Great Western Coffee Shop

Right, I'm going to have a rant now, because, personally, I think this is disgusting!

I was at Birmingham New Street station. I walked up to the Ticket Office and asked for a First Class Single to Wrexham General. (With intentions to take a London Midland Service to Tame Bridge Parkway & Wrexham and Shropshire Service to Wrexham General). I was issued the ticket with railcard discount at ^15.90

I had about an hour to kill so I decided I would sit in the First Class Lounge. Upon arrival I showed my ticket and was refused entry. Puzzled, I questioned this and asked the reasoning behind it. I was told that because I wasn't travelling with Virgin Trains I would not be allowed in.

Well firstly how do they know I wasn't planning to travel from Birmingham - Chester on Virgin Trains and then on to Wrexham??

They then went on to say that because CrossCountry trains don't pay towards the First Class Lounge, I was unable to be admitted. So how exactly is it CrossCountry's fault because I was travelling to a station that they don't even serve?

I then went on to say that I thought it was totally unreasonable to turn me away because of a political issue between companies. I commented that I had walked up to the Ticket Office and asked for a First Class ticket to where I need to go, and said I would be happy to use Virgin Trains for part of my journey to get there. (Which, according to the VT Website would have entitled me to access the lounge) This didn't work and I decided to leave but requested a complaint form.

What has annoyed me about this is the following things:

1) I used The Manchester Piccadilly Lounge (Provided by VT) on a Transpennine Express Ticket.
2) I have used the First Class Lounge at Newcastle (Provided by GNER/NXEC) with a Virgin Trains Ticket (Before XC Took Over)
3) A political issue over costs between customers means the passenger suffers.
4) Customers of VT allowed to use other operators lounges on Walkup tickets (Which I had Purchased)

It also says on their website that customers using Virgin Trains for part of the journey would be allowed entry (link below)

http://downloads.virgintrains.co.uk/docs/FirstClass-entry.pdf

Rant over,

What do you all think?

Anybody with a First Class ticket should be allowed entry to any First Class lounge.

End of story.

Send that complaint form off!

Unfortunately life isn't that simple. Different companies have different policies (for example, you can't use a first class advance ticket in an NXEC lounge). In general complaining about a company policy that's clearly advertised will get you nowhere, and rightly so.

However, in this case a mistake has definitely been made:

1. The ticket you have (First Class Anytime Day Single) is available by any permitted route (as a bit of an aside, ^15.90 for that journey seems like very good value).

2. Travelling BHM - WRX via Chester is a permitted route. This involves using VT from BHM to Crewe.

3. Virgin say on their website that the FC lounge is for customers who hold a first class ticket that would enable them to complete "all or part of their journey on a Virgin Trains service from this station".

4. Your ticket therefore fulfilled that requirement and you were absolutely entitled to use the FC lounge at BHM.

Good luck with the complaint.

Wrong wrong wrong. It's one the problem with this country we don't complain enough. If the policy is stupid then there is even more reason to complain.

It's simple a First Class ticket gives use of First Class Lounges.

I've often used the First Class lounge at New St whilst travelling to the North East on a (discounted) Cross Country ticket.

Coming the other way, NXEC (and GNER before them) won't allow you into their lounge at Newcastle (or the one at Edinburgh) if you've got a cheap First Class ticket.

Exactly. And IMO, all First Class lounges should be taken over by NR/ another company, so there is none of this pathetic "you can't come in here as you're with another TOC...." nonsense.

And as for NXEC not allowing First Advance ticket holders - it is a disgrace! More proof that First Advance fares are only "semi-First Class."

Maybe it was the fact that I looked too young to use such a civilised environment...  ::) (I'm 18)

Thanks for all your comments ;D

I am going to write in a letter to VT because it is unreasonable, as people have said, First Class Anytime Ticket = Entry to First Class Lounge on Valid Routes. I shall post the response (if I get one ;) )

It is true that NXEC don't let you into the lounge on a cheap ticket. The trick is if you book in advance, book the ticket the advance ticket from Durham, and then buy a walkup ticket from Newcastle - Durham ;D

Costs ^7.40 But, if you have a laptop and want to access the Internet, you'd pay that for a coffee & cake as well as the cost to use the WiFi Network. (e.g. The Cloud, T-Mobile or BT Openzone)

Thanks for that advice. But it poses a big problem. The Centurion Bar is so good, architecturally. Can I desert that in favour of NXEC's Lounge? How good are their cakes by comparison?

Now there's a dilemma, a real ale bar (I presumme the Centurion is a real Ale bar)  versus a tea and cakes in the First Class Lounge. No contest, good reason for travelling standard you don't feel that you've lost  out by not  using all the facilities offered.

I don't drink so personally, the First Class lounge for me because I get the free WiFi and Drinks etc included free in my ticket ;D

But yes I can see that would be a decision worthy of much debate ;)

You could always bring the ale with you, would be cheaper than buying it in the pub, but the experience is not the same... ::) Only problem I see is that NXEC Lounge Staff might frown upon this...  8)

TheTrout will now go and experience the delights of First Class on London Midland, Followed by XC and FGW. I could post experiences on this if required...??

TT

Something's just occurred to me... How did you get a Y-P discount on a first class anytime day single? Unless the conditions have changed recently I thought they were only good for a discount on first advance fares.

Simple Answer to a reasonable question ;D

I dont have a Y-P Railcard...  ::)

I was told last week by staff in the KGX NXEC lounge that as part of the cutbacks NXEC will be turning all first class lounges self service. Not Newcastle style self service where the lounge is still staffed but you help yourself to drinks but rather Doncaster style where the lounge is totally unstaffed and you let yourself in by holding your ticket up to a camera above the intercom.

I was told that they're looking into letting all first class ticket holders (i.e. advance) into the lounges once again, presumably so they can mention this as an enhancement. In reality it's going to be a disaster. How are they going to keep an unstaffed lounge in a station as busy as KGX clean? It also means that paid for food, alcohol and soft drinks will vanish from KGX leaving only the complimentary offering.

NXEC cutbacks are getting beyond a joke this year. The onboard catering has been cut dramatically, many staff have been laid off and staff morale is very low which kills the enjoyment of travelling by train.

If you've not already, please sign the petition (http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/NXECservice/). I know there's a strong chance the petition won't do anything (unless the government are looking for criticism of NXEC) but at the minimum we can get a response from the government about the mess they've made (I blame the government for this mess, they should not have took the highest bid without thinking of the consequences. The amount of money NXEC pledged the government was so high that they'd have struggled even if the recession hadn't hit).

Hopefully the farce of NXEC will mean that the government will take quality of service more into account when making future franchising decisions.

I think NXEC are a shambles aswell from what I read, although i've not travelled with them since GNER went, GNER were a pleasure to travel with, proper smart uniforms, staff that were consistent in their approach to tickets etc and the trains were usually clean!

To be honest - I wish they'd have given it to Virgin.

VT seem to be the only TOC to be enhancing catering and not lengenthing journey times!

NX need to be BANNED from running any rail operations - Central Trains were woeful...

And LM and EMT are a mile better?

LM are MILES better than CT.

Never travelled on MML/EMT.

Only ever used MML once. Back in 2002 when I used to live in Sheffield I still preferred GNER to get to London. MML weren't bad apart from their journey times. As a standard class passenger you could walk up to the buffet and get a free coffee. I don't know how they compared in 1st class though.

London Midland are good ;D

Staff are friendly, the trains are clean and the catering IMO offers good value for money. Although I will comment that you don't get any complimentaries in FC. But then IMO the price reflects this. and the price for FC is worth it just to use the power sockets so I can design Computer Networks on Microsoft Visio ;D