FabSwingers.com forum: are people frightened to leave negative club reviews?

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

We left an "avoid" review for a club and have had 3 abusive and vaguely threatening PMs afterwards.

Makes a mockery of the review section if people can't give their honest opinion without fear of reprisals.

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By *edangel_2013Woman
over a year ago

southend

I've left negative reviews. Had an abusive message because of it, but just blocked and moved on.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"We left an "avoid" review for a club and have had 3 abusive and vaguely threatening PMs afterwards.

Makes a mockery of the review section if people can't give their honest opinion without fear of reprisals.

The club reviews are a mockery anyway. Some clubs in particular have the same reviewers week, after week, after week. I had something similar happen to me last year on an old profile, part of the reason I deleted that one. I reported the profiles that messaged me, perhaps they got a slapped wrist but notice they are still reviewing away even now

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Personally I would remove this section. It's an example of UGC at its worst - many overly favourable reviews fake - and many critical ones equally so

The vast majority of the established clubs are well run - and the fun to be had depends on the folk who turn up

Updates are useful in terms of what is up coming event wise - reviews are not I m h o

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By *athylacyTV/TS
over a year ago

Maidstone

I believe that everyone should post genuine reviews, as it helps others to decide on which club to visit.

We are lucky here in the Northwest in having so many good clubs, and with visitors to this area not being able to visit all clubs, this Forum page is genuinely useful.

Something I worked out recently is that it's worth comparing each clubs 'total reviewers' number (the one on the right) with the 'new reviews' number (the one on the left).

The dead giveaway for some of the less good clubs is that often the 'new reviews' number goes up frequently BUT the 'total reviewers' number only increasess sometimes.

This is a sign that some clubs persuade their regular members to keep posting 'great club' or 'perfect facilities' to supposed make them look good - these clubs often have the owner or reception staff post 'good reviews' also!

Do a comparison between some clubs in your area to see what I mean - this Clubs Rating scheme was very carefully set up at the beginning - if you know how to read it right...

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

What is UGC???

Don't you think it is good to have a "trip advisor" style reviews section, clubs vary wildly in terms of cleanliness and facilities which are good to give feedback on. Also there must be strategies clubs use to attract a more "quality" clientele???

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Perhaps a way of stopping the abuse would be to remove the click through to users profile ?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

we use the reviews as a very rough guide and also as a way of finding out the names of people that were there - sometimes we see people and dont get to chat if its busy -

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

You can always tell when a club has had a bad review, particularly some of the ones close to us...They have a massively disproportionate number of new reviews when the regulars who go week in and week out and seem to see a negative review as a massive personal slur on them suddenly start posting ones refuting the opinion and usually casting doubt on people's experiences.,

Makes us giggle...

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"We left an "avoid" review for a club and have had 3 abusive and vaguely threatening PMs afterwards.

Makes a mockery of the review section if people can't give their honest opinion without fear of reprisals.

People leave the reviews that they feel are appropriate I guess. Some are overly and sickeningly sycophantic, others are unnecessarily abusive, and many others are an honest and open reflection.

But I agree, people should be able to say what they feel-ages ago on an old profile, we left an 'avoid' review for a club(and it was one of many) and received lots of abuse both in the thread & via PM, how sad. Worth noting that the club involved has had it's 'review' section removed from Fab, although we still hold by what we say.

Others say, and with some justification, that this facility is open to abuse and should be removed but keep reviewing, keep giving an opinion, so long as it is honest and a genuine reflection, why not?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

We've seen this quite frequently. Pathetic and childish. At least you know to avoid that club in the future

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By *ugby 123Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

O o O oo

"We left an "avoid" review for a club and have had 3 abusive and vaguely threatening PMs afterwards.

Makes a mockery of the review section if people can't give their honest opinion without fear of reprisals.

Admin agrees...did you report the PM's?

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By *bi HaiveMan
Forum Mod
over a year ago

Cheeseville, Somerset

People sadly tend to review their night at the club, rather than the club itself and its facilities.

So a great club that puts effort into its facilities, rooms, events and staff may get a bad review due to it being a quiet night. Or even the reviewer not finding suitable company, not playing and therefore leaving with a tarnished view of that night, when who walks through the doors and who people find attractive/interesting/good company is not the responsibility of the club!

Reviews should always be taken with a pinch (or in some cases a shovel!) of salt. What one enjoys another will not.

And anyone basing a decision on whether to attend a club solely on reviews left by others is being try niaive. It's a much better idea to do your homework, review the clubs website, maybe speak to someone you know who's been before - and make a decision based on your own tastes - not those of others.

It's not hard to spot the sycophantic reviews, the made up negative ones based on club rivalry and the genuine constructive ones written by first time visitors.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Luckily not been to a club that we have felt needed a negative review. You can usually work out the sort of club you want to avoid by seeing how the regulars respond to any criticism no matter how feint.

The constant overly positive reviews and rallying round after a negative review speaks volumes.

I like it when a club approaches the situation in an adult manner and responds to negative feedback in a calm and measured way.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Wrote one last year and can honestly say was the only truly bad experience since I came on here right away had three supportive pms telling me they had also done it but that I would now get hell from and between them mentioned six profiles and they were not wrong I couldn't post anything anywhere but I had these people come on being abusive argumentative etc even had very personal pms from three of them but what I found funny was even though I never named them in posts because they were so abusive they drew attention to themselves and I'm sure many more people read the review

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Luckily not been to a club that we have felt needed a negative review. You can usually work out the sort of club you want to avoid by seeing how the regulars respond to any criticism no matter how feint.

The constant overly positive reviews and rallying round after a negative review speaks volumes.

I like it when a club approaches the situation in an adult manner and responds to negative feedback in a calm and measured way.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"You can always tell when a club has had a bad review, particularly some of the ones close to us...They have a massively disproportionate number of new reviews when the regulars who go week in and week out and seem to see a negative review as a massive personal slur on them suddenly start posting ones refuting the opinion and usually casting doubt on people's experiences.,

Makes us giggle..."

This too

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By *win PeaksCouple
over a year ago

Northamptonshire

We have visited 4 clubs and like 3 of them, we wouldn't leave negative review because the club may not be for us but others love it. Personal taste is not a good reason to leave a bad review.

Dave

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

We review a club if we think it's good, if the club doesn't suit us we don't leave a review and personally we go on word of mouth recommendations and our own experience to decide where to go

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"We left an "avoid" review for a club and have had 3 abusive and vaguely threatening PMs afterwards.

Makes a mockery of the review section if people can't give their honest opinion without fear of reprisals.

Was only talking about this last night. We have visited 3 and two we loved and left reviews. The other we hated and wouldn't recommend but was scared to write a review for it

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By *umpkinMan
over a year ago

near the sounds of the wimborne quarter jack!

Some years ago I went to A&Gs in Huddersfield. I didn`t use all of the facilities (didn`t venture upstairs to the playing area!) so felt it totally inappropriate to leave a comment.

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By *umpkinMan
over a year ago

near the sounds of the wimborne quarter jack!

"Some years ago I went to A&Gs in Huddersfield. I didn`t use all of the facilities (didn`t venture upstairs to the playing area!) so felt it totally inappropriate to leave a comment."

I will add I have left a less positive review for another club that I felt had deteriorated in fabric since I last visited.

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By *ermandrMan
over a year ago

Glasgow

I think that positively-worded criticism can be useful to the club and to potential guests. I have left a couple of reviews for Abfabs - one glowing and one making some valid general points (one was about the decline in male appearance at some nights). This seems to have been taken on board by the club. If you have something to say which is general and not guest specific then I think you should post it.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

No not at all ,we not if club is not what you believed it to be then your opinion is just that ,but there is always regulars who guard the clique and club close to there heart say as it is we say

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Perhaps a way of stopping the abuse would be to remove the click through to users profile ? "
excellent idea

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By *luffy_bunniesCouple
over a year ago

Ilkeston

"We left an "avoid" review for a club and have had 3 abusive and vaguely threatening PMs afterwards.

I've left negative reviews. Had an abusive message because of it, but just blocked and moved on.

After visiting One local club, we had to block almost every couple with 20 miles for this reason - wasn't even that bad a review!

As someone else on this thread, the reviews responses speak volumes...!

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By *abioMan
over a year ago

Newcastle and Gateshead

"People sadly tend to review their night at the club, rather than the club itself and its facilities.

this..........

although it is interesting to see what happens where there are legitimate concerns... you either see a circling of the wagons... or watch people go all "attack dog" to shame and humiliate the person who left the review........

a review in itself hasn't been the clincher on whether i have gone to a club or not.... by the way that owners and regulars of that club have reacted to the reviews certainly has (and not normally in a positive way either!)

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

We didn't leave an honest review of a club because we knew there was a good chance of being pilloried.

What was annoying was that there were so many good reviews that were clearly inaccurate.

Before anyone jumps up and tells us it's all subjective and we may be overly sensitive lets just say things later transpired that showed we were absolutely right.

It seems to us that clubs have regulars that form a community and that those communities will often not tolerate anyone else being critical. On the whole it makes no difference but in some cases it does seem to make club managers a bit delusional about what constitutes reasonable facilities.

Anyway, as ever we just vote with our feet.

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By *ordic36Man
over a year ago

Manchester

I read reviews with sense of practicality.

All except "avoid" reviews say friendly stuff and nice facilities. I pay no attention to it.

Reviews that mention play... are the ones I'm after- it is a live club.

Reviews that are overpouring with niceties but DO NOT mention play or "had sexy time" mean there was nothing to mention, means they were left "high and dry". that's a red flag for a single reader.

That's basically it.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"We left an "avoid" review for a club and have had 3 abusive and vaguely threatening PMs afterwards.

Makes a mockery of the review section if people can't give their honest opinion without fear of reprisals.

Admin agrees...did you report the PM's?"

Yes, we did.

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