Hover menus

[#1]

I have a problem with a website I maintain (not with PN) that in the pre-prepared design does not support click-able drop down menus only hover-over. This gives a serious problem for touch screen tablet and smart phone users who cannot access the drop downs, since the site relies heavily on the drop downs this could be an issue as touch screen become more common place.
I have had lengthy discussions with the server who, cannot assist, referring those touch screen device users to their device tech services. Their only suggestion for me is to change to a different (side-bar) tree type menu layout, but this would push the page content a long way to one side of the screen which would be unacceptable.
I have not been inundated with complaints in "my" website contact pages, indeed I am only getting regular comments from one fellow club member to which the website is about. His regular comment is that there is a simple fix, however the website server says there isn't in their available designs, only that this is a common problem with touch screen technology.
Would changing servers and rebuilding the site overcome the problem. If I were to consider that (I am not very keen at all on that idea) would I be able to transfer any of the content of the current site or would I have to start entirely from scratch again?
The website is www.abbotslangleybowlsclub.com.
A number of members here have looked at this when a similar thread was started in chit chat. Just to clarify, it is actually a two pane design, but am able to set the second pane above the main full screen pane rather than as a side pane, but I am not able to get ride of it entirely, so took the option I have to maintain the full screen of the main content.

[#2]

Is this what the url is ment to be?
http://www.abbotslangleybowlsclub.com
Your link does not work!
If you are going to redo your site you should make it so that screen readers can read the site.
Looking at your site it is hard coded, so to change the menu you will need to do it on every page that you have up on your web site!
Or you could make a site map for your site!

[#3]

Hi Petlew,
The link to your website does not work.
The issue which you have identified is a fundamental issue for touch screens - hover "exposure" functionality is a real pin in the bum, to which there is not a "simple fix".  Put this search into Google - "web site design hover touch screens" and you will get links like...
How to deal with :hover on touch screen devices
Hover is dead, long live hover
To look at but two articles, this is a major issue to modern website design.  In summary the solutions are...
1. Dispense with the use of hover all together - these flashy new touchy feely devices are likely to result in the loss of very useful / smart web page functionality
2. Ignore the failure of touch screen devices (Johnny come latelys) to be compatible with established user interfaces - not an overly popular approach to what is becoming a preferred interface
3. Write some smart arsed JavaScript to implement the functionality differently - that might need new skills and makes things already defined in CSS redundant
Changing hosting providers is not going to solve this problem - only you can do that by considering the design principles of your website.  The traditional interface is POINT and CLICK - you move the mouse (point and hover) and then you click.  On touch screens there is not the same sense of point, just click, thus hover just don't work any more.
Sorry, I am sure this is not the answer you were looking for.
Kevin
PS: I have recently taken up (crown green) bowling - now I've accessed the site (using the above post's correction) I'll book mark the page as there looks to be lots of really useful information here - thank you.

[#4]

Ooop's I spelt Abbots with two t's, you'd think I would know better. I've now corrected it.

[#5]

Oddly enough Townman it was the answer I was if not actually looking for, the one I was in a perverse way hoping for, as it means as it stands at the moment I can't compete with touch-screen and that there is a) no need to change providers and rebuild the website, and b) there is no fault lurking in the site that is going to bite me badly at some later date.
It seems to me it is the developers of touch screen technology who need to overcome this problem, not us poor folk to assume that everybody now uses touch screen, which if my lack of complaints (bar one) is to go by is a problem in my mind rather than actuality, indicating that for the time being at least point and click is still in the ascendency if temporarily.
Enjoy the Crown Green, I'd love to try it but there are no crown greens down here in the south (or at least none near here that I know of)

[#6]

Quote from: Petlew

It seems to me it is the developers of touch screen technology who need to overcome this problem,

I have some sympathy for you as you already have the site built but depending on "hover" is roughly equivalent to designing a site that is only navigable with a middle mouse button. There is a horrible trend towards platform-specific web design these days.
In my view a good fix to the hover problem is to make the heading of each hover menu menu clickable. That link can point to a plain-vanilla-html version of the menu, making the site navigable. If you want it prettier then the link could be overridden in javascript to toggle the menu on and off. The hover function then just provides a shortcut.

[#7]

Hi, I don't know if you've solved your problem yet regarding hover buttons but I had the same problem. I have a very simple site www.paternosterlodge.co.uk. I'm not a genius but I built the site using microsoft Frontpage. PN don't like Frontpage but I've made it work (with the help of the PN support forums) for me. If I can be of any help please let me know.
Best regards, Mick.   

[#8]

Having taken the time to look at the page I'd say there is a very simple fix, and it won't require gutting the site to change the navigation.
Each of the menu tabs is already clickable, its just that the links mostly go to blank pages. If you edit the page to contain a copy of the hover menu then it becomes touchscreen navigable, since you can tap through to the menu then tap to the specific page, without needing the dropdown.
Example: clicking "Fixtures" takes you to http://www.abbotslangleybowlsclub.com/page8.htm which is blank. Put a copy of the fixtures menu there: problem solved.
As the changes are modest it ought to be possible to kludge them in without rebuilding the site.