Facebook people (staff and management ) want Restaurant service back … and yes it WAS profitable

Hello

Have a look at

http://norwichrailwayrestaurant.wordpress.com/facebook-save-the-restaurant-cars/

to see where the staff support for high grade catering is …

and that is WAS profitable …

“Rail expert Barry Doe, who regularly uses the service to visit his brother in Norwich, said the dining car service was one of the very few in Europe that was not loss-making. “”

“He said: “It’s like Gordon Ramsay saying ‘we’re making a huge profit, we’re full every night but we’re going to shut down because some people prefer Burger King’.” A spokeswoman for National Express said: “Not a lot of people want to sit down to a three-course meal on the way home.”"

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23590508-last-call-for-the-restaurant-car.do

Richard

New Rail Catering operation started in 2009 : Arriva Cardiff Hereford Holyhead service

Hello

Press release here : http://norwichrailwayrestaurant.wordpress.com/press-release-16th-april-2010/ 

I am richard.jackson@waterandsoap.co.uk 07768113497

I am reliably informed that nxea catering DID make a profit, so this is about standards : excellence or lowest common denominator… which should it be ? .. please write to greateranglia@dft.gsi.gov bcc me richard.jackson@waterandsoap.co.uk along the lines outlined in the previous post and I will hand deliver a note to the Department informing them of our requirements for the minimum standards of catering and utilisation of the existing rollingstock.

Have a look at this NEW service :-

http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/Templates/Content.aspx?pageid=388

where you will see

For breakfast

Chilled fruit juices and Breakfast Cereals

Grilled Sausage, Back Bacon, Black Pudding, Mushrooms,
Grilled Tomatoes or Baked Beans,Egg (as you would like) to order

Vegetarian Option Available
For Dinner

Starter

Vegetable Soup or
Prawn cocktail with brown bread and a salad garnish or
Mushrooms stuffed with stilton

Main Course

Baked cod with citrus butter or
Lamb cutlets with mint and red wine reduction or
Chicken and prawn pasta with tomato and garlic sauce or
Pasta Napoli (v)

Dessert

Chocolate fudge cake or
Lemon cheesecake or
Apple & blackberry crumble or
A selection of Welsh cheeses served with savoury biscutis & local chutney

and a rotation of menus …

also Pullman carering

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=70

If they can do it why not make it happen here ?

richard.jackson@waterandsoap.co.uk 07768113497 www.nxnoway.com

19/4/10 Rail franchise consultation response deadline for catering requirement minimum

I write with regard to rail catering and the return of the much missed professional catering service.

After some discussion with certain members of the rail industry we have been asked to provide some feedback to the ‘Greater Anglia Franchise Consultation’ document. We have to provide feedback by 19th April 2010
and this will influence the formation of the requirement for the franchise to the incoming provider to replace NXCE.

Do we as users of the East Anglian Norwich line service really wish to sanction the kind of service and actions which has been provided by our defunct rail service provider?

Are we going to stand-up for the maintenance of the traditional service levels with a new service provider which we have been accustomed to over many decades? I would like to think that we will.

Are we really going to sanction the current reduction of standards in the franchise for the new incumbent ? Of course we are not ! Even third world countries maintain rail catering standards. And don’t let the lack of subsidy for catering on this line put you off insisting on this : I have it on good authority that they never had a subsidy in the 1st place
: it would appear to have been just a very poorly delivered (30 days notice initially given to long serving staff !! ) pathetic, cost cutting move to appease the DfT.

No, we need to stand together , writing on this matter along the following lines and insisting on a return to the standards of the many decades before this provider and this government appeared and insist on our request and their reply and our response to be made public before the general election day.

If you could forward your responses eparately to me I can then monitor our response level and put pressure separately in government at the Department.

Please see

http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/2010-07/consultation.pdf

for the franchise document.

On Page 51 “Catering : Bidders will be required to propose a minimum standard of catering provision for InterCity services.”

Let’s make it clear that the points below are the customers’ expectations of the minimum standard required.

The deadline for responses is 19 April 2010; earlier replies will be very welcome .

Responses to this consultation should be sent to:

Greater Anglia Franchise Consultation
 Manager
Department for Transport
Zone 5/26
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DR

Or by email to: greateranglia@dft.gsi.gov.

The text for our comments should, I believe, be along the following, lines

1) The current rolling stock with full kitchen should be maintained;
2) Full meal facility should be offered at mealtimes and should be full menu, properly staffed ( not as at present with one member of staff expected to serve and cook ) , and a return to the use of the restaurant car for safety reasons for the benefit of the hardworking staff.
3) To state that meal provision at mealtimes is not cost effective is commercial nonsense.
4) The staff should be encouraged once again to compete in rail catering competitions to maintain and improve standards and skills;
5) Breakfast and lunch are a must as this is low waste costs and therefore high profit and Dinner provision is a natural requirement of
the provision of a high quality service.
6) There is a view that a reason for meals not being offered is that there is not time to serve meals between London and Colchester which is the main volume sector of the journey. This is nonsense : the service has always been provided successfully over this segment of the line, especially if those for that segment are seated in the restaurant car near to the kitchen.

http://www.richardbacon.org.uk/news/national_express_2.htm

Mr Bacon said: Lord Adonis should be in no doubt that Norfolk?s. growing appetite for rail travel is currently being unfulfilled.

Norfolk must not be treated as an after-thought at the end of the line. The new franchise for East Anglia must give our constituents a first-class rail service on clean, modern and efficient trains?

We echo the six priorities expressed by Shaping Norfolk’s Future, whose partners in a campaign for improvements include the East of England Development Agency, Regional Cities East, the Norfolk Rail Alliance, Norfolk County Council and the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce: [including] :-

Retention and development of a high quality intercity service offering an excellent travel experience on clean, comfortable, wi-fi enabled trains, including good catering facilities”

25/9/09 Update : We require full service Rollingstock on Norwich london line

Hello

I have just sent the message below to MD NXEA.
Do comment, if you wish

————–

Visibilty online, facebook,  usual distribution  and copy to the minister , by hand

Dear Mr Chivers

As there is no shortage of type 3 (class 90 loco hauled) carriages  within reach of National Express
Would you mind explaining why the company is  so keen to flood the franchises with an inferior type of rollingstock ? This could  be construed as a breach of trust between the company and their 1st class ticket holders who have paid ‘a kings ransom’ for a particular standard of 1st class carriage and seat. The same principles could apply to  standard class ticket holders relying on the type 3 carriage.
Kind regards
Richard Jackson
http://www.nxnoway.com
+44 7768113467
——————

08/9/09 Update : Please Comment here = > : Authorities to contact below : We require Full catering service and full service Rollingstock on Norwich london line

Here is Andrew Chiver’s reply and my response to it sent 8/9/09

Andrew

Thanks for your reply. To allow us to respond to the Consultative Document by the end of this week could you please give us some guidance on the following issues ?

1) What will be the change in the number of 1st class seats with tables as a result of the changes published in the document ?

2) What are the financial and commercial conditions which have prevented National Express from maintaining the popular restaurant service supported by all your predecessors for many generations ?

3) Why did/do you not sell the full restaurant service to all 1st class seats in the way you are doing for the current operation, thereby doubling the sales for the award winning and popular service thereby making it profitable ?

4) If you are not able to deliver on 3) above why not put the service out to a contractor who will deliver the service ?

Kind regards

Richard Jackson

http://www.nxnoway.com

07768113497
================================================================

These are the addresses to write to with the questions above :-

1) respond to the consultative document (by 11/9/09)

nxeattconsultation@nationalexpress.com

2) Write to

The Minister : andrew.adonis@dft.gsi.gov.uk

3) Write to Passenger Focus (the watch dog) :-

Telephone: 0300 123 2350
Fax: 0845 850 1392

Email: info@passengerfocus.org.uk

===========================================================================

Andrew Chivers wrote:

Thank you for your email.  You make a long list of points, many of which I know have been addressed in meetings between you and my team.

I would, however, like to make some points clear, including some corrections to some misconceptions and inaccuracies in your email :
 

   1. It is not true to say we have not responded to you.  You have
      met on the train separately with both Andrew Goodrum and
      Jonathan Denby within the last month, as well as on repeated
      occasions over the last 8 months.
   2. We are not re-introducing a restaurant service – the financial
      and commercial conditions which led to the changes in our
      catering service have not altered. There is no subsidy available
      from any organisation public or private to support such a move
      and we have received no interest in anyone funding such a step
      at any point since we announced our changes last November.
   3. We are providing a First Class at-seat service on a number of
      morning trains and we will shortly confirm arrangements for
      probably 2 evening trains from September.
   4. No press releases or letters from me or my communications team
      have ever made any comparisons involving the Orient Express.

 
I understand that you feel strongly about on-train catering and you were a supporter of the restaurant service and you are welcome to continue to put forward your views. We were sorry that economic conditions made such a step necessary, but it was a reality we could not ignore.  Across the UK intercity network there has been a notable reduction in the numbers of traditional restaurant services available in the last two years.
 
We have already listened to and taken into account some of your comments in the development of our catering offer, so we have been both professional and responsive in our contact with you.
 
I will be in touch again soon with a full response. Thank you again for your comments.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Andrew Chivers
Managing Director 
 

================================================

This is a further letter sent to Service Director, Group Corporate Affairs Director and Managing Director today :-

See Protest Card here …

http://www.computersecurityuk.com/protestcard.jpg

and here for the text … try one ?

http://www.computersecurityuk.com/statementreseats.doc

Dear Sirs

As you have not done us the courtesy of replying to the last letter, here are some more salient points that we would like you to respond to in addition to those raised in the last letter.

The relationship between “the deal” and further rolling stock degradation and how it relates to the non customer- focussed catering business model is rather obvious.

We insist on the completion to the changes to the catering business model, which you have already embarked on by serving all First Class seats and which we have attempted to help you with in our meetings and answers to the points made in this and our last letter.

1) What will be the change in the number of 1st class seats with tables from the changes proposed in the consultative document ?

http://www.nationalexpresseastanglia.com/about_us/capacity_improvements ( see ‘Timetable Consultation for Metro, Mainline and Rural services’ on this page )

2) Why was it that an award winning service was not made to pay ?

3) Why is it that this can not work now that NXEA are serving all the 1st class seats, bearing in mind that the staff , including some redundant key workers are ready to restart work on the high grade catering that they have been trained to provide.

4) the following groups of people …

a) Senior members of the community in East Anglia
b) Members of the Norfolk Network business grouping.
c) Norfolk County Council
d) Subscribers to this blog http://norwichrailwayrestaurant.wordpress.com/  (60 active disapprovers)
e) Facebook Save the Railway Restaurant Group ( 400 people )
f) Number 10 petitioners (460 people)
g) Members of parliament ( 6 subscribers to the early day motion )
h) Senior Members of BT and many East Anglian business Leaders

all DEPLORE this bad business decision

We call on NXEA to immediately reverse this decision : do something good for a change and re-instate the October 2008 service : you have all the resources to do this. If not, contract the service out to an organisation who are ready to do the work and correct your non-customer focussed model.
Further notes / questions

a) Further observations about the quality of service offered by National Express : regarding the fiasco on the evening of Tueesday 18th August : Why was it that NXEA could not ferry the people home by taxi or indeed bus ? Are they so short of  resources that taxis or busses could not be provided ? Instead of that your customers spent 7 hours on the train and at  night. Are you so short of resources and buses that the train could not be taken out of commission ?  Please clarify.
 
b) Whose idea was it to state in the article in the local press in November 2008 that only Orient Express were capable of  providing fine dining after NZEA had sponsored their caterers though the catering competitions to win all their awards ?

c) Why was the 1 percent of customers using the service argument used in NXEA’s justification of their decision given  instead of selling the service fully as they have decided to with the at seat 1st class service?

d) Why can the restaurant car area be made available to Standard Class passengers when seats are available, after the  October 2008 service is restored in order to maximise sales further.

e) Why is it that NXEA cannot have a high standard of rolling stock to maintain the number of 1st class seats with tables at Peak times and in so doing maintain the standard of catering which has been on this line for generations ? What’s so special about this recession ? How many past recessions has the catering service been run through in the past ? What is the key  defining factor in this recession ?

e) What will be the change  in the number of 1st class seats with tables (especially at peak time ) if we the customers allow the consultative paper to go through unchallenged and after the proposed number of class 90 loc ‘full set’ services is reduced ?

Make no mistake NXEA are not alone in this issue , bear in mind the effect of the DfT cascade policy of moving surplus  rolling stock onto our line.

Please make your voice heard on this site and by writing to the passenger focus and National Express with your complaints.

We call on NXEA to do the right thing do something good and excellent : do what is in your power clearly ; reverse this bad

decision and reinstate the service that many of the staff would like to provide and for which staff and contract services

are available.
Yours sincerely

Richard Jackson
07768113497
http://norwichrailwayrestaurant.wordpress.com

Comments on NXEA Metro, Mainline and Rural plans ?

Please send your comments to

Metro, Mainline and Rural timetable consultation
National Express East Anglia
Oliver’s Yard
55 City Road
London
EC1Y 1HQ

Or email them to nxeattconsultation@nationalexpress.com
The consultation period lasts for 12 weeks, so please
submit your comments by Friday 11 September 2009
or earlier if possible.

Please Comment on page to right : on Full catering service and full service rollingstock on Norwich london line

This is the text of a letter sent to NXEA today :-

Andrew

Thank you for your time on the train last night. This conversation was essential as you or anybody else had failed to reply to my recent request for an informal meeting.

At some stage after the current industrial relations problems we may well be taking the opportunity of responding to the press interest in this issue, so we would like you to take advantage of the holiday period to clarify some points for us. A rumour was being spread by a member of your own staff that you may be about to reverse your decision to shut down the award winning catering service.

If this member of your staff invented this story for himself one wonders why? So this was either deliberate time wasting misinformation in combination with an inability of NXEA to reply to my requests; however, I have now clarified this with you and we are back in business for our cause.

You have changed your own previous rules for food service (restricted to restaurant car only) by offering an at seat service to all 1st class carriages from the restaurant car carriage kitchen.

You said last night that takings on the trolley were higher than on other services: this is clearly because

1) You had previously vandalised the restaurant car service by sacking staff and
2) Artificially restricting the ‘new’ service to 1st class ticket holders only when clearly on most peak time services you could have invited standard class passengers to sit it the serving area and take a meal when seats were available.

Therefore we insist that you take this service to the next stage in September by opening this up to standard class passengers to maximise your use of this resource: both the kitchen and your staff.

On the question of the consultative paper for future services, available from this page

http://www.nationalexpresseastanglia.com/about_us/capacity_improvements

On the proposal to changes in the service we have the following comments to make:-

1) We observe that there are 188 extra carriages to be added to the services, but from your own comments only 4 extra carriages to be added to the class 90 Norwich to London fleet.
2) In addition, the paper says that Norwich to London intercity (class 90?) services will be lengthened and reduced in quantity: Could you please specify exactly what reduction you have in mind? We would like this information ASAP so we may contribute to the consultation by the deadline of 11/9/09.
Finally, if you ran a service in the evening including the at seat service, albeit flawed as stated above, why did you, are you, not running a similar service at breakfast time: a 6.00 am from Norwich followed by an 8.30 from Liverpool Street?

Your prompt reply would be appreciated to allow us to participate fully in the consultation.

This letter is available to list of 60 supporters of the restaurant service, as well as to 400 people on face book and on the blog.

Kind Regards

Richard Jackson
07768113497

(Please Comment on page to right (National Express In trouble) =>> ) Progress toward Full catering service and full service rollingstock on Norwich london line

All … please have a look at the comments (there is a link to your right …)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jul/01/national-express-london-to-edinburgh 

http://norwichrailwayrestaurant.wordpress.com/

Below is a letter sent to Mr Goodrum , NXEA services director and his board colleuges.

I urge you all to lodge your comments and to be voiciferous in our fight to maintain standards on the Norwich to London line. If we do not address this situation things will get worse as NXEA seek to increase profits at the expense of standards. So I would appreciate your comments regarding

1) The installation of profitable full meal catering on the lines below, and
2) That full service rollingstock, also along the lines below should be maintained.

The minister of state will have visibility of this communication, and the blog, so please make you views very clear.

Thank you

Richard Jackson
07768113497

Ps just before sending you this note I have had a reply as follows
Form andrew Goodrum. Now is the time to act to make sure their board make the right decision.
——————–
Thank you for your note.

As discussed at our meeting, work is continuing to develop the at seat meal service we provide in the evenings.

A number of options are being worked through and these will be reviewed by the NXEA exec board next week ahead of any trials onboard.

Regards
Andrew

——————

Here is the note sent to Mr Goodrum :-

——————-

Dear Mr Goodrum

Further to our meeting and the actions that you were going to take to enable us to assist you to progress the development of profitable quality catering products and service on the Norwich to London line.

I notice with interest that your reply regarding the new products has not been forthcoming.

I also observe from a conversation with a member of your staff that the issue of the development of catering product ideas has been escalated to a board member of National Express Group.

May we take this as good news that the full service rolling stock including full catering facilities and profitable catering facility which you have supported and for which we East Anglians have paid for over the years will be restored ?

May we also take it that Department for Transport will not now be cascading an inferior type of rolling stock without kitchen/restaurant facilities to the Norwich London line and that we will, at last, be obtaining the rolling stock and service that we have always and continue to pay for ?
(I will be making the minister of state for rail aware of this communication )

If this is the case, it is indeed good news and marks an end to any further actions on our part to ensure that this irrational decision and process on the part of NX and DfT is arrested.

We now request your promised reply to actions at our meeting of over a month ago and confirmation that the ‘new products’ will, as expected, include a profitable proper meal service in line with that expected by your customers, and for that matter, competing bidders in the last franchise round had budgeted to provide.

So, we expect

1) A full meal service (assistance will be given to ensure that this happens on a profitable basis, as discussed at our meeting) utilising the full hostess coverage of restaurant car and the 1st class carriages as currently undertaken, and
2) A continuation of the rolling stock complete with kitchens in line with the service which we your customers most definitely expect, and which has been supplied by competing bidders over the years and NOT a deterioration in the standard of rolling stock with no capacity for full meal catering.

Please do not disappoint us or make an unfair or irrational decision over this matter.

Kind Regards

Richard Jackson
07768113497

http://norwichrailwayrestaurant.wordpress.com/

——————

11/5/09 Update ….. Please Donate to the Legal Fund ! .. see to your right

Here is an update.

I have been in dialogue with NXEA over the past month.

NXEA are about to announce new products to be produced in the  kitchens, which are remaining, as we can all see.

This is in response to

1) My continued horror at the dismantlement of the centre of excellence that is NXEA catering,

2) My request for figures so we can work with them to continue with  a profitable high quality service, including proper meals  – their refusal to provide figures is worrying and disappointing .. 

3) Our assistance to NXEA to produce proper meal options for the current restaurant car and the 1st class seats thus getting rid of the artificial “1% of travelling public using the restaurant car” argument.

4) Our position of incredulity at the argument that a quality and flexible catering service supplied to a captive, hungry, peak time audience cannot be made to pay … ? … If this is still their argument I have requested that they get into discussions with a specialised rail catering company immediately who WOULD make it pay… Not cost cutting, but increasing the value of NXEA’s current policy of at seat service to restaurant car as well as 1st class passengers.

Let’s see what they come up with and consider the position.

20/3/09 Update ….. Please Donate to the Legal Fund ! .. see to your right

Hello

Apologies for being below the horizon for a while. I have been on leave and attending my son’s wedding halfway up a very pretty mountain in Norway.

So where are we ? The solicitor says we should bottle out. However,  I , and I suspect you, are still angry at this situation .

I feel that if National Express’s customers do not organise the removal of the restaurant cars will be the start of a progressive deterioration of services and jobs in exactly the way they have demonstrated their capability for on other lines.

So what to do ? Our 1st requirement is to bring a solicitor into the fold, one who will give us a little of his time to ensure that our strategy is sound, as I am not happy with the advice we have been given (sorry , paid for) so far.

As the article below states ..

“National Express, the last train company to offer a frequent restaurant service, is closing its dining cars under a secret deal with the Government.”  … I can image what that deal is … and I fact I am pretty sure I know what that deal is …

Then take a look at the rest of the article …

“However, the DfT admitted yesterday that this was merely a statement of the company’s intention at the time. It said that the contract did not mention catering. “

I will be seeking written confirmation of this as this is the first stage of the proper start to the legal process. I have asked DfT for this myself but they have not been prepared to put this in writing to me … this is to be expected.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/news/article5860568.ece

This article says it all … we should fight for what we believe is right and would be an asset to the service.

DfT’s replies to my communications have been tardy or non-existent and I am not happy.

So

Please, can we see if there is a solicitor who will come forward : I need your help with this please !!

Richard Jackson
07768113497

25/2/09 Update ….. Please Donate to the Legal Fund ! .. see to your right

Ok here is a brief update.

I am in touch with DfT regarding their promised reply to my request for a reply to the request described in the last post ie from the meeting held with them Friday 13th February.

We requested  that DfT clarify

 

a.         Whether they agree that the removal of the restaurant car is a breach of the franchise agreement?  And;

 

b.         If they do, what steps are they taking to secure compliance?

 

We would request the Department to consider their position, as Strategic Rail Authority, to uphold the correct and fair interpretation of the franchise agreement, bearing in mind that this decision

The franchise manager was away sick. The name of a member of her team will be made available tomorrow so will be reqesting a second meeting with them asap. We will then know definitively wether they will be enforcing the terms of the franchise agreement and then be able to consider the next step. The legal clock then starts ticking.

I am informed that the customer charter has changed .. no restaurant cars … did they consult over this ?  I dont think so …  , if so with whom ?  NXEA , do your customers support you over this uni-lateral change in your “customer Charter ” … I dont think so …. theres still 3 month’s plus to take them and their masters to court over this. This is an Irrational Unfair and badly judged business decision where the alternatives have not been properly considered and the “new offering” is not as described (all classes of passenger !?)  and quite frankly is a joke in quality terms.

Please donate on ..

https://www.precisiondm.com/secure/NorwichRestaurantCarLegalFund/ccdonate.asp

We are looking for Corporate Sponsorship for the next stage of legal our dealings over this matter or a pledge in the event of extraordinary costs

Oh yes .. I was acosted by a NX internal Fraud manager for breaking the litter bylaws by ‘leafleting’ the carriages .. I don’t intend to break the law over this so no more little leaflets in the train .. So what .. We have the technology .. And we have the press, when we are ready for that, we havnt even started in that area but I have the contact details for all the national newspapers , when we are ready  ….. Thanks Mike Wilson , my minder with this bully

Oh,  and I have it on good authority that NX said in parliamentary audit committe that they are not cutting services .. Like h**l the’re not !!

We, the rail users, are not going away and either is this campaign .. watch this space …

Richard Jackson

richard.jackson@waterandsoap.co.uk

07768113497

Please comment here .. make your views very clear here , thankyou :-