I'd say Preston is a better candidate. Lancaster could do with one too (when even somewhere like Darlington and Coventry have lounges).
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RailUK First Class Lounge Guide
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I'd say Preston is a better candidate. Lancaster could do with one too (when even somewhere like Darlington and Coventry have lounges).
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Polarbear
Established Member
I went on a little trip on 30 June to sample some of EMT's first class lounges & on the whole, I was quite impressed.
First off, it has to be said that EMT offer some very reasonably priced "walk-up" first class day returns. This meant that I could travel between the lounges in 1st class during the day too.
First stop was at Derby, which was staffed in the morning. It's comfortable & well placed for London bound trains. Usual snacks on offer (these were identical in each of the lounges), together with tea, coffee and soft drinks.
Onwards to Kettering with a quick change at Leicester finds me at an un-staffed lounge which is not very big at all. Usual snacks on offer but a little claustrophobic (for me at any rate) as you can't easily see out of the lounge to the platform.
Back north to Leicester and for me, the best lounge of the day. It's on the southbound platform & well equipped with plenty of room, desks where someone can use their laptop & the usual facilities. It wasn't staffed at the time I used it, but I understand it is staffed in the morning. Plenty of room and comfortable chairs with easy access to the snacks & drinks.
Finally, I went up to Sheffield & used the lounge there. Of all of them, this was probably the least ambient as again, there was no clear view outside the lounge & most of the lighting is artificial. This lounge seems to be staffed all the time & I was offered an at-seat service (which was nice) of nibbles & drinks.
Overall, I was quite impressed with the 1st class offer on EMT. the lounges I used were well kept, comfortable, with more than adequate catering. Likewise, on the trains, there is a basic offer which for the majority of the day, is perfectly adequate, with hot food being available on demand (and payment of what seemed to be very reasonable prices).
First off, it has to be said that EMT offer some very reasonably priced "walk-up" first class day returns. This meant that I could travel between the lounges in 1st class during the day too.
First stop was at Derby, which was staffed in the morning. It's comfortable & well placed for London bound trains. Usual snacks on offer (these were identical in each of the lounges), together with tea, coffee and soft drinks.
Onwards to Kettering with a quick change at Leicester finds me at an un-staffed lounge which is not very big at all. Usual snacks on offer but a little claustrophobic (for me at any rate) as you can't easily see out of the lounge to the platform.
Back north to Leicester and for me, the best lounge of the day. It's on the southbound platform & well equipped with plenty of room, desks where someone can use their laptop & the usual facilities. It wasn't staffed at the time I used it, but I understand it is staffed in the morning. Plenty of room and comfortable chairs with easy access to the snacks & drinks.
Finally, I went up to Sheffield & used the lounge there. Of all of them, this was probably the least ambient as again, there was no clear view outside the lounge & most of the lighting is artificial. This lounge seems to be staffed all the time & I was offered an at-seat service (which was nice) of nibbles & drinks.
Overall, I was quite impressed with the 1st class offer on EMT. the lounges I used were well kept, comfortable, with more than adequate catering. Likewise, on the trains, there is a basic offer which for the majority of the day, is perfectly adequate, with hot food being available on demand (and payment of what seemed to be very reasonable prices).
Bishopstone
Established Member
Gatwick Airport (station) is to receive a first class lounge, according to a poster at the ongoing works around the GatEx platforms 5 & 6 stairway.
Sorry if this has already been reported in one of the many ongoing GTR threads.
Sorry if this has already been reported in one of the many ongoing GTR threads.
Will this be to the same standard as the First Class on the trains, in which case it will simply be a standard class waiting room!
Sam
Bishopstone
Established Member
Will this be to the same standard as the First Class on the trains, in which case it will simply be a standard class waiting room!
Sam
The poster also mentions a standard customer lounge. I did wonder whether the 'first class lounge' would be four identical seats at the end of Standard, without a partition door between them!
The GatEx service is supposed to be every 15 minutes, which barely gives sufficient time/need to visit a lounge en route to the platform. My hunch is that the first class lounge will acquire a complimentary hot drinks machine, to add value to the first class service and replace the trolley withdrawn in 2015.
It will be interesting to see, in due course, what tickets are accepted in this lounge: ie just Gatwick-Victoria, or Gatwick-Brighton (etc) also.
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
I see that they've started implementing time restrictions at the Kings Cross lounge: 2hrs before your train Monday-Thursday and Saturday, but one 1hr before your train on a Friday and Sunday. No advertising of this anywhere except a very small sign in the lift. Arrived there 1hr15 before my train home last Friday teatime, having been up and travelling since 3am UK time, only to be sent away by Captain Jobsworth on the front door. Apparently this is because it is "busy".
The free glass of prosecco was very nice, and they were doing complimentary massages, but still. There's also now a huge (locked) chiller cabinet full of booze by the front door.
The free glass of prosecco was very nice, and they were doing complimentary massages, but still. There's also now a huge (locked) chiller cabinet full of booze by the front door.
wellhouse
Member
The Huddersfield First Class Lounge offers:
Comfortable sofas and armchairs
Work stations with desktop power sockets
Unisex toilet
Selection of coffees and teas, bottled water and orange juice, biscuits and snacks. There are china mugs and takeaway paper cups.
Guardian, Times, Yorkshire Post & FT.
The lounge is unstaffed, and passengers show tickets to the entryphone camera to gain access. .
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MidnightFlyer
Veteran Member
- Joined
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- 12,856
Apologies if this has been mentioned, but I note Virgin West Coast's timetable now states in its section on First Class Lounges: '[use them] for up to two hours before your outward journey and up to one hour after your arrival'. Is this a relatively new development? I've never heard of any restrictions on the West Coast lounges before.
Butts
Veteran Member
Sounds the same as VEC , I note Euston is further restricted to "beggars" between 1500 and 1900 on Thursdays and Fridays. One hour before only.
No mention of a £10 minimum fare like VEC.
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Anyone been in the Berwick Upon Tweed Lounge recently - is it a show ticket to camera and enter job ?
Is it Coffee and biscuits if you are lucky ?
My sale ticket was only £7.80 odd to Falkirk so technically not eligible , but should be able to blag it with camera entry (keep your finger over the price bit
)
the last time I went there (not recently though), you could just walk in. No camera.
While I was there a member of staff came in and checked I had a valid ticket, something I've never had happen in any of the other East Coast lounges.
Iskra
Established Member
For those interested; I recently asked VTWC if they had any plans for 1st class lounges at Preston and Carlisle. Dissappointingly, the answer was a 'no'.
Was at Peterborough the other week and VTEC have introduced a 1st Class offering at the Great Northern hotel opposite the station. Looks like you get a complimentary hot drink and cake-I thought you just had to show your ticket but it seems you have to collect a voucher from the main ticket office first.
I had already bought a cold drink from the bar so didn't bother but looks ok and better than no lounge at all.
I had already bought a cold drink from the bar so didn't bother but looks ok and better than no lounge at all.
Butts
Veteran Member
"Tuck in but please don't take away" - this was a new sign that confronted me when I was allowed into the Edinburgh Virgin Lounge this Morning despite having an Advanced 1st to Alnmouth that with a sale reduction was only £7.80.
Has this appeared in any other Virgin Lounges ?
Tight Wads have already removed the "takeaway" cups.
I exited the lounge with 2 packets of biccies secreted about my person
Has this appeared in any other Virgin Lounges ?
Tight Wads have already removed the "takeaway" cups.
I exited the lounge with 2 packets of biccies secreted about my person
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Travelled to Chester last week and used the lounge at Euston. Went in expecting to climb the stairs as I'd done before, but it had all been changed. Went to use the escalator that is there now to get up, but there was a notice saying it was out of order and to use the lift. A bunch of us went to the lift and there was a notice on that saying it was out of order as well, with no further instructions! I had to work out for myself how to get up there! It wasn't obvious until I spotted the new stairs elsewhere.
trainophile
Established Member
Drat, I didn't even see a Lounge at Berwick last week, and spent over half an hour waiting on the platform :roll: . Where is it?
Butts
Veteran Member
A little room on Platform 2 - The town side of the Station.
trainophile
Established Member
Cheers Butts, I'll know next time!
Hello,
I am new here and couldn't find the answer to my query, so here goes.
In the future I will have to commute from London to York once or twice per week. I intend to make full use of Virgin EC cheap advance deals as I will be going 'against the flow' as it were.
However looking on the Virgin EC website, it seems there is no first class lounge at York. Is this correct and if so, is there any reason why such a big and busy station as York doesn't have a first class lounge?
I notice places such as Darlington and Wakefield have lounges so it seems a bit remiss if York doesn't have one.
I did e-mail Virgin EC a couple of weeks ago but so far they haven't responded to my query.
Thanks
Alan.
I am new here and couldn't find the answer to my query, so here goes.
In the future I will have to commute from London to York once or twice per week. I intend to make full use of Virgin EC cheap advance deals as I will be going 'against the flow' as it were.
However looking on the Virgin EC website, it seems there is no first class lounge at York. Is this correct and if so, is there any reason why such a big and busy station as York doesn't have a first class lounge?
I notice places such as Darlington and Wakefield have lounges so it seems a bit remiss if York doesn't have one.
I did e-mail Virgin EC a couple of weeks ago but so far they haven't responded to my query.
Thanks
Alan.
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
There isn't a lounge at York.
Many thanks.
Could I ask why there isn't a first class lounge at York please?
Thanks
Alan
Polarbear
Established Member
It's a very good question-but I'm not sure if I can answer it!
Logically, York should have a first class lounge. As well as generating quite a bit of business in its own right, the station acts as a railhead for a large chunk of North Yorkshire.
There is actually some comment on this topic in the latest Modern Railways, where Alan Williams makes much the same point.
Logically, York should have a first class lounge. As well as generating quite a bit of business in its own right, the station acts as a railhead for a large chunk of North Yorkshire.
There is actually some comment on this topic in the latest Modern Railways, where Alan Williams makes much the same point.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I remember somewhere that they said that there was not anywhere which they could put one.
Sam
Thanks Sam,
I know it is a Grade Two listed building, but it is vast so finding a location shouldn't really be a problem. I suppose where the cafe is at the platform 3 end of the foot bridge would have been ideal (if disabled access could have been sorted somehow). There are some empty offices between platforms 8 and 9 as well.
Also I suppose the planned closure of the travel centre gives Virgin East Coast another option for opening one.
As I stated before, it just seems very odd that places like Darlington and Wakefield have first class lounges but York hasn't got one. Looks like I will have to await my trains in the buffet or on the platform!
Alan
I understand the point that you are making. If places like Wakefield and Berwick-upon-Tweed have First Class lounges why doesn't York.
Sam
I'm not sure where it was, but I have in the back of my mind that it did once have one, which was 'mothballed' for whatever reason and has then never returned.
I've always thought the Academy, accessed via the footbridge adjacent to platform 8 would be the ideal location - although I have no idea how heavily used the space within is currently!
I've always thought the Academy, accessed via the footbridge adjacent to platform 8 would be the ideal location - although I have no idea how heavily used the space within is currently!
Butts
Veteran Member
Just why has Berwick got a Lounge - is it for some historical reason ?
It seems strange to have one there and not at Carlisle or York which are both far busier.
Did BR have 1st Class Lounges - I can't remember.
It seems strange to have one there and not at Carlisle or York which are both far busier.
Did BR have 1st Class Lounges - I can't remember.
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Does anyone know when and why Virgin East coast changed the opening times of their Newcastle lounge?
Their website says it closes at 17:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. I'm sure it was open until later until fairly recently. I bought a first class ticket a few weeks ago, for travel on 8/10, and I checked the website then to make sure I'd be able to use the lounge at 18:00, so I'm disappointed I won't be able to now.
It seems bizarre that their Newcastle lounge is only open from 10:00 to 17:00 on Saturdays, but smaller, less busy ones are open a lot longer. Berwick is open from 07:00 to 20:00, Darlington 07:00 to 20:00 and Wakefield from 06:00 to 20:30. Leeds and Edinburgh also close early at weekends.
Their website says it closes at 17:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. I'm sure it was open until later until fairly recently. I bought a first class ticket a few weeks ago, for travel on 8/10, and I checked the website then to make sure I'd be able to use the lounge at 18:00, so I'm disappointed I won't be able to now.
It seems bizarre that their Newcastle lounge is only open from 10:00 to 17:00 on Saturdays, but smaller, less busy ones are open a lot longer. Berwick is open from 07:00 to 20:00, Darlington 07:00 to 20:00 and Wakefield from 06:00 to 20:30. Leeds and Edinburgh also close early at weekends.
cjp
Member
I suspect Berwick is open longer than some due to the way it is staffed throughout the day. There is no staff. It is stocked and that is it! That is not to say it is not clean tidy and useful
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
I'm guessing it is staff issues, and the opening hours are the ones they can guarantee to fill. They've periodically had issues with staff shortages for quite a few years, even under NXEC and EC.
The website says it opens at 10am on a Saturday, but last Saturday it was very much open at 8.30am when I was waiting for the Edinburgh train.