G-A-Y Manchester Reviews Summary

Customer Service

Pros:

• "Absolutely loved my visit here. Was warmly welcomed by a lovely worker called Jake!"
• "Cheap drinks, good vibes, friendly staff, and solid safety."
• "door staff friendly and bar staff too"
• "Bar staff are very friendly too, and seem like they genuinely want to be there."
• "Bar staff were brilliant, very friendly, a woman with dreadlocks kept us entertained all night and lived off our vape 😂."
• "one staff member was very good and tried to accommodate"
• "never had a problem getting in"

Cons:

• "Really rude bouncers and racist management."
• "Rude and utterly disgusted covid certificate checker!"
• "Terrible attitude by the bar staff"
• "Staff very rude"
• "The very rude and very abrupt manager who thinks he's clearly sometimes he isn't and gives us LGBTQ+ a bad name."
• "Last Saturday at the bar downstairs, waiter with no manners at all, and arrogant."
• "she was very rude and told me to drop the attitude"

Security and Safety

Pros:

• "Despite previous poor practices by security, and questionable judgement of who was a regular and who wasn’t. G-A-Y have thankfully adopted a new policy that allows anyone to enter the venue, unless drunk or disorderly."
• "One of the best qualities of this place is the safety everyone can feel from it."

Cons:

• "Whilst being attacked last night, there were two bouncers stood watching and allowing it to happen."
• "Ive been there multiple times and last time I went there my exes friends literally put his hand around my neck and I got kicked out, bouncers play favourited and in all pe gay village this is the once place I don’t feel safe."
• "I approached this bar with a limp due to my lifelong diagnosis of cerebral palsy... The bouncers then proceeded to call me a liar and refused to listen to anything I had to say, removing me from the line."
• "I went there yesterday night with my friends and one of the bouncers made me feel really uncomfortable."
• "Small male bouncer who was working Saturday 9th October 2021 - Has issues! Ignorant, down right rude and clearly on a power trip!"
• "I’d give it a 0 if I could. Me and my friends was going to G.A.Y for a good time but as we got to the bouncers they said my friend had too many drinks even though he was sober."
• "We were denied entry as the bouncer had assumed that we weren’t gay."

Atmosphere and Decor

Pros:

• "The place has a nice vibe inside, and it’s well decorated."
• "The vibe was good, I like their music."
• "music great and a wide variety of people visit here for a night out"

Cons:

• "It stinks of urine throughout."
• "This place is absolutely disgusting- if this was reversed and two gay people walked into a bar and were denied entry because they were gay- there would be an uproar."
• "Considering it is supposed to be one of the most accepting places, I have never felt so discriminated against in my life."
• "This place is prime example of Racism and discrimination still exists."
• "This is disgusting behaviour for a place that is supposed to be accepting for everyone in the LGBTQ+ community."
• "As a proud out gay man I simply don't understand why a club on one of the most accepting streets for all lgbt+ people alike can actually be discriminative against those who don't look like they fit the gay criteria."
• "An unfriendly heterophobic establishment."

Entry Policy and Management

Pros:

• "Wearing joggers or clothes that you clearly do not wear when going out is a good point to be refused, this is just common sense."
• "It’s okay if you have a dress code, but just make it clear so people don’t come and get disappointed."

Cons:

• "I am surprised the club is still open. As it doesn't seem like many people can gain access, it's just not fair like they have a very strict and pathetic policy."
• "We tried to get in the bar this evening, a group of 7 for a friends birthday... and was refused for being a 'big group'."
• "Such a great club but was ruined by the doorstaff. Extremely rude, refusing people for no good reason."
• "We got there last night about 10:45 only to de told its for regulars only and was turned away even though we explained we were there last weekend."
• "Refused entry due to the jumped up security guard not knowing me personally"
• "Used to come in here regularly on my own/with friends before l lockdown and came back tonight... Least 'inclusive' place on Canal Street."
• "Refused a few of us entry on a quiet Thursday night because we weren't 'regular enough' - basically implying that we weren't gay enough to be there."

Privacy and Transparency

Pros:

• "Despite previous poor practices by security, and questionable judgement of who was a regular and who wasn’t. G-A-Y have thankfully adopted a new policy that allows anyone to enter the venue, unless drunk or disorderly."

Cons:

• "FYI: They take pictures of every customer, which is an absolute violation of your privacy."
• "No positive comments regarding privacy concerns were found in the reviews."
• "We have been denied entry saying our covid passport is in circulation while we didn't share it with anyone."

Value for Money

Pros:

• "Come here for the cheap drinks on Sunday to Thursday."
• "great variety of drinks on offer at reasonable prices"
• "Feeling blue on a Wednesday night and enjoying the solace of the smoking terrace. A £2.50 drink is a rare find in this thriving city, but G-A-Y has me covered. Shame there are only four people in the building."

Cons:

• "they water down the drinks"
• "Bartender cheekily added a 2 pound tip, and I tapped my card without noticing until the transaction was completed."
• "Charged £2 tip without being asked, per transaction (card)."
• "Drinks are watered down to the point they are completely tasteless unless they’re doubles."
• "Bar tender short changed me be £5.50."