The single question we made on our Tapas Quiz Night was meant to spawn a series of other questions about what happened in the Tapas Bar during that week.
We already had some questions of our own as we do think that the “reservation sheets” are filled with information just waiting to be seen. However, as expected, your contribution has made us think of quite a few more. Thank you.
From your comments, there were things we hadn’t noticed and things that we also had seen and now confirmed that they are there to be seen. There are also things that we’ve seen, and that you didn’t pick up. These we'll tell you about later.
The Quiz Night post was just a warm-up. We’re NOW going to start our Tapas Quiz Night.
Very much like it (never) happened in the Tapas Bar, we don’t have here a sound system, nor have handed you any pencils or answer sheets, so this is how we’ll play, for simplicity sake: we’ll be placing the questions here and follow it up with what we think is the right answer.
Unlike in a REAL Quiz Night, the right answer here is QUESTIONABLE and is, as should be, subject to challenge. Let’s get the game going then.
For tonight, the FIRST question, out of an unknown quantity of others to follow (and there are many, many to follow…):
QUESTION: What are exactly the sheets that we’ve come to know as Reservation Sheets?
a) Reservation Sheets
b) Statistical sheets
c) Presence Sheets
d) None of the above
ANSWER: d)
Let’s look at the data: On those pieces of paper we have the following information:
- A time, either already on the actual template, or handwritten, which we suppose to be the one desired by the customer to have his supper.
- A surname, e.g. McCann, which we suppose to be the identity of the customer
- A 3-character designation, constituted by numbers and letters, e.g. G5A, which we suppose is the apartment where the customer was occupying.
- A number, e.g. 4, 2+2, which we suppose is the total quantity of people present associated with the referred customer.
- A number, with 3 digits, e.g. 211, which we suppose is the reference to the table in which the customer and those associated with him, had their meals.
- A check mark, which we suppose was to confirm that the customer had been present and had had the meal at the allocated table.
- A number at the bottom of the pages followed by one of these words: “sangria”, “branco”, “tinto”, “aguas”, “sumos”or “red wine”, which we suppose refers to drink consumption. Not on all, but just on some sheets, we have the word “gastos”, which we suppose is associated with the drink consumption.
The template of the first three is completely different from the other three.
As an example, the first are in English the last in Portuguese.
The first three have three details that the other three don’t:
- the initials “MW” per customer (which we suppose refers that the Tapas Bar customer in question is also “Mark Warner” customer)
- the phrase “Mesas lá dentro – 4 mesas com 4 pax máximo” which , translates roughly into “Tables inside – 4 tables with 4 pax max”.
- clear definition of time in which, we’re supposing here once again, bookings were possible: “das 7pm às 9pm”
In a first analysis we seem to have different types of registry concepts mixed up altogether in these pieces of paper that we’ve now become to know as “Tapas Bar Reservation Sheets”: the registration of reservations, the registration of billing and the registration of consumption.
The Portuguese have a saying for the “Jack of all trades, master of NONE”, which is “when you play too many musical instruments at once, you end up playing NONE well”…
Let’s look at these pieces of paper under each of those three registration concepts: reservations, consumption (or statistical) and billing (or presence)
a) RESERVATION SHEETS
To be a reservation sheet, I would accept the whole information (except whatever is under “gastos”) that is there.
Just the way it is presented, makes it have no sense whatsoever as reservations sheets.
First, let’s understand what is intended by making a reservation. It’s a contract whereby Party A (customer) informs, IN ADVANCE, Party B (restaurant) that it is interested in taking a certain meal at a certain time and day.
Party B, on the other hand, accepts the responsibility to GUARANTEE the provision of the required for Party A to have the meal as desired.
Party B is in clear disadvantage in this contract: Party A has CERTIFIED a place where and when to have its desired meal, while Party B has no guarantee that that meal will effectively be consumed. So the exchange of information between the parties has to be in accordance with the desired end: in order to guarantee Party A’s satisfaction and minimize Party B’s damages in case Party A doesn’t show up.
And what information is this? Usually, it’s the date and time pretended and the identification from Party A. Party B may ask for a contact just to be able to confirm that a possible non-arrival is that exactly, and not tardiness. This is the usual dialogue: “Good evening, if possible, I would like to reserve a table for 4, for Wednesday at 8 o’clock.” “Let me check, yes, there’s no problem. In what name should I make the reservation?” “Brown” “Could you please leave a contact?” And that’s it.
Of course, if you’re staying in a hotel, instead of a contact, the indication of your room can be used to replace the “contact”.
Although not usual, a table may be allocated to the customer at that moment. But it is at that moment, not on the evening of the meal. It’s completely irrelevant for the restaurant, in terms of RESERVATION, whether the Browns had their meal at table 219, 324 or 007.
When the customer arrives on the night in question, what the restaurant does is to cross out the name, or check it. It simply means that that particular customer that has made that reservation has arrived, and allows for Party B to check out those who he hasn’t checked, eventually call them, and confirm if they’re coming or not.
If they’re not coming, the reserved table can then be used by walk-in clients.
I know you know all this, but thought better to remind you, so that you’re aware of what is exactly at stake when you’re looking at a REAL “reservation sheet”.
All other superfluous information, either has reason or has a reason to be there…
Now look at those pieces of paper again. Are they reservation sheets? No, they’re not.
For example, the handwriting of the table number differs from whoever wrote down all the other information. This means clearly that the RESERVED tables were only allocated when the customers arrived.
Why? Is this important information to have on this particular type of document? On the cash-register, maybe yes, on the reservation sheet, no, it isn’t.
If required, you could easily prove that Brown did eat at table 314, by presenting the duplicate of the bill.
Now, if you can’t produce such a document, then you have to find some other way to do it, don’t you?
Is it necessary for a restaurant with the size of Tapas BAR to have a DAILY HANDWRITTEN reminder of in between what times were reservations allowed?
Those “reservation sheets” are for INTERNAL use ONLY, not for customers. Shouldn’t ANYONE minimally responsible for the bookings know that by heart?!?
We don’t know exactly yet what to call these pieces of paper, but one thing we know they aren’t and that is “Reservation Sheets”.
b) STATISTICAL SHEETS
This would be related with the “Gastos” written on some of those sheets.
To write down “12 bottles of red wine were consumed”, without specifying who drank what and what were the costs involved is as useful as writing “8 women in long dresses, 10 men in tuxedos”.
But, if you wanted to convey that the dinners at your restaurant were kind of fancy, then writing down “8 women in long dresses, 10 men in tuxedos” wouldn’t be that innocent would it? Hmmm… I wonder what message one would like to convey with “12 bottles of red wine were consumed”?
To justify the brandless and priceless mention of wine because there was only “house-wine” available (thus fixed price), besides being ridiculous, doesn’t explain the lack of attribution of the bottles to the tables that should have consumed them.
And to expect that a Restaurant that demands reservations beforehand, that allegedly has an open grill, that has inside and outside tables, that has Quiz Night twice a week and that has at least all the personnel heard by the PJ on May 4th, is only able to serve “house-wine”, or local plonk, requires one to be more gullible than those who believe in the Tooth Fairy or those, even more naïve, that believe that Maddie was abducted.
c) PRESENCE SHEETS
This would be for billing.
This is absurd because nowhere is it referred what was consumed.
I’m not talking about drinks. A grilled steak differs from a salad in price anywhere in the world.
Was there ONLY one kind of wine one could drink, and ONLY one kind of meal (it seems it was steak) that one could choose to have?
Oh, we’ve also said before, the lack of allocation to the registered drinks allegedly consumed with who in fact did so, would make, in the least, a very unjust way of charging people money…
d) NONE OF THE ABOVE
As seen that’s the correct answer for today’s question.
As to what were these sheets exactly for, and what was the intention of producing them, we know you already suspect, but, as is our way of doing things, we will confirm with the question to follow on the Tapas Quiz Night.
We’ve only gone through the first one.
We already had some questions of our own as we do think that the “reservation sheets” are filled with information just waiting to be seen. However, as expected, your contribution has made us think of quite a few more. Thank you.
From your comments, there were things we hadn’t noticed and things that we also had seen and now confirmed that they are there to be seen. There are also things that we’ve seen, and that you didn’t pick up. These we'll tell you about later.
The Quiz Night post was just a warm-up. We’re NOW going to start our Tapas Quiz Night.
Very much like it (never) happened in the Tapas Bar, we don’t have here a sound system, nor have handed you any pencils or answer sheets, so this is how we’ll play, for simplicity sake: we’ll be placing the questions here and follow it up with what we think is the right answer.
Unlike in a REAL Quiz Night, the right answer here is QUESTIONABLE and is, as should be, subject to challenge. Let’s get the game going then.
For tonight, the FIRST question, out of an unknown quantity of others to follow (and there are many, many to follow…):
QUESTION: What are exactly the sheets that we’ve come to know as Reservation Sheets?
a) Reservation Sheets
b) Statistical sheets
c) Presence Sheets
d) None of the above
ANSWER: d)
Let’s look at the data: On those pieces of paper we have the following information:
- A time, either already on the actual template, or handwritten, which we suppose to be the one desired by the customer to have his supper.
- A surname, e.g. McCann, which we suppose to be the identity of the customer
- A 3-character designation, constituted by numbers and letters, e.g. G5A, which we suppose is the apartment where the customer was occupying.
- A number, e.g. 4, 2+2, which we suppose is the total quantity of people present associated with the referred customer.
- A number, with 3 digits, e.g. 211, which we suppose is the reference to the table in which the customer and those associated with him, had their meals.
- A check mark, which we suppose was to confirm that the customer had been present and had had the meal at the allocated table.
- A number at the bottom of the pages followed by one of these words: “sangria”, “branco”, “tinto”, “aguas”, “sumos”or “red wine”, which we suppose refers to drink consumption. Not on all, but just on some sheets, we have the word “gastos”, which we suppose is associated with the drink consumption.
The template of the first three is completely different from the other three.
As an example, the first are in English the last in Portuguese.
The first three have three details that the other three don’t:
- the initials “MW” per customer (which we suppose refers that the Tapas Bar customer in question is also “Mark Warner” customer)
- the phrase “Mesas lá dentro – 4 mesas com 4 pax máximo” which , translates roughly into “Tables inside – 4 tables with 4 pax max”.
- clear definition of time in which, we’re supposing here once again, bookings were possible: “das 7pm às 9pm”
In a first analysis we seem to have different types of registry concepts mixed up altogether in these pieces of paper that we’ve now become to know as “Tapas Bar Reservation Sheets”: the registration of reservations, the registration of billing and the registration of consumption.
The Portuguese have a saying for the “Jack of all trades, master of NONE”, which is “when you play too many musical instruments at once, you end up playing NONE well”…
Let’s look at these pieces of paper under each of those three registration concepts: reservations, consumption (or statistical) and billing (or presence)
a) RESERVATION SHEETS
To be a reservation sheet, I would accept the whole information (except whatever is under “gastos”) that is there.
Just the way it is presented, makes it have no sense whatsoever as reservations sheets.
First, let’s understand what is intended by making a reservation. It’s a contract whereby Party A (customer) informs, IN ADVANCE, Party B (restaurant) that it is interested in taking a certain meal at a certain time and day.
Party B, on the other hand, accepts the responsibility to GUARANTEE the provision of the required for Party A to have the meal as desired.
Party B is in clear disadvantage in this contract: Party A has CERTIFIED a place where and when to have its desired meal, while Party B has no guarantee that that meal will effectively be consumed. So the exchange of information between the parties has to be in accordance with the desired end: in order to guarantee Party A’s satisfaction and minimize Party B’s damages in case Party A doesn’t show up.
And what information is this? Usually, it’s the date and time pretended and the identification from Party A. Party B may ask for a contact just to be able to confirm that a possible non-arrival is that exactly, and not tardiness. This is the usual dialogue: “Good evening, if possible, I would like to reserve a table for 4, for Wednesday at 8 o’clock.” “Let me check, yes, there’s no problem. In what name should I make the reservation?” “Brown” “Could you please leave a contact?” And that’s it.
Of course, if you’re staying in a hotel, instead of a contact, the indication of your room can be used to replace the “contact”.
Although not usual, a table may be allocated to the customer at that moment. But it is at that moment, not on the evening of the meal. It’s completely irrelevant for the restaurant, in terms of RESERVATION, whether the Browns had their meal at table 219, 324 or 007.
When the customer arrives on the night in question, what the restaurant does is to cross out the name, or check it. It simply means that that particular customer that has made that reservation has arrived, and allows for Party B to check out those who he hasn’t checked, eventually call them, and confirm if they’re coming or not.
If they’re not coming, the reserved table can then be used by walk-in clients.
I know you know all this, but thought better to remind you, so that you’re aware of what is exactly at stake when you’re looking at a REAL “reservation sheet”.
All other superfluous information, either has reason or has a reason to be there…
Now look at those pieces of paper again. Are they reservation sheets? No, they’re not.
For example, the handwriting of the table number differs from whoever wrote down all the other information. This means clearly that the RESERVED tables were only allocated when the customers arrived.
Why? Is this important information to have on this particular type of document? On the cash-register, maybe yes, on the reservation sheet, no, it isn’t.
If required, you could easily prove that Brown did eat at table 314, by presenting the duplicate of the bill.
Now, if you can’t produce such a document, then you have to find some other way to do it, don’t you?
Is it necessary for a restaurant with the size of Tapas BAR to have a DAILY HANDWRITTEN reminder of in between what times were reservations allowed?
Those “reservation sheets” are for INTERNAL use ONLY, not for customers. Shouldn’t ANYONE minimally responsible for the bookings know that by heart?!?
We don’t know exactly yet what to call these pieces of paper, but one thing we know they aren’t and that is “Reservation Sheets”.
b) STATISTICAL SHEETS
This would be related with the “Gastos” written on some of those sheets.
To write down “12 bottles of red wine were consumed”, without specifying who drank what and what were the costs involved is as useful as writing “8 women in long dresses, 10 men in tuxedos”.
But, if you wanted to convey that the dinners at your restaurant were kind of fancy, then writing down “8 women in long dresses, 10 men in tuxedos” wouldn’t be that innocent would it? Hmmm… I wonder what message one would like to convey with “12 bottles of red wine were consumed”?
To justify the brandless and priceless mention of wine because there was only “house-wine” available (thus fixed price), besides being ridiculous, doesn’t explain the lack of attribution of the bottles to the tables that should have consumed them.
And to expect that a Restaurant that demands reservations beforehand, that allegedly has an open grill, that has inside and outside tables, that has Quiz Night twice a week and that has at least all the personnel heard by the PJ on May 4th, is only able to serve “house-wine”, or local plonk, requires one to be more gullible than those who believe in the Tooth Fairy or those, even more naïve, that believe that Maddie was abducted.
c) PRESENCE SHEETS
This would be for billing.
This is absurd because nowhere is it referred what was consumed.
I’m not talking about drinks. A grilled steak differs from a salad in price anywhere in the world.
Was there ONLY one kind of wine one could drink, and ONLY one kind of meal (it seems it was steak) that one could choose to have?
Oh, we’ve also said before, the lack of allocation to the registered drinks allegedly consumed with who in fact did so, would make, in the least, a very unjust way of charging people money…
d) NONE OF THE ABOVE
As seen that’s the correct answer for today’s question.
As to what were these sheets exactly for, and what was the intention of producing them, we know you already suspect, but, as is our way of doing things, we will confirm with the question to follow on the Tapas Quiz Night.
We’ve only gone through the first one.
OR........
ReplyDeleteThe table numbers were allocated at the start of the shift, possibly by the duty manager, and hence are in a different hand. The reason it appears on the reservation sheet is so whoever greets the diners when they arrive knows which table to show them to.
The Mark Warner guests were on an inclusive package, so only items ordered over and above what was included in the inclusive tariff would need to be separately accounted and charged for. The same goes with the drinks, where it would appear the restaurant simply totalled up the number of bottles of inclusive drinks consumed by the Mark Warner guests either for the purpose of charging the amount back to them, or simply for inventory purposes. Nothing ''unfair'' about any of it. Items not included in their tariff would simply be charged to each table - additional drinks for example.
Did it occur to you to ask someone who has ever run a restaurant to explain it to you? Sounds like it could have saved you a lot of wasted time........
Tapas Quiz Night, or just Tapas Quiz, currently Fiona Payne is helping Kate Mccann with her (fictional) novel!!(why fiona, not Jane ?). Gerry is disappointed because he has to reschedule charity bike ride (enabling him more publicity and more ...erm money), so as not to clash with Royal Wedding etc (more publicity) Clarence still full of spin.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the real quiz is..why are these people allowed to continue with their worldwide fraudulent fund and money making schemes and using Maddie as a 'cash cow'.
And the answer...because they can!!
Textusa you are absolutely spot on and brilliant one day , one day something will be done about the despicable Kate and Gerry Mccann.
Who is protecting the Mcconns I cannot believe they are still free to peddle their rubbish abduction theory, and lies.
ReplyDeleteThey should be locked up and the key thrown away.
The quiz night never took place, there are no quiz sheets with times, dates, apartment numbers, winners or prizes, it another red herring.
ReplyDeleteThe mccanns went to Chaplins and Mill but knew public would not accept those places as ' dinning in the botton of the garden' so they pretended they were at Tapas each night.
No big round table and no quiz nights only more lies.
As we have been told Tapas had a quiz every Tuesday and Sunday why was there no quiz night mentioned on the booking sheet for Sunday 7th May either?
ReplyDeleteNo wonder they didn't get any contestants if they don't advertise.
It has been said many times that the Mill was the only restaurant included in the package deal so why would the Mccanns go on a package deal and pay to go to another restaurant every night?
Surely the Tapas restaurant was a quieter place to go to get away from the noisy entertainment (such as quiz nights) at the Mill?
Anon 4:43
ReplyDeleteWhere are you getting this from? The Tapas was one of the restaurants where dinner could be taken by guests on an inclusive package. If you have been told something different, you have been misinformed.
Why on earth would the fact that there was a quiz be mentioned on the booking sheet? Even if it was, it wouldn't constitute advertising, would it - on a sheet which was basically for the information of the staff?
It seems to me you are trying to prove that something which clearly did happen, didn't, and that is just ridiculous
Anon
ReplyDeleteMar 29, 2011 8:04:00 PM
You seem to forget that the Tapas Bar is exactly that, a bar. It’s not the main OC facility for meals, that’s the Millenium (which is a restaurant), and much less has any Michellin Stars. You make it sound like Tapas Bar as the poshiest place in the Algarve…
You speak of a duty manager. Who is this person?
I seem to remember one Mr Pelejas, but he was the overall restaurants manager and seems to be moving around a lot of eating places, namely, on May 3rd he arrived at Tapas, after most of the guests had arrived and left, so he couldn’t have been the one to assign tables, could he?
Then, you say, we have “greeters”. According to you, you there was someone, who, holding these pieces of paper in his hands, read clearly the number “9”, and by name, showed the T9 to their assigned table… and did this with some frequency every night, as, it seems, the T9 didn’t arrive together.
Bu then, why on earth then, in the following day, is this particular and ONLY table of 9 remembered vaguely by the Tapas employees as of about “8 or 9”? Something isn’t right, is it? No need to answer I know that you think it’s logical this selective loss of memory.
I MAY not know how to run a restaurant business, but as everyone, like yourself, do know what it is to be customer. And the Tapas Bar doesn’t seem to be the place to show one to pre-assigned tables. It looks more like a place where people wearing flip-flops feel comfortable.
About the inclusive package you mention (this is also for you Anon Mar 30, 2011 6:01:00 PM), it included meals ONLY at the Millenium, not at Tapas Bar. If that wasn’t so, why the need for Russell O’Brien to find so difficult to reserve meals for the whole week at… Tapas? Wasn’t it inclusive, as you say?
About the wine and all we know that JT says the wine was included and they stuck with the wine they were given, FP says the wine was on the table and that there was one bottle per couple and DW says the wine was free and "You could have as much as you like".
Was DW entitled, according to FP, to only half a bottle, or according to herself could drink herself silly?
Odd to know that when people are reported as having to queue for places or block book- that a restaurant need to give away wine…
But anyway, the question here is what for is the one registered? From your words it was “either for the purpose of charging the amount back to them, or simply for inventory purposes”.
Charging WHAT amount back? Charging WHO? Based on what?
If it was for inventory sake, I need your help, as haven’t the faintest idea how do keep up an inventory on a Sangria? Do have a special column for the fruit used?
And a Sangria + Quiz show? Now that is a challenge for any warehouse professional.
And as far as I know, no restaurant, in Britain or in Portugal or anywhere in the world, make up the inventory of their wine just with the words “red” and “white”. And you ask me to speak with someone who has restaurant experience…
Lastly about time wasting…. Yes, I do understand you. All that time spent on cluttering up things, posing as White Hats in various blogs and forums, to get that negligence message loud and clear, and now seeing it all go to waste, it does hurt, I know.
But when the dogs (which you desperately are now trying to discredit so you can back up whatever Kate has to say about in her book) gave the McCanns away, you opted for this route. It was your choice.
Anon @ 6:01:00
ReplyDeleteThe facts are that the Tapas restaurant was NOT included in the package deal. Please, by all means, prove me wrong with where you found your information that it was included. And not from any of the T9 statements but from Ocean Club or Mark Warner literature.
If you can produce this then I will apologise profusely.
Looks like you might have got a bit too close to the truth here, Textusa. Team McCann are going to a lot of effort to make you seem like some ignorant peasant.
ReplyDeleteMany O.C. apartments have private owners but many of them are available for O.C. guests/clients).
ReplyDeleteI've made some accounts from a solid source and the O.C. can handle to manage around 200 apartments + cottages. So, I can say almost for sure that numbers 201, 202, 203, 204, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212 are apartments numbers. All available in the same area as it is desirable for some.
I think this sheet lists tells about special guests with special needs. The party starts around 7:00 p.m. and ends around 9.00 p.m. in a private area. Madeleine has died in the middle of this busy schedule.
Other curious thing is that the pax maximum of each apartment is 3 bedroom = 3 couples / six persons (or more you name it...) and there is no requests above 3 pax (except Tapas but I Diane does not count).
If these couples were all so into each other I can't tell but they were very near to each other - they were.
Other curious fact is here is only one restaurant working full time Millennium in May. In the evening there is a buffet or you can order A La carte in the grill room.
May is a weak month. You only have one bar near the pool called the Garden Bar Club and could be not opened in the evening.
A part from this there is a bar in the top of the Ocean Club (Club Phase in the top of the resort) that don't belong to the O.C., don't have meals only drinks and sometimes has special nights like quiz shows and other events. I think you know what I'm talking about.
About golf: O.C. has good discounts and the most famous golf camp is Boavista. Thy do not have a transfer but they can call you a taxi.
Facts were always in front of us but we've almost miss it.
Follow the list names and see if they have contributed to the Fund. It is a very interesting exercise in my opinion.
Thanks Tex you're clever.
A.
Erm - who the hell do you think you are speaking to?
ReplyDeleteLet's deal with your last point first - what does this have to do with the dogs and where have I mentioned them at all? There is something seriously wrong with you - do you see conspiracies wherever you go??
Just to pick up on a couple of points, because you are clearly getting completely carried away, the normal procedure where an inclusive package includes wine is that it will be a designated house wine, therefore all that needs to be accounted for is the number of bottles. Either the restaurant in question is owned by the holiday provider or has a standing arrangement/contract with them to provide a dining service - in which case they would record the diners' details and details such as the bottles of wine consumed so this can be charged back to the holiday company - surely you know this? It's basic stuff!
Just because you don't think it looks like the kind of place to pre-assign tables, it doesn't mean you are right - it would appear they most certainly did. And I never said anything about ''greeters'' - you did. What I said was ''whoever greets the diners.......''. They would have to make their presence known to someone when they arrived, for heaven's sake.
It's obviously important to you to make it appear that there wasn't a quiz night, but you are just making all this stuff up and making yourself look ridiculous in the process.
The fact that the Tapas dinners, and the wine which was served with them were inclusive is mentioned in the statement of at least one of the Tapas employees
Or if you want an independent version, why don't you look at this article, written by a holidaymaker who was there the week before the McCanns, and who clearly states that, with regards to the Millenium and Tapas restaurants ''Both restaurants were included in the price of the holiday.''
http://anmblog.typepad.com/this_is_money_blog/2007/05/my_experience_o.html
Stop making stuff up - it's ridiculous !
Anon @ 8:31
ReplyDeleteThank you for the link.
This extract explains the reason this is the only link you have provided. He seems to know the Mccanns very well or at least he knows what he has been told to write! It even says 'they opted' which means they chose not to do what was part of the package.
"The McCanns opted instead to eat 40-50m from their apartment, not much more than a pool’s width away. They hoped it would be just close enough to hear a crying baby but with bar music playing and restaurant hubbub, it wasn’t close enough to hear what happened to Madeleine that night"
And who exactly is this person?
Andrew Oxlade, 37, has worked for This is Money since 2001.
Skip additional links
Andrew Oxlade
As Editor (since 2005), he leads a team of business, personal finance and consumer journalists.
The aims of the team:
• To deliver breaking news on personal finance, the economy and knock-on implication for currencies, house prices, interest rates, etc.
If he is the person you are using to quote 'facts' he brings no credibility to the situation. For a start the world knows the Tapas was not a 'pool's width' from the McCanns' apartment.
Paul Gordon who was on holiday at the same time and gave a statement contradicts that the Tapas was included.
"Paul Gordon and his family mentioned the ALL package deal and the fact he could ONLY manage to eat twice at the TAPAS bar...WHY? because OCEN CLUB ::::::ONLY have arrangements with the MILLENIUM for eating arrangements ALL inclusive in the package deal".
A review from Ocean Club website at the same time...
"We were on half board which was at the Mill restaurant about five mins walk from our apartment, which was also the centre for Mark Warner people."
And another and probably where the 'free wine' story comes from...
". The millennium restaurant had a great selection of food which changed every night.. You got good quality wine included in the price and the staff were very helpful and friendly".
"The Mill-Some evenings had a little entertainment put on too. One night we had a magician entertain us and on barbeque night, we had a large group of traditional Portugese (sic)dancers visit."
Is this where quiz night really happens?
The facts stand, the Tapas was NOT included in the package deal.
A.
ReplyDeleteMar 30, 2011 7:56:00 PM
Your comment deserves to be read with a nice glass of wine, and certainly not the local plonk!
Thank you
Anon
ReplyDeleteMar 30, 2011 9:28:00 PM
Thank you
From a review of Ocean Club
ReplyDeleteMill restaurant about five mins walk from our apartment, which was also the centre for Mark Warner people. The centre of the whole holiday is the Ocean Club and the 'Mill' restaurant. It has a tough job on its hands. In the morning it is the breakfasting, booking and meeting point for the days activities.
There are plenty more links - why don't you go and look for yourself. Just have a look at some travel blogs - there are loads of entries from holidaymakers talking about the choice of restaurants. You seem to be basing some of this on the Mark Warner site as it is now - we are not talking about now - we are talking about 4 years ago. I have seen not a single scrap of evidence to support the assertion that the Tapas was not included. It was, and it's as simple as that
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Tex
ReplyDeleteA.
Anon @ 9.28
ReplyDeleteHow apt to have this guy trying to smooth things over after what the McCanns did to peoples' jobs and property prices in Pd L.
He specialises in finance reporting. I would guess it wasn't the McCanns who enlisted his help more likely to be Ocean and Mark Warner.
OAndrew Oxlade
As Editor (since 2005), he leads a team of business, personal finance and consumer journalists.
The aims of the team:
• To deliver breaking news on personal finance, the economy and knock-on implication for currencies, house prices, interest rates, etc.
@ Anon 9:40
ReplyDeleteOh don't be ridiculous, that piece was written a few days after Madeleine disappeared. The repercussions were still a long way off
Anon
ReplyDeleteMar 30, 2011 9:45:00 PM
What is for you a few days, are, for the remainder of us, 5/6 whole days.
And that's a whole lot of time.
Anon @ 9.38
ReplyDeleteI am quoting from independent reviews at exactly the time Maddie went 'missing' NOT years later. Mr Gordon was there at that time too.
Please post the links that you say exist to show the Tapas was part of the PACKAGE deal.
Of course anyone can 'opt' not to go to the Mill and go where they please but they wouldn't get it for free. Of course the T9 credit card statements were not produced so can we presume this is part of the reason why?
This is beginning to be a bit like the existence of Insane's blog that we are still waiting for the link to.
I would love to read about the fun to be had there taking the rise out of us 'brain donors'.
Oh really, your comments are too ridiculous for words.
ReplyDeleteThis appears to be a well-respected commentator who happened to be there on holiday the week before. Are you saying he lied about the Tapas restaurant on the instructions of Mark Warner who anticipated that you would claim, four years down the line, that the inclusive package didn't include them?
Seriously, you need help. That is beyond fairytales
You post your links showing they weren't, hey? Because so far all I have seen is meaningless claims
ReplyDeleteThe value of barman's witness statement?
ReplyDeleteJoao Pedro Ramos Agapito
Barman
Time/Date: 16H45 2007/05/06
When questioned about the missing child, Joao responded that he saw the child and her respective family around the club but did not see them in the restaurant as breakfast was served in the Millenium. He knows from his colleagues that they used to go there regularly for lunch almost every day;
Is there anyone who will agree this was a fact? I think we have read many times that the McCanns ate lunch in their apartment so why does this person say something different.
Not enough hymn sheets to go round?
Witness statement
ReplyDeleteTiago Rochas Barreiros 2007.05.08
That the payment for alcohol, not included in the vacation package, was paid by (service) card. This payment was made by random members of the group of nine.
Anon
ReplyDeleteMar 30, 2011 9:53:00 PM
We have given both sides of the argument a hearing and it's now up to readers to decide for themselves whose position is the most credible.
It's touching how concerned you are that we are making fools of ourselves, but we can live with that prospect.
Anyhow, let me just say how pleasing it is to know that this blog is followed with such a high interest.
When I logged on earlier today you had 4 comments and now its suddenly jumped to 26 !!! I would say Tex you hit a raw nerve with some posters being very close to the truth so keep up the good work, as an earlier poster said you are very clever, and you have many followers/supporters. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThe mccanns never mention chaplins or the Mill, insisting they always went to Tapas, to re-inforce their abduction alibi - what will kate say in her book ? we went to Tapas every night even though we could have had free food at the Mill.
ReplyDeleteWell spotted Textusa.
The “Insane-of-a-kind” Anon that has tried to argument against the stated in this post, seemed not to understand that I put an end to the discussion, and still submitted the following comments.
ReplyDeleteMar 30, 2011 10:21:00 PM
“''The payment for alcohol not included with the package ''- ie things such as spirits or cocktails. Other Tapas worker statements say the tapas was part of the inclusive package and that wine was included. Or are you only interested in the statements you think support your theory?”
On Mar 30, 2011 10:33:00 PM
“(…)
Why doesn't one of you just contact Mark Warner's and ask what the situation was four years ago in the OC? Maybe you don't want the truth after all “
On Mar 31, 2011 5:19:00 PM:
“Why didn't you publish my post where I suggested that this could be settled by someone contacting Mark Warner's and asking them whether the Tapas was included?
Are you worried people might do it?”
His/her attempt to drive the discussion from the main issue (what are those sheets in reality?) is useless as s/he should know by now. We set our track, and we keep to it.
Notice, for example, that s/he hasn’t answered the question of who was, in his/her opinion the duty manager, nor from where did he get this character from.
About the wine being or not inclusive at Tapas, besides all already said by our wonderful readers, it will be a subject to be dealt with in a separate question in our Tapas Quiz Night.
The technique of placing the same question over and over again until it becomes an irritating subject, is not applicable in this blog. We, as we’ve demonstrated more than once, like to move on.
About your question, about asking Mark Warner. Wouldn’t be simpler to ask the McCanns directly? Given what you have read, do you really think we would rely on anything we might be told by MW?
However, one of our readers has indeed asked MW. Almost a year ago. S/he enquired MW about making a reservation, and asked what you now ask us to ask.
The reply was that the Tapas Bar was basically for salads and in the evenings, pizza. No demand for block bookings of meals, and no information of inclusiveness of wine.
And we’re ONLY in the first question! Imagine the fight you’re going to put up when we finish the first round, and start the second? You do know how a Quiz Night works right? How noisy and collective it is… having dinner on a Quiz Night is the only worse scenario worse than having it in the middle of the stands during the final of the F.A. Cup!
How convennient is the time on the booking sheets: 7 to 9. A quick search on the Internet shows the Chaplins with two nights of Quiz Night, at 10Pm. I believe they target also MW clients. But for the Tapas was mandatory- needs to be before 10.
ReplyDeleteWhy the sheets need to show reservations from 7 to 9? Because after 10Pm, May 3 2007, another show was booked and went on on MW world.
Wasn't it amazing that the bookings only happened between breaks of 15 minutes? no bookings for 7:10, 8:05, 7:50, etc. AND THE SPERREY AT 9:00 ( a group of 3) MUST BUMPED ON THE EGG MAN WAITING FOR HIS 'FEAST' AND MUST BUMPED ON SOME TAPAS, INCLUDING GERRY, DOING THEIR PROMENADE TO CHECK THE FLATS. That is getting better every day.
Anon Mar 29, 8:04 with package all included....
ReplyDeleteAny good explanation for why the same restaurant changes the amount of drinks included on the package, each day?
I know promotions like the "Marguerita Night" with low prices for that cocktail once a week, always on the same day of the week, or a offer of a bottle of wine with a special espensive meal.
Promotions that change everyday, are news for me. I can imagine the cue of guests trying to get a place on the night the alcool was raining in the Tapas.
How stupid ( sorry) to consider the amount described as 'gastos' to be the total. For such number of clients, showed on the sheets, that alcool must be a single shot of red/white wine for each client. And where went the Amendoa Amarga and the daikiri reported to be the favorite drinks for Kate? They evaporated from the reservation sheets or who reported that to the police was not full aware of the homework done behind scenes by some other characters?
Following your idea A, Mar 30, 7:56... On May 3, two times on the reservation sheet, there is a mess that end up with word 'autorizado'. could we say that those people agree with their names to be included on the saga? I don't have any other good explanation for that situation. The sheets were all fabricated 'a posteriori' to foolish the police because soon they understand the police was not buying their stories.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that Insane is back again, now with some chili on his tongue, appears more polite.
ReplyDeleteA quick search on the internet 'Now' about bars and restaurants in PDL, show very important information, written by independent people. The OC is not mentionned. The Millennium and the Tapas were not mentionned as restaurants or bares that deserved to be visited by tourists. And the site mention which restaurants/ bars changed the owners or the facilities, the packages, etc. Means the tapas did not change and was not a tourist destination. Not now and not in 2007.
The site also made a clear adviser- the bars/restaurants in PDL during the low season( that goes until the summer) are sazonal and most only open if the amount of clients justifies to be openned. Quiz Nights are at the Chaplins and the Duke. Some times at the Kellys. Who is giving the information seems to know exactly which type of UK clients are looking for holidays in PDL- cheap holidays and people who like to eat british food abroad instead of tasting the portuguese food. The site provides a good information about where to eat fish and chips, pies, etc, at low price. The Taspas 9 fall too much on that type of clients.
Just search bars/restaurants in PDL and you will see an amazing information. The tapas must be a VERY SAZONAL BAR- then closed, in May 2007. No Quiz Nights, no cheap and attractive food.
Anon, Mar 30 8:31,
ReplyDelete"erm"... says it all about you.
From where did we all remember "erm" and "erm' again when the issue was answering police questions or hard journalist questions? Any idea, my dear?
I can imagine the quiz night with many 'erm' as an answer to most of the questions. Boring that Tapas 9. They must be good with another games and was to play that games, they went to PDL, not for Quiz Nights or to be bothered with search of a little girl they know well where she was/is and how/why she went missing.
mccann's to be quizzed in june, july or sep 2011, in a portuguese court. Will be a nice Quiz Day. Wonder which pathetic excuse they will try that time to avoid seating their b.... in court.
ReplyDeleteFirst question to be posed by Amaral lawyer: " Could you show us a single evidence to support your daughter was abducted?"
"Erm", "Erm", "actually", "erm"- Kate faint (fake).