Red & White Bar - Kop Out

[redrobin108]

How many of you have read the Ask Steve forum today !

The supporters comments on the level of service regarding get served food or drink at the ground are growing match by match.

And the response from Steve and Richard are just so negative - just a comment from Richard for you to read

I do not accept that the club takes its supporters for granted. The facilities under the Dolman Stand were developed just 2 short years ago, are free to use, and hugely popular. Everything from additional seats, an inflatable 5 aside pitch for the kids, to betting facilities, have been introduced to provide a facility that is better and bigger than any other club in the UK.

And to pay for this free facility - we pay nearly £3 for a bottle of beer. £3.50 for undercooked chips & Pies.

So is it so free after all .!

[purple_monkey_dishwasher]

And to pay for this free facility - we pay nearly £3 for a bottle of beer. £3.50 for undercooked chips & Pies.

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Quite agree the R&W bar needs a huge overhaul in terms of customer service. Richard Gould is correct to say the hall is potentially a great facility but it's worth nothing if people are waiting 15 minutes to get served at the bar then just giving up and going elsewhere (as I did at the Stockport game).

If it makes you feel any better, I once paid over 50 quid for hospitality and got served with lasagne and a piece of charcoal masquerading as garlic bread. So even the prawn sandwich brigade suffer the same problems.

[Guest Ashton Steve]

Having received Richard Gould's reply to my complaint re The Red & White on Saturday, I have E mailed him personally to answer the points I raised rather than just side step them. I have also asked for an apology given the fact that he didn't bother offering one in his initial response.

If I do get a response I will post it, but I'm not holding my breath!

What he doesn't seem to understand is that the R&W isn't free. We have to pay for a season ticket to gain access, as well as pay the inflated prices for sub-standard food (thats if they have any left when you eventually get served).

Do you pay to enter a pub? Do you pay to enter a fast-food restaurant? No, so why does Mr Gould consider the R&W to be anything special...it isn't.

I agree that we are lucky to have the facility, but unless it is managed properly with decent products at reasonable prices served efficiently then it will never achieve its maximum potential. The Club then becomes a loser and not just the paying "Customer".

[NATCHER]

[quote=Ashton Steve,

I agree that we are lucky to have the facility,

[Milo]

I have to agree that the club seems to take a really arrogant stance at times. I'm increasingly drawn to the SteveL / ColinS forum as their responses often shock and surprise.

Their response to the Red & White bar problems are poor and very defensive. It was nice of them to make an apology on the main site but when you go on to read RG's response as detailed above you start to wonder just how sincere that apology is.

Here's a different subject that highlights an arrogant stance:

The Question

Steve

Complete ticket fiasco outside the atyeo before the game. Arrived at 7.00pm to pick up tickets, got into the ground at 7.52pm due to huge queues because tickets for surnames A-F being lost! So missed the start due to poor administration. Steward said all could be seen on cctv but game wasn't delayed. Admittedly got our moneys worth last night but needs to be looked at for the future as was starting to turn nasty at one point.

Response:

There was some queuing prior to the Everton game but this was for 2 reasons.

1. A new requirement to obtain signatures for credit card purchases.

2. The late arrival of many fans.

We are unaware of any lost tickets and certainly having spoken to the Ticket Office Manager and the Operations Manager, they confirm this. Also the waiting time to pick up tickets was approximately 10/15 minutes and certainly not 52 minutes. Bearing in mind that many hundreds turned up well after 7 p.m. and yet everyone was in the ground by 7.55, I am surprised that you had to wait so long.

Colin

In other words "We don't believe you, and if you pesky customers will insist on finishing your dinner before setting out then more fool you."

What was wrong with answering along the lines of "I'm sorry that you had to wait so long. I've looked into the problem, which stemmed from a new requirement to obtain signatures for credit card purchases. We're having a meeting to discuss ways of improving this process and we'll do everything possible to avoid a repeat at the next big cup match."

Who gained anything from CS's decision to insist that the poster must have been mistaken. When you read a shoddy arrogant stance from the Chief Exec you start to understand how this can ripple out to staff that report to him.

[Guest N1 Jim]

I cannot believe this stuff about it being free.It shows the ignorance of the man.

When I am not watching City I go to grounds all over from non league to premiership and they are normally happy to take your money and make profit on beer and food and not charge a fee.

His statement that we have the best facilites in the UK is incredible. I personally have no ideal why you would want to use the Red and White Bar when there are so many decent boozers sellin proper beer/cider within staggering distance but it's quite simple don't bother with it.

[claloudav]

http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=24818

me thinks a joint campaign to improve all kisosks and the bar at ashton gate

[DOLMANDAN]

Yeah and to top it all the door staff would not let me and my son in because there were to many people in the bar.Would not have minded but it was pissing down with rain.What a way to treat season ticket holders.Not happy NOT HAPPY AT ALL

[054123]

Yeah and to top it all the door staff would  not let me and my son in because there were to many people in the bar.Would not have minded but it was pissing down with rain.What a way to treat season ticket holders.Not happy NOT HAPPY AT ALL

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I was completely unaware until saturday that we had to enter the bar via another entrance if we wish to drink before the game in there. I presume the entrance is somewhere up the lane past the last turnstile?

[Guest mnporter2001]

I don't care how many people i pi*s off with this but the simple facts are this

1/ We are in the 2nd(league1) division name other clubs that even have a bar inside the ground, there isnt many

2/ I am happy as larry because i can have a drink at half time

3/ The people on ask steve etc are full of ###t i went to the bar on saturday for obvious reasons(score line) and i managed to get 3 down my neck so waiting time is not a problem i sugest the manners of some people in there swearing at the staff etc would delay service

4/ The price- i drink ye cider ok £2.50 a bit on the pricey side but hell there isnt any competition in there is and it benefits the club you all keep SLAGING OFF

5/ YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE IN THERE IF YOU don't LIKE IT don't GO IN THERE

simple isnt it

and i will keep going in the red and white

my views only

mark

[Gerry Gows' Tash]

I was completely unaware until saturday that we had to enter the bar via another entrance if we wish to drink before the game in there. I presume the entrance is somewhere up the lane past the last turnstile?

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There is an entrance up the lane behind the Dolman, about half way along. I though it was for Season Ticket holder (like me) whose seats were not in the Dolman and that Dolman ST holders went in the entrance inside the ground but maybe I'm wrong.

[054123]

There is an entrance up the lane behind the Dolman, about half way along.  I though it was for Season Ticket holder (like me) whose seats were not in the Dolman and that Dolman ST holders went in the entrance inside the ground but maybe I'm wrong.

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Nah, the bouncer seemed quite adament that it was exit only. Bit of a jobsworth as it was an honest mistake! I had to endure almost an hour in the ground before kick off! I haven't done that for years and it was extremly painful!

[Gerry Gows' Tash]

Nah, the bouncer seemed quite adament that it was exit only. Bit of a jobsworth as it was an honest mistake! I had to endure almost an hour in the ground before kick off! I haven't done that for years and it was extremly painful!

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That was only on last Saturday, I got there at about 2:15 and they were operating a "one in one out" queuing system. God knows why it was half empty when I got in there.

[The Man In Black]

Yeah and to top it all the door staff would  not let me and my son in because there were to many people in the bar.Would not have minded but it was pissing down with rain.What a way to treat season ticket holders.Not happy NOT HAPPY AT ALL

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I suppose that would be something to do with the liqour or entertainment licence - they can restrict the number of people in the building.

Unfortunately, if caught with too many people in the facility, "it was raining" wouldn't wash and we'd lose the licence.

Also imagine the bad publicity for the club if there was a crushing incident in the hall

[Guest bristolbred]

1/ We are in the 2nd(league1) division name other clubs that even have a bar inside the ground, there isnt many

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Should that not be Division 3 ??, as the so called Premier league is actually Division 1, and the stupidly named Championship is actually Division 2.

So that really makes us a struggling Division 3 side!!,

Until Coca-cola Media experts and Marketing Monkies chose a new name, or regionalise us like the old days!!,

[Guest bristolbred]

Yeah and to top it all the door staff would  not let me and my son in because there were to many people in the bar.Would not have minded but it was pissing down with rain.What a way to treat season ticket holders.Not happy NOT HAPPY AT ALL

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Football, unlike most things you buy, isn't protected for the consumer, because even though you buy things as a customer, the club will always be quick to point out that you are indeed a supporter!!

So you are indeed supporting the club with your money, either by season ticket, or by buying your ticket at each game, it only entitles you to the seat on the ticket, or entry to that stand.

It does not entitle you to decent Bars, Food outlets, Drink stands, etc, just a place to go to the toilet, and thats your lot!!.

If it was protected by the consumers act, then most clubs would fold tomorrow, because if the team played rubbish, you'd be asking for a refund!!, and the clubs couldn't afford to do that!!.

[purple_monkey_dishwasher]

3/ The people on ask steve etc are full of ###t i went to the bar on saturday for obvious reasons(score line) and i managed to get 3 down my neck so waiting time is not a problem i sugest the manners of some people  in there swearing at the staff etc would delay service

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Before the Stockport game I waited paitently at the bar for 15 minutes and could not get served. I did not witness anybody being rude to staff, or staff being rude to customers. All I witnessed was many customers being served by far too few staff.

When I reported what happened on the SteveL forum I did so politely and with constructive comments on how to improve service, not by just simply complaining.

My ideas for implementing a queuing system and pre-pouring pints have apparently already been adopted for the half time rush. However, until they are implemented pre-match as well I shall be taking my business elsewhere in future, as you suggest.

Your idea that those of us who report problems are "full of ****" is utterly false, but unfortunately some of the replies offered by Colin Sexstone and Richard Gould which basically deny that any such problems have occurred make me wonder if they feel the same way too (although, presumably with politer language).

I state again, the R&W bar *could* be a great place to go pre-match, but until customer service is improved, it'll be a last resort for me.

[Guest bristolbred]

[quote=Ashton Steve,

The clubs response to this is very arrogant.

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The management will always be arrogant if they post the wrong reply, but they could of worded it better. And if we were lucky to get promotion to a higher league, ( i know, promotion only means up!!, but i'm typing with poetic licence here!!) they know full well, that a lot of money would have to be spent bringing Ashton Gate into the 21st Century, as well as catering for increased crowd numbers, BUT you wouldn't see Steve L, or Richard G, or Colin S standing in front of you while you queue for a Pie and Bovril, taking 20 odd minutes to get served, or being served by someone whose first language isn't english. If you could get them away from their Ivory Tower that is hospitality, then they might understand where the gripes and genuine complants are coming from.