[Closed] Peel centre cafe

TBH as much as I like Emma and Tracey they'd shot themselves in the foot long before the tender came up, the old cafe was a shit-tip long before it closed and they'd shown how uninterested they were in improving that or in offering a better service to the FC's visitors. I liked it, for what it was, but it's no wonder the FC weren't happy. I wouldn't have put them in charge of a flagship new building.

The new place is pretty disappointing too, it's been so up and down and I don't think you can blame the tender because a lot of what they do wrong shouldn't be expensive to fix. But the basic design of the location is bad too and can't encourage visitors. (the cafe should be right beside the car park, which should be about 3 times as big as it is...)

cynic-al - Member

Profits didn't go into JD Sports or whoever either.

Er, what? Cafe is run by the same guys as Boni's Steakhouse down the hill.

I like Emma and Tracey

One of them is nice couldn't possibly comment on the other.

They didn't follow the tender requirements and got booted out on the first sift. Emma and the FC's relationship had broken down so badly that even if they had put in the greatest offer of all time I doubt they would of got the new building.

The total cost also involved buying all land/buildings surrounding the area (helps stop any competition)...any work with Fc is bad...Peel centre, Carron Valley, Laggan, Lennoxtown Forest and Blairadam to name a few...
Visitor numbers are hugely inflated and never accurate...which doesn't help those trying to make a difference (largely for the better).

Gratified to see the shift in tone of the comments in this thread.
Fact of the matter is that putting the figures presented in the tender to one side for a moment. The facilities are vastly inferior to what was presented during planning and construction. So much so that the majority of food prep has to be done off-site.
I know that there were impressive plans for both the menu and regular events during the period after the tender was won and before the cafe finally opened (6 months behind schedule which the tenants were expected to pay lease for!!). When it became obvious that the facilities were not what was promised then the plans for what the cafe would be able to offer had to be drastically curtailed.

Could never understand the set up. Cafe faces the wrong way and is too low and far away from the car park.

Have they fixed the flooding in the basement of the Bike shop?