The Exchange Inn, Hove

The Exchange is a pub I previously considered one of the nicest on the Hove side of town. Went there couple of weeks ago bought a Guinness (early evening 9 ish not having previously had a few etc) Took it back to the bar (something I've only ever done a couple of times in my life) and said look I'm really sorry but this pint of Guinness is just not good, please can I have something else instead ? It tastes like the sort of pint you'd've got ten or fifteen years ago in the UK before british pubs got the hang of it (ie bitter acrid & slightly mingy & stale).
Their response - 'well we'll try it but if we don't agree & we think there's nothing wrong with it we're not at liberty to give you another drink'. Fine I thought you'll see what I mean in a second or two. So a twenty something girl tries it & delares it to be absolutely A ok - nothing wrong with that (go back to your seat & stop causing trouble you silly man).
Well d'you know what 1.) I do not need somebody to tell me whether or not I should be happy with something I've purchased & paid for - whatever their age or experience. 2.) It's not like 'Drink in Brighton' who own half the pubs in Sussex can't afford to give their customers a replacement drink if they aren't satisfied. And 3.) This appalling patronising attitude will like as not prevent me from ever bothering to return there & this is possibly the worst customer service attitude I've encountered in Brighton in 15 years.
Oh and just to mention also, on the live music front (& I'm a musician) the stuff they allow in that place is just plain shocking - do they really think people are too stupid to tell the difference between the sort of thing you'd expect to hear in a bar on the Costa del Sol & something that's actually got some character & is genuine in some way (errr sorry but this is Brighton how much talent do you think there is there to choose from ? - really). Evidently they think their customers are unable to discern for themselves on that front also. I left feeling very angry & with my tastebuds, intelligence & ears having been unanimously insulted.

3 May 2015 15:23