"Season and weekend pass holders only"

[alywin]

I find the RAH website for booking individual Proms extremely disconcerting: yet again, the page is showing "Season and weekend pass holders only". Presumably what they mean is that this is the priority period which season ticket holders have to register their intention to attend before the general public are let loose on the remaining tickets, but I find it really offputting. The first time I saw it, I took it literally and thought that because of the huge expected demand somehow no tickets were being made available to the general public, but that doesn't make any sense, does it? After all, the number of pass holders is far lower than the number of Promming places available, so why would there be no extra tickets? But I wonder how many people have been put off attending completely because they haven't understood the situation? The wording could surely be phrased better.

I must admit that I also intensely dislike the whole idea of having to commit to going or not going by 10 am: people's situations may change, or they may suddenly find themselves having e.g. to work late and then can't make it, or alternatively find that they are unexpectedly free and can make it after all, only by then it may be too late. There's no spontaneity any more :(

[ucanseetheend]

proms died for me

[smittims]

This seems to be part of a growing malaise discouraging the practice of just turning up to any venue with money in your hand and expecting to be let in. More and more venues seem to require online advance booking only. I've fallen victim to it more than once.

[Sir Velo]

This seems to be part of a growing malaise discouraging the practice of just turning up to any venue with money in your hand and expecting to be let in. More and more venues seem to require online advance booking only. I've fallen victim to it more than once.

Strange indeed when the whole sector is suffering a downturn in revenue..

[oddoneout]

This seems to be part of a growing malaise discouraging the practice of just turning up to any venue with money in your hand and expecting to be let in. More and more venues seem to require online advance booking only. I've fallen victim to it more than once.

It does I suppose remove the potential for bad behaviour of someone turning up on spec and than kicking off if refused entry, and given the extent to which thwarted wishes provoke quite out of proportion responses that is understandable. However, how many venues are so often fully booked that no alternative is considered? Then again, has anyone turned up on spec but been refused entry for not having booked, even if seats were available?

[smittims]

Yes, they have. I went with M.O-H to an exhibition we had seen advertised, with no mention of the obligation to book in advance. We were refused entry. I told them this nullified their vaunted reputation for welcoming visitors, I would make this public, and never patronise their museum again, a promise I have kept.

[kernelbogey]

Not exactly on topic, but I can't find a better one: there used to be a few seats at the back of the Arena for those who could not stand for the whole concert. I'm interested as I am now in that unfortunate category. In the old days you had to ask one of the stewards of the queue for a pass for one of these. Are they still available and if so how? Thanks for any information.

[smittims]

Old photos of the Queen's Hall arena show the circumference lined with chairs. I wonder when was the last Prom where one could actually promenade.

[oddoneout]

Yes, they have. I went with M.O-H to an exhibition we had seen advertised, with no mention of the obligation to book in advance. We were refused entry. I told them this nullified their vaunted reputation for welcoming visitors, I would make this public, and never patronise their museum again, a promise I have kept.

A strange decision on the part of the museum it seems to me. Did they not accept that you had seen no mention of the need to book? Was that the only reason for refusal or was it a case of needing to limit numbers, hence booking required, and they were at capacity.
Where I work, if we can't find a way to solve the problem there and then(which is pretty rare) then vouchers are provided for free entry on a different day. Sometimes we are aware beforehand that a mistake has been made on advertising material and so plans are made to deal with any visitors who might be affected. Yes, there are folk who take advantage, including some who just seem to want a fight for the sake of it, but a manager coming over to apologise and provide vouchers does rather take the wind out of their sails - and it reduces the chance of adverse social media activity.

[alywin]

Not exactly on topic, but I can't find a better one: there used to be a few seats at the back of the Arena for those who could not stand for the whole concert. I'm interested as I am now in that unfortunate category. In the old days you had to ask one of the stewards of the queue for a pass for one of these. Are they still available and if so how? Thanks for any information.

You can book the seating when you book online - there's a separate category to tick. Sorry, correction, that only applies to the Gallery, not the Arena. There are still seats there, I think, though.

[smittims]

It did seem strange to me that they had printed and distibuted a leaflet supposedly urging people to come to the exhibition, nd then refuse entry to those who hadn't booked in advance. The people we spoke to seemed unaware ofthe leaflet or its wording. I suspect carelessness was athe root of it. Those who wrote the leaflet forgot to mention that advance booking was essential, those on the door didn't know that the leafelt hadn't said so.

I mentioned it because it's one of a growing number of instances where only on-line booking is accepted. I can see rail journeys going that way soon. Its a form of 'digital exclusion', a drive towards having everyone's e-mail address, and ultimately a pointer towards a surveillance state.