Luton "G" Casino, opinions please!

[portfolio]

luton is failing at all basic service levels  in the cardroom, from poor valet service, awfull food   and lack of dealers.

play table games tho, as p does, and you get a hot drinks/food  on tap.

that tells you where there v simple priorities lie  imo.

[Snatiramas]

It is a bit of a paradox........UK casino.....we do not want poker players.....hang on somebody is going to open a just for poker club.......... UK casino groups say we must object.

Why???

From the way we are treated generally.....and there are exceptions.......you do not want us in your business

[Snatiramas]

Oh and before i forget why is it still Novembers calendar on the website

[TightEnd]

I think to get a proper handle on the issues in the individual casinos you have to take a step back, and look at the corporate culture that allows a business to operate in a way that seems to be so "non-customer"

Rank plc, of which the Grosvenor group is a part, has been a poorly performing business for years. I used to be a professional investor in it (alongside many other businesses) and as such had access to main board managements at Rank.

These were, in my opinion, some of the least impressive boards to represent what was at the time a FTSE-100 company that I came across.

Now we have a business who's share price has suffered for years, where industry competitiors are beginning to circle the group (taking stakes recently) and which is, frankly, not going to be in the same form on a 2 year view (trophy assets, undermanaged). Indeed were one to look at the annual accounts and check out the freehold value of the properties and compare it to the current asset value of the company then an interesting story could be told. It might be argued that it is only for two reasons that the group has been allowed by the markets to survive this long.

a) the Deluxe Video duplication business was a "poison pill" the technology clearly being outmoded, and was unsellable for ages until costs fell to a level appropriate for revenue

b) the credit markets closed up earlier this year making acquisition finance more difficult for non-trade buyers

So, against that background we take a look at Rank's corporate culture. Within Grosvenor that devolves decision making responsibility down to the individual properties namely the top managers in each of the clubs. Said managers are rewarded on their overall numbers and then a bonus is paid which said manager distributes amongst his staff

So, you are a Grosvenor club manager..your focus is on..........poker or table games?

Now you are the Head of Grosvenor Poker, you have no influence over the club managers who are given enormous power with a huge financial carrot. You take the fairly obvious decision given this to keep costs low, slash marketing budgets (which has happened for 2008) and focus elsewhere.

Meanwhile elsewhere within the group Blue Sq is doing fine, it develops the GUKPT concept which works well but they don't want the success of the GUKPT to be at all affected by the traditional festivals. Online satellites to these cease, added value at club live satellites from Blue Sq ceases. No central marketing, no online marketing, no added value, gradually non series festivals suffer as the club managers aren't interested.

Now back to Luton, I will relate a serious tale from 6 weeks ago. We are halfway through the 30G league which guarantees £30,000 in the prize pool for the event this Sunday. At that point roughly £15,000 had been collected in contributions.

A club Manager asks the cardroom maanger, given the pressure they are under on costs..."can we scrap the league?" given that they will be having to add value into it! 

Meanwhile the dealers, croupiers, valets do exceptional jobs but they are horribly let down by the group culture that prevents sensible customer-focussed thinking..this permates from Head office to the clubs themselves. All the time the reward for the clubs is focussedon the bottom line and not on any issues such as customer satisfaction then the lot for poker players (facilities aside) cannot improve.

I have played at G Luton now only three times in nearly two months. Its fifteen minutes away from me. I share the concerns expressed by my fellow forum rep. I play elsewhere sometimes, much of the time I play nowhere.

I'd love to return and play the 3-4-5 times aweek I once did, but I lost the will to do so.


Meanwhile the company's website proclaims

"All of the businesses within the Rank Group Gaming Division (RGGD) are about people: both customers and employees. Our purpose is to 'put on the best game in town' and in all that we do we strive to raise our standards, make people feel special and add a touch of fun and theatre"

Yes, I laughed too.
 

[Snatiramas]

I also went through the interim report.....laughed loads........the casino business really could make so much business. Also if each area of the casinos has to make a profit is that true for the whole group?? What is really happening in bingo for example.....

Tighty you and I have discussed attendance at Luton on many occassions and I have now reached the same point as you....I would rather do other things with my time or I play elsewhere.

Grosvenor really need to wake up......I dropped £100 on Sunday night. I didn't mind as I was having a good time. I was not in a Grosvenor. I think individuals within Grosvenor do a great job. I have huge reservations about the corporate ethos of the company.........but I am just a customer why would they care

[byronkincaid]

the answer to this is pretty simple, tighty buys Rank out of some of the loose change under his sofa cushions, flog off the bingo crap and get me to run the rest for say 5% of profits?

sort it out son

[M3boy]

The buying of Rank and stripping out the "deadwood" WILL happen - FACT

It is just a case of WHEN.

Sooner the better IMO

[jizzemm]

The buying of Rank and stripping out the "deadwood" WILL happen - FACT

It is just a case of WHEN.

Sooner the better IMO

I totally agree with you..

[77dave]

I have just read my posts from last night.  Although i stand by what i said i do wish i hadnt posted them.

I have supported Luton maybe more than any other player over the past couple years. I travel 100 miles per trip while i only live 18 miles from the vic or the gutshot. Luton does have a lot of problems but the frustrating thing for me is that its core elements have the potential to make it the best room in the country.  Ill be taking some time away from the place i guess i just need a break but I will return to the place and i will miss it when i move

[tikay]

Oh deary deary me. Luton G are on the back foot, so let's all join in & kick the semi-lifeless body around a bit.

Jeez guys, you are well hard to please. Yes, they have "customer-facing" issues, & the Valet service is not what it should be. It's free, mind. Their cardroom organisation, as to Satellites, etc, needs improving. But it's do-able. And the chairs are, according to one, not fit for purpose. That's subjective, with respect. And this, & that, & the other. It's amazing how these things snowball, & become self-perpetuating.

So tikay is on his "let's defend Luton hobby-horse" again. Well, yes, I am.

And why?

Lots of reasons.

1) I always tend to try & support the underdog. OK, the place needs a bit of management attention, but it's hardly life-threatening, & everything they have issues with is fixable. Have you boys always had everything your own way? I can think of far worse places to play poker, I really can, including other Venues in the same ownership.

2) It happens to be a very lucky venue for me, of that I must admit. Non-admissable evidence, OK, I agree. And I like the local clientele. Rinse, repeat.

3) I guess I'm different to most of the moaners & groaners. But I know that, if the table company is good, the craic is good, & the Tourneys are well-structured, the place is well-lit & warm, & there's a free tea, coffee & chocolate machine within 5 yards of my table (for which I don't need Valets), well, I can tolerate the minor irritations of which so many are complaining, because there are far worse things in life than having to fetch my own (completely free of charge) cuppa tea. And to be fair, those that only go there once in a blue moon don't really know the character of the place, & it's people.

For the eejit who informed me anonymously via e-Mail that I have a vested interest (via some sort of commercial relationship or other self-interest) in G-Luton, you jest, my friend. My anonymous friend, that is. I don't. Fact. I just prefer "doing" to "moaning". Luckily, because poker ain't short of the latter.

But I do shake my head in sadness when everyone piles in with their moans & groans, & yet very few of them take the time to try & deal with the problem in a constructive manner. So far as I can tell, only two folks have done this - been & chatted to Management to help identify & solve the (alleged) problems.

So, here's the deal. I can't be arsed with talking the talk, I prefer to walk the walk. I'll arrange a meeting with Luton Senior Management, & make a few suggestions as to how the "irritations" (poor valet service etc) can be addressed. I'm afraid that won't include changing the furniture, because that's just subjective, & I've sat on far worse. And I bet you - any of you, & any number of you - £50 (each) in crisp pound notes that within a month, you will see improvements. Because that's how to bring about improvements - do something constructive.

Any takers? Or you just gonna continue moaning? Go on, bet me I can't help bring about improvements within a month of sitting down & chatting to Management. Go on go on go on go on. The bet duration is one month from today - it ends January 10th 2008.

The stakes must be lodged with a mutually agreed third party. Because I expect to be paid when I win the bet.

Meanwhile, I'll continue to share my "default" time between G-Luton & DTD.

Why will I continue to play at G-Luton? Because playing with nice, decent, people more than makes up for a few stones in my shoe. For me, anyway.

[tikay]

I have just read my posts from last night.  Although i stand by what i said i do wish i hadnt posted them.

I have supported Luton maybe more than any other player over the past couple years. I travel 100 miles per trip while i only live 18 miles from the vic or the gutshot. Luton does have a lot of problems but the frustrating thing for me is that its core elements have the potential to make it the best room in the country.  Ill be taking some time away from the place i guess i just need a break but I will return to the place and i will miss it when i move

I must say Jim, the place was very quiet last night, & not the same without you there. Guess we'll have to get used to that soon!

[snoopy1239]

For what it's worth, I'm not sure what all the fuss is about at Luton. True, they don't seem to be focusing their attentions on the cardroom, but why should they, they're a business, not a charity that has to cater for the poker community. There is a Stanley down the road and plenty of other venues in London, so if the players don't like it, they can speak with their feet. If this affects their business, then I'm sure Luton will make the changes, but just voicing your complaints on a forum rather than taking a more constructive approach and 'walking the walk', as tikay says, won't make much of a difference.

[77dave]

As i say Tikay  I love Luton

I feel though i have been caught up too much in the polictics of the place to be able to concentrate fully on my game and at the end of the day that is my primary reason for visiting.  I have had many meetings with both staff and management and i am aware of lots of upcoming changes. I will continue to attend Luton but I wont be there as often as in the past where else can i get a dealers choice game like the one that we sit in most evenings

p.s. i dont have a prob with the chairs

[Snatiramas]

I was going to put up a big long post but I just can't be bothered.
Tikay it has all been said before.
I wish you luck in your mission.
I will continue to play there because it has always been home.

[Colchester Kev]

As i say Tikay  I love Luton

I feel though i have been caught up too much in the polictics of the place to be able to concentrate fully on my game and at the end of the day that is my primary reason for visiting.  I have had many meetings with both staff and management and i am aware of lots of upcoming changes. I will continue to attend Luton but I wont be there as often as in the past where else can i get a dealers choice game like the one that we sit in most evenings

p.s. i dont have a prob with the chairs

neither does tikay, his arse is never in a tourny seat long enough to work out if its comfy or not