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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

R.E paying for an extra adult at playgroup?

142 replies

Doglikeafox · 05/09/2017 18:42

Hi everyone,
I've been attending a playgroup for a few months now with four children. Entry is £3 for the first child, and then £1 for each accompanying child. So it is £6 for my four children to attend. We love the playgroup, and it has always been well worth the money in my opinion. We usually stop in the cafe afterwards and purchase cups of tea, toast etc and we occasionally meet there with friends (who purchase their own entry separately).
My partner is off work today so decided he would join us too. When we got to the till to pay for our entry, we were told it was £8. When I asked the cost breakdown, they said it was £3 for one child, £1 for an extra child and then my partner had to pay for two of the children too so it was another £4 for the other two children. I said this seemed odd as we had been paying £6 for weeks and it didn't make sense to pay an extra £2 today when I was bringing the exact same amount of children. The lady responded that my DP was paying for 'the privilege of getting in'.
We had only brought £6 with us today, and I didn't have any money on me other than my credit card. I'm not sure if she didn't have a card machine or if it just didn't accept credit cards but she said I couldn't use that to pay so I then had to turn around and head home. The children were quite upset and I feel a bit naffed off. Surely you can't just stipulate that its £2 more because I had an extra adult with me? DP and I were quite obviously a family and not just two random adults trying to get in and pay less.
AIBU? I was really surprised that they turned us away, especially when there were no signs up or anything on the advertisement to say that the £1 per extra child only applied for one adult.

OP posts:
PrincessWonderRabbit · 05/09/2017 19:10

I see lurked's point about people trying it on by saying they're together, however people tend to remember families such as the Op's. They'd have known they were all siblings so siblings fees should have applied.

Ameliablue · 05/09/2017 19:10

I think it depends on the nature of the group if they charge adults. E.g if refreshments are provided for adults but if the cafe means there are no refreshments included in the price, the shouldn't be any reason to charge more.
Prices should be somewhere you can check, either on display or in a handbook that you could ask to see.

Momst · 05/09/2017 19:11

I am not sure what you issue is it is obvious the first £3 is £2 for the adult and £1 for the kid.

All Adults are £2 and all kids is £1 so her charging for the adult would be an extra £2.

PrincessWonderRabbit · 05/09/2017 19:12

Entry is £3 for the first child, and then £1 for each accompanying child. So it is £6 for my four children to attend.

Original poster
Doglikeafox · 05/09/2017 19:12

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think I will email and ask their policy. Honestly neither my DP or I would have wanted to attend alone when his time off is so limited.
Looks like I am mistaken on the cash machine front, but as I said there wasn't a local one anyway.

OP posts:
PrincessWonderRabbit · 05/09/2017 19:13

You'd have paid high fees which is why people don't do it

RaincloudOfDoom · 05/09/2017 19:14

If you go regularly the woman should have just let you pay the extra next time you went in. She was definitely wrong.

But when it comes to kids, it helps to always take more money than you think you'll need - the prices might have gone up, you might have needed to buy something from the cafe, etc.

Original poster
Doglikeafox · 05/09/2017 19:15

Momst that is not how the pricing works. You do not pay for adults at all usually. It is £3 for the first child. Not £3 for the first child and adult.

And I don't think she could claim she didn't know they were siblings... 2 of them are twins! Grin

OP posts:
KurriKurri · 05/09/2017 19:17

Why didn't she just let you in? - she effectively lost the group £6 by being a total jobsworth.

minoandolphin · 05/09/2017 19:18

So this jobsworth has done herself out of a 6 quid entry and pissed off a regular customer? Excellent business strategy.

Ragwort · 05/09/2017 19:18

What sort of group is it? Who runs it ? Is it commercially organised like a 'soft play session' in a Leisure Centre? Confused

Yukbuck · 05/09/2017 19:18

Wow op yanbu. Gosh I've turned up to playgroup without my purse and the people have been lovely. I pay the next week..she should have let you off. And her rules are ridiculous to be honest!!

To the posters moaning about 2 adults going.. seriously can you not see why they might want an extra adult there? 4 kids is really freaking hard work.

ArcheryAnnie · 05/09/2017 19:20

It's weird and daft of them to charge you extra, especially as you are a regular.

Original poster
Doglikeafox · 05/09/2017 19:21

It is a playgroup at a leisure centre yes. Not soft play though.
and yeah I feel like she could have just let us in too, even if she said 'next time ridiculous rule will apply'

OP posts:
coddiwomple · 05/09/2017 19:22

it sounds very mean. Most playgroups I have seen only charge people who can afford it, or at least are more than happy to tell you to pay the next time you come. Playgroups are normally a charitable thing, to help mums and children, not a business on a strict budget.

On another note, of course you can withdraw cash with a credit card, and I can't understand why your DH didn't take the car to get some money whilst the rest of you were at playgroups. I would have at least taken the kids to a petting zoo or something instead, mine would have been a pain if I had turned back when they were expecting to play!

AldiAisleOfCrap · 05/09/2017 19:22

"Honestly neither my DP or I would have wanted to attend alone when his time off is so limited."
So you took the option of upsetting your dc instead Hmm

TheAntiBoop · 05/09/2017 19:23

I reckon they did it to stop people ganging up and paying for ten kids as if together!

They would be better having an extra charge for extra adults if that is the case?

How were you going to pay for your coffee?

Original poster
Doglikeafox · 05/09/2017 19:24

DC would have been far more upset at the prospect of either me or DP leaving than they were at the idea of going for a visit at the local farm instead, but thanks for your concern AldiAisle

OP posts:
NerrSnerr · 05/09/2017 19:27

You said in your OP that your children were quite upset so it's a fair assumption that they would have preferred to go in with one parent.

PrincessWonderRabbit · 05/09/2017 19:27

^"Honestly neither my DP or I would have wanted to attend alone when his time off is so limited."
So you took the option of upsetting your dc instead hmm^

Your children always get their way??

Original poster
Doglikeafox · 05/09/2017 19:28

I don't think they would have, but it isn't really relevant to my AIBU anyway is it?

OP posts:
Shadow666 · 05/09/2017 19:28

They must have their pricing rules written down somewhere. I agree that it's probably to stop groups entering using the sibling discount.

Sorry you had a shitty experience though.

NeedsAsockamnesty · 05/09/2017 19:29

I have never heard of a play group charging adults

Serin · 05/09/2017 19:31

What a pain in the arse the cashier is. She showed you no compassion at all. I can't abide silly petty rules.

AldiAisleOfCrap · 05/09/2017 19:31

"Your children always get their way?"
No, but I wouldn't make them walk away from a day out/activity once we were there.

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