Below is a list of definitions for phrases and terms used throughout the club's customer charter, as well as basic information and a directory of staff.

Definitions

The Club - Bristol Rovers Football Club Limited
The Website - www.bristolrovers.co.uk
E-Mail Address - admin@bristolrovers.co.uk
The Matchday Programme - The official publication on sale at the Memorial Stadium and authorised retail outlets on and around first team matchdays
The Strip - Replica shirts on sale at official club outlets

Customers, Conduct & Consultation

Below are details on the club's customer service policy, staff conduct guidelines, as well as basic principles of consultation.

Customer Service

Contact - Rod Wesson, Director of Administration
Hours - Monday to Friday (9:00am to 5:00pm), Saturday first team matchdays (10:00am to 2:00pm), midweek first team matchdays (5:00pm to 6:30pm)

The Director of Administration is the principal customer services contact at the club for questions, complaints and concerns. The Director of Administration is not necessarily based at the Memorial Stadium and is not always available for personal callers without prior appointment. However, in his absence the matter will be dealt with by the administration staff, who will report to the Director of Administration at the earliest available opportunity. The Director of Administration may then choose to re-direct the enquiry to the head of the department under whose jurisdiction the matter refers.

The club will endeavour to respond to any letter, fax or e-mail within seven days of receipt of such communication (exclusive of weekends and Bank Holidays). If it is not possible to provide a full response within that time, an acknowledgement will be sent and a detailed reply will follow within 21 days of receipt of the original communication. The club will respond by letter, telephone, e-mail or fax. A customer may request a response in writing provided that a full address including postcode is supplied.

Staff Conduct

We will continue to be committed to a policy of equality of opportunity and non-discrimination on the grounds of disability, sex, marriage, race, colour or religion and to the principle that our employees should be free to work in an environment free from harassment of any kind. We require our staff, in their dealings with individual or corporate clients to conduct themselves in accordance with the highest ethical standards and to be helpful and courteous at all times.

Consultation & Information

The club consults supporters on a regular basis through the Bristol Rovers Supporters Club, Bristol Rovers Presidents Club and the Young Pirates. The club publicises its position on major policy issues in the matchday programme and the official club website. The club gives the earliest possible notice of any changes to its ticketing policy and the reasons for change. In normal circumstances, matchday admissions and season ticket prices for the forthcoming season are published prior to 15th June annually. The club undertakes research on the design and number of new strips. Replica strip designs shall have a minimum life span of one season. The club will aim to provide a label to the replica strip stating its launch date. Details of the next intended change of kit are available from any authorised outlet retailing the strip. The club carries out its obligations under Football League regulations to prevent price fixing in relation to the sale of replica kit. The club offers refunds on merchandise in accordance with its legal obligations.

Ticketing

Below are details on the club's ticketing policies, including pricing, allocation, refunds and other relevant points.

Pricing & Allocation

The club continues to strive for wider access to matches by offering a broad range of ticket prices. The club operates a scheme to enable supporters to pay for season tickets by instalment at a reasonable rate of interest. At least 5 per cent of tickets to each game will be made available to non-season ticket holders. Concessionary prices are available to juveniles under the age of 16 on 1st August of the season of the match, to those aged 65 and over on the same date, and to students and senior pirates.

Youngsters & Families

All applicants must be members of the Young Pirates and under the age of seven on 1st August of the season of the match. There is a £3 admin fee for all applications, which must be accompanied by a full-paying adult (season ticket holders included) and a passport sized photo. Passes are valid for home matches in the Family Enclosure only. Reduced priced season tickets and Family Enclosure tickets are available for families. Particular emphasis will be given to encourage young people and their families to the Memorial Stadium. We will always provide an area of the ground for the exclusive use of family groups and junior supporters.

Wheelchair Users, Disabled & Carers

e offer a system of concessionary ticket prices tailored for disabled supporters. Separate designated areas are set aside and seats/bays can be purchased as a season ticket or on a matchday basis. All applicants must register proof of their disability in advance with the club. The club reserves the right to retain 30 per cent of the available space for wheelchairs for matchday purchase, including 15 per cent for visiting supporters. Where the need for personal support has been identified the club will admit the personal assistant free of charge on the understanding that they are providing a service to the disabled supporter to enable them to access matchday facilities. For details on disabled application forms contact the administration department on 0117 9096648 during office hours.

Away Matches

When the club's supporters are allocated tickets for away matches the home club determines the cost of these tickets in accordance with the regulations of the competition in which the match is played. Details of admission prices and availability for forthcoming away matches are published in the matchday programme and on the official club website.

Refunds & Returns

The club will refund a pre-purchased match ticket provided that it is presented to the matchday ticket office at least 30 minutes prior to the advertised kick-off time. Only in exceptional circumstances will a refund be granted after this time and only by written application to the Director of Administration giving the full reasons why the refund is requested. Any such request must be received within two days of the match (exclusive of Sundays and Bank Holidays). For season ticket holders who lose or forget their ticket on a matchday, they must obtain a duplicate from the ticket office. There will be an on-the-spot £5.00 administration fee for lost or forgotten season tickets. Season ticket holders who have their tickets stolen must report the circumstances to the police and obtain a crime reference. A duplicate ticket will then be issued. The turnstiles are regularly monitored for stolen tickets subsequently being fraudulently used to gain admission.

Postponed & Abandoned Matches

Pre-purchased tickets for a match, which is subsequently postponed, will be accepted when the match is eventually played. For a match postponed after the turnstiles have opened, or abandoned during the first half, spectators will be handed a voucher on departure. This will enable them to gain free admission to the match when it is eventually played. For a game abandoned in the second half, spectators will be handed a voucher on departure, which will enable them to gain admission at half price when the game is eventually played. For cup matches abandoned after the normal 90 minutes of match-play, no refunds will be available.

Visiting Supporters

The club abides by Football League regulations governing the allocation of tickets to visiting clubs. The club does not charge admission prices to supporters of visiting club, which are higher than those charged to our own supporters for comparable accommodation. In addition the concessionary rates offered to juveniles under the age of 16 and those who are over 65 years of age apply to supporters of a visiting club.

Racism

The club fully and actively supports the aims and objectives of the Let's Kick Racism Out of Football campaign. It is a condition of entry that spectators do not take part in racist abuse or chanting.

Disabled Policy

Below are details on the club's policy on disabled supporters, including access rights and legal definitions relating to watching first team matches at the Memorial Stadium.

Facilities & Access

The cub fully supports the principle of equal opportunities and opposes all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination on the grounds of disability. The club operates a specific ticketing policy for disabled supporters and will ensure that the scheme does not discriminate between disabled people with differing impairments. The club recognises that not all of its facilities are fully accessible to disabled supporters and confirms that it is committed to making the necessary reasonable adjustments described by the Disability Discrimination Act and its relevant codes of practice to ensure full compliance with legislation.

Disability Definitions

As a fundamental principle the Disability Discrimination Act states that disabled people should not be treated "less favourably, without justification" and "reasonable adjustments should be made to make goods, facilities and services accessible". For purposes of this policy only, the definition of a disabled supporter is: "Any person who, because of their disability and/or impairment, is unable to use ordinary stand seating without contravening Health and Safety Regulations, Guidelines or Policy or where the club has provided a "reasonable adjustment" to enable that supporter to attend the venue. Any such person will be considered for use of the "designated areas" of the stadium in line with the procedures set out in this policy".

A "reasonable adjustment" in the context should include (but is not limited to), the need to use a wheelchair bay, the need to bring a "personal assistant" for either personal care or safety reasons, or use of and auxiliary service. A "designated area" is any area (including specific seats around the stadium) that the club shall, in its sole discretion determine as being available for the disabled ticket price.

A person has a "disability" if he/she has a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The club reserves the right to request "proof of a disability" before issuing any concession. Such proof shall include receipt of the middle or higher rate of the Disability Living Allowance (mobility or care component), receipt of either the Severe Disablement Allowance or Attendance Allowance or a personal letter from a GP. Receipt of an orange/blue badge will not be considered sufficient proof of disability.

Community

The club is committed in playing a full and active role within the local community. We provide Football in the Community coaches to work with a variety of young people to provide motivation and discipline through sport. We receive many requests for assistance with charities and fund-raising, preference will be given to organisations supporting the local community and young people in particular.

The club also has a very active education department, which works with a wide variety of schools, colleges, and community groups. From September of 2005 the clbu is operating a government backed scheme known as Playing for Success which will be based in the stadium's IT Centre. Applications to take part in associated courses should be made to the club directly in the first instance.

Appendix

Below are explanations and terms relating to the club's policies on conditional family access and supporter group admission criteria.

Supporter Groups

Student Scheme - The scheme is open to students in full-time education. The cost is £7 per season and applicants will be required to supply a passport-sized photograph of themselves

Senior Pirates - A Senior Pirate is a 16 to 18-year-old in full-time education. A passport-sized photograph and £7 fee must accompany all applications. Qualifying dates run from 1st August to 31st July within the three-year age period.

Family Classification

Family Enclosure - Adult males (including male pensioners) are not allowed onto the Family Enclosure unless accompanied by a juvenile or a female. Occasions may arise when an adult male season ticket holder for this area is unaccompanied. If this occurs, he should exchange his season ticket for another ticket in an alternative area.

Family Season Tickets and Matchday Purchases - The following criteria will apply in determining what constitutes a 'family':

1. A husband and/or wife plus child(ren) under 16 all with the same surname and residing at the same address
2. Partner(s) with child(ren) under 16 all residing at the same address but with different surnames
3. Parent with child(ren) under 16 living at a different address but with the same surname

Proof will be required for any other requests or combinations and these must be submitted with photocopies of documentary evidence to the Director of Administration for consideration.

There will be no upgrades on matchdays of the juvenile portion of a Family Enclosure season ticket to an adult, with the holder paying the difference. This scheme is intended to assist bona fide families with children who, through cost, would not normally be able to attend. If an instance is found that there has been deception in obtaining the ticket, the holder(s) will be banned from the stadium for the remainder of the season and no compensatory refund made. Supporters are asked to enter into the spirit of the concession and discovery of any widespread contravention could seriously jeopardise continuation of the scheme, causing genuine supporters to be deprived of what we consider is an initiative which is welcomed by all. Children who are in full-time education and are aged 16 to 18 may also be included as part of a family provided they have joined the Senior Pirates. Although individual matchday and season ticket prices are the same for under 16s as well as for the over 65s group, it will only be under 16s who are classified with the family ticket criteria. There will be occasions where a grandparent may wish to accompany a grandchild aged under 16 to a match. The one adult male per under 16 child criteria will still apply.