The Leather Exchange — Restaurant in London

Came to watch the six nations game for a friends birthday. It’s a very lovely looking pub, a decent selection of drinks on offer and only a 5 minute walk from London Bridge station.

We were sat upstairs and because we had booked ahead of time, it was table service but this was not an issue as our server was very attentive and welcoming, also the drinks came relatively quickly and were a decent enough price.

However, what spoiled the occasion for us was the attitude of the manager on duty. My friend was the one who had organised this event and what happened is that we had accidentally double booked without realising. The server said it wasn’t an issue, but 2 minutes after this, the MOD came upstairs and started mouthing off at us, complaining how we had double booked them and that he had turned away lots of bookings. As someone who works in hospitality, I can understand that this is frustrating and I do sympathise with the lost business. However, to do this directly in front of us was highly unprofessional and quite frankly dampened the atmosphere after that. Luckily the server was very kind to us, and even so the other table we had accidentally double booked was filled shortly after we arrived.

Can’t fault the staff nor the location, but because of the manager we won’t be...

Booked a table for a largeish group not sure on numbers attending assuming that if there aren't enough seats people would just stand. Couple of friends arrived late and were met by a rope denying them entry. The owner and staff declared we were too many and they had other bookings. While attempting to reason and ask what time the other bookings were as we'd happily make space, weren't bothered by slower service, we were greeted with uncooperative staff refusing to be reasonable. Recommend they are more communicative, take deposits, and general to just ask if the customers are ok waiting when busy. Also, may be worth not enforcing table service. When we left the pub it was completely empty. Seems a bit silly to refuse the business. Went to the horseshoe inn instead. Straight in, no issues. Not sure what all the fuss was about. While we were there the service was actually fine and it was great they showed the football. It was just disappointing to be spoken to the way we there. All in all, I don't think they can handle big groups so ... Big...

I walked into a completely empty pub to use the toilet. A man sat silently at a table, said nothing - then suddenly launched into an aggressive telling-off before I’d even got there. Turns out he was the owner. I apologised and explained I simply hadn’t seen him. That didn’t matter - he was clearly desperate for someone to take his anger out on.

What followed was a bizarre lecture about “respect”. He kept repeating that he was “the owner” - as if that excused his behaviour or meant I should be grovelling at his feet. The pub was dead on a sunny Saturday, and no wonder.

The toilets were filthy. I used them and tried to leave, but not before he smugly reminded me I’d just been “taught a lesson”. Then he came storming out onto the street to shout across the road at me like a schoolboy trying to start a fight.

I looked up the place afterwards - seems this is how he always behaves. Same story in review after review: rude, angry, aggressive. If you keep needing to “teach” people respect, it’s probably because you’ve never...