To reserve the entire park benches?

[anyplate]

I took my children to the park today and packed up a picnic, it was a woodland area with apparatus and was a short drive away.
When we arrived we headed straight to the park and thought we’d eat our picnic but every single bench had a “polite notice”
bench is reserved for children’s birthday party
don’t be that person.

There was about five benches and no one around so I got a blanket out of the car and sat on it and we had our picnic.
We stayed at the park over an hour and in that time many cross looking people went to sit down and saw the note and didn’t but there was no children’s party in the hour or so we were there.
Were they not completely unreasonable reserving every single bench for an unknown amount of time so nobody else could use it just so they were free for when they wanted?
We could have sat there eaten our lunch and gone without it affecting any party.

Anything actually labelled "Polite Notice" is by definition a passive aggressive notice, and should be ignored.

This, they cannot reserve an entire public area, especially when they didn't even say what time they were coming etc.

Unless it's a paid service like a pub where you can book areas for payment or an agreed amount spent. Which I'm gathering it wasn't.

Even if they did want to use it for a kids party they should've put a time on the notice. Untill that time someone else could use it. Or just physically turned up and occupied the space.

And even then those people who sat might not want to move once the party arrives.

If someone wants to reserve areas then they should do do at places where that's allowed and paid for.

Parks round my way are all council run. I very much doubt you can reserve benches.

Another one who would have binned all the signs I could see and sat wherever I damn well pleased

In my experience it’s often entitled, wealthy people who do this, who have plenty of money to hire a venue for a children’s party but don’t want to pay.

I would have written a note and stick it by the time I left.
We have use this bench as it was empty. Do not reserve stuff that can't be reserved and if you are checky enough to do it use them, don't let them without use. Don't be that entitled person.
Picnic in a blanket is better than in a bench in my opinion so you kind of win there.
I would probably not sit on them out of courtesy if I see the kids if not they can reserved a parking spot in Buckingham Palace if the wish.

I would have removed the notes and binned them.
and then denied all knowledge if I had been challenged.

Id have sat there. You can book a bench in a public park.

Surely it's better to model assertiveness and fair behaviour to your dc?

You can't reserve a park bench FFS, they are public property.

Everyone who looked at those signs and decided not to sit down is a fucking wet lettuce.

Absolute madness. The sign would have “disappeared” if that was me…. If the place was deserted when we left the other four signs would have disappeared too…

I would have 100% ignored the signs.

Cheeky sods! Of course you can’t reserve park benches.

This

I would have sat down but would have probably moved if the party goers had turned up. I certainly wouldn’t have been leaving them empty if no-one was using them.

I have to say, I’ve seen this a few times now and the party organisers are getting a free venue so have to be aware that they’ve not got exclusive use and have no more rights over anyone else so they’re taking a gamble.

You must live in a very middle class neighbourhood OP, for there to be someone entitled enough to decide they can reserve all the park benches, and then for every person seeing the signs to obey them! All very strange.

What sort of park is this OP?
I can't imagine why all the passers by just looked cross and walked right on.

Who manages the park?

Haha this is absolutely ridiculous. It almost sounds fake!

I think you and the other people who complied with this cheeky fucker parent who felt entitled to reserve benches in a public area are unreasonable for doing it.

Complying with this mental shit is why people feel empowered to do it. Same with those who tell strangers to move their car from outside their house (when it’s not blocking a driveway) because they don’t like it, and those who tell their neighbours to take their washing in because it looks messy.

Honestly, backbone required. Show your kids that they have a right to exist in public too.

Really selfish, entitled and obnoxious of them. I’d have sat down anyway. If they want to reserve the benches they need to have someone there at each bench at all times reserving it (though still quite obnoxious!). They should have just set up blankets on the floor and used any benches that happened to be free when they were actually all there.

What a selfish cheeky fucker move to reserve all the benches! I'd have removed all the signs.

Unless it was officially reserved by the park then i would have removed the signs and put them in the bin. The birthday party organisers should just take enough picnic blankets.

There was a bday party going on in the most. beautiful part of the park the other day. I plonked myself down on a bench opposite, only to be met by strange looks from one of them, as if I was intruding on their party. I was watching my child in a public park.

I would have just sat down on the bench.

I saw a similar story on Instagram, which also used the “don’t be that person” - clearly it gave someone an idea!

in that context it was in the US, where it sounds like some parks you can actually reserve places for parties, but I’ve never heard of it in the UK and it’s just not really how our parks work.

They can’t just expect nobody else to use the park until the time of their party. I’ve been to lots of park parties and we always just find a spot at the time (usually on the ground).

I hate the “don’t be that person” part though! The person making a sign like that has become “that person”!

Id have written on it...don't be those parents that organise a free party and don't even bring your own seats.