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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

AnnieAnoniMouse · 05/09/2017 20:14

The woman was rude, wrong to try to charge your DH & shortsighted over £2.

However, the 'first child' being £3 is because they have to have an accompanying adult (£1 child, £2 adult). You can't send them in on their own. They've just not been very transparent about it.

Fresh8008 · 05/09/2017 20:17

£6 for adult + 4 kids
ok, Then
£4 for 2 adults + 2 kids sounds right. *2 = £8

Its normal that you cant go into a play group unless you are paying to accompany children. Do you think they have unlimited seats that can accommodate as many adults as turn up.

You have to pay for every person that goes in. Normal.

NataliaOsipova · 05/09/2017 20:18

I can just about work out the logic - which i suppose is to stop adults "teaming up" to save the £2. But if you're a regular - as others have said - it must be well known that the four kids are your kids (and it must have been pretty obvious that your DP was their dad). So I think you're right to be irritated.

ByGum · 05/09/2017 20:19

You said the children were quite upset and you headed home, I think this is why a few pps are suggesting one of you could have taken the dcs in while other waited in car, then nobody needed to be upset. Hindsight though.

It's shit when you don't get much family time due to long working hours etc. Dd is too old for playground and stuff now but when she was small her father missed out seeing her in these settings as he worked away. He'd be disappointed as much as dd so I'd probably have waited in the car while he took her in. I know you say he doesn't get much time off but one hour apart, one with the dc, one waiting in the car isn't a long time out of a whole day. I'd have enjoyed the hours peace and quiet to be honest :)

Sounds like you had a great day at farm instead though and you know their rules (silly as they are) for next time he has day off.

Coloursthatweremyjoy · 05/09/2017 20:23

I understand the pricing structure OP, a centre near me does similar. What the cashier has done is to split your group in order to get the most revenue. I take the point that people could team up and save money, however you are quite obviously not a 'group' you are a family. So she was wrong.

Plus if she genuinely thought you were two groups she should have done two transactions surely? But she was underhand.

I'd write to head office explaining the above, emphasising that you couldn't even pay by card and were forced to go elsewhere.

For what it's worth, I would not have made one of us wait in the car etc. I'd have gone somewhere else just like you did. I am teaching my children to watch the small print, check pricing and not to get fleeced.

43percentburnt · 05/09/2017 20:28

Slightly off topic but Best not to draw out cash on a credit card. It's seen by banks as being desperate for cash as interest is charged from day one. It shows on your credit file as a cash withdrawal so future lenders can see (it may affect you getting future credit).

Op she was a jobsworth.

Lweji · 05/09/2017 20:30

For a one off, and if you are a regular, I think the lady was unreasonable.

But, you were also unreasonable not to take extra money. As you have pointed out, a credit card for emergencies is not that useful or easy to use.
I really don't understand why, between two adults, none of you had any extra cash for small emergencies or any unforeseen expenses.
So, it's pretty much on both you and the lady at the till that the children got upset.

Original poster

Doglikeafox · 05/09/2017 20:37

I really don't understand why, between two adults, none of you had any extra cash for small emergencies or any unforeseen expenses.

Emergencies such as what? Needing petrol? Needing nappies/food/medicine? All can be purchased with a credit card. We were going to a playgroup 10 mins from our house, not a day out. As I have said, I had 4 children under 3 with me, 2 of whom were under 1 so I struggle to believe that you 'really don't understand' why we might have forgotten to bring cash with us. I am posting on MUMSNET right? You know, the website where we support and empower each other not pick people apart and make eachother out to be terrible parents because I didn't bring extra cash to a PLAYGROUP.

OP posts:

SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 05/09/2017 20:40

The pricing structure is set up to make more profit on the first child which all families/ groups will have, then a cheaper rate to encourage people with siblings/ mindees etc. The adult is irrelevant when it's priced as per child.

The cashier was unreasonable to split and charge extra for a family unit.

When taking a group of brownies to an activity such as swimming, we've always found cashiers try their best to find the most efficient pricing method such as x family tickets + y additional children.

Lurkedforever1 · 05/09/2017 20:40

It does make sense to charge for every adult. There will be a limit on numbers, and especially if it was raining heavily they would end up full of none paying customers and turning paying pairs away.

I also don't think it's fair to blame the person on the till or insult her. She's no doubt just doing what she's been told. Not relevant for op, but I bet they've had other people join up, or families claiming only the toddler is playing when 5 older kids will be too, people rocking up with the extended family to practice seat hogging ready for the school play, and all manner of freeloaders, and has been told by her manager to charge everyone regardless.

PrincessWonderRabbit · 05/09/2017 20:42

Maybe it would make sense. However that's not what they advertised.

gandalf456 · 05/09/2017 20:46

If that's her policy, fine, but she could have relaxed her rules this time - especially as the policy is so vague

Lweji · 05/09/2017 20:46

Emergencies such as what?

Let me see... Needing to pay a bit more to enter the playgroup?

You asked if you were being unreasonable. I agreed that the lady was unreasonable.
But, for future reference, take more cash with you and avoid these mishaps. That's what support looks like. Not just pats on the back.

Lweji · 05/09/2017 20:48

I am posting on MUMSNET right? You know, the website where we support and empower each other not pick people apart and make eachother out to be terrible parents

BTW, you do know you are posting on MUMSNET, right? Where did you get the idea that was all support and empowerment? And you do know you landed in AIBU, right?

This is not the place for "your so right, hun". It's supposed to be to get all perspectives.

Shadow666 · 05/09/2017 20:51

That made me laugh too about the emergency money. It's annoying OP but not worth getting upset over. Next time you go query what happened. They must have the entry rules written down somewhere.

QoFE · 05/09/2017 20:51

Bloody hell this place gets more bonkers by the day

OP - she was being a jobsworth plonker. If it's charged per child then that means per child, and doesn't mean you pay for adults. Not sure why some people can't grasp this!

Lurkedforever1 · 05/09/2017 20:53

gandalf she might not be allowed to exercise discretion. Just like tesco don't let you off if you're £1 short and forgot your card.

Benedikte2 · 05/09/2017 20:54

OP you are entirely Reasonable! This was a ridiculous situation. You are also a good mum in managing to give your DC activities like this single handed when many would say they couldn't cope.
Please do come back and tell us what the Leisure Centre has to say in answer to your complaint.
Sorry some posters have given you an unwarranted hard time

gandalf456 · 05/09/2017 20:55

I have been let off at playgroup before. Offered to pay next time. Woman said don't worry

gandalf456 · 05/09/2017 20:56

And it's not Tesco, is it. Anyway, even supermarkets have leeway to offer goodwill

Lweji · 05/09/2017 20:58

Anyway, even supermarkets have leeway to offer goodwill

Do they?

I've seen people leave things they don't have money for at the tills, not being given any leeway.

llangennith · 05/09/2017 20:59

Just read PrincessWonderRabbit's post of 19.08

FatBettyintheCoop · 05/09/2017 21:00

No, the centre is at fault for not thinking through their charging policy.
If they did intend that the £3 fee covers one adult and one child then the advertised policy must state this.
It cannot simply be assumed otherwise, why can't I assume that the £3 consists of 50p charge for the adult and £2.50 for the child as the child is the only one playing with the toys?
I think you could contact Trading Standards about their bizarre charging policy and hopefully, they'll explain to the Leisure Centre that they need to clarify their policy rather than making up arbitrary charges.

gandalf456 · 05/09/2017 21:00

Trust me. I work in one

Lweji · 05/09/2017 21:03

Trust me. I work in one

Don't say where or you'll get loads of people suddenly short on change.

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