Ye Olde Black Bull — Restaurant in London

I find the lady who works behind the bar at this establishment very hostile person and could be a liability in this day and age - whether she owns the pub or not. I believe she should reconsider her behaviour and this is why:-

I was visiting the area - I don't know the area well. Seeing an Olde English pub I popped in to ask if I could use their facilities. I was desperate.

I would rate myself respectful, well spoken, good education and well mannered

On my way into the pub, I passed a few friendly locals standing around. I approached the bar and very politely asked this woman if I could use their facilities. You should have seen how this woman responded. I felt I had offended her by having the audacity to walk into her\the pub in the first place.

I thought being a woman like myself this woman, she had brown hair, wearing glasses, not very tall, would show a little bit of empathy. You know, Woman to Woman.

How wrong was I. Clearly, this person thought she was a better Human Being than me, for some reason, although her behaviour said otherwise. She was very rude, unnecessarily harsh and came across rather bitter and even twisted. Insidious. An ogre - for if you ever have had the misfortunate of encountering ogre, regardless of their colour, creed, ethnic background, etc the experience is very very unpleasant. No manners, lifeless eyes, deep engraved lines, angry, it's as though they have no soul.

In any case, I was so desperate I even offered to buy a drink - I was prepared to pay anything just to spend a penny. But, nope, she wasn’t having it. I think her quote was "I don't want your money, all I want you to do is get out of my pub. Didn't you see the sign on the door which says facilities are for customers only???!!!!".

I responded by saying "I am very sorry I didn't. I continued by saying "I am so desperate, I avoided the Chinese and Indian in fear of this type of treatment and felt I was at home when I saw "Ye Olde Black Bull". The people I encountered outside were welcoming and even the people standing and sitting around the bar. Obviously locals. A well horned community. The kindly old gentleman sitting at the bar looked as though he wanted to hug me through his remorse at the situation. I told him not to worry and I will leave.

Anyway, she screamed at me to go to the bar across the road and ask them instead. The locals, looking rather embarrassed, nodded in agreement

Well, as you can imagine, I was rather shaken and confused. I was a mixture of emotions, switching between anger, wonder and, to a point, pity. However, I kept it down.

I walked out - say my goodbyes to the friendly locals and thanked them for their suggested bar across the road. I liked it. It was a modern version of "bar"; trendier, clean cut and fresher - Ye Olde Black Bull is very traditional - if not for this insidious woman I would have liked it very much.

At the suggested bar, for which I will be noting when I revisit the area, I was greeted with a lovely smile from this - I believe Asian in origin - man. He treated me with utmost respect. He had no reason not to. It wasn't as though I was drunk, rude or ill mannered. I was well turned out, I was well spoken and there really was not a reason for him to treat me in the ill manner this insidious woman at Ye Old "Black" Bull did.

Another thing I would like to add:-

I am a woman of 55 years of age. I am going through menopause. Holding on, while you are desperate to urinate, is no longer a sport.

If I was a man it would look less indecent if I was to find a quiet corner and urinate against the wall, but I don't have that option.

I approached this very sour woman on a woman to woman basis and was hoping for some common decency which this woman clearly has NONE. What a pity....

I have met many a barmaid in many an Olde English pub, but none as insidious as this woman.

BEWARE OF...

Not the first time the two owners have acted disgracefully.

They are rude, run an unorganiaed pub and are genuinely not nice people.

20 of us were down there for the West Ham Euro Final.

My freind was sent off the premises for attempting to ask for a second drink once he was already served. The old Irish lady was rude and out of order.

They also didn't allow my freinds in with their young son who had travelled all the way down from Basildon. When I politely asked the landlord (old Irish man names John) why he started swearing, spitting and shouting mentioning they was at full capacity.

Clearly they wasn't at full capacity! They was just too tight to put on the proper amount of bar staff to deal with a busy final.

The bar wasn't even 2 deep at any time. Match days there is twice the amount of people!

The truth is it was unorganised chaos and they couldn't cope with the orders. Bad planning!

My friends son was all kitted out in his kit and was hysterically crying because he missed the match. Disgusting

Tried to explain that to him but he was just rude and irrate

I had my two daughters with me and they couldn't believe the experience.

Don't give these rude people your money.

We will never go back in there again !

Going by other reviews...

Having now read the reviews it is quite clear that the Land Lady is an angry mutt. Pub etiquette aside, good communication is obviously not a thing she does well. I wouldn't say she is racist although there does seem to be a hint of it. But then again going to the pub isn't part of my cultural upbringing, although I have been to a few to know what a welcoming atmosphere is. I had bought a drink and was watching a match which I thought was good etiquette. However there seems to be a number which was permissible. Where I don't mind getting another just to see it wasted to appease the lady having had lunch before going in. Her approach was to start screaming in my face. First I'm not Irish therefore didn't understand enough of what she said to take offence but the Peggy Mitchell esq "get out my pub" did add a bit of comedy to the moment. This was because I only bought one drink. All in all communication could be far better. I couldn't care enough for the place so that's that. Pub should be a lot more welcoming to ensure that they get punter in especially in a...