Source: Gulf News
Where races don't club together
By Diaa Hadid, Staff Reporter
It's a case of all dressed up, but nowhere to go. Many expatriates claim they arrive at the door of a club only to be told they can't enter. The management says the place is for couples only or entry is through reservation. But these clubbers cry out that they are turned away because of their race.
When the three Indian couples were told they needed reservations to a bar in an iconic Dubai hotel last month, one of them called management to book.
As the well-dressed couples waited, another European group arrived.
"Six pairs of ears" heard they had not made reservations either, said Avinash Sampath, one of the waiting men. The door manager checked a clipboard and let the Europeans in. "They are regulars," he explained.
And another European couple, without reservations, "overheard by the same set of six ears" also entered. "One of us did tell [the manager] he was being racist. Hearing which, he boldly shined his flash-light on our faces," Sampath said.
Meanwhile, the Indian man trying to make reservations over the phone was told he did not need to make any that night. After all six well-paid professionals wrote complaint letters, the hotel's general manager said the European couples were guests at a sister property.
The Indian couples were not convinced, but Sampath said there was no more he could do. "They have their story, we have ours," he said.
Stories
Many Dubai residents have stories like Sampath's at the city's approximate 600 pubs and clubs. And like Sampath's story, it is difficult to tell whether racism is at its heart, when most pubs and clubs have a reservations and couples-only policy that is applied at whim, with no clear guidelines involved for customers.
Adam, a part-Asian IT specialist, was denied entry at a popular expatriate club when he tried to enter to meet a waiting friend."The bouncer said it was for couples and reservations. But I saw two white guys walk in," he said.
Edward, a black British media professional, was charged Dh50 the first time he walked into to a popular Bur Dubai pub.
The next time, when he entered "with some white friends, we walked right in without paying". "Once a group of Lebanese and Europeans were at a hotel resort with many clubs. Our Indian colleague, who turned up later, wasn't allowed in," said Jamil, a Lebanese presenter.
Almost all people interviewed by Gulf News said they had either seen friends and colleagues treated in a racist manner, or experienced it themselves. They also consistently mentioned five hotspots known for preferring a European clientele.
Campaign
In 1999, Dubai Tourism Commerce Marketing (DTCM) carried out a campaign against pubs and clubs that denied people entry on a racial basis.
That included sending out a circular that told club and pub operators they could not "impose any entry restrictions relating to the race, colour or profession of their guests and customers".
Lina Makarem Dergham, Senior Business Development Manager at DTCM, said she was surprised at racism claims, and said the department had not received one complaint this year on the issue.
Last year, the department received 8 complaints, but not all were because of racism. When Gulf News suggested few people complained because they were not aware they could complain to DTCM, Lina said the department tried to raise awareness.
"We hand out information pamphlets to tourists on package tours. We used to have complaint boxes, but nobody used them," she said. DTCM had ruled out advertising their number on pub and club entrances.
"We were concerned that we would get a flood of calls from drunk people with no legitimate problems," she said, "and we don't have the staff numbers to deal with that."
She encouraged people who felt they had been discriminated against to contact DTCM.
The fine
Clubs found guilty of doing so may be charged up to Dh20,000 and face temporary or permanent closure.
In 2003, DTCM issued another circular, asking pubs and clubs to "clearly post entry rules in Arabic and English at the door entrance of outlets?" and "issue complimentary membership cars to regular guests to avoid misunderstanding".
Our survey
A random Gulf News survey found very few clubs and pubs followed the DTCM guidelines. "Of course they won't," said Edward, "that means they won't be able to pick and choose who they want."
Even though racism is difficult to prove, Dubai residents say they often go out with a sense of anxiety ? will they be allowed in, or not?
"There are businessmen here who are willing to spend thousands on a good night out, stay at five star hotels, but aren't allowed into clubs. It doesn't make business sense," said Ahmad, a Pakistani national. "Who knows how much money these places are losing?"
?Not racism'
Club owners and workers vigorously denied they discriminated because of race.
The owner of a popular Arab nightclub said his rules were clear. "We prefer people over 30, they should be couples or mixed groups and have reservations," he said.
The owner said when bouncers denied entry to groups of men, they were accused of racism.
?Cheap excuse'
"I think that's a cheap excuse. We don't let in men without women, that's all. Single men come in to find ladies, but what kind of ladies do they want? And if they don't find any, and get drunk, how will they behave?"
He said the situation was more delicate when they did not allow women to enter alone. "There are certain working women who want to enter my club for business. I don't let them in. I want ladies to feel comfortable in my club."
Too busy
A marketing manager for a hotel with several clubs said they were not racist, but often too busy to let people in.
"I do understand how somebody can feel if they are not let in," she said, "but our policy is very clear. We allow couples and with reservations only, and members of the hotel". She said the hotel "should put guidelines in front of more places" to let people know if they were eligible to enter, but so far, had not done so for most clubs.
Helping women
A manager of another popular expatriate club said their policy was not discriminatory, but aimed at keeping women comfortable.
"I want an environment where women can wear what they want, dance and have a good time, and feel comfortable and relaxed."
"We don't encourage men in groups," she said, "we try to keep it to couples only, otherwise violence can break out between groups of men. "We do have posted up at the door that entry is at the discretion of management. We don't have a written down ?couples only' because that depends on the night," she said.
is it me or this just doesnt make sense. i mean, ok, only couples, but than lets bring homos.e.xuality to fashion. i mean u poor baby boys, many of u only have the chance to date ur own kind.
i already feel the blood boyling in me!! if only 20% of the population is local and if possible the work for the government, who the hell runs clubs, pubs, etc? expats, isn t it? now, why would u not let in ppl from india? white money is better than black money or what?
to see and read everywhere how we need to keep men from being violent, cover up women to give them respect, bark about how arab women r raped by americans, etc. u don t give a shit about us! wherever smthing happens or smthing is banned to do, or a situation needs to be fixed, etc, its always women who get hurt.
oh thank you thank you 
.