[Iceman]

I had to wait a bit for my meal, but it was worth it. Left the restaurant at 13.50.

I must have just missed you.

Iceman

[patowalker]

Oh, rats - I missed you by about an hour, then. Next time!

Just to clarify. The like was for 'next time'.

[Dave W]

[cadoganpier]

Went today ( Sunday) and it was great. The staff were clearly still learning the ropes but all very friendly, sausage sandwich was fantastic and the refurbished restaurant/cafe/bar was a very welcome change to some of the dives we visit... Hopefully places like this, Goodwood, Beccles and Sandown will lead a few more venues to up their game.

[webdevduck]

Popped up today. There's clearly been a lot of investment and it looks very swish.

The car park was busy and a good bustle in the cafe, so as I stood waiting to be seated, I did wonder how slow it might be. However, service was quick with some familiar faces, my drink arrived only a couple of minutes after ordering and my cheese baguette followed soon after, so no complaints there. They also still seemed to have cake on the counter, which I will investigate further next time.

The ops side was a different story, there seemed to be only one guy working behind there having a stressful day. Hopefully he'll get some more support and there'll be friendly faces back behind the desk soon.

[Peter Kelly]

I flew in today and was horribly disappointed. They seem to be intent on turning it from an airfield into a 'destination'. A huge soulless barn of an eatery reminiscent of a motorway service area. They have a vast and expanding car park under construction alongside almost the entire length of the runway to the east of the clubhouse. They are clearly planning for visitors in quantity. And they have an 'events area' all fenced in and ready for them. Like a motorway service area... Good luck.

And I was served the worst cheese baguette I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. The cheapest, stickiest most cloying cheese ever, in a warmed-over baguette. I'm feeling queasy just writing about it. Maybe it is a motorway service area that has got lost? Not nice.

Oh, and at least one of the people running the place was completely up themselves and full of their own importance. Not nice.

Think of it as totally charmless industrial restaurant, devoid of character that happens to be alongside a runway and you won't be disappointed. I expect it will be a huge success - in the same way as Longleat, LegoLand and South Mimms are successful - but it's not for me anymore.

Very sad.

P

[cirrostratus]

Operationally they will have to learn a thing or two....... such as what happened Sunday last.... letting/ instructing a Robinson R44 to Hover-Taxi to the 100LL fuel pump, when the surrounding areas had aircraft parked........ I had to literally hang on desparately to my taildragger whilst parked at the adjacent UL91 pump. Not impressed

[Dave W]

It's A/G.

They cannot instruct anything. That situation can only be down to the R44 pilot.

[Peter Kelly]

I believe the new manager is a retired gunner with little or no experience in airfield operations... The locals are reserving judgement...

[Peter Kelly]

It's A/G.

They cannot instruct anything. That situation can only be down to the R44 pilot.

100% correct. No instructions are allowed from A/G radio. But the smart A/G operators have a nice way of providing timely information... "We currently have multiple fixed-wing aircraft waiting to fuel..."

And I do agree that a fair proportion of the whirly-drivers are muppets...

[NDB_hold]

I flew in today and was horribly disappointed. They seem to be intent on turning it from an airfield into a 'destination'. A huge soulless barn of an eatery reminiscent of a motorway service area. They have a vast and expanding car park under construction alongside almost the entire length of the runway to the east of the clubhouse. They are clearly planning for visitors in quantity. And they have an 'events area' all fenced in and ready for them. Like a motorway service area... Good luck.

And I was served the worst cheese baguette I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. The cheapest, stickiest most cloying cheese ever, in a warmed-over baguette. I'm feeling queasy just writing about it. Maybe it is a motorway service area that has got lost? Not nice.

Oh, and at least one of the people running the place was completely up themselves and full of their own importance. Not nice.

Think of it as totally charmless industrial restaurant, devoid of character that happens to be alongside a runway and you won't be disappointed. I expect it will be a huge success - in the same way as Longleat, LegoLand and South Mimms are successful - but it's not for me anymore.

Very sad.

P

This has made me want to go there to see who’s right.

Reverse psychology?

[G-JWTP]

I believe the new manager is a retired gunner with little or no experience in airfield operations... The locals are reserving judgement...

Should have stuck to football management then.



G-JWTP

[Ben K]

I flew in today and was horribly disappointed. They seem to be intent on turning it from an airfield into a 'destination'. A huge soulless barn of an eatery reminiscent of a motorway service area. They have a vast and expanding car park under construction alongside almost the entire length of the runway to the east of the clubhouse. They are clearly planning for visitors in quantity. And they have an 'events area' all fenced in and ready for them. Like a motorway service area... Good luck.

And I was served the worst cheese baguette I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. The cheapest, stickiest most cloying cheese ever, in a warmed-over baguette. I'm feeling queasy just writing about it. Maybe it is a motorway service area that has got lost? Not nice.

Oh, and at least one of the people running the place was completely up themselves and full of their own importance. Not nice.

Think of it as totally charmless industrial restaurant, devoid of character that happens to be alongside a runway and you won't be disappointed. I expect it will be a huge success - in the same way as Longleat, LegoLand and South Mimms are successful - but it's not for me anymore.

Very sad.

P

Yet if doing so keeps it open and financially healthy, surely better than it going bust?

Maybe it will gain character as it goes on?

[TopCat]

Maybe it will gain character as it goes on?

Indeed.

Personally, I think it's way too early to write it off based on one person that might have been a bit grumpy and one less than perfect cheese baguette.

It's an airfield. It hasn't closed. That's a bloody miracle in itself.

[Flyingfemme]

It's always been a bit of a "destination" for non-flyers and the car park was always overflowing on nice days. Making sensible space for what actually happens is good, IMNSHO. Expanding the caff to cope with the crowds that want feeding is also sensible and the profits from that can help with the overall running of the airfield. Symbiotic business.
The food quality is subjective - one man's lovely is another man's unfit to eat. And eggbeater drivers are often bad-mannered and used to doing what they want because most towers don't understand their impact or their needs. Those that hang out here seem remarkably well educated.........