155 replies to this topic

[Persephone1]

Thought it might be useful to have a thread so that everyone could give their feedback on the event.

Overall I thought it was a fab event. The guests for the most part were incredibly lovely and people like Rik and Ben were just so genuine and thrilled that so many people wanted to see them and I'd love to have them back again. Ditto Paul Copeley and Liz May Brice. And kudos on keeping Kai a surprise - the scream when he appeared was amazing to hear. I also thought that Gareth was amazing - once again he stepped up to the plate despite other headliners falling by the wayside and it was wonderful to see him again. It wouldn't be a Hub event without him. Have to say Katy Wix seemed a bit bewildered and overwhelmed by it all but I guess these events aren't for everyone.

Pleased that the next event will be elsewhere. Although the problem with the Park Inn is that it has so few rooms and is pay in advance which just isn't practical in the current climate- you need a hotel you can take over that has enough rooms to accommodate everyone and that doesn't require you to pay up now! As far superior a hotel as the Hilton was I very much disliked the attitude of the staff there. To me it seemed very very clear that they didn't want the event there and someone (the manager? he had an American accent) was incredibly rude to my friends and I on the Saturday night. Also the housekeeping staff seemed to ignore the Do Not Disturb signs and barged in regardless. The bar staff were inattentive and took forever (and I'm not precious about these things) and the discount bar was still ludicrously expensive. Also some of the comments from the other patrons of the hotel were somewhat less than kind. The whole point of going to a convention is to have a great time with like minded people  - not deal with hostile staff and rude jeers from other people at the hotel.

In terms of the convention I guess I had 2 suggestions - I do think that the intimate encounters should have a minimum bid of £10 as it just somehow seemed a bit disrespectful that a talk with Daniel Denby Ashe went for £5 and a talk with Paul Copeley £6 - £10 just seems somehow far more respectable a figure.

But my mine gripe was the cocktail party. I can't fault how well its put together or how attentive the crew were - everyone was going around topping up peoples drinks which was very impressive but you desperately need to circulate the guests better. It just didn't work at all and because you do everything else so well it was frustrating to see something so simple not  working. I mean our group only saw the two guests we did because we made eye contact with one (Rik) who then came over and because I had to kick up a (polite) fuss and get Gareth bought over as the girls I was stood with desperately wanted to speak to him. We also saw Ben but that doesn't count as he was literally taken away from our group by his handler after being stood there for all of 15 seconds! I stood and watched as  guests were bought to the same group twice, as guests stood with one group for 15 minutes and others for 30 seconds, as people followed the guest around the room, as people did the little trick of suddenly appearing in the circle whenever guests were chatting to one group. Somehow you need to define the groups in the room and the guests handlers need to steer them round the room in one clear direction and be assertive enough to encourage those who either try and follow the guest around or just magically appear at your side whenever one of the guests is there to go back to their groups and stay there. The guests should be coming to you - not the other way around.

Because it was the Saturday night and we'd already actually seen all the Saturday guests by that point I wasn't as annoyed as I might have been if it had been held on the Friday but the gold ticket holders do actually pay a fair bit of money for that cocktail party so it is important that its done right - noone should be coming out feeling that they didn't get to meet everyone they wanted to.

[Lauren H]

I agree about the hotel.  It was disgusting the way that con attendees were treated this weekend.  I experienced some rather rude staff, downright lazy staff and staff who really didn't give a crap about serving us.  I wrote an extremely strongly worded complaint to them, because I *know* how guests should be treated, it's what I do for a living!

Very glad the next one will be back at Northampton; the treatment and everything from the Hilton was unnacceptable.

[Harriettaa]

Lauren H, on Oct 26 2009, 06:12 PM, said:

I agree about the hotel.  It was disgusting the way that con attendees were treated this weekend.  I experienced some rather rude staff, downright lazy staff and staff who really didn't give a crap about serving us.  I wrote an extremely strongly worded complaint to them, because I *know* how guests should be treated, it's what I do for a living!

Very glad the next one will be back at Northampton; the treatment and everything from the Hilton was unnacceptable.

i honestley totally disagree! i felt i was treated properley by the staff, the bar staff i do admit were all rubbish and several could not even pull a pint properley but the cleaners took notice of our do not disturb sign, the staff i dealt with were polite and helpful on the many occasions i dealt with them. the only time i felt they were rude was on the saturday just before the party, where i did feel very looked down upon by a member of staff but in their defense i was wearing the craziest outfit you have seen and at that moment actually happened to have my trousers around my ankles and was pretending to ice skate on the marble style floor... so i sorta deserved that one.

[Doctor Who]

I found everyone at the Hilton lovely and everyone I spoke to at the reception and consierge were very helpful. The only thing we had problems with this time was the rooms. We got our room's card which we had reserved, went up to the room and found out that someone was already in there so we went back down and were given another room. We then went to that room to find that it was a smoking room which to be fair, did stink of smoke so we went back down again. On the third attempt, we were given another room and when we went to try that out, the keycard didn't work. As you can imagine, it was beginning to get a bit frustrating at this point so we went back down for the fourth time and they managed to get the keycard to work. Having said all of that, once we had sorted out all of that, we experienced no problems over the weekend. The shower in the bathroom didn't however work so I had to use the taps in the bath which wasn't ideal.

Edit: Oh and we also had problems with the courtesy bus, angelkitty knows all about that.

Edited by Doctor Who, 26 October 2009 - 06:31 PM.

[Persephone1]

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the only time i felt they were rude was on the saturday just before the party, where i did feel very looked down upon by a member of staff but in their defense i was wearing the craziest outfit you have seen and at that moment actually happened to have my trousers around my ankles and was pretending to ice skate on the marble style floor... so i sorta deserved that one.

Not the point. You're a guest in the hotel. As long as you're not making a nuisance of yourself  or disturbing others you can wear what the hell you want and noone should even look at you twice. I had to walk into a lobby of a 5 star hotel in my dressing gown once as I'd forgotten my key went I went to the spa and the manager didn't even blink - thats proper service. I was very unimpressed with the general vibe of the hotel staff I dealt with - in a climate where people are cancelling work style conventions and not having Christmas parties they should frankly be grateful for 600/700 people paying to stay in their hotel for the weekend.

[Tiggerboing]

I agree it was a fab event and enjoyed it - but I didnt think it was as good as Hubs 1 & 2 and after speaking with some others they thought the same.
So glad its back at Northampton last time even though its easier for me to get to the Hilton. I too found the staff rude and had a slight run in after waiting ages to order food. The manager was downright rude. Also had the problem with the do not disturb sign on the door.

Found all the guests to be polite  - but a couple a little standoffish at both the signings and the photoshoots - but of the newbies cannot fault Rik & especially Ben. Rik is such a lovely down to earth polite guy with a great smile maybe slightly biased after the kisses he was giving out at the gold party. Ben is one extremely funny and entertaining guy who could talk for England. On his official facebook fan page he has said  - he had a fantastic time meeting the Torchwood fans at the hub3. Was an awesome weekend with lots of laughts and lots of fun. Can't wait for the next step of the journey.
Privately he has also said he would love to be invited again.

Much as I missed Tom (great hes at the next one) Ben was ace.


This was the first time I'd had a gold ticket and I can fully understand why there have been complaints at both the previous hubs after witnessing it at first hand.
Persphone1 is quite right that the circulation of the guests was fairly non existant. We were at the side of the room and only got to meet Rik as he seemed to be going out of his way to try to circulate on his own as when he came over to us there was no crew member with him.
Ben was brought over to us - managed to say a few sentences  to us as a group then another crew member came - butted into the story he was telling us and took him away to a group at a table where I timed he was with them for alot longer.
We never got to meet Gareth at all.
It also seemed to us observing from the side that there were certain cliques involving some of the crew members I hate to say where the guests were being moved to.

We had a chat about it and probably the best thing to do would be to have seated areas of so many gold ticket numbers and the guests are then moved from table to table. Its not as relaxed but would poss make it fairer.  
I did initially think having the same seat for the whole afternoon was a good idea as I prefer to be on the end of a row but then went to an intimate encounter with Gareth which was at the same time people were let into the hall which then meant I had to sit further back as no end seats available.
Maybe at the next one - people could be let into the hall not at the same time as the first encounters?

This and the seating in the hall to be fair has meant I have brought Silver for the next one.

Plus - can we not have strobe lighting at the parties - was not able to attend for long as my friend can be affected by it. So that spoilt it for me too.

My overall opinion was that there was definately a diff atmosphere to the prev two  - seemed initally quite muted - but I suppose because of James not being able to attend  - and the rest being newbies it seemed to fall to Gareth to uphold the now Hub tradition of what people seem to expect from the panels but with the arrival of Kai the atmosphere changed again back to similar to the first two.


So loved it - just not as much at first - but as both Kai & Tom will hopefully be at the next one  and it being back at the Park - things will return to normal (if you can call it that)

[Persephone1]

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My overall opinion was that there was definately a diff atmosphere to the prev two - seemed initally quite muted - but I suppose because of James not being able to attend - and the rest being newbies it seemed to fall to Gareth to uphold the now Hub tradition of what people seem to expect from the panels but with the arrival of Kai the atmosphere changed again back to similar to the first two.

I actually far preferred the panels to the last event. At Hub 2 it was all getting a little bit juvenile. This time I thought the guests were all interesting and articulate and the panels were much more interesting for it.

[scoop1107]

Persephone1, on Oct 26 2009, 06:46 PM, said:

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My overall opinion was that there was definately a diff atmosphere to the prev two - seemed initally quite muted - but I suppose because of James not being able to attend - and the rest being newbies it seemed to fall to Gareth to uphold the now Hub tradition of what people seem to expect from the panels but with the arrival of Kai the atmosphere changed again back to similar to the first two.

I actually far preferred the panels to the last event. At Hub 2 it was all getting a little bit juvenile. This time I thought the guests were all interesting and articulate and the panels were much more interesting for it.

I thought the panels were brilliant - my favourite part of the whole weekends. I loved Kai's, if only for the fact he never got to grips with going up and down the steps to the stage!! Apart from that, he was just very funny, and he seemed very natural at what he was doing. Having not been to Hub before, I was unsure of what I would like best, but after this weekend I can definately say the panels were the highlight for me.

[reddragon]

Have to say that ALL hotel staff were great with me and I have no complaints about them at all.

Excellent weekend all in all. Guest and crew were excellent as usual.

Didn't really appreciate the hecklers in the talks either or mobiles going off.

A great day and cant wait for Hub 4 in Northampton.

Edited by reddragon, 26 October 2009 - 06:56 PM.

[Tiggerboing]

Persephone1, on Oct 26 2009, 06:46 PM, said:

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My overall opinion was that there was definately a diff atmosphere to the prev two - seemed initally quite muted - but I suppose because of James not being able to attend - and the rest being newbies it seemed to fall to Gareth to uphold the now Hub tradition of what people seem to expect from the panels but with the arrival of Kai the atmosphere changed again back to similar to the first two.

I actually far preferred the panels to the last event. At Hub 2 it was all getting a little bit juvenile. This time I thought the guests were all interesting and articulate and the panels were much more interesting for it.

I do agree there are times when you just sit there and think - ok leave it now - but I admit to liking a little bit of fun on the panels too. I do wish though that there were some decent questions and am getting fed up with similiar ones. Not that I am any good at asking a question.

[reddragon]

Lauren H, on Oct 26 2009, 06:12 PM, said:

Very glad the next one will be back at Northampton; the treatment and everything from the Hilton was unnacceptable.

I'm sorry you feel like that, I prefer the Hilton - have never had problems there, its easier to get to and I have to say, I've stayed there 4 times this year and staff have been extremely helpful and polite all 4 times.

[bexy]

Only complaints I have as far as the hotel is the staff in the main bar. Seemed determined to ignore us, brought the wrong or incomplete order and generally were rude and unhelpful. Also there was some bizarre stuff going on with drinks prices with two people being charged different prices for identical drinks. Other than that hotel staff were absolutely fine.
I certainly didn't have any problems with other guests at the hotel either, had a lovely time talking to some on Saturday night who were there for something else.

Definitely glad we're moving back to the Park Inn though as I like the smaller venue for the atmosphere you get there.

Crew as usual were fantastic and very helpful when there were some problems with a seemingly missing photoshoot picture (which turned up in the end!)

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Have to say Katy Wix seemed a bit bewildered and overwhelmed by it all but I guess these events aren't for everyone.

I had a totally different experience and had a lovely chat with Katy Wix, she was a little overwhelmed I think but was very friendly towards me and happy to talk.

[sazzra]

Didn't have a single iota of even hinted at hassle with any staff, even had them offering to go out of their way to do things, but as reddragon has said didn't appreciate the behaviour of some attendees (is it necessary to shout at crew because there's no personalisations on pictures? I think not) and, for the first time in 5 years of SM events, the attitude of one crew member twice in the space of 2 hours (basically refused to answer a very simple yes/no question and was shouting to move on when I was actually in motion). Generally a normal standard con, I won't be booking for Hub 4 as I'm kind of tired of the same stuff over and over but that's because I've been to all 3 rather than anything particular about The Hub as a convention.

Persephone, I agree about the panels - maybe because some of the guests weren't attracting the fan gril element before them? That's the impression I got anyway!

Oh, one more thing - if you're going to wear short skirts, could you get a friend to check how far up it rides when you bend over? I personally don't like having people's butt cheeks stuck in my face every time they start rummaging in their bags.

[Lauren H]

As a PAYING guest of the hotel, I expected to be treated better.  It's not so much when we were all dressed up (which was frankly hilarious on the Saturday night, as I walked through the main bar dressed as a punk prostitute!), it was during the day, when the bar staff just seemed to pay no attention whatsoever to anyone sat around in the bar, spent AGES getting to you to take your order, and were then quite rude when they took it.  I work in this industry, and have worked for a Hilton with the same number of stars as the Metropole, and it was just not on how we were treated sometimes.

Obviously everyone will have a different experience and a different view, but I was not impressed.

The con from the Showmasters POV however, was brilliant.  Well organised (apart from a few 'is this queue open or not?' issues), guests were forthcoming and polite, and the whole business with Kai was brilliance.

sazzra, on Oct 26 2009, 07:05 PM, said:

Oh, one more thing - if you're going to wear short skirts, could you get a friend to check how far up it rides when you bend over? I personally don't like having people's butt cheeks stuck in my face every time they start rummaging in their bags.

Er....sorry   I knew I shouldn't have ripped my Saturday night skirt so much!

[Persephone1]

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Didn't really appreciate the hecklers in the talks either or mobiles going off.

What hecklers? The bit with the girl begging for her really innocuous question not to be read out was a bit cringe worthy as it interrupted all the guests and the question was a perfectly good question - nothing wrong with it all. But I didn't think there was much in the way of heckling - and the little that that there was was shut down by Kai and Gareth instantly. Certainly nothing that particularly interrupted my enjoyment of the panels.

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I do agree there are times when you just sit there and think - ok leave it now - but I admit to liking a little bit of fun on the panels too. I do wish though that there were some decent questions and am getting fed up with similiar ones. Not that I am any good at asking a question.

Fun is fine but it was all getting incredibly puerile so I'm glad that the panels this time were much more sensible and entertaining and were actually about the actors and their projects less about boy kissing and the Barrowman line as all that stuff was getting a bit lame.

Why not think up some questions in advance next time? I think every question I put in the box for Gareth was asked on Saturday.

[sazzra]

Lauren H, on Oct 26 2009, 07:07 PM, said:

sazzra, on Oct 26 2009, 07:05 PM, said:

Oh, one more thing - if you're going to wear short skirts, could you get a friend to check how far up it rides when you bend over? I personally don't like having people's butt cheeks stuck in my face every time they start rummaging in their bags.

Er....sorry   I knew I shouldn't have ripped my Saturday night skirt so much!

If only it were Saturday night...Sunday lunchtime is really not the time for seeing so much flesh

[TurkFox]

I'd like to agree about the strobe lighting. I don't have any issues with it normally, it's been used in shows I've been in and such, but it was giving me a headache quite early on both nights because it was being so overused. If it can give me a headache and I don't even GET headaches, I hate to think of all the people who couldn't even come into the party because of it.

The DJ was alright on Friday night, but on Saturday he was playing the same songs as Friday and the same songs kept being played again and again throughout the night. In the end we went to sit somewhere else because it's hard to find the enthusiasm to dance to a song for the third time in an evening.

Edited by TurkFox, 26 October 2009 - 07:14 PM.

[TerraHawk]

scoop1107, on Oct 26 2009, 06:50 PM, said:

Having not been to Hub before, I was unsure of what I would like best, but after this weekend I can definately say the panels were the highlight for me.

I hadn't been to a Hub before either  - it's all about location to me - so not doing the next one.

I think there should have been more to do in the morning if you didn't have to queue for photographs, and the autograph system was more complicated than it needed to, but hey we got everything done. When I asked where James Marsters was signing I was told about the notice at registration - but could that notice have been any smaller?

I did mention others had reported problems with the hotel staff before, but again no issue from me.

[lesleynile]

I didn't have the cocktail party so cant comment on that but over all it was seemly one of the best run cons ive been to. Shame about James but then Kai came and it was brilliant that they did that and that he stayed to do photos and thing in Jame's place.

As for the hotel everyone was really helpful to me and i have nothing bad to say about it. I do loads of cons at that hotel and its always be awesome.

[Persephone1]

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I'd like to agree about the strobe lighting. I don't have any issues with it normally, it's been used in shows I've been in and such, but it was giving me a headache quite early on both nights because it was being so overused. If it can give me a headache and I don't even GET headaches, I hate to think of all the people who couldn't even come into the party because of it.

I thought the strobe lighting at the parties was an odd choice. Given that people have issues with it because of epilepsy and as it can trigger migraines and as at this sort of event it doesn't really add anything to the parties why pay for that sort of set up?

Seemed an odd thing to add to the set up given that the negatives of having it were always going to outweigh the positives.