Almondvale Suite

I know I've mentioned this before on occasions but with the big three clubs likely to bring huge supports it wil surely need to get live football on the TV's in there, or I doubt their fans will choose to head to the AS for a pre match pint or three when the other pubs in Livi offer football on their tellies. We should make a lot of dosh in the AS this season so has to be worth getting a subscription to BT and having the football on.

Also wonder if we'll get a decent selection of beers in, some bottled beers would be good cause the draught beer is usually dodgy.

Will it be possible to host any of these clubs in the AS. I know we haven't had any problems with mixed support over the last few years but this lot might be a different kettle of fish. And can you imagine what the queue for the bar would be like when Sevco come calling. Would hate for the club to lose out, but not sure how practical it will be to continue with our current practice of allowing anyone in. Hopefully the club will clarify the plan for this.

Employ more bar staff, crazy to have Livi fans only just because we don't want the hassle of a full function suite. What business is run like that? Would be like saying we only want 50 customers because we've only two barrels of beer.

Almondvale suite is a depressing looking place nowadays. Needs a big refurbishment and a look at the beers and food on sale.

The place is looking tired, and the drink on sale could be looked at, but I'd take issue with the food comment. The stuff served up by Food Creations is top notch quality, and really good value for money.

Yeah FC came back in the latter part of the season, can only assume it is because they're hoping to get a lot of customers this season, it prob wasn't worth their while before the amount of folk that were in there the prev seasons.

I was more thinking of the mixed support being a problem rather than it being busy. If I remember right the away support used to bi in the old Nitespot. Would it work if home support used the bar and away used the AS? It would be great if we could all mix, but I am a bit sceptical about some of our future visitors

As much as our support has dwindled away, I reckon the Stadium Bar wouldn't be big enough to house the regulars from there AND the Almondvale Suite. You'd also be depriving the Livi support a pre match meal from Food Creations.

I used to go to the nitespot pre match too, think it was mixed support. The As used to be for hospitality I think, I went there with my dad once when we got a hospitality ticket for a xmas present.

Really shouldn't be a problem having the AS open to both sets of fans, used to go to the pub up the top of the hill before and after we were in the SPL, think it was the Granary at the time (had that many names) and there were both sets of fans in it without a problem. Can remember talking to Hearts fans in our first game in the SPL post match up there when we sat at the same table as them. Blethered to Utd and Caley fans up there too without a problem.
Dunno about The Rangers fans though, seen a lot getting off the buses tanked up and heard a few stories about them causing bother. Doormen would prob have to make a judgement call on any being pissed and likely to cause bother and refuse entry to the AS.

Sounds OK then and it was the last lot I was thinking about. No doubt they would have to have extra doormen and I am sure they will all have enough proper decent fans to keep the numpties in check themselves.
Just as an aside we should be charging the away fans the same as we get charged at their grounds. Every little helps.

Was there not talk of it being shut recently due to it being done up, meaning it wasn't available for use for conferences? Remember there being furore on LL.

Haven't been on here much due to having a new job, but really feel I have to post something on this.

It seems Food Creations won't be back at Almondvale, unless it's for the big matches. There was no sign of them before the last two home games, and I was told before the Raith game that FC had been making no money from the smaller games, so were only going to concentrate on the bigger fixtures.

Really disappointed in this. From a personal point of view, it was one of the highlights of my sons day, he really enjoyed going there for his lunch. I know it wouldn't make business sense for them to throw money away, but I still find it disappointing. I can't help feel that the confusion over where they would be situated, and which set of fans would be in the AS has maybe had something to do with how quiet it's been.

Yeah I was told that too mozam. Not sure how the big games will make them money as the AS wasn't going to be serving food it was the lions den, for Livi fans only, and that would limit the amount of fans to a lot less than the AS.
People wouldn't know there would be food either, unless they're going to advertise it a lot better than they normally do anyway. Livi fans that have got into the habit of going elsewhere pre match for a bite to eat wont necessarily change to the stadium for the odd big game either.

Have just spoken to the club, who say that the Almondvale Suite will be closed today, on the orders of the police. There will also be no food available in the Stadium Bar.

How much money will this cost the club? Thousands?

I heard the AS was shut yesterday because the cost of policing it would be more than what they'd make from the bar. No sign of food creations either.

Needing to let some burger vans sit in the car park so you can go buy one and have it with a pint inside if they're not going to do food anymore.

Dave Stoker pointed me to the website yesterday where it said that the Almondvale Suite was sold for hospitality yesterday, I'd completely missed that. It also flys in the face of what I was told yesterday on there phone.

It seems now that if you want something to eat premature, you have to pay for hospitality. They can foxtrot right Oscar if that's the case.

Prematch that should be.

Get Dan the hotdog man down on match days to set up outside the bar, bet he'd make plenty profit.

From what I see you're now having to pay something like £17.50 for the pleasure of going to the AS.

For the Stranraer game they are charging £40 to have macaroni or chicken curry with chips, a programme and your ticket.

Adult ticket is £15, programme £2.50, and a meal was about £5 when you got in for free.

Think i'll give it a pass and save £17.50.

Not the AS but the stadium bar has now got draught beer again and food being sold in it, Scotch & steak pies. It's an improvement from the last few games where there wasn't draught beers or food.

Last time I was down it had football on the tv too, not some obscure game or LIVItv highlights either.

Home & Away fans welcome for this Sat:http://livingstonfc.co.uk/matchday-in-the-almondvale-suite/



Good deal on the food and a pint, interesting entertainment, think i'll just watch others going on the bull ride though.

Heard BT sport football is going to be on the telly in our next home game, was meant to be installed yesterday but there was some problem plugging it in.

Place was quite full yesterday too and the beer is good, wasn't impressed last week with the burger and chips meal and didn't have anything to eat this week but there was curry, macaroni, burger with haggis, and steak pie on the menu this week so would probably have been decent.

A bit of a hit from the Krafty beer, potent stuff.

Tried the snack bar yesterday, very disappointed, a larger cup of coffee looked like an improvement but if I'd wanted a cold one I'd have gotten a Frappucino from Costa or Starbucks. My lad had a scotch pie which merited an "its awright" - last week his brother got a steak which fell apart with the bottom stuck to the foil. Great that the money is now going to the club but if the quality doesn't improve folk will stop buying.

Had a steak pie at both Clyde games and they were tasty, came away ok from the foil too. Best going at HT though as the first time they didn't have them ready and I wasn't risking getting one not cooked properly. Good bit cheaper at the serveries now too.

Bertie Bassett wrote:Tried the snack bar yesterday, very disappointed, a larger cup of coffee looked like an improvement but if I'd wanted a cold one I'd have gotten a Frappucino from Costa or Starbucks. My lad had a scotch pie which merited an "its awright"  - last week his brother got a steak which fell apart with the bottom stuck to the foil. Great that the money is now going to the club but if the quality doesn't improve folk will stop buying.

They also made this big fuss about reducing the cost of a juice.

Its great that the price of a juice is down to £1-80 but the cup size has went down from a large to a regular, which means that if I want the appropriate amount of juice to quench my thirst for the entire game, then I'd need to get two cups which would cost £3-60 which means that I'm spending more that I was before.

In the end I'm now spending a pound for a water which gives me the same amount as large juice, quenches my thirst for the whole game, is cheaper and healthier, so its win, win for me.