[Archived] Blues Bar

[JAL]

If the crowds are going to increase then surely a Blues bar in every stand would be agood idea especially in the riverside, plus space for smokers to go at half time rather than just the disabled toilets near the changing rooms

Plus put into operation a pre half time order procedure, surely this could work especially with account holders.

[Majiball]

I'd acctually like to get served within the half time period and get what I want not some left over crap theres never enough.

I'd like to see bar staff who can acctually remember whos next.

I'd like to pay reasonable price for the dross they serve.

Please employ people who can count, I like to get the right change.

I went with a colleague to Wigan game and he smokes, now I realise you can't smoke in the stadium but there should be a facility or area just outside each stand that they can go too. I saw numerous people just going to the rear of the walker stand and having a quick one.

Service with a smile.

Get some proper beer fonts those ones are crap and take ages, I could pour 5 to their one easy, oh and your bar staff are the slowest I've every seen. Pre match for WBA two people in front of me 20 minutes to go 10 minutes left once it was acctually in my hand.

Plus put into operation a pre half time order procedure, surely this could work especially with account holders.

Couldn't you order at the counter and pay before kick off they then have 45 minutes to get it all sorted, then you just go give them your ticket and they get your food and the next one gets in.

[unluckymorton]

If the crowds are going to increase then surely a Blues bar in every stand would be agood idea especially in the riverside, plus space for smokers to go at half time rather than just the disabled toilets near the changing rooms

Plus put into operation a pre half time order procedure, surely this could work especially with account holders.

Rumour has it that a Darwen End Blues bar has been discussed, now that we have taken the Darwen End back this could happen.

I'm not sure the club would be prepared to shell out £200k to provide an extra bar just yet. I'm not sure how many go in the Blues on the Blackburn End other than match day, if there is no decent trade other than match day I can't see plans being passed for Blues Bars in other area's of the ground. An idea would be to have the different Blue's Bar's with different themes, all themes to be based on the Rovers of course.

The Blues is a great facility, it just needs tweaking.

[roversmum]

Bump - relevant points for Ewood Spark's threat about Rovers Catering in this thread.

[Majiball]

Price of chips is all that matters,how much in the Ewood arms.

Weren't you on that game show, what was it called, ah yes Catchphrase!!

[gumboots]

Couldn't you order at the counter and pay before kick off they then have 45 minutes to get it all sorted, then you just go give them your ticket and they get your food and the next one gets in.

Foreign clubs operate a system where you pay for tokens and then hand them over so the catering staff don't handle the cash and there's no messing about waiting for change. Should be possible to introduce a more sophisticated version of that to speed up the paying and mean that the people who handle the money can deal with adding up and let the slowcoaches behind the food counters get on with serving food. prepaid swipe cards would also be a possibility but might prove expensive (schools used to have them and it enabled our 900 school dinner pupils to get through and eat in under an hour. We now have fingerprint technology which is even quicker but wouldn't work at a football ground)

[unluckymorton]

Couldn't you order at the counter and pay before kick off they then have 45 minutes to get it all sorted, then you just go give them your ticket and they get your food and the next one gets in.

Foreign clubs operate a system where you pay for tokens and then hand them over so the catering staff don't handle the cash and there's no messing about waiting for change. Should be possible to introduce a more sophisticated version of that to speed up the paying and mean that the people who handle the money can deal with adding up and let the slowcoaches behind the food counters get on with serving food. prepaid swipe cards would also be a possibility but might prove expensive (schools used to have them and it enabled our 900 school dinner pupils to get through and eat in under an hour. We now have fingerprint technology which is even quicker but wouldn't work at a football ground)

I've put that idea across on the 'Rovers Catering - Brickbats Or Bouquets?' thread.

[only2garners]

Couldn't you order at the counter and pay before kick off they then have 45 minutes to get it all sorted, then you just go give them your ticket and they get your food and the next one gets in.

Foreign clubs operate a system where you pay for tokens and then hand them over so the catering staff don't handle the cash and there's no messing about waiting for change. Should be possible to introduce a more sophisticated version of that to speed up the paying and mean that the people who handle the money can deal with adding up and let the slowcoaches behind the food counters get on with serving food. prepaid swipe cards would also be a possibility but might prove expensive (schools used to have them and it enabled our 900 school dinner pupils to get through and eat in under an hour. We now have fingerprint technology which is even quicker but wouldn't work at a football ground)

I think that it's intended that you will be able to use your points card in that way eventually. We are also talking about the points card as well as catering tonight so I'll ask for an update.

[unluckymorton]

I think that it's intended that you will be able to use your points card in that way eventually. We are also talking about the points card as well as catering tonight so I'll ask for an update.

How did the forum go O2G?

[only2garners]

How did the forum go O2G?

Overall well. There is nothing much specific to report on Blues - the club know they have challenges in getting the balance right in Blues.

If you don't know already there will be a Blues Fans Forum open to all on Monday 29th June. If you're a Blues member you will get your own invite but anyone can go.

[unluckymorton]

Overall well. There is nothing much specific to report on Blues - the club know they have challenges in getting the balance right in Blues.

If you don't know already there will be a Blues Fans Forum open to all on Monday 29th June. If you're a Blues member you will get your own invite but anyone can go.

Cheers, I was aware and I will be there.

As for the Blues at the forum, it's good that the club realise that there are issues. As I am aware things won't change overnight, I hope they go in the right direction.

[only2garners]

Cheers, I was aware and I will be there.

As for the Blues at the forum, it's good that the club realise that there are issues. As I am aware things won't change overnight, I hope they go in the right direction.

It's a but like many issues we discuss at the Forum. Sometimes it seems slow and to the outsider probably looks like nothing much is happening. As another example we have spent over 12 months talking about setting up an unreserved "singing" area in the ground. It seemed we were moving very slowly and in April we had plans for a small area from next season and then the club tried the "crucial 3" promotion. Both they and us were amazed at the reaction and in the end we now have an unreserved seating area in the Darwen End which could accommodate almost 5,000 if we can sell them.

[unluckymorton]

It's a but like many issues we discuss at the Forum. Sometimes it seems slow and to the outsider probably looks like nothing much is happening. As another example we have spent over 12 months talking about setting up an unreserved "singing" area in the ground. It seemed we were moving very slowly and in April we had plans for a small area from next season and then the club tried the "crucial 3" promotion. Both they and us were amazed at the reaction and in the end we now have an unreserved seating area in the Darwen End which could accommodate almost 5,000 if we can sell them.

That's great work O2G, it show's the forum works well.

Some people expect/demand change over night, but you have to be patient and consider all options. Although we are members of the club and between us all we finance the club in many ways, Rovers must make the correct decisions financially as well as keeping 25,000 fans or so happy next season. It must be a difficult task. I wouldn't have thought there is a club in the country working with the fans as closely as the Rovers do.

Let's hope the lads on the pitch put as much effort in as the forum members etc. next season!

[philipl]

AGREED

Enormous credit to both the Fans Forum and the club.

[steveo57]

just got my blues bar renewal the cheeky b******s have put it up £10, they seem to have forgot that thay put it up £10 last summer, its gone up to £50, four seasons ago it was only £20, no wonder no one goes in, they're taking the p**s.

[Tris]

If you don't know already there will be a Blues Fans Forum open to all on Monday 29th June. If you're a Blues member you will get your own invite but anyone can go.

Bob Fleming and I pitched up at Blues tonight expecting a big crowd in for the fans forum do ... there were 6 others

What was perhaps more surprising was that nobody at all rocked up to watch the England U21s final in there. Personally I think they should push the sports bar aspect much more than they do, and go all out to encourage people in for matches like tonight.

England v Germany at any level is a draw, and on a Monday evening in June when the next match of any interest is 6 weeks away it's a poor do that not one single soul thought Blues Bar was a good place to watch it.

[disgruntled]

probably because aside from Fridays Blues Bar isn't open in the evenings.

[Tris]

probably because aside from Fridays Blues Bar isn't open in the evenings.

Point being - it should be. If it played to its strengths (like having 25+ TV screens, all sports channel subscriptions legally paid for, being sport (Rovers) branded and decorated, and being at Ewood Park so people can spend their money knowing it helps the club) - then it bloody well should be open every weeknight for whatever sport might be on TV.

It's a sports bar at a PL football club, so it should stop trying to be a weekends only karaoke parlour for people who are on their way somewhere else.

[unluckymorton]

Bob Fleming and I pitched up at Blues tonight expecting a big crowd in for the fans forum do ... there were 6 others

What was perhaps more surprising was that nobody at all rocked up to watch the England U21s final in there. Personally I think they should push the sports bar aspect much more than they do, and go all out to encourage people in for matches like tonight.

England v Germany at any level is a draw, and on a Monday evening in June when the next match of any interest is 6 weeks away it's a poor do that not one single soul thought Blues Bar was a good place to watch it.

I discussed the forum with Bob over the weekend, it was impossible for me to make it for several reasons I won't go into. Monday is the worse day possible for me and I am gutted as I have had so many issues towards the back end of the season.

How did it go and are the management aware of the main issues?

[unluckymorton]

just got my blues bar renewal the cheeky b******s have put it up £10, they seem to have forgot that thay put it up £10 last summer, its gone up to £50, four seasons ago it was only £20, no wonder no one goes in, they're taking the p**s.

BBE season tickets are down to £199, so you'll be spending £249 on your ST and Blues membership. I'm cool with that. Just over £2 a game to go in the Blues? I think it's a bargain if only for the winter months.

Where else can you get that service at a premiership ground for £50 a season?