I'm guessing that the reason such shite is served up at most football matches is to stop people getting too drunk. It ain't easy to get that stuff down but if the club were serious about making some money and improving the fans enjoyment, i can't see any reason why a better range of drinks couldn't be supplied as what's the difference between drinking in pubs before the game - at least drinking in the ground,you have a couple of hours to sober up before being back on the streets and the potential for trouble rather than the walk from pub to ground before a game.
[cite]Posted By: razil[/cite]great idea, quote those examples and see what the club comes back with, if they unscrew the tops assuming they are plastic and hand it over with a skiff, I can't see the problem
Thanks, i have - i've emailed Paul Ellis as Henry suggested. Can't see any real argument against it. You can buy barrels of real ale to take home so there's no equipment / start up cost and you just increase the nr of barrels until demand is met. If you chuck away half or quarter of a barrel sometimes, so what, you price it accordingly. I await Paul's feedback and will report back with it.
I was thinking plastic bottles rather than barrels, assuming that is what other clubs do?
[cite]Posted By: razil[/cite]great idea, quote those examples and see what the club comes back with, if they unscrew the tops assuming they are plastic and hand it over with a skiff, I can't see the problem
Thanks, i have - i've emailed Paul Ellis as Henry suggested. Can't see any real argument against it. You can buy barrels of real ale to take home so there's no equipment / start up cost and you just increase the nr of barrels until demand is met. If you chuck away half or quarter of a barrel sometimes, so what, you price it accordingly. I await Paul's feedback and will report back with it.
I was thinking plastic bottles rather than barrels, assuming that is what other clubs do?
Palace pour it straight from the cask. Mate at work is a Palace season ticket holder and he says they've introduced it this year which is what gave me the idea.
[cite]Posted By: razil[/cite]oh ok so who gets to take home the half[strike]full[/strike]empty barrel?
alright then, i'll do it - i don't mind - just want the fans happy.If this gets the ok it could be the best ground improvement for years. I'm aiming for a statue outside the North Stand.
[cite]Posted By: razil[/cite]oh ok so who gets to take home the half[strike]full[/strike]empty barrel?
alright then, i'll do it - i don't mind - just want the fans happy.If this gets the ok it could be the best ground improvement for years. I'm aiming for a statue outside the North Stand.
I'm with you mate, its just the miserable sods powers that be at the Valley never will be.. we've been trying for years, so best of luck - I'll even stand you a pint if you manage it.
[cite]Posted By: razil[/cite]let's hope they don't start selling Rose.. (sorry can't find an inflection character)
Lost me there 'tinted glasses?'. I'll be 'championing' (excuse the management speak) happy hours and shit opposition half price promotions next. Could be called the 'Exeter buy one get one free' or the 'Tranmere dull your senses swifty' - that type of thing?
[cite]Posted By: razil[/cite]oh ok so who gets to take home the half[strike]full[/strike]empty barrel?
alright then, i'll do it - i don't mind - just want the fans happy.If this gets the ok it could be the best ground improvement for years. I'm aiming for a statue outside the North Stand.
I'm with you mate, its just the[strike]miserable sods[/strike]powers that be at the Valley never will be.. we've been trying for years, so best of luck - I'll even stand you a pint if you manage it.
cheers, but i'm still having first dibs on the half full barrels
Ffs lads, in all honesty, if the club thought they could make this a viable money spinner then don't you think - bearing in mind we could do with a bit of cash right now - they might've considered it?
I love a light ale, and I daresay I would sink a few if they did em and enjoy it. But if this wasn't a money spinner in the Prem then why would it be now?
Sometimes, the 'We tried it before, but it didn't work because.......' line can be a real barrier to finding solutions. Bexley Dan asks why other clubs can do it but not us? That's a fair question and I wish him every success in trying to come up with some new ideas for the club. We might not end up with real ale, but that's not to say that we can't do better.
[cite]Posted By: Off_it[/cite]Ffs lads, in all honesty, if the club thought they could make this a viable money spinner then don't you think - bearing in mind we could do with a bit of cash right now - they might've considered it?
I love a light ale, and I daresay I would sink a few if they did em and enjoy it. But if this wasn't a money spinner in the Prem then why would it be now?
Ah well.
Don't remember them ever doing it so how would anybody know whether it is or isn't a money spinner as demand cannot be known? More to the point, as long as it doesn't lose money and if it pleases a large number of the clubs loyal fans why shouldn't it be done? It may have been knocked back before but i can't see why. Still, at least you don't think it's as terrible an idea as VFR. And i was going to suggest a DJ and some fruit machines...
How have Palace's bar profits changed since they introduced real ale? Has the market just switched from lager to real ale without affecting the volume sold? That could actually reduce profits on the whole.
I know you don't know this, Bexley Dan, but you'll have a much more convincing case to give the club if you know the figures from other clubs.
would the addition of these different beers really make people go in the ground at 1pm and stand in the cold drinking more of them, or would they stay in the warm pub watching whatever game was on sky...............erm, I know what my answer would be.
Well Bexley Dan I think its well worht looking at, and good for you that you suggest it.
Personally I would drink it when i go to the Valley, and I never ever drink the beer they have at the moment. Why queue for that piss? If it was a decent beer, I would queue.
If there are other people who think that way, then it could possibly result in higher overall sales. But they will need to be able to handle the extra demand. Maybe bottled is the answer.
But if you say Palace are doing it, well that cannot be ignored. Maybe there's a way for someone to ask Palace how its going? Surely with Jordan out of the way we can talk to them about something like that?
[cite]Posted By: Elthamaddick[/cite]would the addition of these different beers really make people go in the ground at 1pm and stand in the cold drinking more of them, or would they stay in the warm pub watching whatever game was on sky...............erm, I know what my answer would be.
This ^^
In addition, I like to drink out of a proper glass (or at least something close to mimicking it like the glasses they have at The Griffin @ Brentford).
That said, in the unlikely event that I wanted a drink at the ground, I would much prefer an ale!
[cite]Posted By: Off_it[/cite]Ffs lads, in all honesty, if the club thought they could make this a viable money spinner then don't you think - bearing in mind we could do with a bit of cash right now - they might've considered it?
I love a light ale, and I daresay I would sink a few if they did em and enjoy it. But if this wasn't a money spinner in the Prem then why would it be now?
Ah well.
Don't remember them ever doing it so how would anybody know whether it is or isn't a money spinner as demand cannot be known? More to the point, as long as it doesn't lose money and if it pleases a large number of the clubs loyal fans why shouldn't it be done? It may have been knocked back before but i can't see why. Still, at least you don't think it's as terrible an idea as VFR. And i was going to suggest a DJ and some fruit machines...
Mate, I'm not knocking the idea - i love a nice ale and would probably buy one when I don't now.
However, I would also like (fit) topless barmaids and a half time blow job from the horny bird in front and to the left of me. I'd pay an extra fiver a game for that I reckon. I'm a loyal fan, so why shouldn't it be done as long as the club don't lose any money?
I'd definitely have a Pint of Goachers Gold Star. Only problem being if it was a fallow week it ain't last till the next match. It'd have to be a cask well managed.
Maybe someone could take the leftovers home with them!
Had a reply from Paul Ellison at Charlton. Quite encouraging:
Thank you for your mail – apologies for the delay in replying I have been out of the office for a few days.
The idea of introducing real ale into the concourses has I believe been discussed before.
All of the “down sides” as it were that you list below are correct i.e. short shelf life and possible wastage are of course a consideration.
However if the demand is great enough from the supporters for us to give real ale a trial then it is of course something that we should consider.
I have to say though that “pleasing thousands” maybe stretching it a little!
We have a pouring rights agreement with the Heineken brewery (Formerly Scottish & Newcastle) who have an extensive range of real ales.
My first instinct is to run a trial in Bartram’s and perhaps in one kiosk per stand – this could obviously be advertised in advance so that people would be aware of where the product was available.
I will look into it further re product cost and availability and come back to you.
Thanks once again for writing and should the trial be a success I will give all the credit to you! Along with a free pint or two!
Regards,
Paul Ellison
Head of Conference and Banqueting
Charlton Athletic Football Club
The Valley
Floyd Road
Charlton
London
SE7 8BL
Comments
I was thinking plastic bottles rather than barrels, assuming that is what other clubs do?
Palace pour it straight from the cask. Mate at work is a Palace season ticket holder and he says they've introduced it this year which is what gave me the idea.
alright then, i'll do it - i don't mind - just want the fans happy.If this gets the ok it could be the best ground improvement for years. I'm aiming for a statue outside the North Stand.
I'm with you mate, its just the miserable sods powers that be at the Valley never will be.. we've been trying for years, so best of luck - I'll even stand you a pint if you manage it.
Lost me there 'tinted glasses?'. I'll be 'championing' (excuse the management speak) happy hours and shit opposition half price promotions next. Could be called the 'Exeter buy one get one free' or the 'Tranmere dull your senses swifty' - that type of thing?
cheers, but i'm still having first dibs on the half full barrels
They had Courage Best on in there the last time I was there - 1997!
I love a light ale, and I daresay I would sink a few if they did em and enjoy it. But if this wasn't a money spinner in the Prem then why would it be now?
Ah well.
Don't remember them ever doing it so how would anybody know whether it is or isn't a money spinner as demand cannot be known? More to the point, as long as it doesn't lose money and if it pleases a large number of the clubs loyal fans why shouldn't it be done? It may have been knocked back before but i can't see why. Still, at least you don't think it's as terrible an idea as VFR. And i was going to suggest a DJ and some fruit machines...
I know you don't know this, Bexley Dan, but you'll have a much more convincing case to give the club if you know the figures from other clubs.
Personally I would drink it when i go to the Valley, and I never ever drink the beer they have at the moment. Why queue for that piss? If it was a decent beer, I would queue.
If there are other people who think that way, then it could possibly result in higher overall sales. But they will need to be able to handle the extra demand. Maybe bottled is the answer.
But if you say Palace are doing it, well that cannot be ignored. Maybe there's a way for someone to ask Palace how its going? Surely with Jordan out of the way we can talk to them about something like that?
This ^^
In addition, I like to drink out of a proper glass (or at least something close to mimicking it like the glasses they have at The Griffin @ Brentford).
That said, in the unlikely event that I wanted a drink at the ground, I would much prefer an ale!
Mate, I'm not knocking the idea - i love a nice ale and would probably buy one when I don't now.
However, I would also like (fit) topless barmaids and a half time blow job from the horny bird in front and to the left of me. I'd pay an extra fiver a game for that I reckon. I'm a loyal fan, so why shouldn't it be done as long as the club don't lose any money?
Maybe someone could take the leftovers home with them!
Thank you for your mail – apologies for the delay in replying I have been out of the office for a few days.
The idea of introducing real ale into the concourses has I believe been discussed before.
All of the “down sides” as it were that you list below are correct i.e. short shelf life and possible wastage are of course a consideration.
However if the demand is great enough from the supporters for us to give real ale a trial then it is of course something that we should consider.
I have to say though that “pleasing thousands” maybe stretching it a little!
We have a pouring rights agreement with the Heineken brewery (Formerly Scottish & Newcastle) who have an extensive range of real ales.
My first instinct is to run a trial in Bartram’s and perhaps in one kiosk per stand – this could obviously be advertised in advance so that people would be aware of where the product was available.
I will look into it further re product cost and availability and come back to you.
Thanks once again for writing and should the trial be a success I will give all the credit to you! Along with a free pint or two!
Regards,
Paul Ellison
Head of Conference and Banqueting
Charlton Athletic Football Club
The Valley
Floyd Road
Charlton
London
SE7 8BL