Snobby Niteclubs

[ONeill]

Being one of the beautiful people, I've never been refused entry into anything.

Tell a lie, a good few years ago in the Odyssey I was refused entry to a bar. I was with the wife and another couple. I had one glass of wine with my dinner beforehand. When we got to the top of the queue he says to us, 'I can't let you in guys as he's drunk', pointing to me. I says 'but I'm not, i had one glass of wine with my dinner'. He then tried something from the 1967 manual of telltale signs for identify riffraff for bouncers - he asked me to stare into his eyes. As I did, feeling humiliated, he did some kind of mad head movement as if he was examining a hair under a microscope. He then says OK, this once. I just retort 'naw, it doesn't matter' and headed elsewhere.

Having a skinhead doesn't help.

[thebigfella]

Belfast does seem to have a lot of arsehole doormen right enough. If they keep this up it will befall the same fate as all the other up their own arse clubs/bars in Belfast.They only let in the beautiful people at the start and keep out normal people ,the ones who are out for a nights drinking and will spend money.Then the next new place opens ,and all the beautiful people go there and abandon the last cool place.The last cool place lose their crowd and they spend a fortune trying to get back the normal people who they refused entry at the start because they were'nt cool or beautiful enough.The normal people have already been snubbed,and are not foolish enough to go back to a place that was so rude and up it's own arse.They then end up letting in anyone who will come through the door and the place is wrecked within a year .As they no longer know who their target market is ,they spend a fortune on advertising and marketing at a time when it's already too late.

If you want to be a real p***k - it's the management who reserve the right to refuse entry, not the doorstaff.You're within your rights to ask a member of management why you are being refused entry.Most good clubs have a member of management on the door with the doorstaff to sort out such situations.

You've real issues with these beautiful people, what did they ever do on you?

[redhugh]

Belfast does seem to have a lot of arsehole doormen right enough. If they keep this up it will befall the same fate as all the other up their own arse clubs/bars in Belfast.They only let in the beautiful people at the start and keep out normal people ,the ones who are out for a nights drinking and will spend money.Then the next new place opens ,and all the beautiful people go there and abandon the last cool place.The last cool place lose their crowd and they spend a fortune trying to get back the normal people who they refused entry at the start because they were'nt cool or beautiful enough.The normal people have already been snubbed,and are not foolish enough to go back to a place that was so rude and up it's own arse.They then end up letting in anyone who will come through the door and the place is wrecked within a year .As they no longer know who their target market is ,they spend a fortune on advertising and marketing at a time when it's already too late.

If you want to be a real p***k - it's the management who reserve the right to refuse entry, not the doorstaff.You're within your rights to ask a member of management why you are being refused entry.Most good clubs have a member of management on the door with the doorstaff to sort out such situations.

You've real issues with these beautiful people, what did they ever do on you?

No I don't ,I've an issue with clubs/pubs that think  the beautiful people are the ideal target market.I think it's foolish and short-sighted.

[Aerlik]

On the subject of bouncers, what are the origins of the security companies who do the crowd control?  I was talking to a lad last week about this subject and he was telling me that the laws in Western Australia are set to change soon to ban anyone with any criminal past from owning or operating a security company of any kind.  It seems the authorities want to weed out the criminal element (ie bike gangs) as there have been a number of high-profile incidents in the last few years involving bouncers getting out of hand.  In one case, a former international cricketer got punched by a bouncer and he fell and died from the injures when his head hit the ground.

The lad I spoke to owns a security company but won't touch crowd control because it is riddled with drugs.

[Rafa]

Being one of the beautiful people, I've never been refused entry into anything.

Tell a lie, a good few years ago in the Odyssey I was refused entry to a bar. I was with the wife and another couple. I had one glass of wine with my dinner beforehand. When we got to the top of the queue he says to us, 'I can't let you in guys as he's drunk', pointing to me. I says 'but I'm not, i had one glass of wine with my dinner'. He then tried something from the 1967 manual of telltale signs for identify riffraff for bouncers - he asked me to stare into his eyes. As I did, feeling humiliated, he did some kind of mad head movement as if he was examining a hair under a microscope. He then says OK, this once. I just retort 'naw, it doesn't matter' and headed elsewhere.

Having a skinhead doesn't help.

You know skinheads.

[Owenbeg]

Milk was a shit hole before it became rain and im sure it is still a shit hole.

Bouncers are belfast are bollock's but there are a few good ones, was in roost one night, and bouncer decided to put me out,i was sobber and just in, walking back from the toilet and not bothering anyone!!! When i got to the door wit him, the other chap who was working, who was watching the whole thing, told your man to catch him sel on and stop acting the bollocks and went and bought me a drink to appologies for the other man on a ego trip!!!
Never had any other bother in there. Pothouse and Ollie had their we phases of being hard to get into but think there handy enough to get into, the pounce brigade must have moved onto rain

[Minder]

It will be a while before the Pothouse is hard to get into, I remember reading last year they had went to a three or four day week due to the recession/drop in trade. Will tighten them.

[Bud Wiser]

Only because I would have a interest in the legal implications of the policy of this night club, not because I would want to go there I am at a loss to know why anyone would want to go there - see the comments down the page here:  http://www.belfastbar.co.uk/rain-nightclub-review.htm

If I ever was in Belfast on a night I would type out a letter to the Proprietor, of Rain and after being refused I would say that under current laws of Discriminbation and,  because I was refused entry before,  I anticipated I would be refused tonight as well.  I would say they are reminded that because they could or would not give a reason for the refusal that you have to interpret their reason as being one of the following:

You were prevented entry because it was alleged that you were bringing potentially dangerous and illegal items, such as drugs and weapons, into the club.

You were drunk and misbehaving.

That it was alleged that you and your friends were trying to enter the club to damage the bar or venue's property and furnishings.

Then say that since you can provide charachter references and proof that none of these were true take out your mobile phone and take a pic of you and your friend standing outside and try nand get the bouncers in the shot, they can't stop you taking a pic of yourself on the public footpath.  Then hand them the envelope and walk away off and have a few pints and a laugh in another club while they are sweating in theirs. 

[Rafa]

Only because I would have a interest in the legal implications of the policy of this night club, not because I would want to go there I am at a loss to know why anyone would want to go there - see the comments down the page here:  http://www.belfastbar.co.uk/rain-nightclub-review.htm

If I ever was in Belfast on a night I would type out a letter to the Proprietor, of Rain and after being refused I would say that under current laws of Discriminbation and,  because I was refused entry before,  I anticipated I would be refused tonight as well.  I would say they are reminded that because they could or would not give a reason for the refusal that you have to interpret their reason as being one of the following:

You were prevented entry because it was alleged that you were bringing potentially dangerous and illegal items, such as drugs and weapons, into the club.

You were drunk and misbehaving.

That it was alleged that you and your friends were trying to enter the club to damage the bar or venue's property and furnishings.

Then say that since you can provide charachter references and proof that none of these were true take out your mobile phone and take a pic of you and your friend standing outside and try nand get the bouncers in the shot, they can't stop you taking a pic of yourself on the public footpath.  Then hand them the envelope and walk away off and have a few pints and a laugh in another club while they are sweating in theirs. 

Good plan.

Started reading the reviews on that link you posted, don't need to read anymore. A lot seem to be having the same problems as me and my mates. I'm gonna make a conscious effort not to go near the place again then and maybe others should do the same thing.

As Rav I think mentioned, its the licensing laws in Belfast that are a joke. My mate was ranting after Saturday night at how early the Bot was over at. At the time I didn't think much of it because I'm used to it but 1.15am on a Saturday night is a bit of a joke.

[Bud Wiser]

There was a legal case in England recently where a nightclub stopped a dance and threathened to close for the night because Chinese in it weren't drinking enough  They sued for discrimination !

[Maguire01]

Maybe i'm just getting old, but I wouldn't queue to get into any pub or club. And if I was refused entry for no good reason, I wouldn't go back again.

At last, something we can agree on!

Ah now, we've agreed on a few things!

[gallsman]

Whats the story with this?

Headed out to 'Rain' in Belfast on Saturday night. As I have about a 20% success rate with getting into this place I wasn't holding out much hope. We did the usual drill - as there was five of us we split up into two groups (ya know since apparently niteclubs don't like people who go out with more than 2 friends). I was in the second group. Soon enough I could see the rejection at the head of the queue as the all too familiar words were being mouthed by the bouncers, "not tonight lads". So that was that for another week.

One of my mates has never actually gotten into Rain before, I have and its not all that special! We've even taken to making sure were not in any sort of mess heading up the door now to try and get in. Were just not their 'type of people' it seems. We don't look protestant enough, them with their fancy clothes and swarthy skin.

Any suggestions for future excursions to Rain are welcome!

Not that I like them any more than you do, but the ownership/management of RAIN would be from our side of the fence.

[takeyourownpath]

there was a "white party" in rain there before the summer, showed up about 10 oclock, could see inside the place was empty and still didn't get in! everyone i talk to says it's a joke, a mess inside and the bouncers don't let anyone who isn't from belfast in. so it's a "club" with shite music, crap staff, grumpy bouncers, dear drink and full of frankies. doesn't sound like we're missin much!

[fitzroyalty]

Seems the bouncers at Rain were at it again with their selective door policy, apparently wheelchair users are not welcome! A lad in a wheelchair was refused entry last week and was asked by one of the doorstaff "do you think we've nothing better to do than lift your wheelchair up and down stairs all night" or something to that effect. Was also told that they called him a spastic aswell. Whatever miniscule possibility there was of me ever entering that place again is now gone. 

[ardmhachaabu]

Seems the bouncers at Rain were at it again with their selective door policy, apparently wheelchair users are not welcome! A lad in a wheelchair was refused entry last week and was asked by one of the doorstaff "do you think we've nothing better to do than lift your wheelchair up and down stairs all night" or something to that effect. Was also told that they called him a spastic aswell. Whatever miniscule possibility there was of me ever entering that place again is now gone. 

He works in the same place as me, he's a nice lad, always a bit of craic out of him