Ember Inns no kids policy

[MelMack]

I live in the Cassiobury area of Watford, which is cram packed with young families as it's near a great school & park.
The only pub in the area is the Essex Arms www.emberinns.co.uk/theessexarmswatford/, which is run by Ember Inns, who do great food but have a no kids policy (except in the garden - which in this instance is a strip of concrete next to the car park, where the smokers also have to go).
I've emailed them & brought it up on their Facebook site, asking them to consider letting kids in (you just have to see the sheer number of parents who walk past to see the amount of business they're missing), to no avail so far.

I'm starting to think about canvassing the other locals to see if it'd be worth starting a campaign to make it more family friendly, based on the demographics of the area.

They are popular with the child-free, due to that policy, and of course I don't have a problem with child free pubs, I just want it to reflect the area.

Am I being mean or reasonable?

Well, yes, I really wasn't thinking when I made that point, Lola. .

The whole brand have the same policy as far as I'm aware - we have one up the road from us. I don't think lobbying one pub is going to make any difference. The head officeown other "child-friendly" pubs and are tring to get their chunk of each market.

At least they have a definite, clear policy though. I used to work for a pub chain - owned at the time by the same company as Ember and they were "child tolerant not child friendly" which involved ridiculous things like allowing children in but having no children's menu. Not having any highchairs and asking that pushchairs were left outside. Making children sit in a certain area. No baby change facility. This was a predominantly food based pub in an area where the vast majority would have to drive, so not really a case of the adults getting pissed and ignoring the children, more the sort of place you would go for Sunday lunch... It's only now, years later, that I realise what a PITA the child policy was. I notice now though that things in that chain are a bit different.... All of these decisions are simply commercial.

Yes Ebmer Inns are entitled to do that, we have one near us so we have to go to another place which is actually quite nice. But I dread the thought if all gastropubs or restaurants became non child friendly, that really would make me .

Geez, not everything has to be about kids.

Obviously the reflect the demographic just fine if they are doing good business.

Some pubs around here are family pubs and some are adults only and some change from family to adult in the evenings.

Somehow we all manage just fine...

didn't realise that about Ember Inns. But yabu. It's a pub, not a park cafe, you wouldn't expect all pubs to be child friendly, it's pretty much inherent in their nature that they cater to adults.

I think the consensus here is YABU.

If you have the time or inclination to start a campaign to let children into a pub, I suggest you get a hobby.

Some of us won't go into pubs unless they are child-free.

Why on earth are you so concerned about this particular pub? Is it really because you want to take your DC there, despte knowing that children are unwelcome and underneath it all would be no less so if pressure was put upon the owners to change their policy?

Or is it because you feel that children have a right to be there and others don't have an equal right to go for a drink in a pub which is solely for adults, quite possibly having escaped from their own children?

Thanks for all the feedback - didn't realise I was being quite that unreasonable so it's good to get some context. I'm certainly not keen to make myself into some ogre by pursuing it.

For the record though there isn't anywhere else within the estate to go - it's the only food/drink place except a curry house within walking distance.
I certainly wouldn't take kids to a pub on an evening either - I have this possibly rose-tinted dream of a family friendly gastro pub for weekend lunchtimes - of which there were loads in south London, where I lived until a few months ago (but it had rubbish schools - you can't get everything it seems ;).

I'll keep shtum though - if this indicative of the responses then I'll steer well clear.

Thanks all. Unreasonableness now banished

aha I see re S London nostalgia

welcome to suburbia

get the bus into town to Pizza Express?

This is my DD'S dad's local. Shame they don't allow kids inside (I don't see whats wrong with children going to the pub wit mum and dad as long as no one is drunk or drink driving home).

Having said that, not everyone wants to go to the pub and be confronted with a whole load of someone else's kids. I know I dont unless I have DD with me. On those occassions I take her to The Mill in Radlett (duck pond loads of outside space to play or another pub with a proper garden near where I live.

I guess what I'm saying is YANBU to want them to change their stance but YABU to expect everyone to want to welcome your DCs with open arms.

There is a fish and chip shop in Aldeburgh that doesn't allow children. Its not even licenced!

Fish n chips FFS!