Hi there, I'm so glad I've found this forum as I'm a complete freshie to Basingstoke. Moved here from Birmingham when all my friends moved to London. My girlies are coming by next weekend and I'm desperately trying to think of a nice club/bar to bring them out in. They are proper Londoners and are a little sceptical of what Basingstoke has to offer in terms of a Fri/Sat night out...ANY suggestions would be deeply helpful.
I've googled and found some that came up in my searches like RHU Bar, TONIC, LIQUID & CHICAGO ROCK but we all know the best people to know where to go would be the locals such as u guys! Any ideas?
Depends on your age and music taste
RHU Bar 25-55 jazzy, live music sometimes, open late most nights
TONIC not sure as used to be Yates, aimed at 18-30 but normally dead
LIQUID 16-21 mini skirt, hard core dance, open 3-4 nights till late
CHICAGO ROCK 30-60 old school mainly, opens when it feels like it
Just generalisations but you get the picture
RHU Bar overtly bans disabled people. It says something about you if you still drink in there knowing that the management discriminate.
I don't know about Tonic but I would agree with Alanbenjy that Liquid is for younger people and Chicagos is for adults.
(15-10-2008 09:42 PM)Della Wrote: [ -> ]RHU Bar overtly bans disabled people. It says something about you if you still drink in there knowing that the management discriminate.
I don't know about Tonic but I would agree with Alanbenjy that Liquid is for younger people and Chicagos is for adults.
That cant be right Im sure that's illegal.
(15-10-2008 09:42 PM)Della Wrote: [ -> ]RHU Bar overtly bans disabled people. It says something about you if you still drink in there knowing that the management discriminate.
Blimey! - Everything is black or white with you isn't it!
Yes, we had a demonstration about this bar in the town and it was on TV too. It is wrong to discriminate against disabled people, but this bar, for some reason or other gets away with it, probably quoting health and safety rules?
They should be forced to make provision for everyone no matter what their disability.
We can't all be perfect! 
Hey Reeta, I'm an evacuee from Birmingham but a long time ago, sorry to say though my idea of a night out is a meal then back to watch TV before 9.
( Yes I am really old!)
I dont think the Rhu Bar ban disabled people - surely its more to do with the logistics of the building - its tiny - impractical and would cost a fortune or even impossible to convert to cover appropriate disabled facilities.
Not meaning to sound controversial but we do go overboard with some of this sometimes...reason to moan and all that.
(08-11-2008 08:57 AM)basingstokeroyal Wrote: [ -> ]I dont think the Rhu Bar ban disabled people - surely its more to do with the logistics of the building - its tiny - impractical and would cost a fortune or even impossible to convert to cover appropriate disabled facilities.
Not meaning to sound controversial but we do go overboard with some of this sometimes...reason to moan and all that.
I'd duck if I were you
I tend to agree - we live in a country where there are many old buildings and it would be impossible/impractical to convert all of them. There will be those that say hard cheese to that and if they cant they should go out of business thereby depriving everyone. I'd be interested in knowing what that would achieve.
I read a bit of the Rhu Bar story but I'm not familiar with the place so so wont comment on that other than banning people for being on crutches did seem a bit unreasonable
And before others jump on me - I have disabled relatives so do know how difficult it can be sometimes but also how much harder it was years ago before more efforts were made to make life easier.
(08-11-2008 08:57 AM)basingstokeroyal Wrote: [ -> ]I dont think the Rhu Bar ban disabled people - surely its more to do with the logistics of the building - its tiny - impractical and would cost a fortune or even impossible to convert to cover appropriate disabled facilities.
Not meaning to sound controversial but we do go overboard with some of this sometimes...reason to moan and all that.
The issue was raised by a physically fit disabled person who used crutches and said he could competently go upstairs on his crutches to reach the toilet but he was refused entry anyway. A young reporter from the local paper borrowed some crutches and again was refused. The landlord was reported as saying that there were no toilet facilities for disabled people but they were welcome to sit downstairs during off-park hours but not when they were busy.
Personally I feel that they should be looking into what provision they can make. Could they get planning permission to build some disabled toilets downstairs? Could they reach agreement with any of the surrounding premises that wheelchair users could use their toilets? This is what the law requires them to do. Unfortunately no-one has any enthusiasm to take action about this. Barring physically fit disabled people who do not require any additional facilities based only on their appearance is inexcusable.
I stand by my comment. The behaviour of the management of this place disgusts me. The behaviour of the council failing to take action disgusts me. Anyone who drinks there knowing this shows an 'I don't care because it doesn't affect me' attitude and that disgusts me.