New Forest pub bans under 12 year olds...

[Dresssos]

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10159581700162769&id=185263007768

It's all kicking off in the comments.

Do you agree with the pub's decision?

YABU No
YANBU Yes

@newnortherner111

I wonder if the pub letting all the other pubs know about this family and their behaviour should be done. I know of at least two places where pub landladies and landlords ban anyone who is banned from one of their pubs is banned from all. Happened to a Championship footballer (will not name him so as not to out the town concerned).

Usually places share it between (pubs and cafes). We used to share cctv pics of people who run instead of paying, aggressive customers (honestly, people get really angry over muffins...), and problem customers (such as a large family who eat everything, then wanted partial refund because they didn't like it, left half the food under table and threatened bad review)

It's a shame for families that do expect children to behave. But you can't tell just by looking.

We've been lucky to live in two other countries. One, a Mediterranean country, was one where everywhere was very child friendly. But, they were expected to behave courteously. So running around the play area fine, but not around tables for example. The owner would rustle up a small portion of a local dish my youngest particularly liked that was on the Meze menu but not the regular menu. He would appear with ice creams for the children. But unruliness... No way.

Children need to be taught how to behave in society. Not taking them places doesn't do that. Allowing them to misbehave in 'family friendly' places doesn't.

Some children do have additional needs. They need spaces as well. Misbehaviour by others doesn't help those children. It can even distress them.

Its not like pubs serving Sunday lunch is a commodity in short supply. Adults who want an adult free space can go there, a quick google shows the Haywain a family friendly pub nearby.

Both are probably going to have more business from this

It's up to them but I'd think they'd lose a lot of business in the summer, no? Why not just have a better policy/approach to removing people who are disruptive, they must have to do it sometimes with drunk adults.

Under 12 seems a bit old too, usually it's under 10 are the problem.

It sounds reasonable to me. I'm child free - absolutely no problem with children in dining pubs if they sit at the table and talk normally, or go into a designated play area if there is one, but shouting/screaming/running around spoils the atmosphere for everyone else,

The same is, of course, true of adults behaving badly - we all have a responsibility to be considerate in public places, and it's for the parents to teach their children how to behave in a restaurant.

There's a restaurant/pub near us that has never allowed under 12s. It's amazing - love it. And I have two under 12's.

I hate going out having kids on their tablets with the volume turned up and no headphones or running around whilst the parents ignore them.

Their business, their rules.

Personally, I can think of plenty of other places to take kids rather than the pub and I much prefer pubs being an adult environment

I have feral children. Wouldn't take them somewhere obviously adult orientated. There are plenty of places my children can be feral and not ruin everyone else's visit. Good for the pub.

Good. Their business, their rules. Hopefully they'll get rowdy 50 year olds instead 🍺🍻

I think its fair, I have children under 12 and there are plenty of family friendly chain pubs with indoor and outdoor play areas that we would go to. I hate children running riot in pubs and restaurants for the reason someone mentioned about there being hot food and drink being carried about and it can be dangerous.

We've become so expectant that things are made child friendly, we forget about making things adult friendly sometimes, also very entitled to have places they can go, when I don't have my children I don't want to sit and eat surrounded by other peoples children

I know this pub. As a coeliac with children we visited a few years ago. Awful service, awful food, our kids were well behaved but the owners were incredibly rude. So frankly I don’t imagine they have much repeat business anyway.

@Skysblue

Hmm. I have a quiet well behaved child but we have often been annoyed in pubs by drunk adults talking loudly / crowding us.

Don’t massively care as we can just go to restaurants instead, but I think there are far more badly behaved adults in pubs than there are badly behaved children.

Of course there are! It’s a pub ffs. Where adults go to drink and be loud, noisy and have fun

It means parents like me (I have 4..) can book a table in a child-free environment. Bliss!

There's no lack of "child-friendly" alternatives when you want to book as a family.

"The pub owners are well known attention seekers, they've got a dog called Boris and they were extremely vocal about their love of Brexit. Knowing their views, and their regular clientele, I doubt it's just children that aren't welcome."

Not surprised!

Good for the pub. As for the Brexit sour grapes comment; those with short memories seem to have forgotten Remainers achieved fewer votes so are in the minority!

Good, we tried to have lunch in a pub the other day and a family let all three children run around the pub. The were asked several times to keep their children under control to a ‘we’re paying your bills’ from the parents… until one child ran into a member of staff and fell over, then it was the pubs fault.

On the one hand I wouldn't be visiting, with or without my children. It says to me (rightly or wrongly) that it's a stuck up, unfriendly establishment. In general, I hate how un-child friendly this country is, and there's definitely a tendency for the child-haters to stick the boot in.
However, on the other hand, it's their pub and their right to do what they want. I do have some sympathy, as it's really annoying when there are badly behaved families on other tables, children running around etc Parents should not let that happen. Children should be taught how to behave when out in public.

Naming a dog called Boris is animal cruelty. Dogs are honest, dogs don't turn up late for an event, dogs are faithful. Animals are sentient beings and their mental health should be considered.

On the one hand I wouldn't be visiting, with or without my children. It says to me (rightly or wrongly) that it's a stuck up, unfriendly establishment. In general, I hate how un-child friendly this country is, and there's definitely a tendency for the child-haters to stick the boot in.

How is it stuck up?!

The parents would likely kick up a fuss if say the children barged into a waiter carrying soup/hot drinks etc and scalds ensued

I never go to pubs that allow children in anyway-ruins the atmosphere.

@quizqueen

Good for the pub. As for the Brexit sour grapes comment; those with short memories seem to have forgotten Remainers achieved fewer votes so are in the minority!

Oh fgs.

Sre you still going about the 'we win, you lost' type of attitude???

The problem is some pubs want it both ways. There’s a lot of money to be made from welcoming families and adults - most of us appreciate somewhere to go with kids and somewhere to escape from them!

I can’t understand anyone kicking off about it - lovely to have somewhere to go for adult environment and there are plenty of places that cater to kids, you might just have to lower your standards a bit, but that’s the main lesson of having kids isn’t it?!😂

@dreamingbohemian

It's up to them but I'd think they'd lose a lot of business in the summer, no? Why not just have a better policy/approach to removing people who are disruptive, they must have to do it sometimes with drunk adults.

Under 12 seems a bit old too, usually it's under 10 are the problem.

I think the pub owner probably knows better than you how much of its revenue is generated by this group of customers.

Good. Children shouldn't be in pubs anyway. We need one last bastion of peace, at least.