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???

I'm amazed they can afford it. This afternoon in the pub I bought half a lager, a coffee and a bag of crisps £12

Under-16s must not be on the premises unaccompanied between midnight and 5am, and unaccompanied under-16s are also prohibited whenever the premises are being used exclusively or primarily for the supply and consumption of alcohol.

https://www.lawble.co.uk/children-in-pubs/#elementor-toc__heading-anchor-0

looking at this it seems it was within the law. As long as it’s a pub which sells food.

That's hilarious. I'm sure they enjoyed their Sunday drink. 🤣

🤣 Good for her. She'll go far.

Reminds me of my village friend, whose similar aged DD set off for a bike ride and rang her from the pub. " Mum! Dad! You've got to get down here! It's epic!" 😂

What do you mean it was within the law? 😳

"and unaccompanied under-16s are also prohibited whenever the premises are being used exclusively or primarily for the supply and consumption of alcohol."

lol my 11 year old had her first solo trip to Costa recently and came home scandalised by how expensive it was.

“7.50 for a small hot chocolate and a tiny little cake???”

Yes, dear daughter, this is why we don’t go there every day despite it being just round the corner…

I bet the staff thought their parents were around somewhere. I wouldn't get my knickers in a twist about it.

As long as the pub is one which serves food then unaccompanied under 16s are allowed. As per what you quoted above.

OP does need to clarify if this particular pub serves food.

Are they aware that they should not go there without an adult.
Have you now explained this to your daughter.
That it is an age restricted venue.
Not like a coffee shop.
Was she staying at the other child's house?
Did those parents not ask where they were going or had been ?
If so I would give them a swerve in future.
Cannot assume other people share our values.

The pubs 'primary purpose' would have to be to sell food for them to possibly be allowed in alone, but even then it would be to the restaurant where I doubt anyone would allow them to sit and eat crisps instead of a meal.

I definitely wouldn’t want them alone in a Wetherspoons.

A Wetherspoons on a Sunday afternoon - or any afternoon in school holidays - is likely to be full of families with children. A 12yo is probably safer there than using her phone unsupervised in her bedroom.

Don't be silly.

The law states under 16s must be accompanied between midnight and 5am on
days the premises are open the sale of alcohol.

They were there in the middle of the afternoon.

That's hilarious.
Today I overheard a 13-year-old tell a shopkeeper 'I can't buy anything, I'm broke'.
They are growing up way too fast these days 😂

This has made me smile because it was only today my 14 yo mentioned in passing that him and his mates sometimes pop in to the pub for a drink.

I really don't see what's funny about two 12 year old girls, sitting alone in a bar next to the men's toilets, in a pub that's been known for drunken rowdiness and drug dealing.

But the OP said she posted for the 'comedic value', so 🤷‍♂️

Unless they bought alcohol what's the problem really.

Kids do daft stuff. The pub probably thought the parents were around. If it was busy the staff can't keep track of every kid in there.

I'd laugh it off and just tell her not to do it again.

Because it is funny.

That’s made me laugh, bless them.

Ahh my 12 year old told me he casually popped to the pub too a month ago, its a country local with a small play garden and its a family and dogs type small pub that we go to a lot. They were going to buy a lemonade and a sandwich but promptly left when they realised the sandwiches were 12 quid and a lemonade was still out of their budget😂 but yeah I was bemused and did then wonder if they should have been told to leave. But its always full of families so I would think that the bar staff wpuld assume they are with people.

Are they Harry Potter fans? It's pretty normal for the Hogwarts kids to go into the pub on their own. So maybe they thought it was fine.

DS2 and his friends used to
do this occasionally-,local village pub - they used to give them tap water too if they had no money … they were probably 12/13 and out on their bikes all day - I assume they just saw them as customers of the future !

As long as they're not serving them alcohol of course, I don't see a problem with it. In fact pubs can be one of the safer places to hang out being indoors with staff and CCTV. Better monitored than a park! 😅 Sounds like they had a nice quiet j20 and a packet of crisps whilst allowing them to feel a bit more mature than usual!

They serve food and have bed and breakfast rooms, it’s well within the law
if a teenager is locked out for some reason or waiting for a lift they’re safer sat in the tv area with people around than sat outside miserable in the rain, which is why they offer it