The pies and pasty issue - the plot thickens (13 Viewers)

[covboy1987]

Mentioned to my mate I received an email stating no pies and pasties from Monday and he said 'tell me about it' - he has a 12 seater box and pays a lot of money and has been advised that from Monday and for the remainder of the season 'no hot food will be served in the corporate boxes' even though he has paid up front at the start of the season - all this sounds trivial but there are far reaching consequences -

 

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[theferret]

That's quite a serious issue actually. The club find it hard enough to sell the boxes - most are empty - and none of the money from food and drink sales in corporate goes to the club - but if this makes it harder to sell corporate hospitality (one of the last few revenue streams - albeit a declining one) then it goes some way beyond legends/club coventry and the sale of pies (which I'm guessing most people could do without). Who is going to spend £12,000 on a box if you can't even feed your guests?

 

[chiefdave]

'no hot food will be served in the corporate boxes' even though he has paid up front at the start of the season

What have they pre-paid for? The hot food not being served according to what the club have sent out is pies etc that are purchased on the day.

The dining option for the boxes (which is an extra not included) is restaurant dining, has that been stopped as well?

 

[Otis]

Just need clarification then on what exactly you pre pay for. If any of it is for food no longer being supplied there is a problem.

If it's pay on the day then that is different, though like Ferret says, this could have a knock on effect with people wanting hospitality and expecting food to be available and now not booking as a result.

 

[theferret]

What have they pre-paid for? The hot food not being served according to what the club have sent out is pies etc that are purchased on the day.

The dining option for the boxes (which is an extra not included) is restaurant dining, has that been stopped as well?

I think that was what he was saying. My old company used to have a box. There were various food packages - we used to buy a hot buffet package for 10 games a season and would pay in advance for that, but we occasonally pay game by game too.

 

[chiefdave]

The things that relate to F&B are:
Vice presidents / Premium / Legends: Access to lounge with cash bar facility. Complimentary half-time tea and coffee.
Boxes: Bar service / Upgrade to dining options available

 

[theferret]

The things that relate to F&B are:
Vice presidents / Premium / Legends: Access to lounge with cash bar facility. Complimentary half-time tea and coffee.
Boxes: Bar service / Upgrade to dining options available

Yep, but think he is saying the latter is no longer available. I am sure (if true) those who have paid in advance will be refunded, but it doesn't bode well for box sales next season.

 

[Captain Dart]

Yep, but think he is saying the latter is no longer available. I am sure (if true) those who have paid in advance will be refunded, but it doesn't bode well for box sales next season.

Whatever is going on, it ain't the way the 'customers' expect to be treated.
I'm expecting some irreconcilable PR statements any time now.
We are in the couldn't make it up zone.

 

[chiefdave]

Yep, but think he is saying the latter is no longer available. I am sure (if true) those who have paid in advance will be refunded, but it doesn't bode well for box sales next season.

If that's the case then it has to be ACL no longer giving us the service. There's no other reason it would be stopped.

 

[Grendel]

Whatever is going on, it ain't the way the 'customers' expect to be treated.
I'm expecting some irreconcilable PR statements any time now.
We are in the couldn't make it up zone.

The food contract is with acl so they need to complain to them

 

[christonabike]

F&B City get 15% of profit Wasps get the rest.
You are offered a corporate deal that includes the option to buy hot food or order a pre booked meal.
I've been moved many times from the Legends lounge as the room has been booked for a function and this means my 84 year old Dad has to climb loads of steps and sit without his mates or spend 10 mins at half time making his way to his seat.
This is all down to moving to Sixfields and coming back as second class citizens and the bird Is coming home to roost now.

 

[westofrayne]

forgive me for being a bit behind on this but why has the food been withdrawn and by who.

 

[rupert_bear]

Could be a good question from CWR or Talk Sports Jim White to chairman Tim Fisher next time he's on, not so much the no food but the fact it's been paid for and was it his decision or sisu's.

 

[Nick]

Could be a good question from CWR or Talk Sports Jim White to chairman Tim Fisher next time he's on, not so much the no food but the fact it's been paid for and was it his decision or sisu's.

Or ACLs?

 

[rupert_bear]

I'm sure that's who he'll blame, as I said a good question

 

[Sick Boy]

That's quite a serious issue actually. The club find it hard enough to sell the boxes - most are empty - and none of the money from food and drink sales in corporate goes to the club - but if this makes it harder to sell corporate hospitality (one of the last few revenue streams - albeit a declining one) then it goes some way beyond legends/club coventry and the sale of pies (which I'm guessing most people could do without). Who is going to spend £12,000 on a box if you can't even feed your guests?

All we have to do is ask and it'll be resolved.

 

[Bob Latchford]

Don't wrong-uns usually take your money first before doing a runner ? #ALLEGEDLY

Anyway , get yourself down Chick-King on the Hollyhead Road before the game . best chipy this side of ole El Paso !

 

[Alan Dugdales Moustache]

Surely if the question was put to Tim Fisher as to why the hot food has been withdrawn he'll simply begin with
" You need to address that question to.........."

 

[Nick]

Surely if the question was put to Tim Fisher as to why the hot food has been withdrawn he'll simply begin with
" You need to address that question to.........."

Talking rubbish again. :joyful:

It would be "Let me make this crystal clear.."

 

[Alan Dugdales Moustache]

"Let me make it crystal clear, you need to address that question to....":arghh:

 

[Otis]

It would be "Let me make this crystal clear.."

No, he would answer that to a question of how are you going to prepare the lemonade?

 

[letsallsingtogether]

Maybe it is not viable because the fans don't eat enough.
Fuckin City fans knew it was their fault

 

[italiahorse]

"The peasants don't have pies ?
Let them eat cake."
Timie Antionette

 

[oldskyblue58]

An alternative view could be that take up of hot food has been so poor that it now makes a loss and that iec/acl are reverting to a strict interpretation of the contract with Ccfc.

If they were to withdraw something that forms a core part of the contract then that would be a breach of contract against which Ccfc could take legal action - leaving it to some degree within Ccfc control.

Seem to remember that when Ccfc first came back that not all boxes were contracted for food and that the restaurant had an minimum number of covers of 80 per match

As far as I am aware the supply of food and stadium back office staff and direct staffing for events, conferences & matches is provided by iec experience limited. Compass provide the staffing and support services to iec. Not sure how that means that compass are making loans to ACL and that direct costs are being mis analysed by iec/acl directors and auditors in respect of supplies to Ccfc.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

An alternative view could be that take up of hot food has been so poor that it now makes a loss

That would be darkly amusing...

 

[Philosoraptor]

a pie thread...

 

[Captain Dart]

We should go to an expert to find out what's happening.

 

[chiefdave]

An alternative view could be that take up of hot food has been so poor that it now makes a loss and that iec/acl are reverting to a strict interpretation of the contract with Ccfc.

If that's the reason then its a very poor reflection on ACL. Will be interesting to see if its the whole ground or just corporate. If its just in corporate that would suggest that rather than looking at the operation as a whole they are closing down any individual component that doesn't make money to screw every last penny out of CCFC with little regard for the matchday experience of our fans.

If they were to withdraw something that forms a core part of the contract then that would be a breach of contract against which Ccfc could take legal action - leaving it to some degree within Ccfc control.

On the basis of what has happened with other things since the Wasps takeover everything that isn't in the contract down to the smallest detail seems to be viewed as an area to screw the club over for more money.

Seem to remember that when Ccfc first came back that not all boxes were contracted for food and that the restaurant had an minimum number of covers of 80 per match

Another example of the club being screwed over. There's no operational reason for this, a deadline 24 or 48 hours before the match would suffice for that.

 

[Ashdown]

As someone else said..................the club gave up all rights when the shits moved us out to Northampton and when we came home, all the goalposts had been moved. Who knows what is happening behind the scenes and whose fault this actually is but we're a laughing stock and being run into the ground by incompetent uncaring outsiders.

 

[skybluejelly]

Maybe the next protest... We all throw pies on the pitch ..and sing "pie blue army"

 

[olderskyblue]

Look on the bright side. If they're stopping the loss making bits, then CCFC will get 15% of a higher profit? Could be a players salary... :-;

 

[oldskyblue58]

If that's the reason then its a very poor reflection on ACL. Will be interesting to see if its the whole ground or just corporate. If its just in corporate that would suggest that rather than looking at the operation as a whole they are closing down any individual component that doesn't make money to screw every last penny out of CCFC with little regard for the matchday experience of our fans.

On the basis of what has happened with other things since the Wasps takeover everything that isn't in the contract down to the smallest detail seems to be viewed as an area to screw the club over for more money.

Another example of the club being screwed over. There's no operational reason for this, a deadline 24 or 48 hours before the match would suffice for that.

So cutting out losses and not getting this income source from CCFC or its fans is taking every last penny off CCFC how exactly? Looking at it from ACL point of view it makes them more profit by not taking a penny off CCFC for hot food in hospitality. Any business would and should look at areas where it makes losses and try to cut them out. Its pretty much what CCFC are doing to get to breakeven. It isnt up to ACL or Wasps to provide the CCFC fans with match day experience, let alone at cost or loss to their own business unless contracted to do so. It isnt up to them to subsidise CCFC.

By cutting out losses on F&B means that the pot that CCFC gets a share of is greater surely? BTW the club gets 50% of the net profit which equates to 15% of the Turnover, without contributing to cost or risk. I would think that this season the pot however is a lot smaller because of the smaller crowds

Any business will look to bill for all the goods or services it provides. Anything outside contract is an extra and billable or doesnt have to be provided unless CCFC agrees to pay for it

Think the concourse outlets are open as usual.

If, i dont know for sure, they are reverting to contract then doesnt the logic of that mean that up till now they were providing stuff that was not contracted for as part of the deal possibly at no cost to CCFC.

What business including CCFC would continue providing another business with services that causes them losses,and are outside the agreed contract. Could just be ACL/Wasps running their business properly rather than subsidising from their own funds another business. But yes it degrades the CCFC experience, shouldnt be beyond the wit of man to get something agreed though should it. And no that is not me just blaming CCFC. Both sides need to work together for mutual benefit

Shouldnt be the situation should it - but it seems to point to the operational relationship breaking down now too - we have always been assured that was working well.

 

[chiefdave]

So cutting out losses and not getting this income source from CCFC or its fans is taking every last penny off CCFC how exactly?

Because its drilling down too far. We rent a stadium, we already get treated like second class citizens in terms of the facilities on offer to us compared to Wasps. Maybe they should close all the toilets, after all they'll have to pay to get them cleaned but don't make any money out of them. Maybe turn all the lights out in the concourses as well.

Realistically how much does it cost to have a couple of minimum wage staff for a few hours to serve food that is still, as far as we know, going to be available elsewhere in the stadium?

 

[Nick]

Because its drilling down too far. We rent a stadium, we already get treated like second class citizens in terms of the facilities on offer to us compared to Wasps. Maybe they should close all the toilets, after all they'll have to pay to get them cleaned but don't make any money out of them. Maybe turn all the lights out in the concourses as well.

Realistically how much does it cost to have a couple of minimum wage staff for a few hours to serve food that is still, as far as we know, going to be available elsewhere in the stadium?

Surely they still have staff though to serve the beer and cold stuff? That's what makes it weird.

 

[Captain Dart]

Surely they still have staff though to serve the beer and cold stuff? That's what makes it weird.

Clear enough to me, someone must have worked out that providing the facility makes a loss, so its been cut.
But doing that no doubt impairs goodwill. As OSB said, it may indicate a beak down of the operational relationship.