No children in pub after 5pm

It’s an establishment that makes money selling alcohol. Kids are not the appropriate clients to be targeting and their presence puts people off.

go to a restaurant / park / soft play.

5:15pm isn’t dinner time yet. It does seem early but from 6pm they obviously just want adult dining which is fair enough. Looks like they are happy with them there fir lunch, 5pm is that middle time, or post work drinks.

Is the dining space small or often full? Children aren’t profitable I’m afraid. They don’t eat much and don’t drink alcohol. Seats filled with adults are more profitable.

These threads always descend into the "in Spain/Italy/France children are very welcome everywhere..." type arguments.

People seem to forget that they're almost always seeing this from the perspective of holiday resorts, not run-of-the mill towns and villages.

I constantly travel Europe and much further afield on business and I certainly don't see bars full of children across Europe. Go to a town outside the coastal resorts in Spain and you barely see children in bars at all.

People on the continent dine in restaurants with their children, not in pubs.

Children can be an awful nuisance in pubs so I don't blame pubs from banning them. Folk go to pubs to escape hassle.

I think it depends on the setting. There are some pubs where is more food and family orientated and others that are more geared to drinking. Its not the best place after certain hours.

Isn't it enough for the pub to allow kids in the daytime? I remember in the 1970s going to the pub on a w'end with my dad, having a packet of crisps, a pickled egg and a bottle of lemonade. There was a garden out the back and some geese (who chased me). It was fantastic as an occasional trip, but who wants to sit in a dark pub at night with their parents, unless they're having dinner?

Some pubs are family friendly and some aren't. Both are valid options! I seek out kid free places as much as I can. If a cafe has a lot of kinds in I turn around and find somewhere else.

I'm obviously aware that they can't just be left at home. My friends looked after their two older grandchildren last week when their daughter went out for a birthday meal with her husband. I believe they took the baby with them though.

A dog? And a two year old? No ta.

I see we're at that stage in the discussion where all 'Mediterranean' children are impeccably behaved, never get fat or obnoxious, and everyone 'on the continent' just loves being surrounded by children at all hours of the day or night.

I've seen and heard plenty of bratty, bored 'Mediterranean' kids. In any case, we are not in Spain or Italy. Some people like adult only spaces. Mind you, I bet many do 'on the continent' too.

I thought it was a typo, that's why I didn't Google it! 😂

I think so is children misbehaving in pubs though.

When I lived in Spain you never saw kids running round pubs or getting in the way of staff.

I agree with you. The last thing I would want when I'm trying to have a quiet drink is to have someone else's child coming up and chatting to me or sitting at my table, or having a dog sniffing round me.

Again it’s a cultural thing

At the end of the day pubs are businesses. If a rule like that costs them too much money then they’ll change it. If it makes them money they’ll keep it.

I suspect the one here that has banned kids and dogs will do a roaring trade. Whilst not every child or dog is badly behaved there are enough of them now that going to one of the other places is a gamble what kind of behaviour you’re going to see. Often the mix of kids running around and poorly trained lockdown dogs feels like a disaster waiting to happen.

I just hope the landlord stays as strict as they currently are on people getting ridiculously drunk and not behaving appropriately as I can’t stand seeing that either.

In my opinion, it's quite normal for people not to want to spend time with other people's kids. You might not think it's nice but it's pretty usual.

I don't have a 2-year-old but my dog is very popular in my local - loads of people come over for a chat with him.

No I’m trying to tell you that it’s not normal
in most places to feel children are so unwanted and that so a cultural thing . I’m not dictating anything I’m simple giving a opinion like you are

Good. I much prefer a pub without kids in in the evening.

As one of the people who said that, it's because OP subsequently went on to talk about fairness. She broadened her argument beyond the suggestion that it was bad commercial sense. Pointing out that it's a choice they have every right to make is an explicit rejection of the idea that anyone is entitled to anything (beyond what the law specifies) when it comes to pubs. It applies just as well to people who think they're entitled to an adult free pub as well.

It may come as a surprise to you but someone's 2yo and dog are not most people's idea of good company in a pub.

Our local has recently banned dogs as well as having a no kids after (I think) 6pm rule. The dog ban was a very bold move since so many people seem incapable of going anywhere without their lockdown dog, but it's usually packed out in there these days. Presumably many people are sick of tripping over whining toddlers and smelly dogs in the other local country pubs.

Yes can't take my 17 year old ASD child in to my nearest pub for food any more, they refused to serve us 50 minutes before their cut off time as he might not have finished eating (service has never taken more than 5 minutes previously). The cut off time was introduced by a new landlord
He is 6ft 3 & a social mute who wears headphones & isn't going to disturb anyone.
This is a large pub next to housing in the middle of the large village - it is now always empty & running pop up shops to try & get people in the door

Because often the only person who can answer questions about their decisions are the people directly involved. We don't know why the pub has changed to no kids from 5pm. We can speculate, but yeah, it is their choice. They will have information we do not have.

Surely if you genuinely want answers, you ask the establishment/people involved.

Having child free time isn't as simple as saying 'Let's just leave them at home, the pub is childfree'!
As parents usually the choice is to go somewhere with the kids or not go at all, even if it would be nicer without them!