[Closed] Glentress new facilities

yeah the layout of the whole thing is a joke the car park is in the wrong place.Everything is to far away from the carpark.

go to the other place then

I completely disagree, the facilities are first class and certainly better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. You must have ridden the rest of the 7Stanes and the facilities are the best you get with the others are the odd cafe and damp changing room.

The 6 Million wasn't just for the new cafe, there has also been development of parking and the Osprey watch does this justify the 6mil maybe not but the quality is there and it was a pleasure eating there and listing to the ipod in the back ground (behind the drinks fridge).

As for the wet decking I am pretty sure it says NO RIDING!!!! so that would help prevent you slipping of the damp decking.

The car park is a couple of hundred metres from the cafe and shop. Are all you fit young cyclists so done in by your tough bike ride that you honestly think that's too far? How about one of you take the initiative and set up a shuttle bus service to save your poor, tired legs?

Did you never have to walk from the bottom car park up to the old hub?

And slippy wood at a trail centre?? Whodathunkit?

I'm afraid I have to agree OP. Hopefully things that can be improved will be.

Still, doesn't stink of piss though so that's a bonus!

I haven't been yet so can't comment, I thought it was 9 million for the complex, so I'm a bit out of touch.

It might be better than the hub, but is it millions of pounds worth better and could the money have been better spent ❓

EH Guys

wake up and read the post 😀 i said inside the facilities were good DOH just the location !!!!
as for the decking i never said you were riding on it i said it was slippy THAT MEANS FOR THOSE THAT CANT READ "slippy" whether you walk run or ride on it 🙄 and yes who would have thought that wet weathered decking is slippy DOH that is why millions are spent every year by people who have decking trying to make it not slippy 😀

No it doesnt stink of piss - it stinks of sewage. Especially if its rained in the last few days (I guess Ivan is being ironic but thought I'd check!)

Apart from that - I chuckle at how badly thought out it is.

But it is clean, modern and warm. I love the showers. The new car park was designed by a monkey in a cage who has never had to park anywhere busy. I imagine once the hub portacabin carcass has gone the original car parks will re-open. Hopefully.

I May be wrong on cost too 9 million waaaal for that 8O. i think that includes the 2 storey building at the top of the hill which is the forrestry commisions offices oh and by the way that is the building with the nice view

the view through the new big cafe windows is A man made banking ❓ good planning eh

Aye, same criticisms... Cafe still hasn't got their act together for dealing with any volume of customers, car parking is just plain inadequate but also badly laid out, and the cafe's in the wrong place.

OTOH... Some of the times I've been in the cafe, there's been way more people there than the Hub could accomodate- it has a lot more seating. So, sure there's queues but if it had been that busy over in the old shed, I'd have walked past anyway.

I think it'll come good. In the meantime, let the FC know- they're aware of parking problems already but it's pretty obvious that their hopes to grow the place aren't compatible with having too few parking spaces for the existing custom.

Is this going to be a daily thread . ? 🙄

Thanks for coming out and saying it

It's is great to see investment and we should be thankful. But

Car parking is way way too small, how did that happen?

The cafe is in the wrong location, how did that happen?

The shower/wcs are really badly planned- 1 cubicle for the blokes, and hippy no flush urinals, and lights whose sensors go out if you are in said single cubicle

Laughable thing is that the buildings are up for design awards

So overall, thanks but it is really badly thought through. All they really needed was a good new toilet block and 'red run2'
Rather than some souless business plan, architect ego trip led pile of Eco led bobbins. Went on a bit there but really a complaint is a gift and all that.....

why should it be a daily thread it is my opinion on this forum i take it some of the comments have been raised before ?
if you think this dont read it !

i havnt read anything on stw about this before , but i suppose i have a life and am only an infrequent user /reader of the forum 😯 😆

You could always use the forum's search facility (up there ^^) to avoid future embarrassment.

it wouldn't really be the same without exactly the same tired ol topics started every day tho.

Maybe a new post every day by different users will bring the issues to the attention of the powers in the flash new headquarters building.....they or the PR people in Edin read/trawl these forums. Used to be a guy called Steve Williams I think?
Not been to the new facilities yet and probably not get over till some time in 2012 but have tended to use the takeaway deli in Peebles for some time now

They also bought all that land east and south east to make way for additional parking (and ensure they were the only hosts in the area)...suspect the cinders aren't willing to stump up more cash yet to allow more facility to be built...

I have so far said this 3 times on here and have yet to hear a justification from anyone, so I'll say it again.

Only 1 men's bog! What brain box thought of that? Especially when most people travel a fair distance to ride there.

Why don't you try asking someone relevant?

1 mens bog ?

They had more in the toilet block......

Yeah and if you take too long having a dump you end up in the dark, no amount of waving your arms turns light back on 😆

Well I guess the plan was, seeing as there is only one, that you do not take too long. 😆

So overall, thanks but it is really badly thought through. All they really needed was a good new toilet block and 'red run2'

No - anew cafe was and remains essential. its not just aimed at the mountainbikers.

The new cafe has only just got to run without the competition of the old hub and its a holiday season. So they misjudged the number of staff they needed. I bet they will not make that mistake again,

As for the moans about the leaving your bikes out of sight - common at the old hub as well. NOt allcar parking was within eyesight of the hub

seanodav - that's just an unofficial warning that you're taking too long 😀

IMO:

1/ Car parking is inadequate and poorly designed. We visited on the snowy Sunday before Christmas: trails were dead but carpark was full. I predict a riot on a typical spring/summer day. The rows are too close together and spaces too short for a medium-sized van or any decent-sized car with a rear-mounted rack. I had to park the van at an angle to avoid sticking out the space and can see that behaviour hacking off others, especially when the carpark's busy. Wasn't a problem when we arrived early but getting out when there were more cars around involved a LOT of forward-a-bit/back-a-bit.

2/ Toilets/showers/changing are very nice and a big improvement. But just the one shitter for blokes? Really?

3/ Can't comment on cafe/bike shop as didn't visit - used the "(Vee)'Dub in the Forest" for tea-making afterwards 😀

I've eaten twice in the new place, and am judging it mainly on the quality of the coleslaw. First time it was superb, just like the Hub's. Second time though it was rubbish; mostly just carrot. That's something they urgently need to sort out.

Well I guess the plan was, seeing as there is only one, that you do not take too long.

seanodav - that's just an unofficial warning that you're taking too long

I think the fact that the building isn't 10x over budget and also that it isn't sinking into the ground, is something we all have to be thankful for. Also there isn't a swarm of mutated midgies killing everyone in thier path, yet.

As for the set up not working very well, it works perfectly, the FC get a new HQ at the top of the hill with a great view in a building that is up for awards, I might add!

the one time I've been I didn't need a shite so never even noticed how many toilets there were in the changing block, but one toilet plus urinals seems absolutely fine to me, I'd imagine the women's changing will have a few too and there's def also a separate disabled toilet there and I'm sure no-one will mind you using if it's an emergency! pretty sure there will also be more toilets over by the Cafe too, there are toilets up at the red Squirel car park and 2 porta-loos at the Buzzards.
OMFG!!! now I think of it there are actually far too many ****ing toilets at Glentress now!!

I'm off to start the daily "FC wasted money on the Peel Centre" thread..

[i]yeah the layout of the whole thing is a joke the car park is in the wrong place.Everything is to far away from the carpark. [/i]

But it was 'designed' like that, as could be seen on the plans way back.

Had a discussion with an FC guy when it was been built, and asked him why the buildings/facilities were 'scattered' and how they thought that people (mtbers) would use them - they hadn't...

And apparently £3m for this:

http://www.mclh.co.uk/index.php/projects/view/glentress_visitor_centre

There was only one toilet and 2 urinals in the old changing room 😕

just as well us guys have just one arse and cock each, eh?

But they're trying to increase the use of the place, with more walkers and birdwatchers and men with 2 arses.

Ah.. Doggers! the shady car park layout makes perfect sense now!!

Here`s a novel idea;
Why don`t we start a club or a "friends of GT" ❓

Then we could start properly canvassing for what we want" really, really want" 💡

TJ, Northwind, Hels and Deertrackdoc are my nominations for heading up the committee 👿 😉

All I really want is enough car parking tbh. And faster omelettes! And more trails obviously, of which there is muttering.

Most of the other issues they're stuck with so I'll need to be content with finding the designers and beating them with a pool cue.

We were there for a few days before Christmas. Carp ark was small, the lower one was shut and I think they were selling trees on the old hub one. Coffee was good, cake was good and toliets spotless. Dint take a dump, but the cafe toliets smelled lovely. plenty of space to lock your bike at the cafe and big panormic windows so you could gaze at it if you wanted too.

Trails weren't bad either (if that counts) 😯
[img] [/img]

Yeah and if you take too long having a dump you end up in the dark, no amount of waving your arms turns light back on

what DX light for having a jobby at glentress?

Is the place really up for an award? That is crazy. Swap the cafe and toilet block around and I'll give them a common sense award.

Is it not the visitor's centre building that's up for an award, rather than the whole complex? It's a very nice building.

Yeah I used the new cafe for the first time a few days ago.

1) Really really really slow, even though it wasn't busy at all. I almost gave up and walked off. Actually add another really into that.

2) Staff miserable

3) Atmosphere of a school dinner hall, but I guess that's the new family atmosphere someone wanted

4) Most importantly - No Chilli sauce, no Tabasco sauce

I gave it a 2nd chance the next day and it was no better.

stupid duplicate post

All I really want is enough car parking tbh.

Alot of the posts here sound like they're from the "over weight, weekend warrior, trail centre mincing" crew.

How do you cope when you go mountain biking?

Infact, I bet you've never been.

Snakebite, bizarrely I took an almost-identical photo to that when I was there just before Christmas 😆

[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7010/6532440839_febab6d9f6_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7010/6532440839_febab6d9f6_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/a11y_m/6532440839/ ]2011-12-18 GT snow (25)[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/a11y_m/ ]Ally Mitchell[/url], on Flickr

[i]I think the fact that the building isn't 10x over budget and also that it isn't sinking into the ground.[/i]
Nope, but nearly twice the budget - £5m > £9m. You sweaty socks don't seem to be too good at spending our money up there on building projects...

Northwind - Member
Is it not the visitor's centre building that's up for an award, rather than the whole complex? It's a very nice building.

An example of this is a windfarm that has been in the planning stage for yrs locally and has (afik) still not got planning permission. Why then has the road system been put in place to get the turbines onto the hillside ❓

Still sounds better than the facilities at all the other trail centres!

Ay the facilities are "better" but what was wrong wi the old ones that some paint and sticking plasters couldnt fix... come on scotlands premier mountain bike trail centre cost 9 million for the buildings
why oh why didnt they spend 1 million on toilets /changing facility and the other 8 on new trails/ skills /loops and generaly on the thing trail centres are good for " mountain biking to all levels and for the masses....... why do we want walkers in and around mtb trail all they will do is get in the road and cause an accident then bitch to the F?C that some mad biker was goin too fast on a trail he was walkin up 👿

ME I VOTE TO CUT THE LEGS OFF ALL WALKERS lol ❓

"Yawn............."

An example of this is a windfarm that has been in the planning stage for yrs locally and has (afik) still not got planning permission. Why then has the road system been put in place to get the turbines onto the hillside

could be a few reasons, separate application, maybe a simple track alone doesn't need planning consent, I'm not sure, but in a wind farm EIA the access tracks and hardstandings etc are considered as part of the scheme so not sure on that one. I do know of one proposed wind farm site near Inverness where the track was built and nothing further happened, which has made it feasible for a hydro developer to propose a nearby hydro scheme using the existing track as access.

Keith

have you ever been to Glentress?

there are more walkers routes than biking routes, always have been.

keith2005motorcross - Member

Ay the facilities are "better" but what was wrong wi the old ones that some paint and sticking plasters couldnt fix...

They were too small, and they were ****. Next question?

THE NEW PLACE SMELLS OF SHITE,IT LOOK SHITE THAT USUALLY MEANS IT IS SHITE.Has all the charm of run down garden centre BLAND.

Ahh, the voice of reason.

FWIW it didn't smell of shite last time I was there. It did smell a bit sweaty, but that might just have been my friend. In fact I think it probably was just my friend.

SEPTIC TANK SMELLS OF RAW SEWAGE (SHITE).Someone's made a mega blunder

bigjim...could be a few reasons, separate application, maybe a simple track alone doesn't need planning consent, I'm not sure, but in a wind farm EIA the access tracks and hardstandings etc are considered as part of the scheme so not sure on that one

Can't argue with all those capitals.

My grumble is with the showers. It seems hit or miss if you get hot water. I'm starting to conclude that the hot water doesn't work till mid afternoon. The freezing cold shower was not what I needed after a cold damp ride yesterday!

GW - Member

Keith

have you ever been to Glentress?

- I guess he made the OP up? Have you ever been?

Northwind - Member

keith2005motorcross - Member

Ay the facilities are "better" but what was wrong wi the old ones that some paint and sticking plasters couldnt fix...

They were too small, and they were *. Next question?

The new facilities are a master class in getting the subtleties and some of the basics wrong.

GW - Member
just as well us guys have just one arse and cock each, eh?

Jammy piece & juice at minchmoor summit anyone? 🙂

If you don`t like it why go? 🙄
Its folk like you lot that join Golf Clubs in later years and make everyones lives misery 😆

aldomac - Member

I think you are missing the point, it would have only took a fraction of the cost to sort out the Hub

I agree that they could have got a good result with much less money, but how am I missing your point, when you said "what was wrong wi the old ones that some paint and sticking plasters couldnt fix"?

Toilets - moan; the Hub - snivel; car park - grumble; location - gripe; the Hub - lament; FC - grouse; the expense - whine; new cafe - sneevle; staff - more sneevling

FFS people - get a grip!

The money wasn't all spent on the new building though...a large chunk was also spent on acquiring all the other properties and land around the place to ensure no-one else could set up 'shop' - Glentress Hotel being the exception...the £9million quid will no doubt also have been sold at some stage as protecting the interest as well as providing better facilities for the droves of existing and new users who are now pouring into the place.

The Peel Centre was planned and contracts signed in the days when public money was being spent on facilties that WE were going to use. In the current climate there'd be no 7 Stanes let alone no Peel Centre.
So a little less whinging I think; we get all these trails and facilities for FREE!
I loved the old Hub: I run a business and understand that investing your own money in improvements is not always smart: I also understand the need to be grumpy with the public occasionly.
Was at GT today and the trails were riding superbly (black); the cafe was great too; great value for money. There were 5 staff working there socks off to cope with demand. You can understand the owners having problems recruiting staff at Christmas (bare in mind they must have been losing a couple of grand a month whilst the Hub was still operating).
Re the cludgy and bike security: Eat industrial Muesli for breakfast; have your bowel movement at home. Bring a lock for your bike!

TIS GOOOD TO HAVE A DEBATE OR IN SOME CASES A RANT THIS BRINGS OUT CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM THAT HOPEFULLY IS CONSIDRED IN OTHER PUBLIC FUNDED PROJECT
HERE ARE EXAMPLES OF WELL SET UP AND EXECUTED PUBICLY FUNDED PROJECTS

[b]THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT
THE EDINBURGH TRAM PROJECT
THE GLENTRESS PEEL PROJECT
AND NOW OUR WORDLY LEADERS ARE EMBARKING ON BUILDING A BRIDGE JUST WAIT AND SEE[/b]

Coastkid - shame on you - it's a living 😉 😀

Just to say I was up there today and the staff seem to be getting better. Agreed it was late when I was in but the queue was small and moved quickly. The staff seemed to be more jolly as well which was nice.

Car park was busy mind you with he old Hub CP closed off.

Have to agree with some criticisms. Would be interesting to see how opinions differed if the hub had never existed - chances are they'd be a lot more positive. I think its just a shame that an expensive project could have been done a lot better with less money.

But whaddoIknow?

Would be interesting to see how opinions differed if the hub had never existed - chances are they'd be a lot more positive

Has anyone mentioned this thread to the new owners yet? Maybe they would respond to the issues if those doing the complaining e-mailed their concerns 💡

Time to move on people...

I liked the Hub cafe but found the bike shop guys grumpy. Dealing with trail centre heroes on a daily basis can't have helped though 😉 Not tried the new place yet but heading down sometime in Jan. Hi John!

Always love reading these threads - makes me chuckle! Happy new year, everybody!

On behalf of myself and all my fellow grumpy ex-Hub mechanics, sorry for the occasional moodswing... that place could bring out the worst in anybody, ha-ha!
I promise we're much nicer now in our nice new shiny warm workshop at Alpine Bikes... come and see for yourself! 😉

😆

come and see for yourself!

It'll save them having to switch on the motion activated lights themselves. 😉 Happy New Year everybody.

I was down there on Friday. Nice to sit in the warm and dry, coffee Ok, burger overpriced. the number of people in there would have overwhelmed the hub completely and there would have been no seats left inside.

I suspect it will take them a few weeks to work out when they need staff - 6 in the cafe on Friday. they had the competition from the hub for months that they were not expecting and now over a holiday period get the full trade. I am sure that being a local business that they will get it right.

The other thing people forgot is its not just for the bikers - there is walkig and birdwatching as well. Its a tourist centre not just and MTB cjentre.

shortbread_fanylion - Member
I liked the Hub cafe but found the bike shop guys grumpy. Dealing with trail centre heroes on a daily basis can't have helped though Not tried the new place yet but heading down sometime in Jan. Hi John!

On behalf of myself and all my fellow grumpy ex-Hub mechanics, sorry for the occasional moodswing... that place could bring out the worst in anybody, ha-ha!

Working at the Hub was an interesting experience 😕

It's interesting in that the facilities could be good but aren't. Wrong place facing the wrong direction and too far from the carpark. Not nearly enough parking I had to put my frame in my mates car but if i'd been there on me own i'd have just headed home or to teh Traquair Arms for scran and a pint. Think this will be gotten used to.

BUT

Service way toooooo slow (more folk queueing than eating) took 30 mins to get served. The smoke from the kitchen was venting into the cafe (should be an easy sort). and that pond will be midge heaven after May, so short life for the outside tables.

I just miss the muddy sofas full of mice!

onehundredthidiot - Member

too far from the carpark.

The furthest-away parking is still closer to the cafe and the trailhead than the old bottom car park, btw