Vere Suite
This season has seen the queues outside the Vere become a regular thing, next year in league one (can't stop grinning!) it's likely to get worse.
That said I'm wondering if the Vere membership scheme should be reintroduced? It stopped a few years ago, mainly I think as crowds were smaller and people weren't willing to a) become a member, or b) pay a couple of quid to get in.
Might be a good way of enabling those of us who enjoy a beer in the Vere pre/post match to get in and at the same time raising some money for the club, whilst at the same time making the the casual visitor or worse one parent with a bunch a kids think twice about coming in.
Thoughts everyone?
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Although there have been queues it is normally no more than five minutes wait to get in.
Maybe a second marquee for bigger games at the far end of the car park to the current away fans tent?
A second marquee would definitely be a good idea. There's been a couple of games where I've had to drink with the away fans because the queue for the Vere was so long.
Personally, I have enjoyed the open access principal introduced by the Trust and would not like to see a reintroduction. However, I understand the irritation and problems created by the capacity issues and realistically I can see some form of changes to access on the horizon. The price of success I guess.
The Club really need to capitalise on there being nowhere else near the ground for prematch entertainment. I get there early enough to get into Vere Suite but always have to stand with coats etc piled on the floor. Food options are disappointing, especially considering the burger van by the gate seems to do a good trade of pretty basic fare. The VS beers (for those of us that like real ale) are excellent. A second marquee would be great but it and the Vere Suite should to up their game. This includes a warm environment on cold days, a decent number of seats, improved food and good beer at all outlets. There good income to be had here.
The food in the Vere is utterly atrocious - oven chips and sweaty frankfurters.
Since the Woodlands upped their prices I've been going into the Vere Suite and during some of our more baron periods the occupation has been pretty sparse. As to be expected the occupation has grown as we have moved up the league and the football improved to the point where queues are a frequent thing. So this Saturday I look forward to going down to the ground, watching an exhibition game of football, cheering a lap of honour and then will be pretty p1ssed when I can't get in the bar as so many jonny-come-latelys have rocked up. Bah humbug me I know, welcome one and all, tomorrows fans etc but clearly something will need to be done to support the committed supporters.
Funny enough I found my Blues Club membership card from Loakes Park the other day. Don't remember too many problems back then
Loakes Park cuisine was something else - Panda Pops and the worst sandwiches known to humanity.
The set up after our promotion a few years back would be ideal again. Open up the doors on the Vere Suite, stick an extra marquee up outside and let people flow between the two.
As mentioned above, it’ll be infuriating that by sticking behind to cheer on the players during their lap of honour you might not get in.
Maybe a membership that was essentially free with drinks vouchers to discourage the space occupiers that don't buy anything.
Something that was around £3-4/ week membership but you then got a book of drinks tokens?
Fixing the air con or opening the doors on a hot day would be nice too, it's a real sweat box in there.
You often see the youth teams taking penalties at half time troop into the bar with whichever mum or dad is on duty so they can have a drink, but then the kids take the place of paying/drinking customers.....bah humbug.
The problem with the membership scheme, in years past, it still didn’t guarantee entry because the number of members exceeded capacity. I like it as it is, especially with the real ale bar!
Here here for the real ale bar..used to be terrible but have raised their game this season with decent ales on tap.
I love the real ale bar, splits the queue for the bar....and it's real ale! Great.
Vere suite suggestions....
Suggestion for the Vere Suite:
That should give me space to sit down.
Sorted
*As long as they keep it as camRA
My main suggestion would be to not have the heating on when it's 25 degrees outside and to open some windows and let a bit of air in
All suggestions noted and will pass on for club to consider before next season.
We often have a problem of those queuing outside wanting to get in and spend money, whilst some inside are just watching tv game and/or sheltering from the cold and wet
@AlanCecil maybe a members scheme or paying a quid on the door may deter the casual to watching non spenders....
People don’t even bother to pick up pound coins these days.
@micra Put them in the Trust collecting box on the main bar!
One for input from the Fans Council?
A semi permanent tent/marquee attached to the vere would be ideal.
Second half of the season it was rare to not queue for a short while at least, and multiple times the club lost my money, every little adds up.
A soft membership to keep out the non money spenders is the other obvious option, it's annoying when you've queued for 30 minutes in the rain to get a beer, to then go in to see a group of 10/15 including kids just sat there without a drink between them.
Charge £3 at the door, get given a voucher which can then be used as payment/part payment for drink or food.
Good idea @mooneyman. We have to pay a fiver per match for guests in the Woodland Lounge but it is a very different kettle of fish, as was brought home to me on a couple of occasions recently when I stood cheek by jowl with my pint in an extremely hot and noisy Caledonian Suite, intermittently jostled by enthusiastic punters. Great atmosphere though.
I would pay a fiver to get intermittently jostled
Thought you might.
I believe from another thread today that @LeedsBlue pays considerably more for that sort of thing.
I'm suing myself for defamation of my own character
Get a good lawyer, I hear you are ruthless
We've all been Ruth-less since Richie's 'big prediction' didn't come through.