The Backroom — Restaurant in Leeds

Exceptionally disappointed by this venue. I had been looking forward to visiting with my partner after hearing such good things about the bella gente event. Unfortunately, after waiting a short time in the queue we witnessed many people being sent away. At first we thought it was because the venue was full but as we got closer, and I completely understand the importance of safety and preventing any potential problems, however we realised that the reasons for these people being turned away were not justified. Although I will not speculate when I don't 100% know the situations, but just comment on our experience which may speak volumes for the other cases. When we got to the front they allowed me to pass with no issue but stopped my partner. My partner had a tiny shoulder bag which contained his wallet, phone and mask as in full venues he was worried about pick pockets, especially coming from a country that is significantly more dangerous, and he is more conscious of this (apparently according to this venue it is only girls who are allowed to have this concern). He opened the bag for the bouncer to check before he even asked. The bouncer proceeded to be extremely rude, agressive and provocative and came up so close into my partners face that we were both quite scared. He said he wasn't allowed to take the bag in. We were very confused. I asked if I took the bag could we go in, and suddenly it was ok. This wasn't before he aggressively patted my partner down and shoved him past. At this point I was very shocked. Upon entering the venue I spoke to the lady at the ticket desk (obviously the events outside were not her fault), however she was indifferent and shrugged it off, saying that the bouncer was known for being like that with everyone and that it was 'just his way'. If unnecessarily rude, aggressive and provocative is the acceptable way for that establishment, I really recommend that they reassess who they employ. The lady on the door also stated that no man bags were allowed and that it clearly states this on the website. We checked the website before we came and it does not say that anywhere (please see screenshot below). I'm happy to be pointed in the right direction on the website if I have overlooked it. Regardless, why was it suddenly acceptable for us to enter when I carried the bag? And the behaviour of the bouncer was not justified as myself and my partner had done nothing wrong. Since this happened, my friend told me that she was turned away from the venue one evening for not having 'designer shoes'. Her shoes were Vans look a likes from Primark and the bouncer told her that if they were branded like Vans or Adidas, she would have been allowed in.

I'm very upset and disappointed by the way we were treated which is a shame as like I previously said, the venue itself seems like a great place but this severely tainted our experience. It's a shame however that they clearly do not care about the unacceptable behaviour of their staff and the image that they portray from the offset i.e. the door. I hope no one else has to go through the same experience and I certainly will not be walking through those doors again. I also see that others have also commented on this ridiculous behaviour and about the...

I’ve been a regular at The Backroom for a long time, but after my experience on Saturday, I’m genuinely appalled — and seriously reconsidering returning.

At around 2:43 AM, I went to the downstairs bar and ordered a double vodka orange from one of the staff members (a Black male wearing a white Off-White/Black top). When I tapped my card to pay, I was charged an outrageous £26 for a single drink.

He then casually told me that the card reader had the wrong total on it — and that the charge was meant for someone else standing next to me. Despite this being entirely his mistake, he made no effort to correct it, apologise, or issue a refund.

I explained the situation to the two other bartenders (one Black male in a black top, and a white male also behind the bar at the time), and was met with completely dismissive and uninterested attitudes. One of them even had the nerve to suggest I should “sort it out with the guy next to me” — which is absolutely unacceptable.

As the server who presented the payment machine, it was his responsibility to ensure the correct amount was charged — not mine, and certainly not the other customer’s.

When I asked to speak to a manager, one of the staff claimed he was the manager and said there was “nothing he could do.” Eventually, someone named Joe came over (who also claimed to be a manager), and he at least acknowledged the issue and said he would process a refund for the overcharge. I tapped my card again and am now waiting to see if the refund has actually gone through.

Frankly, I’m shocked at how poorly trained, unprofessional, and rude the bar staff were — especially considering this is a venue I’ve visited regularly and previously enjoyed.

I’m requesting that this incident be escalated. I also want to know: • What action will be taken to hold these staff members accountable? • What steps are being put in place to ensure this doesn’t happen to anyone else? • And what compensation will be offered for the way I was treated?

This was an extremely disappointing experience, and it’s unacceptable for a well-known club like The Backroom to allow its customers to be treated like this — especially when it involves...

I was assaulted by one of the guards in this club, which was a very unpleasant experience for me. Let's stick to a straightforward communication that wasn't provided by a security guard. I had a terrible night, and so did my friends. Due to the way the bouncer locked me in the neck, I departed with a swollen elbow and a sore on my neck. I had to call the police to get involved, but when they saw the cctv of what had happened they were powerless to intervene because they had lied to the police about everything.... the only evidence on which the police acted was what was captured on CCTV. I'm positive they witnessed one of the security personnel putting his hands on me Before another security guard locked me in the neck on the ground as if there were a fight, I stood up for myself and defended myself.Keep in mind that prior to all of this, we were not even permitted entry to the club. Going there is at your own risk because of how I was treated there. I will never suggest this...