Are you looking forward to a Wilf's veggie chilli?

[Tatty]

Tom's burger van was at the Southern Champs.

[MIE]

Tom's burger van will be at the British Nights next Saturday and the UKOL (level B)
on Sunday.

I think the "maximising revenue" relates to "partnership agreement" events (i.e British Champs of one from or another and the JK). Regional Championships, although level A,
are not "partnership agreement" events.

(FWIW next weekends' BNC declined to sign the "partnership agreement" which is why
we can have whoever we want catering/supplying etc..)

[Wayward-O]

(FWIW next weekends' BNC declined to sign the "partnership agreement" which is why we can have whoever we want catering/supplying etc..)

So the answer to the problem is to decline the "partnership agreement" and to negotiate a bespoke agreement for the event. When this happens a number of times (and if the bespoke agreements are shared) then a de-facto new agreement will emerge. Otherwise clubs and regions will decline to hold these events.

[MIE]

So the answer to the problem is to decline the "partnership agreement" and to negotiate a bespoke agreement for the event. When this happens a number of times (and if the bespoke agreements are shared) then a de-facto new agreement will emerge. Otherwise clubs and regions will decline to hold these events.

"You may say that but I couldn't possibly comment"

[Duncan]

Does anyone actually know what is being charged to traders at a day of a Partnership Agreement event, for varying size of pitch?

As others have said, charging traders at large events is nothing new, I've known it to happen for years. It is really a question of what is being charged, and how that relates to profits the trader might be making.

To look at all this another way, BOF and the hosting region / club(s) will be aiming to make a certain profit out of these events. Traders are a source of income, just like entry fees. If the traders aren't charged, or are charged less, the entry fees go up. So is everyone who is complaining on this thread basically implying they would prefer traders weren't charged, but that they would be happy to pay an extra £1 on their entry fee to make up the difference? I suspect not, because many people moaning on this thread are also moaning on other threads about entry fees. So what is the solution?

[Wayward-O]

If tou read the letter from Jonathan Rhys in the original post, you'll see that they are used to paying:

Because BOF has put someone in charge of the catering at the major events and they have decided that all businesses have to bid for a pitch through them and not contact each event for their price. Which is possible good in one sense but not for a small business which have to compete with large caterers that look for events to sell cheaply produced food with no thought gone into what the customer wants or needs because they don't understand the event.

The issue is that:
a. caterers must bid for the pitch rather than pay a set price,
b. caterer(s?) selected based on price, rather than quality,
c. established orienteering caterers squeezed out by the cheap burger merchants,
d. lack of choice,
e. Competitor (customer) expectations will not be met (people expecting to see the normal veggie chilli etc. will have a choice of burgers or burgers).

[PhilJ]

Duncan,

Based on what you say what do you think will happen to the food prices and O equipment prices? If I was a trader and had to pay £X for a pitch fee then I need to make £X before I start turning a profit, so the easiest way is to increase prices so if O shoes are £80.00, average price, expect to them to be £90.00 or more. By putting a fee on pitches squeezes any profit margin, so to maintain the profit margin prices will go up.

Hope you all enjoy your burger and chips, sausage and chips....

On another topic there will be no cake stall by the regional junior squad, not allowed! So something for junior squads to consider at Jk and British champs for the rest of 2014 and years to come. Self funding source diminished due to the partnership agreement agreement. I wonder if BO and the region who sign the contract will recompense the loss of fund raising income with a reduction in funding will mean bigger contribution from parents or less training opportunities.

[DJM]

Burger purveyors are getting a bit of a hammering in this thread, which is a tad unfair ... we shouldn't be tarring them all with the same brush.

Don't forget that Tom's Burger Van (aka Red Baron) is one of the staunchest supporters of events in the south. Tom and Julie appear at virtually every Wednesday Army event (MLS) and plenty of weekend events too. Their products are excellent!

I know that they are bitterly disappointed to be squeezed out of coming to the JK. So, next time you see them at an event, remember that they are to be supported and not boycotted!

[Tatty]

David- people are not suggesting that Tom's burger van is boycotted! The replacement ones at the JK. He also sells other things besides burgers, like chilli, pitta bread and jacket potatoes.

[MIE]

Does anyone actually know what is being charged to traders at a day of a Partnership Agreement event, for varying size of pitch?

It has been suggested that the pitch price being paid at the JK is £1,000 per day
with the proviso by the bidder that they are the "sole food purveyor" on all the
days. I am unable to check the accuracy of this suggestion (for obvious reasons).

[Duncan]

I dread to think how long the queues will be if there is just one food trader....

[DJM]

David- people are not suggesting that Tom's burger van is boycotted!

But the thread could easily be construed this way ... I just wanted to clarify things!

[LostAgain]

To look at all this another way, BOF and the hosting region / club(s) will be aiming to make a certain profit out of these events. Traders are a source of income, just like entry fees. If the traders aren't charged, or are charged less, the entry fees go up. So is everyone who is complaining on this thread basically implying they would prefer traders weren't charged, but that they would be happy to pay an extra £1 on their entry fee to make up the difference? I suspect not, because many people moaning on this thread are also moaning on other threads about entry fees. So what is the solution?

I see it a little differently. For me BO manage a membership dbase and charge a huge amount for this service,

I'm told that all the superfluous salaries are paid for by other income streams, I don't believe it.

I know that all the services I think are important are provided by volunteers on the committees / Groups.

I see that the volunteers (organising clubs) are being dictated to with respect to profit demands without shared risk. Now they are being told who can assist in providing the experience.

Me's thinks that something is going to break!

[Electrocuted]

£1000 a day? That is ridiculous. I have no problem with there being a charge but no wonder the smaller caterers have been squeezed out. I think at the 6 day the traders pay something like £50 a day.

[Snail]

But as I understand it, it isn't a charge. £1000 (if correct) is what the caterer is prepared to pay the organisers to be given the sole catering rights,

Not sure what proportion of attendees at the BOC/JK make use of the caterers. If say 1000 people at a BOC that will effectively mean an extra £1 per head on the price of the food. However it is one of the prices to pay for cutting the memebership fee. BOF still has to collect the same amount of money from the membership somehow, so raise more from levies and major events, and this is just another way of cutting the cake.

If we want to support the traditional caterers perhaps we should all agree for them to increase their prices by £1 per head, so that they can put in higher bids next year.

Of more concern would be whether someone has explained to the (single) caterer what food is likely to be popular / unpopular - and also that on relay day everyone turns up for food at approximately the same time!