No children under 8

[clairemcnam]

I have just tried to book a table at a local Italian restaurant and I was surprised to be told that children under 8 years old are not allowed?

Just lie if your DC could pass for a young looking 8 and you know they will behave. Surely they don't ask for id

,missymayhemsmum
I read the article that you linked.

Justifying age discrimination
Even if something doesn’t fall under one of the exceptions in the Equality Act, it may still be lawful for a trader or service provider to discriminate against you because of your age.

When can a trader or service provider justify age discrimination?
It’s possible to justify both direct and indirect age discrimination. The trader or service provider would have to show they have a good enough reason for discriminating against you

Here are examples of reasons service providers and traders often use to try to justify discrimination:
enabling people of particular age groups to enjoy activities together I assume that includes eating a meal together without young children being present.

Sounds nice! I went out for a meal on a Friday night a few months ago and it was a nightmare! There was a family there with three kids that were clearly exhausted, a baby a toddler and a 5/6 yo. Stayed in the restaurant until 10pm (possibly later) at least as that’s when we gave up and left, they spent the entire time screaming, shouting, running about the restaurant falling over, under the tables and into chairs, throwing food etc. I was fuming as I’d arranged and paid for my own babysitter and fancied a child free night for once.

I would definitely go to a child free place!

In terms of the law I don't see how that example fits this restaurant's rule as people in an age range 8-100 are not the same age and it would be difficult to argue that people of the same age are enjoying an activity together to justify the discrimination. A 'Tea party for the over 70's' is specific and fits the description the law is pertaining to.

As is the case with Animal welfare, ideas around child development and caring for them have moved on. I don't understand why people are so intolerant of children. There are plenty of load obnoxious adults in this world that you have to endure in all sorts of contexts. My DD has just turned 8 and will sit at tables without iPads but does bring a bag of stuff that amuses her, notepad and pen, stress ball, etc. I don't really see the problem to anyone else.

The intolerance of some adults that feel they're entitled to be rude and remark on things whenever they want has definitely increased and that's around this 'extended youth' period of people's lives in their 20's 30's as children are completely are completely alien to them and wouldn't have been in the past.

Great idea. DH and I don’t go out much since having DS and when we do get an opportunity, I don’t want to be around other people’s kids.

I think Italian/Mediterranean Parents are more used to telling children to keep quiet in a stern way. No further discussion. The parenting style over here is more about reasoning with the child and unfortunately, when in public, this style does lead to children who take a long time to stop disturbing other people.

I think this restaurant's policy is great and I would appreciate if more places in my town did that!

Thanks for letting me know that some restaurants don’t allow children under 8 OP—I will be seeking one out in the future!

There are literally HUNDREDS of places you can take your children to eat. In contrast there are very few you can go where you can guarantee you won’t have your meal spoiled by screaming and running children. Eating out can be expensive and I really resent paying for it only to have it spoiled by some entitled parent’s kids. The restaurant have no idea that your children are well behaved. Just pick somewhere else and respect the fact that sometimes people want to have an adult meal in peace.

it does spoil it for people with kids who don't run riot. There's a great pub near us with a small park opposite-kids now have to leave by 7pm depending on the age of the children though fed by 7 is a reasonable assumption and if you want to be out later you go to the many Many Many places that allow it.

It is even about naughty kids. They carry with them their own natural noise level that sometimes I'd like to escape. DH and I would def go there over a family friendly place if we were alone and happily go elsewhere if we weren't

The intolerance of adults may have increased but likewise the behaviour of children has got worse. Not just in restaurants but generally. Riding bikes and scooters around shops, wheeling round on their heelies, not listening to what they are told and many other things.

Don't see the issue, a place to eat with no children sounds great. I rarely take my dd 9 out to dinner as she cannot sit still and 9/10 times ends up under the table or on the floor, same with any kind of retail shopping. She has asd and adhd so it's expected in her case, its easier said than done to train it out of her.

I think it's a good idea. I wouldn't take my four kids out to a meal in a place like that. We go to cafes, carveries, Macdonalds, child friendly places. But if I was going for a nice meal with my husband I would prefer no children as it's not nice to be surrounded by noisy children running round the tables when trying to have a break from my own.

Sounds terrific! I'd like to book a table! Would enjoy seeing more adults only restaurants.

There's a restaurant in the next village over from us that has a policy of no children after 5pm. The owner is quite open about the fact that it's not because of problems with kids, but because they realised some adults will pay a bit more to go somewhere they know it's child free. The mark up on a nice bottle of wine is more profitable than a soft drink for them so it's worth their while.

I don't mind this at all. Everyone knows where they stand. Even as a mother I find myself annoyed by parents who allow their kids to rampage around restaurants, disturbing other diners and putting themselves at risk around hot food and drinks (what's the betting these would be the first parents to sue if Little Johnny came a cropper at the hands of a hot coffee jug)?

From the other side of the coin it's very annoying when children are taken to perfectly acceptable places, are behaving just fine (if you don't subscribe to the view that children should be seen and completely unheard) and end up being at the butt of other customers' rudeness because they don't want to see or hear children. The UK isn't like Italy or the continent. Unlike these countries sadly children in Britain don't seem to be welcome in many places; or particularly liked.

Everyone thinks their children will be well behaved, even the ones that aren't. I honestly can't stand hearing or seeing children eating so I would love this place. There are plenty of children friendly places

I can't imagine running a viable 'family friendly' restaurant, the young children don't order a full cover, much less some wine, make a mess, take forever.

I wonder if you live near me, there’s an Italian restaurant near me that has the same rule. Or it may even be 12 actually. Doesn’t bother me, there’s plenty of other family friendly places to go with small kids.

I'm not sure that this is legal, it's certainly open to legal challenge. Age, like race, gender, disability sexual orientation is a protected characteristic.

Unlike the others direct age discrimination can be objectively justified. In the case of the restaurant near me I am sure the rules are to do with their licence.

Legal challenge because a business doesn’t want your unruly child running riot around their premises?

This is the problem though - Victorian notions of children being seen and not heard seem to be on the rise and consequently, the tolerance of normal children noise in the day time is falling. Ironically, pet pampering and the anthromorphising of animals has increased to the point of some adults believing them to be more important than human children. That's not an indication of progressive society IMO, that's not to say animal welfare should not be of a high standard though.

Yesterday, I was asked at the last minute if I wanted to take my children to eat at Nandos as my friend didn't have any food in, it is near to the park we had been to so I agreed as to me 5pm in a restaurant that's a bit like a glorified MacDonalds, with loud music and ordering your food at a till, is not a proper grown up restaurant. A party of adults about mid 20's came in after us and sat opposite, one man was particularly loud and obnoxious but tbh for the reasons above I didn't care. What did annoy me though was him staring at my 11 year old boy and then me when he accidentally spinned on his chair that needed oiling, he held my stare for about 10 seconds. To me that's completely ridiculous and indicative of the kind of intolerance I'm talking about. Frankly, it is not my child's fault that they randomly used these chairs or that it squeaked!

. I honestly can't stand hearing or seeing children eating

Really? that’s quite sad that you despise innocent children that much. I can understand if they are rampaging and screaming but.....eating?

If only we could all be more tolerant. Children are part of society too.

Where in the OP did they say their child was unruly?

Exactly, IME some adults have table manners that leave a lot to be desired but sometimes you have to just get on with it!

@Goldenbear nobody ever believes their child is unruly. That's the problem. Their child is always extremely well behaved and knows exactly how to sit up and eat their meal.

It's very rarely true in my experience.

And I'd love to go out with adults and not have to hear a bloody iPad.