The Welford Road Matchday Experience

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bc
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The Welford Road Matchday Experience

Post by bc »

Understandably the Tigers hold great stead by the matchday experience at Welford Road. With rugby and Tigers on almost every week, it is essential that the match day experience is great to ensure a good crowd and that the temptation of the comfy armchair is reduced.

It seems that Tigers have focused on the ‘corporate end’ of this with a variety of matchday ‘experiences’ to be had – all for not inconsiderable amounts of money. But what about all the season tickets holders, especially those of us on the Holland & Barrett Terrace? Clearly we are expendable when it comes to matchday experience – the PA system is for another day! I have been a terrace season ticket holder for 25+ years and the access the ABC bar and latterly the Crumbie Lounge have been our main ‘in ground watering holes’. The inability to serve pints in a timely manner as been the subject of many posts but Saturday 12 Nov saw this reach a new low!

Being an Anglo Welsh game there was a reduced crowd and, yes, the Crumbie Lounge was not nearly as busy! Having arrived slightly late for the start we waited until half-time to venture to the bar and it was my round! Whistle goes and off I go – 1 bitter, 1 lager and 1 Guinness was the order. Imagine my surprise on reaching the bar to order only to be told they don’t serve Guinness! Bitter and lager OK but the black stuff could only be served from a tiny corner counter called the Pie & Pint. So after paying for the bitter etc I then moved an queued for the Guinness and managed to get back to the terrace 30 secs after the restart.

I was informed by the manager that they had been told that this was how Everards and Tigers required the bar set up! Clearly a case of ‘screw the fan’ and lets chase the corporate buck. I will not be partaking of refreshment at Tigers from now on – what would be like when we play Munster for instance!

Sorry about the long winded rant but this was the last straw.
Coops
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Re: The Welford Road Matchday Experience

Post by Coops »

I sit in the Crumbie stand but moved to the big H&B stand opposite on Satursay to be with friends.

Imagine my surprise when i noted you can get Guinness over there!

Being short changed in my opinion, email to the club required me thinks.
LE18
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Re: The Welford Road Matchday Experience

Post by LE18 »

You guys need to read the 1st item at the top of the menu to see what everyone has been saying about the treatment we receive! :smt022 Dreadful! :smt022
WiggoTiger
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Re: The Welford Road Matchday Experience

Post by WiggoTiger »

I agree, the Robin Hood stand is a joke at h-t for refreshments, the concourse too small for the numbers in the stand. As mentioned in the catering threads the staff are clueless, don't always put the right price in on the till and seem lethargic in providing the beverages required. It seems silly to me as well that you can't buy beer and hot beverages together, you have to queue twice......madness. :smt013
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sapajo
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Re: The Welford Road Matchday Experience

Post by sapajo »

Posted this on the Gates in the Park thread :

As has been said on other threads if you want the club to do something for you and/or other supporters then may I kindly suggest that the best strategy would be to drop them a letter or as in my case an email. Of course this does not guarantee any outcome but it has a better chance than a thread on this forum.
Last edited by sapajo on Sun Nov 13, 2016 8:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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WiggoTiger
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Re: The Welford Road Matchday Experience

Post by WiggoTiger »

It is true emailed customer services re: shop, got reply which made my mind up not to purchase.
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bc
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Re: The Welford Road Matchday Experience

Post by bc »

I have also emailed the club but as this was done this weekend no response yet. In fact I am not expecting one anyway.
WiggoTiger
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Re: The Welford Road Matchday Experience

Post by WiggoTiger »

bc wrote:I have also emailed the club but as this was done this weekend no response yet. In fact I am not expecting one anyway.
I got my reply today!!
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ourla
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Re: The Welford Road Matchday Experience

Post by ourla »

Unfortunately this has been said many times bc. Here are just the last two seasons:

http://forum.leicestertigers.com/viewto ... =1&t=43607
http://forum.leicestertigers.com/viewto ... =1&t=39442

They do some things well or they things well some of the time. But all to often you end up having to wait excessively, inconvenience yourself, get charged wrongly and so on.

Like many before you in the end you start to think why bother.

I emailed them about running out of cask Tiger by half time in the the Final Whistle. I got a response but no doubt it will happen again at some point. The problems always seem to resurface at some point.

I think the general ambience at the ground is still pretty good and when the mood takes me I still avail myself of the various facilities but yeah, I'm certainly discouraged from doing so at certain times.
johnthegriff
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Re: The Welford Road Matchday Experience

Post by johnthegriff »

I understand that the ABC is the only public access bar where Guinness is not available, there are technical reasons why both Everard's Pitch Black and Guinness cannot be served in that bar and Everards are the sponsors and beer suppliers. Guinness is available in the old Mark bar. This has been the situation for some time and I would have thought regular imbibers would know by now and settle for the Everard's stout or go to the other end. Spare a thought for those at the clubhouse end of the Crumbie who are late to access the ABC at halftime due to the barrier across the tunnel, they have to use the outside bar situated near the Robin Hood Stand, they are not allowed to access the bars in that stand for safety reasons.
watsonjm
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Re: The Welford Road Matchday Experience

Post by watsonjm »

johnthegriff wrote:I understand that the ABC is the only public access bar where Guinness is not available, there are technical reasons why both Everard's Pitch Black and Guinness cannot be served in that bar and Everards are the sponsors and beer suppliers. Guinness is available in the old Mark bar. This has been the situation for some time and I would have thought regular imbibers would know by now and settle for the Everard's stout or go to the other end. Spare a thought for those at the clubhouse end of the Crumbie who are late to access the ABC at halftime due to the barrier across the tunnel, they have to use the outside bar situated near the Robin Hood Stand, they are not allowed to access the bars in that stand for safety reasons.
Pretty much sums it up. Pitch Black isn't as good a Guinness but to avoid queuing twice its good enough.

Do the bars under the Goldsmiths stand (cant spell the new sponsor) have Guinness or are they pitch black as well?

Have to say the service has improved no end in the last to games. I was served quickly and efficiently, having not queued for long on all trips the bar. Either I got lucky or my expectations in large Stadia are lower, or maybe a bit of both.
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Re: The Welford Road Matchday Experience

Post by Latecomer »

Gave up buying beer in Welford Rd several seasons ago. Too expensive and queues too long. The beer in the Swan and Rushes before the game on Saturday was superb. Vote with your feet. Only way the club will ever listen.
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