No children in pub after 5pm

Not everywhere has to be kid friendly.

Child of the 70s here
Not taken to pubs
But when i did eventually go to pubs, miraculously, i knew how to behave.

Nothing else to add to that, thanks

The two other pubs locally (one a Wetherspoons) allow children until 8 or 9 and allow dogs

Wetherspoons don't allow dogs, or didn't, last I heard. Except genuine assistance dogs, of course.

my local would go under if they did that, everyone takes kids there for dinner most nights its full with families until 6.30/7 all eating also has a lovely garden they all play in

Our pub meaning my pub! So yeah I'm well aware thanks and this is not at all how the children behave in our pub. We do what works for us, and that's letting kids in til 8pm. The people who don't want to be around kids come in after 8pm. The pub is busy day and night. It would be empty in the day if we didn't allow kids.

I would love that! Don't get me started on the fact that dogs seem to be allowed into every single venue now-it's so annoying.

It's a drinking venue, not a creche. Take your kids to some God-awful Wacky Warehouse chain pub if it's that important to you.

In other countries you bring the kids with you to share the experience of for example your town's festival/ event or just to meet your friends with their children. You bring them for dinner late and of course expect manners and that normal food is eaten by them. In your mind the enjoyment is the festival/ gathering and your kids being part of it. You might drink one glass of wine, water and a coffee. It's enjoyable.

It may be 'enjoyable' for the children's parents, but not for those who have their evening ruined by other people's kids. You may think your children are incredibly well behaved, but that's because you've grown used to their behaviour. They will still be annoying to everyone else.

Sometimes people just want to spend time with grown ups. I bet they do in 'other countries' too.

Urgh yeah the "family room" was grim where we went had outside seating in summer that's where we sat

That was my childhood! My dad went every single day. But sure thats The same in some pubs today.

It's often related to their licence or insurance, rather than a decision they've specifically made.

It could be the police have had to attend on a couple of occasions and that has had a knock on effect to their licence.

Yes it's annoying, but it isn't necessarily their own decision

Nope. It brings a lot of trouble and some cheap small plate meals for the kids. You have to do more work more often than not and make less. Also 7pm is usual licensing terms.

And you might think it’s fun having a room full of screaming children while you’re trying to carry hot food and hot drinks across a packed room but I can assure you 99% of hospitality staff and owners do not. Also, perhaps you’re one of the wonderful ones who don’t let their kids jig up and down, run around inside and out, run behind the bar, stand by doors, drop food all over the floor and leave snot rags for the staff to clean up but again, I can assure you, that there are a surprising amount of parents who simply ‘let go’ of their parental responsibilities as soon as they enter the building, preferring to drink their drinks and enjoy their “break” rather than chase around after their kids. So who has to do the telling off and getting kids to stop climbing the fire escapes - oh yes, the staff. Annnnd who then yells at said staff for performing these unpaid childcare services? Oh yes, the parents!

If you come to a pub and sit down for an hour and a half then leave, all quietly and respectfully then that is wonderful. But LOTS don’t. And a 5pound plate of fish diners, chips and beans does not a profit turn.

So yes, I can understand why a landlord might just say take your kids elsewhere on a Saturday evening please.

You were lucky to be in the pub. I was often in the car as no kids allowed or there may be a , usually very depressing, family room.

Pubs are always given by parents on here as an example of an adult-only space - usually because they’re the ones saying that intolerant adults should stick to adult spaces.

Then in the same breath they’re complaining that pubs aren’t child-friendly enough!

I went in a pub for a meal at Easter and walked straight back out again because the behaviour on show from families was genuinely atrocious. The staff looked done in. I don’t especially like pubs as I don’t drink but I’m generally becoming more and more keen on spaces where children are banned - because of their parents!

Myself and most of my friends all spent time in pubs as kids. Playing pool with my dad and his friends, bottle of coke and a packet of crisps. It was always good fun, but we was always sent home absolutely no later then 5-6pm, as adults would start to pack out the place.
I think it’s all a balancing act, nobody wants to see kids in the presence of drunken adults past bedtime, but having a pub lunch and a glass or 2 of wine is fine IMO.

Yeah I can see how that could go very well or very badly!

@smellslikecinnamon yeah, you're not wrong. I wasn't suggesting the pubs OP frequents are as bad as that. This was a very rough bit of London in the early 00s full of alkies and think nearly all those pubs have closed down now!
It's actually nearly gone a bit posh. Haha.

Many people will avoid pubs which allow children. I know that because I am one of those people. "Family friendly restaurants" are bad enough, but "family friendly pubs" are a contradiction in terms for me. Kids may be adorable to their parents, but they aren't to anyone else.

Never understood why people take their kids to a pub anyway, high risk of seeing drunks, heightened emotions etc

I'd go to that pub! I wish them well.

It might be terrible business, or it might not be, but their call either way. Time will tell.

Either way, it's daft when people talk about fairness in relation to what clientele a venue aims itself at. The pub is entitled to pitch at whatever custom they want, within the law. They've no obligation to provide you with your preferred option OP, and the same is equally true for the people in the thread who think pubs should be adult only.

On the contrary, it's become ridiculously child-centred.

One of the pubs local to us has taken the decision to ban children and dogs

The manager himself has said it’ll either be a massively popular decision or it’ll be one they have to reconsider in a couple of months.

The two other pubs locally (one a Wetherspoons) allow children until 8 or 9 and allow dogs

Yes but the difference is the amount of people who consume those.

In other countries you bring the kids with you to share the experience of for example your town's festival/ event or just to meet your friends with their children. You bring them for dinner late and of course expect manners and that normal food is eaten by them. In your mind the enjoyment is the festival/ gathering and your kids being part of it. You might drink one glass of wine, water and a coffee. It's enjoyable.

Seeing a pub as "adult space" where people go to get drunk is sad in my opinion.
It's the normalisation of heavy drinking that I find sad.