To be stunned at this rudeness

[bearcrumble]

This one has probably been done a million times, I don't know - at least it isn't parking spaces or buggies on the bus...

Today I was with my parents and DH and DS (9m) near Borough Market and we decided to go to an old tudor pub, the George, for lunch.

There was a big van with scaffolding poles in the narrow road leading to the courtyard with the pub in and I went ahead to make sure the pub was open and not having work done on it.

As I went to come back to tell the others to follow me there was a couple (probably early 70s) just leaving - they were waiting for my mum to come through with the buggy. I overheard one of them say something about how awful it was to take children to pubs.

I normally am quite mousey but I asked them what was wrong with taking children to pubs at lunchtime. They looked away from me like I didn't exist. So I said I'm hardly going to be forcing alcohol down his neck, loads of people take children to pubs these days and the bloke said "more's the pity" I said "you're very rude" and went into the pub.

As mum came past them (she hadn't heard the conversation) she said "thank you very much" and smiled at them. The woman told her to "piss off".

I can't believe their rudeness and I really can't see what their problem was. DS sat in his buggy the whole time we were there and ate his lunch and the staff were really nice and made us feel welcome and we left a tip. We didn't stay long - just long enough to have a sandwich.

I don't think it's appropriate to take children to pubs in the evening but we were just going for lunch and a soft drink.

I'm glad I didn't just leave it though... they were rude.

YANBU - There is a certain breed of people in this country who feel they have a duty to pass on their wisdom to all parents of young children.

You have to learn to smile sweetly and say 'Thank you so much for your input' then get away from the sanctimonious twits as quickly as possible.

(I take my kids to the pub in the evenings as well - I don't see anything wrong with it)

They were rude and when you answered back to them they had no answer but to swear. Ignoramuses

YANBU as they were being miserable old gits! perhaps though their view is coloured by the fact that when they were bringing up their kids (assuming they have any) most pubs were very different places to what they are now.

YANBU elderly people always have views on how people should be bringing up their children and it drives me nuts. If you're like me, you would have spent lunch fretting about it, hating the fact that someone may think you're less than perfect.
For your sake, I hope you're not like me!

YANBU. Many pubs don't allow children, they have the freedom to go to one of those.

A pub in Borough Market? I can't imagine a more family friendly area. What arses! Your poor mum.

I went to a coffee shop in SW London (nappy valley) today with two friends - also with babies. We went to an area with two free tables but adjacent to another table with a middle aged woman at it. She immediately got up, huffed something about needing 'space' at the waitress and moved.

She would certainly have regretted this decision once I took dd's hood off and she saw how incredibly beautiful and gifted dd is

Well there's a slight generational thing going on here - because 30 years ago kids weren't really supposed to be in pubs and it was still quite shocking to see a WOMAN in a pub too.

Now the only objection I would have to kids in pubs is a) the buggy making it difficult for other people to negotiate hot food/drinks around and b) if the baby started crying/shrieking and you didn't take it out.

Unfortunately both of these things are quite common hence why a lot of people inwardly groan when they see kids coming into pubs.

To outwardly groan is, of course, rude. But I can see why they would do it.

I'm laughing at the shock your mum must have got when her polite thank you was answered with 'piss off'!

YANBU.

We take DD to the pub ALL THE TIME. Sometimes there is nowhere else to go and I find them easier to take DD to than fancy restaurants or tiny cafes because they are generally noiser and there is more space. It is not like you are giving her alcohol.

I actually don't have a problem with taking children to pubs at night either, unless they are nasty, violent pubs but I wouldn't go to those even without her anyway.

We had a similar incident at All Bar One the other weekend. It was 5pm and we had just finished shopping and felt like a drink before we walked home. We went in there and the bar manager came up and said "Don't you think it is a bit late at night to have a baby in a bar?" We were so humiliated as he said it very loudly and I felt like we were being told off. It turns out that they don't have a licence for under-18s but instead of just saying that he decided to make a moral judgment on our being there. We don't have any family where we live (all in Australia) and only get a babysitter for very special ocassions so if we didn't take DD to the odd pub or bar we'd hardly ever go out. It would be pretty bloody depressing.

Miserable old gits. Your poor mum too! I can't believe they swore at her!

I don't ever take my children to the pub now as I never feel quite right doing it. I just usually feel more relaxed in a cafe. There isn't anything wrong with it though especially as there's no smoking in them anymore. They were rude, yanbu. I'm glad I never notice people saying things like that about me (I'm sure they do I just don't notice).

It is funny, sometimes I find people in cafes more put out by us being there than people in pubs. I think it might have something to do with people going to cafes for quiet conversation and DD's screaming making that harder. Pubs are a bit easier as they are noiser, the tv is usually going etc that makes DD's loudness not so noticeable...

We are talking about Borough here. For those who don't know it it is trendy-ville. Somewhere where pubs would be well set-up and used to families. It may be that this pair were old locals who wanted to have a pop at newcomers or tourists.