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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To reserve the entire park benches?

180 replies

anyplate · 30/07/2025 14:46

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.

OP posts:
Emma6cat · 30/07/2025 19:18

Nah! I would have definitely sat at the bench. You cant reserve public property.

intrepidpanda · 30/07/2025 19:23

I would have been sitting g on the bench even if i hadn't intended to in the first place.
Either that or spread them with something nasty.

Luvmusic · 30/07/2025 19:39

I removed towels from sunbeds on holiday. 3 hours later when the towel owners turned up we kindly shared so we had 2 sunbeds each. They did look a bit sheepish! Entitled people, but it is nice to be kind.

Fatiguedwithlife · 30/07/2025 20:19

I’ve heard this story before…

billybear · 30/07/2025 20:35

we have a small football/ play area near where i live a parent decided to use all of it for her sons birthday party tables a football match .i heard a few people say hope it rains you are too mean to book a room,

Flamingoknees · 30/07/2025 20:55

I find it hilarious that people took any notice!

CutiePatootee · 30/07/2025 20:55

candyflossbabe · 30/07/2025 17:30

I’m clearly a miserable old f’er now as I swear my cantankerous self would STILL be sat on those benches, I would be having my mail redirected the lot 🤣🤣
As pp have said, CF’s only exist because too many people have sold their spines and would rather be crumpled and bent over than risk an awkward encounter 🤷🏻‍♀️

😂 love this response!!

myheadsjustmush · 30/07/2025 21:02

What a CF - reserving public benches...really?!! 🤨

I bet that same person complains if anyone parks on the road outside their house too.........

YerArseInParsley · 30/07/2025 21:05

anyplate · 30/07/2025 14:46

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.

You are full of 💩 i read this post years ago somewhere else. The exact same post.

Skibber · 30/07/2025 21:07

GreyCarpet · 30/07/2025 15:15

I'd have done exactly the same.

Show quote history

Ditto. Wouldn't entertain that at all.
Towel on sun loungers now happening on woodland benches!
CF territory.

Tatty247 · 30/07/2025 21:17

I hate these CF's that are too tight to pay for an actual birthday party venue and expect everyone else to accommodate that.

LancashireButterPie · 30/07/2025 21:33

Ha!! That really doesn't surprise me in the slightest.
I know a woman near us who ropes off an area of our local country park to hold her yoga classes in!
Another man uses nearby public land to run nature and foraging classes. That really pisses me off as his pupils strip anything edible, leaving nothing for wildlife.
Grifters.

LillyPJ · 30/07/2025 21:50

You can't reserve a bench in a public park by putting a note on it in the same way as you can't 'reserve' a sun lounger by a hotel pool by sticking a towel on it. If people want guaranteed seating, they'd need to bring their own.

Thedoorisalwaysopen · 30/07/2025 21:52

Complete dick move.
A park is a public place and nobody can reserve benches as they don't belong to anyone. I'd have made a paper aeroplane with the notice and told them to feck off and pay to hire somewhere for their precious party like the rest of us do if they want exclusive use.

whynotwhatknot · 30/07/2025 22:05

we had a party once for my niece we brought out own chairs and party stuff-thats very cf of them but they got away with it didnt they

LlynTegid · 30/07/2025 22:09

In don't know whether I would have removed all of them, but if I needed to sit on one that one would have had no notice left on it.

Nearly50omg · 30/07/2025 22:11

In Australia the council actually allows you to reserve park benches and areas of the park for birthday parties etc properly and unless there’s proper council notices with name and date etc on then anyone can sit there

AuntieLemonade · 30/07/2025 22:38

nomas · 30/07/2025 15:42

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

Show quote history

Exactly! Don’t be such a wet wipe! Sit down and take up space, you probably deserve to x

AuntieLemonade · 30/07/2025 22:42

MyHeartyCoralSnail · 30/07/2025 16:15

I could swear I read this exact post a few years ago

Once a year, same time, same place? Almost like it’s a yearly thing? Like… a birthday? 🤣🤣🤣 lol probably the same people 🤣🤣🤣

Hollybobs1 · 30/07/2025 23:10

DoloresDaytime · 30/07/2025 15:23

I’d have removed the signs, chucked them in the bin and feigned ignorance if someone turned up
’i don’t understand, you reserved this bench? How do you reserve a bench….’ and on and on…

I would've done this too. But, I can be quite petty 🤣

OneFunnyPearlTurtle · 30/07/2025 23:30

I would have assumed that the notices left were litter and put them in the bin

LittleBitofBread · 31/07/2025 10:25

Hollybobs1 · 30/07/2025 23:10

I would've done this too. But, I can be quite petty 🤣

Show quote history

Me too!
It's a public park. The clue is in the name.
You want guaranteed space, pay for a venue or have your party at someone's house.

Ellejay67 · 31/07/2025 17:43

Ridiculous. Is this a German picnic idea?

GiveDogBone · 31/07/2025 17:50

This is the UK equivalent of putting your towels on the sun lounger before breakfast and then turning up to the pool mid-morning.

noodlebugz · 31/07/2025 17:58

CF behaviour! And totally bats* that they think that would be ok.
A better AIBU would be whether or not you removed the signs.