To expose a VIP Venue in London's West End for blatant racism

[pingping]

I run a company that does guest lists for West end nightclubs, Last Wednesday I was asked to run the Guest list on the door ( check off names as they come in) of one of the clubs.

Whilst I was working away 3 Asian males came to the door that were on the Guest list and the Head doorman refused them entry. When they had gone I questioned the doorman as to why they weren't allowed in as they appeared well dressed and were not drunk.

This was his reply

We don't like to many of that sort in the club Asians are well known for trouble.

He then went on to say that if I wished to run a in house guest list ( I run a guest list for someone else currently) I was able to do that.
I would get paid 75% of the door for white people but if there are Blacks or Asians I would only get 50% and that if my list consists of too many Asian or Black names they wouldn't except it as they only allow a certain amount of Blacks and Asians into the club because they are all trouble and the Manager doesn't want to encourage Blacks to come in the club.

He then said another promoter submitted a list with over 50 Asian names on it and the Manager threw the list away and told the doorman to refuse entry to them when they came down.

He continued his rant about how much trouble Black people were and how he had thrown out a member of a group called So Solid crew because he was black the person he was referring to happened to be one of my friends.

Whilst he was ranting away at me about who I should promote to etc there stood a black doorman who looked like he wanted to kick the shit out of him.

I was disgusted at the clubs attitude towards other races. I told the manager and the doorman that I will no longer associate my company with a venue that allows people in dependent on there race and judges people because of the color of there skin. I then collected my money and left.

I can't believe in 2009 people still believe that all Black People are trouble and Asians. When will people realize that if someone is trouble its because down to them as an individual not down to the color of there skin.

I just want to know if I should take this information to the papers as the club itself is famous in London for celebs going in there and appears in The tabloids quite alot

YANBU expose them

Careful. Do you have any evidence? If not you could be sued for libel or slander.

That's not to say I'm not now desparate to know which club it was

Maybe you could say the bouncer at XXXX club and then follow up with it could be his own views and not that of the club like they do on dvds?

I was also tempted to start a group on facebook and get as many ethnic people to come down to the club and see how many of them got turned away

Speak to a newspaper on the quiet. They'll then do all the investigating as they won't want to be sued for libel.

Don't start a Facebook group or anything like that as you're leaving yourself open to legal action and you could also damage your reputation and business.

I would find it very hard to do nothing but don't do anything that could cause you serious damage.

If I were you I'd withdraw that post about which club... likely to get you and Mumsnet into trouble.

I will delete this message in half an hour so there's no trace of you naming anything.

Yes, contact the papers - and maybe the local council's equality department, at that - and ask them to keep your name out of it.
Oh and get MN to pull this thread. You are ABSOLUTELY right to take this further but without evidence - more evidence than anyone can provide on an internet talk forum - you run the risk of landing MN with a legal problem they don't deserve.

appalling. Who licenses venues - the council? Would contact them. Keep careful notes about what happened, who said what, and name the people involved/any witnesses.

Agree with deleting the thread, or at least the post where you name the club.

Bet they don't turn away too many black premiere league players.

A london based news organisation - London Tonight for example would be good to contact.

I will take it further I have asked Mumsnet to remove the post with the club name.

Yep Nancy99 they sure do let all the Black Celebs in.

I was appalled by how freely he said all this information to me.

I am at a loss to understand why there is so much racism in todays society. Why do people behave like that?

Well done pingping for making a stand.

why do they employ black people if they are of the opinion that any black or asian person is "trouble"?

I don't think you can base your evidence on the dimwitted rantings of one member of staff. He may be a racist twat but it doesn't necessarily follow that his employer is.

Have you not considered talking to his employers? After all if you are not going to be associated with the club in the future it won't do your business any harm.

Not all of those reviews are saying the club is racist, there are a fair few that are posted by black/asian people saying they had a good time and no problems getting in.

I remember from my barmaid days that lots of clubs/bars don't like to let groups of three or more men in - which I can see the logic of but that shouldn't have anything to do with race.

Ooo they employ Asian Promoters and some of my Black DJs ( who will no longer be working there) But that dosen't mean they are not racist or sterotyping people.

Rantings of the Head doorman whilsts the Manager is standing there. When I stated to the Manager why I wouldn't be working there no more he didn't give a shit.

idranktheteaatwork. I run Guest lists at every major club in London and this club is the first one to state about race of people coming in and how I would be paid less if any other race than white went in on Guest list.

The doorstaff don't pay the promoters the club does so it must be there policy.

Yep Nancy66 most of the clubs I deal with don't like groups of males going in at the same time bit pointless though as they all either split and go in apart then meet inside or they grab random females that are going in.

yes well done for making a stand. Bet loads of people turn a blind eye to this sort of thing .

just out of interest, clubs not letting large groups of males in is a fairly well known policy throughout the nightclub world. but how can it be legally justified to put a quota on gender but not race?
i'm not saying i deny the logic or disagree with it, but quite often logic or common practice does not exactly dove-tail with technical legal matters as the law has to be seen to work across the board.
so how do night-clubs etc. side-step this legal matter.
e.g. a group of 6 lads go up, refused by doorman because they don't want a big group of males coming in, nothing would really happen.despite the fact they are being turned away based on their gender something they have no control over.
group of 6 black people go up, refused because they don't want a big group of blacks coming in, there'd be fairlyu strong grounds for legal proceedings.

now i know one is clearly worse, but how do they make that differentiation in legal terms?

good grief - how do they work out whether someone is black, white, or green with purple spots just from looking at a list of names??

Mayor Quimby I agree with you completey any male groups on my Guest lists I tell them to go in either pairs to the door or go with girls. Most of West End will act on this policy its really is a stupid policy.

FAQ They just assume the colour by the name for instance if the surname is Patel they will assume the person is Asian

That's shocking, they deserve to be exposed - I'd definitely try to find an interested journalist.

As it is a VIP club it is more likely the media will see it as a new story.

If it was me I'd ring them up and describe the story without giving the club name away unless they are actually interested.

If anyone does take the story up, probably best to get this thread deleted.

Pingping, please, please, please expose them, either by reporting them to the borough council or by informing a journalist as others have suggested. It is shocking and disgusting that in 2009 people and organisations continue with such a foul attitude to other people.