View Full Version : viking bowl
purplelady
03-May-09, 23:53
Decided would take my son bowling today , so off we went on the bus from wick got there at 1.30 to be told it does not open till 2 ok we thought no probs will have a drink and wait, well come 2 oclock off we go to have a game of bowls, ho but we have no lanes free till 5, disapointed we decided we would go to cinema watch a good movie , then decided we would walk into thurso go to central for something to eat, but low and behold it was closed . So we went back to viking bowl and decided to eat there well wish had not bothered the food was awful and expensive just wanted to know has anyone else eaten there recently and if so what did they think of the food x
Thats a shame. The viking bowl is crap. The lanes are NEVER working, and if they are, they break every third go. Food is rubbish, always the same stuff. I do enjoy a hot dog and chips, dont get me wrong. But for something like £6?! I can go somewhere far better and get a meal the same price if not cheaper. The cinema is a poor show too. Only just got Gran Torino in the cinema. Its been out months. I never go bowling or to the cinema because its utter rubbish. Thats awful.. (Sorry for ranting![lol])
I phoned to book for my daughters birthday as she wants a bowling party this year. Low and behold no bowling on a Wed anymore as leagues are done. Is the bowling alley not for the public seems not all they care about are the leagues. I will have a party at the house instead now.
dragonfly
04-May-09, 08:46
the place has gone down hill (not even rapidly!) In its heyday there were league nights on most nights and you could hardly get a public game but because the lanes were not maintained properly the bowlers became disheartened and drifted away.
My daughter was a very promising junior but got fed up with it after seeing how Rollerbowl in Inverness operate - in her 1st competition down there she came back with a handicap of "0" - there would be no way she could keep that up in Thurso as the lanes were never oiled often enough, kept breaking down and seemed to be maintained by schoolkids.
The owners could make such a go with it if they seemed to bother - family deals - bowling and a meal, cinema & bowling etc
such a shame that we have this great facility on our doorstep but because of no proper marketing by management its getting a bad reputation
Bobinovich
04-May-09, 10:19
I have to agree with Dragonfly. I too was a league bowler but increasingly late nights and despondency because the lanes were constantly breaking down resulted in me pulling out.
There used to be leagues Mon - Thu which gave the alley a decent income on non-peak nights - not just from the bowling, but drinks and some food sales too.
It could be a great family entertainment centre in the right hands. I believe it is for sale just now so I hope someone with some vision and ideas (as well as more customer-oriented management) takes over the place.
buddyrich
04-May-09, 10:43
It's never been that well run. I didnt know it was up for sale. Is perth butcher Simon Howie still involved with it? He of course is in no way connected with the previous owner who allegedly squandered rather a lot of CASE money.
The cinema is quite good though in comparison.
The place has been a shambles for years now, there has been quite a lot about how bad it is in the 'Recommendations' section, it has soooooooo much potential, but the incompetent management have just ruined it.
It used to be not too bad but once it went into receivership and back again I think that it when it REALLY went downhill.
It is a real shame, I remember going there when I was little to play with my family and going for meals.
sevenfortyseven
04-May-09, 11:30
i think i heard that they are in receivership again...
The cinema is quite good though in comparison.
Is it? i have to say its the worst cinema i've ever been to, mainly as the prices are higher than any down south and for not as big a screen, they also hardly get any movies showing that i want to see.
but i guess in comparison to the bowling alley part it is better but thats not difficult :lol:
buddyrich
04-May-09, 12:30
It's all relative. Nice of you to notice my "in comparison" comment.
ShelleyCowie
04-May-09, 12:47
I used to live a few doors down from the Bowling Alley. Always went there to play on the dance machine and play pool when i was younger. Now its pure pants.
Last time i went there for food it was over-priced and not very tasty. Such a disappointment because i used to love their Cajun chicken!
The bowling lanes are a disgrace, refuse to bowl anymore either and i used to love it. I was no good at it but enjoyed it! For my birthday when i was in Primary 7 i wanted a bowling party, there was a league game on and we got told to shut up and play in quiet! :eek: We were primary 7 girls what to you expect? So we had a shaprone (sp) and my mum ended up having a brawl with the management!
Me and my OH are waiting for Wolverine to come out in Thurso cinema. Dont look like its going to happen though! :confused The prices for the cinema are rediculous too! I can get a family ticket plus popcorn for 4 in Inverness for about £20! Pay that for 2 up here.
Is it? i have to say its the worst cinema i've ever been to, mainly as the prices are higher than any down south and for not as big a screen, they also hardly get any movies showing that i want to see.
Surely the price doesn't make it the worst cinema, just the priciest? Given its location I would expect it to be dearer than most. It's simple maths, less people to use it equals higher prices. I find the cinema experience itself fine there. However the running of it could be better. I phoned a few days ago to ask when the new StarTrek film was being shown and they had no idea. They couldn't even give an estimate. I've never received a reply from their website asking about film dates either.
I went up to see "Watchmen" when it was up and one of the coming soon trailers was a film called "Gran Torino". I found this disgraceful as they had already shown that 2 weeks previously, clearly they'd taken longer to get Watchmen due to however much it was goiin to cost them on release. but they could have at least changed their trailers.
I then noticed that they showed "Gran Torino" again, what was the point in that? Could be wrong but Watchmen was a bigger hit than Gran Torino so did they make any profit from showing it for 2 weeks?
Also i can understand them charging £2 for a bottle of juice as that normally costs about a £1 anywhere else, but they charge £2 for a bottle of water than normally costs 50p.
They wonder why they dont get much business :roll:
I personally go about once a year due to the time it takes for them to get the films i want to watch, thats if they get it at all.
it was better as the glove factory eh?
ShelleyCowie
04-May-09, 14:53
it was better as the glove factory eh?
My mum used to work there! :eek: [lol]
Is it? i have to say its the worst cinema i've ever been to, mainly as the prices are higher than any down south
You could be right there.
http://www.whatprice.co.uk/entertainment/cinema-ticket-prices-area.html
It's simple maths, less people to use it equals higher prices.
It's not simple economic laws though in relation to supply and demand. Little demand for something usually lowers the price.:D
maidenmania
04-May-09, 15:25
You could be right there.
http://www.whatprice.co.uk/entertainment/cinema-ticket-prices-area.html
I think not, my local Odeon is £7.50 for an adult at anytime plus charge 75p if pay by card! and if you go during the day is about £3.00 parking too. Don't even ask how expensive the sweets etc are I take my own. Still Wolverine is appealing tonight despite the cost as big screen and great sound.
Just get a big high def tv and surround sound, then you can watch what you want whenever you want and not have to pay stupid prices to watch a film once.
By the time the cinema here gets the film its already out on dvd anyway :lol:
Have to agree i would like to watch the new wolverine film up here but will they get it :confused
Dont think the Fast and the Furious film has been up yet has it?
ShelleyCowie
04-May-09, 15:50
Just get a big high def tv and surround sound, then you can watch what you want whenever you want and not have to pay stupid prices to watch a film once.
By the time the cinema here gets the film its already out on dvd anyway :lol:
Have to agree i would like to watch the new wolverine film up here but will they get it :confused
Dont think the Fast and the Furious film has been up yet has it?
Im waiting on Wolverine too! :confused My OH is gurning to because he is desperate to see it.
Phoned the cinema and they have no idea if it is coming! How are we suppose to know when the staff that run it dont!
Im waiting on Wolverine too! :confused My OH is gurning to because he is desperate to see it.
Phoned the cinema and they have no idea if it is coming! How are we suppose to know when the staff that run it dont!
Exactly why i dont like thurso cinema, when i was waiting for Watchmen to come out i was checkin the paper every week to see if it would show as 1 of the future films but it never did. Then all of a sudden they had it showing without any prior warning. Someone there must know what their getting more than a day in advance. Management must not have a clue, reminds me like Ramsays kitchen nightmare's :roll:
lookitsgav
12-May-09, 13:35
I would rather sit at home and watch the paint dry than go to the viking bowl.
Incompetant joyless staff
Pool tables sticky and covered in stains
Stains on walls/ceilings
General smell around the place
Food a dog would turn it's nose up to
Everything overpriced (Not the best way to attract new custom when the chips are down!)
I could go on, but I feel I have pointed out enough flaws at this point
Someone with even a little bit of motivation and drive could easily go in there and turn the place around. It's not rocket science.
I hope someone goes in there and makes something good out of that place. It has the potential to be an excellent place rather than an overpriced *cough*hole
I would rather sit at home and watch the paint dry than go to the viking bowl.
Incompetant joyless staff
Pool tables sticky and covered in stains
Stains on walls/ceilings
General smell around the place
Food a dog would turn it's nose up to
Everything overpriced (Not the best way to attract new custom when the chips are down!)
I could go on, but I feel I have pointed out enough flaws at this point
Someone with even a little bit of motivation and drive could easily go in there and turn the place around. It's not rocket science.
Regrettably I will have to agree with you. I get the feeling that the place relies to heavily on cheapo student labour who have no interest in customer satisfaction and a supervisor who absolutely doesn't like being hands-on to get the job done properly.:~(
Miss Mack
12-May-09, 17:45
I used to live a few doors down from the Bowling Alley. Always went there to play on the dance machine and play pool when i was younger. Now its pure pants.
Last time i went there for food it was over-priced and not very tasty. Such a disappointment because i used to love their Cajun chicken!
The bowling lanes are a disgrace, refuse to bowl anymore either and i used to love it. I was no good at it but enjoyed it! For my birthday when i was in Primary 7 i wanted a bowling party, there was a league game on and we got told to shut up and play in quiet! :eek: We were primary 7 girls what to you expect? So we had a shaprone (sp) and my mum ended up having a brawl with the management!
Me and my OH are waiting for Wolverine to come out in Thurso cinema. Dont look like its going to happen though! :confused The prices for the cinema are rediculous too! I can get a family ticket plus popcorn for 4 in Inverness for about £20! Pay that for 2 up here.
Took my son and 5 of his mates for his 6th birthday, what a dissapointment. the kitchen was closed, and the bar, there wasnt even a chair to sit on, it used to be so much better.:~(
Have to agree i would like to watch the new wolverine film up here but will they get it :confused
Dont think the Fast and the Furious film has been up yet has it?
A lad I work with has the dvd's for sale before theyve been released priced at three for a tenner, excellent quality as well. Im not condoning it, just mentioning it.
i think i heard that they are in receivership again...
i also heard the place was closing..its a shame if it does it could be such a good venture if only someone would make the effort to sort it out..
annthracks
13-May-09, 09:30
Thats a shame. The viking bowl is crap. The lanes are NEVER working, and if they are, they break every third go. Food is rubbish, always the same stuff. I do enjoy a hot dog and chips, dont get me wrong. But for something like £6?! I can go somewhere far better and get a meal the same price if not cheaper. The cinema is a poor show too. Only just got Gran Torino in the cinema. Its been out months. I never go bowling or to the cinema because its utter rubbish. Thats awful.. (Sorry for ranting![lol])
Hear hear :) not about your rant being awful... but the rest of it - charges far too much. The few times we've been to the cinema - to see a film just in, well after it's "real world" release date, there have been a maximum of 8 or 10 people in there with us...WTF? has he never thought that by dropping the prices by 50% he could probably more than double his turnover? Or is he trying to save money on ticket printing costs? I don't mind the occasional high price on some consumer goods due to location, but to be ripped off continually by what I'd class as one of your own... one reason why I fill up with petrol at Tesco rather than that place at the back of the Royal?
Last time I checked it was approx 36p a gallon cheaper at Tesco (yeah 8p a litre doesn't sound as bad, but it was still a rip off!)
Looks like the Wolverine film starts this Friday and they have cheaper tickets on a Tuesday so guess i'll be goin on Tuesday :D
Looks like the Wolverine film starts this Friday and they have cheaper tickets on a Tuesday so guess i'll be goin on Tuesday :D
Before you get in they will put sticky juice all over the floors and make sure the whole room is ice cold, and stick up all the prices of the drinks (Iceblast - £2.40 what???)
c23102001
18-May-09, 23:22
I was there as a group on Satarday, 4 adults and 10 kids. We all use the cinema regularly as we are all active mums looking to have fun with our children. However after eating in the restraunt it was certainly not funny!!!!!!!! After eating my meal and the kids attempting to eat there raw sausages, i decided to have a hot chocolate that had probably gone off 3 days before!!!!!!!!!!!!! The place was empty, staff were beyond rude and the supervisor out smoking!!!!!!!!!! I am not surprised if it is going into recivership!!!!!!!!!! Not including food, per head you could say it's near £10.00 to go and see a film 2 months old. Myself and friends were desperate to take the kids (all 10 of them) to see something at the easter break and surprise nothing on yet the week they go back there has been something every week. There are a lot more people in the county that will support local businesses like this but they have to learn that its a two way relationship and they cant screw the eyeballs out of everyone and be busy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On Wednesdays the cinema tickets are £3.50. i was dissapointed i couldnt go to see Slumdog Millionaire.
Thats a shame. The viking bowl is crap. The lanes are NEVER working, and if they are, they break every third go. Food is rubbish, always the same stuff. I do enjoy a hot dog and chips, dont get me wrong. But for something like £6?! I can go somewhere far better and get a meal the same price if not cheaper. The cinema is a poor show too. Only just got Gran Torino in the cinema. Its been out months. I never go bowling or to the cinema because its utter rubbish. Thats awful.. (Sorry for ranting![lol])
i have to agree with bloo , we went to bowling alley not that long ago , we went on at 4.00 but with the kids using the machine to help them throw the ball it was broken, so we decided that we wanted bumpers, they were broken and they always broke.
On Wednesdays the cinema tickets are £3.50. i was dissapointed i couldnt go to see Slumdog Millionaire.
Its tuesday this week that the tickets are £3.50.
Last time I went to the Cinema in Thurso my shoes were sticking to the floor and the whole place was not smelling very sweet at all.
I said then I would not go back and so I have not. If they improve then I would but until then....well I think not.
mrsinkstack
19-May-09, 20:02
Last time I went to the cinema during the Easter holidays with kids, a young boy around four years old, ran up and down the isles, banging the seats as he went all the way through the film. Considering I paid over £20 for the film plus the best part of £20 on popcorn etc, I was not amused. I complained to the management on the way out and all they could say is that I should have complained to the parent of the child ? !!!! Right, that would have gone down well considering there was only half a dozen of us there in the first place - that would never happen outwith the county :~(
Went to see Wolverine the other day (Over rated film btw)
Place wasn't cold but it was over priced! £15 quid for 2 tickets then the same again for food! The lad serving the food was good craic but the lass selling the tickets was a door farm animal!
The floor wasn't sticky but the seats were ripped to hell!
That's £30 I'll never see again :(
annthracks
19-May-09, 21:15
If you should ever read the org. how about this for an idea...
You advertise heavily in the org. and the groat/courier telling people of price cut and you drop your prices by 50% for one month?
See how much more custom you get, because I for one won't be throwing away any more of my hard earned money while your prices are at the level they're at.
Price is only one factor that drives people away from the Cinema/Bowling Alley, the place is falling apart at the seems, and the attitude of the management/staff is abysmal, i wouldn't go there again even it was a pound for a cinema ticket/game of bowling.
purplelady
19-May-09, 23:22
It is awful have to say in a pervouis thread said how bad it was food well we will not go there and the staff need to go to charm school never again for me would rather make the jounery to invernesszx
We took our son bowling on sunday, and it was no treat. the place was empty, we waited 10 mis before anyone came to check us in.
We got a lane with bumpers and they were broken for the first half of the lane, on the bairns 3rd shot the pins got stuck and we had to go find the guy that was ment to be on the bowling ally, then he got it going, but every so often it would act up.
The place was freezing.
It is £3.50 on wednesdays, but i have never been.
There's no doubt it is bad - I always like to stay until the end of the film to listen to the music and find out who the composer was, but quite often the projectionist just turns the film off mid-credits. Should be illegal to do that. Grrrr...
Having said that, I do value having a cinema to visit in Caithness and I wouldn't want to go back to the dark days when we had none.
The cinema building's got such potential as a community venue. It's a pity it's so badly run and so pricey just now. Maybe we should offer them a community buy-out?!;)
annthracks
20-May-09, 12:40
It is £3.50 on wednesdays, but i have never been.
I read in a previous thread that it varies (ie last week it was Tuesday?) so it's not even Orange Wednesday?
Correct please if wrong
The cinema building's got such potential as a community venue. It's a pity it's so badly run and so pricey just now. Maybe we should offer them a community buy-out?!;)
It is actually up for sale.
I read in a previous thread that it varies (ie last week it was Tuesday?) so it's not even Orange Wednesday?
Correct please if wrong
Yea it was £3.50 last night.
footballer92
22-May-09, 16:14
Wow, doesnt sound like anything the All Star Factory does will ever be good enough :confused
Personally, i dont have an issue with the prices. I mean at cinemas down south in Glasgow and Edinburgh its around £7.50 for an adult ticket. Sure its pretty steep but theyve got to make money somehow?
The management have taken the initiative to put on a decent offer on Tuesday night yet people still make cynical comments about pouring ice blasts over the floor and making the place deliberately cold. Do the people of Caithness actually want the cinema to close down, because by the sounds of things it sure does seem like it?
And with regards to the staff being "joyless and incompetent" ive never found them to be either. The teenagers that work in there are decent enough folk and have always been very helpful and chatty whenever ive been there.
Give them a break and better still, give the whole place a break. The cinema and bowling alley isn't perfect and it could be improved but its a decent enough facility and in my opinion is a credit to Caithness.
Some people say "oh i'd just go to Inverness if it closed". But what about for those that going to Inverness isn't an option like the vast majority of youngsters?
I know i'd certainly miss it if it closed.
I wouldn't mind paying £7.50 to see a *new* film!
Originally I was wanting to wait and watch the new Fast and Furious film at the cinema. It's been out ages now and it's still not up! In the end I ended up watching it elsewhere!
Wow, doesnt sound like anything the All Star Factory does will ever be good enough :confused
Personally, i dont have an issue with the prices. I mean at cinemas down south in Glasgow and Edinburgh its around £7.50 for an adult ticket. Sure its pretty steep but theyve got to make money somehow?
The management have taken the initiative to put on a decent offer on Tuesday night yet people still make cynical comments about pouring ice blasts over the floor and making the place deliberately cold. Do the people of Caithness actually want the cinema to close down, because by the sounds of things it sure does seem like it?
And with regards to the staff being "joyless and incompetent" ive never found them to be either. The teenagers that work in there are decent enough folk and have always been very helpful and chatty whenever ive been there.
Give them a break and better still, give the whole place a break. The cinema and bowling alley isn't perfect and it could be improved but its a decent enough facility and in my opinion is a credit to Caithness.
Some people say "oh i'd just go to Inverness if it closed". But what about for those that going to Inverness isn't an option like the vast majority of youngsters?
I know i'd certainly miss it if it closed.
The majority of us disagree and are unhappy with the service and general "thumbs down" running of it. I would be alot more appreciative and would miss it alot more if it was better. The last time i went to the cinema was close to valentines day and it was against my will(don't tell her ;)). I would never choose to go to the cinema, well the one up here anyways.
It has the same overheads regardless of whether it get's 1 customer or 100 so why doesn't the management lower the price of cinema tickets to £3 for adults & half price for kids-they'll get a lot more people in and make up the shortfall at the sweetie counter. Do similar in the bowling alley-lower prices will bring in more people. It's a no-brainer. :roll:
footballer92
22-May-09, 16:54
"The majority of us disagree and are unhappy with the service and general "thumbs down" running of it."
Fair enough, i was just giving my opinion on the place. Thought i'd provide a bit of balance instead of just tearing the place to shreds :lol:
Why slag the place off about sticky carpets etc.? Do you think the management specified that type of carpet? It's some parents who let their kids run wild & neanderthals that spoil it and the carpet can only be cleaned so many times before it's totally ruined. [disgust]
mrsinkstack
22-May-09, 17:02
Fair enough, i was just giving my opinion on the place. Thought i'd provide a bit of balance instead of just tearing the place to shreds :lol:
Tearing the place to shreds ? It's called constructive criticism, something that the viking bowl management could take onboard and try to make some necessary improvements to their service that they are providing to the public. Obviously people are not happy with the current state of affairs ? :(
footballer92
22-May-09, 17:04
I think that the tuesday special is their response to some of the criticisms tbh....:confused
mrsinkstack
22-May-09, 17:06
It's a step in the right direction :D
"The majority of us disagree and are unhappy with the service and general "thumbs down" running of it."
Fair enough, i was just giving my opinion on the place. Thought i'd provide a bit of balance instead of just tearing the place to shreds :lol:
A new poster jumping in to vigorously defend a venue that gets slated near enough on a weekly basis by many many people?, call me cynical, but you wouldn't happen to have an interest in the place by any chance?, or be related to any of the management?
mrsinkstack
22-May-09, 17:12
A new poster jumping in to vigorously defend a venue that gets slated near enough on a weekly basis by many many people?, call me cynical, but you wouldn't happen to have an interest in the place by any chance?, or be related to any of the management?
Mmmm, let me think ? Footballer, which one of the bowling staff management has a strong connection to football - I wonder ? !!!! :D
Mmmm, let me think ? Footballer, which one of the bowling staff management has a strong connection to football - I wonder ? !!!! :D
Aye, we're on the same train of thought :lol:
I've no connection with the place and I'm glad the cinema's there.
I don't have an issue with ticket prices just now. They are only a little bit more expensive than cinemas down south and as they have a smaller customer base here the price difference is understandable. I also quite like the cinema itself. It's comfy and you just can't beat seeing some films on the big screen. It's handy having it on the "doorstep." I think their snack and drink prices are a bit OTT though.
What is frustrating is when you phone to ask when a film is being shown that is already out on nationwide release and they just say they don't know, or you email to ask and get no reply. I phoned to ask about Star Trek and they just said they didn't know. It's not like it's some obscure low interest arty flick, it's a blockbuster which could bring lots of customers. If they'd said 2 or 3 weeks I'd have waited however as the family wanted to see it and AllStar had no idea when they were showing it we went to Inverness instead. It's little things like that that can make the difference and it surely woulldn't take much to sort out.
GetWithTheTimes
22-May-09, 20:20
A lad I work with has the dvd's for sale before theyve been released priced at three for a tenner, excellent quality as well. Im not condoning it, just mentioning it.
lol i got all the films you lot are on about perfect dvd quality lol looks amazing on hdtv i can even burn hd dvd's if need be lol
Price is only one factor that drives people away from the Cinema/Bowling Alley, the place is falling apart at the seems, and the attitude of the management/staff is abysmal, i wouldn't go there again even it was a pound for a cinema ticket/game of bowling.
yep i agree with you there gizmo
i would pay £15 for just myself into the cinema if it was a really nice warm cosy cinema with really nice smiling friendly inviting staff and if the food and drinks were high priced i would still buy it if it was good food and drink for the price they were asking and was served by nice happy smiling friendly staff, its the service and the place your watching the film your paying for also not just the film
Why slag the place off about sticky carpets etc.? Do you think the management specified that type of carpet? It's some parents who let their kids run wild & neanderthals that spoil it and the carpet can only be cleaned so many times before it's totally ruined. [disgust]
well maybe they shouldnt have used carpet!
someone with half a brain could have sussed that out, kids are going to make a mess, also a heavy duty carpet that is designed for loads of washing wouldnt have went a miss.
and they could do with another screen so they could show more films, even just more films twice as many and put them up on certain days or whatever and leave them up a week or two longer so people can see them all
i think a lot of caithness's establishments need to wake up and get the area up to scratch to keep the tourists coming, bad rep from some of these places could make a big difference in the tourists from down south
misfit123
22-May-09, 21:18
i like having a rant like any other person but i am reading all this and laughing. i dont mind paying to go see a film you cant beat seeing it on a big screen, would i prefer to travel to inverness - no. you've got this on your dorrstep so use it. we missed out for years as it was when there was no cinema. i suppose they are like any other business just trying to make it work and like anyone else not perfect - no one is. i am going to keep going and hope other people do as well coz i know i would miss it if it wasnt here - and before you ask and are all synical on me - no i have no connection to the bowling alley!!
i helped at a childrens birthday party recently at the bowling alley, we had 2 lanes - one of which continually broke down, and you had to search the building to find the bloke to fix it.
When it came to the food what a joke,
We had 10 kids to cater for
the staff came with a tray of sandwiches, one of the fillings was suposed to be egg, but it was actually a mayonaise sandwich with a few small lumps of egg white.
we got a small basket of chips, and had to hunt the building to get a refill.
we got 2 jugs of juice and no glasses once again we had to search for staff for glasses.
I would never hold a kids party there, as this was a total disgrace.
and a rip off.
The last time i went to watch a film there was no heating, the kids and i were frozen they didnt tell us that when we paid for our ticket. You don't mind paying a little bit more for comfort , warmth but that place just don't seem to care.
I really would not have believed just how bad viking bowl had got had I not experienced it first-hand today as a guest at a kids party. So pardon me while I bleat about it now.
Our lanes broke continually, literally every turn, it took us twice as long to finish a game, it was a total joke and I felt quite sorry for the poor guy who had to keep running back and fore fixing it, I'd have been too embarrassed to work there.
The kids party was a bit better, we had two trays of sandwiches (they were nice), 2 jugs of diluting juice, a wee basket of sausage rolls, two small baskets of sweets and for the cost per head I couldn't believe they provided us with Tesco value packets of crisps. There were 14 of us.
BMcGillivray
18-Jun-09, 14:09
Myself and a few friends go the cinema fairly regularly, even paying the higher price to see a film on a Friday. The cinema may not be the greatest, but at least we have one!
More people need to go, everyone complaining in this thread needs to convince everyone they know to go down the cinema on a Tuesday/etc when they have their reduced prices, regardless of the sticky floors and torn seating.
I have no association with the place, i simply recognise that if we want to continue to have access to a cinema in Caithness, we need to support it, and to support it, we need to go watch films there!
Bobinovich
18-Jun-09, 20:51
I'd be happier taking the kids there if the place was in decent condition, but it appears that the owners have just let it go to rack & ruin and not reinvested anything they've made back into equipment, fittings, staff, etc. :(
Myself and a few friends go the cinema fairly regularly, even paying the higher price to see a film on a Friday. The cinema may not be the greatest, but at least we have one!
More people need to go, everyone complaining in this thread needs to convince everyone they know to go down the cinema on a Tuesday/etc when they have their reduced prices, regardless of the sticky floors and torn seating.
I have no association with the place, i simply recognise that if we want to continue to have access to a cinema in Caithness, we need to support it, and to support it, we need to go watch films there!
I only go to the cinema twice a year on average due to various reasons(price not being one of them). if the cinema closed down who would care?
I dont see how getting everyone to go on their cheap night is going to convince them to make any adequate changes.
The price is not the problem, price in comparison to quality and time waiting to see a decent film is. They are more than capable of improving the quality of the place so why have they not bothered.
Besides from the cinema they are not doing themselves any favours with the state of the bowling ally, again why have they not improved the quality.
They spent a lot of money redecorating when what was really needed was better equipment.
Every now and again I feel the need to bowl again, after a few minutes of bowling there I remember why I dont bother.
flowertot
19-Jun-09, 23:04
It is true people don't mind paying for things, but the place has become a joke.
The last time I was in it there was no toilet paper in any of the toilets, none of the toilet cubicles in the ladies had locks on the doors!!!! there was no soap to wash your hands and nothing to dry them with. I mean talk about hygiene, it seems to be non existent up there.
If the staff are having to use the same facilities doesn't go much as I say on hygiene and they are serving you food and drink [evil] Think a visit from Environmental health wouldn't go a miss.
I did report the fact about the toilets being a disgrace and the amount they charge for you to go to the place, they should be ashamed have they no morales.
It is management that is to blame as they must be going round with rose tinted glasses on, as it is basic housekeeping i.e toilets cleaning, etc. I know that a place that size costs alot to run, but it doesn't cost that much for toilet paper, handtowels, liquid soap, etc - if the toilets are in that state, hate to see what the kitchens look like, doesn't paint a good picture in my mind.
Even the pick a mix sweeties is a laugh, only a couple of selections.
Management shouldn't have let it get in to that state, should have tried to keep on top of the most basic stuff and people would've still used it, but now it needs so much done it would need someone with a lot of dosh to bring it back to its former glory, and please get rid of management is they obviously have no experience what so ever in running a place of that size, don't need to be a professor to work that one out.
That's my rant over now :cool:
celtic1888
20-Jun-09, 10:52
I used to bowl in the bowling league for years, went through the junior leagues then onto the senior leagues. With the lanes breaking down so much and not being the best quality, when we went down to Inverness where their lanes are top quality, we couldnt bowl as well as we wanted to. The lanes have ALWAYS been a problem ever since i started years ago, always breaking then having to search to find the guy to fix them.
As for the cinema, i havent been in 2 years! None of the films that i have seen trailors for and wanted to see came up. The prices are just stupid!! Now i know that taking your gf to the cinema is a kinda cute thing, but me and my oh have never even thought about it! Costs far too much for admission into a film and the juice and sweets etc.
I hope it does get bought over by someone who will maybe give it a good cash injection so that it can be a hot spot for folk to come from all over teh country to have a good time and enjoy themselves.
That is one saving grace, the staff have their own toilet.
Alice in Blunderland
20-Jun-09, 11:48
I hope it does get bought over by someone who will maybe give it a good cash injection so that it can be a hot spot for folk to come from all over teh country to have a good time and enjoy themselves.
I agree but it will be a business and not a charity so whoever would be willing to invest any of their hard earned cash into this place would want a return on it. To bring up the big movies is expensive and staff wages overheads etc, etc, all have to be paid for. This comes from the bums on seats or people out bowling.
If you dont get enough cash in then you cannot provide an A+ service.
Is it not a catch 22 situation. :confused
Just playing devils advocate ;)
Alice in Blunderland
20-Jun-09, 11:54
Management shouldn't have let it get in to that state, should have tried to keep on top of the most basic stuff and people would've still used it, but now it needs so much done it would need someone with a lot of dosh to bring it back to its former glory, and please get rid of management is they obviously have no experience what so ever in running a place of that size, don't need to be a professor to work that one out.
That's my rant over now :cool:
By management would that be the people employed to run the place or the owners funding it or are they the same. If the money is not there to provide the basics then would that not be the owners fault. Management can only provide the service with finance from the owners. No budget for toilet rolls then no toilet roll.
Again Im playing devils advocate ;)
I have not been in a long time as I also found it too expensive and not worth the money. :)
celtic1888
20-Jun-09, 12:37
I agree but it will be a business and not a charity so whoever would be willing to invest any of their hard earned cash into this place would want a return on it. To bring up the big movies is expensive and staff wages overheads etc, etc, all have to be paid for. This comes from the bums on seats or people out bowling.
I fully agree with this, but if the standard at the Viking Bowl was to increase i would be more than happy to pay for bowling or cinema, but as the standard there goes just now, its a no no!!
I fully agree with this, but if the standard at the Viking Bowl was to increase i would be more than happy to pay for bowling or cinema, but as the standard there goes just now, its a no no!!
Exactly, the reason they are not making money is because the facilities are crap.
Nobody bowls because the lanes are such poor quality.
I used to be a regular bowler but stopped many years ago as they just got worse and worse.
Since then I've only bowled twice in about 6 years(must have been extremely bored out of my skull) and even after bowling i felt it was a waste of money.
Surely the management must know why people dont go there, which is the same reason they dont make any money.
Its not a catch 22 situation, its a simple fact if they improved the place they would make more money because people would want to go there.
But then there is the point of due to the bad reputation they now have it would be very difficult to lose that reputation to get people coming again.
celtic1888
20-Jun-09, 15:06
In other words, they're pretty scrooed for business unless they do something drastic to pull the customers back.
ShelleyCowie
20-Jun-09, 15:34
In other words, they're pretty scrooed for business unless they do something drastic to pull the customers back.
That is the way to put it basically yes!
They used to have a really large play room for kids that had a massive ball pit and things, that all got taken away! I think they would be better putting something like that back in.
Get the lanes fixed and serve better food.
I fully agree with this, but if the standard at the Viking Bowl was to increase i would be more than happy to pay for bowling or cinema, but as the standard there goes just now, its a no no!!
What's wrong with the cinema part? I was in Inverness Vue cinema a month back and ended up with a filthy teeshirt as ther seat was so dirty. I've never had that in the AllStarfactory.
celtic1888
20-Jun-09, 23:11
What's wrong with the cinema part? I was in Inverness Vue cinema a month back and ended up with a filthy teeshirt as ther seat was so dirty. I've never had that in the AllStarfactory.
Ok so the inside of the cinema is fine.. Still doesnt change my mind about the prices though.
celtic1888
20-Jun-09, 23:12
That is the way to put it basically yes!
They used to have a really large play room for kids that had a massive ball pit and things, that all got taken away! I think they would be better putting something like that back in.
Get the lanes fixed and serve better food.
Good shout, i do remember them having the ball pit there years and years ago. I was young myself then so cant remember if the custom back then was good..
purplelady
20-Jun-09, 23:46
have to say having started this thread am surprised at poeples reaction the place was dirty and the staff well they did not seem to care, we asked for cuterly from the lad who brought our food and he said he was not a waiter honestly it was awful .
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