Bar and Club Design (ISBN 185669478X)

an HONEST assessment:
I bought this book based upon the posted reviews. I have often wondered if the regular buying public actually contributed these or if the author or their friends wrote em to increase sales. I now know. Bar and Club design is a lot of sizzle and no steak. The photographs are nice if you are in to super slick Euro looking clubs where you can visually hear the techno trash music in the background. The pictures are amusing only because you look at them once and think why? I guess that is why they were selected for this book. There are no ideas anyone spending their own money would care to emulate; unless you are spending Euro's or Yen. I did not get even one idea from this book and I am an open minded guy looking for ideas. May I suggest 'Successful Restaurant Design' and 'Restaurants That Work.' Even though they say restaurant in the title they show many more pictorial ideas, floorplans and insight for bars than this disappointment.

Author strikes back....:
Re: San Antonio reader. As author of Bar & Club Design, with (evidently) currently too much spare time , I should like to point out a few things to the San Antonio reader who posted a review. Firstly, that I know none of the other readers who have posted reviews, they are not my bribed friends! And secondly, this book is actually a source book primarily aimed at architects and designers, many of whom find such books a useful tool for inspiration and ideas; it is not meant to be a step-by-step guide to how to design a bar or club. Just wanted to get that straight for other readers of this page, so don't let Disparaging of ST dissuade you if that sounds up your street. And if you like this book, look out for 'Restaurant Design' due out this August (2004). As the author I had no idea what to grade myself, so obviously put 5 stars...at least it'll grab your attention right?

Dated?:
No offense meant to Bethan but as an Interior Architect looking for a reference, I wanted to air my views. I had to look at the published date because many of the clubs appear to be right out of the 1970's! I did appreciate the floor plans but didn't find the content to be inspirational for my design sensibilities.

Interior Design student review:
This is the 1st time I've felt compelled to write a review at amazon. I am doing so because it really delivers the goods. I am a design student and ran across this book at the campus library. I checked it out and immediately read it cover to cover. It was an enlightening look at the variety of club and bar styles from all over the world. There were many understated and elegant bars and clubs included, not just the "super slick euro" designs one reviewer claimed. I have to assume they must have just skimmed the book and that was all they saw. There were plenty of trendy looking clubs in the book but that is the nature of the beast. I plan to now purchase this book and the new restaurant book by the same author to use as reference books when I am looking for inspiration.

...Opinions are just that.:
Bethan Ryder, I commend you for taking an active interest in the opinions of your readers/viewers. However, I encourage you to not take offense to any of your readers opinions especially those which are clearly novice. I have yet to purchase your book, which I intend to, however as an artistic visionary you above all should know that one mans beauty is another mans troll.