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Thread: Floors at venues

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by Maxine View Post
    You will be pleased to know that your protests were heard
    That's good to know and appreciated! (even though I couldn't make it in the end )
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    Re: Floors at venues

    The floor in the blues room at Chiswick last night was the worst I've ever known. When I arrived I noticed my sandals were sticking to the floor, where I was about to change my shoes, so I thought someone had spilt a drink. Unfortunately it was not just that area but the whole room. This really spoilt the evening for me as it made it impossible to dance properly and in fact at one time I could not release my foot from the floor and when I eventually did it made a squelching sound.

    I did speak to one of the guys that run the venue and he said he'd have a word with the management, who hire out the venue. I really think Ceroc London need to do more though, such as bring along equipment to clean the floor, should they find it in an unsatisfactory state.

    It was a shame as there were some lovely dancers there and the DJ played a great set but in the end I was forced to dance in the main room where the sound system is terrible

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by Maxine View Post
    The floor in the blues room at Chiswick last night was the worst I've ever known. When I arrived I noticed my sandals were sticking to the floor, where I was about to change my shoes, so I thought someone had spilt a drink. Unfortunately it was not just that area but the whole room. This really spoilt the evening for me as it made it impossible to dance properly and in fact at one time I could not release my foot from the floor and when I eventually did it made a squelching sound.

    - snip -

    It was a shame as there were some lovely dancers there and the DJ played a great set but in the end I was forced to dance in the main room where the sound system is terrible
    I haven't been to Chiswick for 2 years now and last night just reinforced why. However, we made an exception as it was to celebrate a certain friend's success in the CTA exams that day .

    I did speak to one of the guys that run the venue and he said he'd have a word with the management, who hire out the venue. I really think Ceroc London need to do more though, such as bring along equipment to clean the floor, should they find it in an unsatisfactory state.
    Absolutely! The punters pay a lot of money to dance at the venue and they are entitled to expect a floor(s) where they can dance properly. It is of little consolation to them for the Ceroc staff to "have a word" with the venue management after the event

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    Re: Floors at venues

    The floor at Chiswick ended my night early after twisting my knee in the blues room. It was a particularly nasty surface to dance on.

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by Maxine View Post
    The floor in the blues room at Chiswick last night was the worst I've ever known. When I arrived I noticed my sandals were sticking to the floor, where I was about to change my shoes, so I thought someone had spilt a drink. Unfortunately it was not just that area but the whole room. This really spoilt the evening for me as it made it impossible to dance properly and in fact at one time I could not release my foot from the floor and when I eventually did it made a squelching sound.
    Chiswick's always been dodgy. The Blues Room floor was (is?) uneven and sticky.

    It seems to be vulnerable to both heat and previous events.

    Quote Originally Posted by Maxine View Post
    I did speak to one of the guys that run the venue and he said he'd have a word with the management, who hire out the venue.
    Well that's no flippin' good, is it? Especially considering the Hammersmith thing a few weeks back.

    I know that sometimes these things happen - you turn up in the afternoon to set up and discover that someone's had a wedding party the night before, or some numpty's decided to varnish the surface or something similar.

    But if the floor's that bad, you need to do something about it, immediately - either by informing the punters, by trying to fix the problem, or in extremis by cancelling the event / giving the punters their money back.

    Quote Originally Posted by Maxine View Post
    I really think Ceroc London need to do more though, such as bring along equipment to clean the floor, should they find it in an unsatisfactory state.
    Yes, it's unfortunate that this has happened twice in succession with Ceroc London venues.

    Quote Originally Posted by Maxine View Post
    It was a shame as there were some lovely dancers there and the DJ played a great set but in the end I was forced to dance in the main room where the sound system is terrible
    Maybe we should start a movement to ask for our money back if the floor's bad?

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    Re: Floors at venues

    On the plus side, I can confirm that the new floor in the Berko blues room has turned out lovely - I had my doubts initially, it was a bit slow, but it's now smoothed out, it's a fantastic surface. Plus, they've got rid of that horrible carpet bit in the corner, so the whole room's now available.

    It's funny, becase the Berko and Chiswick venues are quite similar - they're both town halls with a main and a small room. But Chiswick's floor has always let it down, whereas I've almost never had a problem at Berko.

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by David Bailey View Post
    On the plus side, I can confirm that the new floor in the Berko blues room has turned out lovely
    Yes, it was a dream to dance on last week!
    Chiswick's floor has always let it down, whereas I've almost never had a problem at Berko.
    I'm glad you said almost, as I remember a really weird night, when something had gone wrong with a pipe under the main floor (a flood maybe?) but a strip of floor, along the entire length of the big room had dramatically lifted. So the floor was divided by a row of chairs down the middle.. which made it very difficult to ask/accept dances from the other side.... a very peculiar night!

    I went to ijig last night and I think it goes to prove that you don't 'need' a wooden floor, to make a decent surface to dance on. I'm not sure what its made of but its fast!
    Although, a word of warning, avoid walking on the metal walkway in front of the stage, one step on that and you might be stuck there for the entire evening!
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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by David Bailey View Post
    Maybe we should start a movement to ask for our money back if the floor's bad?
    Or just ask for your money back?

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by Gav View Post
    Or just ask for your money back?
    Not really an issue for me, as I don't go to places where the floor's dodgy; that's why I don't go to Chiswick. But yes, if I were to suffer a moment of madness and go there, and if the floor were really bad, of course I'd ask for my money back.

    But if other people go, pay up, and then you discover the floor's iffy, I think they should be encouraged to do so. Hence my suggestion that this be a group thing - it's more effective if 20 people ask for their cash back than if one person does so.

    That would send a real and palpable message that horrible floors are not acceptable.

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    Yes, it was a dream to dance on last week!
    And comes out well on photos

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    I'm glad you said almost, as I remember a really weird night, when something had gone wrong with a pipe under the main floor (a flood maybe?) but a strip of floor, along the entire length of the big room had dramatically lifted. So the floor was divided by a row of chairs down the middle.. which made it very difficult to ask/accept dances from the other side.... a very peculiar night!
    Oooh, sounds like a cabaceo-practicing opportunity....

    The floor in the Blues Room at Berko has occasionally been slow - typically after a wedding night, due to either drink or it being cleaned poorly. I guess maybe once a year, something like that.

    And even I'm happy with a 98% success rate.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    I went to ijig last night and I think it goes to prove that you don't 'need' a wooden floor, to make a decent surface to dance on. I'm not sure what its made of but its fast!
    I think Pat and Gina spend literally hours working on it though - they said they had to do a lot of work on it last time. So I think the floor there normally may not be great.

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by David Bailey View Post
    It's funny, becase the Berko and Chiswick venues are quite similar - they're both town halls with a main and a small room. But Chiswick's floor has always let it down, whereas I've almost never had a problem at Berko.
    Well............one is in Hertfordshire - and the other isn't.

    Hertfordshire roll call of great floors:
    Berko: great floors
    St. Albans: great floor
    Hatfield (ijig school): great floor
    Hatfield (Forum): great floor
    Hatfield (Comet - now closed): was great floor
    JiveLad's front room: great floor
    Cheshunt: great foor usually, (curate's egg music)


    London:
    Hammersmith: crap floor, dangerous, messy
    Chiswick: poor quality floor in Blues room
    HMS President: outside - are you kidding?


    Do the event organisers take more pride in their venue and take care for their customers more in Hertfordshire? I think so........the tendency is in Herts for the person on the desk to welcome you by name and you do really feel welcomed - especially at ijig. And they do understand the importance of the floor...........ok nothing is ever 'perfect for everybody' - still it's important to make an effort.......
    Last edited by JiveLad; 13th-September-2010 at 12:10 PM.

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by JiveLad View Post
    Well............one is in Hertfordshire - and the other isn't.

    Hertfordshire roll call of great floors:
    Berko: great floors
    St. Albans: great floor
    Hatfield (ijig school): great floor
    Hatfield (Forum): great floor
    Hatfield (Comet - now closed): was great floor
    JiveLad's front room: great floor
    Cheshunt: great foor usually, (curate's egg music)


    London:
    Hammersmith: crap floor, dangerous, messy
    Chiswick: poor quality floor in Blues room
    HMS President: outside - are you kidding?
    Weirdly, I think you may be on to something - with the possible exception of your front room, which didn't leave a lasting impression on me last time I danced on it....

    Is it simply that there's more choice of venues outside Central London? That is, large central London halls are at such a premium, that the event organisers have to take whatever they're given?

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by David Bailey View Post
    Chiswick's always been dodgy. The Blues Room floor was (is?) uneven and sticky.

    It seems to be vulnerable to both heat and previous events.

    Quote Originally Posted by David Bailey View Post
    Well that's no flippin' good, is it? Especially considering the Hammersmith thing a few weeks back.


    But if the floor's that bad, you need to do something about it, immediately - either by informing the punters, by trying to fix the problem, or in extremis by cancelling the event / giving the punters their money back.

    Exactly!!!

    Unfortunately I came with a friend, otherwise I would have left and ask for a refund. I have never known the floor so bad at Chiswick.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    I went to ijig last night and I think it goes to prove that you don't 'need' a wooden floor, to make a decent surface to dance on. I'm not sure what its made of but its fast!
    Loved it

    Quote Originally Posted by JiveLad View Post
    London:
    Hammersmith: crap floor, dangerous, messy
    HMS President: outside - are you kidding?


    Hammersmith -No you are wrong IMHO (am allowed to say that?)Hammersmith is usually fine, it was just that once and a new floor was laid upstairs a couple of years ago, to replace the old uneven floor and was fine last week.

    HMS President - It’s a boat and that’s not a dance floor outside, people just choose to dance there, though the dance floor is a little odd with the hill effect but it give it character in a quirky way

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by David Bailey View Post
    Weirdly, I think you may be on to something - with the possible exception of your front room, which didn't leave a lasting impression on me last time I danced on it....
    I have danced on the floor in JiveLad's front room. I would say it's perfect. So was the food, the friendly crowd, the teaching, the standard of dancing, the ventilation and the sound system. The only thing wrong with this venue is the parking.

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by David Bailey View Post
    But if other people go, pay up, and then you discover the floor's iffy, I think they should be encouraged to do so. Hence my suggestion that this be a group thing - it's more effective if 20 people ask for their cash back than if one person does so.
    I think the group thing's good in theory but may prove impossible in reality.

    I reckon the only time I'd feel totally happy about asking for my money back, is if I was prepared to leave, within the first hour.

    I do believe the organisers, on receiving a justifiable complaint, should be prepared to readily hand out an 'admit one' though

    This has been asked before but I'd love an official answer.
    A slippy floor, on a 'dance night' due to talc, is IMO far less likely to cause physical damage, than a sticky floor, surely?
    So, why can't this be explained to the venue owners/insurance companies?
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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by David Bailey View Post
    The floor in the Blues Room at Berko has occasionally been slow - typically after a wedding night, due to either drink or it being cleaned poorly. I guess maybe once a year, something like that.

    And even I'm happy with a 98% success rate.
    I've only been to Berko once (I think it was August Bank Holiday weekend last year) and it was horribly slow. Am I just really unlucky then?
    Love dance, will travel

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    A slippy floor, on a 'dance night' due to talc, is IMO far less likely to cause physical damage, than a sticky floor, surely?
    So, why can't this be explained to the venue owners/insurance companies?
    I assume that the problem is one of "sore knees = invisible injury" and "slip up = visible accident".

    Muscle strain due to sticky floor is difficult to prove - an injury due to a fall is easier.

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidY View Post
    I've only been to Berko once (I think it was August Bank Holiday weekend last year) and it was horribly slow. Am I just really unlucky then?
    Yes, I'm afraid so
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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    This has been asked before but I'd love an official answer.
    The "official" answer I got was that I am liable for injuries sustained as a result of any modifications I make to the floor.

    However, I am expected by my insurers to inspect venues before opening to assess the risk to the public and take appropriate action to reduce/minimise risk - I have been given a risk assessment form to complete for each night.

    Sometimes you can manage risk with a warning like "be careful, this is a fast floor" - asking people to be careful and warning them about the floor reduces the risk but doesn't make it go away - you have a shared responsibility and the public must accept that there is some risk which they must manage for themselves. It is the public's responsibility to work out if they have the skill and ability to cope with the risk as much as it is ours to give them somewhere safe to dance. I see it as our responsibility to provide the public with the information required to manage their own risk whilst providing the public with somewhere reasonably safe to dance.

    On the subject of talc, I really can't see me ever applying this to dance floors - although I do use on stages and actually did so yesterday. It was a sticky stage and needed something to speed it up to reduce the risk of knee injury. But that wasn't for a member of the public.

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    Re: Floors at venues

    Quote Originally Posted by David Bailey View Post
    Weirdly, I think you may be on to something - with the possible exception of your front room, which didn't leave a lasting impression on me last time I danced on it....
    Maybe you were distracted by all the hot chicks I had laid on for you that evening...............

    Quote Originally Posted by Andy McGregor View Post
    I have danced on the floor in JiveLad's front room. I would say it's perfect. So was the food, the friendly crowd, the teaching, the standard of dancing, the ventilation and the sound system. The only thing wrong with this venue is the parking.
    Very welcome - and that day is oft quoted by the ladies of Snorbens.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    A slippy floor, on a 'dance night' due to talc, is IMO far less likely to cause physical damage, than a sticky floor, surely?
    So, why can't this be explained to the venue owners/insurance companies?
    I was going to say that before. Based on what I've heard from people (and comments on the Forum) - that is definitely the case. I haven't heard of an injury from a too slippy floor - though I am sure there have been several - otherwise would be such an issue?

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidY View Post
    I've only been to Berko once (I think it was August Bank Holiday weekend last year) and it was horribly slow. Am I just really unlucky then?
    Yes............I think there had been a wedding do the night before as I recall (I could be wrong). Even 'great floor' venues have an off night once in a while......

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