What I would like to know, is what on earth is going on with the management of the open air pool and the Lockhouse bistro - both are a great facility for our community but the Trust seem to be trying to kick him out - he looks like he's on the verge of a nervous breakdown - he is living in the bistro to protect it

By rodsowden at 08:16 on 29/03/11

I think people asking questions about the trust should ask people that have dealings with the Lockhouse owner (not a man as stated above) what the business is actually like to deal with, I think you'll hear some very bad stories.

It does seem a bit odd that she's having to pay an electricity bill to the trust rather than having a seperate meter to pay direct to electricity supplier, but then again if I was her I would have paid to have a seperate meter installed (which would have been a small amount if she's really spent £160k on renovating a two room property).

Don't get me wrong the Lockhouse (at the Marina) has served some good food and looks great which is what we all want in Portishead but maybe the owners of this business took on a bit to much to soon as what also happened to the Deli? Stick to one thing and make that work first before expanding to rapidly.

By Posset213 at 08:29 on 29/03/11
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There was a guy called Martin there on Sunday morning, i think he was the owners chap. He'd been sleeping there overnight. My understanding is (and the letters were on the windows to prove it) that they were entitled to a lease but the trust hadn't provided it.

They had asked for the breakdown of the bill and the Trust wouldn't provide it and certainly why they didn't have their own meter or bill is a mystery. Making a part payment to the trust would have been prudent I guess, but they certainly don't deserve this.

It looks like the trust were planning on this anyway, as in their newsletter they talk about opening a tuck shop - where exactly was that going to go, and that was written some weeks ago.

You may be right about extending themselves, but that bistro was a very popular attraction for many, this has screwed up someones birthday party this week, a wedding next weekend plus other stuff coming up during the summer.

By rodsowden at 09:59 on 29/03/11
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I believe he's the company secretary so I'm sure he's feeling the stress of it all to. However your posts are starting to sound like you may well be involved with this a little too much to be posting on here? How you know about the parties being let down is quite interesting unless the parties involved have written posts I've not seen?

It would be a bit of a mistake I believe for them to open a type of tuck shop as all this would lead to is the need to have someone employed to take care of it (taking money and restocking) plus the inevitable stock loss that will happen. Also aren't the trust instructed by North Somerset to have somebody independent of the trust to run the cafe?

It does also seem a shame that this is becoming so much of an issue before the pool reopens and this business about the solicitor needs to be sorted out quickly because the negative effect this will have could undo all the work put in over the last couple of years.

By Posset213 at 10:20 on 29/03/11
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Posset213 - I headed down there for a coffee on Saturday lunchtime, having had a chat to the guy (Martin) I was absolutely appalled to discover what was going on - the guy was on his knees.

I've been doing some more digging around to find out what is going on, most of the info is on their webpage,newsletter, press, facebook page and accounts posted at the Charity Commission.

It has so offended my sense of fair play that I'm making it a mission to get it publicised , we live in a top little town and we are all proud of what the original team did to save the pool - this just isn't cool, two people have lost their jobs already. Though the fact that very few of the original pool trust crew are still involved might be an indication as to the way it is going.

I've been proudly wandering the country saying "Big Society could work, just look at our open air pool in Portishead" - now this has happened.

Anyway, got a small matter of a company to run now or there will be more local people losing their jobs !!!!

By rodsowden at 10:40 on 29/03/11
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I know what you mean I just thought it best be time for me to do something productive or I'm going to find my staff haven't done anything today! I apologise for the wrong acusation about you being more involved. I totally agree with you about sertain members that have been removed from the trust. I think the best thing though is for us all to think what is the big picture here..... The cafe is an add on and if you check out the history of the business then you will discover that I think the clock is ticking (just carried out a quick credit check), then along with how they haven't paid previous staff, before all this started last summer there were two people I have been told of and one prior to that. The trust may have dealt with this rightly or wrongly but we have all only heard one side of the story. The main thing is for Portishead to have these facilities and the improvements to carry on as although we are expanding rapidly as a population I would say the services we have are quite a way behind our surrounding neighbours (unless your over joyed with McDonalds, Dreams and Greggs). Fingers crossed this will get resolved and we can all enjoy a better quality town.

By Posset213 at 10:56 on 29/03/11
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I have just read all the different comments and i cant believe how you are all criticising the trust of the pool. None of you have got the facts right , you just seem to be making it up as you go along. .THe man called Martins wife is not the owner of the lockhouse,it is rented from the pool,they do have their own meter,the tuck shop has been running for more than one season, and not selling the same sort of things as the lockhouse, and it was run by volunteers, . The pool is a very happy nice place to be and the volunteers are a friendly welcoming bunch of people, as are the trustees and only one member of the trust has been removed, by an overwhelming vote against them . A lot of hard work is going on at the pool at the moment by volunteers to get the pool ready for opening on 21st April, and i hope you will all support the pool when it does. It was saved for the community by the community.

By anniehail at 23:18 on 29/03/11
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If as you say it was saved for the community by the community why is it that the trust has done everything in its power to keep this matter quiet from the community?

Why was the meter, that the trust had put in not the electricity company, installed in an area that the Lockhouse are not allowed to access?

Why have the Lockhouse not been allowed to see or check the meter?

Why have the Lockhouse not been allowed to see the electricity bills?

I understand that the volunteers work very hard at the pool, but you need to look at this from both sides, as do we all.

By Nortech Computers at 08:25 on 30/03/11
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On the topic of happy people, there are dozens of happy people who enjoy their coffee on the sea front and come from miles around, have now been deprived of this facility and other businesses will lose spin off trade - including the pool, as it was all part of the "experience". More people used that facility than the pool on an average weekend.

So now we do know the whole story in that case. I've contacted N Somerset council to find out what they are doing to manage the freehold of their property to the terms of the lease and I'm going to contact the Charity Commission to question how well the trust is being managed.

I guess it is now down to the will of the local community again to ensure their pool is run for their benefit not the people who are currently in charge.

By rodsowden at 09:00 on 30/03/11
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I have just received a press release from Groupon:- To whom it may concern,

I am writing to acknowledge the business partnership that has existed between Groupon and the Lockhouse Lounge since the 27th October 2010. We have featured the Lockhouse Lounge on three occasions since then (9/10 November; 17/18 January; 17/18 February) and have had a very smooth and enjoyable relationship with the proprietors Deborah Griffith and Martin.

The Lockhouse Lounge is a premium partner of Groupon; a status we only give to reliable and high performing establishments. With regard to our relationship, there have been no major issues caused by either the Lockhouse Lounge or its proprietors.

As part of the business relationship between The Lockhouse Lounge and Groupon, Groupon have sold experiences at the Lockhouse Lounge on behalf of Deborah and Martin. The feedback we have received from our customers has on the whole been overwhelmingly positive and we are keen for them to honour the outstanding Groupons; currently 1058 across the three features.

Deborah and Martin have been incredibly accommodating with regards to these outstanding Groupons and have in fact given their other establishment: The Lockhouse Bar and Restaurant; the go-ahead to honour these vouchers. This is appreciated by Groupon and we hope all issues are sorted as swiftly as possible so as not to cause major disruption to our customers.

Best regards.

Richard

RICHARD JONES
Head of Partner Management
Groupon UK & IE

By Nortech Computers at 07:30 on 31/03/11
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It seems that 1058 people who would have previously been to the pool will now be going to the marina instead.

That's 1058 people who won't get the opportunity to see the pool, and therefore 1058 potential customers that the pool trust has lost.

By Nortech Computers at 07:32 on 31/03/11
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This last post is pretty disappointing to read. What a poor way to read those numbers. Do you know that those 1058 people were going to return to use the pool this year or even the lounge? I'd like to know how many people use the Groupons experience to go back to the same place. Also a snippet from their comment to you 'currently 1058 across the three features' does this just include the Lounge or is this also the Lockhouse?

Finally I'd check out the reviews on Trip Advisor first before talking about return business?! Even the great Gordon Ramsey had his booking moved from the Lounge to the Marina due to the lack of a someone able to cook a meal at the Lounge!

By Posset213 at 08:29 on 31/03/11
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Further to the last post, here is an extract from a Trip Advisor review in February of this year (check it out - http://tinyurl.com/4pofe55

"Thought we had a good deal on Groupon - £20 for 8 tapas and 2 glasses of wine. The staff were all but useless - the 'lad' serving us was looking in the fridge for Merlot! We had to ask what we were getting and there was no choice - hard luck any vegetarians. First we had hummous and cold dry bread. They removed that and brought us garlic mushrooms - these were obviously out of a tin and were rubbery and bland. Then came 2 small sausage looking things - these were also bland and dry too. We then waited half an hour - others were getting the rest of theirs before we had ours even though we were the first to arrive for the special tapas night. The final five dishes came out together - 1 of the dishes was a bowl of lettuce and another was tagliatelle (isn't that Italian!) all in all poor food, poor service. I'm glad we only paid 20 quid and not the suggested price of £50. Will never go near the place again. "

Other reviews are even less complimentary.

This rather belies what our friend at Nortech Computers was saying above.

By anniehail at 12:33 on 31/03/11
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I get fed up with hearing about how the trustees are all devious and putting a poor business in difficult positions. I am not a trustee just a regular pool and lounge user. I have heard the following excuses personally several times each - Sorry we have no Icecream freezer broken, No orange juice, no hot chocoate(several weeks running) no coffee, no beer, no food, no chef , no gas,no beer, kitchen closed for decoration/ refurbishment- again several times in a year, closed because we have wedding Party tomorrow and we are laying tables ready!! It will be a great place if run properly, but please don't think that the trustees haven't been very patient and done every thing they could have to support the people running it, I also know of staff that weren't paid.

By plnch at 18:30 on 31/03/11
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