Are Fans welcome at Tigers?

[LE18]

Much has been written regarding price of food and drink in the stadium lately and I thought I would give my thoughts on this following Saturdays game. I think the prices are terrible.

After clapping the team off the pitch after the game had finished, my wife and I headed for the Crumbie bar, door was locked so we went into the ABC, loads of staff, hardly any customers. I ordered a hot chocolate and a coffee, £6.05. Whilst we were drinking them "last orders" were called and a steward/supervisor encouraged us to all leave.
We then went over to meet our friends in the Droglites bar only to find bar had stopped serving. Our friends were discussing, with a member of Tigers staff, the demise, the clearing of historic pictures etc etc and how this bar held so many fond memories but the room is now just plain white painted with no character. No pictures of past players etc. There is just 1 Lions jersey on show.
We were told to go over to the final whistle to buy our beer.
We arrived, approx 45 mins after game ended at final whistle, went to turn left to go in by door leading to Rock Bottom, it was locked. A Steward in his very bright Orange jacket, told us we could not go in that way, use the door at the far end. When questioning why I was told "We have to Contain you"
Entering we saw the new "serve yourself pumps" Didnt both with those went to the actual bar "pint and a half of guiness and two white wines please" Guiness came ready poured, so dont want those they are dead please can I have fresh ones. The staff were very polite and gave me new, Thank you, that £21. 50.

I have never seen so few people in the Final Whistle, Rock Bottom only playing to a very few.

I have never felt so unwanted at Tigers in all my life, I first came in 1958, those were the days when players used to pull your pints and we had fabulous times at the Saturday night hops.

Someone said the October fest outside was partially responsible but when we left the FW there weren't many there.

Sorry to bore you just thought there may be others of a similar opinion.

[longlivethecrumbie]

I'd suspect that you're not alone in these opinions. I used to spend time both before and after games at the ground but my priorities have changed (two kids, partner) and while they do come to games they prefer home comforts after a game.

Costs at the ground aren't that dissimilar to other 'event based' venues. Test Match, ODI or T20 cricket are very much similarly priced. The use of pre-pour helps alleviate queues but doesn't help with fresh beer when it's a slow period. The taps are no longer the old style beer pumps that you and I will recall but place, hit button and wait. Pre-pouring 3/4 of a pint and then finishing it with a fresh top 1/4 are no longer possible.

With the move to outsourced catering means we, as fans, pay the premium. While people (and they still do) pay the premium then the club will continue - it is, after all, a business now.

[ay2oh]

Whist I think that the plaza area is a fantastic new addition along with the new shop/ coffee shop the catering leaves a lot to be desired. We always eat somewhere else before the game which is a shame as it would be more convenient to eat at the ground if the food was any good. Personally I’m not a fan of Everard s beer and don’t like lager particularly . Appreciate that most big venues struggle with providing decent food and drink so it is what it is.

[Ian Cant]

I think a lot of things changed after COVID.
A large group of us used to eat and drink at the R and D then have pints at the game: well my ex forwards mates had more pints!
Now we meet up in the ground to drink.
I’ve always felt that compared to Bath, Saracens, Newcastle, Quins the choice of food at Welford Road isn’t as good as it used to be!
Even at the grounds mentioned you pay a premium. Saracens and Newcastle are the two I like best for food but of course there’s not that many pubs close to their grounds.
I also think, like lots of fans I know, that matches often go on too long due to the TMO so it becomes tricky to a) get the parking right if you aren’t in the car parks close to the ground and b) those with young families with them, or some of the fans have families at home to get to, prefer to get home.
It just shows how difficult it is for Tigers to keep attracting fans to Welford Road.
Having said all that, I’ve been to all the home games this season and the activities for the children have been very well used.
Tigers also had players ( either the ones injured or not playing) in the club shop before a couple of games.
Oh, and there is the new cafe, small, but it’s been well used.

[Scuttle]

The flooding in Derbyshire stopped us travelling to the match on Saturday. We normally get the train from Matlock. Our seats back onto the Final Whistle and we usually spend some time there after the game. I have noticed a general trend of fewer people staying on, although sometimes it is busy and fun. I would think on Saturday alot of people left promptly to get back home or into a pub for the England game, which could account for low numbers.

[mightymouse]

High Prices, poor quality, untrained, unfriendly staff. This has been a steady decline for many years.
I think the club try hard to satisfy all sorts of issues and try to encourage fans in with all the tricks and gimmicks but fail to realise most of it isn’t what most fans want before and after a game.
Most people want a decent pint, a warm comfortable place, preferably with some seating. They want a reasonable bite to eat at a reasonable price. I disagree about Everards, but not the stuff they sell at the club. The old captains bar used to sell hand pulled cask ale Tiger and sold gallons of it. Yes it takes some keeping and serving and there maybe a wastage issue, But that’s what you employ a bar manager for. Correct cellar management and sensible stock control solves that.
Of course the staff will be casual Labour often students, but give them some training at least on
a) product knowledge b) basic customer service.
Far too many are clueless and have the interpersonal skills of the village idiot.
I like thousands of others prefer local pubs clubs and restaurants. I really wish I could spend all that money with the club, but why would I part with hard earned cash when no amount of surveys they’ve sent out have tried to fix the complaints that have been made for all the years since they got rid of the bar volunteers.
The vast majority of members, season ticket holders and supporters were up in arms when a move to King Power ( then walkers ) was muted, and demanded staying at Welford Road. Nobody wanted to soulless cold concrete bunker serving slop and p… lager but how far are we away from that now anyway.
The original poster described how they felt ( a person of a certain age given the date they became a supporter ) being shoved from pillar to post and finally corralled into “a concrete bunker” .. really!! Is that how the club want to treat loyal fans (Customers!) we’re not mindless football holigans .. I don’t think even football supporters are that these days!
Sometimes I hear a note of shrill begging from the club to “support” them by coming to the club early or staying later to spend our cash. Why should we?
Club take note of this thread .. this is why we don’t! It’s not as if you’ve not been told you just don’t want to listen. It’s and inconvenient truth that involves to much thinking about. It’s far easier to “herd” your customers into the bunker make them serve themselves garbage and then charge them a premium price for the privilege.
Guess what? We don’t want too! However much we love the club and have supported it for years, we refuse to be treated like cattle, or fools and no amount of emotional blackmail will change that.

[Hot_Charlie]

Sorry, but I think there's some naivety over the pricing. This isn't a Tigers thing.

The prices are pretty the same anywhere you go to watch sport of go to an event. £6 is the standard price for a pint at pretty much any event (Premiership or Championship rugby, festivals, shows etc), same for coffee/hot chocolate at about £3-4. They are "normal" prices.

[sk 88]

Much has been written regarding price of food and drink in the stadium lately and I thought I would give my thoughts on this following Saturdays game. I think the prices are terrible.

After clapping the team off the pitch after the game had finished, my wife and I headed for the Crumbie bar, door was locked so we went into the ABC, loads of staff, hardly any customers. I ordered a hot chocolate and a coffee, £6.05. Whilst we were drinking them "last orders" were called and a steward/supervisor encouraged us to all leave.
We then went over to meet our friends in the Droglites bar only to find bar had stopped serving. Our friends were discussing, with a member of Tigers staff, the demise, the clearing of historic pictures etc etc and how this bar held so many fond memories but the room is now just plain white painted with no character. No pictures of past players etc. There is just 1 Lions jersey on show.
We were told to go over to the final whistle to buy our beer.
We arrived, approx 45 mins after game ended at final whistle, went to turn left to go in by door leading to Rock Bottom, it was locked. A Steward in his very bright Orange jacket, told us we could not go in that way, use the door at the far end. When questioning why I was told "We have to Contain you"
Entering we saw the new "serve yourself pumps" Didnt both with those went to the actual bar "pint and a half of guiness and two white wines please" Guiness came ready poured, so dont want those they are dead please can I have fresh ones. The staff were very polite and gave me new, Thank you, that £21. 50.

I have never seen so few people in the Final Whistle, Rock Bottom only playing to a very few.

I have never felt so unwanted at Tigers in all my life, I first came in 1958, those were the days when players used to pull your pints and we had fabulous times at the Saturday night hops.

Someone said the October fest outside was partially responsible but when we left the FW there weren't many there.

Sorry to bore you just thought there may be others of a similar opinion.

Good post, I think you've flagged the pertinent issue. The bars are quiet, so economically it doesn't make sense to keep three quiet bars open, but to funnel into one busier bar. I've got a bit lost on the geography of which door to the final whistle was locked?

I was in the plaza for about an hour after the game & was lively enough for me. But by the time you'd got there it had probably died down a lot.

The Drogolites is a classroom for most of the week now so unfortunately isn't really possible to keep the memorabilia on display apparently. I do think that would be a good bar to focus on reviving & probably shutting all the ones under the Crumbie post match as the demand just isn't there really.

[Tigerbeat]

Last Saturday was the first home league game and also had the World Cup Semi Final taking place. Guess that quite a lot will have gone home to watch the game rather than hang around for a drink after.

[Brianf]

My Wife and I often meet friends (one of which includes an off duty steward) after the Game, and usually congregate in the end Tunnel area, towards the exit. We, including the Steward, were asked to leave, to 'secure the area'! There does seem to be a move towards closing off the ground. No concrete evidence, but I suspect that the increased cost of stewarding, standing by gates and other areas waiting for the public to leave after a Game, may be a consideration.

The only time I felt as unwelcome as this was when the new stand opened, (now the Tradeview), and there was an unnecessary amount of stewarding focussed on preventing supporters from moving around. The amount of complaints generated from that day caused Tigers to change its approach.

[LE18]

My Wife and I often meet friends (one of which includes an off duty steward) after the Game, and usually congregate in the end Tunnel area, towards the exit. We, including the Steward, were asked to leave, to 'secure the area'! There does seem to be a move towards closing off the ground. No concrete evidence, but I suspect that the increased cost of stewarding, standing by gates and other areas waiting for the public to leave after a Game, may be a consideration.

The only time I felt as unwelcome as this was when the new stand opened, (now the Tradeview), and there was an unnecessary amount of stewarding focussed on preventing supporters from moving around. The amount of complaints generated from that day caused Tigers to change its approach.

Hi, Like you were told "to secure the area" ,we were told we had to "be contained". Where is this terminology coming from, the Stewarding seems so much more "policified" to me.? I hate to say it, is it football style? I dont like it.

[Rugbygramps]

Just a thought and probably completely off base but with the horrors that are currently going on in the Middle East, has the threat level been raised and security at venues been advised to be tighter which this could be part of

[LE18]

Just a thought and probably completely off base but with the horrors that are currently going on in the Middle East, has the threat level been raised and security at venues been advised to be tighter which this could be part of

Valid point, but it just seems to be tighter every week, have they changed the Stewarding?

[Tiglon]

Maybe the question should be "are caterers welcome at Tigers?"

Referring to the staff as the village idiot probably isn't a great attitude to have if you want to receive good service.

Maybe they changed the offering because there was less interest in what it used to be? Sales figures a better indication of demand than half a dozen people on the Internet.

Prices seem pretty reasonable to me, but that's entirely subjective. Certainly they're in line with, or cheaper than, other sporting events I've been to.

To be honest, I've never had an issue with the catering at Welford Road - I go to a bar or food outlet, ask for the thing I want from the list of things with clear prices, pay money and receive the thing I asked for. I'm struggling to understand where in that there is a reason to get upset.

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If I want a decent pint*, I'm gonna hang around a sports venue! I'll accept the rubbish they serve at stadiums or gigs and the like, because it has to be fast and high volume. Before or after though is pub time.

*Actually add burger, pasty, chips or coffee to that as well.