Guest Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 Gents, Those of you that know me are aware of the fact that I have been a regular customer of Midnight bar since Mike was the manager ages ago. I sure I have spent a small fortune on drinks and barfines. My "pod" of friends even had several private parties upstairs. It is with a heavy heart that I declare that Midnight is over for me. When the previous owner said it was for sale, I was not concerned as that threat had been heard on numerous occasions...but this time it was different, it was sold. Right after the sale many of the regular gals left, many for home. The new owner raised the price of drinks first thing. Lady drinks were always 100 baht. He raised them to 140 if they included Thai alcohol and premium alcohol is to 160 Baht. He also started to charge extra (250 baht) on top of the 500 BF for use of the ST room. Midnight used to have the best deal in town- 500 baht BF that included the use of the ST room. Last night Lady drinks w/out alcohol had gone up to 110 and the BF had been raised to 600 baht. That's it for me. A real shame as well. It is to bad as many of the regular are now dispersing to other bars where the prices are not so outrageous. I can afford to pay whatever I want BUT I really think 600 baht BF and 140-160 for a lady dr is insane for Cowboy. Many of the old guard girls are already complaining as well. I think the exodus will continue. It is really amazing how someone takes a successful place and messes with it thinking they know better. Sometimes it is better to leave well enough alone.... Will I still go there? For an occassional drink yes, but to hang out for hours no... Well, it is not up to me...only time will tell if his formula is successful, I wish him the best!...but it will be sucessful without many of the regulars who were there for years...things change...and the memories of Mnight will be among some of my best in BKK.... GS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Encore Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 >...and the memories of Mnight will be among some of my best in BKK...< So are mine! Sorry to hear your experiences. But, in your account you appear to base your decision uniquely on the price rises, e.g. money seems to be the main reason. Many other places, such as Soi 33, and many up scale massage places can be far more costly. What concerns me is the atmosphere, is it fun to be there, or has the atmosphere changed drastically with the prices? I haven't been there for about five weeks, due to circumstances outside my control, but would like to hear an update from other members as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farangman Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 You know my feelings about Midnite .... I think the place has been going rapidly down hill for about the past 4 years, well before the recent sale of the place. The height of the place for me was when we were doing those private parties upstairs but when Mike went things rapidly crumbled. I could never understand how people said the place was still great over the past year or so, when compared to how it used to be. The new owner is pissing a lot of people off in Cowboy with his various antics. He has grown too quickly for his own good and doesn't know the "protocol" (and I use that term lightly!) of the street You are right though that it will probably still be a success without the current regulars. Things move on as they say! Cheers farangman PS. Any news about our last telephone conversation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 The prices are just the last straw. First off, it is the third increase since the new owner took over. Sorry, that's just taking the piss and as a customer I resent it. But the real issue is that he has sucked all the fun out of the place. Used to be that if I went there, I'd spend the evening there and burn through B1500-2K not counting BF or shag money (and do this at least a couple of nights a week), now I only stay for a drink or two, grab my regular gal and bolt. Too bad, cuz even tho' it has not been as good as the old days, it was still always fun. Now it is very hit and miss, but mostly miss. No more hanging out there. I'm spoilt by the old Midnite in that I see most all gogos are sucking again -- high prices, no interaction and no fun. Back to Washington Square and Soi 33 for me more and more lately. Prices I do not mind so much, but I want a quality product for my money, otherwise I move on (as I am doing with Midnite). Frangers: I have heard the same thing from several bar owners/managers (Thai and farang) re: this fellow's reputation on the soi. Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
june11 Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 The main reason I will never go back there after my first visit last week is that the place is almost PITCH BLACK. Darkest bar I may have ever been in...can hardly see the dancers at all (and vice versa), though a few were bottomless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neo Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 I've always felt Midnight was hurt the most of anywhere by the crackdown on showing. It really needed that to keep the vibe of the place right. I still go to Midnight, but Cowboy in general went way downhill between price hikes and lack of showing and I rarely go there anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dddave Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 The selling prices of bars have been inexpicatly skyrocketing lately, kind of baffling considering the "crackdown" and the forecasts of doom and gloom. Owners looking to make a quick return on investment are clearly targeting the short time tourist with money to burn and two weeks to do it in. I think they figure that these guys impulse spend and rarely ask the drink and other costs in advance. Return customers? Fuck 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boring_Man Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 This is all a real shame. The atmosphere definitely changed since the new ownership. Fewer customers, the girls huddled in various corners. I also felt there was an increase in the girls' level of non-customer based intoxication, which isn't really a good thing. A new influx of girls from the owner's other crappy bars, which is a bad thing considering the attitudes in those bars. I actually hope the place tanks. Soi Cowboy doesn't need any shitty NEP bars, and it would be an object lesson. SD and others are correct: there is more fun to be had elsewhere, so elsewhere I shall go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCgringo Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 I wonder if anyone buying a bar these days can actually make their investment back by raising prices when there are so many other places to go, I think the better plan is to increase customers and try to keep your old ones happy, it seems the new owner failed in all the above points OC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Gun Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 The new owner also has Spice Girls across the road which attracted me recently for a particular reason. She was sleeping upstairs there, with 20 other girls, as is quite common in Cowboy, who were being charged B500 per month off their wages - that's B10,000 he's pulling in for one room. The thing that surprised me is that they are not allowed a TV, a hi-fi or to do any ironing there because 'electricity is too expensive'!! Nice guy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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