Catering company behind Liberty food & drink outlets respond to Monday's blog criticising service in East Stand
Well, I wasn't expecting that. Following on from Monday's rant (link) where I may have been a bit scathing regarding service in the Riverside Bar (as well as the smaller concourse outlets), I received an email from Josh from FMC (the company who runs the bars and catering facilities at the Liberty) apologising for the delays in service, and asking me if I'd like to meet him at the stadium to discuss this further.
Needless to say, I took up this offer with open arms. I think it's great that they responded so quickly, and I made a point of thanking Josh for inviting me in as I doubt this would happen at another club if their catering manager saw some criticism online. It immediately emphasised once more that the Swans really are a local club, and that no matter what, if they can do something to rectify the situation they will.
Where to start? Well, I can honestly say that after speaking with Josh I have no doubt the situation can, and will improve. Everything that has been raised as an issue (the pre-pouring of pints, the level of agency staff manning the bars, the lack of urgency displayed by staff in the Riverside at half-time) was discussed and he is very, very keen to resolve this issue.
He explained that pre-pouring of pints is something that should have been happening at the Liberty all season, but has perhaps waned as the season has gone on. It was explained that there had been complaints about people not wanting pre-poured pints, and that perhaps bar staff had stopped pre-pouring as much due to this, but let's be honest, if you're drinking Carling in a plastic glass it's not going to be the best pint you've ever had in your life. The bars can't do anything about the regulations surrounding the use of plastic in place of glass, and I think most fans would prefer an instant pint that's been pre-poured in the buildup to half-time, as opposed to one that they've had to queue fifteen minutes for.
Ok, fifteen minutes is a bit harsh, but it's not unheard of. The average waiting time has been clocked at twelve minutes on occasion this season, but Josh is targeting a reduction to around six minutes if possible. Given the measures he's intent on taking and the drive with which I have no doubt he'll apply them, I believe this is more than possible.
He assured me that tomorrow the Riverside Bar will be pre-pouring pints in order to stave off what had become a lengthy wait, so hopefully we'll see a marked improvement in the rapidity with which pints are dispensed. He also mentioned there's a new head honcho in the Riverside who's looking to get things moving more quickly, so there should be a bit more urgency about things as fans pour in looking for their half time tipple.
As for the concourse, the main problem is, quite frankly, the concourse. It's not really big enough for the purpose it's currently serving on matchdays, and pretty much every idea that I discussed with Josh was met with the same response: "I've tried - we're not allowed". The reasons they can't use the Ghostbusters-style beer dispensing backpacks and other things which would alleviate congestion are varied but all revolve around the fact that given the amount of fans who pour into the concourse at half-time, regulations state they can't. Sad, but a sign of the times more than a fault on the club's part - although the size of the concourse is obviously a regrettable oversight.
So, tomorrow at the Liberty it should be easier to get a pint in the Riverside. Josh is keen to get fan feedback in terms of what we feel needs improving, and what could be done to improve the matchday experience, and I'm going to be putting up a poll/questionnaire in the near future which, we both hope, will help foster a link between the bars in the Liberty/the company that runs them and the fans.
They are listening; we just need to stop being so British about it and actually voice our opinions in order that things will change for the better. And remember - if you've just got a pre-poured pint it's probably saved you ten minutes of waiting at the bar. Surely that's better?