle in such a short space of time, it is a real shame. The current climate for many business means it is a buyers market, and normally (certainly in my business) the sellers have to both raise their game to out perform the competition, and at the same time reduce costs, not, as it seems at the Albion, reduce costs, reduce the quality and increase the prices.

 

[maltaseagull]

Originally Posted by dwayne View Post
i had a meal at jean georges in new york last week which is a 3* michelin restaurant .... $38 (around £26) for 2 courses.


Too far to go for the game though!

 

[Brovion]

Exactly right. This has even happened on the Candy Wagon. The former joy to be found in the ritual purchase of a bag of sour dummies has been dented slightly this season by the fact that there is has been a significant reduction in the number of dummies in each bag (guessing we've gone from 150g previously to the current 110g), the quality is markedly worse with many broken or disfigured and to top it all, the price has gone up 20p a bag.

Barber out?

No, definitely not Barber Out. He's got a difficult job (and in the case of implementing the Transport Plan a damn near impossible job) but it IS a balancing act and the club don't always get it right. A new CEO would have the same targets and would simply make the same mistakes.

I *inserts tongue into cheek* blame all those people who insisted that they were fans not customers. If you're a fan then by definition when it comes to buying stuff you're a bit of a mug punter, i.e. you'll pay almost anything for almost anything because if you don't you'll feel that you're being disloyal. Customers on the other hand know that their custom should be valued as they can go elsewhere. From a football point of view of course we can't - but from a food and drink point of view we can.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Isn't this about choice?

If I'm hungry (as I will be this lunchtime) I can go to the local deli and pick up a cheese and pickle baguette or get in a cab and go to Claridge's.

I will probably choose the baguette by the way.

Similarly with football, some people think the food and beer is too expensive, so don't buy it others, like me, think I'd like it therefore I'll buy it. I wouldn't often consider a three course lunch before a match because it's not what I'd want, however, for that special occasion I'd look at the price, what's on offer and make my decision.

Nobody is forcing 1901s to buy it, are they?

Why not have your posh nosh in Brighton pre-match and then pop to The Amex for a final pint before sitting down to watch the game.

Markets forces will always dictate the price of these event catering deals, if nobody buys it the price will come down or the offering will change.

 

[Rugrat]

Nobody is forcing 1901s to buy it, are they?

Why not have your posh nosh in Brighton pre-match and then pop to The Amex for a final pint before sitting down to watch the game.

It's all part of "the experience" .. which is way the Swan is packed to the rafters pre match. I think many want to make more of it than just the match and for me pre match is about a few beers, some nosh etc.

I'm not a 1901 but I guess they bought into this as well and the Amex was like their Swan ... but they've been priced out and the quality has gone down the pan. I can see where they are coming from

 

[KingstonSeagull]

Yes and the burgers are always either overcooked or the rolls are as hard as a rock. Not value for money IMHO. The catering at Withdean was pretty horrendous but at least you could get chips. Still like everything else you can choose to eat at the Amex or not, and as Mr Barber wants to treat us as customers he will realise that this is one part of the Amex experience we can choose to do or not.

My burger bun was rock solid last week... So grim

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Yes he does have a point, I had considered writing to the club myself. The club has a duty to provide good food, good service at affordable prices, then they will fill the stadium with diners and then they will make a profit!

"The club have a duty ..."

Do they?

Aren't we losing sight of what the "collective" feeling of what the club's "duty" is. For me, "Food" is way down the list behind ... Premiership Football, a safe environment, affordable season tickets and match day tickets, interaction with the Community it serves, not becoming a Franchise only interested in periphery activities (i.e. fine dining) and the list possibly goes on before I get to "Food". But that's just for me?

 

[BensGrandad]

what you have to remember is that to quote PB Sodexo one of the worlds best catering companies.

 

[Brovion]

Isn't this about choice?

If I'm hungry (as I will be this lunchtime) I can go to the local deli and pick up a cheese and pickle baguette or get in a cab and go to Claridge's.

I will probably choose the baguette by the way.

Similarly with football, some people think the food and beer is too expensive, so don't buy it others, like me, think I'd like it therefore I'll buy it. I wouldn't often consider a three course lunch before a match because it's not what I'd want, however, for that special occasion I'd look at the price, what's on offer and make my decision.

Nobody is forcing 1901s to buy it, are they?

Why not have your posh nosh in Brighton pre-match and then pop to The Amex for a final pint before sitting down to watch the game.

Markets forces will always dictate the price of these event catering deals, if nobody buys it the price will come down or the offering will change.

Yes of course it's about choice. But why does the FOOTBALL club even offer food? It's to try and make more money so that people don't sit on NSC and moan all through the transfer windows that we haven't signed anybody decent. People are just offering their opinions on how this particular branch of the club's revenue stream can be maximised. Hopefully your last sentence about market forces will prove to be accurate.