I know the club were unhappy about supporters not using the bar enough but some improvements and initiatives are needed, especially when you have a successful pub next door. Yesterday I had a pint at half time, although it was close to the second half by the time I got served. There were no Bexley Brewery bottles either, sometimes there is sometimes there isn't. Rather than just moan, here's a few ideas;
Marquee bar - I know we don't have an outdoor license at the moment but how about use the space for pre-ordered drinks? I guess you can still drink in there even if you can't serve. This would take the pressure of both bars and keep the queues down maybe, even order and pay via an app. Make it more attractive as well - TV's back in place, lighting, heating.
Cask ales/real ales - I know cask ales don't last long but with the right promotion I think it might have done well yesterday. If not, then Bexley bottles last ages and a few posters advertising them as some people don't know they're in the fridge.
Promotions - happy hour 5-6pm maybe to encourage fans in. Match the WUSA promotion with 50p off pints or go cheaper if you can for one hour.
Wings Bar app - free app where you can advertise beers, what's on, promotions, digital loyalty card, pre-order half time drinks. Even get it sponsored to cover the costs.
Tables - where have the high glass tables gone from upstairs? I had a beer after but nowhere to sit or put your pint.
Opening times - is 1.30pm too late when we have the 12.30 TNT games free to air? I've seen some away fans arrive and they've had to go elsewhere.
Live sports - the current technical set up has been added to and changed over the years but yesterday was a good example where if we had aerial connections to each TV (none at the moment) you could have had rugby on some, FA cup on others and TNT on a few more - all free to air yesterday.
Sound in upstairs bar - worth considering moving the amplifier upstairs so staff can control volume. Not great having sport on if no sound coming out.
Sky Sports - far too expensive but that's because Sky look up our rateable value set by the council and would charge us £2k per month. I think this rateable value is wrong as we aren't open 7 days per week and would get charged the same as a busy pub open all week. I have said to previous secretaries to ask the council to look into this. You can get Sky commercially for £400 per month. Maybe with 12 TV's get a sponsorship board under each one. £25 per TV sponsor per month might get sold, also guaranteed eyes on their name.
No to Bexley bottle beer, it is all bottle conditioned. Go to Tescos 4 bottles for £7 and a good selection of different ales and beers. 80 bottles for £140, Sell for £3.50 boom money doubled. Anything that doesnt sell can be kept for months.
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All postings lubricated by The Door Hinge Ale House 11 Welling High Street
I do not drink at the ground for the simple reason I drive, and having seen the results of many serious and fatal crashes I believe anyone who drink drives is a complete and utter .
However once I am too old to drive I may stay behind for a glass or two. However as my tipple of choice is real ale (and not from the bottle) I think it unlikely I would frequent the wings bar if I was unable to purchase this.
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No to Bexley bottle beer, it is all bottle conditioned. Go to Tescos 4 bottles for £7 and a good selection of different ales and beers. 80 bottles for £140, Sell for £3.50 boom money doubled. Anything that doesnt sell can be kept for months.
I'd be open to any bottles ales, do like a Bexley beer though but each to their own. Are we able to sell on supermarket bottles like this?
No to Bexley bottle beer, it is all bottle conditioned. Go to Tescos 4 bottles for £7 and a good selection of different ales and beers. 80 bottles for £140, Sell for £3.50 boom money doubled. Anything that doesnt sell can be kept for months.
I'd be open to any bottles ales, do like a Bexley beer though but each to their own. Are we able to sell on supermarket bottles like this?
Back in the Hobbins days Polo and others ran a bottle bar in the alcove with items bought from supermarkets.This was a great idea from Polo and served the fans very well until the bar became Pure.
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Text or watsapp club shop on 07707883672 or email wusashop@gmail.com DO NOT PHONE
No to Bexley bottle beer, it is all bottle conditioned. Go to Tescos 4 bottles for £7 and a good selection of different ales and beers. 80 bottles for £140, Sell for £3.50 boom money doubled. Anything that doesnt sell can be kept for months.
I'd be open to any bottles ales, do like a Bexley beer though but each to their own. Are we able to sell on supermarket bottles like this?
Back in the Hobbins days Polo and others ran a bottle bar in the alcove with items bought from supermarkets.This was a great idea from Polo and served the fans very well until the bar became Pure.
We did. 3 for £4 or 3 for £5 from the supermarkets and then served to people at £3 or £4 a go, lots of different flavours each week and it was very popular. Having a selection of different bottles or boxes from ciders from some of the companies like Lilley's would sell very well
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Welling United FC. Banging on the walls of Woking dressing rooms since 1963..
No to Bexley bottle beer, it is all bottle conditioned. Go to Tescos 4 bottles for £7 and a good selection of different ales and beers. 80 bottles for £140, Sell for £3.50 boom money doubled. Anything that doesnt sell can be kept for months.
I'd be open to any bottles ales, do like a Bexley beer though but each to their own. Are we able to sell on supermarket bottles like this?
I like Bexley beers too. Bottle conditioned beers do taste better than regular bottled beers but do take longer to pour and if the staff do not allow you to pour your own, it could cause delays.
My main criticism of the upstairs bar is the TVs. I usually get to the ground around 2, however, the week I got there at 1330 to watch the second half of a prem game the TVs were showing a National League game and the staff didn't know how to change it.
One thing I don't understand is why they don't pre-pour some beers for halftime? They must have enough data to pull a certain amount of Madris/Coors or whatever they sell most of.
I am surprised we haven't thought of a leftfield solution to the Marquee bar. In view of the fact you can drink alcohol anywhere within the ground, surely you must be able to hand beer over to someone in a similar fashion. Meaning, the payment is made using a pre-payed method. Someone within the bar area sells vouchers, that are redeemed within the marquee area.
-- Edited by Wallop on Monday 18th of March 2024 01:25:49 PM
The Upstairs bar is usually quite busy after the game but the downstairs bar is absolutely dead.
I don't think the club should fuss about the dozen or so fans who have been going straight in the guy after games, they normally only stay for a drink or too.
It might be a good idea to hold events in the downstairs bar starting at 5pm that might attract non football supporters. Karaoke nights always seem to be popular.
The location of the ground is a disadvantage for the club as it means they are competing with various pubs after the game, but we don't use our location to attract non football fans to events.
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OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh When the Wingssssss
I totally get the need and want to make more revenue it's just ****ty to imply you don't support the team if your not getting pissed in the wings bar after. Unfortunately, it does work both ways as mentioned above and I am sure there are small, temp fixes that could be considered to make it more attractive then guy, door hinge wherever.
I just see this sort if a tactic to try and manipulate the more vulnerable or navie in the fan base.
Hate to moan when everything else is so good right now.
How about the club listens to all of the good suggestions above - you know, proactive customer listening - rather than go into rant mode about fans exercising their right to go elsewhere. Club bars are **** for the most part because they usually ignore all the reasons why people like going to pubs i.e. crap selection of drinks, poor/amateur service as they are run by hobbyists/happy amateurs and pretty soulless. I went into the Guy for a drink beforehand and whilst the service isn't amazing, the place was full of people watching the FA Cup game, the rugby was heavily advertised, people playing darts and machines, sat outside in a garden with some half decent weather for a change. A bar has to attract people in for the right reasons, not just because someone said so
Agree with a lot of whats been said. Stringer or anyone else at the club has no right to question peoples support because they cant always stay after the game. People have different reasons for not staying and they dont have to justify it to anyone, especially after already having paid their admission. One of the most obvious reasons people dont eat/drink at the ground is because of the poor quality. Just because theres a deficit in the budget Im not going to buy a below standard burger. If you want peoples money set up a gofundme page. Otherwise improve the quality of your product, try different marketing strategies etc. Dont have a pop at the people youre trying to attract !! When will this club learn.
Sounds like fans comments are being listened to. Wondered who the blokes were working at the ground today so being a nosey old person I asked. The main Wings bar is being repainted and the marquee is being upgraded. I didnt look in bar but club cleaner told me its taking shape and looks nice and bright ready for Good Friday. Hopefully I can have a look next Wednesday otherwise I will have to wait another 2 days to satisfy my nosey nature
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Shame it took a trip to Hampton to see what could be achieved.
Personally I would go one step further and remove any vehicle parking from Welling side and stick them in the E&B side.
This would free up area for further food outlets/franchises.
I've been at the ground this evening and I've spoken to the owner, he's overseeing a lot of improvements to the marquee and the downstairs Wings bar. There's lots going on and I'm hoping fans will be pleasantly surprised and appreciate the changes
I've been at the ground this evening and I've spoken to the owner, he's overseeing a lot of improvements to the marquee and the downstairs Wings bar. There's lots going on and I'm hoping fans will be pleasantly surprised and appreciate the changes
Here's hoping for a couple of handpulls, or gravity stillage
