The Dempsey's Megathread

[Carborundum]

Chox, theres no point in having soure grapes just cos you have come to Sheffield and happened upon a gay/mixed club that is truly inclusive of gay straight male female young old, down to earth, friendly, no attitude, profitable, well run, well policed, values its regular loyal punters (like moi) .... etc etc and not a bitter getto queenie men only drug ridden club with attitude and bitchiness and exclusivity ...

[Chox]

Bless, talk about uninformed...

I've lived here all my life - knew Dempseys a long time before it was ever "gay". I've seen it all come and go, along with the naieve people like yourself who foolishly think Dempseys is somehow good. I've edited national gay magazines, been all over the country, used to work in Manchester. I know rubbish when I see it - seems you don't:hihi:

[SpiderPete]

Well if that's what you seriously believe, it says a lot about some people's mentailty and Dempsey's attitude. You'd be hard-pressed to find anybody who actually has a good word for Dempseys aside from yourself and presumably a few others who will doubtless appear on here to praise its virtues.

 

Unfortunately (and you must know this to be true) if you talk to any gay people in Sheffield, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who wouldn't say "I wouldn't be seen dead in that dump" or "well it's a dive but it's somewhere to go"... I hear it time and time again and regardless of what you say, you must know that this is the standard reaction you get from almost everybody. If you really don't believe me, try asking a few people who aren't within your circle.

 

Dempseys is a rather small and unexciting pub with a dancefloor upstairs, occupied mostly by straight people during the day, and busy on Saturday (maybe Friday) nights upstairs. It's dead for most of the time (and I mean completely empty upstairs) and although the staff are nice, the customers are a mix of people, comprising of older guys, predatory blokes looking for sex, a handful of younger lads, some lesbians, and a whole hoarde of straight people who presumably can't think of anywhere better to go. Ask youself why there are thousands of gay people in this city and there's probably no more than fifty in Dempseys on a Saturday night. You telling me that's a definition of a "great gay pub" ? Come on get real.

 

Well I have a valid argument about this peace of utter tripe from you.

 

You sound a very bitter person, you obviously have something against Dempseys.

 

Friday`s is also busy, as you wasnt sure.

 

The part of "no more than 50 in Dempseys on a Saturday night" is such a load of old crap, have you ever been on a Saturday ?, I was in last night and there was loads more than 50, LOL. I left around midnight and people were still coming in.

 

Your bit about "no one has a good word to say about Dempseys", well they seem to be getting them in at the weekends, so NOT everyone seems to hate it.

 

I actually might conduct this survey when I am next down, because you dont seem to have done your homework at all about the venue have you.

[Carborundum]

Hear hear Spider Pete - I would say to CHox if its that bad why are they queueing at the door to get in as I have often seen on on Fri and Sat nights and even fighting to get membership too .... Chox must have some chip on his shoulder against the place - its just jealousy I think and he cant stand integration of gays and straights ...

[Chox]

Fighting for membership - that's the funniest thing I've heard for ages:hihi:

 

Are you guys for real? Have you ever asked any of the thousands of gay people in Sheffield why they wouldn't be seen dead in there? I'm guessing not. Here's a suggestion; one day, when you're feeling like getting a dose of reality, try asking some regular gay lads who aren't in your own circle of friends and see what they say. I fully accept that you two (or is it three, hmm) enjoy yourselves but even you must know, when you remove the bravardo and self-delusion, that you're completely at odds with reality here. We all know that Dempseys attracts a small but loyal clientele but sadly it never attracts anybody else. Pop into Gaydar sometime and ask some people on there - they'll laugh themselves silly.

 

Anyway, this is degenerating into a pointless argument over nothing. You obviously have your own view and you're welcome to it. I was/am reflecting the view of everybody else who hates the place or goes there because there's often nothing better. You might choose to convince yourselves that I'm wrong but that's you're preogative. Enjoy!

[joescoes]

dempseys is what the individual person makes of it if you dont like it dont go in simple as that but please respect other peoples opionions of it,i for one enjoy the place been goin there for years

[Chox]

please respect other peoples opionions of it

 

 

I do - that's my whole point:rolleyes:

[Carborundum]

Dempseys IS a very classy place ... though I heard that last monday night bank hol camp night was a bit like a working mans club with their cabaret night and half the bar staff in drag - all that was missing was for Brian Potter to appear in his wheelchair I understand .... oooh and arnt heir chesseburgers and chips simply great - top cuisine plain food from a plain down to earth pub :-)

[Trouncer]

As a casual and impartial but regular reader of this thread who has no affinity (no pun intended) with any of the regular contributors, I have to say that the comments made against Chox seem to be taking things a little too personal and need to cill out, calm down and try and reply with a more rationale view to what's been said (btw I'm also not into mob mentality although Chox seems to be doing fine holding his corner). In some respects I have to agree in his view of the whole Sheffield scene and Dempseys. I too have lived in Sheffield all my life and experienced what's been and gone here as well as what other cities have to offer (eg. Machester, Leeds, Edinburgh Glasgow, London and many overseas club/bars etc.). I can't say Dempsey's compares well in my opinion but that's not to say it's a bad place. If people enjoy what Dempsey's has to offer then that's fine, but as Chox said, if the regular 'clique' of contributors on this thread were to ever take a consensus of all gays in Sheffield on what they thought of Dempseys, then in my view, I doubt it would come out very favourable.

 

If the regulars of Dempseys enjoy and love the club, then that's great and no one can tell you otherwise (so it seems). So what if the majority of Sheffield gays think Dempsey's is not very good, why should that bother you so much ? You love it and that's what matters to you. In what I believe was the height of Sheffield's gay scene when there were places like Cavaliers, Planet, Adelphi, Manhattens, The Bulldog, The Norfok (Xes), Ma Bakers, as well as Climax and Poptastic in town, there must have been thousands out on a Friday or Sat night. I dare say all these punters don't all now cram into Dempsey's ? I know this is probably over 10yrs ago but surely all gays don't die off as clubs die off. It must be an indication that a lots of gays don't rate Dempsey's as much as the hard core regulars who go there and as there is no other 'real' choice, they either stay at home, go to straight bars/clubs, or seek other more appropriate clubs outside of Sheffield. (By the way I hated all that Alan/Angel gay monopoly stuff during the 90's too).

 

Chox may not be very subtle about his views on Dempsey's and the scene, and it has hit a nerve or rubbed some people up the wrong way, but it shouldn't provoke the the reaction that he should leave the city if he doesn't like it. He is just highlighting the distinct lack of options available in Sheffield. Yes I know there are 'one off' monthly's or events and it's great that this happens. I realise and admire the effort and money these people put into trying to get Sheffield on the map, but Chox is only saying the choices we have, with respect to cities of comparable size, aren't to 'a lot' of peoples taste as qualified by talking to other gay's in the city.

 

My personal view is that I agree with many of Chox's points in that, in my personal experience of gay/pubs and clubs (as a punter, not an expert), Dempsey's is pretty poor, but it's horses for courses and no doubt it suits the regular 'clique' of contributors on this thread. Just remember, the comments made by these regulars does not represent the voice of Sheffield's gay pub/clubbing population and I'm sure they would be the first to admit that.

[craigpugh]

Hang about folks, i smell a troll here. Being of a stalker mentality, i just had a squiz at chox's post history, and there is a pattern there. Maybe just trying to cause trouble?

 

I find the comments about 'dream of a time when the staff would tell the straighjts to leave' etc, just bloody offensive.

 

Last time i was in a relationship with a woman, we were given the verbals by this guy who came marching over saying "you should not be here this is a GAY club, you should stick to your own places, "etc, being very very agressive with it. I was the chair of the university LGB at the time (note the L, and the B in there as well as the G) and was involved in running it, so we got security to ask him to leave. Basicaly if someone used that line on any other grounds we would find it abhorent "you should not be here because you are gay, black, a woman, etc" .