I thought that I would ask other Lifers whether I am expecting too much of the hospitality at Charlton.
Dad and I have used the hospitality at Charlton for many years. For several years we used Crossbars and when it became too difficult for Dad to walk from the North to the West stand, we started to use the International Suite which then became the Celebration Suite and for the last two years the Keith Peacock Suite.
When it was called the Celebration Suite it was good value for money at less than £30 per head. Last year it was renamed the Keith Peacock Suite and the Celebration Suite was upstairs.
As Dad couldn’t get up the stairs, we still had the CS package which was a 3 course meal consisting of soup, two choices of meat and veg and a dessert, coffee/tea and mints. At half time we would have biscuits or a pastry and tea/coffee. At full time a plate of sandwiches for KP Suite customers or a pastry for CS customers. For this we paid about £45 per head, as we already had season tickets.
This year the club decided that the CS package was making a loss and that they would only offer the KP package. This works out about £60 a head for silver matches and £72 for gold, if you have a season ticket. A seasonal pass gives a marginal saving, but not a lot.
Today’s menu was as follows:
Homemade French onion soup with cheese croutons. Roll & Butter
Lemon & garlic roasted chicken breast with a herb stuffing, roasted root vegetables & roast potatoes.
Apple tart with Chantilly cream or cheese & biscuits
Tea/coffee (no mints)
Half time we now only get tea/coffee – no biscuits or pastries.
At full time today we only got tea/coffee and they forgot to give us the advertised ‘cake’ until I complained, then some miniature pastries appeared at about 5.30.
We do get the Man of the Match presentation every match now and a programme too, but I think for £60 we should be getting more, certainly not less than we have had in previous years.
Am I expecting too much or are were being ripped off? My husband and I would be happy having fish and chips or burgers in the car park, but Dad enjoys the match day experience though not the hassles we've been having this year.
I’d value some other Lifer’s opinions on this please.
2
Comments
big deal.
Have you stopped to think that the money saved has perhaps gone into buying some half decent players & giving us a grass pitch so that we pass the ball properly this season.
but then again, if you really need to have a mint with your cup of tea & watch dull football on mud then I'm sure there are hundreds of non league teams that will take your money for that pleasure.
While others may scoff, it is the additional income generated by the 'likes of you' that goes a long way outside the premier league tv money. You've been doing it a number of years, so I think you'd have a decent perspective for heat is value for money or not. I suspect you already know the answer to this, but looking for reassurance you're not just moaning !
Chances are if you don't think it is vfm than neither will others. Might be best running past a Fans Forum rep like Fanny.
No one is forcing you to hand over the cash.
Have never seen the point in matchday hospitality myself. If you want a drink go to the pub, if you want some food go somewhere you genuinely like before or after. Either option will be a damn site cheaper.
If your dad is struggling with the walking, spend the money on a West Stand car park space instead.
It's great that we have a better team which is doing well, but I don't think that cutting corners on hospitality is going to help the club if fewer people use the hospitality services.
I walk through the Centre Circle Suite to get to my seat and every match so far there have been fewer people than last year. If the hospitality customer feels that they are not getting value for money, in the long run the club will lose out.
Does that include the ticket for the game?
When you are paying in excess of £50 for a meal I think that you are at least entitled to a choice of main course. If I went to a restaurant I would certainly expect more choice.
it up.
To be fair, the food quality was okay today, but there was still no choice of main course other than the vegetarian option and I think for that sort of money there should be.
The subject of catering at The Valley this season since the change to Delaware North was on the agenda of the recent FF meeting & was under discussion for some time. I am unable to pre-empt the posting of the minutes as they will be on the OS FF link in the next week or so.
However, there were questions posed to the Club via the FF email address which concerned hospitality & my understanding is that a meeting has taken place within the Club with the results being posted shortly. However, I believe this MAY primarily concern the situation in the Millenium Lounge.
I am also led to believe that the Club has now appointed a Chief Operations Manager (COM) and that his brief includes such issues.
On Monday, I'll ascertain his email address and get back to you if he is the person to contact. I then suggest you email him to either ask for a meeting ( maybe whilst you're at The Valley next Tuesday evening?) or a telephone call when you can outline your concerns. When you signed up for the "deal" in the close season, were the components of the package clearly outlined ie no meal choices ? Maybe this is something you need to look at before speaking to the COM.
Hope that helps. You can always message me if you'd rather not post on here for some reason.
Before the season started I knew that the Celebration Suite package was to be replaced by the KP Suite package. I was aware that the KP Suite did only have one main course option last year, but I thought that the KP package was under review and was told that with Delaware taking over it would be a much better package.
Hopefully this is the kind of thing that has already been discussed and which will become clearer sooner rather than later.
But it certainly won't hurt to put your concerns directly to the relevant member of staff.
We however, have been used to the Celebration Suite package which had more choice. I know of quite a few people who used to enjoy regular meals in the Celebration Suite who will not now use the club as it is too expensive.
Perhaps the club is happy to serve fewer people at a higher price.