Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel like these families spoilt the pub?

95 replies

Primadonnagirl · 19/04/2014 15:32

Our local is a proper old fashioned pub. It is family friendly but tends to attract the more real ale crowd.There are two main rooms, one which tends to be where people eat in, and two smaller ones that tend to be used for groups. We went out with four friends for an early evening drink.Great convivial Bank Holiday weekend atmosphere. We were sat in the main room. After only half an hour a huge party came in..almost everyone was a couple with a baby and pram/ pushchair. The atmosphere changed instantly to that of a play group.People were being jostled when they were trying to get prams in etc. Then all the babies were introduced to each other and passed around the group amid much loud baby talk.the noise just completely drowned everything else.I got up to see if there was a table somewhere else ..and found that the rest of the group were in the other room..It was so uncomfortable we left. I don't have a problem with families in pubs but is it really appropriate to take a large group of babies into one on a Saturday evening, completely dominate the space and have no regard for what is essentially an adult environment??Just interested in your views esp if you have littles ones..

OP posts:
BobPatandIgglePiggle · 19/04/2014 15:34

I have a little one and think yanbu. Taking him to the pub ia hard work - we sometimes nip in for something to eat but not just to go iyswim.

PuppyMonkey · 19/04/2014 15:36

I have been in pubs when huge crowds of loud adults come in and shout and completely spoil the atmosphere too. Ban all types of people just in case, I say.

KepekCrumbs · 19/04/2014 15:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ubik1 · 19/04/2014 15:39

'Spoilt the Pub' -Grin

Oh I don't know op...sometimes these things happen when you go to public places.

YouTheCat · 19/04/2014 15:40

I don't care how family friendly a pub is, it is not a sodding play group and is not an appropriate place for toddlers and babies unless a meal is being eaten and even then only under close supervision.

I can't think of anywhere you can go these days where there won't be kids.

It used to really piss me off when mine were young and I'd get a rare night out only to have to put up with other people's children.

Original poster
Primadonnagirl · 19/04/2014 15:40

Yes Puppy I get your point but that's not unusual in a pub! A babies meet up is ! I do realise parents with babies have a right to socialise too..I'm not saying they should be housebound..but I just thought it was an odd thing to do and a bit thoughtless about the other customers

OP posts:
PublicEnemyNumeroUno · 19/04/2014 15:40

Well its a public house which is family friendly, anybody could go in and make a carry on.

ShatnersBassioonOfChrist · 19/04/2014 15:40

Did this happen today? It's still afternoon isn't it?

Hoppinggreen · 19/04/2014 15:40

Not where I would personally choose to have an evening with a group of friends with babies but I suppose they had as much right to be there as you.

Cavort · 19/04/2014 15:41

We have a 9 month old DD and we do try to be courteous towards people without children wherever possible. I do remember the pre-baby days and appreciate how annoying other people's kids can be. Grin

However, it is families rather than child free singletons who are keeping most pubs going these days, so the fact that you even have a pub to drink in at all is largely because of the parent pound.

I'm sure you'd have been fine if it was just one or two babies to contend with, but you were subjected to what was probably a large but rare gathering so I don't think it's worth losing any sleep over as it's unlikely to happen again on that scale.

Original poster
Primadonnagirl · 19/04/2014 15:42

Sorry meant yesterday..Good Friday has thrown me!

OP posts:
Ubik1 · 19/04/2014 15:43

In other countries babies are welcome in pubs etc

ginorwine · 19/04/2014 15:45

I think some people can be very child centric and over focused this way and it is quite trendy our way to be so in middle class boden circles.
For eg in our local lovely and arty coffe shop dads were about twenty foot apart getting their children to run to them - hot coffee nearby-and speaking in loud jolly voices.to me it's a bit look at me.
I used to take games or pen and paper and teach my dc that we sit at cafes pubs etc and to think of other s . Parks are for run around not cafes etc.
it can be hard when you have children to get out and I do think its a good thing but to ignore the needs of others is just rude!

tethersend · 19/04/2014 15:46

I went to a pub the other day with a huge indoor playground. It was BLISS.

I think that might have something to do with the thread.

ShatnersBassioonOfChrist · 19/04/2014 15:46

Is such an unusual thing to happen it's not worth getting annoyed about.

WorraLiberty · 19/04/2014 15:49

Well they haven't actually spoilt the pub have they?

Presumably they spoilt one trip to the pub for you.

Which to be fair, 'the real ale crowd' could have also done if they'd turned up en masse.

Original poster
Primadonnagirl · 19/04/2014 15:52

We are not child free singletons by the way. I'm not annoyed now.but I was then. But I mention it now cos I was interested to hear others thoughts.And the reason it's more notable to me rather than say another large group comin in is that a large group of babies was unexpected ESP on an evening! But of course I'm not saying its ruined it forever!

OP posts:
Original poster
Primadonnagirl · 19/04/2014 15:53

The ESP was an accident not for emphasis!

OP posts:
Greyhound · 19/04/2014 16:06

Sounds tiresome. I would have found that irritating too. They could at least have left the prams outside.

Some time back, I went for a cup of tea at a local cafe. This old man came in, sat a few tables away with his friends and proceeded to speak very loudly indeed about his suitcase which, it transpired, he had accidentally left in Harrogate. I was itching to ask him to keep the noise down but I am too British.

Owllady · 19/04/2014 16:09

It's only four o'clock

YouTheCat · 19/04/2014 16:10

Owl, it was yesterday evening.

Owllady · 19/04/2014 16:12

But yesterday was friday

YouTheCat · 19/04/2014 16:13

Yes, the OP got confused with the bank holiday weekend.

bigTillyMint · 19/04/2014 16:14

All the pubs round our way are like this during the day. Tiresome when your DC are now teens and wouldn't be seen dead with you was it early evening? I thought it was no children after a certain time.

Owllady · 19/04/2014 16:18

: I suppose it happens to us all at some point

I have read all the thread. Do they get food income from the pub?
I think ale only (plus other alcohol) pubs can specify no children if they want to

I don't get it either but I am 36 and from a generation it seems where people have lived, travelled, know their rights, are so young, blah blah blah and have now decided to have a baby and still the shipwrecked revolves around them. So
It doesn't surprise me

I realise this will upset people
Mother of teenagers