Jumainah M.
Google
I’m not certain whether what I experienced qualifies as racial profiling, but it certainly felt that way, and I think it’s important to share. This incident happened in November, but after recently hearing about a similar experience at a comparable venue, I felt it was worth posting so the team at Space Talk can be made aware.
I had previously visited Space Talk once with my husband during the day on a weekday, shortly after opening. It was very quiet, there was no queue, and only a handful of customers inside. We were seated without any issues and really enjoyed the atmosphere.
A couple of months later, I returned with two friends at around 9pm. We were looking for somewhere with good music. For clarity, we were not drunk or disruptive, just in good spirits. We joined the queue, with around three or four groups ahead of us. A member of staff asked how many we were (three) and told us there would be a short wait, which we were happy with.
After waiting about 20 minutes, we reached the front of the queue, where we stood for another 10ish minutes. We noticed a couple of groups leaving and assumed we would be next. Instead, another member of staff came out, apologised for the wait, and asked if we’d like to sit outside, where we could order drinks. We were even offered tea in small paper cups. We agreed and were happy to wait outside for a table inside.
After another 20 minutes outside, we saw more people leave the venue, yet no one came to bring us in. During this time, we also noticed new groups arriving and being let inside ahead of us, none of whom were Black or South Asian, like our group. No one returned to take our drinks order either.
What ultimately made us uncomfortable was seeing the two staff members speaking to each other, with one briefly looking over at us with what felt like a dismissive expression. Of course, I can’t assume what was being said, but by that point we felt unwelcome. We decided to leave.
This was really disappointing, as I genuinely like the venue and its vibe. Based on this experience, I wouldn’t recommend visiting as a group made up solely of Black and/or South Asian people. It may be different if you’re part of a mixed group or visiting during quieter daytime hours, but our experience left us feeling excluded and not welcome.