Actress & Bishop — Restaurant in Birmingham

Visited the Actress & Bishop on 22.05.21 in a group of 11 and after an initial interrogation from the bouncer with questions like 'are you late or on time?' (we were on time and our tables weren't ready) we were taken to our 2 tables. Before going in, the bouncer told us that they had put our tables next to eachother so that we could socialise while respecting the rules which we really appreciated. We were taken to our 2 tables that were on the stage and had been sat down for less than 30 seconds before a member of bar staff approached us and told us our seats had to be strictly facing our tables so we had to have our backs to the table next to us. We followed her instructions and sat closely around our table. Less than 1 minute later the same member of bar staff approached us and told us that if she caught us speaking to eachother she would cut off our drinks immediately (this is not a government rule); she advised that she will not lose her job because of us. We were shocked at her rudeness and the ridiculous rule she had clearly just plucked out of nowhere but again we obliged. She asked us what drinks we wanted and before we could finish our order she walked off to pour the ones we had said but actually went to get another member of staff to come and speak to us. This member of staff (maybe the manager) told us we aren't allowed to move our chairs (we hadn't) and left again. We stayed for 2 drinks and left and were advised by other customers that they had been treated in the same way. 4 of our group work in pubs and were really shocked by the attitude of the staff, especially as we were respecting the rules and aware of the rules. The best part was that the woman serving us and the manager who came to speak to us weren't wearing face masks. I will add though that not every member of staff was rude like this, our second round was served by a very...

Extremely rude bouncers & staff. They tried charging us £72 for being two minutes late, even though we tried calling to notify them about it and they wouldn't pick up.

The place is nice, but the staff makes the whole experience very unpleasant.

When a friend of ours, from the same household but on another table came by to say something to us (just standing up and not sitting at the table), the staff informed us that they would refuse to serve us because of it. In the table next to us, the bouncer was having a laugh with some customers without social distancing and his mask pulled down. However, they clearly didn't care about that, and were looking for reasons to stop serving us.

Overall,...

Bouncers are absolute THUGS - started on my boyfriend on a quiet Tuesday night as we were quietly sitting at the bar finishing our drinks. I would never ever go here again. Such a shame you employ thugs on the door who think its okay to start on someone just because its closing time and they want to go home. Swearing and shouting in his face like a mad man obviously trying to provoke which didnt happen we just had to leave our drinks and go because they were looking like they were going to attack him. Saying " you don't want me to make you look stupid in front of your girl". Absolute bullies and for no reason at all other than it was closing time! I would not feel safe going here...