To think serving alcohol at a school fayre seems off

[Mummy0b]

Just that really, it seems off to me.
Not against drinking in any way, i actually work in a bar (possibly why it seems more of a concern to me) but theres a time and a place for drinking and a school fayre doesnt seem like one of them. Ive witnessed so many happy, family occasions descend into utter chaos because of excess alcohol consumption and it seems like a school fayre would do fine without a bar.
Additionally, i know many people who struggle with alcohol addiction and i dont think they would expect to be confronted with that temptation at a school event
So AIBU to think people could go without a drink at a school fayre?

The message we are giving is that those mud kitchens/ dressing up clothes/ PE equipment/ new library books aren’t going to fund themselves.

When did we become so puritanical?

@Pumperthepumper

For me it’s the idea that it’s the bar making half the profit. Ie that’s what people prefer to spend their money on.

That was at 21.52

Then we have , a big "think of the children", you're all awful

No, but you also won’t have seen the parents who held it together until they got home and got stuck in then, or the kids who knew alcohol was an issue in their family and were tense and distracted all day because they didn’t know if their parent would be able to control themselves around it in front of all their school pals.

That was at midnight!

Different issues three hours apart, some would say you're arguing for the sake of it?

No, just the discussion moving on. Insidious drinking culture is my main point.

That explains an awful lot about those kinds of schools.😂

@Pumperthepumper insidious drinking culture was not your first thought! You e jumped on the bandwagon! It's there quite clear to be seen.

Yes it was. This was my first post on this thread.

I find this discussion fascinating. There are some strong opinions here.
I wonder if there's a common factor in the areas that have a bar at school fairs and those that don't

My anecdotal experience is that schools in more affluent areas will sell alcohol.

I have no idea 1000pieces. I don't think it matters how they are organised, it's the actual fair/fayre/fete that you end up with that matters, ie, by calling it a fayre you are indicating that it is going to be simple and traditional.

(Where did you get medieval from btw?)

From the OED. Why?

The spelling FAYRE for both kinds of fair appeared in the 14th century and continued to be used through the 17th century (at least from my sampling of the 934 OED quotes) in such phrases as ‘fayre lady,’ fayre maiden,’ ‘fayre play,’ ‘fayre’ game,’ ‘fayre promises,’ ‘fayre houses,’ ‘fayre promises,’ ‘fayre daughters,’ . . . as well as in the festival ‘fayre.’ The earliest spelling for the festival FAIR, at least according to the OED, was ‘feyre’ (1292) followed by ‘faire’ (1393) and then by ‘fayre’ in the 1400s.

It hasn't been a word in use since the 17th century, unless you're doing a weird fake thing, like calling a shop a "shoppe" or saying "thou" instead of you.

I mean, feel free. But it sounds like wank.

From the OED. Why?

Because I thought you were replying to what I'd said in my post.

It hasn't been a word in use since the 17th century, unless you're doing a weird fake thing, like calling a shop a "shoppe" or saying "thou" instead of you.

It's been in a fair (boom-boom-tish!) bit of use in my local area in the 21st century. Maybe it's making a come back?!

It is, in the way that people call things "Ye Olde Vape Shoppe". I mean it's a confected harking back to an artificial past.

The word "fair" is fine. As is the word "shop". They are, in fact, the words used in the anglosphere for at least 400 years.

"Fayre" isn't an "old" spelling so much as an archaic one. Archaic mean no longer used.

I mean you could go around using 14th century English generally if you wanted to but it wouldn't make you seem "simple and traditional". More just very odd.

We don’t serve alcohol at school functions as we have a high proportion of ethnic minority families who perhaps wouldn’t come if it was served. I don’t know anyone who complains about the lack of alcohol. It’s a school event, and everyone sees the importance of welcoming the whole school
community.

So AIBU to think people could go without a drink at a school fayre?

Then alcoholics can do without drink rather than people making excuses for them.

So one section is dictating how others live, if alcohol were to be available it wouldn't be presumably to compulsory to drink it, everyone would have a choice, that's the more 'inclusive' solution.

I don't drink for religious reasons but that doesn't stop me from attending functions & venues where alcohol is served. Also, it's a little bit wokey to assume that the ethnic minority groups wouldn't attend because of alcohol. Lots of ethnic minorities do drink so you're being a bit presumptuous here & tarring everyone with the same brush. Has anybody asked them if they'd like alcohol?

I'd be more concerned about the drink driving safety aspect and that's why I wouldn't serve alcohol at a school fayre. Not everybody lives at walking distance to the school & not everyone can limit themselves to one drink either.

We don’t serve alcohol at school functions as we have a high proportion of ethnic minority families who perhaps wouldn’t come if it was served.

Have you actually had any complaints from these ethnic minority families? We have a high proportion of ESL children at our school from
varying backgrounds and it doesn’t seem
to cause a problem. The treasurer of the PTA is a Muslim woman.

ALL our school events have alcohol for parents - film night, fairs, quiz nights.
itsnhow the PTFA make most of their money - let’s face it they aren’t going to turn a huge profit flogging 20p buns and 2nd hand toys are they?
our ‘bar’ is always separate from the kids though - they’ll be in the main hall at the disco and the parents are in a different part of the school.

It's completely unnecessary. If adults can't cope with a couple of hours with their kids without a drink they have a problem.

Gosh, the pearl clutching here!

How we treat alcohol in the U.K. is strange. Drinking around children over in the continent is so normal and creates a healthy attitude to drinking. A glass of wine with a meal or a glass of pimms with your Eton mess/sandwiches, what's the difference? The pimms is usually so watered down that you can't taste the stuff anyway. It's just like coloured lemonade with some questionable bits of cucumber and strawberry in a small plastic cup at our fair. Barely worth the £4.50 but it supports the pta so 🤷🏻‍♀️.

As others have said, should we ban the raffle and the sweetie stall too?
Brits do love a whinge!

I don’t get the logic of this at all. You could equally say if adults can’t cope with a couple of hours with their kids without a tombola they have a problem. I mean both statements are true but also have nothing to do with whether tombolas or pimms should be available at a school fair.

If you can’t taste it anyway, what’s the point in having it?

And the way alcohol is treated in the UK generally versus say, France or Spain is the whole issue here.

My kids' school is in London so a hugely diverse school population including a high number of Muslims. No one has ever complained about alcohol at the summer fair.