2025: General Discussion

[Dave]

I can see the logic of merging retail with rides but surprised Lego and Thorpe also merge F&B as there is a fair bit of food hygiene training involved, and having three areas of training for effectively minimum wage roles seems odd.

 

[Hid]

It will be intresting if these changes improve the park or make it worse.

 

[Poisson]

It will be intresting if these changes improve the park or make it worse.

I think it'll be absolutely no difference to visitors.

 

[Rob F]

Aramark staff the F&B side of the parks

 

[Dave]

Aramark staff the F&B side of the parks

They don’t staff everything at Thorpe for certain as not everything is controlled by Aramark

 

[djtruefitt]

They don’t staff everything at Thorpe for certain as not everything is controlled by Aramark

The other outlets at Thorpe are generally staffed by Pineapple company, who also run the chocolate fountain stand at Towers. I think anything else is outsourced by Aramark to other companies.

Don’t think Thorpe staff themselves run any of the food outlets.

 

[DiogoJ42]

So what you're saying is, even Thorpe won't touch Aramark with a barge pole?

 

[jon81uk]

So what you're saying is, even Thorpe won't touch Aramark with a barge pole?

I think Aramark run most of the unbranded food still like VIBES bar, the kebab stand, pizza buffet, Mexican, fish and chips etc. Pineapple Catering run kiosks like the chocolate fountain stand and other similar smaller things. The big difference at Thorpe is they still have KFC & Burger King so Aramark have to put more effort into running the smaller Merlin brands compared to Alton & Chessington where they operate most of the fast food.

 

[MattL27]

Just a quick look through LinkedIn and Alton Towers (I assume wider Merlin too) have made all of their retail managers redundant due to restructuring. The rumours about retail and merchandise being outsourced are true it seems.

Edit: also seems admissions management too.

 

[Islander]

Just a quick look through LinkedIn and Alton Towers (I assume wider Merlin too) have made all of their retail managers redundant due to restructuring. The rumours about retail and merchandise being outsourced are true it seems.

Edit: also seems admissions management too.

I wouldn't assume redundancy = outsourcing. May well just be a hefty restructure.

 

[Ash]

Just a quick look through LinkedIn and Alton Towers (I assume wider Merlin too) have made all of their retail managers redundant due to restructuring. The rumours about retail and merchandise being outsourced are true it seems.

Edit: also seems admissions management too.

Same.

Looks like it’s stretched far and wide.

May be why the park manager went?

The shambles continues…

 

[Hid]

Just a quick look through LinkedIn and Alton Towers (I assume wider Merlin too) have made all of their retail managers redundant due to restructuring. The rumours about retail and merchandise being outsourced are true it seems.

Edit: also seems admissions management too.

Wouldn't say managers have been made redundant as they may have been offered other roles in the business rather than complete dismissal

 

[Dave]

Just a quick look through LinkedIn and Alton Towers (I assume wider Merlin too) have made all of their retail managers redundant due to restructuring. The rumours about retail and merchandise being outsourced are true it seems.

Edit: also seems admissions management too.

They haven’t outsourced retail, they have merged ride operations and retail together. Which will be why the retail management posts will have gone.