Temporary BA Lounge at LGW North - No. 1 Traveller Lounge: Photos, reviews, questions
BA's lounge pavilion complex in LGW closed on Monday 4 January 2016 after many years of service. The new temporary lounge is the No. 1 Lounge in the same area and is due to open for business on Tuesday 5 January 2016. This post has the key facts for ease of access, the rest of the thread is for reviews, comments, questions.
Background
The No. 1 lounge is providing BA with a temporary home in LGW North after the closure of the lounge pavilion complex, pending building works. The No. 1 lounge provision is expected to remain open until BA moves its operations from North terminal to the South Terminal around November 2016 (date not yet confirmed). In the South terminal there will be a new BA lounge opened, in the area currently occupied by No. 1 lounge South (and the Frankie and Benny's Restaurant).
Location
The lounge is on the departure level of LGW North Airside, at the back of the main shopping area and below the previous BA lounges.
Opening hours
04:00 hrs to 22:00 hrs.
Access rights and constraints
British Airways usual rules, so entry for Club Europe and Club World travellers; entry for cardholder plus 1 guest for BA Silver and above, 2 guests if GGL or above
oneworld status passengers plus guests
No. 1 own admission (available online), including various frequent user card options. £25 per person booked in advance, £30 on the day.
Priority Pass
BA Guest Services (read this bit!)
There is a BA guest services desk right next to the No. 1 registration desk, in front of the lifts previously used to access the BA lounge. With the move to No. 1 the guest services desk no longer has the ability to page someone in the lounge about their flight, and there are no announcements made in the No. 1 lounge of any description (including the airport's own announcements), just background music in certain areas. So keep an eye on your flight on the Information Screens or using the status feature of the BA App, and feel free to wander out to talk to the desk. If BA needs to contact an individual passenger then they will look on the booking and try to contact via any mobile telephone number that is shown there, but this isn't always visible. Furthermore if there is service delayed involving a lot of passengers then it isn't going to be easy to do this. So best be pro-active in this area and keep your telephone switched on. I highlight this since for regular visitors used to occasional PAs in the previous BA lounges, they may be blissfully unaware of any changes to their flights.
Facilities
BA Customer Service Desk (next to the new No. 1 reception desk, in front of the lifts.
Adult only area (over 12 years old) - Library area, "please refain from using mobile phones".
Bar - alcohol isn't on free flow
Food buffet
Soft drinks on free flow pumps (including still and sparkling water)
Wide variety of seating options
Pantry eating area
Main lounge
Apple PCs
Wifi
Large screen TVs
Office / meeting room
Work desks with power
Newspapers (Times, Telegraph, Independent, I, Mail) and magazines
Toilets in the lounge complex
However there are no longer shower facilities.
Food
All day hot options - free - order at the bar
Beans on toast: A pot of baked beans served with a buttered white lid plus a side of grated cheddar cheese. Gluten free available on request.
Fish finger sandwich (I didn't make this up): Classic fish fingers in a lightly buttered soft white roll, with your choice of tomato or tartare sauce.
Before 11 hrs:
Order menu (free)
Bacon Roll: cured bacon served in a lightly buttered soft white roll, with your choice of tomato or brown sauce.
Poached egg pot: Soft poached egg with spinach purée, Hollandaise sauce and a potato rösti.
Buffet items:
Breakfast cereal (wide selection)
Croissants and pains au chocolat
Fruit salad (several options)
Yoghurt (plain and flavoured)
Porridge
Fresh fruit
After 11 hrs:
Order menu (free)
Winter beef stew: Slow cooked steak in a rich beef stock with seasonal root vegetables, Italian tomatoes and thyme, topped with a horseradish and herb dumpling.
Black eyed bean and sweet potato chilli: A warming dish of chilli on a bed of rice, served with charred peppers, tortilla chps and crème fraîche.
Asian Noodle Broth: A flavoursome vegetable stock with spring onion, bok choi, chilli and ginger. Served with your choice of chicken or tofu.
Cheese board: A selection of handpicked British cheeses. served with artisan biscuits and chutney. Gluten free on request.
Buffet menu:
Vegetable soup of the day with bread rolls
Seasonal salads (several options)
Homemade cakes and tray bakes (several options)
Fresh fruit.
Note: the usual No. 1 procedure is that one order menu item is free per person, the next item is £4 each. I am not sure that's being enforced however.
Drink
On self serve: coke, diet coke, Fanta, Schweppes lemonade, still and sparkling water
On bar order (but free of charge): wine, beer and spirits served for you and brought to your table if ordered elsewhere.
Paid menu:
Bucks Fizz - £6 per glass; Champagne and Kir Royale (sic) £8 per glass, Prosecco £6 per glass, £20 per bottle. Champagnes per bottle: Castelnau Brut Reservé NV £32 (half bottle £20); Veuve Cliquot Yellow label NV £48; Veuve Rosé £72, Moët et Chandon NV £48.
Links:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ov-2016-a.html
http://www.no1traveller.com/gatwick-...nges-north.htm