Fanzone at Deepdale (Confirmed)

[Dreyfuss]

We went early on Saturday for a change to try the fanzone. We looked in at 2pm and saw the queue so we decided to just get a couple of pints on the ground......we sit in the STFS and the bar that is beer only was closed and one of the 3 others that serve beer and food was closed. The 2 remaining had one member of staff on each!

I wish the club wouldn't outsource it. I am absolutely positive that if they got someone in with a little experience in catering and business in general, they could transform it. Its not rocket science some of the things that would improve it drastically like having someone pulling pints to make sure there is always a few ready.

It's already outsourced. Heathcotes handle it. And its total crap quality of service but it's all about profit margins. And when you have a fanzone tent outside, you can expect the quality inside the ground to fall.

I just wish they'd place some metal queuing lanes on the Alan Kelly concourse, so that there's space for people to move across the concourse without all the current long straight lines of people causing a melee.

 

[JK]

And when you have a fanzone tent outside, you can expect the quality inside the ground to fall.

We shouldn't expect anything of the sort.

 

[baysidepne]

Personally, I'd want North End to say (about the fanzone especially) they either start manning the kiosks properly or have the contract ripped up.

Must make Heathcotes a right pretty penny given the low staffing model and high margin on all hot food/drink lines especially. Not that much profit in beer (or never used to be anyway) unless it's sold by the barrel, and frequently.

 

[Dreyfuss]

We shouldn't expect anything of the sort.

Well NG White says it has done. They simply aren't gonna fully staff as kiosks as normal, if hundreds of customers are no longer gonna be turning up on the concourse. You can fully expect kiosks to close and/or staff to be cut. At busy periods this will cause problems of course. But profit margins will be their primary concern not customer service.

 

[Thracia]

Presumably Heathcotes are spreading their existing staff and resources more thinly to support the existing concourses plus the new fanzone outside?

When they're on a fixed-price contract, they can't be expected to provide additional resources for a new fanzone the club just dreamt up. That would surely require a new agreement?

 

[Tino]

We went early on Saturday for a change to try the fanzone. We looked in at 2pm and saw the queue so we decided to just get a couple of pints on the ground......we sit in the STFS and the bar that is beer only was closed and one of the 3 others that serve beer and food was closed. The 2 remaining had one member of staff on each!

I wish the club wouldn't outsource it. I am absolutely positive that if they got someone in with a little experience in catering and business in general, they could transform it. Its not rocket science some of the things that would improve it drastically like having someone pulling pints to make sure there is always a few ready.

The Rovers chief exec was on radio lancs last night and they've exactly the same issue. They just can't get the staff numbers in for short periods on match days at the moment. In fact he said because it was outsourced to Sodexo they actually were better off than most clubs as they could share the staff with other clubs nearby.

They're also working match to match on stewards and are often training on the job...

I think we just need to give the guys a break for a bit. Going a pint less or not having pizza slices or halal food options isn't really a major concern at the moment.

 

[JK]

Well NG White says it has done. They simply aren't gonna fully staff as kiosks as normal, if hundreds of customers are no longer gonna be turning up on the concourse. You can fully expect kiosks to close and/or staff to be cut. At busy periods this will cause problems of course. But profit margins will be their primary concern not customer service.

I know where you are coming from but most of the folk I know who where in the fanzone last night wouldn't go on the concourse pre match, which is partly the point of the fanzone.

The whole franchise model North End use is outdated and needs removing.

However, Heathcoates needs a rocket up their arse by the club and ultimatley they are a forward facing aspect representing the club.

If Heathcoates can't provide what's required for the fanzone then there are plenty of others who would love to get involved.

Like I say it's heading in the right direction, I acknowledge the problem with catering staff but it needs to be better.

I applaud the club and the fans for what they have done so far and it's a really positive start in terms of the fanzone.

 

[Tino]

Presumably Heathcotes are spreading their existing staff and resources more thinly to support the existing concourses plus the new fanzone outside?

When they're on a fixed-price contract, they can't be expected to provide additional resources for a new fanzone the club just dreamt up. That would surely require a new agreement?

Correct and as outlined elsewhere there is just a general shortage of staff at the moment. Plus the fanzone has only been open 4/5 games, give them chance.

 

[Tino]

The whole franchise model North End use is outdated and needs removing.

I think you'll find the vast majority of clubs disagree with you.

For club shop yes, for food and hospitality the club just aren't going to spend time and money trying to recruit casual workers.

 

[JK]

I think you'll find the vast majority of clubs disagree with you.

For club shop yes, for food and hospitality the club just aren't going to spend time and money trying to recruit casual workers.

Well if that is the case then incentives need to be put into the contracts to ensure a better product for supporters.

There has to be tie ins that if there are bigger attendances the football club benefits from increased catering sales. This may get the club to put more effort into increasing attendances.

These Heathcoates problems pre date Covid.

As for the shop... If it must be franchised I would be looking at someone like The Terrace or other smaller companies with ethics.

Just sport are a joke.

 

[tcinders]

Went in last night as arrived at Deepdale early.

It's certainly having an impact and was quite busy. They seemed to have put more staff on and I got served quite quickly.

The band and music was decent and given that no one would have been in the area otherwise the work done so far has to be applauded.

Certainly agree with the feedback given to the club by PSC so far and hopefully it's taken on board.

I personally have mentioned to the club and PSC about the need to make it more 'North Endy' and whilst there are a few signs it needs to be dolled up a bit so not just a tent.

I've put forward a couple of suggestions using things we already have from a forum angle and awaiting to hear back.

The less said about Heathcoates on the concourses the better, simply shambolic.

Onwards and upwards

The Finney Lounge was £40 last night which is cheap for hospitality.
Unfortunately, the food offer was a 4 inch square of spud pie, no vegetables, no gravy!
So, £30 each, absolutely embarrassing Heathcoates.
Fair play to the staff who did everything they could to alleviate an absolute debacle. How on earth do you win new customers with such a shambolic offering. Wake up!

 

[tcinders]

We went early on Saturday for a change to try the fanzone. We looked in at 2pm and saw the queue so we decided to just get a couple of pints on the ground......we sit in the STFS and the bar that is beer only was closed and one of the 3 others that serve beer and food was closed. The 2 remaining had one member of staff on each!

I wish the club wouldn't outsource it. I am absolutely positive that if they got someone in with a little experience in catering and business in general, they could transform it. Its not rocket science some of the things that would improve it drastically like having someone pulling pints to make sure there is always a few ready.

It's a shame they can't get Bowland Brewery to run the concourses, we would see a massive difference.

 

[Atko_pne956]

It's a shame they can't get Bowland Brewery to run the concourses, we would see a massive difference.

Have you ever been to Holmes Mill, the service is absolutely appalling!

 

[tcinders]

Have you ever been to Holmes Mill, the service is absolutely appalling!

Yes I have a business in Clitheroe, they aren't doing to bad with their offering!
The beer is excellent admittedly the service varies but possibility being so busy it suffers from time to time like any where.
North End need to get the product right as well as service 🙄

 

[the12thman]

The concourse should do much better at half-time. Why they no longer offer the option of buying a half-time beer token I will never know. They cannot lose out on that and will actually make more money because they serve more customers. Fucking ridiculous.

 

[NG White]

If they can't get some young staff in college or whatever to come and pull some pints and hand some pies out, even operate a till for a few quid for a few hours then that's worrying.

There is absolutely no way they'd not cover their costs, the margin they make is massive. So many people on Saturday just looked at the queue and basically went 'fuck that' and went to their seats. We would have gone down at half time but we knew there was no point as we wouldn't miss 15 mins of the game for the sake of a beer.

As much as anything I'm concerned things like that make the casual supporter think its not a good afternoon out going to Deepdale & think twice about coming back.

 

[Yoowell]

The Finney Lounge was £40 last night which is cheap for hospitality.
Unfortunately, the food offer was a 4 inch square of spud pie, no vegetables, no gravy!
So, £30 each, absolutely embarrassing Heathcoates.
Fair play to the staff who did everything they could to alleviate an absolute debacle. How on earth do you win new customers with such a shambolic offering. Wake up!

Three of us were just about to treat ourselves and book this package for the Coventry game….sacked it now.