The Colonnade Bar (next door to the Theatre Royal) was a popular, beloved, well run and welcoming Brighton institution (when the Golden Lion Group owned and ran it). We have often gone there for drinks, and have always received a warm and friendly welcome from the professional and cheerful team that used to work behind the bar.
Sadly, in June 2023, the Ambassador Theatre Group (who own the theatre) took back the lease and put a door between the theatre and the bar.
I had the misfortune of going for a drink in the Colonnade last night. As reported in Brighton and Hove News it is now bereft of the many pictures of stars from stage and screen that used to adorn the walls.
That aside, it is clear that the bar is but a shadow of its former self in terms of welcome and customer experience.
My request for a Bloody Mary was met by the response from the manager (sitting drinking with another colleague) that they don't have tomato juice.
For why?
She claimed that she had been "only running it for two months and no one has ever asked for that".
I opted for anon tomato juice based drink, and sat at a table near the closed door to the theatre.
One minute later the security guards from the theatre opened up the connecting door, this let in a blast of cold air in as the front door to the theatre was open. I asked them to close it.
Their response?
"Can't do that mate, people from the theatre will come in!"
Factoid: no one came in from the theatre.
I was forced to change tables in order not to freeze, although the bar was still cold because of the open connecting door. At this point someone, who had been drinking at the bar, introduced himself as being part of the ATG team. Apparently his role was to gain an understanding of customers' views and experiences. I gave him my views, and asked him to shut the connecting door. He claimed he didn't have the authority to do that.
Suffice to say, I will not be going there ever again.
Avoid this place!
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