Restaurant /bar trade in CT

[emerald]

HI all. Recently returned from CT. First two weeks over Xmas nd New Year were fairly busy, but our last week until we returned on the 12th.Jan was very quite.On our last Friday and Saturday night several of the restaurants/bars did not open at all in the evening.(Cucharas area). There was just nobody about. We walked up to the main end of CT, mainly to do a last minute visit to the shops, and had decided that afterwards we would go the Waterfront on our way back for evening meal. Near enough every restaurant we passed, we were pestered to go into!At first, we didnt mind.But after a while it became annoying and we ended backtracking down the side of the Galliaon back to the Waterfront. I fully sympathise with the restaurants/bars and the lack of business must be very bad financially for them all. It is very sad, because everyone is so firendly, you really do feel for them. But at the end of the day,we did not like being stopped all the time. As we stayed at Sands Beach, (right down the other end), and my hubby has walking difficulties, we mainly walked down to the Cucharas area, but there are not many restaurants and bars there.Not so much choice of food and both drinks and food were quite a bit more expensive than the main end.Robinsons bar was very nice and reasonably priced as well. Our favourite eating/drinking place,( when we were able to walk that far !)was the Cutty Sark. Daytime was mainly spent around Sands Beach. We really enjoyed our holiday and cant wait to go back again. It probably would make sense for us to stay further along than Sands, but this where our daughter decided to buy her villa? We could also choose to buy a half board package here, but we prefer SC. I am very anti AI hotels as this must be very damaging to CT trade.How do others feel about been pestered outside the restaurants? Or is this just an off peak thing? 

[✈ Elle ☀]

I hate being pestered - and have found it a problem along the seafront... but they're always polite - unlike other holiday resorts I've travelled to (various Greek islands etc).

Yes - this time of year is always quiet after the buzz of Crimbo... but it'll pick up again in Feb for the half term.

Where's Robinsons Bar, emerald? I don't think we have them in the listings.

Elle xx

PS: Glad you loved the Cutty!

[Josie]

Elle is right - if you want to see real pestering go to Greece or Turkey.

Not making eye contact helps.

If you do have to engage in conversation and it is evening we normally say "looks lovely but we've had a really late lunch so maybe another time"

[miamoo]

I was also pestered abit to be honest, most of it was friendly but when the same person asks you 5 times in one evening it does get annoying.
One particular occasion I was walking past a chinese buffet resteraunt and the poor man outside was practically begging me to go inside and eat, telling me how he cant manage as there are to many chinese buffets, and he was the first one there, he made me feel very uncomfortable to be honest, he even started shouting over taxi drivers to confirm what he was saying, I ended up eating elsewhere.

I agree that there are much worse places though

[jude]

i can sympathise with bar owners trying to get trade but we personnaly dont like pr's.we have a policy in out square not to have them as listening to our customers we find they are off putting and can damage trade,unfortunately some bars do not agree and shortsightedly carry on,frightening trade off for everyone! if people want to be in a bar it is their choice.
glad you had a good a holiday emerald x

[nightcap]

i can sympathise with bar owners trying to get trade but we personnaly dont like pr's.

I have rarely ever seen British Brecky bars using a PR system. Its restaurants & bars & clubs usually  

Brecky bars sell a decent brecky and get busy all on their own via quality & price or die. So in your business world PR isn't ever needed.


In the rest of the Tourist World though i think it is a bit naive and shortsighted to not use a pr as a tool for increasing ones revenue.

The problem with the PR is with businesses that employ total muppets with zero people skills expecting them to fill their place up with customers when what they do is just annoy the hell out of everybody passing thus giving the business a bad name

A quality skilled PR can be a life saver for many places. It makes me laugh when i hear pubs say "ill never use a PR ever" More times these places fold.

 

[✈ Elle ☀]

Well said! Too often we have seen monosyllabic fools outside places that should have someone with more decorum.

Nice to see you here nightcap - hope you are well xxxxxxx

[jude]

 

[emerald]

Thanks for all your comments. I was beginning to wonder if it was just us getting annoyed (a bit of the old age creeping in!). To be fair though, when chosing somewhere to eat, we are often influenced not by the outside menus but as to how many people are already eating there. If the place is totally empty, it is very easy to assume that perhaps it isnt a very popular place or food no good etc. See half a dozen tables occupied and it all starts looking much better! We had made up our minds to go to the Waterfront to eat one night and there was only one other couple there when we arrived.They left shortly afterwards and it was only when our food was brought out to us that others walking by stopped and then decided to drink or eat there also. perhaps this is part of the logic of trying to pull in customers. Get one or two tables taken and more will automatically follow?

[nightcap]

I am dying to know what Jude replied after the rant then deleted

Emerald missy, you seem close to having your finger well and truly on the pulse eating wise .

But!!!

Layman terms...

Easy one is if you walk past a restaurant or bar and its full and the food and drinks look scrummy then get in and try it,even if temped in by an "evil PR" .

If after sampling the goods and wares it sucks never go back  

But..

If  every place is empty and u are cruising at say 6pm evenings for a meal then than basically every place is gonna be also empty as you are too early out for a meal & so you cant use this system as an average.

Happy hunting decent eateries  

[Alan]

Not making eye contact helps.

I don't know... there is a particular kind of eye contact that does work. maybe that's a ´bloke' thing...

[✈ Elle ☀]

No Bart - that's you just being a tart!

[jude]

 nightcap ,i'd been on the cheap red wine and cant always be held accountable for my actions!! or language! so i edited !

[European1]

I was once spoken to by a PR at the terrazza bar, casino puerto del carmen. He advised me of what was on the menu then walked away, only when i said i´d like to eat there he came back. He was good, not sure but maybe simon, stuart or steve. Was definately a S. Meal was ok, views excellent, bill ok but he was ok.

Ooops, wrong town!

[Flash]

Not making eye contact helps.

I don't know... there is a particular kind of eye contact that does work. maybe that's a ´bloke' thing...

I'm with you there Bart - that would be the 'Get in my way and I'll rip your throat out' look!!  Works a treat.