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Author Topic: Ealing Chaos  (Read 3783 times)

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T-Bone

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Re: Ealing Chaos
« Reply #75 on: Thursday 30-Aug-2018, 10:38* »
The craft beer bar behind the north stand last season was good. I think it was called the Greene King academy or something. I don't normally like modern IPAs as they are too citrusy / fruity / hoppy, but these were nice, and much better kept than the ales in the Kings cask bar. I haven't been to the Quins Head now.

It does seem a shame that they can't team up with Fullers, being a local brewery of sufficient size to meet the likely demand (and much nice than Twickenham Ales) but I guess the numbers don't stack up

DOK

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Re: Ealing Chaos
« Reply #76 on: Thursday 30-Aug-2018, 12:32* »
Fullers are happy sponsoring Richmond, they don't want to aim higher. I still have the Fullers tie (who wears a tie these days?) I got for engineering a meeting between Fullers and Tony Copsey, but Fullers weren't prepared to put in that level of sponsorship.  As for the beer, I think they charge more than some others. Certainly they're one of the few that Wetherspoons can't browbeat into supplying for nearly nothing!
« Last Edit: Thursday 30-Aug-2018, 12:36* by DOK »

TomBuckQuin

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Re: Ealing Chaos
« Reply #77 on: Thursday 30-Aug-2018, 12:42* »
I live a stone's throw from the Fullers brewery. Might pop in, have a word and see if they'll change their minds - love their beer.

Gone

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Re: Ealing Chaos
« Reply #78 on: Thursday 30-Aug-2018, 13:26* »
Fullers are happy sponsoring Richmond, they don't want to aim higher. I still have the Fullers tie (who wears a tie these days?) I got for engineering a meeting between Fullers and Tony Copsey, but Fullers weren't prepared to put in that level of sponsorship.  As for the beer, I think they charge more than some others. Certainly they're one of the few that Wetherspoons can't browbeat into supplying for nearly nothing!

Their new draft American IPA is £5.20 a pint at the Albert -- won't be buying that again!

Rocker

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Re: Ealing Chaos
« Reply #79 on: Thursday 30-Aug-2018, 13:55* »
Fullers aren't cheap, but at least the beer is nice.

T-Bone

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Re: Ealing Chaos
« Reply #80 on: Thursday 30-Aug-2018, 14:02* »
I live a stone's throw from the Fullers brewery. Might pop in, have a word and see if they'll change their minds - love their beer.

are any of the pubs on the boundary of the brewery worth checking out?

Ollyhoo

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Re: Ealing Chaos
« Reply #81 on: Thursday 30-Aug-2018, 15:20* »
I'm not entirely sure about this, but I believe the entire catering (thus bars) operation at Quins is subcontracted to a major catering company - who probably dictate what beers are served etc based on the contracts they have across all the venues for which they provide services.

Bearing in mind the potentially substantial profits that can be made on sales of alcohol (as the RFU does - and probably take it too far as far as prices are concerned) I've always been surprised that the Quins haven't brought their food and beverage (F & B) operation "in-house" and recruited a F & B manager whose remuneration package is based partly on turnover or profit. That should be even easier to do if the plan is to increase non-rugby corporate hospitality and reduce reliance on income from match days.

In my view, everyone would be a winner if the F & B operation was in-house. Quins would get all the profit (rather than just a proportion of it), the F & B manager would be motivated to sell as much as possible (thus reducing occasions when beer runs out or the bars are closed on the whim of someone who isn't motivated to keep them open (hence spectators are happier) and a good F & B manager would (within reason) always want to increase sales by giving people what they want - so they bought it.

I don't know why Quins haven't apparently followed this route, as it appears to be pretty obvious. Even if just 30% of a 14000 attendance bought two alcoholic drinks at a profit margin of £3 per pint or glass of wine/spirit (which I'm told is achievable), that would generate £25,200, which would easily cover staffing costs etc. If the margin is only £2.50, that's still £21,000. Catering companies tend to make big profits - otherwise they wouldn't exist, so no reason why Quins couldn't secure the same profits on their catering operations by doing it themselves.

Finally, if I'm wrong and Quins do run their own F & B operation, then obviously there's something wrong with it because beer keeps running out and there are many complaints about bar staff.

Gone

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Re: Ealing Chaos
« Reply #82 on: Thursday 30-Aug-2018, 15:33* »
Not sure about most of that but can't see how they can retain their own bar staff.

The reason it's chaotic is because people are brought in to do it per match and there's a high turnover so they're always learning.

Can't see how there's a more cost-effective option given we all buy the beer anyway even though we moan about it.


Ollyhoo

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Re: Ealing Chaos
« Reply #83 on: Thursday 30-Aug-2018, 15:49* »
That's the very point I'm making. If Quins controlled the bars, they would get 100% of the profit (rather than only a portion of it), and their Food and Beverage Manager would have control over the bar staff they employed. I agree with everything you say about the bar staff, and the ex-publican of one of the best known rugby pubs in Twickenham has even advised people at the Stoop on how to run a busy rugby bar. Nobody took action on what he said. It's odd that you can go into pubs in the area on match days and get served efficiently whereas Quins appear to get lumbered with people whose first acquaintance with a beer pump is when the bar opens on the afternoon of the match! They are completely untrained.

Ollyhoo

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Re: Ealing Chaos
« Reply #84 on: Thursday 30-Aug-2018, 15:54* »
P.S. the busy pubs in Twickenham certainly rely on casual bar staff on match days (historically students from St Mary's College). The secret is to recruit people who know how to work in a very busy bar. Based on what happens already in local pubs, these people clearly exist, so it shouldn't be too hard to find them to work at the Stoop.

TomBuckQuin

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Re: Ealing Chaos
« Reply #85 on: Thursday 30-Aug-2018, 17:46* »
I live a stone's throw from the Fullers brewery. Might pop in, have a word and see if they'll change their minds - love their beer.

are any of the pubs on the boundary of the brewery worth checking out?

The actual ones connected to the brewery - The Mawson Arms/Fox and Hounds - definitely worth checking out. Although annoyingly they're right on the main road (which means generally the easiest way to get there is by car, thereby inhibiting your ability to really knock 'em back) and it has bizarre opening hours (i.e. it's closed on Sundays, only open until 5pm on Saturdays and open weekdays until only 8pm). Weirdest business model ever. But if you can get down there, it's as fresh as it gets!

The George & Devonshire, which is a little bit further down, right on Hogarth roundabout, was dead when I went in there and I never went back. The beer was just as fresh and it has the opening hours you'd expect from a pub but no atmosphere whatsoever - probably because of the location, I don't know.

*Edited after checking opening times of The Mawson Arms*
« Last Edit: Thursday 30-Aug-2018, 18:00* by TomBuckQuin »

 

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