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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the current policy towards ID/(just) under 18s in pubs is a bit silly

30 replies

Misscherrypie1 · 02/02/2023 16:39

DS is 17 (18 in July) and in his final year of sixth form. His friends are all starting to go out to pubs and clubs and the such like and he can’t go as still underage. Pubs now scan and inspect IDs to within an inch of their life and there are ridiculously heavy fines and penalties enforcing the system. While I understand the need to protect young children from alcoholism surely that level of resource and policing being devoted towards preventing 16/17 year olds going for a pint is just a bit silly - especially if they’re young in the year group and all their friends are basically the same as them in terms of maturity etc. I just don’t see how on earth it’s a proportionate response to saddle hospitality businesses with tens of thousands in fines or even loss of licences (especially if a fake ID is used and they looked 18 with no conceivable way of knowing). I remember I drank in pubs before my 18th birthday. Aibu to think the current policy is utterly silly and overkill?

OP posts:
PuttingDownRoots · 02/02/2023 16:44

There has to be a limit somewhere. In Germany 16 for beer, in the UK its 18, in the USA 21.

It can't be wooly. Then its pointless.

LostAtTheCrossRoad · 02/02/2023 16:45

YANBU in that yes, the risks to businesses if they get id-ing wrong are very high, but YABVU in that it remains a fact that its illegal to sell that alcohol to minors because of the health and social impacts of excess consumption. We can and should do more to minimse it tbh.

IDontCareMatthew · 02/02/2023 16:46

How ridiculous you sound, moaning about something put in place to protect us

It's not just to protect from alcoholism at all.... people do stupid things when drunk.

He will have to wait! Won't kill him

Minfilia · 02/02/2023 16:47

I think it’s sensible. It’s a bit ridiculous when I get asked for ID at 37 though just because I’m part of a group!

Its much tighter in the US too age wise - I’ve been to events where you have to show ID for every alcoholic drink bought (regardless of age) and wear a wristband so that when you’re actually drinking it the security staff can see you don’t need checking again. Even with a wristband you still need ID to actually buy drinks. That’s a bit overkill for a 50 year old!

But checking IDs to make sure underage kids don’t drink and the venue don’t lose their license is completely sensible (I’m a personal licence holder).

Missingpate · 02/02/2023 16:48

I hadn’t realised it had all become so strict, OP. I was an early summer baby and remember finding it annoying enough back in the 90s so I feel sorry in advance for my ds when he gets there as an august born. It does seem disproportionate. Ah well, he’ll just have to go to more house parties!

Oblomov22 · 02/02/2023 16:48

Even over 18's at Uni, the pubs and clubs seem to be a bit overzealous refusing legit ID.

Shgytfgtf111 · 02/02/2023 16:49

Yeah you are ridiculous. Let's bend the law to suit your kids birthday shall we? Where is the cutoff point?

Johnnysgirl · 02/02/2023 16:50

Why would 16/17 year olds be presumed to be the same as their 18 year old friends in terms of maturity? It's a frankly ridiculous premise.

RiktheButler · 02/02/2023 16:51

You understand that is illegal for a 16/17 year old to "go for a pint"?

You understand that staff and licence holders face massive fines?

Grimchmas · 02/02/2023 16:54

The pubs are protecting themselves from heavy penalties.

There has to be a line in the sand.

YABU .

OopsAnotherOne · 02/02/2023 16:54

There has to be a cut off somewhere and 18 is the limit, which is lower than some other countries. It can't be "18, give or take a few months either side" unfortunately. Your DS still has the option of drinking at home or having a pint with his meal if it's absolutely necessary that he consumes alcohol.

I didn't like the personal liability of accidentally serving someone underage alcohol when I was a bartender, but I suppose it did the job as I was meticulous in checking IDs because the risk of a fine was hanging over my head and on minimum wage, I couldn't afford it.

For that reason, it frustrated me when underage people, and the parents of teens below the age of 18, insisted on me bending the rules because "he's almost 18" because, while it would have made their day I'm sure, if I got caught I'd get in trouble. Any one of those people could have been a "secret shopper".

Asking bartenders to risk their job and a fine to allow someone to illegally drink in their premises is so unfair on the bartender in question. I also got quite a lot of grief from some customers for refusing to sell alcohol to them if they were underage or didn't have ID.

That's why although I agree with the 18 limit for buying alcohol, I was never a fan on the way the policy was made to put the blame at the feet of those on the ground rather than those caught buying alcohol underage and the parents who (more often than not in my personal experience) were the ones encouraging and insisting on it.

IDontCareMatthew · 02/02/2023 16:55

Do this age group 'go for a pint'? Sounds a bit twee

Headstones250 · 02/02/2023 16:56

I have a 17 year old July baby too. She's really feeling isolated as all her friends are already 18 and a lot of the impromptu socialising goes on without her. Our local Wetherspoons is very strict.
I agree that it would be fairer to have one date in the year that everyone from the cohort could go pubbing. Even if that was 1st Sept of the following year. No schoolchildren should be drinking in pubs in my view.

OneTC · 02/02/2023 16:57

I can understand the need to ID people but the places that scan your passport can gtfo.

Although tbf it can be a condition of their license, and if they've got really strict imposed conditions then you need to wonder why you want to go in there Grin

SillySausage81 · 02/02/2023 16:58

Say if the law was relaxed slightly and the bar staff were no longer personally liable for serious fines and the pub didn't risk losing its licence if they served a 17 year old. In that situation, how are the bar staff now supposed to know the teenager they are serving is 17, and not 14?

The reason why many establishments have a "think 25" policy is that it can be extremely hard to reliably tell the age of a teen/young adult. Especially for older adults who don't spend any time around younger people.

The trouble is, if the laws aren't properly enforced then some establishments will push it much further than others, as will some youngsters, and then suddenly they've got a bunch of 13 year olds having their stomachs pumped.

Your son's younger friends should do what we used to and fill a water bottle with vodka and lemonade and swig it when they go outside for a "fag break". Getting around the rules is part of the fun.

GettingStuffed · 02/02/2023 17:00

I was 16 when I started drinking in pubs. We "youngsters" were "taught" how to behave with alcohol in public. If you got rowdy one of the older customers would have a quiet word . If you didn't listen you'd get barred

Ponderingwindow · 02/02/2023 17:01

the age restrictions need to be enforced.

There are so many more interesting things to do then go to a pub and drink. The problem isn’t that pubs are keeping out underage drinkers, it is that society has made those teens think spending their time and money drinking is the end goal. Nothing wrong with having a legal drink now and then, but the friend group could easily choose something else and include everyone.

Highlyflavouredgravy · 02/02/2023 17:03

I do sympathise.
I an end of August baby and that final year of 6th form presented some challenges for him. The night of A level results, his gang all went clubbing and he and the other August born pal were left out.
But once he was 18 he had a mad few weeks before uni!

CombatBarbie · 02/02/2023 17:19

One of the main reasons I'm desperately trying to get DD to defer Uni, she will only have turned 17 in the Apr..... She will be massively isolated for the first 7 months....

She thinks I can just get her fake ID 😂 it's not 1997 anymore!!

alloalloallo · 02/02/2023 17:32

I also have a July child and she’s also finding it a bit tough now all her friends have turned 18. She doesn’t want to drink alcohol, just wants to be able to go out with her friends.

Most pubs won’t allow under 18s in at all around here. I guess it’s easier for bar staff if they no there’s no under 18s in the pub.

When I was that age, we were allowed in, but not served alcohol. Bar staff IDed us. Although, saying that, there was a pub who would turn a blind eye as long as you behaved yourself. Any dicking around or getting drunk, they turfed you out and you were banned.

Addymontgomeryfan · 02/02/2023 17:40

If your son's friends are just popping to the pub for a pint then there is no reason why your son can't join them, he just can't drink alcohol.

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 02/02/2023 17:54

His friends are all starting to go out to pubs and clubs and the such like and he can’t go as still underage

Of course he can go to the pub. He just can't drink alcohol yet

FencingWithKippers · 02/02/2023 17:55

I assume it is so they don't have to ID them at the bar every time someone buys a drink and that everyone in the place is old enough to legally drink . If someone buys 2 pints, the other pint is for someone over 18.

Ds found that even though the Citizen card says everyone accepts it they don't, so it had to be a provisional or full driving license or a passport. Yes, shitty for those summer borns especially after A level results day but just life.

FencingWithKippers · 02/02/2023 17:55

@sparepantsandtoothbrush depends on whether the pub allows under 18s in. I can only speak for city centre pubs which is where Ds and his mates went.

XenoBitch · 02/02/2023 17:56

There has to be a line, and 18 is it. Annoying for anyone who is the youngest in a group of friends, but it is not forever.