On 20 Jul 2017 at 11:23am Queuer wrote:
They must get their act together behind the bar. The staff are all pleasant and friendly, but why there always such long queues? If there is anyone ordering several dishes in front of you, just forget it. I’ve been five times, four times to see a film, and each time it’s been so crazily inefficient. Earlier this week I wanted a drink to take in to the film, but as I wasn’t able to queue for ten minutes+, there was no chance of that; - and this isn’t the first time this has happened to me and others. There must be a balance between the costs of paying another member of staff and the undeniable fact that they are losing sales if they don’t?
On 20 Jul 2017 at 11:53am Could not agree more wrote:
Your right this is why i will be taking my own drinks into see Dunkirk on Friday.
On 20 Jul 2017 at 11:56am Mme B wrote:
It is a shame that they are still so chaotic. This has also been my experience, and I had hoped it might improve. Have any of the bar staff got any previous experience?
On 20 Jul 2017 at 12:06pm Zzz... wrote:
Have you fed this back to the Depot? I'm sure they'd welcome any suggestions. Maybe there ought to be some fast track route to gets drinks before you see a film, either that or a reminder with the tickets to turn up in good time.
On 20 Jul 2017 at 1:45pm Feline wrote:
I have to say that this is my experience as well. There were 4 people behind the bar, all trying to do everything and ending up not achieving very much. Waited ages for drinks. They need to get in someone who knows how to run a bar!
On 20 Jul 2017 at 9:20pm Kenton wrote:
Same here I'm afraid
I also really love the depot and dearly want it to succeed, but the bar service is seriously appalling, I have complained on several occasions (as have MANY others) but things haven't improved at all.
They need to sort this out and if I hear 'we are a charity, you know' every time I complain, I'll combust. It simply isn't an excuse.
On 20 Jul 2017 at 10:09pm Bert wrote:
Is it compulsory to have a drink ?? It's just a cinema after all.
On 20 Jul 2017 at 10:57pm Over 30 raver wrote:
Take your own drinks. They will learn fast.
On 20 Jul 2017 at 11:37pm Another B and B lady wrote:
Yes, obviously will have to allow plenty of time to get a drink - nearly missed the start of Angels in America tonight (amazing experience - wonderful theatre). I will be sending them some feedback too. However, I wonder why they don't open the small bar by Screen 1 just to serve drinks for the cinemas. Will have to find out if this is being contemplated. That will require a dedicated bar person (or persons) and that may be too expensive at the moment. Do hope things can be improved. Taking one's own drink is one solution but very happy to buy a drink from the Depot bar. They surely don't want to loose that money by too many people taking in their own drinks.
On 20 Jul 2017 at 11:47pm dizzydi wrote:
Haven't been yet, but may have to sort out the bar when I get there!
On 20 Jul 2017 at 11:49pm Belladonna wrote:
Prices for drinks and food are quite expensive. They should be able to pay for the bar staff. The queueing system doesn't work. We waited 10 mins just to order lunch with only one person ahead us.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 6:53am Ned wrote:
That's what you get for offering mainly 0 hour contracts! No one with proper bar experience will accept that, it's a disgrace
On 21 Jul 2017 at 8:44am Bert wrote:
Obviously, the management are aware of the problem, or are they just plain stupid ? or they simply don't care. Either way businesses with those problems don't usually last long anyway, charity or not, it still costs money to run and that has to be earnt.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 8:54am Another B and B lady wrote:
No Ned. They pay at least the Living Wage to everyone. Pay is not the issue.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 9:17am Hatters wrote:
Better than that actually - they pay the Lewes Living Wage, which is higher. And I think most of the staff are permanent. They all seem so cheerful and pleasant so I guess they must be happy.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 11:05am Employer wrote:
It's possible to pay the living wage (which is an hourly rate), while at the same time use zero-hours contracts (which define the number of hours worked by each employee).
The problem at the Depot seems to be poor quality training and/or poor supervision. Poor planning by management might also be a factor.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 11:29am In line wrote:
I also really love the depot and have also been told it's because it's a charity. Should have asked at the time but I'm not sure what that means. If anything it should be easier for them to have and pay for the correct number of staff, after all it's not like they have to pay back the £8 million pounds it cost to build. If it was funded by a bank or shareholders the interest alone would be huge. The prices they charge are pretty much in line with other operators so it not like the prices are at a big discount.
There does seem to be a lot of managers floating around, it's a bit like Waitrose, lots of managers and not enough workers on the floor.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 12:19pm Observer wrote:
I agree about queueing and the inefficient bar/ordering system. I have also had the experience of arriving at a quiet time and having to wait what seemed like hours to get served.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 1:45pm lewes resident wrote:
Picture House Uckfield, much better option.No Lewes Luvvies there.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 2:57pm Huh? wrote:
Picture House is not really the same thing is it? It's a standard cinema with small dark foyer selling expensive popcorn and sweet drinks and a fairly conventional restaurant over the road. It also mostly runs fairly standard film programming that does not vary greatly from any other cinema in the land. Going to the Depot is much more of a cohesive experience. The building and grounds are elegant and expansive, the film programming is very varied and much more interesting, and there are regular special events and live music. Calling it a cinema does not do it justice. The food is also special (try the rare-breed steak at £15.95) and despite what the poster above says the prices are surprisingly low (anyone under 25 can get to see a film for £4 for god's sake!). Even the rolls and snack food are cheaper than many competing outlets nearby.
Saying that I do understand the comments about the speed of service at the bar (which can be particularly frustrating if the film you have tickets for is just about to start) but it's a brand new venture and there are precious few models for it. It's bound to have teething problems.
I know two or three of the younger people who work there. They are all getting paid a very fair wage and there are no zero hour contracts (there seems to one person with an axe to grind spreading rumours that there are. He should be ashamed of himself).
Lewes is very lucky to have the Depot. It's an astounding project and the few initial teething problems have already been mostly ironed out. I'm sure the bar issue will too. Give it some time because, like all new, original and innovative projects it will take time to settle in.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 3:32pm Dick wrote:
I hear they are going to open the back cinema bar from tonight. I think they are busier than expected during the week (don't know who said business was catastrophic but they must living in a different town). It's always busy.The staff are good but struggling to deal with the last minute rush to buy drinks (and they don't have trailers).The bar at the back will help sort that.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 4:32pm In Line wrote:
@Huh? Surely that's what all the managers should be doing, sorting out the teething problems. Each department manager should of by now of ironed out these problems, after all it has been open 2 months. Queues at the bar that take 10 minutes to clear are unacceptable especially when you see managers floating around not doing much. They need to roll their sleeves up and manage or be replaced. Should have staff that can multitask and help each department as and when needed.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 5:42pm DFL wrote:
I love this from Huh? Going to the Depot is much more of a cohesive experience.
Lewes at its most pretentious and precious.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 5:51pm Fatty Briggs wrote:
Think Huh? must work at the Depot.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 7:56pm Pedant wrote:
I've said it many times before, but I'll have to say it again: There is NO verb "to of". The verb you are looking for is "have", often pronounced " 'ave".Cripes, when will it ever sink in?
On 21 Jul 2017 at 11:00pm Clifford wrote:
Pedant, I see 'bored of' rather than 'bored with' has taken off in a big way. And I've given up with people who say 'disinterest' because they think it's a posher way of saying 'uninterest' rather than being an entirely different concept. Likewise 'empathy' when they mean 'sympathy', also under the misapprehension that it is posher.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 11:07pm Dick wrote:
Place teeming tonight and rear bar open. Queues okay. Dunkirk is a great movie.
On 21 Jul 2017 at 11:11pm We'vehadourfun wrote:
Clifford talking off subject Sh@tbull as usual
On 22 Jul 2017 at 8:25am Pedant wrote:
I know it's off the subject (and I do love the Depot) but another annoying speech trend which Clifford may have spotted is that everyone now says "yourself" and "myself" thinking it sounds posher, but really showing that they have never mastered the correct use of "I", "you" and "me".
On 22 Jul 2017 at 9:09am Uh Hu wrote:
Don't slag off the Picture House, last time I was there the front seats were wooden , only 1 screen, and it was 1/6d .( more in the plush seats and more again in the gallery ) Apparently it's come on into the 21st Century.
On 22 Jul 2017 at 3:07pm Huh? wrote:
@DFL. I'll try to use shorter words and simpler sentences just for you.
I don't work at the Depot but know people who do. And I've been there to see films and eat a number of times.
On 22 Jul 2017 at 8:23pm cine fan wrote:
I queued for drinks with a few people in front of me, not very busy at the time and several people just ignored the queue and went straight up to the counter and got served before the people queueing. My friend was pretty annoyed as of course it took longer for us to get our drinks. When we asked the bar tender said he didn't really know what the 'system' was. I think they need to decide whether punters queue in 1 line or queue for each bar tender. They will sort it out, but sooner rather than later I hope.
On 23 Jul 2017 at 2:43pm Not from around here wrote:
It's not a new concept having a bar/restaurant and cinema combined - I believe the Greenwhich PictureHouse did this years ago. One or two shifts should be enough to understand and adjustments that need to be made to improve people-flow not one or two months. I don't understand the 'we are a charity' excuse for poor service either. I work in a situation where most of my 'staff' are in fact volunteers but would never consider giving this as an excuse for poor customer service.
On 25 Jul 2017 at 8:18am Another B and B lady wrote:
The back bar (by Screen 3) now always open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Open through Dunkirk run and may well be open more often in the future as demand increases.