Witherspoon’s 2 drink limit for parents

[Leaannb]

I just saw an article about Witherspoons deciding to impose a 2 drink limit with parents who have their children with them. How do you feel about this? Is this being unreasonable?

Totally reasonable and responsible. Wish this had been a rule in every pub when I was growing up, my Mum used to get blathered most weekends and I’d just have to sit with a bag of pork scratchings and a glass of coke bored out of my mind...

And fwiw, my DC have only ever been in a pub with a softplay attached for a meal. They’ve never seen me drunk either, totally different lifestyle to the one I had as a child.

I don’t like Wetherspoons and the owner is a twat but I agree with this rule, pubs aren’t really a place for children anyway unless it’s to play for a while then have a meal.

Genvonklinkerhoffen
^if you're being a pedant, the pub is called JD Wetherspoon. Use an apostrophe if you want to pluralise it.*

Very Mumsnet response, but no apostrophe needed.

I know I'm in the minority here but I think any drinking is bad, I don't drink at all and think drunk people are awful. They like to think they are merry and fun, to me they are loud, irritating and frightening.

I don't think any drinks around children are a good idea. We banned smoking in public places because of the health risks yet drinking is mind altering and dangerous and any normalising of it is wrong in my eyes

The fact that our local Wetherspoons is busy any night of the week, whilst other surrounding pubs are half empty, says that they’re doing something right. I like it because you can go in, have a chat without having to shout above the music, the drinks are cheap and mostly no kids as there’s not the obligatory soft play area in the corner.

Urkiddingright

Totally reasonable and responsible. Wish this had been a rule in every pub when I was growing up, my Mum used to get blathered most weekends and I’d just have to sit with a bag of pork scratchings and a glass of coke bored out of my mind...

Same; I support this policy 100%. So many of my weekend days as a child were spent bored out of my mind in a pub, occasionally being given a bag of crisps in place of a meal, watching my mum get messy drunk and being told to shut up whining if I said I wanted to go home. That lifestyle is horrible for children, at least if the parents are drinking at home the child will have their own toys and bed there.

Most pubs are different from the 90's especially since the smoking ban, many went down the road of Sunday roast.
It is disgusting to go for a family meal with DC and get violently pissed by 6pm.

I live in the town where this rule has been implemented.
People start drinking there at 10am. The kids are feral, the adults don't parent them and the whole situation is dire.

I think it's a good rule. Parents can still have a couple of drinks to relax and socialise, without getting drunk. Two drinks is a good compromise. I don't see anything wrong with children seeing adults drink in moderation.

Great idea, although as pps have said, this was one pub that put this in place

Lots of views here for you, OP, but why don't you share what you think?

If only all pubs and restaurants had this rule!

I reckon if they did, their clientele numbers would increase a lot. Many like myself are totally put off by having feral unsupervised hyper kids running up and down and ignored by parents. And it really doesn't apply to just Wetherspoons either, believe me.

Have a picnic at home with the kids and leave the rest of us alone, thanks.

I hope it catches on.

The person claiming this is classist is wrong. If parents were getting pissed in The Fat Duck, shouting and swearing and physically fighting while their young kids looked on, then yes the owners would take action.

Hoick it is important that all children always have at least one sober parent with them, not just SN children

I feel sad that they felt the need to impose a ban. Why you need to have an alcoholic drink while having a family meal is beyond me. So many posters justify having a drink or two is fine, but why? Can't you enjoy your meal with your children and just have a soft drink like they are?

I see no issue having an alcoholic drink. I do see an issue with being pissed.

karencantobe, I agree, this isn't a class thing. How could it be? Weatherspoons (though I've never been to one), seems to be the sort of place anybody would go to, regardless of their position in society. There are two in Bromley, I might dip my toe in the water one Sunday lunch time to see what it's like.

There's no need to drink when you are out for lunch with your children. One maybe.

I am pretty much teetotal. But I have been in a lot of wetherspoons for food mainly at lunch times and I have not seen problems with children. I like the unlimited coffee.

@Brokenlightfitting if you're being a pedant, the pub is called JD Wetherspoon. Use an apostrophe if you want to pluralise it.

If you google you will find that thane interpose both Wetherspoons and Wetherspoon on their signage.

I think it's a very reasonable rule. I agree that children in pubs at mealtimes can be good - pub food is usually not too pricey, child friendly and local to many. As a pp said how else will children learn how to behave in public? That does obviously mean parents supervise and distract, rather than let them run riot. 2 drinks is a sensible limit - no one is saying at 2 drinks someone is stone cold sober and at 3 they're slurring and falling over. It's more the tone of it. A pint with a meal is very different to 3 large wines, the second implying a drinking session where the first is a normal meal out.if you want to get pissed around your children do it at home

It's unreasonable that the limit needs to be imposed by the pub, rather than the parents themselves.

Wish they had implemented this at the Wetherspoons I used to work at. My manager was a complete cunt to staff but a wet lettuce with customers.

use an apostrophe if you want to pluralise it.

No no no. Use an apostrophe to show possession (in this case) or for contraction. Never, ever for plurals!

I think it's a very good idea to prevent children from having to witness their parents getting pissed up.

@TiggersLikeToBounce I fully agree. My parents never had an alcoholic drink when eating out with us (they still wouldn't now we're adults). My DP and I only have soft drinks with meals anyway so it won't be an issue after our baby is born. I've never understood why people 'must' have an alcoholic drink with food.