Some people don't like change, fair enough, but this bloke was just plain rude and obnoxious. He didn't have to be such an arse about it all, especially as they wanted help in the first place!
I've just been reading recent reviews on Trip Advisor and they're very good. I hope he is man enough to contact Alex and apologise because her changes clearly helped. Hate the signs he put up and the use of "eatery."
Considering he used to not even take £20 in a day sometimes, he has a lot to thank Alex for.
I have to say that I don't like wooden floors in cafes and tea rooms. They are clattery and chairs don't move well on them. I had to leave a large cafe without ordering because the noise of chairs scraping across the floor was doing my head in. I like to sit and relax over a cuppa not be assaulted with noise.
I would have liked all the staff there to have been given a good scrub up and fresh uniforms .... They looked grubby and unprofessional to me.
Didn't he say at the end they made more money after he put that bloody kettle man sign back up (and no doubt the blue signs made the takings go up as well), so it was nothing to do with Alex at all (rolly eyes) He'll never admit Alex's changes helped and he was wrong!
Look how the inside of their house looks - soft toys all over for heaven's sake. Everything about them needs changing - décor, dress sense, manners, weight , teeth - everything !! The three of them are awful.
Agree about the teeth, that would put me off eating there.:o
As someone who hates change myself, I can understand how difficult it can be for people like Ray to accept. However, this family contacted Alex for help and anyone who does that must know that some changes (especially to the decor) are going to be suggested and need to be open to that. Ray seemed determined to hate everything on principle without even giving it a fair chance.
Are the changes to the decor funded by the programme makers? I assume they are. Therefore, even if the owners have doubts, they can at least try them (as they're free) and change back if they really don't like them.
Well I think that is the difference. Some don't like change and that is one thing, but he was deliberately out to be as unreasonable as possible. That is actually a psychotic character trait when you go to any level possible to prove that he is right and everyone else wrong. Getting a light meter to prove that he was right shows premeditated thought along the lines of whackos that are currently inside.
That's very different from a person who just doesn't like change.
Seems that it was the two female's idea alone to call in help and he was against it from the start as it was not needed as he was right and that was that. He then did everything at any cost to prove that. That's psychotic behaviour.
Well he doesn't like wooden floors, that's for sure and he made that very clear.
It's a common mistake in any business to go with what you like and not what is best and liked by your customers. You have to learn that it isn't all about you. You can absolutely hate something, but if your customers like it, then it's good business to have it.
Many people selling houses make the mistake of painting and decorating things brightly to their own tastes and it's not what you want to do when you are trying to do business with a cross-section of the general public.
If an older person opens a nightclub then they have to have all sorts of dreadful décor and things that appeal to the younger set and not their own tastes. You market for your target not yourself.
I suppose that what characterises family businesses is that they are people who don't like being told what to do.
I checked it out on Google Maps. It's not such a bad location, surrounded by Hotels and other touristy stuff and less than 200 yards from the front. They'll need a Unique Selling Point to get people to stray that far though. How about really good food, that's what I would like. It could be successful. Whenever I have visited the seaside I get a desire for fish and chips which done well is brilliant. No sign of them here. The best fish and chips in Torquay, now that would work.
The Google image (july 2014) shows the revised signage which is appallingly bad and hardly noticeable. Quite right to change it, but the interior was much better.
Well he doesn't like wooden floors, that's for sure and he made that very clear.
It's a common mistake in any business to go with what you like and not what is best and liked by your customers. You have to learn that it isn't all about you. You can absolutely hate something, but if your customers like it, then it's good business to have it.
Many people selling houses make the mistake of painting and decorating things brightly to their own tastes and it's not what you want to do when you are trying to do business with a cross-section of the general public.
If an older person opens a nightclub then they have to have all sorts of dreadful décor and things that appeal to the younger set and not their own tastes. You market for your target not yourself.
Exactly when we were moving house it came down to 3 properties. All in the right area and at roughly the same price. On of them had deep red walls and that was what put it out of the running. As it would have taken a lot of getting rid of and the other 2 did had neutral colours so would not need decorating straight away.
//Then she takes them to the Gherkin of all places. And this summed up the issue with the episode for me. I don't think Alex ever came down to their level and as the episode went on I felt they were becoming more and more resentful of that. When Alex apologised to the cake guy for the pre-packed scones thing.. it was as if Alex was saying "I can't believe I've brought these people into your kitchen". It all felt very cold.//
That is one of the problems I have with AP. OK the bloke was a beligerent old school twerp but AP always seems to do things that appeal to the metropolitan elite who tend to hang about in trendy/classy wine bars and Patessieries in High end London. 75% of the country are not of the mind set of these people who live and work in the city. I can't see the millionaires and foreign investors who will buy the new build apartments nipping into the Singing Kettle for a fry up whatever they did or what they place looked like. IMO it was simply in the wrong place.
I suppose that what characterises family businesses is that they are people who don't like being told what to do.
I checked it out on Google Maps. It's not such a bad location, surrounded by Hotels and other touristy stuff and less than 200 yards from the front. They'll need a Unique Selling Point to get people to stray that far though. How about really good food, that's what I would like. It could be successful. Whenever I have visited the seaside I get a desire for fish and chips which done well is brilliant. No sign of them here. The best fish and chips in Torquay, now that would work.
The Google image (july 2014) shows the revised signage which is appallingly bad and hardly noticeable. Quite right to change it, but the interior was much better.
As I said it's not in a good place it is at the bottom of a hill, a hill which you only climb if you are staying in a hotel at the top, the only thing going for it is being opposite a hotel being featured on the channel 4 show.
Also now Stagecoach last year introduced a regular bus service for this road which means less people walking passed attempting the hill.
People walking along the seafront are not going to cross the main road to get to this place.
As I said it's not in a good place it is at the bottom of a hill, a hill which you only climb if you are staying in a hotel at the top, the only thing going for it is being opposite a hotel being featured on the channel 4 show.
Also now Stagecoach last year introduced a regular bus service for this road which means less people walking passed attempting the hill.
People walking along the seafront are not going to cross the main road to get to this place.
We stayed in a hotel just a bit further up the hill last summer (No, not the Grosvenor from The Hotel - that's almost opposite) and I don't completely agree that it's out of the way. At the bottom of the hill there's a bowling club and a tennis club, a park with quite a few things to attract a wide age group and it's on the way to the entrance to Torre Abbey and its grounds.
It may not have the same footfall as places down by the marina but there are a reasonable number of shops best accessed from that hill and a busy booking office for the land-train trips and mini-cruises along to Brixham.
We looked at the Singing Kettle on our first day but the menu suggested they were jacks of all trades and masters of none. If they stuck to breakfasts, sandwiches and cakes they'd give a better impression of doing a few things well instead of being meh at everything. And after seeing the family last night, we're not sorry to have decided to go elsewhere.
Just watched last night's episode on Catch Up; wow - never seen Alex so angry.
The guy seemed completely unreasonable when asked to change anything.
I wonder what he expected when he agreed to take part - possibly that Alex would come in, say everything's basically OK, tweak the menu, get the property made over for free then bask in the increase in custom because of the PR? All a bit naive.
I also wonder what he thought when he watched the programme...?
The last comment says it right, why would you sit outside the tea rooms looking at a bowling hut when you can walk a few minutes to the sea front and look at the view.
The last comment says it right, why would you sit outside the tea rooms looking at a bowling hut when you can walk a few minutes to the sea front and look at the view.
"Page Not Found". Ray has probably been on the phone ranting about the comments.
What a pathetic family, with a lousy excuse for a business. The daughter bursts into floods of tears over butter cream, the husband throws a strop when someone actually tells him the truth and the wife is so wishy-washy she doesn't seem to know what's going on.
I felt bad for Alex in the episode, even though she can come off as snooty at times, she completely right in everything she said, The Messers were deluded in thinking that dive was a 'charming little seaside tearoom'. More like the 'greasy-spoon that time forgot'. It seriously looked as if it hadn't been touched since the 70s. I bet whoever they bought it off saw them coming a mile off.
And then after she spent all that time and effort to help them, the husband throws it back in her face by complaining about everything imaginable and then changing back her signage to that hideously, tacky Blackpool-in-the-80s montrosity. No wonder she lost the rag - don't ask for help if you're not going to accept some constructive criticism first.
The common thread in all Alex's shows, be they Hotels or tearooms, is that the businesses are run by a disfunctional family crippled by internal strife , who are impervious to criticism and resentful of anyone telling them they are utter shite at running a business.
The man's approach seemed more greasy spoon than cream tea shop, in a very unrelaxing setting.
The menu really confused me at the time of broadcast.
I wouldn't expect an all day breakfast at a tea room, I would have thought that the day would start with morning coffees, light lunches and of course cream teas.
These places go wrong when they give such huge menus, they've got to have it all in stock ready to cook to order.
I did sympathise with Ray, it can't be easy having someone come in and basically slate your livelyhood but if you want Alex in then you've got to expect it.
I'm assuming that the makeover didn't cost Ray a penny.
I wonder what he expected when he agreed to take part - possibly that Alex would come in, say everything's basically OK, tweak the menu, get the property made over for free then bask in the increase in custom because of the PR? All a bit naive.
They said a couple of times as soon as she arrived that they felt promotion was their issue and they were struggling to attract new business during the off season. During the summer months they were fine as a business it was getting the locals in that they were struggling with.
Alex set her sights on improving the interior and exterior and working on the food and menu. Which is fair enough... if you want to attract repeat trade/word of mouth custom you need to serve impressive food and if you want to get people in off the street you need to appeal visually. But I don't think the owners ever really accepted that this was the issue.
I actually preferred the last signs he changed back to APs signs. But the wife should spend a few bob getting her teeth fixed & hair done, she looked awful & he had horrible chest hairs sticking out, & as for the daughter, say no more.
Surely location is the main reason they are not doing well?
Comments
[URL="http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/theatre-comedy-dance/the-
singing-kettle-bow-out-with-final-performance-1-3651668"]http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/theatre-comedy-dance/the-singing-kettle-bow-out-with-final-performance-1-3651668[/URL]
Didn't he say at the end they made more money after he put that bloody kettle man sign back up (and no doubt the blue signs made the takings go up as well), so it was nothing to do with Alex at all (rolly eyes)
Agree about the teeth, that would put me off eating there.:o
Well I think that is the difference. Some don't like change and that is one thing, but he was deliberately out to be as unreasonable as possible. That is actually a psychotic character trait when you go to any level possible to prove that he is right and everyone else wrong. Getting a light meter to prove that he was right shows premeditated thought along the lines of whackos that are currently inside.
That's very different from a person who just doesn't like change.
Seems that it was the two female's idea alone to call in help and he was against it from the start as it was not needed as he was right and that was that. He then did everything at any cost to prove that. That's psychotic behaviour.
Well he doesn't like wooden floors, that's for sure and he made that very clear.
It's a common mistake in any business to go with what you like and not what is best and liked by your customers. You have to learn that it isn't all about you. You can absolutely hate something, but if your customers like it, then it's good business to have it.
Many people selling houses make the mistake of painting and decorating things brightly to their own tastes and it's not what you want to do when you are trying to do business with a cross-section of the general public.
If an older person opens a nightclub then they have to have all sorts of dreadful décor and things that appeal to the younger set and not their own tastes. You market for your target not yourself.
I checked it out on Google Maps. It's not such a bad location, surrounded by Hotels and other touristy stuff and less than 200 yards from the front. They'll need a Unique Selling Point to get people to stray that far though. How about really good food, that's what I would like. It could be successful. Whenever I have visited the seaside I get a desire for fish and chips which done well is brilliant. No sign of them here. The best fish and chips in Torquay, now that would work.
The Google image (july 2014) shows the revised signage which is appallingly bad and hardly noticeable. Quite right to change it, but the interior was much better.
Exactly when we were moving house it came down to 3 properties. All in the right area and at roughly the same price. On of them had deep red walls and that was what put it out of the running. As it would have taken a lot of getting rid of and the other 2 did had neutral colours so would not need decorating straight away.
That is one of the problems I have with AP. OK the bloke was a beligerent old school twerp but AP always seems to do things that appeal to the metropolitan elite who tend to hang about in trendy/classy wine bars and Patessieries in High end London. 75% of the country are not of the mind set of these people who live and work in the city. I can't see the millionaires and foreign investors who will buy the new build apartments nipping into the Singing Kettle for a fry up whatever they did or what they place looked like. IMO it was simply in the wrong place.
As I said it's not in a good place it is at the bottom of a hill, a hill which you only climb if you are staying in a hotel at the top, the only thing going for it is being opposite a hotel being featured on the channel 4 show.
Also now Stagecoach last year introduced a regular bus service for this road which means less people walking passed attempting the hill.
People walking along the seafront are not going to cross the main road to get to this place.
We stayed in a hotel just a bit further up the hill last summer (No, not the Grosvenor from The Hotel - that's almost opposite) and I don't completely agree that it's out of the way. At the bottom of the hill there's a bowling club and a tennis club, a park with quite a few things to attract a wide age group and it's on the way to the entrance to Torre Abbey and its grounds.
It may not have the same footfall as places down by the marina but there are a reasonable number of shops best accessed from that hill and a busy booking office for the land-train trips and mini-cruises along to Brixham.
We looked at the Singing Kettle on our first day but the menu suggested they were jacks of all trades and masters of none. If they stuck to breakfasts, sandwiches and cakes they'd give a better impression of doing a few things well instead of being meh at everything. And after seeing the family last night, we're not sorry to have decided to go elsewhere.
The guy seemed completely unreasonable when asked to change anything.
I wonder what he expected when he agreed to take part - possibly that Alex would come in, say everything's basically OK, tweak the menu, get the property made over for free then bask in the increase in custom because of the PR? All a bit naive.
I also wonder what he thought when he watched the programme...?
25936254-detail/story.html
The last comment says it right, why would you sit outside the tea rooms looking at a bowling hut when you can walk a few minutes to the sea front and look at the view.
"Page Not Found". Ray has probably been on the phone ranting about the comments.
http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/TV-Fixer-Alex-Polizzi-admits-defeat-attempt/story-25936254-detail/story.html
I felt bad for Alex in the episode, even though she can come off as snooty at times, she completely right in everything she said, The Messers were deluded in thinking that dive was a 'charming little seaside tearoom'. More like the 'greasy-spoon that time forgot'. It seriously looked as if it hadn't been touched since the 70s. I bet whoever they bought it off saw them coming a mile off.
And then after she spent all that time and effort to help them, the husband throws it back in her face by complaining about everything imaginable and then changing back her signage to that hideously, tacky Blackpool-in-the-80s montrosity. No wonder she lost the rag - don't ask for help if you're not going to accept some constructive criticism first.
Hilarious post
The menu really confused me at the time of broadcast.
I wouldn't expect an all day breakfast at a tea room, I would have thought that the day would start with morning coffees, light lunches and of course cream teas.
These places go wrong when they give such huge menus, they've got to have it all in stock ready to cook to order.
I did sympathise with Ray, it can't be easy having someone come in and basically slate your livelyhood but if you want Alex in then you've got to expect it.
I'm assuming that the makeover didn't cost Ray a penny.
Did that never occur to him?
They said a couple of times as soon as she arrived that they felt promotion was their issue and they were struggling to attract new business during the off season. During the summer months they were fine as a business it was getting the locals in that they were struggling with.
Alex set her sights on improving the interior and exterior and working on the food and menu. Which is fair enough... if you want to attract repeat trade/word of mouth custom you need to serve impressive food and if you want to get people in off the street you need to appeal visually. But I don't think the owners ever really accepted that this was the issue.
Surely location is the main reason they are not doing well?