Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Ad@m on October 31, 2021, 07:58:46 AM

Title: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Ad@m on October 31, 2021, 07:58:46 AM
Not sure where to put this so thought here was as good as anywhere.

Since covid the kiosk situation at VP seems worse than ever, culminating in a 25 minute wait over half time at the Wolves game to get served.

I'm taking my lad to the game later and I'm not up for another long wait so I'm planning to take drinks with us.

Does anyone know what the situation is at the turnstiles though with drinks? Obviously when you buy plastic bottles at the kiosks they keep the lids. Presumably they don't do the same at the turnstiles?  I've checked the OS but the link to the ground regulations is dead!
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: N'ZMAV on October 31, 2021, 08:03:13 AM
maybe something like a caprisun may be suitable? different packaging and no lid. Or maybe juice cartons?

Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Towser on October 31, 2021, 08:08:37 AM
Not sure where to put this so thought here was as good as anywhere.

Since covid the kiosk situation at VP seems worse than ever, culminating in a 25 minute wait over half time at the Wolves game to get served.

I'm taking my lad to the game later and I'm not up for another long wait so I'm planning to take drinks with us.

Does anyone know what the situation is at the turnstiles though with drinks? Obviously when you buy plastic bottles at the kiosks they keep the lids. Presumably they don't do the same at the turnstiles?  I've checked the OS but the link to the ground regulations is dead!
If they see them at the turnstile they will take the lids, hide a couple of spares about your body just in case.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Sexual Ealing on October 31, 2021, 08:26:19 AM
Put it in a condom and swallow it.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Ad@m on October 31, 2021, 08:30:15 AM
Put it in a condom and swallow it.

My lad's only little but I'm not sure he'll fit in a condom.  Even one of mine...
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Drummond on October 31, 2021, 08:32:40 AM
Put it in a condom and swallow it.

My lad's only little but I'm not sure he'll fit in a condom.  Even one of mine...

Very good.

Oh, and I'd just take a rucksack with a kids drinking bottle in it, buried in the middle somewhere wrapped in a coat, you'll be fine.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Sexual Ealing on October 31, 2021, 08:33:30 AM
Put it in a condom and swallow it.

My lad's only little but I'm not sure he'll fit in a condom.  Even one of mine...

My apologies. I thought I was in the 'getting drugs out of Mexico' thread.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Risso on October 31, 2021, 08:40:15 AM
Not sure where to put this so thought here was as good as anywhere.

Since covid the kiosk situation at VP seems worse than ever, culminating in a 25 minute wait over half time at the Wolves game to get served.

I'm taking my lad to the game later and I'm not up for another long wait so I'm planning to take drinks with us.

Does anyone know what the situation is at the turnstiles though with drinks? Obviously when you buy plastic bottles at the kiosks they keep the lids. Presumably they don't do the same at the turnstiles?  I've checked the OS but the link to the ground regulations is dead!

I don't think they search kids do they? If not, put a couple in his coat pocket.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Sexual Ealing on October 31, 2021, 08:41:26 AM
Not sure where to put this so thought here was as good as anywhere.

Since covid the kiosk situation at VP seems worse than ever, culminating in a 25 minute wait over half time at the Wolves game to get served.

I'm taking my lad to the game later and I'm not up for another long wait so I'm planning to take drinks with us.

Does anyone know what the situation is at the turnstiles though with drinks? Obviously when you buy plastic bottles at the kiosks they keep the lids. Presumably they don't do the same at the turnstiles?  I've checked the OS but the link to the ground regulations is dead!

I don't think they search kids do they? If not, put a couple in his coat pocket.

This is also how you get drugs out of Mexico.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: The Edge on October 31, 2021, 08:57:54 AM
The bigger picture is the shocking state of of the catering services at Villa Park. My son used to be head of catering at the sty. He doesn't make it to many games but he came with me to a match pre-lockdown and the game was a sell out. He e-mailed the club with some ideas later that week but never received a reply. It appears that there's a total lack of awareness at the club about the piss poor state of match day catering.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Risso on October 31, 2021, 09:01:34 AM
They're using a new agency this year, and it's noticeably shit everywhere, even in the corporate areas.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Drummond on October 31, 2021, 09:06:44 AM
They're using a new agency this year, and it's noticeably shit everywhere, even in the corporate areas.

Yeah but they've not had their best team available yet. They moved from 4 behind the bar to 3 to get more glass collectors in as that's all they had.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Aldridge Villa on October 31, 2021, 09:07:09 AM
Holte Suite service shocking last couple of games
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Dave P on October 31, 2021, 09:36:55 AM
I take a bottle of squash for my daughter every game in a back pack. Every game the bag is checked. Never have I been pulled up on it. You’ll be fine taking a drink.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Nunkin1965 on October 31, 2021, 09:41:28 AM
I've never even entertained the idea of using half time catering. I'm in the DE Upper and it's normally packed in the concourse.
When I used to take little ones I'd stock up with things in a ruck sack.
Having said that there is such a rush of people at once that it's always going to be tough for that amount of time.
Bit like in the Bartons Arms between 1 and 2 o'clock.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Ad@m on October 31, 2021, 10:25:38 AM
I take a bottle of squash for my daughter every game in a back pack. Every game the bag is checked. Never have I been pulled up on it. You’ll be fine taking a drink.

Good man. That's the sort of quality advice I expect from the good folk of H&V.

I'll go with squash in the backpack. I bet a flask of coffee for me might be a stretch too far for security though...
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Ad@m on October 31, 2021, 10:27:04 AM
They're using a new agency this year, and it's noticeably shit everywhere, even in the corporate areas.

It's an absolute shambles.

There are noticeably fewer staff behind the counter which I'd put down to covid but maybe not if the agency has changed.

What hasn't changed is the snail pace of the people that are there.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: cdbearsfan on October 31, 2021, 10:28:14 AM
Take in cartons and you'll definitely be fine. If you want to take in bottles, carry them in and hide the lids in your pocket while you go through security checks.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: The Edge on October 31, 2021, 11:28:50 AM
They're using a new agency this year, and it's noticeably shit everywhere, even in the corporate areas.

It's an absolute shambles.

There are noticeably fewer staff behind the counter which I'd put down to covid but maybe not if the agency has changed.

What hasn't changed is the snail pace of the people that are there.
That's so true. I was in the Holte for the Wolves game. They were selling beer in cans so they had to pour every one into a plastic glass. The girl doing the pouring seemed to take about 5 minutes for each one oblivious to the fact that there were huge queues of thirsty people who only have 15 minutes to get served and eat and drink. It's a pathetic system more in line with a non league club that gets few hundred people for a home game. I wonder if the club are aware of the state of the catering?
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Sister of Top Cat on October 31, 2021, 11:39:38 AM
I take a bottle of squash for my daughter every game in a back pack. Every game the bag is checked. Never have I been pulled up on it. You’ll be fine taking a drink.

Good man. That's the sort of quality advice I expect from the good folk of H&V.

I'll go with squash in the backpack. I bet a flask of coffee for me might be a stretch too far for security though...
TC and I always take a flask.  Never had a problem
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Hookeysmith on October 31, 2021, 11:59:33 AM
Capri sun or similar packaged drinks

Your own sports bottle with an attached cap

The reason for the lids removed is so a weighty full bottle cannot be thrown. It is assumed people would not tend to throw thier own receptacles.

Hope this helps
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: cdbearsfan on October 31, 2021, 12:07:25 PM
Ridiculous that supporters can't be trusted not to throw bottles. Club can spot a bottle lid from fifty paces but never spot 200 Man U fans invading the pitch.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: London Villan on October 31, 2021, 12:12:28 PM
And a thermos flask is safer than an 8 year old with a bottle of pop.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Lastfootstamper on October 31, 2021, 01:15:17 PM
Surely the biggest deterrent to the lobbing of bottles these days is the paying of nine times RRP for one that you've had to stand in a queue for half an hour to get in the first place.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Ad@m on October 31, 2021, 01:32:50 PM
Ridiculous that supporters can't be trusted not to throw bottles. Club can spot a bottle lid from fifty paces but never spot 200 Man U fans invading the pitch.

It's the same mentality that stops "potentially controversial" replays being shown on the big screens. 42,000 people get treated like morons because one pissed up dickhead might act like one.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: edgysatsuma89 on October 31, 2021, 02:20:07 PM
Ridiculous that supporters can't be trusted not to throw bottles. Club can spot a bottle lid from fifty paces but never spot 200 Man U fans invading the pitch.

Isn't the bottle lid stuff at events more to do with a bottle on the floor with a lid on is much more of a safety hazard as it won't just crush under your foot like a bottle without a lid. That's what I've always thought was the issue rather than them being used as missiles. If you want a good missile then go with an amputee who has spares.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Andy Poole on October 31, 2021, 02:57:21 PM
They're using a new agency this year, and it's noticeably shit everywhere, even in the corporate areas.

Ah. The old put it out to tender and give it to the cheapest, option. They must be Tories.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: wince on October 31, 2021, 03:47:54 PM
Ridiculous that supporters can't be trusted not to throw bottles. Club can spot a bottle lid from fifty paces but never spot 200 Man U fans invading the pitch.

Isn't the bottle lid stuff at events more to do with a bottle on the floor with a lid on is much more of a safety hazard as it won't just crush under your foot like a bottle without a lid. That's what I've always thought was the issue rather than them being used as missiles. If want a good missile then go with an amputee who has spares.

Yes as well as them being used as a cosh. When I was in arena security it was argued you could throw a bottle like a German ww2 grenade but not a plastic pint glass. Believe me you can throw a plastic glass a long way. Like the lidless bottles, said cups break underfoot meaning less hazard if they get dropped on the floor.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Malandro on October 31, 2021, 06:56:32 PM
They're using a new agency this year, and it's noticeably shit everywhere, even in the corporate areas.

Yeah but they've not had their best team available yet. They moved from 4 behind the bar to 3 to get more glass collectors in as that's all they had.

They need to work on the press.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: brontebilly on October 31, 2021, 07:39:08 PM
Hope ye managed to get the drinks in
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Sexual Ealing on October 31, 2021, 07:40:08 PM
Hope ye managed to get the drinks in

He'll have fucking needed them.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Ad@m on October 31, 2021, 07:53:42 PM
Hope ye managed to get the drinks in

I did, which was about the only positive to take from this evening!
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Towser on November 01, 2021, 01:12:27 PM
cant have a bottle with a lid on yet someone took in a whole cabbage once
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: PaulTheVillan on November 01, 2021, 01:40:58 PM
cant have a bottle with a lid on yet someone took in a whole cabbage once
LOL
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Des Little on November 01, 2021, 02:02:53 PM
Mate who sits next to me had his bottle of fanta kicked over twice before kick off, he lost two thirds of it, which sploshed around my feet all game.  To add insult to his injury, the second spillage was caused by someone bringing their pint to their seat.  Happy days!
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: algy on November 01, 2021, 02:03:36 PM
Put it in a condom and swallow it.

My lad's only little but I'm not sure he'll fit in a condom.  Even one of mine...

Very good.

Oh, and I'd just take a rucksack with a kids drinking bottle in it, buried in the middle somewhere wrapped in a coat, you'll be fine.
Obviously I wouldn't dream of doing this ... but I've, erm, heard that when people go to cricket, an effective tactic is to shove a couple of 'decoy' tins in the top of the rucksack, then a coat or something underneath them, and then beneath that the actual stash of booze.  Decoys get confiscated, the rest's untouched.

Also, dunno if this is still possible but we used to take a flask of hot chocolate in to the ground - they were fine with that.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Flin5tone on November 01, 2021, 02:19:14 PM
The catering this season is an absolute disgrace. One thing that used to cheer me up when we were as bad as now was a decent pie,chips and curry sauce. You need to leave your seat on 25 mins to secure a substandard portion now.

A lot of fans were getting irate yesterday and walking away. Must be losing thousands each game
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Des Little on November 01, 2021, 02:22:00 PM
They'll never get this catering malarkey sorted at VP.  Every single time you try and get stuff, it seems as if the person serving you (if you are lucky) is doing their first ever shift, which is probably true.  I've given up buying stuff in the ground, waste of time and money.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: chrisw1 on November 01, 2021, 02:22:21 PM
I spoke to a steward recently.  A flask is fine, so it a sports bottle.  Even a lucozade (or similar) bottle with a 'sports bottle' type top is absolutely fine.

If you want a normal soft drink bottle just take a spare cap in your pocket.

I suspect the treading on them thing is probably the reason.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Des Little on November 01, 2021, 02:25:10 PM
Hip flask is the way forward, and the way we are playing, it's essential.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: FrankyH on November 01, 2021, 04:16:21 PM
Hip flask is the way forward, and the way we are playing, it's essential.

Few years ago around Christmas I had a Hip Flask taken off me by a head Steward in the lower Witton lane. He told me I could have it back at the end of the game , which he did , minus the single malt that was in it ! I'm convinced he had it in his coffee . I can't complain as I knew it contraband.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Ad@m on November 01, 2021, 04:18:56 PM
Put it in a condom and swallow it.

My lad's only little but I'm not sure he'll fit in a condom.  Even one of mine...

Very good.

Oh, and I'd just take a rucksack with a kids drinking bottle in it, buried in the middle somewhere wrapped in a coat, you'll be fine.
Obviously I wouldn't dream of doing this ... but I've, erm, heard that when people go to cricket, an effective tactic is to shove a couple of 'decoy' tins in the top of the rucksack, then a coat or something underneath them, and then beneath that the actual stash of booze.  Decoys get confiscated, the rest's untouched.

Also, dunno if this is still possible but we used to take a flask of hot chocolate in to the ground - they were fine with that.

At the turnstile a steward asked to "look in my bag", which he did, literally.  I could've had absolutely anything in there as long as it wasn't on show!!!
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: AlexAlexCropley on November 01, 2021, 04:33:09 PM
I spoke to a steward recently.  A flask is fine, so it a sports bottle.  Even a lucozade (or similar) bottle with a 'sports bottle' type top is absolutely fine.

If you want a normal soft drink bottle just take a spare cap in your pocket.

I suspect the treading on them thing is probably the reason.
Would this include the metal kind of flask?
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: chrisw1 on November 01, 2021, 04:34:25 PM
I spoke to a steward recently.  A flask is fine, so it a sports bottle.  Even a lucozade (or similar) bottle with a 'sports bottle' type top is absolutely fine.

If you want a normal soft drink bottle just take a spare cap in your pocket.

I suspect the treading on them thing is probably the reason.
Would this include the metal kind of flask?
Pretty sure that would be fine.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: stubbsyandy on November 01, 2021, 04:49:26 PM
Put it in a condom and swallow it.

My lad's only little but I'm not sure he'll fit in a condom.  Even one of mine...

Very good.

Oh, and I'd just take a rucksack with a kids drinking bottle in it, buried in the middle somewhere wrapped in a coat, you'll be fine.
Obviously I wouldn't dream of doing this ... but I've, erm, heard that when people go to cricket, an effective tactic is to shove a couple of 'decoy' tins in the top of the rucksack, then a coat or something underneath them, and then beneath that the actual stash of booze.  Decoys get confiscated, the rest's untouched.

Also, dunno if this is still possible but we used to take a flask of hot chocolate in to the ground - they were fine with that.
Best I saw was at Edgbaston for a one day international, chap in front went through with a tube of Pringles open with Pringles available to eat, the seal was open. Sat next to me and produced bottle of vodka from under the only three Pringles in the tube!
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: UK Redsox on November 01, 2021, 04:58:00 PM
I've just been trying to find audio of the call to Danny Baker from a chef who carried his knives into a ground
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Holte L2 on November 01, 2021, 06:08:45 PM
I always take spare lids in my coat pocket for my lads cokes that we purchase on route.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: AV82EC on November 01, 2021, 06:59:46 PM
I've just been trying to find audio of the call to Danny Baker from a chef who carried his knives into a ground

The best one on that was some Scottish non league punter being told he couldn’t take some
Nonsensical thing into the ground by the turnstile operator when he waved through a bloke behind him who was carrying a rifle as the local gun club was behind the away stand.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: amfy on November 01, 2021, 07:10:49 PM
They'll never get this catering malarkey sorted at VP.  Every single time you try and get stuff, it seems as if the person serving you (if you are lucky) is doing their first ever shift, which is probably true.  I've given up buying stuff in the ground, waste of time and money.

At half time yesterday I asked for 2 pints of lager and 2 ciders. The girl behind the bar just looked at me completely baffled. I looked at the board and said ‘We’ll have the strongbow dark fruits cider’.
‘That’s OK....’ she said ‘....But what is lager?’

Of course I helped her out & explained what was what from the board, but I am still marvelling at the fact that she managed to get over 2 hours into a bar shift without knowing what lager was!
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: wittonwarrior on November 01, 2021, 09:57:07 PM
Can't even take chips in at Man City's new ground
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: London Villan on November 03, 2021, 09:24:58 PM
It was the like the searches that appeared after the cabbage incident and then re-appeared last year. Pointless, either do them properly or dont bother. A tap in the side of the arm does’t really indicate a thorough search.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: dave.woodhall on November 04, 2021, 12:04:46 AM
Can't even take chips in at Man City's new ground

It won't be long before you can't take food into a Premier League ground. One of them will come up with a spurious safety reason and before long they'll all introduce it.
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Nunkin1965 on November 04, 2021, 06:55:34 AM
They'll never get this catering malarkey sorted at VP.  Every single time you try and get stuff, it seems as if the person serving you (if you are lucky) is doing their first ever shift, which is probably true.  I've given up buying stuff in the ground, waste of time and money.

At half time yesterday I asked for 2 pints of lager and 2 ciders. The girl behind the bar just looked at me completely baffled. I looked at the board and said ‘We’ll have the strongbow dark fruits cider’.
‘That’s OK....’ she said ‘....But what is lager?’

Of course I helped her out & explained what was what from the board, but I am still marvelling at the fact that she managed to get over 2 hours into a bar shift without knowing what lager was!
.I remember going to the Ramblin Man festival (RIP) a couple of years ago and watching a student after his 5 minutes of training, pour me 3 pints of Trooper.
The attempts at pouring were passable but he didn't know what £5.10 x 3 was so I had to tell him!
Title: Re: Help needed - Taking drinks in to Villa Park
Post by: Drummond on November 04, 2021, 09:13:22 AM
They'll never get this catering malarkey sorted at VP.  Every single time you try and get stuff, it seems as if the person serving you (if you are lucky) is doing their first ever shift, which is probably true.  I've given up buying stuff in the ground, waste of time and money.

At half time yesterday I asked for 2 pints of lager and 2 ciders. The girl behind the bar just looked at me completely baffled. I looked at the board and said ‘We’ll have the strongbow dark fruits cider’.
‘That’s OK....’ she said ‘....But what is lager?’

Of course I helped her out & explained what was what from the board, but I am still marvelling at the fact that she managed to get over 2 hours into a bar shift without knowing what lager was!
.I remember going to the Ramblin Man festival (RIP) a couple of years ago and watching a student after his 5 minutes of training, pour me 3 pints of Trooper.
The attempts at pouring were passable but he didn't know what £5.10 x 3 was so I had to tell him!

Was it £2.70?
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