My dd popped to the pub this afternoon.

[Ponchodreams]

My dd has been at her friend's this afternoon. When she got home she informed me that they'd both popped in the local pub for a drink and a packet of crisps. Now I'm sure this was a lovely afternoon for them both and I don't suspect them of any dodgy behaviour, but they are only 12😨!! I am slightly bemused by this as it's ridiculous, but would you say anything to the pub???

Without an adult I'm am surprised they were allowed to stay.
Are you sure they didn't go with a parent?

Which country do you live in where 12 year olds are allowed to go into a pub and buy a drink and crisps?
In the uk it's surely illegal for unaccompanied children under 16 to go into a pub.

Of course I would, don't be so ridiculous.

In fact I wouldn't even bother warning them that I'd be reporting them higher up.

Assuming what they've told you is true of course.

Uk. I can only assume the staff thought we were in there somewhere!! It is our local but we very rarely go.

Assuming this is in UK…

I wonder if it was really busy and staff thought they were with a family? They shouldn’t have been served though.

Yes! I’d definitely be reporting it to the pub! Surely no pub serves 12 year old, even with soft drinks?

I do also find it hilarious mind that your 12 your old and her friend took themselves off for an afternoon in the pub 🙈🙈😂

Surely your DD knew full well you wouldn't allow her into a pub without you or another adult?

That’s quite funny.. I wonder if it’s one of those fancy beer garden pubs that does a gastro Sunday lunch and they assumed they had a family somewhere on the premises and they went back for a coke and a packet of crisps 🤣

Would the question have ever come up? Presumably OP didn’t even think her DD would try, as the pub shouldn’t be letting children in unaccompanied. And her DD may well have thought it wasn’t really any different to a cafe.

I’d definitely be reporting the pub - if they’re this lax on children, what else are they lax on?

Do you know exactly where she went? Some cafe's have a pub like vibe and a drinks licence so could it have been a cafe.

If you've been with mum and dad to the pub before then surely it's reasonable to the 12yr old that they could also go to the pub, it's just like McDonalds or the supermarket to them.

I think they just saw it as a hangout. Its just completely bizarre. They had a J2O.

What is the issue? Pubs are just restaurants that also serve alcohol. My kids would often go by the local spoons with friends after school for a coke and packet of crisps.

I am not sure what you could report. No law is broken as far as I can see.

DS dropped by the pub for a pint of Diet Coke on his way home from going for a jog on a Sunday morning when he was about 14, we thought it was hilarious and didn’t think of reporting the pub.

This seems harmless to me tbh. No more of a risk than 2 12 year olds going out anywhere else for the afternoon.

I mean it's surprising but ultimately I don't see a big problem with them having soft drinks and crisps in a pub in the daytime.

She's 12, not 2 so no I don't agree.

A 12 year old will know that pubs are adult spaces where kids are sometimes allowed.

I imagine she also knows for example that she's not allowed to drive, vote or drink alcohol.

Other than the licensing laws that say unaccompanied under 16s aren’t allowed?

No laws were broken unless they were under 16.

Yeah this. ^ OR, is it possible your DD and her friend look a bit older than 12 @Ponchodreams ???

One reason I've posted is for it's comedic value.

They try their best, but 13 tops!!

It's not illegal for them to buy a non-alcoholic drink in a pub.

It's illegal, I think, for them to be there without an adult, but I couldn't get worked up about it. They've had a bit of an adventure and some fun, just tell them not to do it again.

No I wouldn’t say anything to the pub! If they bought two vodkas I would be going mad. But a j2o and a packet of crisps is fine. Our local pub lets the teens in the pool room. It’s a separate building to the main pub and they would never serve them alcohol