Noisy children in pub

[retirementrocks]

AIBU to think that it is not ok for parents to allow their children to run around a pub and in and out of the toilets making one hell of a racket whilst they sit and chat to their friends? Just visited our local...expect it to be busy as it is Sunday and it is a popular pub for a family lunch, but we left after one drink because the noise was just too much. It took one of the bar staff to politely twice ask the parents to ask their children to be a bit quieter and not to run around but to no avail. It's a pub not a frigging playground!

@gillybeanz it used to be the case that pubs were for adults. Now pubs are actively encouraging families to come by providing playgrounds and soft play, and children's menus. So it's no longer the case that pubs are only for adults.

They had to diversify in that way once smoking was banned.

Some 'Grown ups' go to pubs to get drunk and rowdy and behave like children. I really can't see the difference between an adult behaving in a loud and obnoxious manner and a child behaving in a loud and obnoxious manner, except the adult is more annoying and will be there until last orders. Kids at least go home early

When I take my dog into a dog friendly pub he has to be well behaved, not trotting about annoying other customers, being a danger to staff etc.

Same should go for children in a child friendly pub. No running around being annoying.

well that's nice for you crunchymint I've never been to Australia I don't doubt it exists.

@crunchymint That might be your experience but it isn't true for everyone. I live somewhere quite working class, it is almost always working class children running around at the local carvery pub etc.

Some 'Grown ups' go to pubs to get drunk and rowdy and behave like children. I really can't see the difference between an adult behaving in a loud and obnoxious manner and a child behaving in a loud and obnoxious manner

In my opinion there is no difference. You expects certain level of noise from both but once they start interrupting everyone else in the place and running about, they should be asked to leave

agedknees

YES! I know that this is slighlty off-topic but it's just the same when people let their dog run riot!! Little Rex ending up tangled around your table or barking/whining etc. I didn't take my dog out to places until he was well-trained enough not to irritate, and I agree it should be the same with children.

To the poster who said about people saying inappropriate things in a pub, I have mixed feelings. Even if a pub is "family friendly", it's still a pub. It's for adults to go and drink and talk about what they like - it would be different if they went to a soft play area and starting discussing inappropriate stuff there I think. On the other hand, if DH accidentally swears near a random child, I always tell him off!

agedknees all and I mean all the dogs in our local are extremely well behaved and never annoying. I do love a good pat after my Sunday dinner.

The difference is loud drunk adults who are annoying others, are nearly always asked to leave. Families are not.

I've rarely been in any pubs where adults have been asked to leave. I've been in plenty where families have been asked to leave, not for bad behaviour mind, But because kids are not allowed after a certain hour

Of course families will be asked to leave if they are only allowed to stay to a certain time, but that is because it will be a licensing condition. If publicans break their licence conditions they can lose it and lose their livelihood. They are simply following the law.

Adults are asked to leave if they are annoying other customers and people complain. Families are not.

Lazy parenting. I don't mind kids in a restaurant particularly if it's a family friendly one. It comes with the territory. But parents who allow their kids to run riot, scream and shout while the parents are oblivious to it is downright lazy. If kids aren't taught restaurant etiquette then they will just end up like their parents and so the cycle goes on.

Those type of parents lack standards and obviously don’t take much pride in their children.

My DH is a manager of a hotel. He said he's noticed a new 'trend' at wedding receptions now with children. When the kids are not running around the foyers of the hotel, totally unsupervised, the parents bring them to the bar when they're ordering their drinks...if they're getting a round of shots, they ask for the bar staff to put water or juice in the shot glasses for the kids and they kids all pretend to get 'drunk' along with the parents. Maybe I'm just an old prude but I don't think that's ok.

Crikey that is definitely not okay CupofFrothy

When I take my dog into a dog friendly pub he has to be well behaved, not trotting about annoying other customers, being a danger to staff etc.
Same should go for children in a child friendly pub. No running around being annoying
This ^^

Family friendly means don't expect fine dining, quiet eating or atmospheric music. Accept there'll be some noise, kids chatting, baby noise etc. There'll be a children's menu etc.

It doesn't mean the world is your child's play area.

CupofFrothyCoffee

My DH is a manager of a hotel. He said he's noticed a new 'trend' at wedding receptions now with children. When the kids are not running around the foyers of the hotel, totally unsupervised, the parents bring them to the bar when they're ordering their drinks...if they're getting a round of shots, they ask for the bar staff to put water or juice in the shot glasses for the kids and they kids all pretend to get 'drunk' along with the parentshmm. Maybe I'm just an old prude but I don't think that's ok.

I've been asked to do this as well and it sits very uncomfortably with me! Technically it's perfectly legal, because it's not alcohol, but I will escape to avoid serving if possible because it just doesn't feel right - so if you're an old prude then so am I!
When I did a personal license course a few years ago there was a whole section devoted to protection of children from alcohol and the effects of alcohol - for example drunken behavior from adults etc. That's why many licensed premises have a curfew for children of about 9pm, and it's taken quite seriously if it's broken regularly. Even in some places where I've worked that held weddings, children under a certain age had to leave before the specified time.

lizzie

I know I studied Hospitality at degree level recently and worked in the industry.
I know pubs have started accepted children and play areas were around long before any smoking ban, but pubs are for adults.
my point is if people want to take children they should behave or be asked to leave.
Pubs are for adults, they sell alcohol, children can't drink alcohol and are tolerated so parents will still go out to drink.

I get that, @gillybeanz but when I've been to family friendly pubs, there have always been a lot of kids and the wacky warehouses have been packed. They also do children's parties. Whatever you think about kids in pubs, these places are making a lot of money out of having them.

Maybe there were soft play areas before the smoking ban, but they weren't particularly attractive places for families, were they?

We were in a pub last night (posh village pub not especially family friendly but had a restaurant) and at ten to 9 a family with two under 5s came in - the girls were dancing around with balloons very close to a table full of glasses and though not particularly loud it was irritating when we'd paid a babysitter to have some kid free time (pub not far from m1 so possibly breaking up a journey but a services would surely be more appropriate at 9pm?!)

Not ideal, @Thirtyrock39 but I can't imagine many people would choose to stop there unless they didn't have a choice. Obviously, a motorway services would be more appropriate, but maybe they didn't have a choice. (Car trouble for example, running out of petrol).

It's not something I would ever choose to do with my DDs if I had an alternative.

Years ago I was in a restaurant and a kid was literally running around and around, right behind mine and DP's chairs. Eventually, DP got so sick of it he suddenly shoved his chair back at an opportune time. I was mortified at the time. The kid wasn't too badly hurt but he shouldn't have been there.

Bad behaviour is wrong whether child or adult. And I've seen plenty of both in pubs. I think its great that society in general is becoming more family friendly

I remember back in the day (I’m under 30, so not that far back!) pubs which allowed children weren’t all that common, and they normally had a ‘family room’ where they could sit - kids were banned from the rest of the pub! I remember lots of holidays in Devon and the Lakes etc sitting in family rooms when we were smaller.

I just find it odd taking children in to pubs. Its not something I see where I live very often. It'd be like taking a child into a bookies. It is an adult place. Not for children.