Stringfellows

[johnlbx]

I'm just trying to add some balance to a thread which even in its title is unfair to Stringfellows.

I've never met Bob so I'm speaking just as a customer.

I've never been mistreated by the staff there nor in the many long hours I've sat in there have I see a customer mistreated by the staff. Sure I wish the service girl would not ask me "you buy lady drink?" but that just a minor annoyance, not me being harassed.

If you stop and think about it a bit, when a customer comes in each dancer sees that guy as a potential ATM, and it stands to reason that they would want that ATM to sit with them. So why would they do anything to piss of the customer? The only thing that makes sense is that the customer does something bad to them first and they just react to that.

I've had ladies there ask me for drinks (they're dancing a few feet away so sometimes they'll ask). Most of the time my answer is to these random requests is 'no' but I say it in a nice enough way I suppose that I've never gotten a nasty comment or nasty look in return.

Yes it's my money and I can do with it what I want but I won't stop acting civil just because I don't have to.

[bigmick22]

(johnlbx @ Mar. 14 2009,15:00)
 If you stop and think about it a bit, when a customer comes in each dancer sees that guy as a potential ATM, and it stands to reason that they would want that ATM to sit with them.   So why would they do anything to piss of the customer?  The only thing that makes sense is that the customer does something bad to them first and they just react to that.

It's got nothing to do with sense or reason. I was abused by a LB there that I had never met - there is no way I could have done something bad to her first. I have seen them be aggressive to other customers too without provocation

Ozzie has been a frequent visitor to LOS for  afew years now - he knows what he's talking about

 

Yes it's my money and I can do with it what I want but I won't stop acting civil just because I don't have to.

Not sure that the OP was resorting to being uncivil

[saiphon]

(johnlbx @ Mar. 14 2009,21:00) I'm just trying to add some balance to a thread which even in its title is unfair to Stringfellows.

I've never met Bob so I'm speaking just as a customer.

I've never been mistreated by the staff there nor in the many long hours I've sat in there have I see a customer mistreated by the staff.   Sure I wish the service girl would not ask me "you buy lady drink?" but that just a minor annoyance, not me being harassed.

If you stop and think about it a bit, when a customer comes in each dancer sees that guy as a potential ATM, and it stands to reason that they would want that ATM to sit with them.   So why would they do anything to piss of the customer?  The only thing that makes sense is that the customer does something bad to them first and they just react to that.

 I've had ladies there ask me for drinks (they're dancing a few feet away so sometimes they'll ask).   Most of the time my answer is to these random requests is 'no' but I say it in a nice enough way I suppose that I've never gotten a nasty comment or nasty look in return.

Yes it's my money and I can do with it what I want but I won't stop acting civil just because I don't have to.

Fully agree with you, I don't know Ozzie or his spending habits but I do know Stringfellows and like you I have never seen or heard of any complaints, I don't think Bob or the mamasan would take too kindly to anyone being hassled.

Maybe Ozzie wasn't treated like the "hansum" man he thought he should, maybe he pissed off the staff at another time unbeknown to himself - who knows - Thais can be funny that way, I should know I worked there for long enough.

However I find his initial post an insult to a great bar that so many enjoy, great parties, and what's more a great internet site. If he doesn't like what happened to him take it up with the management don't be like a whinging bitch ruining it for everyone else.

We all have the right to say NO so if you don't want to buy a drink don't do it. Most clubs either LB or GG will hassle you to buy drinks for the dancers, it's part of their wage structure, so what ?, it's so bloody cheap anyhow who cares. You are on holidays, dust off the cobwebs of your wallet and be surprised. You are already a walking ATM once you get off the plane what you don't want is to be Keeneow like Ozzie appears to be.

All I can say is if you don't like something, speak up as you would do at home and then if you don't get any satisfaction leave and don't go back.

For me Stringfellows is a great place for a night out, they have great parties and its amazing the reception you get if you treat everyone with respect (doesn't mean buying drinks all round). I don't drink alcohol, preferring to drink soda water yet I am treated with respect and have a brilliant time wherever I go.

And as John says "Yes it's my money and I can do with it what I want but I won't stop acting civil just because I don't have to". Maybe Ozzie you should take note of this.

Saiphon

[rxpharm]

It only takes a few incidents to blacken the reputation of any business. Bad incidents have been posted by bigmick22, Burenboy, Stogie, Kahuna, Pacman and Ozzie.

If you imply that all these guys who are LOS veterans are uncivil, rude, cheap charlies, then I think you need your heads examined.

Those of you who defend Stringfellows, fine - but as you know lbs in the p4p can be volatile, and besides that it ihas been reported the wait staff are also asking for drinks.

Also you don't seem to have grasped that the problem is NOT saying no in a polite, firm way. The reaction to saying no is the problem.

It seems the problem has been raised with the owner and the mamasan, but no action has been taken. So I would not be surprised to see incidents reported again in the future. It has also been reported that Bob is not spending much time in Stringfellows and was trying to sell the bar earlier on.

[Ozzie]

(saiphon @ Mar. 14 2009,22:59) Fully agree with you, I don't know Ozzie or his spending habits but I do know Stringfellows and like you I have never seen or heard of any complaints, I don't think Bob or the mamasan would take too kindly to anyone being hassled.

Maybe Ozzie wasn't treated like the "hansum" man he thought he should, maybe he pissed off the staff at another time unbeknown to himself - who knows - Thais can be funny that way, I should know I worked there for long enough.

However I find his initial post an insult to a great bar that so many enjoy, great parties, and what's more a great internet site. If he doesn't like what happened to him take it up with the management don't be like a whinging bitch ruining it for everyone else.

We all have the right to say NO so if you don't want to buy a drink don't do it. Most clubs either LB or GG will hassle you to buy drinks for the dancers, it's part of their wage structure, so what ?, it's so bloody cheap anyhow who cares. You are on holidays, dust off the cobwebs of your wallet and be surprised. You are already a walking ATM once you get off the plane what you don't want is to be Keeneow like Ozzie appears to be.

All I can say is if you don't like something, speak up as you would do at home and then if you don't get any satisfaction leave and don't go back.

For me Stringfellows is a great place for a night out, they have great parties and its amazing the reception you get if you treat everyone with respect (doesn't mean buying drinks all round). I don't drink alcohol, preferring to drink soda water yet I am treated with respect and have a brilliant time wherever I go.

And as John says "Yes it's my money and I can do with it what I want but I won't stop acting civil just because I don't have to". Maybe Ozzie you should take note of this.

Saiphon

Exactly you don't know me so why do you keep pretending you do by making supposed statements of fact about me being a cheap charlie?

I have met Bob on a few occassions and have no problem with him personally. I used to frequent his old bar Goldfingers and found that bar to be much more customer friendly.

Again you have not answered my question. If it is me then why do I not have similar problems in other bars?

Why is it that other BM's including the ones that like Stringfellows feel that often the pressure to buy drinks is too high?

Stop skirting around the original issue and the topic of my thread and answer the questions.

You wont because you would just prefer just to call me a cheap charlie as you have no real answer.

[Stogie]

You can take it from me (or anyone who knows Ozzie) that he is NOT a 'Cheap Charlie!' Just the opposite, in fact!

[petesie]

I've not been on the scene long and have tried most of the mainstream bars and some of the lesser highlighted ones primarily due to recommendations from the Forum.........

I have enjoyed them all with the exception of Stringfellows........but in saying that.....this was not down to a bad experience, this was simply because I felt the other bars had more to offer in the way of customer interface and environment........

This would not stop me going back there though.......

If BM's take the trouble to comment on their experiences in the bars, and there seems to be a commonality within this thread then the least we can expect is that the constructive critisism offered is acknowledged.....opinion is another matter.....

[kahuna]

(saiphon @ Mar. 14 2009,22:59) I don't think Bob or the mamasan would take too kindly to anyone being hassled.

If you had actually taken the trouble to read this thread you wouldn't think that...

As I posted previously, Bob was sitting all alone directly opposite us when the incident occurred...Not 10 feet away...He saw everything....He simply doesn't care...

Most every BM I know who either lives in Pattaya or spends extended time in Pattaya will not go near Stringfellows...Must be because we are all cheap shits...

The good news is, with a few adjustments Stringfellows could be a very good bar...

The sad news is, that will likely not happen...

But the really really good news is, there are many many many more ladyboys wandering around Pattaya and working in Pattaya bars who do treat customers and potential customers with respect...

[johnlbx]

(Ozzie @ Mar. 14 2009,13:52) Again you have not answered my question. If it is me then why do I not have similar problems in other bars?

I can't say for sure except that these girls have good memories and it could hav been due to something you did a while back and they just haven't forgotten.
Or maybe someone who looks like you went in a caused a scene.

But your general question is a good one: why do we have different experiences in different bars? Let me throw out a few ideas under the headings Physical and Psychological.


-- Physical --

Goldfingers was a more typical gogo bar. You could come in and sit at a table away from the stage. Girls not dancing would have to get up and walk over to you to make their sales pitch. Stringfellows is much different. Everyone is sitting stage side and the stage is small enough that you're pretty within talking distance of at least three of the performers on stage at all times.

So there is going to be a lot more interaction at Stringfellows, it can't be avoided. Of course this is a good thing too as you get a close up view of the girls in tiny outfits plus whatever they chose to show you. You can't go in the place and quietly sip your beer and not be noticed like in many gogos in town.

-- Psychological --

You walk down the street and strangers generally don't ask you for money. However if that stranger is some kind of street artist putting on a show then he will likely ask you for money after or during the show.

Performers feel this entitlement to be paid even if you never asked for a show.
Ezy and La Bamba are basically beer bars. The girls aren't performers and don't expect to be paid just for standing there. So there is no pressure to buy a drink unless you decide to occupy the time of one of the girls.
At Stringfellows the girls think of themselves as performers. And if you're the kind of person that likes seeing lots of lbs dancing around in next to nothing (and sometimes nothing) then this is a performance you'll get nowhere else. So there is a collective feeling that the customers should pay for the show, if not directly to them then to one of their sisters. Thus buying a drink for one of the girls satisifies their collective mind and they are again happy.

Another factor is "follow the leader". At Cocktails and Dreams in Phuket
there are three different kinds of girls. One is like Pat who while I'm sitting drinking with one girl will come up and ask me to buy her a drink. She's givenme nothing yet wants a drink in return. This is the machine-gun approach and maybe it yields her the most drinks per night. The second type is like Oh who sits down next to me (even if I'm already talking to some girl) and starts rubbing me and soon asks for a drink. At least she's giving something. The third type is Nam who never asks for a drink. If offered she will accept one. My favorite at the bar soon became Nam as I like her attitude. However she must be looking around and seeing the other girls making more money than her by aggressively asking for drinks. Likely she'll change to 'follow the leader' or leave the bar.

It's likely that there are a few leaders at Stringfellows and the rest of the girls are just following along in an effort to keep up. Most of the girls there, while they look hot, are actually pretty meek in person. If Bob were to identify the pushiest girls and get them to change the whole bar would likely change as well.

But again let me say that I go to lots of gogos and Stringfellows is well within my acceptable pushiness range for gogos. It's pretty much a non-issue for me but I can see that for the beer-bar crowd it's something they're not used to.


btw: I'll be coming to Pattaya next weekend. If you're in town we can do an experiment. I'll go into SF first and then watch what happens when you go in and if things go bad I'll find out from the girls why.

[Snick]

As I said earlier, I like Stringfellows. I often stop in there for a drink and the occasional barfine. That being said, the girls there are 'pushier' than others for a drink.
New girls who do not know me, will often sit down next to me uninvited, and sometimes after I explicitly say no, shake my hand and then start demanding a drink.
I can say no, and push her away, but the point is I shouldn't have to. I should be in the bar, enjoying myself, and buying drinks for the girls I like. I should not be put in a position where I have to appear nasty just to avoid buying drinks that I do not want.

[perth_couple]

Wait a second Snick, how can you (or anyone else!) have any form of complaint whatsoever about Stringfellows? Saiphon has already informed everyone that he has never seen or heard any complaints about the place?

According to him, any issue an idividual has with the place is actually a personal failing on behalf of the individual.

Maybe it's time to take a good hard look in the mirror our friend

[johnlbx]

(Snick @ Mar. 14 2009,19:24)  
I can say no, and push her away, but the point is I shouldn't have to. I should be in the bar, enjoying myself, and buying drinks for the girls I like. I should not be put in a position where I have to appear nasty just to avoid buying drinks that I do not want.

I think we all agree on that.

It's also the case that in any Pattaya bar that employs a staff of ladies if you come in a sit down then some lady is going to come and sit beside you.

The only question is how long it will take for her to sit beside you. At at typical gogo it can take minutes. At Stringfellows or La Bamba or Ezy a girl outside the bar usually accompanies you in so here it's zero minutes (you can always disengage from the initial greeter but that requires say 'no' which is something we don't like to do but often must).

So it's choose or be chosen at every bar. If it's one thing I've learned in Pattaya is the ability to find the right girl for me within seconds of coming into a bar. Sure this based strictly on appearance but that's all you can use until you start talking to her and see if she's the right one.

[Stogie]

Why do I NOT have similar hassles in ANY of the Go Gos in Sunee Plaza?

[perth_couple]

(Stogie @ Mar. 15 2009,11:44) Why do I NOT have similar hassles in ANY of the Go Gos in Sunee Plaza?  

Not sure Stogie, but Saiphon could probably let you know where you're going wrong

[Snick]

(perth_couple @ Mar. 15 2009,09:56)

Wait a second Snick, how can you (or anyone else!) have any form of complaint whatsoever about Stringfellows? Saiphon has already informed everyone that he has never seen or heard any complaints about the place?

According to him, any issue an idividual has with the place is actually a personal failing on behalf of the individual.

Maybe it's time to take a good hard look in the mirror our friend  

Or maybe I need to take Saiphon with me next time I go, do I have to buy him a drink and let him sit next to me ?