Doncaster 2019 - catering costs

[TheQ]

I have nothing against the Warley Show, if I lived locally I would attend, but it's 172 miles away, a 3.5 to 4 hour journey each way by car much longer by car and rail. The total cost with fuel , parking, show entrance and food is going to be £100 for an exceedingly long day.

 

Until I could afford to stay overnight then it's not possible.

 

I'll just have to build a very good layout so they pay me to attend!! (or my expenses anyway)

 

Edited February 11, 2019 by TheQ

[Pete the Elaner]

Sharing the journey is another possibility.

If 4 of you go together by car, you can split the fuel & parking costs. You can maybe also share the driving.

It can become a good day out.

[br2975]

Cheap and/or reasonably priced refreshments at events are the exception.

.

Probably the only railway modellers unaware of this are members of clubs in Lhasa, Vladivostock or Gryttvikken.

.

So, plan in advance.

[great central]

1 hour ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

I don't follow horse racing. But I have been to a couple of race meetings and the behaviour of many there is pretty awful. Railway modellers would seem very tame by comparison.

 

 

From experience at work I can assure you that many many racegoers are absolutely awful to deal with especially after they've had a skinfull while spending all day in the sun and losing their money.

[ruggedpeak]

On the positive side, for those who found it the top floor bar overlooking the racecourse was nice and quiet with a full range of beverages

[Emmo]

19 hours ago, ELTEL said:

If you knew all this information in advance why didn’t you go prepared with your own refreshments.

 

I don’t see what Warley parking or admission have got to do with your original posting.

 

Happy Modelling 

If I recall last year, the prices were high for catering, but not as bad as this year, that's why I didn't take my own, coupled with not having enough time beforehand to make any else I would have.

 

The point I'm making about Warley is that outside services (uncontrolled by the club/association who hosts the event) are putting people off from attending, i.e. catering, car park etc.

Edited February 11, 2019 by Emmo

[Chris M]

If you go to any event with a captive audience you will pay through the nose for food. Everyone knows this and you have three choices - accept that is the price of convenience, bring your own or go without. Same applies to sports events, theme parks etc etc.

As for the admission prices to big shows  - well just think how much it costs to go to other entertainment events. Model railway exhibitions are extremely cheap entertainment compared to most events. This is because most of those involved in the show have given up many hours of their free time for the paying visitors. I don't know about the BRM shows but I guess even the paid staff put in unpaid time to organise the show. Comments such as "blatent capitalism" are an insult to all of us who do put so many hours work in to these shows whether as organiser or exhibitor. Yes the venues are business which need to make a return on their investment ( which seems fair) but the people exhibiting certainly aren't.

Edited February 11, 2019 by Chris M
Spelling

[Pete the Elaner]

1 minute ago, Emmo said:

The point I'm making about Warley is that outside services (uncontrolled by the club/association who hosts the event) are putting people off from attending, i.e. catering, car park etc.

By arranging a show at the NEC, Warley MRC agrees to their terms. It is a more successful show than holding it in the nearest town hall (Dudley I believe, which lost its railway station in 1964) otherwise they would not be doing it.

If they cannot please everybody so it makes sense to cater for the larger market. There are plenty of smaller exhibitions where food & parking is cheaper, but you will not see the same variety of layouts, traders & associations.

[Emmo]

2 hours ago, RedgateModels said:

Well, I thought the prices were OK for a captive market. I don't go to shows every weekend so treating my son to a hot sit down meal was a good thing to do. His jacket spud was large, loaded with cheese and coleslaw. Condiments were free too - how many establishments charge 25p or more for a sachet of mayo?

 

My pizza slice was also good and the tea was top quality.

 

George loves a "café" and generally on a trip out will not settle for home made sarnies in any case. Those who know me and my family will appreciate that the provision of these facilities is vital to my sanity LOL

 

 

Redgate Models, it was hardly comparable to a 'Hot sit-down meal' not in my book. It was served in flimsy cardboard trays, wooden cutlery, overpriced and the tables (if you could find one) were like those in a works canteen, sitting on plastic chairs I normally find in a church hall. If George loves a cafe, this was hardly a good introduction. I see you are in Mansfield so not too far away, travel to Belper next February to their own model rail show and treat George to a meal at 'Georges'. Fish, chips, peas, bread and butter, tea or coffee with proper crockery and metal cutlery, and waited at the table, all for £5.95 and a pudding for another £1.50. Now that's value for money and a greasy spoon it aint.

 

Let's get one thing straight, I was NOT complaining about the free car park or indeed the price to get in. I also think the content at most model railway exhibitions are good value for money although comparing the number of layouts per £ you pay is a stupid comparison. I fully understand the organisers sometimes have their hands tied with regards the catering and that places are run to make a profit. I also understand I have a choice to use them, bring my own or go without. What I was complaining about was the sheer exploitation Doncaster Racecourse are putting on their visitors to the catering department. If anyone here thinks the food and drink was good value for money then they must have money to burn. 

[298]

36 minutes ago, Chris M said:

Comments such as "blatent capitalism" are an insult to all of us who do put so many hours work in to these shows whether as organiser or exhibitor. 

 

I thought the thread was about, and my comment in reference to, the catering /etc provided at venues that the show organiser and associates thereof have no control over, especially in the sense of a captive audience. 

 

If anyone wants a further look into this, try Googling " NEC Voyage Control", where you pay to access and get fined for missing pre-arranged access slots for vehicles serving stands at the NEC. It's just another wayward money making scheme...

[bourneagain]

If you don`t mind a 5min walk just around the corner, there is a cafe in ASDA (eg 12 item breakfast for a fiver - upto 12o/c) or there is a McDonald’s a bit further on. Alternatively, at the far end of the car park there is Whitby`s Fish and Chip Takeaway and Restaurant, with normal prices.

Remember, as a condition of hire for this type of venue, it comes with the catering supplied, it won`t allow the hirer to provide their own facilities, unlike many smaller exhibitions in school buildings and some leisure centres etc. And probably on race days they won`t allow you to bring your own food and drink in either.

[Dava]

2 hours ago, br2975 said:

Cheap and/or reasonably priced refreshments at events are the exception.

.

Probably the only railway modellers unaware of this are members of clubs in Lhasa, Vladivostock or Gryttvikken.

.

So, plan in advance.

What are the menu choices at those venues, possibly yak and pickled herring?

 

I can also recommend Whitby's for quality fish & chips in Doncaster. The GOG have their summer bash at Donny and the catering in the Dome is also a bit inadequate. 

[doctor quinn]

Gryttvikken MRS sound like a great bunch of lads and lasses, when is their show?

[Phil Parker]

If you think £4.50 is terrible for a sausage roll, I assume you've never been to a cinema. You'll never make it through through foyer when you see what the food there costs.

 

The problem with this sort of discussion is there is no solution. You want a big show? It has to be held in a big venue. Big venues come with contract catering run by people who have paid big money for an exclusive contract. They need to recoup this from the food sales.

 

Rampant capitalism? Yes, but that's the way the country works. Come the revolution there will be stale cheese sandwiches for all costing 50p each. And every layout will be a OO model of Coventry.

 

 

[bourneagain]

18 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

Rampant capitalism? Yes, but that's the way the country works. Come the revolution there will be stale cheese sandwiches for all costing 50p each. And every layout will be a OO model of Coventry.

 

 

Will this be life after BREXIT??

[Steamport Southport]

16 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

If you think £4.50 is terrible for a sausage roll, I assume you've never been to a cinema. You'll never make it through through foyer when you see what the food there costs.

 

The problem with this sort of discussion is there is no solution. You want a big show? It has to be held in a big venue. Big venues come with contract catering run by people who have paid big money for an exclusive contract. They need to recoup this from the food sales.

 

Rampant capitalism? Yes, but that's the way the country works. Come the revolution there will be stale cheese sandwiches for all costing 50p each. And every layout will be a OO model of Coventry.

 

 

 

Yep. Sometimes I wonder whether people live in the same world as me.....

 

Funny that the two main complainants mention being in golf and sailing clubs.  Now what is the membership fees of those clubs? Doubt it's cheap. even if the coffee is.

 

 

 

Jason

[dagrizz]

1 hour ago, Phil Parker said:

If you think £4.50 is terrible for a sausage roll, I assume you've never been to a cinema. You'll never make it through through foyer when you see what the food there costs.

 

The problem with this sort of discussion is there is no solution. You want a big show? It has to be held in a big venue. Big venues come with contract catering run by people who have paid big money for an exclusive contract. They need to recoup this from the food sales.

 

Rampant capitalism? Yes, but that's the way the country works. Come the revolution there will be stale cheese sandwiches for all costing 50p each. And every layout will be a OO model of Coventry.

 

 

I'm surprised no-one has yet done a model of Coventry station. Main line, compact, bridges at either end for scenic breaks, infrastructure hasn't changed that much in over 50 years so you could vary the traffic from steam to present-day.

 

Graham   

[298]

9 hours ago, dagrizz said:

I'm surprised no-one has yet done a model of Coventry station. Main line, compact, bridges at either end for scenic breaks, infrastructure hasn't changed that much in over 50 years so you could vary the traffic from steam to present-day.

 

Graham   

 

You'd get the usual "There's nothing moving on this layout" comments when mainline running is stopped for a Birmingham or Southampton bound Freightliner crossing both junctions...

[Butler Henderson]

On the bright side (deliberate pun there as you will see) the more money the racecourse makes from catering the more chance there is they might do something about the lights in the hall.

[PMP]

On ‎11‎/‎02‎/‎2019 at 11:58, 298 said:

 

One word. Blatant capitalism.

 

 

That's two. I'll get my coat....

[TheQ]

14 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Yep. Sometimes I wonder whether people live in the same world as me.....

 

Funny that the two main complainants mention being in golf and sailing clubs.  Now what is the membership fees of those clubs? Doubt it's cheap. even if the coffee is.

 

 

 

Jason

Horning Sailing club... full family membership including children or grandchildren under 8 years old,  £121 per annum..

https://horning-sailing.club/membership.php

 

If you wonder about the 8 years old , it's because at that age they can be in contol of a sailiing craft on the Norfolk broads and therefore take part in racing. The child then costs an additional £20 per annum and can race in their own right.

 

i'll also add, if you only include the "must pay" parts of sailing then most of the last 20 years that is all sailing has cost me. by being willing to crew (there is always a shortage of crews) you build up experience, and then the owners let yopu sail their boats even if they are not there..

 

If I had owned the boat I sail they are available to but from around £2000 to £7000 and with Broads tax(like road tax) insurance and mooring fees, the cost would have been £500 per year.

If you go to the from page of the link above, you'll see the BBC drone footage of the club, the boat sailing which has the dome below the mast is actually one of the boats I have sailed..

Edited February 12, 2019 by TheQ

[298]

11 minutes ago, PMP said:

 

 

That's two. I'll get my coat....

 

That'll be £3 please, plus a 50p handling fee. And £2 for the lost ticket.

[woodenhead]

Two pages about the cost of a cup of coffee and a sausage roll.

 

There are much bigger things in life to worry about;

 

Warning: Ironic sentence to follow.

 

All people want to do these days is moan, is that all social media is good for?

[Dava]

Come the Worker's Revolution, comrades Corbyn and McDonnell will be making the fish paste & coleslaw sandwiches on white factory bread, served with pre milked tea in a styrofoam cup, before you go round the Piko and BerlinerBahn layouts based on East German prototypes. Your Trabant is parked outside.

 

This reminds me of the 1970's Buxton shows at Easter in the Winter Gardens, certainly the catering aspects.

 

Dava

[Willie Whizz]

23 hours ago, bourneagain said:

Will this be life after BREXIT??

 

The Brexiteers would say:  "Just the opposite - there'll be a whole world of choice out there!".

 

But only time will tell ... and let's not divert the thread.