Odd I think, but racist?

meglome

The girlfriend was in a hurry to get a hair cut/colour about a week ago. So she popped into the new Polish place on Capel Street. Just happened to be the closest place at the time. The signs on the outside are in English so she didn't think there was any reason not to go in. So in she goes and asks the girls for what she wants. Firstly they don't speak much English but fair enough not really an issue for her as she's not asking for brain surgery. They have no interest in cutting her hair whatsoever and it's not because they have lots of customers, they don't have any. All the signs in the shop are in Polish and as far the gf can say they don't want to cut her hair as she's not Polish. I run a business myself so within reason anyone's money is as good as anyone else’s.

So yesterday we're talking to a friend of ours who's just been in London. She was staying in Brixton. She had a few hours to kill so she decided to get a hair cut. No problem she thinks, there’s a load of hairdressers around there. So she goes into the first place along and asks for a wash/cut. They don't want to cut her hair. So she goes into the next place and they don't want to cut her hair either. So she asks them to tell her where to go to get a haircut. They send her round the corner to another place which ends up costing quite a bit. For anyone who knows Brixton it's pretty black, as in the people, and so are the shops. These shops didn't have any customers but they don't want to cut her hair, she's white is that a factor?

So twice in the space of a week I've heard the same story. I find this strange because a business is successful or not based on its cash flow and nothing else. If you have no customers I would have thought you'd almost take anyone but seemingly not.

Is this racist or what is it?

Kintarō Hattori

A few years back one of the girls here from the office went into one of the Korean hairdressers in Parnell Street and they refused to cut her hair. Dunno why it is but I have heard of it happening to others too.

phasers

yet if an Irish hairdressers did it to a foreign person it would be all over the papers the next day

meglome

eo980 wrote: »

A few years back one of the girls here from the office went into one of the Korean hairdressers in Parnell Street and they refused to cut her hair. Dunno why it is but I have heard of it happening to others too.

Funnily enough the gf gets her hair cut there sometimes.

connundrum

Management have the right to refuse. Unless either shop specifically said - You're not getting service because you're Irish/White - then there's not much to go on.

Either way, I'd be quite nervous about telling a girl which way I wanted my hair cut, knowing that she has very little English.

'I think joo say noomber 1 all over. Is no goot??'

Trojan911

meglome wrote: »

So twice in the space of a week I've heard the same story. I find this strange because a business is successful or not based on its cash flow and nothing else. If you have no customers I would have thought you'd almost take anyone but seemingly not. Is this racist or what is it?

And here is another one, I went into a barbers in New Cross in South East London many moons ago to get my hair cut. I was told by the black barber that they only cut afro hair. Racist? Or is it they can't cut non afro hair?

TJ911...

Karl Hungus

Definitely wouldn't be something new. Afaik, there was a shop in Dublin owned by Nigerians that had a sign in the window that said "No White People"

Certainly racism, and I'd get onto some authority about that, it shouldn't be tolerated.

Vegeta

Trojan911 wrote: »

And here is another one, I went into a barbers in New Cross in South East London many moons ago to get my hair cut. I was told by the black barber that they only cut afro hair. Racist? Or is it they can't cut non afro hair?

TJ911...

was just thinking the same thing, maybe they just don't have the experience and were afraid they'd mess it up

Fratton Fred

Black hairdressers are different though, an Afro Caribbean’s hair is different and the skills are different, so I can understand the reluctance. I had my head shaved in the Caribbean once and they shaved the edges with a razor blade so I had right angles in my hair line, I looked like a short fat white gangsta rapper.

Polish hair though, it looks pretty much the same as Irish hair to me

Fratton Fred

Trojan911 wrote: »

And here is another one, I went into a barbers in New Cross in South East London many moons ago to get my hair cut. I was told by the black barber that they only cut afro hair. Racist? Or is it they can't cut non afro hair?

TJ911...

That is outrageous.

What on earth were you doing in New Cross:eek:

Archeron

That is strange. There is an eastern european barber on Talbot street, and I've got my hair cut there twice with not a bother (because I missed my bus and didnt want to hang around in Busaras).
You dont get much chit chat, which is good, and the women are all unbelievably hot too. Win win!!

Trojan911

Vegeta wrote: »

was just thinking the same thing, maybe they just don't have the experience and were afraid they'd mess it up

I went for the latter as well.... Afro hair is a different ball game....

TJ911...

Trojan911

Fratton Fred wrote: »

What on earth were you doing in New Cross:eek:

Lived there for a bit...... Having read the above I incidently get my hair done by a Polish female if her [Irish] boss is away when I pop in.... Never any hassle, does a good job too and a stunner as well ..:D

TJ911...

Fratton Fred

Trojan911 wrote: »

Lived there for a bit......

TJ911...

and you live to tell the tale. Fair play to you:cool:

SimpleSam06

connundrum wrote: »

Management have the right to refuse. Unless either shop specifically said - You're not getting service because you're Irish/White - then there's not much to go on.

Management do not have the right to refuse based on culture, race, or ethnic background as several pubs who tried to bar all travellers found out. If the Dept of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is informed about such carry on, they will conduct their own investigation. It could be as simple as sending in a couple of Irish women per day to see are they refused, as opposed to anyone else. The establishment if found in contravention of Equality acts could be warned, fined, or shut down if it perseveres.

Degsy

There's a shop in moore street that wont serve whites..its called X-cat or something like that.It doesnt have a sign or anything but it seems to be a policy from what i can gather.There's also a shop in Drogheda that had a sign up saying No White People,they were made to take the sign down but as far as i'm concerned they should have been closed down and prosecuted under the Incitement to Hatred Act.

Trojan911

Fratton Fred wrote: »

and you live to tell the tale. Fair play to you:cool:

Well, I kinda moved out of the area when the house I was sharing with two guys 'n' two gals got raided by plod for armed robbery. The two gals turned out to be crack whores whose pimp used to call every night to them so I decided I would head to pastures new after that.


TJ911...

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

that's ****ing brilliant

i'm going to open a shop in israel and refuse to serve jews. I can see myself making millions.

humbert

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Definitely wouldn't be something new. Afaik, there was a shop in Dublin owned by Nigerians that had a sign in the window that said "No White People"

I heard the same about a shop in Dundalk run by Nigerians, I was quite sure it was true, as a matter of fact I think I saw the sign myself but since the two stories are nearly identical I'm a little reluctant to put it forward as fact in case I just picked up some rumour going round.

Either way, it shouldn't be tolerated, but hair dressers are gossipy social little places(bit like the pub for the wimmins I suppose) so I could see them being cliquey.

Vegeta

Trojan911 wrote: »

I went for the latter as well.... Afro hair is a different ball game....

TJ911...

I think they would cut my hair though as I have a white mans afro. My dad even slags me about it

projectmayhem

heard a few of these types of stories now. it links back to having a 20% foreign national population in this country, but at this point, if these foreign nationals aren't trying to integrate, but instead have their own neck of the woods to themselves only, we'll find outselves in a huge racist power struggle soon.

dodgyme

Trojan911 wrote: »

Well, I kinda moved out of the area when the house I was sharing with two guys 'n' two gals got raided by plod for armed robbery. The two gals turned out to be crack whores whose pimp used to call every night to them so I decided I would head to pastures new after that.


TJ911...

Feckin hell - more details more details

SimpleSam06

projectmayhem wrote: »

it links back to having a 20% foreign national population in this country

10%.

meglome

Trojan911 wrote: »

And here is another one, I went into a barbers in New Cross in South East London many moons ago to get my hair cut. I was told by the black barber that they only cut afro hair. Racist? Or is it they can't cut non afro hair?

TJ911...

Well they both have fairly straight 'normal' hair so wouldn't that be easier?

meglome

connundrum wrote: »

Management have the right to refuse. Unless either shop specifically said - You're not getting service because you're Irish/White - then there's not much to go on.

Either way, I'd be quite nervous about telling a girl which way I wanted my hair cut, knowing that she has very little English.

'I think joo say noomber 1 all over. Is no goot??'

Fair enough but when you have no customers you'd think it would be crazy to turn away a paying customer. And let's face it Irish people are used to paying more for these services than the Polish.

arseagon

There was a shop in Enniscorthy that got into trouble for having a sign saying "No Irish". They were forced to take it down but by then it had done what they intended to do because no locals would darken the doorstep.

Terry

Thus begins the ghettoisation of Ireland.

Make your own signs, folks.

http://dogonablog.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/no_irish_no_blacks.jpg
http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~el6/presentations/Irish_Americans_S2_WS2003/foto/Image7.gif
http://www.lordtaylor.org/img/cdcover.jpg
http://memory.loc.gov/rbc/amss/cw1/cw104040/001q.gif
http://www.triskelle.eu/images/img_nina.jpg


Now let's sit back as we once again become second class citizens in our own country.

Hobbes

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Definitely wouldn't be something new. Afaik, there was a shop in Dublin owned by Nigerians that had a sign in the window that said "No White People"

This was discussed on boards many many years ago. As I recall Blade answered what went on. As I recall on that particular incident it was a case of bad English on the sign and they were trying to say that they were only skilled in cutting black peoples hair.

This may also apply to Asian hair as well, as I have had a similar situation in the US with a Japanese hairdressers. They recommended me to another salon which was pretty much the same price. They explained (may or may not be true) that Japanese hair is different in how it cut with Western styles and generally the customer just gets upset. So to save hassle they send them elsewhere.

However in Ireland at least it is illegal to refuse to serve someone based on race. So if they had something like "Polish only" you might want to report it.

curiousxxx1

phasers wrote: »

yet if an Irish hairdressers did it to a foreign person it would be all over the papers the next day

Actually not.. Peter Mark wouldn't do my hair
1st, for Africans they are not used to the European hair... Our hair is thick and we have to perm it to look straight...Our hair naturally should be afro's but we tend to straighten it.
As for the Polish salon, next time it should say "Polish only". Your gf can report them as she wasn't treated fairly.

tallus

Also, there was a shop in Oldcaste Co Meath, that wouldn't serve catholics. My mam told me about it once as we have relatives out in that neck of the woods. I'll try to find out the name later.

cas91

Its definitley racist theres no doubt about it.,.
But there also losing out themselves..however big the POlish population i Ireland is, if they took in Irish customers they'd be doing better for themselves financially.
Whatever they're doing its against the law but to be honest I would'nt be bothered with them ther only losing out themselves after all..

Cas

AARRRGH

It's not just white people who are racist.

Hobbes

cas91 wrote: »

Whatever they're doing its against the law but to be honest I would'nt be bothered with them ther only losing out themselves after all..

Cas

Personally I wouldn't let it slide. I'd not see it done to a non-Irish person, so why allow it for Irish people?

Tar.Aldarion

Less money for them, pretty stupid.

axer

SimpleSam06 wrote: »

10%.

At least 10% - the real figure is much higher possibly up to 15%.

I can understand if a hairdresser specialises in Afro textured hair but other than that it is illegal. If someone comes to across such illegal behaviour they should be reported asap. Discrimination is discrimination.

Jesus Wept

tallus wrote: »

Also, there was a shop in Oldcaste Co Meath, that wouldn't serve catholics. My mam told me about it once as we have relatives out in that neck of the woods. I'll try to find out the name later.

How were they in business then? When was this? lol

Perhaps we should march on these shops, for our civil rights. (boards events forum?)

Cheeky_gal

I don't understand people these days....

no one seems to see the funny side of racism any more, it's mad!

dame

Vegeta wrote: »

was just thinking the same thing, maybe they just don't have the experience and were afraid they'd mess it up

I went into an Asian hairdressers with a friend for an up-do before. They had her hair done in less than twenty mins but then spent nearly an hour putting mine up before they were satisfied they'd done it right! Fantastic hairdo but the girl had never done an updo on blonde fly-away hair before and it kept slipping on her. They were really nice and did a lovely job.

speaktofrank

:)If this happens to you just take your business elsewhere. Personally I would report it too. My last haircut was in a place on Dorset street near the big tree, seems to be a Chinese place, so I went in there as the price was pretty reasonable for a cut, and wash and dry.
What followed was great, she cut my hair with millimetre precision, took ages but I didnt mind, then she washed it and then I got a neck massage. I nearly fell asleep as it was so relaxing.
Cost €15. I gave her a 20 and told her keep the change.

Best haircut ever.

Jesus Wept

Cheeky_gal wrote: »

I don't understand people these days....

no one seems to see the funny side of racism any more, it's mad!

Here ye go now!

Not Suitable For Work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WyhRdrwy4Y

Wertz

Mordeth wrote: »

that's ****ing brilliant

i'm going to open a shop in israel and refuse to serve jews. I can see myself making millions.

Ooh, are you looking for any staff?

Seriously, I'm not too surprised by the allegations being made on this thread....we are not integrating our immigrant population (through faults on BOTH sides) and a ghetto mentality is forming. IMO the problem is only going to keep getting worse...it's the price we pay for unchecked mass immigration.
Has anyone considered the possibility that this is a backlash by immigrant communities against Irish businesses who refused them service in the past?
How long before we're building peace walls in suburban neighbourhoods?

the_syco

Meh. Explains the funny looks I got when I walked into a Chinese shop to get a bottle of lucozade. Picture me, in a full length trenchcoat, shaved head, with Slayer blasting out. Shop assistant said something to me, so I waved the bottle in front of her. She said something again, and I pointed the fiver in her direction. There was a pause, and she took the lucozade, scanned it in, and gave me change.

Moral of the story: f**k 'em. Ignore what they say, go in, and buy your sh|t. If you're big enough, and listening to angry trash metal, they're not going to say no:cool::D


Get same weird looks in Indian and Chinese shops. Never in Spar, even though they're staffed by Indian and Chinese. Go figure.

Cheeky_gal

The-Rigger wrote: »

Here ye go now!

Cheers Rigger...not quite what I was hopin for but brought a smile to the face

Anyways whos on for a forum entirely dedicated to the pros and greatness of racism!?! Anyone?

Wertz

In so far as the polskis go, perhaps (just perhaps) they're offering a polski price to a polski client (as there's obviously enough potential clients) and are leaving the foolish Irish to pay extortionate Irish prices in the Irish salons/barbers?
Not that that makes it right, but maybe there is more than race coming into play here....or maybe I'm just being naeive and it's just blatant racism...

*starts making molotovs*

Overheal

Wertz wrote: »

Seriously, I'm not too surprised by the allegations being made on this thread....we are not integrating our immigrant population (through faults on BOTH sides) and a ghetto mentality is forming. IMO the problem is only going to keep getting worse...it's the price we pay for unchecked mass immigration.
Has anyone considered the possibility that this is a backlash by immigrant communities against Irish businesses who refused them service in the past?
How long before we're building peace walls in suburban neighbourhoods?

Quoted For Truth.

Worked the same way in the states with black people - the whites persecuted them and now the situation is begining to turn on its head all over again: now there is more black-instigated hatecrime than white-instigated. I remember back in my final american school (a middle school, almost a decade ago) there was a 3/4 black majority - if you got into a fight/got beat up by a black kid, the all-black administration looked at you like a ****ing racist and punished you purely on the word of the black kid. It wasn't until I finally got fed up and accused my Dean of being a racist that it calmed down.

But look at the Irish situation - went to a Turkish Kebab place the other night and had a sit in (great food - Carlow: if you see an abrakebabra, cross the road and go to a real kebab place ) while this group of girls (all 20 somethings) sat there for 30 minutes and did nothing but heckle the Turkish staff for their english and accents. ... <Herr K attacks> ...

But could I blame the Turkish Kebab place if they wanted to put up a sign saying 'no white people'? Hell no - not with people like that.

Trojan911

dodgyme wrote: »

Feckin hell - more details more details

The two lads were complete muppets in my opinion. They robbed a bank using the pointed fingers in the pocket and then tried to make good their escape in a car..... Problem was, the area they entered (Sheerness in Kent) was a one way in, one way out. So plod was waiting for them at the exit of the causeway. It turned out they were two British Army deserters as well, been on the run for ten years from the Army. Their haul..... Less than £3000stg....

The two crack whores were just, in my opinion, not worth looking at... Scabby junkies, how they got business beats me....

TJ911...

Trojan911

Terry wrote: »

Thus begins the ghettoisation of Ireland.

Well, you are correct there. One of the problems in London was the blacks were segregated to a degree that some parts of South London are "Ghettos". The Asians went to East & North London. I can see it happening here also.

Most of my neighbours are Polish and I am on the Residents Assoc for my estate. The Polish residents are always invited to meetings but shun them when they come up. They keep themselves to themselves.

We had a lot of problems with some of them last year with noisy parties etc but that was soon sorted as they were renting and the problem ones were moved off the estate (and I am talking drug dealing allegations as well).

TJ911...

SpAcEd OuT

the_syco wrote: »

Meh. Explains the funny looks I got when I walked into a Chinese shop to get a bottle of lucozade. Picture me, in a full length trenchcoat, shaved head, with Slayer blasting out. Shop assistant said something to me, so I waved the bottle in front of her. She said something again, and I pointed the fiver in her direction. There was a pause, and she took the lucozade, scanned it in, and gave me change.

your so cool.


Back on topic I wouldn't look into it too much Irish people are renowned in other countries for refusing to serve non Irish in their many pubs. I was actually in an Irish pub in Australia that had a sign up saying No Dogs, No Blacks, No Asians were just as bad that said theres a club in Crete that had a sign up saying No Dogs, No Blacks, No Irish so i quess it works both ways. Racism against dogs is rampant it would seem

syklops

You go into a cafe/bar/restaurant in ballsbridge, or ranelagh, or somewhere else, order some food, and the order is wrong, and the person serving you talks little english, and there is a bit of an argument and the manager gets involved, and everyone goes away unhappy. Fair enough. The manager should have made sure his/her staff had the lingo, though, not many Irish people will accept those wages.

You then go into one of the most polish areas in the city, [there are 2 polish restaurants, and a polish supermarket on capel st], and ask them in english for a haircut. Their english is not great, but they are in the polish quarter of the city so it does not necessarily need to be. If you ask them for [enter random hairstyle here] and they get it wrong, you will refuse to pay them, and want a manager, and depending who you are, possibly threaten to sue. Why should they serve you if neither you nor they have the skills to accurately complete the service. They have the right to refuse to serve you. If its because you can not understand them, and they can not understand you, then fair enough. I am pretty sure if you had gone into them, and said:

Czesc, Chcialbym sciac wlosy krotko - okolo jednego centymetra. Nie mowie zbyt dobrze po polsku.

They would have smiled, been pleased you made the effort, and given the haircut as best they could.

There are not half as many acts of racism in this country as gets reported.

cormie

the_syco wrote: »

Meh. Explains the funny looks I got when I walked into a Chinese shop to get a bottle of lucozade. Picture me, in a full length trenchcoat, shaved head, with Slayer blasting out. Shop assistant said something to me, so I waved the bottle in front of her. She said something again, and I pointed the fiver in her direction. There was a pause, and she took the lucozade, scanned it in, and gave me change.

Moral of the story: f**k 'em. Ignore what they say, go in, and buy your sh|t. If you're big enough, and listening to angry trash metal, they're not going to say no:cool::D

That's just being rude though. I'm sure that lady would have served you no problem. She was probably saying hello to you or maybe even asking you to remind her if that song was on CD 1 or CD 2 of Decade of Aggression.

There's a Chinese shop up the road from me, they have no problem serving my friend or I, my friend is one of their best customers. My mother is also a great customer to a Polish shop up the road from her.

There's racists in every race.

Cheeky_gal

syklops wrote: »

You go into a cafe/bar/restaurant in ballsbridge, or ranelagh, or somewhere else, order some food, and the order is wrong, and the person serving you talks little english, and there is a bit of an argument and the manager gets involved, and everyone goes away unhappy. Fair enough. The manager should have made sure his/her staff had the lingo, though, not many Irish people will accept those wages.

Omg this is sooo true! Ordering lunch now from the likes of O'Brines, Cafe sol, Lemon etc is now a stress cuz they always manage to fck it up! OMG! Went into O'briens and ordered a tuna melt..no strings attached simple as, and what does your one do...puts all the correct ingredients on and then slaps a **** load of chicken mayonnaise on top! I was like "Hold on here, whats this"?? And she goes (really angrily) "you asked for a tuna wrap this is tuna wrap!"....My God! :mad: