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???

Sorry this reminded me of the Inbetweeners when the were not old enough to buy a drink. The only one old enough had to buy a meal for each of them so they could get a pint with it as it was the only legal way to do it 🤣

I am a licence holder. The law is that children under 16 are not allowed on licenced premises unaccompanied where licenced activities are the only thing taking place. This means that if the pub is serving alcohol and that is all they do, it would be illegal for under 16's to be there without an adult. If they are serving food however, then they are allowed to be there on their own.

oh don’t be silly! Pubs are different to restaurants! But I wouldn’t expect to see unaccompanied 12 year olds in restaurants either!

Depends on the pub, our nearest is licensed as a restaurant not a pub so nothing illegal (also has a separate counter for coffee shop items including soft drinks)

My DD did this moat weeks after Rugby training... her Dad was the coach, but for an older section that finished 30mins later plus clearing up time. So she waited in the clubhouse for him, with a coke and packet of nuts.

Oh my DS did this at the same age! Him and his mate ordered a lemonade each and some "rustic chips". Made me laugh my head off as my other DS would have died of anxiety asking for anything in a pub at that age.

I have asked her more about it and she said they sat in the side bar next to the men's toilets!

Why wouldn't the pub serve children soft drinks?

Ewwww. I'm sure there could have been better places to sit. 😂

For what? If they serve food it’s allowed
in fact my parents actively encourage teens with nowhere to go/parents late picking up/stuck in a crap home situation to come and use the rooms in the afternoon to watch tv or do homework

Ha ha, my Dd and two of her friends did the same when they were 12yo. They were meant to be biking to the ice cream place 5 miles away and got caught out midway in a torrential downpour . There was a pub on the tow path so they went in seeking shelter, was about 11am and they’d just opened and were empty.

They weren’t sure what to do so ordered apple pie and custard and lemonade and spent the next hour or so in the pub and came home. 🤣.

Seemed very sensible to me and I’d just assumed the staff took pity on them in the rain.

Mmmmm apple pie and custard!!!

Apple and blackberry crumble and custard for me ta! 😋

My son went to the pub with a mate aged 15 and 16 to get a coke and ice cream. I did find it odd that they was served. They did look their ages. I did get the impression from ds said that they was welcome but being told outright what they could and couldn't do.

Some people are so uptight, I wouldn’t have a problem with a pub serving 12 year olds J2O, why on earth would you report that? Sad bastards.

I remember in the 80's, myself and 2 mates went into town with the sole purpose of getting into a pub and ordering alcohol. We were 15! Also, wearing white socks with our high heels and skinny jeans (hand sewn). We kept pushing each other nearer the door and we practically fell in. We bottled it and ordered cokes. Lol.

What kind of pub was it? If it was a proper Wetherspoons style boozer then I’m surprised they got served, but if it was a café-bar-restaurant style place then I wouldn’t be shocked. It would be perfectly fine for them to go to Nandos or Pizza Express and they both serve alcohol, and I think I’d be quite happy for my kids to do that at 12-13, but I definitely wouldn’t want them alone in a Wetherspoons.

This made me laugh, thanks op 😀 I’d not say anything, trhey didn’t have alcohol, I’m not even sure I’d tell them not to do it again, unless it’s a dive. At least they were safe and better than out on the streets.

I was surprised to learn this last year that children can go to the bar and buy soft drinks, I recall that bars used to have an area around the bar where children were nor allowed to even stand.

Well yeah - it's not like it was a vodka and tonic each!

Other than price what's the difference between 12 year olds going to a restaurant or going to subway or mcdonalds alone?

Honestly this wouldn't bother me at all!

Children under 16 are not allowed in pubs alone in the UK.

And no adults should be encouraging unaccompanied minors to do so.

I have an 11 year old. I wouldn’t encourage it due to potentially shady characters hanging around the pubs but I would find it quite funny.

Its a normal village pub but can attract a rowdy crowd. We've seen the odd drug deal in the carpark and some young lads in there can be too drunk and obnoxious. They're just quite vulnerable. I wasn't intending to be rude, just that they asked if they were with grown ups.