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.

Where's my friends and I go to pubs where no children are allowed!

Ds has ADHD and Autism - prone to feeling emotionally overloaded and having a meltdown. If the meltdown was coming on I would take him out of the pub/restaurant and offer him a choice his behaviour improved or we'd go home. Meltdown in place we'd leave either permanently or sit outside until he was done - I did not expect everyone else to sit through his meltdowns - not fair on him either having people stare.

Yes, but that's probably because you sound like a sensible mum, @Curtainsforus, and almost certainly don't use your DS's ADHD as a go-to excuse for everything

However people are various, and some (and that is some before folk start shouting) reach for a label when what's really happening is a total lack of parenting

@PyongyangKipperbang your post sets out why I don't want children in pubs. In different countries the drink isn't the best all end all, my experience of UK pubs differ considerably.

Ironically as an Irish person I was shocked by the pub at lunch time culture in UK in the early 00s. That wasn't the norm in Dublin at tthe

They might go under the name of pubs nowadays. They're not proper pubs in the traditional sense.

I'd like to see all kids banned from pubs full stop.
It's not the place for them.

A lot of pubs wouldn't survive if they weren't family friendly.

I think a pub where children can see that drinking sensibly is normal, with a meal, is a good idea. No, you don't want kids in a boozer all day, or seeing pissed people. But alcoholics/irresponsible drinkers are going to do that anyway at home.

Alcohol is a normal part of life in the UK, is it too normalised, probably, do people drink too much, probably. But having kids in the pub at 5pm isn't going to change that.

5pm is a bit too early to ban children as you may want to go in for a family meal around that time. 7pm is fine though. I used to go to a working mens club that allowed children all evening and you are lucky if you don't fall over one of the many children running riot while their parents are sat drinking and ignoring them.

So find somewhere that does allow children then?

I guess they’ll change it back if it is bad for business!

Nope. They are now kiddie fun palaces.

Excellent well done. It wouldnt bother me whether there's kids there or not, I'm not there to drink or eat with other people's kids. But as long as you're happy.

Absolutely.

I was replying to the OP, I would rather find a venue with no children in it.

Was it a restaurant or a pub?

Lots of pubs sell food and kids are allowed in providing they are eating.

I can see both sides but kids being banned from pubs is a nightmare if you’re on holiday in a small place in the UK with limited options. Other countries have much better intergenerational offerings. The misery of no dinner in a supposedly sweet seaside spot still haunts me.

Restaurants are very child friendly now. There doesn't seem to be much adult only spaces left - I think pubs should let kids in during the day, but after 5pm, let the adults relax without the threat of noisy and unruly children running around.

YABU. Nothing worse than wanting to relax with a drink in the pub and being surrounded by squalling kids.

Guess it's making the decision to be more adult focused rather than family. Just got to know which pubs are which and go accordingly. Xx

I don't think kids should be allowed in pubs atall. It's not a good environment for them to be in

I know I’m late to the party but our old local (closed down now and made into a restaurant) used to allow children up to 10pm and I remember one summer a woman was bladdered and rocking her young baby in a pram at around 9pm to get them to sleep because the baby was so distraught by the noise and the lights.

so maybe the pub had a few incidents like this and didn’t want to be responsible for parents getting tipsy in charge of children but if they are losing profits they may change the times to later for allowing children entry.

My DP is from another country and I lived abroad for a while in a developing country and we both commented on how different the kids are to kids in the UK.

They have so much less material things but they are happier and definitely better behaved.
Its common to have big families that socialise together but most kids in restaurants sit at the table and eat the same as everyone else and don’t interrupt, run round or demand constant attention. If they misbehave any adults present could discipline them and it’s very much a “village mentality”
I took the kids some basic toys, clothes and sweets and they were so appreciative. The older kids played with toys because they had tv but no phones or iPads.

There are fancier restaurants and adult spaces despite what people in this country believe and no one thinks you hate children if you don’t expect them to be there, kids fit in with adults instead of the other way around like they do here.
There isn’t the expectation to take kids everywhere but that’s probably because families live together so there is more childcare in households.

If children had behaved like they do in this country where I had lived they wouldn’t get away with it. If they ran round a restaurant inside the staff would bring them to the table and insist they sit down. The staff aren’t terrified to approach parents if kids are acting up.

My DP has some family who live in Europe who came to visit, it was two couples and one couple brought a toddler. We were disappointed thinking the whole trip would revolve round the toddler but she was good as gold. She went round museums and we ate out every night and she shared her parents food in every place and ate everything on her plate then sat and did some colouring before falling asleep in her buggy.
Towards the end of the trip I was actually willing her to act up a bit because DP was getting broody 😂.
His family members commented on some of the kids behaviour we saw when we were out. Two children were bashing a fish tank with a remote control for the music in a restaurant with no supervision to be seen.
They also asked why kids in this country like to scream as though they are bring murdered?!

People constantly post on here that people in the UK hate kids and they are far more accepted and included abroad. It’s not the kids people hate, it’s the parents who let their feral hell beasts run amok like a reenactment of lord of the flies!

I agree and restaurants are far more suitable environments for children.
Pubs should remain adult venues, at least evenings anyway.

In fairness it must be really tough if your child has ADHD or other conditions that make navigating everyday situations significantly harder than average.
On the whole though you are right.
I’m out with my 7 year old tonight for a pre theatre meal. She’s sat nicely and eaten her main and is now doing her spelling practice in a little notebook while I scroll online. She’s not the only child here and the ones here are bothering no one. Only slight disruption has been a hen night, which is fair enough and you’d expect. We are at a family friendly chain restaurant rather than a pub but she’d be equally no bother anywhere for tea