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Well, there was a bit of controversy in the last month over a certain GW manager at Kings Lynn. Shortly after the manager had been appointed, a post detailing the store would be limiting/eliminating open gaming was put up... this (despite the wording) was not taken lightly and made international gaming news. The result of this outcry? I've just found the manager no longer works at the store, her facebook page now showing "Former Store Manager - Games Workshop" Link deleted. Reds8n
Could this post have damaged GW's image to the point of being given the sack? Brings up a few questions... was this girl a scape goat to test a new means of management with the failure resulting in her termination?

In case anyone missed it, this was the post made on March 28th this year;

"FOR THE ATTENTION OF KINGS LYNN COLLECTORS.

Within the next few months you will notice a few changes to your local Games Workshop. The first of these will be arriving in the next couple of weeks.

The most important of these changes is that we will be bringing to a close our open gaming. This is great news as it inevitably means that you local store will be hosting fantastic new activites and events designed to give you a whole host of new hobby challenges and our trained staff will be on hand to support you and make sure that you get the most out of this awesome new programme.

I am sure that many of you will have already noticed a huge surge of GCN clubs we have recently been helping promote and start. We have done this to ensure that all your current hobby activites are continued to be supported in appropriate locations available to all.

Finally I wish to allay any fears or rumours some of you may have or have heard. Namely that Games Workshop is "getting rid of its regulars". Please do not be concerned as this is not the case. GW intends to support ALL of their collectors be they new or old, and the coming changes are entirely geared towards us being able to do this for now until forever - YOU ARE CATEGORICALLY NOT BEING TOLD TO LEAVE.

I know that some of you may have questions after reading this, please do not post them below - instead please talk to a member of staff.

Hopefully you trusted me in Kings Lynn, and I ask you trust me now, this will be a great an wonderful journey for the store (there is going to be some seriously cool stuff coming) and as ever we have all your best interests at heart.

Thank You,
Lizzie Stephens
(Manager)"

GW already has a terrible reputation among gamers and rightfully so.

This is great news????

 Morachi wrote:


The most important of these changes is that we will be bringing to a close our open gaming. This is great news as it inevitably means that you local store will be hosting fantastic new activites and events designed to give you a whole host of new hobby challenges and our trained staff will be on hand to support you and make sure that you get the most out of this awesome new programme.

That's an almost pure example of doublespeak!

How do we know that her policies are still not in place? The theory is that this is now standard GW company policy, not something at a manager's discretion (as evidenced by the sheer amount of these type of threads that pop up across the globe over time).

"Collectors?" Not gamers or HHHobbyists?

As long as they're supporting the clubs, good on them.

Have they redacted the policy, though? I can't get to their FB page from work.

I feel sorry for her. At the end of the day, this is someone's job and livelihood - being sacked is not a thing to make light of.

I very much doubt that this policy was her own initiative anyway; GW don't strike me as the sort of company that allow their store managers to have latitude to do what they want without prior guidance and permission. Without getting too conspiratorial about it all, I would imagine this was an upper-echelon decision that she implemented, that subsequently went bang and like many business, the poo rolls downhill rather than someone senior admitting they made a boo-boo. Its a shame for her, I hope she finds or has found a new job and that this experience doesn't tarnish her enjoyment of wargaming.

 Morachi wrote:

Could this post have damaged GW's image to the point of being given the sack? Brings up a few questions... was this girl a scape goat to test a new means of management with the failure resulting in her termination?

No.

Also the policy in question was not dreamt up or created by the person in question.

I was under the impression this manager was one GW routinely move from store to store to 'fix' things as she is the kind of employee that does what they are told despite the stupidity of some of the things GW tell their manages to do.
It would make sense that this policy has been enacted, they she has made sure everyone knows it, then they move her to the next problem store.

For clarification, I wasn't suggesting she was the one who made the policy up, more that GW HQ possibly handed her this policy to see how it went - using her as a guinea pig in the process - thereby allowing themselves an "out" if gak hit the fan. It does indeed have that feel about it.

Not quite a ban but the local Sheffield gw allows you to game, as long as you book in advance and you play for less than an hour.

 Morachi wrote:
For clarification, I wasn't suggesting she was the one who made the policy up, more that GW HQ possibly handed her this policy to see how it went - using her as a guinea pig in the process - thereby allowing themselves an "out" if gak hit the fan. It does indeed have that feel about it.

You really are reading far too much into this.

Quite a few GW stores have this/nigh on identical policies in place, and have done prior to the furore over this stores change.

Maybe. But it is a bit suss that within a month of all this happening, and the hype coming out about it that she would suddenly be unemployed. It does beg question. But we all have opinions and ideas.

 Morachi wrote:
Maybe. But it is a bit suss that within a month of all this happening, and the hype coming out about it that she would suddenly be unemployed.

No it isn't.

I'll defer to the last sentence of my last response

She could have;

> left of her own volition for another job
> have a better position within GW i.e. no longer manage a store
> left to have a baby
> left to get married (unlikely in 2013 I grant you)
> won the lottery

As Red says nothing out of the ordinary.

So are you located in Oz as per your location?, how do you know she is unemployed?, been to the store or called the store in question?, assuming things by her facebook details isnt exactly proof she is unemployed and if she is there is a myrid of reasons as to why.

You're right, she could have done any or all of those things. It's the additional circumstances that make it a curious thought. Only because i've seen it actually happen in places i've worked for - many times. Scape goats are pretty common, and given the business ethos of GW, I wouldn't put it past them. Hence my reason for concern.

vorpalhit wrote:
Not quite a ban but the local Sheffield gw allows you to game, as long as you book in advance and you play for less than an hour.

What game of 40k lasts for less than an hour?

That's my question, we sometimes play 500 point games but the extend well over an hour.

 Alfndrate wrote:

vorpalhit wrote:
Not quite a ban but the local Sheffield gw allows you to game, as long as you book in advance and you play for less than an hour.

What game of 40k lasts for less than an hour?

Ones in Sheffield obviously.

@Vorpalhit. I assume this is the Meadowhall one, and not the one in the town centre. As that would just be silly.

To be honest, most of the GW stores I have been in within the UK are roughly the size of a cupboard anyway. If they do have a table or tables, it usually some teeny, tiny 2x2 affair that you would struggle to fit 250 points on.

I understand that not everyone has the space, resources to game at home or doesn't have a FLGS nearby but still, I can't understand why anyone would choose to play in a GW store out of anything other than absolute pressing necessity.

Alfndrate wrote:

vorpalhit wrote:
Not quite a ban but the local Sheffield gw allows you to game, as long as you book in advance and you play for less than an hour.

What game of 40k lasts for less than an hour?

Necessity is the mother of invention!

filbert wrote:To be honest, most of the GW stores I have been in within the UK are roughly the size of a cupboard anyway. If they do have a table or tables, it usually some teeny, tiny 2x2 affair that you would struggle to fit 250 points on.

I understand that not everyone has the space, resources to game at home or doesn't have a FLGS nearby but still, I can't understand why anyone would choose to play in a GW store out of anything other than absolute pressing necessity.

The ones near me (there are 4!) are all long established and have a fair amount of room for at least 3nr 6'x4' tables.

Having said that I find the idea of playing a game in a GW store anathema. TTN no such problem.

 notprop wrote:

Alfndrate wrote:

vorpalhit wrote:
Not quite a ban but the local Sheffield gw allows you to game, as long as you book in advance and you play for less than an hour.

What game of 40k lasts for less than an hour?

Necessity is the mother of invention!

This is great news!

This is great news!!!

Oh Dakka! I implore you to come up with more "Great News" memes the likes of which will cause my lungs to seize up from laughter! The above is a good start!

No, really, heres a link to their FB page about 6 replies down https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=490644834310685&set=pb.190851224290049.-2207520000.1365551365&type=3&theater, the Meadowhall one shut down 2-3 months ago (pity its one that you could carpark and not have to make a "special" trip too) they have opened one in Rotherham to balance it out but I no reason to go into Rotherham.

We're kinda spoilt in Sheffield, there's the Emporium, Outpost, Patriot shops, and a few gaming clubs so I can still get my geek on

 Morachi wrote:

Could this post have damaged GW's image to the point of being given the sack? Brings up a few questions... was this girl a scape goat to test a new means of management with the failure resulting in her termination?

Nah, she's the manager of Peterborough apparently: https://www.facebook.com/GWPeterborough?ref=stream&hc_location=stream
My local GW manager says she was just minding the Kings Lynn store while it didn't have a manger.

 Harriticus wrote:
This is great news!!!

Someone just needs to photoshop in Kirby's dear face and replace those little books with codecies and it'd be perfect... Maybe with some Finecast guns?

Valete,

JohnS

This is great news as it inevitably means that you local store will be hosting fantastic new activities with a new manager.