Went to see Derren Brown in Torquay – a real customer experience!
But what about Torquay! Or rather, what about Torquay in Feb!
Well Torquay is the home of one of my favourite restaurant, Number Seven, a first class privately run fresh fish bistro/restaurant which was shut for the holidays but not to worry.
We went to what we were told was a close second – a glorified fish and chip shop pretending to be a restaurant but failing on nearly every count. We stayed in the slightly dilapidated Grand Hotel (nice small spa in the basement), a bastion of slowly fading, and not desperately, enchanting grandeur.
Working in Torquay last year we spent three days at the Imperial. The room cleaner shut and locked the patio door leaving me stranded on the balcony, my phone on the other side of the glass while 180 delegates were waiting for me to present to them downstairs as I screamed and shouted for someone to notice my third floor predicament.
Moral of the story: never trust a room cleaner listening to an IPod. But I digress.
My real concern is the town itself. Come 6.00pm the euphemistically described clubbers, boys and girls of the night, appear ready for some eight hours of non-stop drinking and general debauchery. Torquay culture? While I can live with that, what I found upsetting was that Torquay must really struggle to compete.
Prices were not cheap, service was pretty poor and not desperately interested, and most of the hotels and restaurants were either half-empty or not bothering to open. More importantly, nearly every business needed more than just a quick lick of paint. It felt tired, uncared for and unloved.
I have just come back from skiing in two resorts in France. Both resorts and their outer-environs demonstrated a civic pride and care for the civic amenities as well as in the local businesses. I am not quite sure why a couple of hundred miles should make such a difference to almost every aspect of the customer experience.
Yes I have had some dreadful experiences in France in my time but this is not the rule.
Travelling through France you can find little cafes, restaurants and train station brassieres that deliver the hospitality, and freshly prepared food that very few similar establishments pull off in the UK.
Maybe we get the food establishments we deserve. Our expectations are low (and still they are constantly not met!), we avoid complaining and pay good money for total mediocrity.
Mediocrity is a sin! And we are sinners!
For a special wedding anniversary it is cheaper to take the entire family to Paris for the weekend, stay in a proper hotel and go to a proper restaurant and be served food with respect.
Who wouldn’t want that?
My worry is that Torquay can’t compete. And each of those independent businesses can’t compete on price, value for money, service, the culture and most importantly, the weather.
PS This is not a pop at Torquay but rather I am highlighting the plight of Torquay businesses and many others...
PPS Spent last weekend in Bournemouth - it felt altogether more lively and cared for than poor old Torquay. Not sure what conclusion to draw there.
12 comments:
Mr Craven - you seem out to antagonise people.
First you pop at the Business Links and now the fine residents of Torquay.
Actually you have a very valid point (again).
The crumbling decadence of what was once (presumably) a fine seaside town is pitiful.
Attempts to create new shopping centres have added little to the character of the town. The town itself looks unkempt and in need of a face lift.
You real point which is "How can retailers survive against these odds?" is totally justified.
Again the elephant walked into the room and you kindly named it for us.
So, if I am right, this is not so much about Torquay as it is about small businesses in a dying environment.
Very nice post indeed! I am convinced that what you describe for Torquay is quite symptomatic of most British towns and city in UK. Being myself Italian living in UK for many years but having travelled extensively in continental Europe for both business and leisure I can just spot one main point that, without justifying this situation can just explain part of the reasons for being this way. What I notice is that outside the UK most catering jobs are seen as a profession and young people get a qualification to be barman, cook or waiter and they develop this into a career. For that reason they take pride in offering good service and, when you go back time after time to the same hotel or restaurant, you’ll find the same receptionist, waiter and even cleaner, smiling and perhaps recognizing and welcoming you by name. Here things are obviously and historically very different: the catering industry is supported by a constantly fresh supply of cheap labour in the form of foreigners that are either just moved and they need money to pay for their English tuitions. Once they achieve a decent level of proficiency in the local language they move on to their next job, often the one they could no do in their country. Waiters and bar tenders can also often be high school or university students in their summer break: very few people I ever met that were in this business did it with the plan of retiring on it. So when you are in something that you perceive as a temporary job are you are fully aware that in a week or a month time you’ll be doing something different it’s less likely you will put all of your best effort and energy to offer a fantastic service, you’ll simply go by. In the end while restaurants and bar in the continent are still run by single individuals, families or small partnerships and are there for the long time here big chains with strong and aggressive marketing departments fill the gap and still manage to attract and retain customer offering, instead of great service, other reasons to go back and pay premium money for poor service and average quality food.
Very apt in parts Mr Craven but also very black and white. Yes the Grand is an old building but I have stayed there many times when in Torquay and I imagine keeping it in tip top order is a bit like painting the Forth Road Bridge in that it is infinite in time requirement and financial input. I imagine also that when the economy is tough, money is not growing on trees. The hotel has marvellous staff, I have enjoyed excellent food and a comfortable bed, so on the whole, whilst not perfect, I can not complain. I too have stayed at The Imperial and found it to be a cold and souless place.
As for Torquay, well the weekend nights can be rather scary if you are over the age of 30 and there are some sights to behold. But if you read the local press you will know that there is a strategy going into place to try and restore an attractive heart to Torquay and the English Riviera by people who care very much about its fading into oblivion. Small businesses find it all to easy to moan on occasion and perhaps if they could show effort and throwing some support to the strategy initiative Torquay might make significant progress. Watch this space!
Ladie & Gents
Just to make my position clear, this is not a dig at Torquay. My worry is that Torquay (and many other seaside towns) may find it difficult to compete when the customer experience feels poorer for the customer.
Robert
I recall a speech about choosing the river or stream you put your boat in and another (blog?) about if there isn't any fish in the pond then fish in a different pond. ALL very noble and entrepreneurial and innovative.
BUT
But the businesses you castigate are simple innocents who opened a local business in the hope of making a tidy living but circumsatnaces have been against them.
To quote you (Craven) again. They may not be CAPABLE OR ABLE to survive. Not their fault. Yet no-one else is to blame.
For consistent, decent, authentic customer service or customer experience I am afraid you live in the wrong country!
M
I am a afraid that the UK seaside is sadly out of date.
You identify the dreadful food, wine, servicemsun and sand as being the problems. So what is right?
R
How dare you think you have the right to lord it over the fine people of Torquay.
Have you no respect for the hard efforts of honest local people.
You think we should roll over and do all that you want so that we can earn your money so we can come to the big city and give it all back to you.
Well, let me tell you that we'll be waiting for you next time you come to TQ.
One group will be here to impress you (hope you enjoy your posh bistro!) while the others (who are not working) will be ready and waiting. We can wait.
You have the cheek to talk bad about one of the UK's finest seaside resorts. You think you can stroll in and stroll out and spread your bad rumnours willy nilly.
There is nothing wrong with TQ that a bit of confidence can't sort out. We have some of the finest food (esp fish) in the country and quite why you rate France is quite beyond me.
Another raw nerve has been hit.
They doth protest too much.
Pete
Another raw nerve has been hit.
They doth protest too much.
Pete
I am a afraid that the UK seaside is sadly out of date.
You identify the dreadful food, wine, servicemsun and sand as being the problems. So what is right?
R
I recall a speech about choosing the river or stream you put your boat in and another (blog?) about if there isn't any fish in the pond then fish in a different pond. ALL very noble and entrepreneurial and innovative.
BUT
But the businesses you castigate are simple innocents who opened a local business in the hope of making a tidy living but circumsatnaces have been against them.
To quote you (Craven) again. They may not be CAPABLE OR ABLE to survive. Not their fault. Yet no-one else is to blame.
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