Visiting Halifax this summer. Heard for years stories about the Halifax "Roadhouse". Many colleagues and acquaintances have gone to either visit one of the oldest pubs in Canada (built 1893), or to see if the stories are true. Loving old pubs myself, I was greatly intrigued and will be staying nearby. However, alas all the rumours and stories I've heard turns out to be frighteningly true. A few years back I heard during a comic convention, whereby a group decided to go the Halifax Alehouse, although it started pleasant in the early-evening, that changed quickly by 10:30PM apparently, not only were they given attitude, poor service, billed for items they did not order after dinner, but security was inappropriate and intimidating towards the patrons. None of my associates felt safe. When attempting to leave and settle the bill, one bouncer told them to tip well but they wanted to tip the server directly who helped them all evening, and not the new one who simply delivered the bill. One of my colleagues assumed this staff was involved with the bouncer, as he was taunted outside the toilet by the same bouncer, outside having a cigarette, both times with the bill server (not the one who actually attended to their orders), and was followed a few yards outside by two others which they stopped as the group walked towards a patrolman. Now, Pubs in any downtown core will have issues like these weekly. I myself, have worked the door in college. However, I recognize the tribal mentality that lingers within those circles and once a "death" is involved, and no disciplinary action is followed, they'll be escalation. I've seen establishments "run" by Security and that can lead towards other worse kinds of shadow "management". In this case, I have no interest to ever visit this long standing institution as it no longer appears safe when the greatest threat (with no bragging or reason to gloat) is the Security Staff. Now with a plethora of negative, yet consistent and trending behaviour, we can get our standard pub grub and Guinness pints elsewhere without the risk of intimidation, harassments, alpha maleness, bullying, and potential assault. Now we can say it's a case of bad apples, sadly there's always the main bear, and the others are just windup grumps. having worked pubs, bars, events as security in my youth, there is always the few that just wants to start $#!T for no reason, and will continue to milk their bad habits either due to nepotism, transactions, exchanges or ego. Worst part is how they groom both their fellow bouncers and serving staff. Nothing but horror stories about this place. Was curious but have absolutely no interest ever to visit and my colleagues share the same sentiment. That's why it's nicknamed "Halifax Roadhouse", because it's like that Patrick Swayze movie, accept... the bouncers... are not "nice, until it's time to not be nice", they're just not nice. Just not a safe place to be it seems. Visit at your own discretion I was told. Pity. So close to the Scotiabank convention centre too. :-(