Melbourne bar owner calls out cis white mans one-star review

A Melbourne bar owner has hit back at a scathing one-star Google review and claimed she has proof it was made up.

Bec Pressing owns the trendy new Melbourne bar Beans Bar that opened in May. Its point of difference in a saturated market is that it has dubbed itself the first trans, lesbian, non-binary and neuro-divergent friendly bar to hit the Melbourne scene.

Pressing took to popular social media app TikTok to call out a patron who left an unflattering review of the inclusive establishment.

The reviewer called his experience at the bar unpleasant and revealed that because he was a “white cis affluent man,” he noticed that people didn’t even want to make eye contact with him.

The reviewer wrote that he had hoped the bar would offer an inclusive experience to anyone who walked through the doors, but instead he felt like an “outsider.”

“I was disappointed by the unwelcoming vibe I saw as a straight man. I was hoping for an inclusive environment that embraced all patrons, regardless of sexual orientation. Instead, I felt like an outsider,” he wrote.

He added that the whole experience was isolating.

“I found it hard to talk to other people. Many seemed preoccupied with their own groups, and it was evident that the majority of the people there were more interested in talking with themselves.”

Pressing was unbothered by the criticism and called out the scathing review in a TikTok that has been viewed over 200,000 times.

“Imagine going to a gay bar as a cis neurotypical man and feeling like an outsider … almost like you don’t belong. Kind of like how everyone at the bar feels at the other 9000 bars in Melbourne,” she pointed out.

She also said that the reviewer expecting to come to a bar and instantly make friends was utterly unrealistic.

“I don’t know how to explain that the world doesn’t revolve around you, and nobody owes you their friendship and their time.”

She was also quick to point out that the lack of eye contact likely had nothing to do with him personally.

“Going to a neurodiverse bar and complaining about the lack of eye contact … Sir, do you know what neurodiverse is,” she asked.

Pressing finished her rant by revealing she had evidence the reviewer was bogus anyway, and didn’t even step foot in her bar, suggesting the review was penned by a troll.

“You didn’t actually come to the bar. I checked the cameras, and I’m there every day. You are lying!” she said.

People were quick to share their thoughts in the comments section and plenty thought the one-star review was a good thing for the new business.

“1 star review that functions as a 5 star review for anyone else reading it,” someone commented.

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“Please print it and frame it on the bar wall because it is so funny,” another wrote.

“His review actually shows me that I am 100 per cent welcome back and I can’t wait to visit,” someone added.

“This is the best advertising you could get!” another exclaimed.

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