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Original poster

Pub called the police because of a woman drunk in charge of a baby

40 replies

Comety · 26/06/2023 12:52

A pub with a large beer garden that is particularly popular locally when the sun is shining.

I didn't get there until about 5pm yesterday and clearly plenty of people had been there most of the day, but all good natured and nothing outrageous going on.

A few hours later, a group with a baby got up to leave and were clearly staggering. Three women and a man, I don't know any of their relationships or if the man is the baby's father.

Anyway the staff decided they couldn't leave with the baby in this condition and called the police who arrived promptly.

The police were still there and discussions on going when we left.

What do you think will have happened? It's been on my mind, obviously it's not OK but I don't think Social Care would remove a baby in such circumstances, so presumably the child will have eventually gone home with mum? Or not?

OP posts:
Fiddlerdragon · 26/06/2023 14:03

kitsuneghost · 26/06/2023 13:58

Why are we praising the pub?
Why did the pub continue to serve people responsible for a child alcohol?
I thought there was a 2 drink limit.

I am not condoning the parents drinking in charge of a child but the pub was quick enough to take their cash.

What country are you in where there’s a 2 drink limit for adults with children? I’ve never heard of it. And there’s nothing to suggest that the pub even served them a large amount of alcohol. It’s not unusual for people to sneak a bottle or two of spirits or wine in and top their own glasses up. If the pub were genuinely at fault in this then they could have just ordered them off the promises instead of actually getting the authorities involved and risking their license.

Fiddlerdragon · 26/06/2023 14:03
  • premises
kitsuneghost · 26/06/2023 14:12

Fiddlerdragon · 26/06/2023 14:03

What country are you in where there’s a 2 drink limit for adults with children? I’ve never heard of it. And there’s nothing to suggest that the pub even served them a large amount of alcohol. It’s not unusual for people to sneak a bottle or two of spirits or wine in and top their own glasses up. If the pub were genuinely at fault in this then they could have just ordered them off the promises instead of actually getting the authorities involved and risking their license.

Show quote history

I am In the UK
I am sure it was introduced about 10 years ago. I remember a big nanny state fuss being made of it.

Maybe you're right with the sneaking in booze.
If you're desperate enough for alcohol that you take a baby to the pub then maybe they are the sort of people to do so.

HunkaMunkasslipper · 26/06/2023 14:17

@kitsuneghost I think 'spoons introduced it and other pubs speculated about whether they'd do it-pub discretion. Difficult to manage, I imagine-people can buy drinks for others. They could get drunk in a different pub/house/at home first. Some people are fine after ten drinks, others me tipsy after one.

AlexTfan · 26/06/2023 14:22

Foxesandsquirrels · 26/06/2023 12:58

The pub did the right thing.

Agreed.

Fiddlerdragon · 26/06/2023 14:36

HunkaMunkasslipper · 26/06/2023 14:17

@kitsuneghost I think 'spoons introduced it and other pubs speculated about whether they'd do it-pub discretion. Difficult to manage, I imagine-people can buy drinks for others. They could get drunk in a different pub/house/at home first. Some people are fine after ten drinks, others me tipsy after one.

I also thought of that scenario after I’d posted. If they were in the beer garden the mum could have arrived already rotten, and someone a lot more sober looking could have ordered the drinks without the staff realising what was happening. I definitely think the pub deserves some credit for reporting this, so I find it hard to believe they knowingly created this situation in the first place

LoisPrice · 26/06/2023 15:13

MrsMoastyToasty · 26/06/2023 13:09

The bar staff should have stopped serving them too. They could lose their licence.

How do you know if there is a group and each member of the group gets a round of drinks in using different bar staff each time?

There is a duty of care to the child though and upon realising there is a child with a drunk group of people that would indeed need reporting

LakeTiticaca · 26/06/2023 15:17

Sounds like a typical weekend at the local social club in my town. Parents arseholed and kids running around unfettered 😉

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 26/06/2023 15:32

LoisPrice · 26/06/2023 15:13

How do you know if there is a group and each member of the group gets a round of drinks in using different bar staff each time?

There is a duty of care to the child though and upon realising there is a child with a drunk group of people that would indeed need reporting

Show quote history

It is an offence to serve alcohol to a person who is already drunk.

It doesn't matter where they got the drinks or who is going to drink them. The offence is serving someone drunk.

In this case all of the adults in the party were drunk so the bar staff committed on offence (unless the party hadn't ordered a drink since arriving).

Summerskies2023 · 26/06/2023 15:34

They did the right thing by calling the police. I mean being drunk with a baby . Wtf is happening to the world

Thelittleweasel · 26/06/2023 16:09

@MrsMoastyToasty @Comety

As others have said why were the adults supplied with drink? Years ago I used to work part-time in pubs and we were always told not to serve anyone who had "had too much". If in doubt call the landlord who would say something like "no more now Sid go and have something to eat and we will see you later"

Landlord could lose his licence. I understand clubs do not seem to care

Original poster
Comety · 26/06/2023 16:22

I guess it depends what "too much" is. I've never been drink in charge of a small child, but I've definitely been served drink drunk. I'd have thought that's normal in pubs every weekend.

OP posts:
UsingChangeofName · 26/06/2023 16:43

why were the adults supplied with drink? Years ago I used to work part-time in pubs and we were always told not to serve anyone who had "had too much

Busy pub, different people coming to the bar. Bar staff wouldn't necessarily be aware if the individual didn't come to the bar for the last round, or the one before.

LoisPrice · 26/06/2023 16:46

It is an offence to serve alcohol to a person who is already drunk.

it is and by the sounds of it the police were called - possibly the groups were leaving as they were refused more alcohol?

by calling the police the bar staff have shown they are refusing to serve further and reporting the people for having a baby and being now drunk

LoisPrice · 26/06/2023 16:49

The bar staff should have stopped serving them too. They could lose their licence.

bar staff don't have a licence - the bar staff could be fined for serving a drunk person alcohol

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