Aylestone Voice Posted August 30, 2015 Report Posted August 30, 2015 It was never intended to be a local showcase just a way to make money. The company run loads of them up and down the country. Should the Council have rented them the land for 3 days? Seems to me that they have some income off an otherwise little used piece of land over the 3 days.
Denise Lloyd Posted August 30, 2015 Report Posted August 30, 2015 AV It was advertised as Herefordshire Sausage and Cider so just by the very wording it should have been selling HEREFORDSHIRE SAUSAGE AND CIDER. Do you not think there has been a slight misreprentation of facts. I doubt very much whether the meat sold was bred in Herefordshire and doubt further that it was even bred in the United Kingdom.
Roger Posted August 30, 2015 Report Posted August 30, 2015 Please Victor could you ask them to turn the music down - I can hear it in Aylestone Hill (Though perhaps it is from the Barrells Beer Festival?) I was out of town yesterday but I would guess the Music was drifting up the hill from The Barrels. I know the acoustics around this area. And that is exactly what happens. I never mind that stuff as the cut off time is set at a reasonable time. The Sausage Festival seems to me to have been misrepresented ..... But I never went ..... Just giving my view. Having looked around the internet!
Colin James Posted August 30, 2015 Author Report Posted August 30, 2015 AV It was advertised as Herefordshire Sausage and Cider so just by the very wording it should have been selling HEREFORDSHIRE SAUSAGE AND CIDER. Do you not think there has been a slight misreprentation of facts. I doubt very much whether the meat sold was bred in Herefordshire and doubt further that it was even bred in the United Kingdom. To be honest I agree with Denise, I advertised this festival nievely thinking it was for local producers. The King George playing fields is a public recreation area, I can't see how they can get away with charging an entrance fee. We have read far too many complaints for this to be ignored.
Colin James Posted August 30, 2015 Author Report Posted August 30, 2015 Danielle Statham Was spendy getting in. Yes the atmosphere was ok but for £4 for a pint, all of the sausages were on a warming tray with NOTHING else on it: i would have thought they would have made more of an effort on the food. I have gone to two of the days to give it a benefit of a doubt but it's not worth the money: good music but nothing else there. I was expecting more of a food/sausage festival instead of limited cider (that's mass produced) and warmed up sausage on a warm up tray. Caroline Williams Its £8.50 entry adults kids are £6 or £7 ,food all sat there warming £4 a sausage ,burger or £5/£5.50 a pork roll £3 for a small tray of chips and no you cant take any food or drink in ,only about 2 local ciders ,£2.50 half or £4 a pint ,plus all fair cists on top ,its nothing like you expect ,shame on the council for allowing it you pay your entry for copycat bands which were actually quite good luckily nothing more its all on top ,nothing HEREFORDSHIRE about it ,we thought it would be a try and buy of local fayre but its more of a small expensive fair with a few catering vans and the bands ,very in descriptive in every way ,this in no way shape or form represents what we have to offer in our county its such a shame . Kim Philipps Awful! The website stated you could take kids food and drink in but ours was confiscated at the gate. I then asked for it back at the end but looked like the security guys were feeling thirsty! Between us paid nearly £50 for all of us to get in spent another £50 on kids entertainment. Won't be going back again. Could of done Safari Park/Drayton manor cheaper. John Smith This was a total rip off today, A Big man 'security guard' not displaying his security authority licence at the entrance, that struggled to understand English when searching our children's bags for food and drinks, he seemed stunned when I asked him if he was looking for weapons or drugs, he just said "food" and he was delighted when he found an old opened bag with about 5 haribo star mix in it, "thats food" and confiscated it was, we wont be going to this again, big NO from us ! When security searches priority is for food and drink, they will miss the real issues, horrible experience
Roger Posted August 30, 2015 Report Posted August 30, 2015 To be honest I agree with Denise, I advertised this festival thinking it was for local producers. The King George playing fields is a public recreation area, I can't see how they can get away with charging an entrance fee. We have read far too many complaints for this to be ignored. Castle Green (Public Space) is roped off for the Great & The Good when They decide that the booze free zone should be made a Boozy Party Zone without the riff raff ..... As you know Colin I've raised that point before. It just exacerbates the divide between the Real World and the ones that make the rules up as they go along .... Whether it be locally or Nationally ....
Colin James Posted August 30, 2015 Author Report Posted August 30, 2015 Castle Green (Public Space) is roped off for the Great & The Good when They decide that the booze free zone should be made a Boozy Party Zone without the riff raff ..... As you know Colin I've raised that point before. It just exacerbates the divide between the Real World and the ones that make the rules up as they go along .... Whether it be locally or Nationally .... Your not wrong there Roger. :Cha ching: :Cha ching: :Cha ching:
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 Frances Anne Craig Totally agree it was awful!
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 Woolhope Herald I complained at the time they launched this 'Hereford festival' that great local producers were not represented. National award winning sausage producer Pork & Two Veg from Woolhope didn't get approached and when I posted on the Facebook page asking why I just got ignored. Don't confuse it with a local festival. PS. Woolhope Family Fete on Monday at 2pm and entrance is free
Aylestone Voice Posted August 31, 2015 Report Posted August 31, 2015 I have to say that when it was first announced I looked on their website and saw that they have similar events around the country. That said to me that it was little to do with Herefordshire food and drink. It was never to be a replacement for the local food festival. I don't criticise the Council for getting some income in but probably if the company ask to come back next year they should perhaps be rejected in the light of all the complaints about how expensive it is.
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 Lauren Jane Probert The organisers obviously can't take criticism AT ALL! I posted a message to their page (which I now see all negative comments have been removed) and feel I got a rather rude response. I was expecting a reply that would of reflected what the organisers thought was on offer, and good about the festival. Instead I got the attached long list of set up costs and sarky 1liners. I guess they didn't have much good to say about it either. Jamie-lee Samuel Price Should of said what about the £100 keg that makes about 72pints = £288. Rent they charge for profit off the rides = over 2k alone. Also quite abit of money is tax free. Profit margin without charging entry after expense is still substantial when you add every thing up Jackie Stokes It's such a shame that the Hereford food festival that has previously taken place on the castle green / cathedral grounds couldn't take place this year in place of this shambles. Went to take a look from the outside, nothing to attract us in so didn't go.
Denise Lloyd Posted August 31, 2015 Report Posted August 31, 2015 By the sound of it I think the organisers are very fortunate that there hasn't been a massive food poisoning incident. The one saving grace is that it hasn't been scorchingly hot. Trading Standards/Food Hygiene/Environmental Health you name it they should be alerted.
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 Dale Martin There were 3 different stalls selling various sausages. But agree it was a rip off. £3.50 for a can of Carling, these all were rusty at base too so hardly high quality). I feel disappointed as was looking forward to it for months plus had been posting helpful comments to people from outside the county who had wanted to come ( with regards to accommodation, transport etc) and now feel bad for doing so. We stayed about two hours in afternoon before realising it wasn't for us and headed to Volunteer instead where we had a great time. On the way we bumped into friends, they were refused entry because one of their children had two spring rolls in a bag! Very disappointing and for anyone who travelled from away for it it won't reflect well on our city Dale Martin Gavin Rymer travelled down from Shropshire and was quite emotional when he realised how utterly crap it was.
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 I have written to Clive Joyce so I am hoping that the HT will pick this up too. Its a disgrace!
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 Joe Brandt I approached the organisers to enquire if we could bring our home grown, award winning free range pork. We thought this would be an ideal opportunity for a local food producer to support a local festival. However we turned down months ago. What a shame that outside caterers were brought in instead!
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 Lynn Carpenter Was a disappointment. Very few local ciders, pre cooked sausages from one burger bar type stall and that was it! Real missed opportunity to showcase local fayre. Some of the music was pretty bad and the headline act was so terrible we decided to cut our losses and leave! Not impressed.
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 Ian Watkins This should be banned from ever happening again, security guards taking food off people is ridiculous. Sounds like a big poor quality money making scheme that should never have been allowed. Anyone from the council commenting?
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 Quite a few local people have asked for Councillors to comment, so this morning I have emailed all of the Councillors registered on HV for their views.
Bill Thomas Posted August 31, 2015 Report Posted August 31, 2015 Joe Brandt I approached the organisers to enquire if we could bring our home grown, award winning free range pork. We thought this would be an ideal opportunity for a local food producer to support a local festival. However we turned down months ago. What a shame that outside caterers were brought in instead! I thought this was what this festival was all about. It appears to of been nothing more than a money making exercise with no local produce!
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 Tracy Tandy It was nt really worth the entrance fee....the food wasn't exactly gourmet. ..sausage in a dry bun. ..no onions either and 5 pound for small pork roll.. tray of 20 chips for 3 pound....good job only 2 of us went..could of worked out very expensive Dawn MacLean Hi guys, think this event has damaged Hereford badly. Travelled up from South Wales. Saw event advertised on facebook and thought we were coming to a show like festival with local tradestands, Cider and locally produced sausages etc. Cant tell you how disappointed we were. Alarm bells went off for us when we saw young families having picnics taken off them if they wanted to go in, secondly we thought family ticket was £21 and when they tried to charge us £31 told them to do one Spent the day instead wandering around Town Centre, had a lovely meal and purchased local Cider and Sausages from butcher in Market Hall. Both were fantastic. The advertising for this is misleading. On a brighter note almost time for Abergavenny Food Festival and Usk Show proper events show casing local producers and products. Sorry Hereford is getting such bad press over this, should all bombard your Councillor's to make sure its not allowed to be hosted again. All the negative responses have been deleted on their facebook page strange wonder why that would be!!
Denise Lloyd Posted August 31, 2015 Report Posted August 31, 2015 Event Details Herefordshire Sausage & Cider Family Festival Saturday 29th 11.00 – 22.00 // Sunday 30th 11.00 – 21.00 // Monday 31st 11.00 – 21.00 August 2015King George V Playing Fields, Hereford, HR4 9DG ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀- Huge selection of Gourmet Sausages - Huge selection of Ciders and real Ales. - Plenty for Children to do - Live Music - Arts & crafts stalls - Great Value ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ Children's Paradise Area ☆ Punch & Judy Show ★ Balloon Making ☆ Face painting ★ Giant Minions / Woody / Buzz Lightyear / Elsa & Anna☆ Giant Mickey & Mini Mouse ★ Trampolines☆ Fairground ride★ Magicians Saturday Live Outdoor Stage★ Take That (Fake That Tribute)★ The Beatles (The Beatalls Tribute)★ Kings of Leon (Kings of Lyon Tribute)★ The Daydream Club // Mark Mudge // Meg and Mog // Natalie Holman★ Badly Stuffed Bears // Slippery Slope Sunday Live Outdoors Stage★ The Killers (The Fillers Tribute)★ Bon Jovi (Born Jovi Tribute)★ Kasabian (Kazabian Tribute)★ Mark Mudge // James Hunts Tongue and Groove Sax Quartet // Quarter Stone★ James Hunts Tongue and Groove Band Monday Live Outdoors Stage★ Oasis (Oasish Tribute)★ Arctic Monkeys (Antarctic Monkeys Tribute)★ Stereophonics (Stereotonics Tribute)★ Mark Mudge // Bekki Cameron // Jak Randell★ Muchos Tequillas Later // Raptor ★+ DJs playing Northern Soul, Rock, Indie, Ska, Pop, Jazz, House, Chart. ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ Tickets from www.SausageAndCiderFestival.com Adult Day Ticket (Online) £6.50 // (On the Gate) £8.50Child Day Ticket (Online) £5 // (On the Gate) £7Family Day Ticket (Online) £21.50Under 3’s Free All weekend. www.SausageAndCiderFestival.com ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀Contact info charlotte@redjellyproductions.com //adam@redjellyproductions.com Full SIA Registered Security will be on site at all times.Challenge 25 Proof of age will be required to purchase Alcohol. If you look under 25 please bring ID to enable you to be served alcohol. Please drink responsibly. www.drinkaware.co.uk Please eat as many sausages as you can, they're Yummy!!! FAQs Are tickets refundable? Just like any other ticketed event, tickets are non refundable. Are there any vegaterian or gluten free sausages available? Yes, both options are available. Can I take my own food or drink into the festival? No food or drink is allowed to be brought into the festival, the only expections being bottled water and food for small children. Are dogs allowed? Unfortunately not, we know not all dogs can be agressive but it's not the case for all. Do I need to purchase a ticket for my child under 3? No, children under the age of 3 are free. Is camping available at this festival? This is a non camping festival. How do I book to have a stall? Please email Charlotte on charlotte@redjellyproductions.com for all non food stall applications.
Harry Beynon Posted August 31, 2015 Report Posted August 31, 2015 One look at sausageandciderfestival.com would have revealed it was never going to be anything to do with Herefordshire. It's just a travelling festival.
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 This lady thought is was good: Anne Shuker A whole day of music, no travel expenses. Yes the food was expensive. £1 for a can of Pepsi. If you think of the cost of travel to go to something like this, and the cost of the bands I don't think it was that bad. I confess I didn't pay for food there, I popped home for lunch and a wee. The sax quartet and jazz band was with the entrance fee to see in my opinion. The best tribute band today was the Fillers (Killers). You just have to box clever with these things. Picnic in the car park and you can get a wristband to go back in. Colette Cutter It's good that you enjoyed the day and it didn't cost you a fortune. But, why do Herefordshire Council feel it is acceptable to charge an entry fee on land that is for public use. It is illegal. They've really let themselves down here Lisa Edwards I very much doubt it's illegal.
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 Tracey Roberts Went on Saturday, want impressed there was nothing local, which I expected especially at the extortion prices on the gate, I also had a bottle of sealed soft drink removed even after explaining I need it for medication taking! Nothing there apart from a few rides for teenagers, the music was ok but looking at the post above it says that if you look under 25 you will be asked for id, well I have a very young looking 19 year old (he looks about 12 on the best day of days) but he want asked, maybe it could of been because he was me but he still should of been id'd he does everywhere else locally. Very very disappointed with the whole event.
Aylestone Voice Posted August 31, 2015 Report Posted August 31, 2015 I am not on here to defend the Council. It is not their event. Why should they regulate how an outside event operates? They lease out the coffee stalls in High Town and don't tell them what they can charge for drinks and they lease Edgar St to HFC and don't tell them how much they should charge to enter the ground. That said I agree that the whole enterprise appears to be pretty shoddy.
Mick Posted August 31, 2015 Report Posted August 31, 2015 I am not on here to defend the Council. It is not their event. Why should they regulate how an outside event operates? They lease out the coffee stalls in High Town and don't tell them what they can charge for drinks and they lease Edgar St to HFC and don't tell them how much they should charge to enter the ground. That said I agree that the whole enterprise appears to be pretty shoddy. AV the King George playing field, this is public land is it not? How can council allow them to just fence off an area then charge people to enter that area?
Aylestone Voice Posted August 31, 2015 Report Posted August 31, 2015 I don't seem to recall this much fuss when the circus was on the land last year? As far as I know they charged people to go in. Is this just another case of slam the Council because what the operator is charging is viewed to be excessive?
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 Herefordshire Sausage & Cider Family Festival Hi Hereford voice. Unfortunately we can't please everyone. We have delivered everything that we had advertised we would do and can prove that. Whilst we can always improve, we are sorry to those that have not enjoyed it. It's been a great first year festival and the majority of the people that have joined us this year have had a brilliant weekend (apart from the rain!) many thanks xx Hereford Voice Thank you for responding. We are only the messenger and I have received far too many complaints to ignore it. It might be worth you having a read though them, although I will warn you there are a lot. You may learn a few things from what people have written.
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 Leah Eggerton Very disappointed!, went to the festival with a group of over 16 people and before entering the site was shocked to see how small the site was and for it to be called a sausage and cider festival is outrageous!, I'm heavily pregnant and before entering the site had my handbag searched!, i saw a sign saying no food or drink, I had two cereal bars (to keep my sugar levels up) to find that the lady at the gate trying to confiscate them off me!, and for my partner to then get shouted at just as he was explaining why I had them but she wasn't so understanding!, we then got on to the site to find it looked like a fair ground! More rides than any stalls!, was very disappointed to walk in and to find no local products or stalls sampling and selling locally based sausages and ciders!, but crepes, chocolate fountain, face painting stalls etc! For Herefordshire to be the land of cider was just so embarrassing!, the festivals organisers need to get more local information and knowledge and get more local businesses to support them!, not in a rush to return next year! Herefordshire Sausage & Cider Family Festival Hi Leah - I'm really sorry about the cereal bars, i will ensure that doesn't happen again. We have noted your suggestions and will act on them accordingly next year.
Colin James Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Posted August 31, 2015 Ade Davies I'm not surprised there have been complaints. Hereford needs things like this, as we all like something a bit different. But this was a real let down. Mainly expense for what we received. What was I paying£8.50 for?Being totally honest, I can serve up a quality sausage with choice of onions and mushrooms from my own BBQ.I reckon I could entertain from my own backyard with free entry. And if anyone doesn't like my entertainment, they can leave knowing their bank balance is in a stable state! Herefordshire Sausage & Cider Family Festival Hi Ade The £8.50 (or £6.50 if you purchased online) Was to pay for - 3 Days of Tribute Bands - The Main Stage structure, Undercover seating structure - The Free Balloon & face painting for Children - The free punch & Judy show for children - All 6 children’s characters & the people to wear them - The medics, Paramedics & Ambulance - The 24 Hour Security company - The generators, Lighting towers, Engineers - The diesel to power all of the above for 7 days - The sound system, sound engineers, staging, lighting - The fencing & the team to put it up and down - The ped barrier / Portacabin offices - The toilets, cleaning the toilets, removal of toilet waste - The site cleaners, The skips & Bins - Radio communications - The tables & chair hire for people to sit on - The Traffic Management company & road signage - The Event Management Company & Event Management plan - The promotion through royal mail, flyers & facebook - The site hire cost to the council - The site insurance - The list is endless to be honest. We have done our best to keep the price as low as possible. On top of all of the above the Government then take 20% of each ticket price so its actually less that the about price because that incudes the VAT. We will constantly improve every year. Everything we had advertised in advance including the ticket price – we have delivered on and our team have worked very hard through the rain to make sure that happens. Whilst we know there will always be complaints no matter what we do, the majority of the thousands of people that have attended so far have had a great weekend. Warmest Regards Jimmy Jamie-lee Samuel Price Should of said what about the £100 keg that makes about 72pints = £288. Rent they charge for profit off the rides = over 2k alone. Also quite abit of money is tax free. Profit margin without charging entry after expense is still substantial when you add every thing up Ade Davies Very disappointed. On entry I saw security and thought, excellent! My wife's bag was searched and then she was allowed to continue. I asked,"do I need to be searched?", "no" was the reply," you don't have a bag". Well that wasn't thorough, I could easily have knives or drugs! (But I wouldn't). Then my mother in law had her bag searched! The security guard found what he was looking for, a can of lemonade( 4x330ml for £1). This was confiscated. I'll have that back when I leave was my remark. At the gate, I paid £32.50, (this better be good). Once inside, further surprise at the unbelievably overpriced food. Four gourmet sausages purchased. (£16). Gourmet! Are you serious. Not a chance are the sausages gourmet. Typical sausage found at a fete. Several different ciders to choose from. £4 a pint, seriously. I will get my little boy a lemonade, as his was confiscated! £1 a can. Now somebody is having a laugh here. Am I on candid camera! I'll cut it short with the bands, "not bad". Overall, a very expensive day out. Very greedy people out there, just out to make a quick buck. Definitely won't be going again, hopefully it won't return. On exit! Can I have the can back. Answer,"no". The end.
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