Mess Bar Gross Percentage Profit - What's yours?

[Hueymeister]

Secret Oxon Air Base is dropping its GPP from an eye wateringly high 22% to 14%..thankfully!

Lyneham was around the same figure, Benson's is 18%. What's it in the Mess with you?

[Wander00]

Now there's a worry - Non Publics getting on to a flying forum - see, scribblies win in the end

I'll get my coat............

[Runaway Gun]

Regardless, it's still a bargain compared with drinking off base.

[Wander00]

If you think 18% or even 22% is high, just work out what it is in the pub - they pay a bit less a barrel because of their turnover and then get a barrelage rebate at the end of the month, but it is probably still way over 100%

[Hueymeister]

Wnaderoo just asking is all.....:p

[Uncle Ginsters]

Is that to make up for the extra costs of ISS/CRL/PAYD?

[racedo]

If you think 18% or even 22% is high, just work out what it is in the pub - they pay a bit less a barrel because of their turnover and then get a barrelage rebate at the end of the month, but it is probably still way over 100%

Eh !!!!!!!

100% GPP not possible unless they get it for free.

Think you will find that the Mess purchases alcohol through a National deal with national prices from the brewers, rather than individual deals, which could be fraught with opportunities for personal enrichment for those of a mind.

The closure of 15-20 pubs every week tell you how profitable !!! running a pub isn't.

[Easy Street]

100% GPP not possible unless they get it for free.

Nope - if cost price £1 and profit £2, then GPP is 200%. If cost price is zero, the GPP is undefinable.

[Courtney Mil]

Great topic, but Military Aircrew? This sounds like an issue for you Mess Committee, not an aviation forum. Sorry.

[Wander00]

GPP inder 100% is shorthand - it is 122%, as double cost price is 200%. GPP is merely a check that all the cash is in: what matters is net profit - what is left after wages, wastage, other costs (orange or lemon slices, free nuts etc) and so on.

[Stuff]

Easy Street, you might want to check your slide rule.

cost price £1 and profit £2

Or... cost price £1 selling price £3 (same thing)

= 66.66% GPP

[Danny42C]

Was Officers' Mess Sec at Cholaveram (Madras) in 1945. Bought Carew's gin (quite palatable in long drinks) at 65 rupees for a blue pot four-gallon jar. Got 4 rupees back on the empty. At four annas a tot, and "six-out" tots, we grossed 192 rupees on the 61 outlay. I make it 215% Not bad going, but the squash, etc cost half of the profit.

In later days was a VAT man to eke out pension, did a lot of pubs in this area 1974-86. They made about 50% on beer and 100% on spirits in those days. Probably a lot more south of Watford now!

Danny42C

[racedo]

Sorry guys you mixing up Markup and Margin..............there is a real difference.

As Stuff
says buy £1 and
Sell at £3 you have marked up by
200% but your margin or
Gross profit is 66%....

Not possible to get Margin / GP more than 100%

[26er]

Chivenor, late sixties. Horror of horrors! A fruit machine had been installed in the bar. This could be adjusted to retain various percentages of money put in and was therfore set to maximise payout. At this time Saudi students used the bar but did not drink of course. However they spent most of their off time around said machine ( and large sums of money) generating lashings of profit for the mess, which if not used had to be sent off to a central fund. Not a good idea so various free entertainments in the mess thanks to our Muslim students.

And a thought crosses my mind, with the contraction of the RAF and closure of so many messes what happened to this central fund which we were told was to provide a start up float for new messes. There can't have been many opened since 1969! Maybe you should all be drinking for free on the bar profits of your predecessors!

[cornish-stormrider]

Ahem - Locky locky locky,

This is sooooo bor zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[BEagle]

A fruit machine had been installed in the bar. This could be adjusted to retain various percentages of money put in and was therfore set to maximise payout.

A similar machine was installed in the College Hall Officers Mess at RAFC during my Graduate Entry time. One of the student Mess Committee members (all officers in those days, of course) was required to ensure that it was emptied periodically and that the proceeds were sent to NonPAs or wherever - somewhere in Blunty land.

It too had a variable payout control. So, before leaving for work each morning, the student Mess Committee member would turn the payout control down to its minimum setting. Of course the permanent staff and others who frequented the bar at lunchtime would have little luck with the thing. Then, during 'Nelson's Hour' when the bar was shut for the bar staff's evening break, he'd turn the payout control up to maximum - so we students could subsequently reap the benefits of the ground pounders' lunchtime sessions.

They never did find out.....:ok:

[Melchett01]

Secret Oxon Air Base is dropping its GPP from an eye wateringly high 22% to 14%..thankfully!

Look on the bright side, that is still low compared to the eye wateringly expensive prices in Town. I was catching up with a chum in the City during the week - a pint of Amstel and a glass of Merlot cam to exactly £10. Or I think it was £8 for a single night cap in the American Bar in the Savoy. Try working out the profit on that and then comparing it to Mess prices!

Even when we think we are being done over, I suspect we are still getting a pretty good deal compared to outside. Civvie friends over the years have taken great delight in the expected look of horror and accompanying comments whenever the bill arrives. But when I think back to Bentley Priory and 35p / pint - well it was Fosters - at Happy Hour on a Friday, I think I can be excused the occassional heart attack at being charged £8 for a single shot.

[Gnd]

Perfectly valid on an aircrew forum, and even some ground wallers, as long as we don't talk about Larger - so below decks!!!:=

[Melchett01]

Gnd,

I would have to take exception to you there.

There are equally bad wines, spirits and ales knocking around that do nobody's reputation any good to be seen drinking. And if in the Mess, I would hope that they wouldn't do the Wines Member's health much good either as they are strung up for bringing them in in the first place.

Actually, your comment reminds me of that rather splendid thread that ran last year I think - somebody asking for advice about attending a function / At Home at their bosses house I think it was. This very point was covered there and I think the consensus amongst the more relaxed or enlightened members was that an individual should be able to drink what they like; the whole point is that the right company is key and an individual should feel able to relax rather than being tortured by being forced to drink something they really can't stand. I for one loathe red wine and will tolerate white, but love a good quality larger (and no I don't mean Fosters any more); I wouldn't dream of thinking less of anybody else just because they happen to like wine :E

[SOSL]

A bit off thread, but; well actually quite a lot off thread, but:

towards the end of my time I had to interview a young officer who had had an unfortunate accident during an impromtu party in the mess one evening.

My first question was "what did you have to drink?". She immediately replied "It was a party, you didn't have to drink anything you could drink what you liked". She was a major contributor to the mess markup, gross profit, net profit, target profit etc etc.

Rgds SOS

[Pontius Navigator]

Think you will find that the Mess purchases alcohol through a National deal with national prices from the brewers, rather than individual deals, which could be fraught with opportunities for personal enrichment for those of a mind.

Is that true?

Things have changed. I remember when bar officers could strike deals with brewers. Typically the mess would be tied to one brewer for a specified period of time but in return it would receive free guest beers (I remember Whitbread Trophy was one). Or they might provide money to refurbish the bar.

There can't have been many opened since 1969!

How about Goose Bay, Ascension, Mount Pleasant?, Stanley? No idea if they all got money and certainly never on the scale of new messes like Brize Norton which may have been the only major one in UK post-WW2. West Drayton was also a new Mess. I think Scampton and Coningsby may also have been given grants.

I wonder how much money is in the Central Fund and how it is spent?

[Pontius Navigator]

I . . . love a good quality larger (and no I don't mean Fosters any more)

This is gross deviation and could make a new thread.

What larger is acceptable?

Now I prefer a smaller lager (:}) like Peroni and would avoid Becks and not even consider that that American drink, beings with a B IIRC. Draught Heineken has been known to slip passed my lips (I think but memory was usually wiped clean the next day.)

[Fareastdriver]

Off thread but in 1978 I had the choice between staying in the RAF with a promise of being a Specialist Aircrew Sqn.Ldr. At the same time the admin wallers in Strike Command had directed that bar purchases would be paid in cash.

Having spent some eighteen years in the RAF where my credit in the bar was infallible I decided, as I was not to be trusted, to seek my fortune in the civil world.

[racedo]

Is that true?

Things have changed. I remember when bar officers could strike deals with brewers. Typically the mess would be tied to one brewer for a specified period of time but in return it would receive free guest beers (I remember Whitbread Trophy was one). Or they might provide money to refurbish the bar.

Can't say for definite but having a National Deal gets you a better price and avoids Brewers offeing £££ and other deals to bar officers bribe their way in.

[Fortissimo]

Akronelli, early 80s. GPP running at 25% - more than double the rest of the world - GMF enormous, 'welcome' barrels timed for when the APCs were still working but the locals had stopped and were therefore available to drain said barrel themselves. Christmas Draw and Summer Ball (and GNs?) attendance for free, but only if you were "permanent staff", others not welcome. And all paid for by the volume of trade over the bar from the APC sqns and the Boneyard (but not before any of us went near the flag, of course...). :*

[Pontius Navigator]

Fortissimo, mmmm.

Something similar at Goose. We were asked to bring some real ale across from UK which at no little inconvenience we did. The Mess then announced a happy hour party with real ale for the evening of the day of our departure. At the time I think honourary members out numbered PS 10:1. To say we were pleased . . . :(

[Gnd]

Melch,

You only went off Fosters when you rose after the 'A"' thing - one more rise and you will be off Larger and into Malbec - you will then understand my wisdom. (if not the pims are on me - oh and if I come to your place, I might be persuaded as long as it is above 13% profit!) :ok:

[A2QFI]

Yes but, depending on one's preferences, the Savoy has a considerable superior ambiance than any OM I have ever been in and it has to be paid for somehow!

[SOSL]

Not sure about that. Last time I was in the Savoy, the ambience was a bit stilted and lacking in the sort of comfort you get in an OM. The staff were tremendous but the other customers weren't even close to the standard of the guys and gals you normally meet in the OM.

Rgds SOS

[Pontius Navigator]

SOSL, be we had a mouse follow the chef who brought the carvery on a trolley.