No children in pub after 5pm

[SweetSouls]

My local banned children after 7pm a few years ago.

This seemed unnecessary to me, but I suppose that's after 'bed time' so I could sort of see the logic. Adult time etc.

On Saturday I went to stop there for a drink in the afternoon, and they have now banned children after 5pm.

This seems very odd to me given it's an area that people move to with their families. It's not some town centre boozer, it's surrounded by housing.

Is this just not terrible business? I do not get it at all.

It was almost empty, incidentally, at 5.15 on a Saturday afternoon.

And loads of people avoid him. You just don’t notice them.

If you want peace and quiet, not sure the pub's your place, although I do love a pub with no screens, fruit machines etc

That was to user12364

I wish our local would ban kids under 12 years after 7pm! They don’t serve food, adults are drinking to excess and the kids are feral. A lot of the locals drink elsewhere now, and it doesn’t have a good reputation. Strange business decision to continue running a pub (crèche)

Why do you feel the need to take your dog to a pub?

I don't expect peace and quiet in a pub..I do expect to hear the person I'm sat with to have a conversation with (unless there's a live band on or something obviously)..

One pub we visited quite locally we all had to keep moving our chairs to let all the pushchairs past. Kids sitting there waving menus. Awful. Never been back.

It's up to them but I do think it is a risk if it is a pub that serves food. I'm not sure I would go to a pub that had been unwelcoming to children over the age of about five and even if they changed their minds it would be too late. I understand that some people want adult only but everywhere pretty much is after about 7.30 p.m. anyway. If you want to eat with adults you can just eat at a time that children don't usually eat.

My favourite local pub does not allow kids at all. It is a real ale pub. No fruit machines, no screens, no food.
It is always chilled and a relaxing environment. Dogs are allowed.. but honestly I only ever see one dog in there that belongs to a regular.

It would be better if children were banned entirely from pubs, where they can be and often are a nuisance.

Absolutely agree, I’m always shocked at how British culture revolves so much around drinking.

Pubs used to be adults only. Drinking, smoking, chatting, swearing and the occasional punch up. Most pubs now are just glorified restaurants.

It's lack of parenting skills that creates monster children. Blame the parents.

Who wants to be in a pub at 5 anyway. If you haven't got children just eat at a time that adults normally eat. Drinking alcohol in the afternoon isn't great either so try having that later too. Problem solved.

I understand that some people want adult only but everywhere pretty much is after about 7.30 p.m. anyway. If you want to eat with adults you can just eat at a time that children don't usually eat.

Oh how I wish this were true where I am. I’ve not managed to get an adult dining experience in years - and I’ve tended to book around 9 in the evening. There are always kids in the restaurants I visit - price and time are no deterrents as parents decide that they have a right to go where they please even if the kids are too tired or loud for the ambience.

I’d love a restaurant that banned them outright and then I’d have certainty.

I wouldn’t want my kids eating beige food in a pub while I sit chatting and drinking wine for two hours. Half the parents just hand their kid an iPad (and a pair of headphones if everyone else is lucky). I agree with PP. I don’t think pubs are suitable for young kids. Having worked as a waitress through university in the local hotel bar I know that too many people are pissed, there are too many ‘adult, conversations and swearing, and too much opportunity to encounter broken glass/open fires/table edges. It’s hardly relaxing for parents either.

I don't think you can suggest to people when they eat and drink. Not everyone lives a 9-5 existence.

Who wants to be in a pub at 5 anyway.

People who like to have a drink after work, before going home. Quite often did myself, in my youth. In the City of London on a warm spring or summer afternoon/evening, customers will be spilling out onto the pavement. Very unlikely to be any children among them.

Because it suits us and the dog is warmly welcomed.

What’s wrong with having a pint in a pub on a Saturday / Sunday afternoon?

Better tell everyone who offers and goes to bottomless brunches that afternoon drinking is wrong as well.

I personally rarely drink, as I’m invariably driving, but it’s a perfectly normal activity. You’d even see people doing that in Europe!

We used to stop off at our local for a couple of drinks most days on the way home from work when we were much younger, so probably got there at about 5.30. It was a really nice time to be in the pub and in those days the idea of having children in the bar was unheard of.

They weren't open at five anyway though,.

5.30pm

Why should they eat when everyone else eats and why is drinking in the afternoon any different to drinking at 8pm - it's surely the amount you drink that matters and what about shift workers - not ok for them to eat and drink earlier too?

It's fine for them to eat earlier, but they have to accept the risk of encountering children.