Bouncers denying me a social life

Piste · 18-09-2008 01:57PM

Raze_them_all wrote: »

As for the not tonight it could be anything. Someone's to drunk/not proper clothing/too rowdy coming up to the pub/ just dont want ya there.

Then why don't they just say that instead of the "not tonight" crap? "You're too drunk" or "you're not wearing suitable clothes" are much more acceptable reasons than "not tonight", which isn't even a reason at all!

Dragan · 18-09-2008 02:42PM

i-bloodhound wrote: »

However, it has been mentioned on this thread that bouncers don't receive enough respect.

I don't think it's about respect, i think it's about basic manners. If i treat anyone in any industry with manners i expect the same back, if that is lacking i will then not respect them.

It's impossible to speak for other bouncers and the simple fact is that the bad eggs don't come on places like boards.ie and try and deal with the way the industry is perceived.

If you get treated poorly by a doorman the simple fact is that he does not deserve your respect. However, realistically, there is not a lot you can do about it there and then. A good idea is always to return during the day and speak to the duty manager then. It should be a bit quieter than at night time and you will get a more willing ear to listen to your issue.

With regards to the "why don't they give a straight reason", it's not always possible, or appropriate to do so. I only stop people when i have a valid reason or when they are a known trouble maker to me. I will then give them that reason. They don't always like it and honesty is not always the best policy.

roakey · 18-09-2008 02:55PM

Raze_them_all wrote: »

well..if you've never been in the place before you cant be a regular nowcan you????
As for the not tonight it could be anything. Someone's to drunk/not proper clothing/too rowdy coming up to the pub/ just dont want ya there.

thats the point you fool, if you want to start going to a place and they are just not letting you in, how can u start being a regular. not tonite is the most stupid reason ever, so general.

nearly all bouncers are jumpeped up cnuts on a power trip, think they are better than everyone else cos they are standing like big apes with a suit on. who are they to decide if you are a decent person or not

Prof.Badass · 18-09-2008 03:04PM

I think "regulars only" means they think you wouldn't fit in with the crowd that's in there at the time.

not tonight means " no you're not getting in, but we'll make it seem as if we'd usually let you so you don't go bad-mouthing us".

JackKelly · 18-09-2008 03:18PM

I sympathise with the OP.

Unfortunately, it is completely fair to say that the majority of bouncers in Dublin are complete wa*kers. Of course there are decent guys out there but they are in the minority. I'm not saying this out of prejudice, but simply from practice. The job attracts assholes. Like the OP said, go to a decent city in England, where night life is treated as an industry, and you will have zero problems. I was in Liverpool recently with a group of lads, and we didn't once have any issue with a bouncer. In fact, they always chatted to us, and acted professionally.

What annoys me even more though, is the complete lack of manners here. A bouncers job is to deal with people out enjoying themselves. If I went into a bank, and the clerk wouldn't even look me in the eye, it would be considered unprofessional. At the door, even when you get in, it's as if the bouncer is doing you a favor. I'm sorry, dealing with drunken fools is part of the parcel. It's how you treat the innocent others that matter. Bouncers give out about being tarred with the same brush yet they consider every person coming to the door to be a drunken idiot.

Until bouncers start to treat their job as profession, and not hired goons, Dublin is going to continue to be the nightlife sh*thole it is. At the end of the day , the best you can do if you get refused is take your business elsewhere, and make a complaint the next day.

Doc · 18-09-2008 03:35PM

Piste wrote: »

Then why don't they just say that instead of the "not tonight" crap? "You're too drunk" or "you're not wearing suitable clothes" are much more acceptable reasons than "not tonight", which isn't even a reason at all!

I always think that if a bouncer says that he doesn’t have a genuine reason for stopping a person but just doesn’t want the person to go in.

I have had a number of bad experiences with bouncers refusing me entry in Dublin which genuinely baffle me.
On one occasion I was in a realy long queue for a club I think I was about 20 or 21 and I was queuing with one mate of mine and we had friends who had arrived earlier already in the club.
The queue wasn’t moving fast so we got chatting to the group of lads behind us who where over from England we where having a laugh with them passing the time until we eventually got to the door. The bouncer asked how we where and we said we were good thanks to which he said “not tonight boys”. I was genuinely really surprised and asked why to which I was told it was locals only tonight. Now we didn’t live in the city centre but we did live in Dublin. The lads behind us despite being quite obviously not local, with their thick Newcastle accents said hello to the bouncers and walked in.

Now it had taken us a long time to get to the front of the queue and there was a large group of our friends inside that we wanted to spend the night with. The bouncer had ruined our night and there was no justification for it. I have never experienced this in any other country It just seemed purely random.

We weren’t drunk, we were dressed well and nether of us would look like the kind of people who would make trouble (the bouncer was about a foot taller then me). But the thing that most annoyed me was the bull**** reason given.

This has happened a couple of other times and to be honest when ever I am home now I just don’t go out in club in the city centre (although hassle getting into places is only one of the reasons for that).

I have only ever been refused entry once to any club once England and this was due to the fact that I was in the queue behind a 16/17 year old who could not show any ID and was therefore refused and as I was next in line despite looking well over 18 the guy said he was sorry but had to ask for ID I didn’t have any on me as I don’t carry it anymore but was not upset or annoyed at being refused at this as I saw it as a genuine reason for refusal.

I always feel that going out in Dublin can be a gamble as you can never guarantee that you will get into the places you want to even if there is noting wrong with your dress or your sobriety, it is often times just on the bouncers decision who he wants to come in.

Dragan · 18-09-2008 03:54PM

roakey wrote: »

who are they to decide if you are a decent person or not

We are the people who are payed to do just that at the end of the day.

Look guys, i've offered as much reasoned argument as i can from the other side of the door. Once again i don't think i'll be moving too many people's minds about the industry. It seems most people who join this thread don't bother reading the posts that have come before and i have no desire to rehash old posts that i have made.

If i see anyone else with some interesting or new questions then i'll respond, until then i'm out.

Enjoy your nights out and stay safe.

msg11 · 18-09-2008 03:58PM

Einstein wrote: »

So i'm a c**t because I stop wasters getting into clubs causing hassle?
Or am i one of the reasonable ones who gets on with people and has a laugh.

Don't tar people with the same brush Ziggy. Work a couple months on the door and see how people treat you, then get back to me.

Sorry, What would you term of a waster be ? Would there be a way in which one would look?? I am yet too come across one that has a laugh, I got more crack out of garda than I will ever see out of a bouncer.

Raze_them_all · 18-09-2008 08:01PM

msg11 wrote: »

I got more crack out of garda than I will ever see out of a bouncer.

Never been drinking in KK so.

kirving · 18-09-2008 08:33PM

I've never been refused, ever. In fairness I havent gone out to clubs huge amount but I'm only 18. I got into tramco and other places with a few pints on me through paying little attention to them and being nice. The only time there was even a question was on LC Results night when 21's was packed, and I'd been drinking.

I think a lot of it is trying to guage how much you've drunk, because you'll spend less money inside. If your curteous, and havent drunk much before hand you'll get in no problem.

Zillah · 18-09-2008 08:33PM

TimAy wrote: »

Unfortunately, it is completely fair to say that the majority of bouncers in Dublin are complete wa*kers.

There's no way in hell I'm reading this fat ass of a thread, but I just wanted to say in their defense that I have, in the last 7 or 8 years of going to nightclubs, never had a bouncer act innappropriately.

Epic Tissue · 18-09-2008 08:35PM

TimAy wrote: »

I sympathise with the OP.
unfortunately, it is completely fair to say that the majority of bouncers in Dublin are complete wa*kers.

It's actually not fair to say that at all.

Pete4779 · 18-09-2008 08:36PM

Zillah wrote: »

There's no way in hell I'm reading this fat ass of a thread, but I just wanted to say in their defense that I have, in the last 7 or 8 years of going to nightclubs, never had a bouncer act innappropriately.

Me as well, but I've seen plenty of bouncers get hassle and abuse from either drunks in a bar or club or on the street.

Raze_them_all · 18-09-2008 08:42PM

Kevin Irving wrote: »

I think a lot of it is trying to guage how much you've drunk, because you'll spend less money inside.

We couldn't care how much you spend inside, no doorman owns the pub. We guage how drunk you are to the best of our ability to avoid trouble, If your falling around on the street and we let you in, You'll fall into some guy, knock his drink, he'll thump you, we'll have to come in break up a fight, put ourselves at risk. This is where someone will jump in and say well it's to be expected with the job. Yes but we minimalize the risk by stopping people that may be not causing trouble but could cause it by caccident.

dcukhunter · 18-09-2008 08:47PM

I work in bouncing with a company that does a few places around the country. We never refuse anyone unless we see them coming up to the the roaring and shouting, they are falling or stumbling around or no id when asked. The only other thing would be a dress code which the manager of the place will tell you about beforehand. Yes we still get hassles but thats the job you have to put up with it and continue on with the night. As for the regulars only this is not a valid excuse to give to anyone for not letting them in, the only exception to this is if it's a members only club which must have a sign up to say so.
At least with the new licencing hopefull these bouncers that give the rest of us a bad name will be weeded out. If I have to ask for id its not hard to say "can I see your id please sir/miss" and the "Thanks and have a good night" when your polite at the door people will be nicer to you and you get less hassle. But as always there will be some that are just gobsheens and that goes for some of the bouncers as well.

dr.bollocko · 18-09-2008 08:50PM

Night clubs are ****house and bouncers know this. They are just trying to save you the pain of having to pay for the torment.

ferdi · 18-09-2008 09:15PM

my mate walks up to the door

mate: hi, how are ya?
bouncer: I.D.
mate: here you go (hands bouncer I.D.)
bouncer: (looks at I.D.) whats yer star sign?
mate: pisces
bouncer: ehh........not tonight.

that said, i've had mostly positive experiences with doormen in the city so i cant really complain.

Dinter · 18-09-2008 09:22PM

A friend of mine who's 29 still gets refused from certain places in town. It's hilarious (as long as we're not meant to be meeting people inside)

dsmythy · 18-09-2008 11:06PM

This thread was started 3 years ago... OP is 22 now.

fredzer · 18-09-2008 11:31PM

dsmythy wrote: »

This thread was started 3 years ago... OP is 22 now.

and living in Newcastle!!:D

bUILDERtHEbOB · 19-09-2008 04:33AM

I apparently look like I'm 12 years old, I love Ireland's night life.

Milky Moo · 19-09-2008 05:40PM

iv got a baby face but i have only ever been refused once,pretty dodgey reason i thought..got to the door gave in my garda i.d. to the bouncer,he says not tonight we are only accepting passports..WTF!

Bouncers denying me a social life

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