Nigel Travis interview

[O Superman]

They day they serve Short Rib Bourguignon, washed down with a 2005 Clos des Papes en Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is the day I'll spend my hard earned money on the catering options at Brisbane Rd*. Until then you can stick your Orient Burger and Coke.



*Obviously, I'll require a receipt.

If they had an expensive menu like that, guess you would be about the only one ordering !

The point is though, with the current pricing , you ARE paying for a menu like that......but what you are getting is a cheap carvery.

[Mistadobalina]

All of this is really noise around the elephant in the room of why our investors are actually investing in us.

I really struggle to see how they can make a profit out of us unless we become an established championship team and a bigger fish comes along to take a punt on us reaching the prem. Maybe that's the aim but we will never be a profitable day to day business. Very few clubs are and we have sod all by way of assets to milk.

[Sid Bishop]

They day they serve Short Rib Bourguignon, washed down with a 2005 Clos des Papes en Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is the day I'll spend my hard earned money on the catering options at Brisbane Rd*. Until then you can stick your Orient Burger and Coke.



*Obviously, I'll require a receipt.

If they had an expensive menu like that, guess you would be about the only one ordering !

The point is though, with the current pricing , you ARE paying for a menu like that......but what you are getting is a cheap carvery.

And for the above menu, the current pricing would maybe be doubled or tripled !

[Sid Bishop]

All of this is really noise around the elephant in the room of why our investors are actually investing in us.

I really struggle to see how they can make a profit out of us unless we become an established championship team and a bigger fish comes along to take a punt on us reaching the prem. Maybe that's the aim but we will never be a profitable day to day business. Very few clubs are and we have sod all by way of assets to milk.

Buying an EFL football team is a sure way to lose money.

[O Superman]

If they had an expensive menu like that, guess you would be about the only one ordering !

The point is though, with the current pricing , you ARE paying for a menu like that......but what you are getting is a cheap carvery.

And for the above menu, the current pricing would maybe be doubled or tripled !

I think you are missing my point

[Sid Bishop]

The point is though, with the current pricing , you ARE paying for a menu like that......but what you are getting is a cheap carvery.

And for the above menu, the current pricing would maybe be doubled or tripled !

I think you are missing my point

Well they are obviously looking for a big profit mark up.
Sometimes better to reduce prices, give value for money and sell ( in this case ) more decent quality food and drinks, thus a higher turnover earning more money.

[Long slender neck]

What would you all like to eat and drink then?

[OyinbO]

It's in the nature of a football stadium that sees 90% of its weekly demand arrive in a 2hr slot that it will never be able to compete with actual bone fide restaurants and pubs on quality and value. But there is now a huge gap between what's available in E10 and what's available in the ground - a gap that's much bigger than it was 5, and certainly 10 years ago. Orient need to do a lot of work to close the gap a bit - other Clubs (of both comparable size, bigger, and smaller than us) manage to do better, so it's clearly possible.

at the moment it feels like we have the worst of all worlds: crap service, poor quality, high prices. Fix two of those and you might be talking.

[banqo]

The only time Nigel said fans were cheating the club was with respect to illegal streaming, not regards eating elsewhere. I accept he did say that eating elsewhere was taking revenue away from the club, which could have been better worded. Ironically the supporters club is always bursting at the seams making revenue, and would almost certainly make more if it was bigger, or had catering. That said, it probably wouldn't be in the clubs best interest if the supporters club was bigger reducing early attendance further.

The supporters club is run entirely by volunteers and they donate a large proportion of the profits to the club. So actually, it probably would benefit in the long term to have a much bigger supporters club assuming it was run in the same way. In terms of food /drink offerings (great beer and decent, if limited, food), it's far and away the best value in the stadium.

Best value by far, and run by people who have the club at heart.

[oxo]

at the moment it feels like we have the worst of all worlds: crap service, poor quality, high prices. Fix two of those and you might be talking.

i've always found the staff to be pretty sound. unless by 'crap service' you mean long queues, which i do find annoying, but I'm not sure the staff can do much about it.

[Cheshunto]

It's in the nature of a football stadium that sees 90% of its weekly demand arrive in a 2hr slot that it will never be able to compete with actual bone fide restaurants and pubs on quality and value. But there is now a huge gap between what's available in E10 and what's available in the ground - a gap that's much bigger than it was 5, and certainly 10 years ago. Orient need to do a lot of work to close the gap a bit - other Clubs (of both comparable size, bigger, and smaller than us) manage to do better, so it's clearly possible.

at the moment it feels like we have the worst of all worlds: crap service, poor quality, high prices. Fix two of those and you might be talking.

The service in the hospitality areas is far from “crap” ………Lucy Gammons and her team do a fantastic job, it’s the prices this season that are the issue, as I’ve posted above. I used both the Restaurant and the 50s Lounge last season and the food offering was mixed………some days it was good, and others like the Swindon match it was Fish and Chips that was straight from a freezer……….but you accepted it as we were supporting the club, but with the new price increases it’s just poor value.

[OyinbO]

I dine with the proles, personally - and not having a pop at any of the individuals on the front line of dealing with us (or those in the hospitality areas, which I can't speak about), but the service has been poor and worsening for some time in spite of their valiant efforts. Queues are the most obvious example, but running out of stuff really early is another

[Omygawd]

What would you all like to eat and drink then?

At the risk of upsetting the o-nuts with chips nachos and cheese brigade.....noodles, proper soups, wraps. Drinks - herbal teas, flavoured waters, low alcohol beers, lager, cider.

[gshaw]

The owners are the ones going on podcasts grumbling about the amount of money they're putting in. I haven't heard any fans moaning on podcasts about the amount of Invesment the Investors (that's not us, we're merely customers) have or haven't put in.

Not a podcast, but you only have to read the message board to see fans moaning on a near daily basis that they want more players (investment) on a daily basis. Nigel makes one podcast suggesting fans should spend more with the club, and the fans go into meltdown.

The manager has also asked for more players / investment hence two more potentially coming in. It's not just a crazy fan demand but the reality of competing at this level.

[RedDwarf 1881]

The owners are the ones going on podcasts grumbling about the amount of money they're putting in. I haven't heard any fans moaning on podcasts about the amount of Invesment the Investors (that's not us, we're merely customers) have or haven't put in.

Not a podcast, but you only have to read the message board to see fans moaning on a near daily basis that they want more players (investment) on a daily basis. Nigel makes one podcast suggesting fans should spend more with the club, and the fans go into meltdown.

The manager has also asked for more players / investment hence two more potentially coming in. It's not just a crazy fan demand but the reality of competing at this level.

Yes , I think we want another striker and centre back.

[BiggsyMalone]

Millionaire owners of a football club whos community based history, they champion, want to alienate and take business away from struggling local industries and get ‘tough’ with the local council in regards to financial and planning help they demand going forward

Well thought out lads

[essexfootball]

I get the feeling the numbers have gone a little wrong and two games, no sell-outs or even close, less fans in the ground, probably fewer people buying pints, also the new shirts seem no where near as popular

[LittleMate]

I think that we as fans run the risk of forgetting financial reality. There's a lot of difference between knowing the stakes go up when you get promoted to then actually getting the bills. I think our owners are adapting to that quite well. There's also a fan expectation that they have always paid a set rate and so why should they pay more. Well the quality of the product has gone up, the players cost more to attract and keep. It should not all be down to the owners. Its not a charity - owning a football club is more like holding a basket case - and its a wicker one that leaks badly! Whether we like it or not we are investors and the owners are trustees who pay that much more for the privilege. If we continue to co-operate on that basis then the club will continue to move forward. If we decide that we have reached our financial limits then we should expect the football on offer to reflect that. I'm happy to keep on investing at an increased rate as our trustees seem to be using our money more wisely than most other trustees at their clubs.

Totally wrong.

The owners are the ones going on podcasts grumbling about the amount of money they're putting in. I haven't heard any fans moaning on podcasts about the amount of Invesment the Investors (that's not us, we're merely customers) have or haven't put in.

Thats because fans don't go on podcasts. There's plenty on here that have moaned about the hike in prices.

[Proposition Joe]

What would you all like to eat and drink then?

Tofu

[Long slender neck]

All the podcasts are run and presented by fans.

[Max Fowler]

All of this is really noise around the elephant in the room of why our investors are actually investing in us.

I really struggle to see how they can make a profit out of us unless we become an established championship team and a bigger fish comes along to take a punt on us reaching the prem. Maybe that's the aim but we will never be a profitable day to day business. Very few clubs are and we have sod all by way of assets to milk.

Yes, I believe that is the model that is being pitched to Investors.

But in the interview, Nigel said that things are changing and having put his money in not expecting to get anything back, he now believes that will change.

[Orient Punxx]

Millionaire owners of a football club whos community based history, they champion, want to alienate and take business away from struggling local industries and get ‘tough’ with the local council in regards to financial and planning help they demand going forward

Well thought out lads

Didn’t quite interpret it that way but can’t argue with your interpretation either. If you go to any USA sports event the beer and food is vastly inflated in price. $20 for a can of beer + tip! That model ain’t going to work here. Wouldn’t dream of drinking in the stadium before game. Leyton is a cool area now and quite attractive to arrive early and patronise the local offerings.

[Type high]

What would you all like to eat and drink then?

If they want me earlier in the ground then cornflakes and cool Full Cream Milk with a coating of sugar and some sliced Peaches

[FrankOFile]

What would you all like to eat and drink then?

This is always the main point.

Do people really want sushi, dumplings and samosas? Surely there is already enough choice.

[Hedmans Header]

The food in the ground is never going to
compete with what’s on offer along Leyton
High St for quality or value ..
Long gone are the days were we only had
Nicks cafe or chippy in the High St we now
have an abundance of fine cafes and bars
selling quality food ..
Personal favourite of mine is the Portugese
cafe opposite the Technical great food and
at a very good price ..