Were black people banned from night clubs in the UK?

[Corcory]

Have been listening to an interview of a young black actress who is in a new Steve Macqueen film based in the 80s. She said black people were banned from night clubs in the 80s. I did live in London and other major cities in the UK in the 70s early 80s and this isn't my memory of night life. But being white I'd be very interested to hear from any black people who were around about their experiences.

In A lot of the "fancy" clubs still your face needs to "fit" according to some bouncers I.e. race/body shape/sex but obvs this isn't official policy (London)

Yep. Just wouldn't be allowed in. Still happens today, pubs too.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/news/uk/615806/Racist-nightclub-door-policy-racism-black-women-turned-away-from-nightclub/amp

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/london-club-accused-refusing-women-entry-being-too-dark-and-too-fat-a6672071.html%3famp

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/inews.co.uk/news/uk/tiger-tiger-london-not-let-black-people-in-224331/amp

Yes they very much were whether outright or via racially coded dress codes. There was a BBC Witness History episode about it www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0388n6n. The first club to be “sued” to integrate was in Birmingham.

Racial Equality on the Dance Floor
Witness History

In November 1978 a British nightclub in the city of Birmingham was forced to lift its restrictions on black and Chinese people after the country's Commission for Racial Equality ruled their entry policy racist. It was one of the first cases of its kind in the UK. Witness has been hearing from David Hinds, vocalist for the Birmingham based British Reggae Band, Steel Pulse.

Find other Black histories here in their archive www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01h9dl0

My mum often tells the story of when she (white) worked behind the bar in a nightclub and watched the bouncers turn my dad (black) away. It was early in the evening and the place was empty. This would have been early 80's. Dad will talk about where he felt "safe" going out and where they just knew to not even bother trying to get in.

Even 10 years ago when I was still clubbing, groups of friends I was with would be asked to leave clubs in central London because they didn't fit the aesthetic. Being accused of being "ghetto". Being removed from guest lists once club owners found out it would be a group of black girls turning up. Mixed race girls never had any problems.

Hopefully this isn't the case anymore but it wouldn't surprise me if it is, just a lot less blatant.

It probably does still happen now, appallingly. But they can't put up signs!

I can certainly remember signs on some pub doors in the early 80s saying no blacks,irish or travellers.

In the late 90s I lived in a small very non multi-cultural city with a Kenyan guy, who was one of a handful of black guys in the city back then. To the point we'd get stared at when out shopping, etc. On nights ot girls would come up to him and make remarks about the size of black mens' penis.

We drank in our local quite a bit and it was tickets only for the millennium NYE. I asked about buying tickets which were definitely still available and was told I couldn't. When Ii asked why not the landlord turned and stared at my housemate and then looked back at me and raised his eyebrows. He didn't need to say it but it was very obvious that we weren't welcome as he was black.

This certainly is still a thing. Not a law, but an unwritten code. Black doormen are often the ones who have to uphold it too.

I've known black friends turned away from clubs for no reason and I've only been clubbing in the 00s- present. of course, nobody would ever give their race as a reason but they were of age, dressed and behaving no differently to anyone else in the queue. The club would then lose the custom of the whole group.

I suppose at least if there is a racist sign or policy, you can fight it but if is based on 'discretion' any attempt to push back or call it what it is, is treated as disruptive behaviour.

Yes when I was growing up in 1970s & 80s. There were more so 'Underground' clubs we could go to. But not mainstream.

I remember WAGG Club in West End that had a policy of not letting Black men in unless they were deemed super trendy and could dance well. & Even then, it was still difficult. So guys would hang out at the end of Dean Street and ask to walk in with us as there was a marginally better chance of getting in if you were with a woman.

Put me off going as tbh it wasn't always simple for Black women either. & Not just at WAGG.

I don't get how you can say it wasn't your experience? You're white. Likely saw a few Black people in a mainstream club and didn't notice or give thought to lots of others who didn't get in. Still happens today. They normally get Black doormen to do it. Loads wouldn't but there's a particular type that will.

But growing up I mainly attended Black clubs, a lot of us did as couldn't be bothered with racist door policy. Especially as some of those type clubs were mediocre at best.

*Apologies read wrongly OP, thought it was you who said 'this wasn't your experience'