Children running riot in pun

[roarfeckingroar]

AIBU

In a pub catching up with a friend. This is zone 2 London not a country family place just for reference.

A group of about 7 3-5 year olds and their parents are here dressed for Halloween. The kids are very loud, running about under chairs and nearby, screaming. Parents doing nothing.

AIBU to really think this isn't fair on the rest of us who after a long day at work want a quiet pint without screaming and our chairs being knocked in an adult environment? There isn't a garden, climbing frame, anything that gives the impression this is a family oriented pub.

Am I a cow?

[roarfeckingroar]

Pub* sorry

[sirfredfredgeorge]

ask the landlord to get them to leave then, he's perfectly entitled to... if he doesn't then maybe he prefers their custom.

[roarfeckingroar]

Not my style and frankly I shouldn't have to

[Dontpanicpyke]

No not at all op.

The only children I can tolerate are my own and my grandchildren. The rest are a massive pain in the arse. have you got a scary clown costume handy?

[roarfeckingroar]

I doubt it. Three tables have just moved, all drinking alcohol with bigger markup. I will too soon the headache is getting bad.

[EJsqidge91]

YANBU, I had this once where one of the little 'darlings' ran full pelt into my table and sent everything on it (think celebration so lots of champagne and glasses) onto me, my friends, him and the floor! Of course mummy was far too busy chatting to her own friends to notice until I marched her child to her and made her pay for the new drinks. It gives me the rage even now! (Child was unhurt, just a bit shocked that I told him off after checking he was ok, sat v quietly for the rest of the time he was there? )

[BratFarrarsPony]

quickly get some cockroaches and dip them in chocolate and offer them to the children

[NapQueen]

Offering the landlord the chance to fix it isn't your style?

So suffering and whining is?

[BratFarrarsPony]

anyway it pisses me off, children that age running around a pub, they could so easily get hurt on a table corner.

[Unicornsarelovely]

It's not fair sounds like you're about 7 too. Be a grown up and talk to the landlord.

[roarfeckingroar]

Whining online yes. In person no. I think it's the parents's job to other look after their darlings or take them away from an adult space.!

[ForalltheSaints]

Seems like child neglect which is a current topic given the young Mr Gove being left alone last week. Speak to them or the landlord.

[brasty]

Of course this is wrong. Wacky Warehouse pubs cater for parents who want a drink while their kids run about the place. Ordinary pubs are not the place for this. The reality is most bar staff are not well paid and if the Landlord is not around, many will not want the hassle of challenging this group.

[BratFarrarsPony]

Just have a word with the barstaff.

[Unicornsarelovely]

But if the parents aren't doing their job, the only way you will get your quiet drink is by speaking to the bar staff. You won't suddenly turn the parents into responsible adults.

[TaterTots]

There have to be boundaries somewhere. I was in a beer garden, play equipment type pub in summer and there were kids of no more than six or seven still running around screeching at 10.30pm. To me that's too late even in a 'family' pub. Eventually the dad called them over and I was thinking 'Peace at last'... then he shouts 'Your food's here!' Who feeds under-10s at that time of night?!

[Thisjustinno]

Pubs aren't for children. If they've got a playground or an indoor play space so customers can see its 'family friendly' and make a choice then okay but otherwise, no.

[WhisperingLoudly]

18:30 in a pub is still ok for children imo

Whether they're misbehaving is another matter, but I'd suggest if you gave a headache you'd be better off heading home as opposed to be drinking in a pub.

[brasty]

Some kids are fine and will sit and quietly chat. So I am happy with some kids in pubs.

[SuperFlyHigh]

This gets my goat! I assumed (perhaps wrongly) that children weren't allowed in a pub from a certain age or is that just unaccompanied?

[Unicornsarelovely]

Super - children are allowed at the landlords discretion. There are no laws on ages etc other than that they are not allowed to drink alcohol until 18.

[FerretFred]

Choose a different pub if the other clientele aren't to your liking. It's not as though zone 2 has a lack of pubs. Thtas the beauty of a free market world.... customer choice.

[HummusForBreakfast]

I though children weren't allowed in pubs unless it was serving food.
Are they here for food or just drinks?

[SuperFlyHigh]

Unicorn I guess in this and lots of scenarios similar so many pubs are closing landlord welcomes kids with open arms.

[roarfeckingroar]

I spent many Sunday afternoons at our local Surrey pub with my parents and all my parents' friends kids (early 90s). But we played in the huge garden and playground and knew that when in the pub itself we didn't run or scream.

PP are right it isn't about not having kids/families in pubs it's about not having kids running riot on a Monday evening In the middle of town