To expect an apology when my son is nearly strangled in a pub play area?

[tutu100]

I'm really upset so this could be very rambling and ranting but I am so angry. My friend and I took my ds (23 months) and her dd (2 years) to the Mill House pub in Netley, Hampshire (I am naming and shaming) for lunch today. We chose to go there as they have an indoor ball play area so we thought it would be nice for the kids. We get there and to start off with the fire doors at the back of the pub are open in the play area allowing kids to run out and get into the car park or on the main road which had a 60 mile speed limit as none of the locks on the outside gates work. So we shut the doors and let our children play. We have only been there a short while when my son ran round a little dark area of the play area and as he started running towards me I see a long loop of string hanging from the ceiling, and before I could do anything his head had gone through the loop and the string pulled tight and started to choke him. Luckily I was in there in seconds and he was ok although very upset and with a red mark round he neck. When my friend complained to the manager there was no apology, he just cut down the string and said that the play area had been checked that day and it was fine when it was checked.

Oh so that makes it ok that my son could have been chocked to death then! I am so upset thinking about what could have happened if I hadn't been watching ds. The staff didn't seem bothered at all by how serious an incident it could have been. We stayed for our food as we'd already ordered but I had lost my appetite and my friend couldn't eat her meal because it wasn't cooked very well. So if you ever want to eat there beware the food and watch your kids like hawks if they go in the play area. I have complained to the company on their menu, I will let you know what response I get.

Expat I was stood watching my son, unfortunately we had only just arrived and I had not noticed the loop of string otherwise I would have removed it myself. I do noty drink alcohol and we had only gone to the pub for food as we were having a nice day out. We did not intend staying at the pub all day, and yes we did choose it as it is supposed to be child friendly and we thought it would keep the children amused whilst we waited for the food. I supervise my child at all times, I wasn't expecting anyone else to watch him, but I do expect play equipment to be safe for my child to use.

To everyone else who wrote supportive comments I have complained to the pub group and will see what they say.

If a parent is supposed to keep an eye on their child at all times, what happens if you have more than one child? You can keep a general eye on them, but inevitably at any one time your attention is going to be on one of them and not both. A child play area has to be safe, not a "user beware" area.

'A child play area has to be safe, not a "user beware" area.'

So every single park you've been in doesn't have dog turds, broken glass, teenagers using the facilities, etc.?

Unless someone is watching it 24/7, stuff like what happened in Edinburgh:
sad
happens when kids play unsupervised.

was it string or was it rope?

Most areas in parks which are exclusively for children are usually free from dog turds, etc., especially if they are fenced off. General areas in parks aren't.

And this isn't a park, for goodness' sake. It was an indoor area in a pub.

Just come back on to clarify a few things now I've calmed down a bit. It was a piece of string so quite fine really not thick like rope. It was the same type of string that is used in the mesh to fence the area off.

I was watching my ds I always do. I wasn't expecting anyone else to watch him as I know it is my responsibility to make sure he is ok. There are signs up stating that your child is your responsibility. I was not expecting the pub to watch him. I think this is partly why I feel so bad about the incident I saw it happen but couldn't get to him fast enough to stop it from happening.

I am not really expecting anything from the pub other than an apology and some concern over the incident. I am not going to sue them. If my son had fallen over and hurt himself I wouldn't have blamed the pub as it would be an accident and not their fault. However I do feel that if they are going to have a play area and advertise themselves as a safe family pub then the play equipment should be safe. They were saying that the play area had been checked in the morning approximately 1 1/2 hrs before we arrived and so this loop of string had got there after they'd checked the area. How did it get there then? The manager had to cut it down so it must have been tied up there which means someone must have put it there. Now it is possible that their idea of checking the play area is to just glance around it in which case they may not have spotted it as it was in a dark area. Like I said I didn't spot it sooner, if I had my son would never have got tangled in it because I would have removed it. I only saw it as I watched him run towards me and by then I couldn't get in the play area quick enough.

I would expect a soft play facility, like a Wacky, to be safe for children. When I go in those places, I expect that I wouldn't have to watch them every moment as you generally know they can't get in or out and the soft play area itself is safe.

Obviously accidents can happen anyway but if an obvious hazard is found, such as you describe, I would expect an apology.

I've been with a friend whose son has had 2 accidents at soft play places recently. Somehow he has managed to bruise and dent his head quite badly on exposed screws that shouldn't have been exposed. Both soft play places were hugely apologetic and accepted that it should absolutely not be possible for a child to injure themselves in this way.

I'm not sure if it's this kind of soft play place you are referring to.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect an apology.

The OP isn't asking for a million pounds compensation or a pound of flesh. Just an apology.

Hardly an outrageous demand. Just common courtesy, afaic.

But I agree with whoever made the point that modern insurance rules have made common courtesy too risky for business to go in for.

Hello tutu, have just read this thread, and want to say I really feel for you, getting loads of flack for raising a completely IMHO complaint! It was not a public park, it was a private area, provided specifically for childrens play. If it is not safe or appropriate, then the company are breaking the law by advertising it as being so. I would contact the local council, the pub do have liability! If you went in a pub loo, and cut your foot on broken glass on the floor, is it your own responsibility to keep your eyes open? Is it okay for staff to be too busy to attend to health and safety of their cusdtomers? Ffs!
Actually, my friend did the above, and succesfully sued the pub. And went on holiday with the cash !

I think the manager didn't apologise because he thought that would mean admitting responsibility for the incident. However an apology about the situation would not have been an admittance of liability i.e. "I am very sorry your child has been hurt. It should never have happened." That's not admitting responsibility, but would have made me feel that they take the health and safety of their customers seriously. I also accept that things can happen to an area after they've checked it, but the manager didn't seem in the least bit concerned about how a loop of string had ended up tied to the ceiling of a child's play area. I feel a bit bad for naming the pub now, but I rely on reccomendations from other people to know where to take my child, so if someone has been concerned about safety at a child's play area I'd like to know.

Can i just say that pubs don't provide these areas as a favour to parents, they do it because one of the biggest money spinners within the pub industry is family eating. So if they are going to provide a fscility to attract families to the pub then it is absolutely their responsibility to make sure it is safe. You cannot compare it to a public place because it isn't one, simple.

tutu it wasnt your fault, it was an accident, and probably pretty frightening for you.

tutu i would feel exactly the same as you

what a vile thing to happen

hope ds is ok now

Thank you for all you comments. Ds is absolutely fine now. The mark round his neck went away after about 10 mins it just me that feels awful now. Feeling calmer now but it has taken about 5 hrs to calm down. Expatinscotland's comments didn't help. But I guess I didn't make it clear that I was watching him at the time in my op. I just have this horrible mental image of him hanging from this rope in my head that I can't shake off, and I do keep thinking what if I hadn't been watching him. I never let my son out of my sight and I really do mean that and he still managed to have this accident. So I'm also saying please watch your kids so carefully because it really is so easy for something to happen to them even if you think you are being careful.

If we ever go to any play area again I will check it so carefully for possible hazards first. I feel so stupid because when I take him to the park I always check the equipment is safe before he goes on it yet today I'll admit I did assume that he would be safe on the equipment as long as I watched him.

Im horrified on your behalf, I would have went mental at this being left, basically they left a noose.
I agree that an apology and (serious) concern about the incident from the manager were in order.
Glad he's ok.

Think it just goes to show what a crappy world we live in tbh. 'Sorry your son was hung from a noose and could have died but it's not our fault.....' What a load of crap. I'm so sorry this happened to your ds, must have been very scary for you both.

Imo I think it should be the LAW to have a supervisor in these soft play areas with the kids. You wouldn't allow a swimming pool full of children and no lifeguard would you? Of course not. I also think that pubs are for adults, however if they are trying to cater for families as well by including these soft play areas then they HAVE to take responsibility for them. Yes it is up to the parents to keep an eye on their children, but that doesn't mean they should have to do a full health and safety check of the playground first - that's the pubs responsiblity. If they cannot provide safe facilities they should not have them. I think this is disgusting, makes me mad thinking about it. I'd contact head office, the local paper - everyone. Name and shame in every way you can.

To a certain extent, you expect stuff like broken glass/turds in a park (unfortunately) so look out for them. In an indoor soft play area you would not expect there to be a noose. Given that you are not able to see your child at all times in these places and are usually not allowed in yourself, you expect them to be free from hazards like loose ropes, screws and exposed metal poles etc. If your child falls down the stairs in one and breaks a leg then that's an accident. If your child trips on some ripped padding, falls down the stairs and breaks their leg, that's negligence on the part of the owner of the play area. That's why they have public liability insurance.

The manager should have apologised.

I agree with Soupy - in an outdoor play area parents have easy access to all equipment, but indoor play areas don't often allow adults in.

very sorry you and your son had such a scary time, tutu.

i can't believe someone came back to you on here and suggested you shouldn't be a in a pub on a nice day!!??!! I am more offended by that remark than the original post!!

Of course you should be able to go to a pub and be safe and to have an apology off the staff. I'm sure that if they had apologised and given your son a free drink/lolly - you'd feel a bit better - it's the fact that they didn't seem to care that makes it upsetting!

I'm always in pub play areas with my toddler - just for something to do and to give me chance to speak to other adults for an hour.