Sign of the Times?

The patrons of the Beatrice Inn, the bar in the West Village with the impossible door policy, have noticed something

The patrons of the Beatrice Inn, the bar in the West Village with the impossible door policy, have noticed something strange about their favorite late-night spot lately.

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“It’s just a totally different crowd now,” said a 22-year-old model, who until recently was a regular at the bar. (The Beatrice may be changing, but those interviewed for this article still asked to remain anonymous, so as to head off any future bans on admission.)

“I’ve seen the doorman let in Jersey trash—girls dressed in like H&M and Forever 21—sleazy guys looking to pick up underage girls, Gossip Girl wannabes, and like C-list celebrities,” the model continued.

The patrons of the Beatrice Inn, the bar in the West Village with the impossible door policy, have noticed something strange about their favorite late-night spot lately.

“It’s just a totally different crowd now,” said a 22-year-old model, who until recently was a regular at the bar. (The Beatrice may be changing, but those interviewed for this article still asked to remain anonymous, so as to head off any future bans on admission.)

“I’ve seen the doorman let in Jersey trash—girls dressed in like H&M and Forever 21—sleazy guys looking to pick up underage girls, Gossip Girl wannabes, and like C-list celebrities,” the model continued. “It’s just not the same. People stagger up and ask for autographs and they take photos with cell phone cameras. Before, anyone who would be doing that would never be allowed in. It’s going the way of other clubs like Bungalow 8.”

Then again, a different crowd at a notoriously difficult spot to penetrate by anyone who isn’t closely acquainted with Angelo the doorman or noted Beatrice groupie Kirsten Dunst is to be expected, to some extent, this time of year.

“A lot of people that go out a lot just haven’t been going out—it’s freezing outside and people are out of town,” said a 24-year-old regular. “I’m sure they are letting in more people because their regulars aren’t going out.”

Meanwhile, a 35-year-old magazine editor has been strategically keeping his distance lately. “I have purposefully not gone in a few weeks because it’s just starting to get embarrassing. I go there too much,” he said. “You don’t want to become the creepy regular.”

He continued: “But I think they’re pretty good about letting in the right people. The secret of that place, and especially why a lot of single guys go, is that there are always pretty girls that dress fashiony and are sort of downtown-looking. There are hardly any girls there that are over 30, which is a problem. It leads to bad decisions!”

When the Transom rang Paul Sevigny, a partner in the Beatrice, he said that the door policy has not gotten more lax.

“Absolutely not. If anything, the Beatrice’s door policy has gotten tighter, not looser,” Mr. Sevigny assured the Transom. “We don’t make a ton of money, but we do pride ourselves on having one of the toughest door policies in New York City. I guarantee you we will be the last to sell out.”

ialeksander@observer.com

Sign of the Times?