To wish for an adults only pub?

[Floofydawg]

I mean, when did it become acceptable Saturday afternoon entertainment for small children to take them to the pub?

Walked into our local yesterday to what appeared to be a badly run nursery. One small child with iPad on, sound up. Large group of adults ignoring child, who is clearly bored. Starts crying loudly and mother/auntie decides to imitate child and pretend cry, very loudly.

Another group with four small children making a ridiculous amount of noise, so much so that the bar staff had to have a word with them as she couldn't hear to answer the phone. We were struggling to have a conversation.

Is it too much to ask for a quiet pint in a pub without having to listen to screeching kids?

I suspect they died out as no one really wants to eat at those type of places, even parents.
Poor quality food heated up and served in an environment where children of all ages are running around shouting and squealing!

I've several pubs in my village and I've not seen a child in any of them so I must be quite lucky.

To be honest, I don't think pubs can afford to lose the custom nowadays. So for them, it's better to have a family with a couple noisy kids bringing in money, than them not being there. I was a child in the pubs with my parents in the 80s, and I take my child to the pub now. We go to our local and support local business ( not a chain) Sometimes she runs around and is a bit bonkers, but most people are quite chilled about it. The kids you're talking about on an ipad (mine doesn't have one, but I do not judge those that do) have just lived through a pandemic and do not have the same social skills as children before them. I say have a bit of understanding and empathy for the parents.

I think a lot of pubs have to allow families in order to make enough profit to survive.

Unless there was a sign saying that children weren’t allowed, I’d see a pub that serves food as fair game (though I wouldn’t be getting pissed or acting like the parents you describe… imitating a crying child is horrible). Lots have children’s menus and even play equipment outside.

I do sympathise though, if I’m out for a drink I’d rather not be around children. Could you try somewhere that’s more of a wine/cocktail bar rather than a pub? They don’t tend to be as family friendly.

Sometimes she runs around and is a bit bonkers, but most people are quite chilled about it.

They might look chilled but they are probably thinking something quite different.

Children and pubs don’t belong together. They aren’t allowed in a bookies, so I don’t understand them being in a pub either. If parents can’t sacrifice their weekends boozing when they are really young then they have problems.

You issue here is nasty adults.

Does your local betting shop have high chairs and a climbing frame? No? My local pub does, because they are trying to encourage families in.

There are absolutely loads of pubs that don’t allow children. You’re just moaning that your favourite pub does allow children.

I prefer children over dogs, in a pub.

Yanbu, kids shouldn't be in pubs at all but if they are there should be a family section away from everyone else

Ooh I like this idea. Send the three kids into the kids section, where there's Pub Nanny's and then I can go off and eat my dinner in peace 😜😜

when did it become acceptable Saturday afternoon entertainment for small children to take them to the pub

From what I recall, around 1992.

But a bookies and a pub are totally different 🙄🙄 . That's like saying kids aren't allowed tattoos so they shouldn't be allowed socks 😹

Most parents in a pub with their kids aren't boozing, they're eating or letting the kids play in the play park. We do Mum breakfast or lunches and let the kids play in the park. We do the odd weekend lunch where we might have a single drink each. We do a meal for Mother's Day etc.

And guess what - THEY WNAT US TO. Yup. Kids menu. TV screens showing kids TV. Highchairs. Play areas.

Plenty of bars etc that don't have those. Go there.

Sometimes she runs around and is a bit bonkers, but most people are quite chilled about it.

They shouldn’t be, and you need to stop her @Jerseylaura. Assuming this place serves hot food and drinks, she could get injured if she collides with someone carrying trays or mugs.

There's a carvery near me called Sweet Chestnut that has both indoor and outdoor kids play areas. I think Brewer's Fair also has an indoor play area.

You really shouldn't judge parents who allow their kids to use iPads if you don't know how to parent your own.

If you want an adults-only pub then are you also prepared to go there pretty much every day in order for it to survive catering to your sensibilities?

I have seen signs in some pubs along the lines of "well behaved children are welcome".

Our local pub does fish and chips on a Thursday and Friday and often whole families eat there. I have never seen any badly behaved children in there, probably because I know the landlord would have a quiet word with the parents.

The rest of the week it is just a normal drinkers pub with no facilities for children so you don't usually see children there.

2 out of 3 pubs in my village never have children in. One is a boring (for children) drinkers’ pub with no outside space and no food. The other is very expensive, so tends to attract wealthy older couples rather than families.
The one with children (who do run around and screech a lot) is the one that markets itself as being family friendly, does kids meals, has a garden etc.

Sometimes she runs around and is a bit bonkers, but most people are quite chilled about it.

You let your child do this is in a pub yet judge those parents who give their kids iPads??!

I've just been away for half term with another family. We would go out to eat and for a couple of drinks early evening and the kids all had devices. Sometimes they played on them individually, sometimes they played together and sometimes they played uno or dobble.
Devices were put away when eating and at no point were any of them running around.

I'd much rather see kids playing quietly on a device than running around a pub which, quite frankly, is dangerous!

One of our local pubs has a "no under 25s" rule. It's great.

Are they allowed to do that?

How do they police that?

There is no reason for your child to run around a pub “being a bit bonkers”