West Street Live — Restaurant in Sheffield

Hi

After visiting your establishment West Street Live on West Street, Sheffield tonight on the 1st October, I’m incredibly disappointed by the operations of your staff. After ordering a number of rounds of drinks throughout the night with impeccable service, me and my partner were served by another member of staff that had not previously served us. The order initially provided was amended midway and was met with tremendous hostility. It was demanded that I pay for the drinks already poured (which I did without question) however, I refused to order any subsequent drinks in respect of the disgusting attitude of the bar staff in question which dramatically degraded as the order went on. I didn’t catch the name of the lady who served us but could only describe her as under 30, brown bob style hair and wearing a septum ring. Her attitude and customer service was absolutely atrocious and insulting. I have worked many years in customer service myself and would certainly be disciplined if I ever treated a customer in such a disgusting way.

Several minutes later we were confronted by security staff asking us to leave the establishment. When questioned why, we were met with the response that “management have told us to”. When asked who the management was I was met with no response. Another member of security in a high-vis waistcoat then arrived who physically removed me from the bar and completely refused to answer my questions of what his name is, who his manager is and why he was forcibly pushing me out of the bar. Every member of the security staff told me to listen to my partner and just leave, like I should simply obey a male counterpart without question. Incredibly sexist.

This was all instigated by a bitter and rude member of staff behind the bar who clearly has no experience in customer service skills. A customer is well in their rights to amend an order without such disgusting behaviour from the member of staff serving them and certainly without the situation escalating to such a degree that somebody is physically lifted and removed from the establishment. When questioning all security staff as to why they could use physical force against me I was given no legitimate and conclusive answer.

I am absolutely disgusted with the way I have been treated by your staff. To be physically dragged out of an establishment for sticking up for myself when I have done nothing wrong is ridiculous. I request a copy of any CCTV footage that you have of this incident. I will also try to contact you again by phone which so far has been met with no response.

I am happy to take this further if need be and would appreciate a response from you ASAP.

Stephanie Wood

Sent...

Since they have now ignored my email and blocked me from both Facebook and Instagram after I commented on posts I thought I would post a little review of my experience at West Street Live on the morning of Sunday 24th August. At approximately 1.15am I was queuing to enter West Street Live with a group of friends when, at around 1.30am we reached the venue entrance where we showed our IDs to one of the door supervisors and my ID was accepted by him before I attempted to enter the venue. At this point another bouncer, wearing a white shirt and red tie (1st pic) approached me angrily to say I had been ‘rude’ because I had ignored something he had apparently said to me as I entered, I did not hear him and this was also in a busy and noisy environment. I explained that I hadn’t heard him say anything to me and continued walking into the building before he used his arm to forcefully block and move me away from the entrance as he told me I would not be allowed into the venue. The reasons for this didn’t seem clear. I once again explained that I hadn’t heard him speak to me and in a reasonable manner asked what the problem was and why I was refused entry. He and his other colleagues then ignored my questions before he then asked me why I was still there, but then continued to refuse to engage with me. When I continued to ask to understand the issue he then told me to go away and pushed me away forcefully at which point I asked to see their SIA licenses, to which they refused and after this I was pushed again by his bigger colleague (2nd pic). This was with greater force to the point where I nearly fell to the ground into busy oncoming traffic, fortunately I was able to regain my balance.

As I hadn’t acted aggressively towards them at any point during the altercation, this was an entirely unprovoked assault. I had acted reasonably in trying to gain understanding as to why he decided to deny my entry to the venue and none of the bouncers had any need to defend themselves or others by pushing me.

I have reported the incident to the police who are making enquiries at time of writing and my next report will be to the press unless management at WSL decide to respond to me. Absolutely disgusting that the management ignore and block my communications let alone not apologise for the way I was treated.

Well done West Street Live, you have lost my custom. Not really an enterprising way to treat the people who keep the venue in...

Disgusting and dangerous behaviour from security

I was enjoying a night out with some friends when a bartender told security I was “too drunk” while ordering at the bar, which was definitely not the case as I had only had 2 drinks. I was escorted out immediately and not allowed to collect my belongings or talk to the friends I went out with. I couldn’t go home as my house keys and phone were in my bag which I left inside but was not allowed to collect. Several other patrons tried to help me but were all dismissed by the security guards who brushed me off as an “attention seeker”. I told a security guard the name of my friends who I was out with to help me find my bag, and he returned and told me that there was no one in the venue with those names, claiming that I was lying for attention. He was luckily proven wrong when my friends came looking for me, but his actions would have been extremely dangerous to another young person in my situation who was stranded alone and then lied to that they were on their own. I spent between 30 and 40 minutes stood outside the venue waiting for my friends to realise I was outside as I had no way of contacting them, during which time the female security guard repeatedly called me a ‘petulant child’ and a drunk for not simply leaving. The actions of these security guards and the bartender involved I find totally disgusting and reprehensible, with absolutely no care for the people they are dealing with. During this ordeal I talked to an older woman who had similarly been kicked out for having tomorrow’s lunch in her backpack which was deemed suspicious by the same security guards. This is absolutely ridiculous and in desperate need of a change, as I fear much more damage could be done by these people due to their attitude and lack of care. I am lucky I was out with people who were able to confirm my story to security and bring me my belongings, but the night could have ended much differently if security had their way with me leaving without my belongings, determined to prove that I was lying. The behaviour of the security guards I dealt with was self-serving and irresponsible, and should not be allowed...