What is going on with the tea bar. It was embarrassing at the last game - biggest crowd of the season and the people didn't turn up to run the thing. No burgers/hot dogs - just horrible tea and sandwiches that had just been knocked up. Well done for the people that managed at short notice but surely the the tea bar is a major source of money - 80p for a cup of tea - £2.50 for a burger - got to make a tidy profit. This needs to be run more efficelnty. There have been a string of different people running the thing and frankly some are so slow that people can't be bothered to wait.
I have been away at grounds with lower attendances than us and they manage two bars. How about one near the E&B entrance? At least you could see the game while you queued and is more likely to get people buying whilst game is in progress. The 50-50 and raffle money is virtually insignificant to the money that can be made from food/drink.
Second hand large trailer as seen at boot fairs and markets and sports grounds. Can be picked up. WSU Fund raise for one then advertise for staff! in papers.
Or get Teddy and Pam to do it. Why dont th WSU buy a nice trailer and donate... BUT you will need one of you to oversee it, ordering etc etc. Plus yoiu will need 2 staff plus cover for sickness etc.
You can get a second hand 28 foot trailer with all the equipment for 5-6k. then just get the signwriters on it. THINK how much money it would make for WSU... or other supporters body.
Isnt the tea bar franchised out so the club dont make loads from it? I think WSU should look into gettting one, hiring staff themselves and taking all profits and putting in their account
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Alexander O'Neal 1987 "I'm fed up cos all you wanna do is criticize "
You don't need a hefty great trailer. There's a perfectly good serving area behind where the current trailer is. It used to be used for tea and food then it was turned over to sell second hand programmes.
I'm sure a little money invested in tidying it up would reap rewards. E&B seem to do a good trade at their matches. Nearly everyone that goes there ends up buying a carton of chips.
Having participated in many charity raising events during my lifetime I think food and drink have always been the big profit makers.
I would say though that seeing as it wouldn't be a charity running it there'd probably be so much red tape and health & safety issues to resolve that it would put people off running it. It might be a case of taking the easy money by letting a franchise run it.
Alan I'm pretty sure that you've got it right about the tea bar being an administrative nightmare Health and Safety wise and there is also the tax issue which a club, Dover I think it was but I can't be certain, hit about food consumed on the premises.
One thing that strikes me is why couldn't we negotiate with E&B about their catering facilities and resources being hired for Welling matches for a percentage of the profits which I too know from past experience are high. From an uninformed point of view it seems that E&B have the Health and Safety angles etc covered and the profits made would benefit both Clubs rather than an independent trader.
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YOUTH are the future
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"The worst thing you can do is make a committment and not meet it and I understand that." Barrie Hobbins 14 August 2010
It seems like a good idea although I feel that there is a people's front of Judea/Judian's people front between the Wings and EB&Q. I have seen Graham throw "director's" of EB&Q out of the new stand. I dont think the relationship goes to any more than tennants.
I would just like to Publicly congratulate Graham Hobbins on the above. I did read before they came that he didnt want them near the ground, infact i think the piece from the old WOTW site is still on the server somewhere.
In the end i suppose he bit the bullet and saw it would save Welling a fortune (New Stand etc) if they became tennants. I know its not jolly sporting old chap but i hate them being at our ground.(E&B&Q that is).
The catering "red tape" lolololol. ERM, local authority basic hygeine certificate!!, Emergency First Aid procedure and erm, as for the tax, yes there is tax to pay on profits but which money making business doesnt pay tax.
Alan , I understand what you are saying about no need for a trailer, BUT this could be branded as Welling Supporters, positioned anywhere in ground and be independent of the club. As for size, lots of clubs have similar trailers and they can have plenty of staff for busy games. (Teddy, Pam and pams mum? used to be a bit crowded under the stand!)
Plus someone was mentioning TWO tea bars, getting a trailer solves this. Also we shouldnt franchise the food, there are huge profits in selling Burgers and Chips and where the club seem to be cutting budgets, every penny counts. A supporter driven tea bar would make a fortune.
Plus it could be hired out on non match days For Fetes.Boot Fairs etc etc. And do it properly not a pasting table selling rolls and pop. Pam would tell the WSU how much the food can make on a good day. There own trailer would be a great vehicle (oooh what a pun).
-- Edited by JgFc at 14:55, 2006-10-26
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Alexander O'Neal 1987 "I'm fed up cos all you wanna do is criticize "
It was a VAT issue from memory and it struck me at the time just how murky the waters were and little wonder that the club in question had found itself in some difficulty.
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YOUTH are the future
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"The worst thing you can do is make a committment and not meet it and I understand that." Barrie Hobbins 14 August 2010
As i said its just something that needs to be accounted for (VAT etc). Food at events is a huge profit maker. You only have to read some of the food van wars in the press where gangs fight for pitches and territory.
I think a supporter owned trailer would be a cash cow if run properly. And it isnt rocket science just hire the staff from the local paper and run interviews. Pam could even oversee it, (just keep an eye on it and give advice on how best to run it) Im sure she would be happy to be an advisor.
Definitely something to consider. Would make back the cost of the trailer at the Danson Festival i reckon too. PLUS could make all the food for the clubhouse events at the club. And give more variety.
-- Edited by JgFc at 14:59, 2006-10-26
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Alexander O'Neal 1987 "I'm fed up cos all you wanna do is criticize "
Alan, even taking account of the fact that my last experience of catering at an outdoor event was 8 or so years ago, burgers for our barbecue, which made MacDonalds look like infant portionsand were twice as tasty, were produced by a local butcher and cost us 10p each and the buns were pence each. With burgers costing over £2.00 at the ground even allowing for increased costs and overheads there are HUGE profits and as for tea at 50 to 60p per cup even going and buying Earl Grey and Channel Islands milk in the local Tesco at today's prices there would still be huge profit margins.
-- Edited by bruno at 12:13, 2006-10-27
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YOUTH are the future
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"The worst thing you can do is make a committment and not meet it and I understand that." Barrie Hobbins 14 August 2010
Talking about burgers. The best burger I ever had was called an Atomic Burger in a little place in Williamstown Victoria. The thing was about 6 inches high. They were civilised out there too because you could have a beer with it.
Another good one is Applebees in USA. You don;t have to chew the meat. You just crush it with your tongue.
I had a burger in a steak house in Pretoria in South Africa (Was out there with Barmy Army to see a test match at Centurion.
OMG it was huge, Next day had a steak, HUGE and me mate had the same, plus a bottle of wine plus deserts.... it cost about 7 quid for the lot, We left a 3 quid tip!! And for the rest of the week the waiter was all over the hotel seeing what we wanted in the way of drinks etc around the pool.
Back to the subject, the H&S issuses arent big, A quick phone call to Bexley Council will give the details of what is needed. And as Bruno said the profit is about 300% on hot food. And how many burgers and hot dogs would sell a game?
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Alexander O'Neal 1987 "I'm fed up cos all you wanna do is criticize "
The 'red tape' is very easy. You need a food operating license from your local council,they will inspect the food premises paying attention to things such as receipt of delivary,storage facilties, temperature control of said storage facilities, staff hand washing facilities, food prep washing facilities , Pest control precautions. You need to have a methodical set up in your portakabin or hut design so that the food production 'flows' from start to finish to minimise cross contamination threats.
You then need to train the staff working there to a minimum of Basic food hygiene [1 day course with multiple choice exam]. It might be an idea to have the Manager do an Intermediate level [3 days usually with multiple choice exam]. You don't need to do the Advanced course,takes a week and has 2 assignments and a 2 hour written exam at the end.
Of course you will be using chemicals so you wll need to arrange COSHH training [control of substances hazardous to health] for your staff,I would also recommend for the manager a basic health and safety course[also 1 day with a muti choice exam at the end]
I have a credit pass in advanced food hygiene ,my job as Catering Mannager requires so. If you do get the project off the ground I would be willing to help advice wise. Also your local EHO will be only to pleased to help a pro-active business,ring them you will or should be pleasently surprised.
