Catering nothings changed

[roversdude]

The power to change things is in your own hands....

Why not, the night before a game, put an extra pie / burger / sausage roll in the oven. Sleep with it under the duvet to keep it lukewarm, transfer to a sweaty sock to transport it to the ground. Wait until half time and then moan about it whilst moaning about everything else you can think of (including the overflowing bog). At least you'll save the queue and you won't be able to complain about the price.

Nobody ever complained about standing in the river of pi$$ whilst buying a BV burger. Although to be fair, it was a better burger 

Ahhh the good old days

[wing commander]

  Times and football have moved on PDS...You sort of expected it at Belle Vue because those facilities were in keeping with everything else ..Ramshackle...The club was skint to the point that volunteers were always asked to paint the place red in the close season (I did it once..lol)..Nobody expected the toilets to work because frankly they never had..
   Roll on a few years and things have changed..The keepmoat's a great stadium all the facilities are there...They just need utilising to the best of their ability and people cant understand why in places they are not, because maximising revenue is what it's all about..The club in everything else can hardly be faulted these days with the efforts they and our supporter officials make...
   Whilst I am a critic of the food and customer service on the concourses and always have been,i know that elsewhere in the stadium the food is lovely and the service exemplary..Someone I know had a meal in the east stand before our home game and couldn't fault it...So credit were it's due....The bvb is well received as well....So I cant understand why they cant make it work on the concourses and nobody seems to be able to address it...I've come to the conclusion that in centreplates eyes,the concourse catering is a necessary evil,they don't believe that putting better food and better service staff will give them a return on there money and it's the events were the money is,so that's what gets the attention and effort and the rest seems a inconvenience..

[redwine]

Absolutely spot on, wing commander.

[not on facebook]

What was the catering set up like at ewood park for the Blackburn v donny game?

There was over a 1000 rovers away fans and I guess a good % had half time munchies .

Must be some feed back out there

[DannyRovers]

They had someone on til and someone doing the running around so money could be paid whilst another could get your food. To keep the queues orderly there was an in gate and an out gate stopping people from getting in each others way. From what i could see they had plenty of food ready to go, with pies etc in a heated cupboard and chips and burgers under heated lights too ready to serve. Took me all of 2 mins to get my food.

The food was decent as well.

[Mike_F]

   That's a great point Wes although on the pop side there were 2 huts yet it didn't feel as long and the food felt better and hotter..Wether that was an illusion of the mind because I hate  being taking advantage of I don't know...But you could stand and watch the game/half time entertainment while you waited...
  You could also buy a burger and Bovril after 50 mins of the game,a concept alien to the current set up...That's progress for you..

One match last season (can't remember which one but it doesn't really matter) I was astounded to find the kiosk closed about 50 minutes into the game. It was freezing cold and I said to my dad that I'd nip down for a couple of Bovrils only to find the shutters down. I've come to accept the dreadful quality of food and piss-poor service on the concourse but when push comes to shove and I want to buy something there I don't think it's unreasonable to expect them to be open during the match!

[roversdude]

Sorry to harp on about this but another reason for queues in West Stand is that not all outlets are open pushing more into same outlet.
The one nearest to South Stand is never open - I'm pretty sure there was a promise to have them all open

[MrFrost]

Sorry to harp on about this but another reason for queues in West Stand is that not all outlets are open pushing more into same outlet.
The one nearest to South Stand is never open - I'm pretty sure there was a promise to have them all open

Only two out of four are usually open in the West Stand.

I wish they'd bring back the Dominos pizzas.

[wing commander]

Oh the irony...!!!!!!         

   I've been playing a free game on my phone called "football chairman" it's the standard football manager type thing but as a chairman instead...As I've worked my way up the leagues I've been spending all my money on the team and neglecting the stadium renovations...

  After a sell out league game against one of our rivals I got the message flashed up   "fans are furious that the queues for food and merchandise were far to long and had run out of food...You can improve the catering facilities and future revenue for £20k press accept or ignore to continue"

The term practise what you preach comes to mind....haha

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Sorry to harp on about this but another reason for queues in West Stand is that not all outlets are open pushing more into same outlet.
The one nearest to South Stand is never open - I'm pretty sure there was a promise to have them all open

Only two out of four are usually open in the West Stand.

I wish they'd bring back the Dominos pizzas.

They were all open v Gillingham and have been since there was another episode mid last season sometime.

[roversdude]

Beg to differ with that v Gillingham

[5minstogo]

Just to reignite this.....

Went and got my usual pre match pie today and no problems at all.

Went down two minutes before half time to get a bottle of pop, queues not too bad and moving fairly quickly. All great until I noticed while queueing that.....

1. Chips and curry is a menu option but hasn't been available for months.

2. No chips.

3. No cheese for cheeseburgers.

4. Only meat and potato pies available. All others sold out

5. Orders being taken for items not available so refunds having to be given.

Not a problem for me and my bottle of pop but must've been infuriating for those queueing for food.

[MrFrost]

I went down for a pint on 42 mins. One person in the queue in front of me.

I eventually got served with 3 minutes to spare before half time. The lager needed changing, but no one knew how to do it.

Bought a bottle of lager instead, and it was warm. Lad said the fridge was broken and had been for weeks.

I keep saying never again but I keep going back.

No doubt we've had more letters of praise this week so the club won't care.

[roversdude]

I've just totally given up on it
Will take great changes to regain my faith and custom

[RoversAlias]

I went down for a pint on 42 mins. One person in the queue in front of me.

I eventually got served with 3 minutes to spare before half time. The lager needed changing, but no one knew how to do it.

Bought a bottle of lager instead, and it was warm. Lad said the fridge was broken and had been for weeks.

I keep saying never again but I keep going back.

No doubt we've had more letters of praise this week so the club won't care.

It's utterly ridiculous, that. No outlet in the world should be allowed to get away with problems as fundamental and ridiculous as a broken fridge for weeks on end, or nobody knowing how to change the lager.

[MrFrost]

I went down for a pint on 42 mins. One person in the queue in front of me.

I eventually got served with 3 minutes to spare before half time. The lager needed changing, but no one knew how to do it.

Bought a bottle of lager instead, and it was warm. Lad said the fridge was broken and had been for weeks.

I keep saying never again but I keep going back.

No doubt we've had more letters of praise this week so the club won't care.

It's utterly ridiculous, that. No outlet in the world should be allowed to get away with problems as fundamental and ridiculous as a broken fridge for weeks on end, or nobody knowing how to change the lager.

To be honest it was laughable. Spotty teens all scratching their heads. In the end it was a bloke in the queue who suggested changing the barrel. They had to go and get someone from another kiosk to do it.

Bonkers

[idler]

The 1879 in the BVB was crap today. Anywhere but the Rovers and I would have taken them back.

[Dagenham Rover]

Interestingly I I had a pint on the South concourse today, I don't normally as Ive had enough of the catering there.
 However a couple of comments, the fronts of the pumps telling the customer whats being poured have gone and been moved  to where the staff can see them sorry centreplate that is b*llocks its the customer who is king and wants to know what they are buying and what you are pouring along with alcohol % etc   not your untrained staff who can't work out pump A is bitter pump B is lager leave the frontage to the pump om the customer side and mark the bar side with sticky labels or similar  same as any other bloody high volume high staff turnover establishment ! (although to be fair  I was served in a timely manner although it was early on)


However price list says  Lager 3.40 pint there is no mention of brand or anything it just says Lager you could be getting asda pisswater 2% proof!   below that it says Budweiser £3.50 a pint  now interestingly I asked for a pint of lager and was charged 3.50 errm I didn't ask for Bud I asked for lager and couldn't be bothered  to argue
 

I would suggest that the price lists and signage could actually be illegal   

[MrFrost]

Interestingly I I had a pint on the South concourse today, I don't normally as Ive had enough of the catering there.
 However a couple of comments, the fronts of the pumps telling the customer whats being poured have gone and been moved  to where the staff can see them sorry centreplate that is b*llocks its the customer who is king and wants to know what they are buying and what you a pouring along with alcohol % etc   not your untrained staff (although to be fair  I was served in a timely manner although it was early on)

However price list says  Lager 3.40 pint there is no mention of brand or anything it just says Lager you could be getting asda pisswater 2% proof!   below that it says Budweiser £3.50 a pint  now interestingly I asked for a pint of lager and was charged 3.50 errm I didn't ask for Bud I asked for lager  

I would suggest that the price lists and signage could actually be illegal   

Interestingly I I had a pint on the South concourse today, I don't normally as Ive had enough of the catering there.
 However a couple of comments, the fronts of the pumps telling the customer whats being poured have gone and been moved  to where the staff can see them sorry centreplate that is b*llocks its the customer who is king and wants to know what they are buying and what you a pouring along with alcohol % etc   not your untrained staff (although to be fair  I was served in a timely manner although it was early on)

However price list says  Lager 3.40 pint there is no mention of brand or anything it just says Lager you could be getting asda pisswater 2% proof!   below that it says Budweiser £3.50 a pint  now interestingly I asked for a pint of lager and was charged 3.50 errm I didn't ask for Bud I asked for lager  

I would suggest that the price lists and signage could actually be illegal   

If they aren't serving what is advertised then yes, it is an offence.

[Dagenham Rover]

Interestingly I I had a pint on the South concourse today, I don't normally as Ive had enough of the catering there.
 However a couple of comments, the fronts of the pumps telling the customer whats being poured have gone and been moved  to where the staff can see them sorry centreplate that is b*llocks its the customer who is king and wants to know what they are buying and what you a pouring along with alcohol % etc   not your untrained staff (although to be fair  I was served in a timely manner although it was early on)

However price list says  Lager 3.40 pint there is no mention of brand or anything it just says Lager you could be getting asda pisswater 2% proof!   below that it says Budweiser £3.50 a pint  now interestingly I asked for a pint of lager and was charged 3.50 errm I didn't ask for Bud I asked for lager  

I would suggest that the price lists and signage could actually be illegal   

Interestingly I I had a pint on the South concourse today, I don't normally as Ive had enough of the catering there.
 However a couple of comments, the fronts of the pumps telling the customer whats being poured have gone and been moved  to where the staff can see them sorry centreplate that is b*llocks its the customer who is king and wants to know what they are buying and what you a pouring along with alcohol % etc   not your untrained staff (although to be fair  I was served in a timely manner although it was early on)

However price list says  Lager 3.40 pint there is no mention of brand or anything it just says Lager you could be getting asda pisswater 2% proof!   below that it says Budweiser £3.50 a pint  now interestingly I asked for a pint of lager and was charged 3.50 errm I didn't ask for Bud I asked for lager  

I would suggest that the price lists and signage could actually be illegal   

If they aren't serving what is advertised then yes, it is an offence.

tbh Frosty I was refering more to the fact the customer can't see whats being poured  because the pump fronts have been moved so staff can see them! and the main pricelists just say lager 3.40 now you could be getting 9% rocket fuel or you could be getting 2% pisswater that I would suggest is illegal the customer has to be able to make an informed decision on what they want to buy
and then perhaps we have a whole new argument who is responsible centreplate or the club  and I wouldn't presume that if that came to a legal argument centreplate would get the blame

[not on facebook]

Interestingly I I had a pint on the South concourse today, I don't normally as Ive had enough of the catering there.
 However a couple of comments, the fronts of the pumps telling the customer whats being poured have gone and been moved  to where the staff can see them sorry centreplate that is b*llocks its the customer who is king and wants to know what they are buying and what you a pouring along with alcohol % etc   not your untrained staff (although to be fair  I was served in a timely manner although it was early on)

However price list says  Lager 3.40 pint there is no mention of brand or anything it just says Lager you could be getting asda pisswater 2% proof!   below that it says Budweiser £3.50 a pint  now interestingly I asked for a pint of lager and was charged 3.50 errm I didn't ask for Bud I asked for lager  

I would suggest that the price lists and signage could actually be illegal   

Interestingly I I had a pint on the South concourse today, I don't normally as Ive had enough of the catering there.
 However a couple of comments, the fronts of the pumps telling the customer whats being poured have gone and been moved  to where the staff can see them sorry centreplate that is b*llocks its the customer who is king and wants to know what they are buying and what you a pouring along with alcohol % etc   not your untrained staff (although to be fair  I was served in a timely manner although it was early on)

However price list says  Lager 3.40 pint there is no mention of brand or anything it just says Lager you could be getting asda pisswater 2% proof!   below that it says Budweiser £3.50 a pint  now interestingly I asked for a pint of lager and was charged 3.50 errm I didn't ask for Bud I asked for lager  

I would suggest that the price lists and signage could actually be illegal   

If they aren't serving what is advertised then yes, it is an offence.

Sure the said offence is called passing off as in you have coke cola pumps but are serving rolla cola from said pumps.

[hoolahoop]

Service in the BVB abysmal as always , it's simply not quick enough. It's ridiculous having someone  glassblowing ( yes she took that long ), 3 serving, 1 on pies and 50-60 in the queue . It took just short of 20 minutes to get served and ONLY because folk peeled off out of the queue in front of me complaining . Revenue lost on pies , ale and pop is astronomical if replicated throughout the place - this has been going on years and years and years.

It's time the directors went undercover and checked out some of the reasons  they have had to dip so far into their own pockets these last few years.

Those players we couldn't afford etc. are partly down to this and as for the apology of a club shop.....

[roversdude]

Talking of club shop - thought I'd treat myself to a new mug for the office
Paid and presented my season ticket, lad looked at it and then charged me full price - when I queried this I was informed that discount is only on items over £10
There was a sign behind counter highlighting the discount, guess what the £10 bit was in much smaller writing at the bottom

[colincramb]

I don't know what the answer is to this customer service shambles, but at the moment it feels like it's worse than it's ever been. And for everybody that says "it's a football stadium, not the four seasons" I say b*llocks. The knights appear to have it nailed down and it shows with the amount of people buying food and drink there.

Surely, surely there is somebody at the club that can try to get a grip on this? It's costing us money, pure and simple. As a business we can't afford to lose customers!

[hoolahoop]

I don't know what the answer is to this customer service shambles, but at the moment it feels like it's worse than it's ever been. And for everybody that says "it's a football stadium, not the four seasons" I say b*llocks. The knights appear to have it nailed down and it shows with the amount of people buying food and drink there.

Surely, surely there is somebody at the club that can try to get a grip on this? It's costing us money, pure and simple. As a business we can't afford to lose customers!

It's getting to the point that even when desperate we no longer WANT to be those customers. You go for a pre- match chat and a pint and find yourself constantly queuing and throwing good social time away . Get some more staff on in the BVB  and in the Concourses pronto. Food should be hot, available and efficiently served.

Then the customers will buy in their numbers and the investment in training and extra staff will bring dividends for all concerned.

Please...........

[weststander]

Looks like plenty of examples to form a discussion at the next Meet the Owners event on 11 Sept

[DonnyBazR0ver]

The queues in the BVB ebb and flow and if you're unlucky you could be queuing to the door. 10 mins either side and you could be served quite quickly.

Now they've established the bar outside, the next stage is to served draught ale from a mobile pump which will help relieve the pressure on the queues.

The 'Square' as it's now called outside needs expanding however, in the long term they could do with extending the BVB outwards and having a second bar in there.

For me, they've changed the atmosphere in there by ripping the carpet out which used to absorb the noise much better. Announcing the team and interviewing a player (Alfie Beestin) yesterday unfortunately doesn't work as nobody can hear it.

Overall though, there's always scope for improvement, but it's still my preferred option for a prematch pint.

[drfchound]

Looks like plenty of examples to form a discussion at the next Meet the Owners event on 11 Sept

I reckon that the usual "we are trying to improve this" type of responses will be trolled out and it will be accepted and move on to the next point.

[Donnywolf]

Just print this out and read it as a question at some point. Its the 3rd time I have posted it on this thread and the 8th time ever - and I believe it is still as valid as the day I first wrote it !

We as Forum Posters / Fans / general know all's can suggest / cajole / offer "imo" type solutions - some very good - but unless ANYONE with the power to change things sits up and a) takes more than a passing interest and b) takes effective action  then NOTHING is going to get any better any time soon

I know people will say / have said they don't bother any more and in that way they are immune from what happens on the Concourses but for the ones that DO want to buy food this whole (holistic) Catering thing needs solving from the quality to the quantity to the quite lengthy waits !

[roversdude]

DW if the offerings were quality and served in a timely manner I would use the amenities - not a prayer in its current guise