Today I finally managed to get back to Citi Bar in Dame Street. On my last visit (see my last blog on Feb 8,2010) I was shocked at how five young American girls were refused a drink. Here is what happened.
I often heard the Citi Bar and Venue being advertised on radio and I also saw it being promoted in Airlines Inflight magazines. It is a pub/retaurant/night club and hotel, centrally located in Dublin city centre on Dame Street, which is on the southern edge of Temple Bar - the main nightlife area for tourists. It was late on a Sunday night when I went there and I was surprised to find only 3 other customers, all male in the bar area. I ordered a pint of Heiniken and was served by a pleasant barman. I sat at the bar and was enjoying my pint when five young ladies walked in. They went to the bar counter and discussed among themselves what drinks they would order. Then they asked a barmaid who was washing glasses behind the bar for their drinks. She looked at them in a very unfriendly manner and said "Have you got ID?" The girls looked a bit surprised but proceeded to look for ID in their handbags, which they produced. The "friendly" barmaid glanced at their passports and informed them that she couldn't serve them because the bar had an over 23 policy. The American girls seemed bewildered. They pointed out that they were in this same bar all night last night, but still she refused and actually walked away. The barman who had served me was standing nearby and the girls asked him if he could intervene on their behalf, saying they had come back here because they had enjoyed it the previous night, but mainly to watch the super Bowl on the television. He was apologetic but said there was nothing he could do if the barmaid had refused them. At this stage I tried to intervene on the girls behalf, telling the barman " Ah go on, give the girls a drink - they're on holidays for God's sake". "They just want to watch the Super Bowl!" The barmaid was still loitering behind the bar but was not going to budge on the issue, so the five young American visitors shrugged their shoulders and headed for the door. I was so disgusted that I picked up my nearly full pint and proceeded to pour it down the sink which was just behind the counter. I accept that it's a slightly unorthodox method of protesting, but I think it was legitimate under the circumstances. I told the bar staff that it was disgraceful to treat tourists in this manner and that I was also leaving in protest.
What also annoyed me was that the other customers in the bar made no attempt to intervene on the girls behalf.
Today I went back to Citi Bar, I had soup and brown bread which was delicious and the service was good and friendly. Afterwards I asked to speak to the manager and I outlined the story of what had happened on that night to him. I asked him what was the age policy in Citi Bar and he told me it was "over 21". He said he only worked here for five weeks and that this incident happened before his time and was unfortunate. I don't know if the "friendly" barmaid still works there, but if she does I hope the owners provide her with some basic training in common sense and good manners.
I hope Citi Bar will never again treat customers like this, especially visitors to our city.
I hope the girls got to see the Super Bowl in some friendly bar - AND that their team won.
I often heard the Citi Bar and Venue being advertised on radio and I also saw it being promoted in Airlines Inflight magazines. It is a pub/retaurant/night club and hotel, centrally located in Dublin city centre on Dame Street, which is on the southern edge of Temple Bar - the main nightlife area for tourists. It was late on a Sunday night when I went there and I was surprised to find only 3 other customers, all male in the bar area. I ordered a pint of Heiniken and was served by a pleasant barman. I sat at the bar and was enjoying my pint when five young ladies walked in. They went to the bar counter and discussed among themselves what drinks they would order. Then they asked a barmaid who was washing glasses behind the bar for their drinks. She looked at them in a very unfriendly manner and said "Have you got ID?" The girls looked a bit surprised but proceeded to look for ID in their handbags, which they produced. The "friendly" barmaid glanced at their passports and informed them that she couldn't serve them because the bar had an over 23 policy. The American girls seemed bewildered. They pointed out that they were in this same bar all night last night, but still she refused and actually walked away. The barman who had served me was standing nearby and the girls asked him if he could intervene on their behalf, saying they had come back here because they had enjoyed it the previous night, but mainly to watch the super Bowl on the television. He was apologetic but said there was nothing he could do if the barmaid had refused them. At this stage I tried to intervene on the girls behalf, telling the barman " Ah go on, give the girls a drink - they're on holidays for God's sake". "They just want to watch the Super Bowl!" The barmaid was still loitering behind the bar but was not going to budge on the issue, so the five young American visitors shrugged their shoulders and headed for the door. I was so disgusted that I picked up my nearly full pint and proceeded to pour it down the sink which was just behind the counter. I accept that it's a slightly unorthodox method of protesting, but I think it was legitimate under the circumstances. I told the bar staff that it was disgraceful to treat tourists in this manner and that I was also leaving in protest.
What also annoyed me was that the other customers in the bar made no attempt to intervene on the girls behalf.
Today I went back to Citi Bar, I had soup and brown bread which was delicious and the service was good and friendly. Afterwards I asked to speak to the manager and I outlined the story of what had happened on that night to him. I asked him what was the age policy in Citi Bar and he told me it was "over 21". He said he only worked here for five weeks and that this incident happened before his time and was unfortunate. I don't know if the "friendly" barmaid still works there, but if she does I hope the owners provide her with some basic training in common sense and good manners.
I hope Citi Bar will never again treat customers like this, especially visitors to our city.
I hope the girls got to see the Super Bowl in some friendly bar - AND that their team won.
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