L’Enfer, c’est les autres

[Nick Armstrong]

[smittims]

Bravo, Jessica. Also crisps and sweets with crackly wrappers...

[Nick Armstrong]

Going to the Prom tonight… There’d better not be any popcorn-munchers nearby

[Ein Heldenleben]

Now I see what Simon B means - see Dialogues thread. He’s had 6 proms now ruined .
If Les tricoteuses were the knitters during the Terror what were the popcorn eaters - mangeurs de popcorn ?

[Ein Heldenleben]

Going to the Prom tonight… There’d better not be any popcorn-munchers nearby

I’ve had popcorn munchers during Met opera cinema screenings afore now. It’s the smell as much as anything

[Maclintick]

Although I've not been discombobulated by popcorn-munchers at the Proms so far this season, I take Jessica Duchen's point. The RAH/BBC Proms should ban popcorn sellers. For goodness sake, they must make enough profit on their overpriced wine, beer, spirits....

[PhilipT]

Although I've not been discombobulated by popcorn-munchers at the Proms so far this season, I take Jessica Duchen's point. The RAH/BBC Proms should ban popcorn sellers. For goodness sake, they must make enough profit on their overpriced wine, beer, spirits....

To be fair, it's not the RAH or the BBC who make that profit. RAH catering has been outsourced to Rhubarb Hospitality Collection.

[french frank]

To be fair, it's not the RAH or the BBC who make that profit. RAH catering has been outsourced to Rhubarb Hospitality Collection.

Acquired in June by the American Oak View Group.

"The purchase of the premium hospitality group from LGT Private Debt aims to elevate the experience for fans at venues around the world, ensuring every fan gets a premium experience. In addition to RHC's own growth plan, the current management team, led by Chief Executive P.B. Jacobse, will help drive forward OVG's plans to transform the food and beverage experience at arenas, stadiums, and live entertainment venues across the UK and around the world."

It is, I would have thought, up to the BBC/RAH to explain to RHC what 'every fan' might want when they attend the Proms.

[oddoneout]

Acquired in June by the American Oak View Group.

"The purchase of the premium hospitality group from LGT Private Debt aims to elevate the experience for fans at venues around the world, ensuring every fan gets a premium experience. In addition to RHC's own growth plan, the current management team, led by Chief Executive P.B. Jacobse, will help drive forward OVG's plans to transform the food and beverage experience at arenas, stadiums, and live entertainment venues across the UK and around the world."

It is, I would have thought, up to the BBC/RAH to explain to RHC what 'every fan' might want when they attend the Proms.

This I think is the relevant, and rather chilling, part of the mission statement. No word of tailoring to clients needs and wishes, just driving forward the company plan. In that context I don't know how much control RAH actually has over what is provided and how, having signed the contract. The RAH put on many events which would fit into the OVG vision, the question is to what extent efforts were made to separate out the Proms as an event that perhaps needed a slightly different approach. And that question leads me on to wondering a) was the matter even raised and b) did RAH have any say in how the "offer" was delivered or was it a take it or leave it situation. Sales pitches are very slick and assurances are easy to give, especially where those giving them don't actually know anything about the subject and, more to the point, want the contract and will do what is necessary to secure it.
Over the past 20 years I have seen both versions of this. The one that challenges the sales pitch and won't sign up until the offer fits what is wanted rather than what the company wants to sell or just walking away and looking elsewhere, and on the other side the blind (and sometimes plain ignorant) acceptance of the sales pitch and then spending years(and a lot of time and money) trying to sort out all the glitches, many/most of which should have been spotted before signing up. Involving staff, rather than leaving things entirely to upper levels of management can highlight potential problems, but that's not the way things are done; staff and end-users just have to cope as best they can with fall-out from such top-down decisions.

[french frank]

Over the past 20 years I have seen both versions of this. The one that challenges the sales pitch and won't sign up until the offer fits what is wanted rather than what the company wants to sell or just walking away and looking elsewhere, and on the other side the blind (and sometimes plain ignorant) acceptance of the sales pitch and then spending years(and a lot of time and money) trying to sort out all the glitches, many/most of which should have been spotted before signing up.

It sort of goes against my nature to accept 'Nothing can be done', even where it seems as if nothing can be done (and it usually happens that nothing is done and people just put up with/get used to the way things have developed. [Doesn't apply to R3, of course … ]

[Master Jacques]

It sort of goes against my nature to accept 'Nothing can be done', even where it seems as if nothing can be done (and it usually happens that nothing is done and people just put up with/get used to the way things have developed. [Doesn't apply to R3, of course … ]

marketing@rhubarb.co.uk

This is the London email marketing address of the US-based perpetrators. I've told them what I think, very directly, and it can't harm if others do likewise - whether or not this lot's Royal Albert Hall clients are doing anything about it (which I doubt).

[french frank]

marketing@rhubarb.co.uk

This is the London email marketing address of the US-based perpetrators. I've told them what I think, very directly, and it can't harm if others do likewise - whether or not this lot's Royal Albert Hall clients are doing anything about it (which I doubt).

In a multi-pronged effort, an approach to one of their clients might help. Not to mention the RAH itself. Somewhere in the weeds are hands-on people for whom, all things being equal as far as one event is concerned, might just as well get it right as wrong.The problem then is: carry out a poll and a majority of today's Proms-goers might vote for popcorn

[Bryn]

In a multi-pronged effort, an approach to one of their clients might help. Not to mention the RAH itself. Somewhere in the weeds are hands-on people for whom, all things being equal as far as one event is concerned, might just as well get it right as wrong.The problem then is: carry out a poll and a majority of today's Proms-goers might vote for popcorn

[french frank]

I know I only lasted for 2 minutes so my opinion is tainted, but yes, probably as irritating as that.

[Pulcinella]

I've certainly been tempted (not only in a quiet carriage) to leave my seat and move down the aisle to a mobile phone user and start up my own imaginary conversation in very loud tones nearby.
Hello. Yes, I'm on the train.
Sorry, can you say that again? There's someone talking and I didn't quite hear you.
....