Yesterday (Saint Patrick's Day, March 17th 2018) I went to Michael Collins Pub in Brussels to watch my favourite football team play in a game that was advertised on the pub's website.
I paid the 10 Euros cover-charge and went inside but the game was not being shown on any of the televisions. The Six Nations rugby game between Wales and France was being shown on all the televisions. I therefore asked the bar manager if he could put the football game on one of the televisions. He said that he would try, if I gave him "a minute". Thirty minutes later he put the game on one of the televisions. Now, I understand that the pub is a popular place to watch rugby and as the pub was very busy I could accept that it took the staff some time to put the football game on. No real harm done.
However, during the second-half of the football game (after the rugby game had finished) the channel was twice changed to show something else. The first time I asked why the channel had been changed I was told that the the Internet stream was "loading". The second time I asked the bar manager (an extremely unpleasant and irascible Irishman with a beard) could he please put the football game back on, he launched a tirade at me, effing and blinding that nobody cares about this football game, that it was "Saint Paddy's Day", and that I could take myself elsewhere (or words to that effect in rather less tasteful language).
I have never, anywhere in the world, been spoken to in such a manner by a member of staff of any establishment. It was a quite extraordinary outburst and one that left me, frankly, utterly bemused. Do the owners of this pub know that they are employing a man of this ilk to run what is an otherwise fairly decent pub?
I have been going to this pub regularly now for more than six months and have often heard this man being rude to customers and losing his temper with all and sundry, not to mention being witness to his bullying and intimidating manner towards members of his own staff. But until yesterday I was woefully underprepared for the level of venom and vitriol he directed at me for asking him a simple question.
Such extraordinary behaviour reflects appallingly badly on Michael Collins pub and all those associated with the establishment. I will certainly never return to the place and will warn all of my friends and colleagues here in Brussels to be extremely wary of patronising an establishment fronted by a man who has so little regard for his customers, and who consistently displays a complete lack of any kind of manners, respect or grace.
Absolutely disgraceful, further words fail me... read more