Not So Family Friendly

[FAYRAY]

Today my children spent their hard earned pocket money at the bowling alley in Thurso, after a game, they wanted some chips waited approx 10 mins while other people behind them in the queue were served ordered 3 portions. This seemed a simple enough request untill they asked to pay seperatly. The girl serving then told them that i quote " you lot of little gits are doing my head in get out your barred"
My children went to grandmas crying upset that they couldint go back and see harry potter when it came out. I phoned and asked to speak to the manager to see what had happened and said that if my children had been cheeky that I would get them to apologise. The manager who wouldint tell me her name wouldint even admit that anything had happened was rude and insulting insisting that she was there at the time and they were not thrown out(funny she could be there when nothing happened) when I mentioned that I had read posts complaining about her attitude before, she said if you are the type to read caithness.org then we dont want your custom here anyway.Just wondering if the all star factory has the worst manager in caithness or has anyone come accross worse.

[©Amethyst]

Let's face it - there are better places to spend time with your friends than the all star factory anyway. Cheaper, too!

[evelyn]

Fayray,It's a pity that a place which is predominantly used by youngsters, has such a bad attitude towards them. I have observed this time and time again in restaurants, the swimming pool and the library....often towards well mannered children.
However in fairness to the All Star Factorys' staff, we had a great night at the cinema last week. When we had finished watching the film we went into the bar. Some of our company wanted tea, and although the kitchen was closed the barmaid went and made a couple of pots for us herself. We were fair impressed.
Evelyn

[Loafer]

I'm afraid that the All Star Factory/Bowling Alley has a bad reputation of terrible staffing. All you need to do is walk through the door and you are barred. Unless you are a super-duper bowler, your card is marked, if you so much as raise your voice, some knuckle-head chucks you out. I feel sorry for the kids that are "barred". I hope it is sorted out.

The Loafer

[gleeber]

Ive always found the bowling alley and cinema to be well run. Its a tremendous asset to a town like Thurso.
If the manageress did say that about caithness.org Im sure she was just being defensive in a confrontation situation. The place has taken a bit of flak on here with complaints about food and staff, which undoubtably will contaminate someone elses conception of the place. Especially someone who dosnt bother using it!
I often take my daughter up for a game of bowls However, she is almost 10 and i wouldnt allow her to wander around there on her own. Kids will be kids and people will be people!
My main concern is that the place stays open. I regulary go to the flicks but it is rarely more than 25% full.
Maybe everybody else is barred!

[FAYRAY]

The oldest of my children is 13 nearly 14 and she was with the two youngest who are 11 , I know children will be children, and I was not confrontational I called to see what my children had done, only to see if ammends could be made. The manageress was very defensive saying the three children were not thrown out I had not mentioned how many children I was phoning about. Why would children who knew they would be in trouble at home lie about getting thrown out.
My comment was not about the all star factory on a whole but the attitude of the manageress I would of expected a bit more professionalism perhaps some customer care courses would not go amiss.

[Tosh]

Its an all to often occurance that in this country there is no longer any common courtousy or good manners to members of the public, the days of the customer is always right no longer exist. Kids are used to often to blame for the problems in the world if only some adults had a closer look at themselves. Send a letter to the editor of the groat and let its readers know of how you were treated and if the manager does not want their custom either, she want be in a job for very long. If this incident has upset you so much and you are not getting anywhere complain to some one higher than the manager, we do not complain enough about bad services we receive which is why they will never improve until we do. You go for it girl

[FairyFi]

Yea totally go for it, i think ive actually had a bad experience with the manager in question, the part time high schoolers who (used to?) work there arnt much better, treat you like dirt and are really nasty and stuff... grrrrr....

[Mr P Cannop]

also the food goes cold very quick

[Naefearjustbeer]

I have heard rumours that the bar and bowling alley are in danger of going bankrupt again and if it wasnt for the cinema the place would be shut. It is a shame because it used to be a place I liked to go for a drink and a game of bowls. These days it is the last place in the town I would go to for a drink or something to eat due to the bad attitude of the staff and the quality of service.
Most of my friends actually travell to inverness to go the cinema. That must tell you something about the place if they would rather travell over 100 miles than go to the local facility. Maybe if the staff had some sort of customer friendly attitude readjustment the place would be busy again. I can remember when it was the place to go on a friday or saturday night before heading down the town.

[Fluff]

i have posted about the place before, and i stand by what i said.(look under recomadtions). was in there a couple of weeks ago with b/f's little sis, went to see finding nemo. the cinema was freezing!! they ob. never had the heating on!!
btw, iv found that with the mangeress b4 to, attitue problem!
it wouldnt surprise me if they were going under again.

[The Angel Of Death]

Most of my friends actually travell to inverness to go the cinema.

I think this has more to do with they never get the really good films quickley this weekend i went to see the matrix in inverness because they will not have it up in thurso until the end of this month start of next month its the same with bad boys 2 how long ago was it out in other cinema's and it was just released last weekend i can bet the lord of the rings film will not be up in thurso for ages again the best and easiest option is to go to inverness to watch it it might cost more but its a better cinema by miles

[Gizmo]

I think this has more to do with they never get the really good films quickley this weekend i went to see the matrix in inverness because they will not have it up in thurso until the end of this month start of next month its the same with bad boys 2 how long ago was it out in other cinema's and it was just released last weekend i can bet the lord of the rings film will not be up in thurso for ages again the best and easiest option is to go to inverness to watch it it might cost more but its a better cinema by miles

Thats complete and utter rubbish, well 50% of it anyway, i've seen many movies in the thurso cinema on the opening night, Finding Nemo, The Two Towers to name a few.
Iv'e also been in many cinemas up and down the country, many of them state of the art cinemas and The All Star Factory equals any of them for picture and sound quality

[mike.mckenzie]

Its a bit small, but it was ok when I went. I even saw James Bond in December not long after release, so it gets the films. Long gone are the days when you would get a release in Caithness 4 years after worldwide release.

I saw Star Wars in Wick Pavilion for goodness sake!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Angel Of Death]

Thats complete and utter rubbish, well 50% of it anyway, i've seen many movies in the thurso cinema on the opening night, Finding Nemo, The Two Towers to name a few.
Iv'e also been in many cinemas up and down the country, many of them state of the art cinemas and The All Star Factory equals any of them for picture and sound quality

The only films that i can remember opening on there release dates are the 2 you said and harry potter the point im trying to make is that there are loads of films that i (and others) are really looking forward to watching but they take weeks if not months to come up to the cinema eg the new matrix and bad boys 2

I think that if they got some of the really big films that are out there up sooner a lot more people would go and see them

[THX1138]

I like the cinema in Thurso, never had a problem with it and personally would have to say that it is more often than not late with new movies..

Also the staff are really ok and can't say I've had a problem with them either..

[bigboss]

I know this is probably old news but I remember the manageress well. She is the most untrustworthy person in that complex. I am so surprised that she has not been fired because of the lies that she tells. She is not a loyal employee because of the tales that she tells about Dr Burnett and Mrs Tait. I was there recently and she acts as if she owns the place. Doesn't Mrs Tait and Dr Burnett know that they are losing trade because of her? I think the place is going downhill and it is all the manageress's fault.

[AR]

If the managress is the same one that worked in the bowling ally for the last few years she is certanly helping the place to go downhill.I have been in the cinema on about 14 occasions since it opened and cant complain about it being cold, but they can be slow at getting new releases(as far as im aware it does cost a fortune for them to rent new film releases though).I have witnessed her nasty and unfair attitude on a few occasions and been told of many more in the past!I think a change of management or attitude would help greatly. 4 or 5 years ago the bar used to be a great place to drink on the early part of a saturday night, now 'we' never go near the place.

[unicorn]

In defence of the manageress and at great risk of starting a war which i do not want to do,,, I would just like to say that i personally worked for her for 4 years and have never had any problems with her.. Quite the opposite really I found her to be a great boss who was always fair and supported us as staff through thick and thin.. I also found her to be a great friend who I admire greatly and I would work for again anytime!! I actually miss the crack working for her but as we all know bar work is long hours with little pay!!
So personally I have to totally disagree with many comments made and remind everyone that we have all had days at work when things get rough and we can get snappy and anyone who says they haven't are lying.. Believe me these days are very regular in the catering and bar industry eg saturday morning shift and half your staff call in sick due to a late nite and nobody else wants the shift,, it kinda starts your day off bad and then the chef calls in sick so you also have to cook! I agree people in the business of dealing with the general public shouldn't be snappy but the truth is try it and see how you do
glad I got that off my chest

[Anonymous]

I can totally agree with unicorn, not about the manageress (dont know anything about her) but about dealing with a busy retail/catering outlet. Its a nightmare and sometimes you really get sick of "the customer is always right" when only the customers who are wrong want to apply this rule. Some people really do expect you to go down on bended knee and open a vain for them. So after a few hours of this..... Angry man, Chewing the Fat.... nuff said.