Should kids be allowed in pubs?

[chocolatesaltyballs22]

Currently having a heated debate with husband. Pub near us has just imposed a 'no kids' rule, which I'm happy about. We have teen kids but have never felt the need to take them into pubs unless going for a meal. Lots of the regulars in our local take their younger kids in while they have a sesh and leave them to run riot. The landlord won't stand up to them as they bring too much money in.

My view is that pubs are not a place for kids - they never were when I was younger. It's a place I go to escape from my own kids, so why do I have to put up with other people's? He thinks that kids won't learn how to behave in public unless they are allowed into places like pubs.

Opinions?

Plenty of lovely child friendly places to eat whilst avoiding pubs
Really? Like where?
Here it's McDonald's, Indian restaurant (lovely but not ideal for a quick lunch with a 4 yr old), a handful of cafe's with limited food options and only open daytime week days , Morrisons. Which of those would YOU pick for a family Sunday lunch?

Having said that, I'm fully in support of individual pubs choosing to ban kids. If I go for food of an evening I'll pick one I know has no kids

I’m loving that this thread is running at the same time as the one where any events or places that exclude babies are being deemed to discrimination.

My view is that I don’t like pubs anyway but there is a dearth of places where you can go to avoid children, as now they’re pretty much allowed everywhere.

He thinks that kids won't learn how to behave in public unless they are allowed into places like pubs.

That only works if the parents taking children into pubs and restaurants are actually teaching their little darlings how to behave acceptably in public and the sad reality is that the vast majority of them are not.

I hate seeing kids in pubs we grew up in the pub most nights just sat there with a box of crayons whilst our parents had a drink, kids don't want to sit in pubs whilst you have a drink. We never wanted to, even now I have my own it's not something I find interesting to do because let's face it it's not fun for the kid is it? It's something for me to do and if I wanted to go for a drink then I can do that without taking them out in to a pub.

I have quite a few local pubs near me. My local is a drinking pub and in summer kids play out in the garden.

There's an eating pub that is family friendly with an eating area and small bar area. It's not the type of pub to pop in to have a pint after a dog wall pub.

There's another pub which tries to be a drinking pub, a restaurant and a family friendly pub. It's not great, it's very busy and trying to eat food there when there's a load of people out on the piss gives me an headache. Kids run around as it's family friendly but I wouldn't take my DC there for an evening meal out.

I do take my DC in my local drinking pub if we pop in for an afternoon pint but my DC either sit down and chat with us or play outside. There are the bar prop men there and my DC do know some of their names and might get a pound or a bag of crisps of one the regulars. It's a nice atmosphere in the day. My DC do not go to the pub with me when I'm out on the lash or in the evening. I don't get pissed with my kids.

The landlady is quite scary and doesn't take any messing about

The two nearest to me both have interesting set ups, the first has adult only drinking and eating areas, the second allows children in before 9pm and imposes 8.15 on ordering food if you have children with you.

Op. My point (from yesterday) is there is no should or shouldn't. It is up to the landlord. If he doesn't want children in his pub then that is that.

I don't think many people mind well behaved kids bringing pubs, it's the snotty little horrors no one likes.

If it’s a family friendly food type pub I have no problem.

What I find annoying is the amount of people who visit brewery tap rooms with kids in tow, a place that is solely about the drinking and has nothing for children so they just get bored. I think it’s a bit selfish to be honest!

The only place that banned kids near where I live was a posh cafe.

It was always child friendly and packed to the rafters. Always a queue out of the door to get a table.

Owners retired and sold to a guy and his wife who immediately banned children.

I hadn’t realised the no child policy so walked in with teenage Dd only to be told in no uncertain terms to get out as no children were allowed

It went from thriving to deserted almost overnight.

They lasted months then sold it to a guy who opened its doors once again to children.

It took him a bit of time to get the cafe back on track as the mummy groups who used to use it had found other places to go and for the word to get out that it was once again child friendly.

Yes we live in an area with a lot of older people and whilst they might pop in for a cup of tea now and again ultimately it isn’t a sustainable income.

I don’t think any business in hospitality in our area would ever ban children. It really would be the death knell for the business

Well I think it depends on how well behaved the kids are! (though you obviously can't impose a 'no misbehaving kids allowed' rule!! )

I was killing time the other day picking my older DS up from a playdate. It was dark, raining and cold, so I took my other DS (age 5) into a locals pub so we could keep warm and out of the rain. It was about 6:30. I had a Coke and he had an orange juice. We sat at a table quietly by ourselves having a drink and a chat and shared some crisps. We didn't bother anyone. He enjoyed some mummy time and felt grown up. I loved the opportunity to have a good chat with my little man. It would have been a shame if we'd had to sit outside on a bench in the cold, dark and wet ...

At a family friendly pub that caters to that market, fine in day time only

I think there is a time and a place for both.

Ds loves going out for the occasional meal to his safe places. He also loves spending half an hour on a Sunday in our local which doesn’t serve food but where he is well loved and accepted.

There are other places that I wouldn’t take him into either because they aren’t a suitable environment or because they have made the choice to be child free.

As long as the child is safe and well cared for wherever they are then there is a place for child friendly and child free.

I have not rtft. Since the smoking ban the pub trade failed, the majority had to opt for a more family friendly set-up carvery etc.
I don't believe DC should have been in a pub many years ago, nowadays it is catered for families.

The one near us is heaving on weekends at lunch time mostly with families. Meanwhile other places next door are almost empty

I agree with your dh , this is why I roll my eyes when people say they can never take their kids out for a meal because they don’t want to sit down for that long .
How will they learn if they are never in that scenario?
We took dd out to restaurants from when she was born and she’s always been happy to eat out or god forbid we go to a pub for the afternoon for food and a glass or 2 of wine .. it’s hardly a session as you call it .
Not all children are little monster who run around screaming

The really lovely Italian cafe near us, very family friendly and full of mummies during the week, was always also dog friendly - but they have just banned dogs which I think is a real shame. I wonder if they bowed to pressure.

I think we take our kids (3 and 10) to a pub for lunch or a drink after a walk most weekends. However, they’re well behaved and they’re country eating pubs in the middle of the day. I’d agree with a no kids rule in city bars and other pubs after say 7 at night.

I wouldn’t take mine in just for a drink they’d not enjoy that and I don’t think it’s an environment they need to bE exposed to at their ages. I do take them for dinner, but more in restaurants with separate bar and afternoon/early evening. My 8 year old doesn’t always cope well with long drawn out meals so it’s not a common occurrence.
We have many eateries here so plenty choice and not many pubs allow kids unless they are eating.

I’d also say I’d avoid kid friendly places if I was out without mine, I don’t want to be tripping over other people’s kids whilst I’m not at work(work with kids) and don’t have my own that day.

No. Children should not be in pubs anymore than adults without children should be in soft play centres rolling around in the ball pit.

Pubs are for adults, not for children.

There are plenty of places to take children without imposing them on pub goers.

Our local has two sides and they're allowed in one side before 7 (neither after) but not the other. I find that works well. They always have to be supervised, though.

Wow @footchewer some pretty nasty stuff in there.

I do hope the drinkers aren't wishing you and your family an early death, too.

I see no problem with kids being allowed. More in line with the rest of Europe instead of being hard drinking dens.

"He thinks that kids won't learn how to behave in public unless they are allowed into places like pubs"

I agree with you DH. Provided, of course, that the parents are teaching the kids how to behave.
I'm pretty tolerant to misbehaviour in public if I see the parents addressing it. Its only when the behaviour is ignored that I have a problem.
It sounds like too many parents were ignoring bad behaviour at your local and the landlord felt he had to put a stop to it. Its a shame for the more responsible parents who are now unable to use the space.

My kids go to pubs and they know how to behave in pubs