to think it should be illegal for pubs etc to exclude children without a valid practical reason?

[Greensleeves]

No children after a certain point in the evening - fine, I can see why this might be sensible in some establishments

No children FULL STOP, ever - I don't think this should be allowed

you're not allowed to say "no women" or "no Irish people" any more - why on earth should it be legal for a place to exclude children without a good reason?

Small pubs with only one room with the bar in it - I understand that too

BUT yesterday I went to a huge pub, with lots of different rooms - sofas, armchairs, several fireplaces, loads of room - and a full menu etc - and it's NO children at all, at any time

I think this is wrong

the place was empty as well, and it serves them right

YABU

It would only be reasonable if we, as paying customers, were allowed to ask the parents to keep them still and reasonably quiet and to take them to a playground if they want to run and shout!

YABU. The only bad thing about the smoking ban has been some pubs becoming child-infested now that they are smoke free.

I've been in pubs where parents have let their little darlings run riot entertain everyone sometimes until quite late which is very tiresome

YABVU.

I go to the pub to meet adult friends not to put up with children around me. I can do that at home!

Wow, 30 posts in and a unanimous response. Some kind of record, surely?

Yep I think you are BU.

I wish pubs were still pubs and not child friendly eateries with no atmosphere.

I long for the days when you could walk past a boozer and catch a heady whiff of stale fags and booze.

Pubs are for grown ups IMO.

ROFL, OK, so IABU!

Thanks for the unequivocal response

YABU - some pubs allow children in, some pubs don't - people who want children around go to pubs that allow it, and people who don't want kids around go to "no kids allowed" pubs.

Why is that a problem?

Legally, anyone under 18 is classed as a child. If a pub decides to exclude children, it is more likely actually that it wants to exclude possible under 18's that are trying to buy drink underage. I work in a pub. We are over 18's only.
This is not because we don't want to create a child free environment for adults, but in fact to try and reduce underage drinking in the area.
Ideally, you could have a licence in place that says only 'accompanied' children on the premises, which some do have, however then you have problems with discriminating against someone with their older brother, who is blatently going to buy them alcohol, and you are going to have to watch them all night! You just can't do that in a massive pub!
Unfortunately, you cant just say 'we allow children up until the age of 14 in accompanied. but not 14-17 year olds'!

YABU

What they all said^

Greensleeves - I also find it odd that in the UK some seemingly fairly child friendly places say 'No children' too. In Paris my dd often gets free drinks in cafés and the waiters are always careful to find her a straw and ask her what she would like to drink. In short she is extremely welcome!

In contrast in the UK we have been turned away from many places that look quite fine during the day or early evening for us to have a drink in. Do you know even - My sister had a dinner the night before her wedding day in a booked room in a friendly family pub and my dd (the bridesmaid) wasn't allowed in! This really surprised me.

I also wonder if the UK's big problem with underage drinking and the fact alcohol is drunk in secret adult places that often look very nice but are not for anyone under the age of 18 are somehow linked...

TsarChasm "Give 'em a bottle of lemonade outside - it's character building "

God, the amount of time we spent as kids drinking lemonade outside pubs... ha hahaha

There is alcohol around. Even if it is quiet ANYONE is allowed in with their alcohol. Am i missing something?

Whats wrong with leaving them in the car with a bag of crisps and a bottle of Panda pop?

Never did us any harm.

YABU.

Does anyone have a list of these wonderful child-free pubs please?

All the ones I seem to go to have lots of little loud shits darlings running around them.

yabu
grown ups need a child free place to go.
they have a good reason, children don't always behave and are not always quiet

YABU. This is akin to saying that playing music in public libraries should be allowed. What a bizarre idea. Why would you want to take your children to pubs anyway??? What's wrong with the park? A cafe? A playgroup? A child-friendly pub? A pizza parlour? MUST they be allowed EVERYWHERE? Do you want them to be welcomed into nightclubs? Tattoo parlours? FFS. Hate to break this to you, but a lot of people find other people's children really quite tiresome - can they not have one single place to go for a bit of peace?