Mariners Trust bar for away fans at BP

Many of you may know the Mariners Trust run the bars at BP, but you might not know about the excellent away bar for visiting supporters. Sharon and her team do an incredible job and the bar gets lots of positive comments from away fans. If you haven't seen it, there are a few pics up here: http://toogoodtogodown.wordpre.....-from-visiting-fans/

Impressive! well done to all concerned these small changes show great initiative, all we need now is to replace the burger vans with what we are famous for Fish and Chips vans

I'm prepared to supply fish at a cost only basis but I'm sure JF has his own contacts in the fish world!!!

i think something similar to M&S' fish and chip pie might work well if someone local could make our own version.

http://www.shortlist.com/instant-improver/food/mands-launch-the-fish-and-chip-pie

Well done the Trust and all involved.

Re: Fish and Chips, it's been mentioned many times, someone at the club please get it done! And the ale thing! Imagine if we got a reputation for great food, and ale at the ground. It'd get a lot more of us in pre-match or eating at half time, and will convince away fans hopefully too, I'm sure a few have earmarked Kiddy for the pies for example...

The problem is we do not get enough away fans to really make any money (I should imagine): looks good though and well done all involved.

Real Ale in the Trust Bars would be great, but the wastage would be problematic. Only opening once a fortnight, any unsold beer from an opened barrel would have to be thrown away. Keg stuff stays drinkable for ever (nearly).

Fish and Chips: same as above really, huge waste potential if unsold/game cancelled. I can see why the club has resisted the call to put the idea in plaice (see what I did there?).

We'll definitely have to stop telling away supporters what we "marinate" their fish in if we want to encourage them to purchase our food.

MDT you echo my thoughts exactly regards to the away bar (and I would say very similar to the pontoon).

I find it hard to believe that either bar would go through a firkin of real ale every game. In fact I would say they wouldn't between them. Why not use the plastic bottle option. Yes I know quantity isn't as good, but, it serves a purpose. Speed of service is therefore increased as well as wastage through poor pouring and line cleaning. Stock control vastly made easier. Yes a % of the fans would be annoyed, but, being serious, would that many feel that annoyed if they had to have a bottle of speckled hen instead of draught!?!?

Quoted from 75

I'm prepared to supply fish at a cost only basis but I'm sure JF has his own contacts in the fish world!!!

Do you ever come down to Suffolk Vicar ?

Couldn't see any actual comments following the links but if this is the same bar under the corner (Scotties?)that was slated last season by some visiting fans then well done.

Quoted from Southwark Mariner

i think something similar to M&S' fish and chip pie might work well if someone local could make our own version.

http://www.shortlist.com/instant-improver/food/mands-launch-the-fish-and-chip-pie

It could be Kidderminster-esque, with fish pies instead of cottage, we've got young's on our doorstep, we could have mariners pie, admirals pie etc.

Quoted from MyDogsThoughts

Real Ale in the Trust Bars would be great, but the wastage would be problematic. Only opening once a fortnight, any unsold beer from an opened barrel would have to be thrown away. Keg stuff stays drinkable for ever (nearly).

Fish and Chips: same as above really, huge waste potential if unsold/game cancelled. I can see why the club has resisted the call to put the idea in plaice (see what I did there?).

Exactly

Thank you!!

Quoted from moosey_club

Couldn't see any actual comments following the links but if this is the same bar under the corner (Scotties?)that was slated last season by some visiting fans then well done.

The same!

Huge thanks due to Sharon Dobbs who has begged shirts off the back of supporters, scarves etc and supervised the art work

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

MDT you echo my thoughts exactly regards to the away bar (and I would say very similar to the pontoon).

I find it hard to believe that either bar would go through a firkin of real ale every game. In fact I would say they wouldn't between them. Why not use the plastic bottle option. Yes I know quantity isn't as good, but, it serves a purpose. Speed of service is therefore increased as well as wastage through poor pouring and line cleaning. Stock control vastly made easier. Yes a % of the fans would be annoyed, but, being serious, would that many feel that annoyed if they had to have a bottle of speckled hen instead of draught!?!?

Woz, I know you don't get home as often as you would wish but when you do rather than drinking in the Imp you should try the Trust bar.

If you had you would know that bottles of Speckled Hen & Spitfire have been served in there for the last 2 years!!!!
    

I know it defeats the object slightly but couldn't they use frozen fish for the fish and chips?

Well done to all involved; it looks like a superb effort.

It's a shame so few people use it though.  Why not open it up to home fans too and get some money flowing into it? There's no need to be segregating supporters at this level.  The bar at Dartford was filled with home and away fans mixing without no trouble.

Quoted from MyDogsThoughts

Fish and Chips: same as above really, huge waste potential if unsold/game cancelled.

Surely they're gonna go like hotcakes if they're anything half decent ?
I would suggest doing the sticker thing - i.e. run out due to demand first then get more for next time.

As for unsold/game cancelled I find it difficult to believe there's no way round it tbh.

Quoted from BIGChris

Exactly

Thank you!!

I´m not so sure. If Guisely can offer their own Real Ale with their fan base, why couldn´t we? A Firkin is roughly 72 pints according to wiki... if we don't think we could get through that we could buy a pin which is 36 pints... I'm sure we could get through 36 or near enough pints of Real Ale, specially if there's footy on the tele before the game!

Re: Fish and Chips, yes wastage is a problem, but no more so than most restaurants. A cancelled BP game is very rare, and as for crowd sizes, you can predict this: Bristol are going to bring more than Forest Green Rovers, for example. We could outsource it to a local restaurant that could then use unsold fish for their evening and Sunday shifts.

I know there are difficultuies, but I'm not entirely sure it's un-doable and wouldn't still be very profitable. Offer a pint of real ale before a game and I'd be in the ground much sooner instead of in a local boozer. I'm sure there's a few others the same.

Quoted from BIGChris

Woz, I know you don't get home as often as you would wish but when you do rather than drinking in the Imp you should try the Trust bar.

If you had you would know that bottles of Speckled Hen & Spitfire have been served in there for the last 2 years!!!!
    

Not been in the imp for years BC. Though, admit that we do drink in the blundell pre/post match. It doesn't bother me, if am honest, where we drink. I just go with the flow. Maybe it's not myself that needs influencing  

I honestly didn't realise the bottle policy. Does that mean no cask ales are sold anymore? Sorry if being slightly naive here mate. And, when I mentioned the bottles, it was predominantly the pontoon that I had in mind, just for speed of service/stock levels more than anything.

Am sure that there are plenty of others that have offered their services, but, if I can assist in anyway, always more than happy to