Food and drink festival

[Happier diner]

2 minutes ago, Gladys said:

Have to say, I went.  It was OK, could have done all the stands in 15 minutes.  But it was a nice day, caught up with some friends and had quite an (unexpected)  boozy day.  However, two thoughts - IOM Farmers' Market should have been there (couldn't understand why it was only craft stalls in the colonnade at a food fair) and being charged £5 a head to spend more inside was a bit rich really. 

Thing is your not going to go back year on year. Yes it's ok for a one off if you are really bored. But you end up just a bit less bored and slightly feeling ripped off.

Poor food and drink festivals are not unique to the isle of man. We used to go to the Chester one every year. Admittedly it's a lot better than ours, and you didnt have to queue half a day to get a drink, but its not better by that great a margin

The only year it was ok was when hooded ram did the drinks tent and actually knew what they were doing. 

[2112]

I have noticed one thing on this island compared to some towns and city’s across. In the winter or certain periods, there is a lack of street food - jacket potatoes with fillings and hot roasted chestnuts, or even an American style hot dog stand. Perhaps outside 1886, and the Strand Centre. The smells tempt the tastebuds. However we are talking about IOM bureaucracy and permissions etc, and other vested interests. The Food fair a few years ago, prior to Christmas on Strand St, Castle Street and Chester St was popular. A Gluwein stall would be good - Manchester City centre has one and manages well.

Edited October 25, 2021 by 2112

[Happier diner]

1 hour ago, 2112 said:

I have noticed one thing on this island compared to some towns and city’s across. In the winter or certain periods, there is a lack of street food - jacket potatoes with fillings and hot roasted chestnuts, or even an American style hot dog stand. Perhaps outside 1886, and the Strand Centre. The smells tempt the tastebuds. However we are talking about IOM bureaucracy and permissions etc, and other vested interests. The Food fair a few years ago, prior to Christmas on Strand St, Castle Street and Chester St was popular. A Gluwein stall would be good - Manchester City centre has one and manages well.

Sounds a great idea. Look out for it never happening for the reasons you state.

[WTF]

1 hour ago, 2112 said:

I have noticed one thing on this island compared to some towns and city’s across. In the winter or certain periods, there is a lack of street food - jacket potatoes with fillings and hot roasted chestnuts, or even an American style hot dog stand. Perhaps outside 1886, and the Strand Centre. The smells tempt the tastebuds. However we are talking about IOM bureaucracy and permissions etc, and other vested interests. The Food fair a few years ago, prior to Christmas on Strand St, Castle Street and Chester St was popular. A Gluwein stall would be good - Manchester City centre has one and manages well.

but there are plenty of eateries around those areas competing for trade now with real overheads and douglas rents and rates to pay,  billys bangers served from a converted wheel barrow won't help their businesses and draw in customers.

[2112]

9 minutes ago, WTF said:

but there are plenty of eateries around those areas competing for trade now with real overheads and douglas rents and rates to pay,  billys bangers served from a converted wheel barrow won't help their businesses and draw in customers.

Yes you have a point. Not everyone wants to go into a cafe/eatery, I don’t. Sometimes I like a sausage hot dog with mustard and onions. I’ve had hot roast chestnuts in Manchester City Centre. We need a choice, what doesn’t help is the over reliance of the coffee shops and sandwich places. Incidentally I’m not advocating this 365, perhaps a few weeks of the year, Christmas time possible. 

[wrighty]

6 hours ago, Happier diner said:

That must because 6000 people realised it was the same boring stuff year on year. The food is over priced and of poor quality and 6000 people don't like queuing for  hours on end for bad over priced beer in a plastic glass

Precisely why I didn’t bother this year. 

[Ramseyboi]

2 hours ago, Declan said:

Knockaloe? Miles out of town and not on a bus route - and they think that would increase footfall?

It is just outside of peel and on a bus route.  They would probably put extra shuttles on like they do for the Royal show which is held there and is the most attended event on island

[Ramseyboi]

52 minutes ago, WTF said:

but there are plenty of eateries around those areas competing for trade now with real overheads and douglas rents and rates to pay,  billys bangers served from a converted wheel barrow won't help their businesses and draw in customers.

Nothing to stop them having a stand as an opportunity to make a good impression on people who may not otherwise visit their establishment and so turn them into profitable long term repeat customers.

If don’t properly then local businesses who pay rates year round would be encouraged to attend and given a financial incentive to do so.

Edited October 25, 2021 by Ramseyboi

[2112]

Curious observation - I have never been to the fireworks or the Christmas lights switch on. Are there refreshments available, say a burger van etc? If so, doesn’t it take business away from eateries and coffee shops? Candy floss for the kids. 

[Happier diner]

4 minutes ago, 2112 said:

Curious observation - I have never been to the fireworks or the Christmas lights switch on. Are there refreshments available, say a burger van etc? If so, doesn’t it take business away from eateries and coffee shops? Candy floss for the kids. 

How can it take business away if those people wouldn't have been there anyway if not for the event. Getting people onto the streets benefits everyone.

[2112]

2 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

How can it take business away if those people wouldn't have been there anyway if not for the event. Getting people onto the streets benefits everyone.

I was criticised before for suggesting street food, with the idea that eateries and cafes have rates to pay ……. Which I do understand. Surely there can be ideas which benefit everyone and do not upset certain businesses? 

[Happier diner]

12 minutes ago, 2112 said:

I was criticised before for suggesting street food, with the idea that eateries and cafes have rates to pay ……. Which I do understand. Surely there can be ideas which benefit everyone and do not upset certain businesses? 

Like @Ramseyboisays. Nothing to stop the shops having a stall with an equal playing field. There is no competition for customers, its a different market. 

[Roger Mexico]

28 minutes ago, Ramseyboi said:

It is just outside of peel and on a bus route.  They would probably put extra shuttles on like they do for the Royal show which is held there and is the most attended event on island

I'm not sure that an event that is aiming to sell booze to a lot of people is necessarily one that you want to have most people needing to drive to.  A shuttle bus from St Johns every half hour isn't going to cope.  

I suspect they got greedy after last year did so well, but forgot that people were so desperate for things to do then after lockdown.  They still claimed more than 10,000 attended though, which is pretty good on an island this size.

 

[Ramseyboi]

4 minutes ago, Roger Mexico said:

I'm not sure that an event that is aiming to sell booze to a lot of people is necessarily one that you want to have most people needing to drive to.  A shuttle bus from St Johns every half hour isn't going to cope.  

I suspect they got greedy after last year did so well, but forgot that people were so desperate for things to do then after lockdown.  They still claimed more than 10,000 attended though, which is pretty good on an island this size.

 

It’s a fifteen minute walk to peel ffs.

[finlo]

It's the arse end of nowhere, a similar mistake was made moving the Royal show from Sulby.