Service on the concourses

InglebyUTB

Well-known member
I missed the first two games with work and holiday so I have no idea what it was like then, but queues in the east stand on Saturday were ridiculous.

Got there at 2pm and got served ok. Come 2:30 there was no chance.

Daughter wanted something to eat at half-time so we came down about the 40th minute, absolutely no chance. Decided I'd go down and get her the food once the game had restarted, so I'd just see if I can maybe get a pint now at half time aaaaand the queues at the bars massive and not going anywhere fast.

All the mobile units serving food and drinks seem to have gone, I assume COVID?

It was mentioned years ago on the old forum about them getting those draught machines that pull multiple pints at once, that's obviously not happened.

I mean, would it that hard to get someone stood there with a fridge full of plastic bottles and a contactless card reader?

Hopefully they look at it as people would spend more money if they could actually get served and it would improve the matchday experience if you didn't have to miss 10-15 minutes of the action to get anything to eat or drink.
 
Saturday in the north stand was a thousand times better than the Bristol City game. Could go stand outside by the river in the sunshine at half time too.
 
They were massively short staffed - due to covid and pinging etc first game - and thus mobile units couldn't be operated. Also vast majority of staff were brand new. So, it looks like these problems are still continuing in some of the stands.
 
They were massively short staffed - due to covid and pinging etc first game - and thus mobile units couldn't be operated. Also vast majority of staff were brand new. So, it looks like these problems are still continuing in some of the stands.
They were brand new!

Bloke next to me asked for 2 Red wines, the young lad brought him Rose, when it was pointed out to him that it should have been Red wine the young lad looked baffled and asked what the difference was!
 
South West upper on Saturday was reasonable, got a pint straight away about 2.15 and food straight away at half time.

I can't think of any pub or other establishment that would cope any better when so many rush for a pint at halt time or just before the game.
 
East stand was a shocker again - not quite Bristol level but you had solid huge queues for food and drink from 2.20 onwards and pointless trying to get food or drink at half time if you wanted to see the start of the second half. - loads of people giving up and not bothering and a bit of a sickener for the club as they must have lost the opportunity for a lot of sales. All extra concessions shut in the East stand again used to get a pasta of bottle of beer there - the poor staff were run off the feet with a number of service points not being used? Assumed not enough staff due to COVID but fair play to those who worked Saturday as they were busy and took abuse from some who queued in card only queue and then demanded to pay in cash!
 
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I think the service in teh NW and SW corners is the best in the ground. Possibly due to the shape of the ground there seems to be more space per person. They tend to the cheapest seats too so possibly there are fewer people buying drinks etc?
 
I think the service in teh NW and SW corners is the best in the ground. Possibly due to the shape of the ground there seems to be more space per person. They tend to the cheapest seats too so possibly there are fewer people buying drinks etc?
Service in the SW hasn't been great - it was better on Saturday but still not close to how it used to be. That said definite progress has been seen from game 1 to game 2 and then game 3.
 
South West upper on Saturday was reasonable, got a pint straight away about 2.15 and food straight away at half time.

I can't think of any pub or other establishment that would cope any better when so many rush for a pint at halt time or just before the game.

I've been to several away grounds that have done it a lot better.

This has been a problem for years, well before COVID and hasn't been resolved.
 
They were brand new!

Bloke next to me asked for 2 Red wines, the young lad brought him Rose, when it was pointed out to him that it should have been Red wine the young lad looked baffled and asked what the difference was!

Tell me about it, I asked for a 2018 Château Lafite Rothschild, and they had the audacity to bring me a 2019 Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon.

Its a disgrace.

Everyone knows the 2019 Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon doesn't go with a mince and onion pie.
 
I've not been this year, do they still have the same person pulling pints as taking orders/ payments? And would they be doing this if, not short staffed?

Maybe if they're short-staffed they should say so before the game, so people know what to expect/ not expect?

They should just start pulling pints at 1:30pm, none stop like how McDonalds just keep making burgers, and you get the one that's been there longest, but it would never have been there longer than 5 minutes etc.

Or use those 16 pint machines, which have been around for about 20 years at festivals.

Last time I went they had people stood around early doors or on the go-slow, when they could have been pre-empting the rush and getting prepared for the onslaught.

Do they have contactless/ cashless bars yet?

Is there an option for vending machines, even scanning an i.d for booze?

It's about time they just let people booze in the stands though, subject to being more responsible and maybe a bit tougher on those who spoil it for others.
 
I've not been this year, do they still have the same person pulling pints as taking orders/ payments? And would they be doing this if, not short staffed?

Maybe if they're short-staffed they should say so before the game, so people know what to expect/ not expect?

They should just start pulling pints at 1:30pm, none stop like how McDonalds just keep making burgers, and you get the one that's been there longest, but it would never have been there longer than 5 minutes etc.

Or use those 16 pint machines, which have been around for about 20 years at festivals.

Last time I went they had people stood around early doors or on the go-slow, when they could have been pre-empting the rush and getting prepared for the onslaught.

Do they have contactless/ cashless bars yet?

Is there an option for vending machines, even scanning an i.d for booze?

It's about time they just let people booze in the stands though, subject to being more responsible and maybe a bit tougher on those who spoil it for others.
They had a different person pulling pints to payment at the one I used. I must say though, the girl taking payments looked as if she was struggling to count change with the two served before myself. I used a card but not everyone likes to use them.

Can't argue with the drinking in the stands comment, you can do it at non league football. There is a very big dissrespect problem at League level, all the same, throwing beer after a goal might see quite a few punch ups.
 
I've not been this year, do they still have the same person pulling pints as taking orders/ payments? And would they be doing this if, not short staffed?

Maybe if they're short-staffed they should say so before the game, so people know what to expect/ not expect?

They should just start pulling pints at 1:30pm, none stop like how McDonalds just keep making burgers, and you get the one that's been there longest, but it would never have been there longer than 5 minutes etc.

Or use those 16 pint machines, which have been around for about 20 years at festivals.

Last time I went they had people stood around early doors or on the go-slow, when they could have been pre-empting the rush and getting prepared for the onslaught.

Do they have contactless/ cashless bars yet?

Is there an option for vending machines, even scanning an i.d for booze?

It's about time they just let people booze in the stands though, subject to being more responsible and maybe a bit tougher on those who spoil it for others.
They did email fans before QPR that there was a shortage of beer and lager. And they have issued statements about staff shortages after the Bristol City game - but be to be fair to them they don't know how many/few staff are going to turn up until the actual day.
Yes they have contactless bars but see the answer above where staff were abused for not accepting cash at these kiosks.
It looked to me as if far more people stayed outside and were served from the Gary Philipson cafe/bar. When he announced 10 mins to kick off (or was it 15mins) there was a big surge of people heading for the turnstiles.
 
They did email fans before QPR that there was a shortage of beer and lager. And they have issued statements about staff shortages after the Bristol City game - but be to be fair to them they don't know how many/few staff are going to turn up until the actual day.
Yes they have contactless bars but see the answer above where staff were abused for not accepting cash at these kiosks.
It looked to me as if far more people stayed outside and were served from the Gary Philipson cafe/bar. When he announced 10 mins to kick off (or was it 15mins) there was a big surge of people heading for the turnstiles.
It was mixed cash or card in the SW Upper, the girl serving struggled to count the cash.
 
They did email fans before QPR that there was a shortage of beer and lager. And they have issued statements about staff shortages after the Bristol City game - but be to be fair to them they don't know how many/few staff are going to turn up until the actual day.
Yes they have contactless bars but see the answer above where staff were abused for not accepting cash at these kiosks.
It looked to me as if far more people stayed outside and were served from the Gary Philipson cafe/bar. When he announced 10 mins to kick off (or was it 15mins) there was a big surge of people heading for the turnstiles.
I realise that there are space limitations but pop up bars around the ground would help a lot. I don't see why they can't have them, if they're letting people out the back of the stand. There's probably licencing issues to resolve but would be a lot easier and solve any overcrowding issues. I went to Atl Madrid a few years ago and they have bars all around the outside of the ground.
 
Like so many cafes there are always staff stood doing little because they let the customer queue for ages then... shock! They want food and drink?!

I get that tapping the cards takes time, blah blah, so just start shouting at the next in line for whatever drink they want and cumulatively they will save so much time because for most customers they'll have the food/drink ready to go as they're putting their purse or wallet away.

Bearing in mind we've already paid a small fortune to enter the building, we aren't going to order 20 coffees and run off going "Hurr hurr hurr!"
 
Which North Stand were you in, not the same one as me or you must have rocked up much sooner.
Got in about half 2 and queued for about 10 mins for a beer. Went down on 40 mins and was served just as the half time whistle blew. The queue was back up the stairs by then like. Must’ve just timed it right.

The biggest problem for the bars though is that they’re pulling pints (badly) one at a time like it’s a Sunday afternoon in a country pub.
 
I realise that there are space limitations but pop up bars around the ground would help a lot. I don't see why they can't have them, if they're letting people out the back of the stand. There's probably licencing issues to resolve but would be a lot easier and solve any overcrowding issues. I went to Atl Madrid a few years ago and they have bars all around the outside of the ground.
They said they had intended to use pop ups v Bristol City but didn't have the staff numbers. Lots of staff just didn't appear on the first day - were pinged or testing positive or not turning up.
 
They had a different person pulling pints to payment at the one I used. I must say though, the girl taking payments looked as if she was struggling to count change with the two served before myself. I used a card but not everyone likes to use them.

Can't argue with the drinking in the stands comment, you can do it at non league football. There is a very big dissrespect problem at League level, all the same, throwing beer after a goal might see quite a few punch ups.

Well, that's a start (y)
Everyone should have a card nowadays, or even a token card if they don't like bank cards for some reason. There's zero point in messing with cash, in busy venues, even more so with the covid situation, and I bet those using cash are more likely to be those most at risk.

3 strikes and you're out, far enough if you get in a brawl for defending yourself, but 3 times is too much of a coincidence. We shouldn't have to pander to people chucking beer, and also for the sacrilege of wasting it anyway, when others are struggling to get on in the first place.
 
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