Seconding the bolded bit for sure. Lots of other sense too.
Workers Beer Company - Glastonbury
- Thread starter Nikolai
- Start date
Seconding the bolded bit for sure. Lots of other sense too.
I have no feelings towards the WBC either way but I do think there is a bit of business naivety on this thread, then again where I live you'd be lucky to get a half for £2.50.
The WBC runs bars at major festivals where the festival itself will have a sponsership deal with a major lager brewer, therefore the WBC will be obliged to sell that lager whether it be Carlsberg at Glasto or Carling at Reading / Leeds. You can bet your bottom doller that the WBC will not be getting their stock at market prices, there will be a contract where they have to buy from a certain source at an inflated price, there will quite possibly be a middle man who is also taking a cut.
The same will also be for all their soft drinks and assorted other stuff they sell, they will be obliged to buy from one place where the price will be inflated. Its kind of like the pub ties that are killing our pubs work, it also explains why prices are similar at different bars, everyone is having to pay the same inflated prices because the festival itself is taking the sponsership fee.
If you look at other festivals like Beautiful Days for example, the Otter Brewary is selling its own ales which is about as cheap as it gets, but it will also buy its lager and ciders etc from the open market getting the best price. But the downside is the festival itself probably wont make much money from the bars so there is less to spend on the music which is why we always get Dreadzone.
WBC worker has already mentioned that they probably made a loss at both glasto and latitude and I can well believe that, because once all their other costs are included I suspect (even at £4+ a pint) their margins are very low.
The WBC runs bars at major festivals where the festival itself will have a sponsership deal with a major lager brewer, therefore the WBC will be obliged to sell that lager whether it be Carlsberg at Glasto or Carling at Reading / Leeds. You can bet your bottom doller that the WBC will not be getting their stock at market prices, there will be a contract where they have to buy from a certain source at an inflated price, there will quite possibly be a middle man who is also taking a cut.
The same will also be for all their soft drinks and assorted other stuff they sell, they will be obliged to buy from one place where the price will be inflated. Its kind of like the pub ties that are killing our pubs work, it also explains why prices are similar at different bars, everyone is having to pay the same inflated prices because the festival itself is taking the sponsership fee.
If you look at other festivals like Beautiful Days for example, the Otter Brewary is selling its own ales which is about as cheap as it gets, but it will also buy its lager and ciders etc from the open market getting the best price. But the downside is the festival itself probably wont make much money from the bars so there is less to spend on the music which is why we always get Dreadzone.
WBC worker has already mentioned that they probably made a loss at both glasto and latitude and I can well believe that, because once all their other costs are included I suspect (even at £4+ a pint) their margins are very low.
WBC-WORKER
Well-Known Member
You are correct about contracts { small point its Carlsberg at Reading/Leeds }
I cant recall the first year where I know the WBC made a net loss for the whole season but it did come as a big surprise because for most of the events the bars had been busy but that was in the early 90's and I did not fully appreciate all the costs involved.
Its swings and roundabouts and its all down to the weather .
I did hear some very shocking figures but will not know the actual figures until Reading but going on previous years all it takes is a very wet Glastonbury and the whole season jumps into a loss.
Its easy to see why - they have huge set up costs - they have to assume they will be using all the staff when I know that some bars were closed early due to lack of trade.
All the volunteers good causes will still get the money but the WBC will have to dig in to their bank account to balance the books.
Looking back at this year I would say they made a loss at most events.
They will be looking at Reading and Leeds to try and claw back into profit.
Oh right, I still call it the Carling Weekender, shows how out of date I am.
WBC-WORKER
Well-Known Member
I have been approached by some Private Companies who run festival bars ' for profit ' and was offered a very good wage to run part of their operation but I am not interested as I know that I would rather support the WBC as they at least pass some back to help others.
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The donation comes from money raised at Glastonbury by Workers Beer Company, which is owned by Battersea and Wandsworth Trades Union Council. It will be used to support War on Want’s campaign against the exploitation of workers supplying sports companies from countries such as China, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
{ in the image - Steve Pryle { 2nd right WBC Chairman } Spencer Barnshaw ( 4th right secretary of Battersea and Wandsworth TUC }
full story at http://www.waronwant.org/news/press...weat-free-merchandise-at-the-london-olympics-
WBC-WORKER
Well-Known Member
Not to worry in fact I remember when it used to be Carlsberg at Reading and when Carling took over Customers were still calling it Carlsberg.
Now check out the image
http://www.wbc-team.co.uk/wbc-image-reading-2007-11.html
how anyone could not miss the name but even in 2007 they were still asking for Carlsberg
Garcia Lorca
Anger can be power
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The donation comes from money raised at Glastonbury by Workers Beer Company, which is owned by Battersea and Wandsworth Trades Union Council. It will be used to support War on Want’s campaign against the exploitation of workers supplying sports companies from countries such as China, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
{ in the image - Steve Pryle { 2nd right WBC Chairman } Spencer Barnshaw ( 4th right secretary of Battersea and Wandsworth TUC }
full story at http://www.waronwant.org/news/press...weat-free-merchandise-at-the-london-olympics-
Good news and great timing with the olympics coming up for war on want. which incidently is the organisation my wages goto support
WBC-WORKER
Well-Known Member
Garcia Lorca had transport problems reaching Glastonbury this year - what he may not be aware of is that two of the coaches leaving Glastonbury also had problems .
I know that one of the London Coaches { but lucky enough not one that I was travelling on } and one of the Coaches that passed though Leeds broke down at some point.
As it happened one of the guys called me up from the London Coach so I was able to give him a direct number to reach the WBC and they were picked up by another Coach but no one on the coach going though Leeds had a contact number for the WBC and as far as I am aware they never got a replacement so had to make their own way back .
I have no idea why the drivers did not have any contact numbers.
Image below was taken when they were waiting for a Coach replacement { London Coach }
I know that one of the London Coaches { but lucky enough not one that I was travelling on } and one of the Coaches that passed though Leeds broke down at some point.
As it happened one of the guys called me up from the London Coach so I was able to give him a direct number to reach the WBC and they were picked up by another Coach but no one on the coach going though Leeds had a contact number for the WBC and as far as I am aware they never got a replacement so had to make their own way back .
I have no idea why the drivers did not have any contact numbers.
Image below was taken when they were waiting for a Coach replacement { London Coach }
