Are standards slipping?

[ColinEssex]

I am currently staying in a four star hotel in central London for a few days. It's mid evening now and have had evening dinner, which although beautifully cooked, was somewhat spoilt by a young couple who could not be bothered to dress for dinner. They were wearing jeans and t shirts.

It transpired that on overhearing them speak, they were from the north of England. I could hear people in the hotel restaurant mumbling about them, and I totally agree.

To think I nearly booked a few days in Liverpool, the thing that stopped me was the apparent lack of getting a decent meal other than pie and chips. Vegetables are apparently unheard of there, as is salad. Imagine going to evening dinner where people don't dress for dinner! Unheard of.

This young couple should be refused entry if not dressed correctly.

Col

 

[ypma]

How sad you were more interested in how other diners were dressed than enjoying the company and food at your own table. The restaurant would have set the dress code and if you had taken the trouble to check it out and discovered it did not meet your perceived standards of dress code, you should have gone to a 5 star restaurant and then this affront to your sensitivity would have then been spare. If the couple you mentioned were rowdy and causing a nuisance then maybe you would have a point.” You should never judge a book by its cover “

Regarding the issue you seem to have with Liverpool. How small minded, to generalize about a city and culture you seem to know little about, I have dined in Liverpool and the fare on offer was as good as anywhere in London .

 

[Galaxiom]

We know Col is a sad case.

 

[Brianwarnock]

Col's comments are just a windup, but for the record col with my roast lamb tonight my daughter served roast potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, carrot and swede, sweetcorn, and cabbage, no salad tho

Brian

 

[Alansidman]

But Brian, did you dress for dinner?

Col, does the food taste better if you wear white tie and tails or will a morning suit suffice? Somehow, I think that you are lost in a space that no longer exists. Is it lonely there?

 

[John Big Booty]

Hi Alan I did a Google search and found this photo of Col dressed for dinner

 

[Isskint]

Ah i think you have all missed the point; That a 4 star hotel let Col in to dine in the first place Whats the world coming to?

 

[ChrisO]

One extreme to the other…

A gentleman would not wear a hat in a restaurant.

This restaurant appears to have let their standards slip. Only yesterday a waiter was sacked for putting his thumb in the soup and, a week ago, a topless waitress was sacked for two similar offences.

 

[John Big Booty]

In Col's defence, in the image he clearly hasn't crossed the threshold to enter the restaurant

 

[ChrisO]

A gentleman would check his hat on entry to the restaurant.

He appears to be on a balcony which he would have entered from the restaurant, the door is not closed.

No hat in the restaurant and, so, no hat on the balcony.

Therefore, the image is flawed in that the balcony is not part of a restaurant or the gentleman is not a gentleman.

 

[speakers_86]

Wow Peter, that cracked me up!

I was actually going to side with col on this, until I saw everyone leaning to the contrary. I do believe that is the first time I've agreed with col on anything. It's odd too that I agreed about dressing u as I hardly ever do it. Largely because I don't have the wardrobe for it, but I plan on buying some new clothes after my deployment.

 

[John Big Booty]

A white tie outfit perchance, given how good Col looks all dressed to the nines

 

[Alansidman]

If I had Col's outfit, I might be inclined to dress for dinner. Thanks Peter. I love the picture. Made me laugh out loud. LOL for you texters.

 

[ChrisO]

No need for new cloths, a military uniform should suffice.
(Maybe not in Afghanistan; perhaps jeans and a t shirt.)

 

[speakers_86]

Well, if that's what you want Chris... I suppose I can make it happen.

 

[ColinEssex]

You are all missing the point here.

For the record, I was dining alone and dressed in a white shirt, blue tie, blazer and black trousers. I felt that was suitable for a four star.

Brian, I am not on a wind-up, I believe dressing smartly for dinner is common courtesy and seems natural for me, I would feel uneasy about anything less.
If fruit and vegetables are so plentiful in the north, why is everyone saying how horrible it is? I really did change my mind about going there because of all the negative comments in the papers and on TV.

Anyway, back to the topic. It's like the fact that when escorting a lady along a road, the man should always walk on the outside of the pavement, as you should always open a car door for a lady. Again, I would feel uneasy not doing it.

Good manners and gentlemanly behaviour costs nothing. It's obvious that the Americans here have no idea about culture, manners and behaviour, but that's to be expected. Hence, they only see my comments as a joke.

It's a shame more people don't try to uphold decent standards, maybe just maybe things may get a little better.

Col

 

[ChrisO]

Col, I kind of agree with you.

I was once abused by a lady for opening the car door for her. When it came to getting out of the car I left her there trying to release the seatbelt. (1978 Mercedes 280 SEL, seatbelt release is on the back edge of the socket.)

Reminds me of the old joke…

YOU DON’T HAVE TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR ME BECAUSE I’M A LADY!
Madam, I didn’t open the door for you because you’re a lady…… I opened the door for you because I’m a gentleman.

Chris.

 

[Adam Caramon]

Anyway, back to the topic. It's like the fact that when escorting a lady along a road, the man should always walk on the outside of the pavement, as you should always open a car door for a lady. Again, I would feel uneasy not doing it.

That's very old school. If you were in your teens, twenties, even early thirties and tried that, you'd probably get a speech about how the woman can do it herself, how dare you think she is not capable, you don't own her, etc.

But then again that is in America. If you all dress up like the picture provided, it may still be quite a bit more formal there.

 

[Brianwarnock]

Col you had 2 points in you original post the one about the North is such rubbish that you obviously have never been there, and of course don't judge the local food by what is served in restaurants.

Like you I grew up in the age when men wore suits or Jacket and ties all of the time, but happily we have on most occasions ditched that stupid bit of cloth called a tie, our buildings are kept too warm for it to be comfortable, however I do think that the Tshirt jeans and trainers crowd do take dressing down too far, but accept that it is the norm amongst the young.

Brian

 

[Brianwarnock]

oh I forgot to add that I found the Americans in America very well mannered, but I think this thread was a bit of banter, enjoy it, its missing these days.

Brian