Retail, Food & Drink Outlets Thread

[WYIA]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

So long Greggs, still think this whole situation stinks!!! Shame on Bridgepoint for doing this.

Hope the Staff are happy in their new shops, i too will miss the good food and the cheap prices!!

I know Greggs was not a very international establishment and not something you expect to find in the airport but replacing it with another franchise Caffe from Select Service Partner is just pants!

I for one will not be using any food outlet at the airport from SSP, its poor quality and overpriced and they no doubt pay those poor foreign workers peanuts! I shall return to bringing food from home or live on junk from WHSmith lol

Cheers Thanks lol

 

[Aviador]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

Did you not know that the 'junk' from Supadrug is much cheaper! Lol. Or at least it is for now unless they decide to get shut of them too. Totally agree. Unknowingly to the passengers, Gregg's was the main staff food establishment. I have noticed that SSP have put the staff prices up on Coffee from the former 75p to 99p. I guess it's only a matter of time before we're all paying the whopping 2.85 for a coffee soon enough.

 

[yorkshire]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

Was Leeds the only airport to have a greggs? cant say ive seen one at another airport.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

There is certainly a Greggs at Newcastle Airport - I remember buying a sausage roll there once (no expense spared for me when eating at airports).

 

[Aviador]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

When they were at the airport Gregg's had said that they were rolling out the brand at airports across the country. The problem at Leeds is that the other provider for catering facilities Select Service Partners operates all the remaining food and drink outlets hence the distinct lack of competition. It is thought that as much as 20% of the SSP takings goes directly into the airport coffers and that is on top of any lease agreements with the airport whereby the airport has further income. Gregg's were extremely successful at the airport, so much so that they must have put a sizable dent in the takings of SSP there which has effectively forced the airport into taking the necessary steps to protect it's income from them. Definitely not a win for the customer who has always paid through the nose for food and drink at the airport.

Moving on, Arrow Taxis booking office was officially moved outside as of yesterday. The remaining space left by the withdrawal of Gregg's and Arrow Taxis will now pave the way for the new Caffè Ritazza which unfortunately is another SSP franchise.

http://www.ritazza.sspweblive.com/

 

[White Heather]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

The Cafe Ritazza is to be licensed and will have a bar serving alcoholic drinks. Airport MD said so today.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

The Cafe Ritazza is set to open around the second week of June. The shop fitting is still to commence.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

The Cafe Ritazza is set to open around the second week of June. The shop fitting is still to commence.

Further to the last, the Cafe Ritazza is now due to open ahead of scheduled next Monday at around midday. The Cafe interior looks very impressive in it's far from ideal surroundings and so will hopefully brighten up the whole arrivals area. The O'brians cafe will then shut to make way for additional seating for the new cafe.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

Is the Cafe Ritazza airside or landside? I assume landside if it's in the arrivals area.

Generally speaking has the LBA management followed the path of some other regional airports in taking much needed passenger space in the airside departure area for more retail outlets?

 

[Aviador]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

The cafe is landside Local Yokel. Space is very limited anywhere at LBA but yes where there is any you will generally find either a shop or food outlet. The departure area is very cramped but you tend to find that every 'nook and cranny' has a shop of some description. Airside in departures there are two levels. On the ground floor level there is a Duty Free/Tax Free shop, a WHSmiths, a bar called 'The Danby Bar', a food Village and a Game Zone. On the first floor we have a small World Duty Free shop, a WHSmith 'pod shop' and a cafe under the 'Delice de France banner. The first floor leads to the only two airbridges at LBA.

Landside facilities include The new Cafe Ritazza, Travelex, Hertz, Europcar, Avis, WHSmith, Superdrug and a first floor Food Village which includes a Yates' Bar and a Burger King. The first floor Food Village was rebuilt about four years ago and is now the newest part of the terminal. The facilities and appearance of this area is probably the highest spec of the whole terminal but the area is still largely underused because of it's first floor location away from the central screening zone. People have a tendency to check-in and go straight through to departures missing the landside Food Village. Under the plans for the terminal work, the main part of the departure lounge which will comprise on many new shops on the first floor and will be located to the front of the Food Village area which will become an airside location once complete.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

Thanks for that very full description, Aviador.

Years ago when travelling we tended to remain landside as long as we could because we didn't want to be 'imprisoned' airside in the event of a big delay to the flight.

Nowadays, with security queues and possible hiccups with self-printed boarding cards we invariably go airside at the first opportunity.

It may be that there are fewer customers for landside refreshment outlets generally now, at regional airports anyway. I don't suppose many meeters and greeters go in for meals, perhaps the odd drink on occasions if the flight they are meeting is late.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

I don't suppose many meeters and greeters go in for meals, perhaps the odd drink on occasions if the flight they are meeting is late.

I can't understand why airports hike up the prices of parking so much. It deters meeters and greeters from parking up and popping into the terminal. Ultimately it is stopping them from spending money inside the terminal on 'a coffee and a bun' whilst waiting for their loved one to come or go.

I remember as a child going to the airport to say my goodbyes to a relative. My mum, dad and sister came along and we went to the cafe. I don't recall how much the beverages cost but I guess that airports have always been more expensive than the high street. Even back then the airport was a hustle and bustle with meeters and greeters. The airport must have made a fair packet out of people spending money in the landside shops. The parking used to be free for half an hour and it was cheap thereafter, so people didn't mind spending money in the terminal shops.

Today all airports seem to do is 'piss' people off with silly carpark charges. They deter meeters and greeters from spending money in the terminals. I'd say that at most airports these days many passengers and meeters and greeters leave disgruntled and completely dissatisfied with the service they get.

I say bring back the old times.

 

[rmac]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

I remember as a teenager my Dad saying "Lets go up the airport for a drink, coffees, cake etc". We all enjoyed the ´free´visit to the airport and became familiar with the airlines flying, the destinations served, the airport improvements being made. (yes there were some!) and the general sense of being somewhere international as flights from Palma, Amsterdam, Paris arrived. We felt proud that we had an international airport on the doorstep.

 

[Bigman]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

...and that's assuming that the airport has a landside cafe that you can view the planes from. Starting to become a rarity that at many airports in the UK now.

 

[White Heather]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

True bigman.
I used to spend hours and hours standing by the window at LBA watching the planes come in and go out - in those days mostly Viscounts, F27's, Shorts and later, DC9's 1-11's and 737-200's. Once the runway was extended it really seemed exciting and I loved going up there. Once the apron extension was built though, and that walkway around the terminal front, it wasn't worth going in. I used to go to Heathrow too, and spend all day on the Queens Building viewing terrace, which was fantastic. All gone now though. A real pity and a victim of terrorism.

 

[Bigman]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

The CAA and airport operators in the UK seriously need to look at German airports, and how much they make from their viewing decks. The viewing deck at Frankfurt is the third biggest tourist attraction for the city I understand.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

Playing the role of devil's advocate it might not be in the interests of airports, certainly regional airports, to go out of their way to attract people to their facility merely to watch aircraft.

Taking LBA as an example, we know there is already much controversy over the council's decision to put back a decision on the airport's revamp. One criterion that objectors use to support their viewpoint is the increased road traffic that a revamped airport with more routes would generate.

Probably the last thing the airport would want is these people furthering their argument by pointing out that there would be even more people travelling to LBA if the airport became partly a tourist attraction.

There is then the question of overcrowding. A number of regional airport terminals are congested at busy times as it is, so extra people arriving to watch aircraft would not be particularly welcome.

The cost of constructing and monitoring viewing areas is an expense they could almost certainly do without as it would be unlikely to prove profitable, even if there were no terminal congestion or road traffic issues.

As has been said, some airports appear to be actively discouraging enthusiasts.

At my local airport (Bristol) it is only possible to see the apron (and only a small part at that) once airside. Many years ago there was an open-air, first-floor verandah overlooking the apron from landside. I think it closed in the later 1980s when there wasn't that much to watch anyway.

Bristol has also erected high wire fencing around much of the perimeter, which means that people taking photos now mostly take portable ladders to see over the top. Very high hedges are also being grown preventing almost any view of the field from the A 38, unless you are travelling in a high vehicle.

I wish things could be as they once were but I fear that commercial, political and security pressures mean those days have probably gone for ever.

 

[Aviador]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

I have heard that a new shoe retailer is to open a store in the departure lounge. Supposedly the new shop will be located on the first floor in the current departure area.

 

[backtrack]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

Did you hear anymore information on that like, where abouts on the first floor of departures? Is it planned to open with the new terminal or within the current one? And did you hear of the name of the shoe retailer (ie: Foot locker for example)

Whatever or whoever it is, would be fantastic news if pulled off i have to admit.

 

[yorkshire]

Re: Leeds Bradford - Retail Thread

i wouldnt have thought there is enough room currently in departures for another retail outlet, i think its just about right how they have it..where would the passengers sit theres not enough seats now to go round.