Great Western Coffee Shop

1630 Padd to Taunton very busy this evening. First class still pretty crowded beyond Taunton with the majority of seats taken.

Yet the Customer Host chose to hide away at the rear end of Coach H with her trolley, doing, well not particularly much actually.

So, already displeased at why she's not doing her job, I approach her and ask for a cup of tea. "Sorry, I can't sell you anything".  I explain I don't want to buy anything, I just want a cup of tea. "I'm afraid I can't give you one - these are complimentary items for 1st class passengers".

I explained that I was indeed a first class passenger, and I wasn't sure why she thought I wouldn't be. Oh well, I've just sent a couple away who were standard passengers. (No buffet on this set - just a trolley at the far end of standard.)

I didn't bother to point out that if she actually took the trolley through the train like she's supposed to then she would soon identify which were first class pax as they would be the ones sitting in the seats, as opposed to the occasional passenger from standard looking for a cup of tea..

 

Hmm.  I'd be inclined to send in a formal complaint to FGW, John.

I had a chat with a very knowledgable member of FGW staff at lunchtime today: the impression I got was that there are problems with catering on FGW.  If passengers do complain, where appropriate, hopefully those problems will be addressed?

I can attest to that

I remember (not knowing at the time) one of FGW management was on a return train and helping out - I complained that there were no sellables on the first trolley anymore and we had to queue with everyone else if we didnt ant anything free.

Very quickly after, the sellables returned.

it may have been a coincidence but I'd like to think someone acted....

Think some FC hosts are agency staff?

Sorry to hear your experience John. I note you say it was pretty crowded, would the Customer Host still  have been able to get the trolley through?

I would hope that once the refurbs for the mini buffet then catering should be back to it's more efficient self.

An example is recently I was on a 2+7 (no buffet) and the set was being used as the 20:35 from Paddington - Plymouth. Granted it was a last minute swap due to a failure of another train, but it's an example of some of the issues created by the buffet refurbishment.

Hopefully some of this post makes sense, if not I'm sure Chris can tell me off.

John - one of my colleagues will be very interested in this when I tell them tomorrow. This is not what FGW is about! If I get any feedback later, I will let you know

Definitely worth a complaint I think. I had a vaguely similar experience some while ago where a customer host on a weekend refused me complimentaries on the basis that "you've already had three" - at the time this was a restriction applied to weekend first upgrades, but not first advance tickets which is what I had.

To their great credit, FGW were extremely gracious when I complained and sent me a voucher for a free first-class return journey.

Thanks. In fairness she did pass through again between Bath and Bristol by which stage the train was much quieter (and curiously was still on board after Bristol - very rare), but it was the attitude I didn't like.

In answer to Ollie's question, there wasn't anyone standing in first or the vestibules so she could easily have passed through.

I was expecting someone to ask whether I looked like I might have been a stray from the other side, but I was booted and suited as normal.

Oh, and when she did finally serve me a hot drink it was coffee instead of tea.  I couldn't be bothered by that stage so just took it.   

Maybe an off day, but still as others have said, write or e-mail Customer Relations.

You say still busy after Taunton when the train terminates there.  Did you mean Reading perhaps  ;D

Sorry, I meant Swindon, which is my usual joining point. Hope this hasn't invalidated any of the earlier discussions.

I spotted that, but decided to let it go seeing as I know where you join the train.

John,

If this was a Paddington to Taunton service, why was First Class still crowded BEYOND Taunton?

See the previous couple of posts!

Full of staff returning to home depot...?  :D :D

Sorry! I got a habit of zoomng from the first post to the bottom!! :-\