Good Value in a £1-in-the-Pint-Jug Bar

I visited The Griffin on a Monday afternoon at around 4:30pm. Initial impressions were very good. It is a modern-looking and clean bar. There were about six dancers and six customers present. I paid £4 for a pint of Fosters, which seemed very reasonable by London standards. There are very few tables, leaving most people to stand to watch the show.

I was immediately approached by a dancer with a pint jug, who informed me that she was next on stage and wanted £1. This routine continued throughout my visit. A dancer would go on stage every 10 minutes or so and dance for one song. At first, the next dancer would circulate with the pint jar collecting £1 coins immediately after the current dancer finished. After a shift change at 5pm, the £1 collection started as soon as a stage dancer began her routine. In effect, I was always paid up in advance, which I suppose discourages people from leaving.

Each dance routine was essentially the same. The top would come off in the first minute and the bottom would follow a minute late. After another two minutes of semi-nude dancing (all retained stockings, basques etc) it was all over. The dancers were universally attractive. There was a mix of white and black. I detected several Eastern European accents. The most disappointing aspect was that five of the six dancers that I saw in my hour visit were very obviously surgically enhanced. The best part was that the stage was very well lit, so everything was on clear display (and the girls were not shy in showing off their best angles).