C12 — Local services in Brussels

Plain clothes security guard, the best advertisement ever.

I have arrived at 1:10 am. A minute later four sober and neat boys (from Florida ) had to leave the line. Somebody asked them why and they said that they were told to leave without any reason . People have asked if they had issue with the age , but they have answered that the guards did not wanted to see ID cards as proof of them being 21+.

I kept waiting in the line for about 20 minutes until I have finally reached the security checkpoint. There were three security guards in a black uniforms and a plain clothes person standing in the middle.

The conversation with the plain clothes security guard was following. I was asked if I knew the place. I said yes and I have said that I have been there already several times. I was asked if I was going alone. I said yes and said that I went to see Luke Slater. I was told in french to behave (Sois sage!). I replied that at 40 one is behaving.

With the 3 second silence the conversation was for me over.

Then I looked down on my phone, with the event page and suddenly I was asked, why I was not looking the guard in the eye and that I was being rude. (Pourquoi tu me regarde pas dans les yeux quand je te parle?C'est pas courtois.) I looked up and said in french that we do not know each other and why is he using the singular form of address, and if that was polite. Then I was told you can go that way, pointing to the side exit out of the line. I have asked why? Did not really get the clean answer. I said OK and then said that this is indeed a very good advertisement and that I will write a review and left.

The venue is curated on the top level, but the security I'd say would require some tweaking. I hope you will solve the issue so the people won't have to complain no more.

edit: Thank to a friend in common I was contacted by the plain clothes invigilator and have discussed...

Dear C12 Club Management, I am writing to express my disappointment regarding the way my friends and I were treated at the entrance of your club during our recent visit on Saturday 30/8/2025 While we were waiting to enter, the lady at the door began explaining the rules of the club. During her explanation, I asked—lightheartedly and in a friendly manner—whether kissing inside the club was allowed. Instead of handling the question with professionalism or even clarifying the rules, she reacted in an unnecessarily rude and aggressive way. She instructed her colleague to tell us to leave, which I initially thought was a joke. Unfortunately, she then confirmed it was not, speaking in an arrogant and dismissive manner. In contrast, one of your staff members, a gentleman wearing sunglasses, was very polite and explained calmly that it would be difficult to change her decision. I greatly appreciated his respectful approach. I requested to speak to the manager, and another woman with long curly hair introduced herself as the manager. However, she did not seem interested in listening to my concerns and dismissed me without consideration. As someone who works in hospitality myself, I found this particularly disappointing, as I know how important it is to treat guests with respect. I am a regular guest at various clubs and venues, and I must say that this experience at C12 was one of the most unprofessional I have encountered. Staff members in such a position should be able to handle questions from guests without hostility. For the reputation of your club and the comfort of your guests, I strongly recommend that you review the behavior and training of the two women involved in this incident. Hospitality is about creating a welcoming atmosphere, and unfortunately, that was not...

I'm a young diplomat, I have lived over 20 years in Brussels where I have been an architect and who has studied Horta... Train for which I got interested by C12. I am also a European Commission civil servant, and above all a respectful citizen... yet this place dismissively and disrespectfully refused access because it was my first time and I was supposed to know in French and in advance the nature of the show.

A private venue can set the terms of access they wish but that cannot be used as a show to project an (indecent) image of exclusiveness. I feel guilty socially included yet if caused shocking unpleasantness caused by rejection in what I consider my city and the very capital of Europe. Imagine how socially exposed people may feel. I found morally and legally sanctionable their uncensored discrimination: C12 discriminates those who don't speak French (which I do anyways), it discriminates on looks, it discriminates on nationality and it discriminates on ethnicity.

The Belgian authorities should seriously consider the harm this behaviour does to social cohesion in a trilingual country and a city that depends on cosmopolitanism. If there are pre-requisites to accessing, these should be clearly stated in their website and at the entrance but by no means should it be allowed to be the object of a subjective and arbitrary decision of a posh, classist, arrogant porter who immediately uses guards to expel shocked citizens in disbelief. The Horta Gallery should feel concerned of the instrumentalisation of Belgium's best architect's legacy by C12. It promised to be an artistic fun social place to visit but clearly it reflects the worst and the antithesis of what...