drop off cafe
rinkydinkdink
Posts: 60
Just seen a post somewhere else saying they're shutting the drop-off cafe at Afan?glyn ....
What's going on?
Anyone know?
What's going on?
Anyone know?
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NoooooO! :shock:
No more post-ride Carrot cake!
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Saw this below on the CwmDown site when looking at that earlier.
Perhaps they're gonna move there. But gotta say I'd rather see it at the bottom of Whytes/Skyline ....
As of the 24th December 2009 the Drop off Café will no Longer be situated- Based- trading from the Glyncorrwg Mountain Bike centre. The reasons behind this decision will become clear very soon.
Ian at the café was quoted as saying :
I’m gutted they (Glyncorrwg Ponds Cooperative) have decided to take this decision, but Its one that they have thought long and hard about and believe that having the Drop off at the centre is not a viable decision. I can only apologise to my staff and the people who have supported the café at the centre over the last 5 years…what a brilliant team and customer base they have been !! If you have enjoyed the Food, Drink and Ambience so far at the Drop Off, all I can say is to be patient with us as something a little more interesting may come along soon and will certainly be great for you bikers.
Many Thanks again from Luffy and the staff, Ps Don’t forget the Kona Mash up on 5th December. The after party is going to be the best yet, so get your free entry ticket sorted before the event as once they’re gone. That’s it.
Click here for your Mash Up entry ticket.
If you are going to the after party, you'll need to email Ian on ian@dropoffcafe.com0 -
:shock: NOOOOOOOOO!!
This place is almost as much of a reason to love Afan as the trails themselves! A blast round Whites wouldn't be the same without a cup of tea and a doorstep sandwich out on the deck. 0 -
This is some sad news indeed. I travel a 220 mile round trip for this beautiful place and the cafe has a lot to do with my reasons for going back. The staff are great and the food is fantastic compared to that at Cwmcarn for example. Those guys should be proud.
Lets hope something good comes from the ashes and give it our full support.0 -
Noooooooooooo +1
Best cafe by far. Gutted it's going to close. It won't be the same.Paul0 -
really gutted to hear this news! Any idea what the plans are for the space at Glyncorrwg then? dont live far away at all and out of GC, Afan & Cwmcarn, GC is my fave as the facilities are BY FAR the best and the cafe was brill!! Couldnt have wished for more. Hope everyone who has lost their job there sorts something out asap.
From everyone at Bike Radar - We salute you!!**2009 Trek Remedy 8**
Specialized P.3 (custom) w/ Deore hydro discs, XT group, Blackspire device, Mavic D321's0 -
I was there yesterday and it was the same old story of friendly staff and customers, great food and blissful views.
It sounds from the quotes above like the Glyncorrwg Ponds people own the building and have decided they no longer want the Drop Off there. What an awful decision! If it really is the end then I reckon it deserves one massive blow out ride/event on December 23rd!0 -
Okay, lets make a bit of sensible noise. Let's send a few polite letters to the folk at Glyncorrwg Ponds and make ourselves heard. Keep it positive and to the point, ay?
This is the info I have, but it may be dated...
Debbie Burton
Glyncorrwg Ponds Centre
Unit 1, Ynyscorrwg Park,
Glyncorrwg
Port Talbot
SA13 3AE
debbie@debbieburton.co.uk
Tel: 07979 700363.0 -
:shock:
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agreed to the quiet protest
can't believe bike radar haven't got to the bottom of it and pasted this on their news site0 -
Good point Rinky,
Radar, stop playing with your swish hairstyles and lets see some action we can all follow to make sure we can still enjoy this facility.0 -
Don't understand this at all it's always heaving and not just bikers but anglers walkers and locals.
Also I thought it was a cooperative which was partly funded by EU and WAG money!!I wear Lycra because I like the way it feels0 -
No more Lasagna what will we do ?.
All the Best Ian.0 -
This is a realllly poor decision. Has a lot of customers, not just bikers. Great service, friendly etc etc. poor poor decisionyeehaamcgee wrote:
That's like saying i want a door for my car that doesn't meet the roof, because I once had the wind blow it shut when I was getting in, and I had my head squished between, well, the door and the roof.0 -
Familyman,
What do you do now? You take action unless you want to lose this facility andf have nothing to replace it. Get over there, enjoy the trails and use the cafe while you can.
I stated an address and contact in a previous post. Has anyone got any alternative contacts?0 -
This was posted on the STW forum:Crooch
I emailed Ian yesterday, his response attached.
Thanks very much for your great words. I am amazed with letters of support on this matter. Yes, i believe the wrong decision has been made, but doesnt that always happen in successful Mountain bike ventures in Wales? I am deeply sorry for my staff really, they are the ones that will suffer the most.
I do believe the Bike shop has the proud ownership of the Cafe now, i do hope they will be successful. Unfortunately, they put a higher financial bid in for the tender, and money seems to talk in that place. I lost.
I havemuch more in the tank to give, the Glyncorrwg concept was a good starting point and great learning curve for the future and knew that people/past customers would critisicise/praise what has been. Its a great way to get honest feedback....help or kick when they are down to learn what to do and not to do for the future. All been noted.
Please, post some info/ feedback onto the online sites if you wish, this is where all important feedback will be seen for my next port of call.
Ill be posting updates through the online media of my progress for the future too
So good news is there will still be a cafe there, it's just going to be run by the guys at Skyline0 -
Good to know that. Yes Drop Off is a great cafe, the portions deserving of their reputation, but the guys running Skyline are also tops. If Skyline put in a better bid, fair play to 'em. They, of all people should know the standard has been set high.
Maybe Drop Off should shift to the other Afan site, where the cafe is... functional, but nothing to write on the internets about.0 -
OK so there will still be a cafe.
It may be better, it may be worse.
Things are still not perfect at GC.
Rent of the buildings goes to GC ponds. Revenue from the car park goes to GC ponds.
Maintenance of the trails is performed by......the FC.
So, GC ponds take all of us MTBers' money and spend it on......fishing.
Anyone else think this is a bit of a poor show?0 -
It is Dobbs, but in that case I assume they own the land? If so they don't have to let us use it at all.0
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What land?
They certainly dont own the forest, we do.
the FC manage it on our behalf. GC ponds own the building and car park, nothing else.
They purchased these via grants.0 -
hmmm, I don't know how to feel about that. As above, shame it's going, but the Skyline boys are great too. Hopefully they'll keep the staff on. I don't think the likes of Skyliner will fancy downing tools and baking spuds instead.
Best case senario would be for Drop Off to take over the other Afan, which I'm sure is council run as the menu is very "school diners" but the building isn't great, no natural light as I can recall and pretty small or the one at CwmCarn, which is a lovely building/venue for the food is pretty appaling compared to drop off, not exactly geared to MTB'ers (or walkers ether) they have seats that get ruined by mud and complain to the guys driving the uplift bus for us all taking lunch at the same time as the drivers (causing queues!!!!) there's a sure sign of a non-profit organisation, complaining about the number of customers.0 -
Dobbs wrote:What land?
They certainly dont own the forest, we do.
the FC manage it on our behalf. GC ponds own the building and car park, nothing else.
They purchased these via grants.
I'm not talking about the trails, they own the bits that make revenue - the car park and the trail centre building itself. I meant they don't have to let us park our cars and feed our faces there.
As I say though, I totally agree it's a ridiculous situation that with thousands of people going to use the trails all year round, none of the money they spend is going back to the FC and the upkeep of the trails.0 -
And they wouldn't if they didn't make money out of it. It's not done out of kindness.they own the bits that make revenue - the car park and the trail centre building itself. I meant they don't have to let us park our cars and feed our faces there.
With the majority of their income coming from us, it would only be fair if they put some cash back into the trails. Who wouldn't like a couple more trails there? I would.
Anyhoo, you going to NWD tonight?0 -
llamafarmer wrote:Dobbs wrote:What land?
They certainly dont own the forest, we do.
the FC manage it on our behalf. GC ponds own the building and car park, nothing else.
They purchased these via grants.
I'm not talking about the trails, they own the bits that make revenue - the car park and the trail centre building itself. I meant they don't have to let us park our cars and feed our faces there.
As I say though, I totally agree it's a ridiculous situation that with thousands of people going to use the trails all year round, none of the money they spend is going back to the FC and the upkeep of the trails.
Does seem odd that, the fishers (if that's the term) seem a good bunch, even if they do occationally have fly lines zipping back and forth above the trail which gets my balloon knot going sometimes as I go underneath. But you usually see, maybe a dozen on them on a good day dotted around the ponds, whilst 100's of riders zip by.0 -
Hmmm.
The Drop Off offers an excellent service for a very very reasonable cost considering the location. The formula works. Hence I use Glyncorrwg as a base rather then Afan.
I'm not sure about the Skyline option.Paul0 -
That's interesting. For some reason I assumed that some small percentage of the parking / food drinks profit would go toward trail maintenance, thus protecting their revenue stream.0
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Premier screening of new world disorder 10 at the little theatre cinema, bath.
Apparently Gee Atherton will be there too (not that I'm a groupie).0
