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?

YouTheCat

We also had to ask permission to leave the table. And use cutlery properly. And ask someone to pass the salt.

No books, ipads, cartoons, tv or distractions.

Sunday lunch we were allowed to listen to Garedeners Question time on the radio - as a treat

Same, LittleChristmasMouse. Though I haven't been as strict with my kids, who are now grown up. They still have decent table manners.

Canadian who here has assumed that all children are badly behaved? You can’t deny that some are, and that is why it’s nice to have the choice to be sure that they won’t be there. There are lots of places small children can’t go and plenty that are specifically for them.

I once went to a restaurant, not Italian btw, and it was no chn under 9. We were with a large family group and my DDs were always very well behaved in restaurants . However, that's their rule and we respected it and found somewhere else. Unfortunately, many people with chn let them run around.

We once sat in ASK having lunch with our 2 young teens. it was ruined by the kids from a table of mums and babies/toddlers near to us. They had finished eating and the toddlers were running around, one took some garlic bread from our table, paper aeroplanes were being hurled in all directions. We complained to the waiter who was very apologetic and kept saying they will leave soon, they have been here 3 hours!!! They decided to leave just as we finished our meal.

greenpop21 - I've had this a few times when I went for a meal in Pizza Express - usually after work or on a weekend and pre-DC and after I had my DD.

One time was in Bristol - rowdy kids but was after Christmas/New Year so gave that a pass.

Another memorable time was in a naice area of SE London - we were there on a weekend - in the afternoon but there was obviously some sort of kids party there - ok you get the usual hig spirits, birthday cake etc but these kids screamed, shouted - were all approx. 8-9 by the looks of them, we couldn't hear ourselves talk and then I had a running child run inbetween our table and fell and banged his head on corner of my friend's chair. The racket he made you'd have thought we'd hurt him - his carer (think mum of birthday child) (not parent) came over and practically accused us of doing something to cause this - can't think what but maybe having the chair stuck out (it wasn't sticking out), when I mentioned that he shouldn't have been running I got a cat's bum face from carer. Waiting staff looked frazzled and rightly so.

Agreed with LittleChristmasMouse etc re GoldenBear - me and a friend pre DC went to a spa hotel on Gran Canaria - slightly out of season but maybe in autumn half term, there was a spa area and it was strictly no kids at all - adults etc - one time a parent did bring what looked like an 8 year old girl in with her to the spa area and was told firmly by the spa management she wasn't allowed in.

As I think it also had a family part - think pools and pool area there were kids there but mostly older kids, teens. I think the 'spa' name of it put off families with young children.

The whole bloody point of this type of hotel is to able to relax not have kids running around disrupting the peace and quiet!

YouTheCat agreed - I'm from a similar age/era as you I think when eating out was a big treat and generally only if you knew the restaurant etc you weren't allowed. Exception was McD's, Pizza Hut etc, pubs had games rooms and gardens and kids then were let in at owner's discretion.

As a consequence when we did eat out we were on our best behaviour and wouldn't have dared play up. If we did we were brought normally to the toilets and given a stern talking to which normally stopped us.

I think it’s ridiculous to assume all children are poorly behaved no one is saying that. DS is generally good ut he does come with his own sound. Times 50 in a busy family pub. If I'm not with him, I like to not have to listen to your perfectly nice kids anyway. That's why I go. In the adult but of the pub. Because sometimes it's nice to not be around them. Even yours, you are perfect I'm sure.

I think it’s ridiculous to assume all children are poorly behaved

No one is assuming that. They're stating correctly that a certain proportion of children don't behave in the same way as adults in a restaurant and it affects other diners. A lot of their behaviour isn't even "bad behaviour" it's developmentally appropriate behaviour (e.g. a three year old is naturally more fidgety, can't control the volume of their voice as well, is more clumsy and prone to knocking things off the table) but it can still impact other diners who want to eat in an adult setting.

There are plenty of restaurants you can take your kids to so I think having a few adult only spaces is absolutely fine.

I've also had an evening meal ruined by kids at. It was past 8 at night and the table next to us had a screaming baby (no one was bothering to try and placate it). A toddler who kept knocking things off the table (you'd have thought they might have moved things away from him after the first time) and screaming when they fell on the floor. A ~4 year old who was on the booth next to my friend and kept lying across it and kicking her.

Yes I guess behaviour in restaurants has got worse as for some it is not longer a treat eating out. I can remember standing outside a family type pub with a screaming baby and then swapping over so I could eat my meal.
I was just a bit sad as the place looked so good and the kids would have been beautifully behaved, including great volume control. They are used to sitting at a table and eating dinner with everyone else though.

Anyone else longing to hear more (not so) stealth boast anecdotes from Goldenbear? 😂
Shame on the pp who breathed the word “Disney” in the same breath as mentioning Golden’s 5 star resort, which COULDN’T BE FURTHER FROM DISNEY! Just for clarification.
Alternatively can anyone raise her a nine year old who discusses black hole theory with grandma?

I'd be happy to patronise a no children under X age restaurant and obviously enough people are to keep their business running. Sounds good to me! Now mine are old enough to be left, I like enjoying childfree time and if possible, adults only places. Why we especially enjoy pubs in Scotland. Kids all get kicked out at 8 due to licensing laws.

Young ones, that is. Our 16-year-old can stay, just not have any alcohol.

Alternatively can anyone raise her a nine year old who discusses black hole theory with grandma?

How dull! At that age mine preferred to debate the works of Chomsky and Brodsky whilst lighting Granny's fag in the smoking area.

Sensible rule. Despite my best efforts, my 7yo is a little bugger challenging in restaurants at the moment. She used to be fine, now she isn't. I refuse to take her anywhere more upmarket than a Toby Carvery at the moment.

Surely 'seen and not heard' is just standard UK expectations for behaviour for everyone, not just kids?

In a cafe for example, you expect the hum of conversation, staff calling out orders, the clink of cutlery and plates, the coffee machine doing its thing, laughter here and there, people coming in and out etc. When someone or something breeches that sound level and is very noisy for a sustained period, surely we are all at Lear a bit annoyed?