Sir, - I was eating out at an empty restaurant in Temple Bar early last Monday evening with three Italian friends, two of whom had just arrived the same day, when my brother, whom we had arranged to meet after he had finished work, arrived at our table agitated and upset.
The "bouncer" had simply refused him entry, giving no explanation. When I went to enquire about the problem I was told in a very unpleasant and aggressive way to mind my own business and that if I persisted I would be "jailed" when the gardai arrived.
After a short time a junior manager tried to rectify the situation by assuring me I wouldn't be jailed, allowing my brother conditional entry and offering us drinks on the house. By this stage neither I nor my bemused Italian friends were in any mood for finishing our meal, so we simply left wondering where the quality of life or even value for money was in places such as this. - Yours, etc.,
Patricia Kearney, Celbridge, Co. kildare.