Amazed at lack of changing facilities!!

[tuckie82]

I am lucky enough to have travelled to various places in the UK this summer and I still cant get my head around the lack of usable baby changing facilities! I like to go with my baby to locally run cafes and restaurants as I am a firm believer in supporting the local communities but it becomes impossible when they simply don't provide any where to change your baby! Something needs to be done as it makes me so depressed to think I can only ever go to big chains with children!

I know it's annoying, I've been the annoyed person before.

But yes, Costa definitely have signs up, can't believe you were refused! I'm sure it's company policy as they also have those stickers in the window with the cross legged stick people on them saying "use our loos"

I used to change my four on the back seat of the car, or in their pram or buggy, when out and about. At home I changed them on my knee. That's how my daughters did it with my grandchildren too, as did my mother. I suppose it's just what you're used to doing.

Yeah it was in town, I was early for an appointment at the bank, had a small emergency so went into the costa (which was quiet) and they refused us use of the facilities until we bought something. This was only a couple months ago. Really boiled my piss! It's not like a baby can hold it until a more convenient time! I know you have to make do with what you've got but it's nice to have somewhere comfy, private, warm, sheltered and clean for both you and baby. I honestly couldn't believe they refused me at the time.

Any other thought which I know will really annoy some parents but perhaps those place that don't bend over backwards to provide facilities for small babies don't actually want to encourage people with young children to use them - and you know what that's fine because contrary to popular belief not everywhere needs to be child friendly

Any other thought which I know will really annoy some parents but perhaps those place that don't bend over backwards to provide facilities for small babies don't actually want to encourage people with young children to use them - and you know what that's fine because contrary to popular belief not everywhere needs to be child friendly

No you're right, not everywhere needs to be child friendly. However small businesses can't really afford to isolate a percentage of the public and try to make them feel uncomfortable/unwanted. A day time cafe, a casual eatery should be prime locations for new mums to meet with friends for a coffee and generate revenue for the business as well as having good business practices.
A posh restaurant or venues that only open at 5/6pm in the evening, bars and drinking establishments are more understandable for them to not consider parents and young children when it comes to facilities as these aren't their target audience.

A day time cafe, a casual eatery should be prime locations for new mums to meet with friends for a coffee and generate revenue for the business

Previous threads about this have declared that such mums order very little, make shitloads of mess as they feed their kids food they brought with them, stay there long after they've finished their drinks, and clog up much of the space with their buggies. I can see why they aren't the most attractive target market.

When I am out childfree a non childfriendly cafe would be somewhere I would be more likely to pick - exactly to avoid the "mothers meeting" type scenario. I think more places are realising that actually they aren't that good for business

Previous threads about this have declared that such mums order very little, make shitloads of mess as they feed their kids food they brought with them, stay there long after they've finished their drinks, and clog up much of the space with their buggies. I can see why they aren't the most attractive target market.

So the few ruin it for the many... again. Or perhaps vice versa. I personally have no experience of this. I've worked in the F&B/hospitality industry for over 10 years and I have to say, it's never been a problem in any of my establishments.
Make a mess- well yes but no more than many adults or teenagers. Usually the mess can be cleaned up no problem with a spot sweep and a spray & cloth, which for hygiene reasons should be used after each guest leaves anyway.
Order very little- no less than a business man using the venue for working from his laptop or a student doing work. A few coffees and perhaps a light bite.
Feed their kids food they've brought with them- this I don't agree with at all. Unless it is formula or a baby pouch when they're first weaning. There is no revenue to be made from a baby but there is from a toddler. Some places do sell baby food and if that is the case it should be good manners to purchase the food.
Stay long after they've finished- many, many people do. I would say 'ladies who lunch' are the worst offenders.
Clog up space with buggies- buggies can be positioned sensibly to sit against the table or collapsed. That should be common sense... it's sad if there are those who take the piss and take over the venue.

When I am out childfree a non childfriendly cafe would be somewhere I would be more likely to pick - exactly to avoid the "mothers meeting" type scenario. I think more places are realising that actually they aren't that good for business

But you can't exclude a certain group of people from somewhere because they annoy you or you don't like them? (Not aimed at you personally, a general you if that makes sense)

So everywhere has to be childfriendly by that reasoning?

Did you read my previous post? No of course not everywhere needs to be child friendly (bars, late night venues, evening restaurants etc) but why should a certain group of people be excluded from cafes or shops?

Why shouldn't they be? Why does every cafe need to be child friendly? Some people don't want children around all the time and that is perfectly fine.

Why shouldn't they be? Why does every cafe need to be child friendly? Some people don't want children around all the time and that is perfectly fine.

Because you can't exclude a certain group of people because you don't like them or want them around.

The local restaurant to me is no under 7s at all times. During the day it's a very nice cafe. Caused uproar when it opened.

Personally I love it ( and I have small children!).

But you don't need to cater for them! There is nothing to say that everywhere has to be child friendly!

Is rather an outright ban than pa hostility but I wonder how I'd fare banning over 60's or teenagers or single men from a cafe

Because you can't exclude a certain group of people because you don't like them or want them around.

So what about places that cater for over 18's or over 50's? Not everywhere has to cater for children - not everyone wants to be around children and when they go for lunch/coffee/cake.

But you don't need to cater for them! There is nothing to say that everywhere has to be child friendly!

Putting in a changing table does not exactly make somewhere child friendly. It just makes them more socially aware of different people with different needs.
They don't need to put in a full baby changing/bottle warming/breastfeeding facility with several changing stations, rocking chairs, soft toys etc.

So what about places that cater for over 18's or over 50's? Not everywhere has to cater for children - not everyone wants to be around children and when they go for lunch/coffee/cake.

Generally places that are for 18+ are because there are products being sold which are illegal or unsuitable for under 18s. I've never come across somewhere that is exclusively for over 50s?

You need to buy something to use the baby change in my towns Costa, and none of the other coffee shops have a baby change (and the toilet in the lovely independent is tiny - too small to change in the floor!). As I don't have a car or pram (use a sling) it's the Costa that gets my business....

Jeez, the reality of changing older children and adults on toilet floors is a daily reality for many disabled people and their carers. That I can get up in arms about. I can think of one cafe in our town with out baby changing, everywhere else - pubs, cafes restaurants, supermarkets, public toilets, library.....all have baby changing. Ds meanwhile has to lie down on the pissing floor on a half a picnic rug we carry with us, in the meagre excuses for disabled facilities.

www.changing-places.org/

Oh dear !!! Try having an 8 year old still in nappies!!!!

Of course you could have child free cafes. It's no different to adult only hotels.

When I go on holiday with family we go to child friendly accommodation. when going without family I go to adult only. It would be quite nice to have that choice in a cafe/restaurant actually.

Plenty of places are over 18 for no other reason other then the owners don't want children on the premises. Adult-only holiday resorts, hotels, restaurants etc. all exist, simply because people want to enjoy their meals without little children around.

My mum's a member of an over 50's club, and what about men's social clubs, or women-only societies, or brownies etc. being only for girls/boys. If all those things are okay, then adult-only (or spaces that aren't child friendly) should be okay too.