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Original poster

..the village where children are banned..a new kind of utopia?

89 replies

zippitippitoes · 08/04/2006 07:02

You also have to be over 45 years old, no starting the car after 9.00pm etc etc

\link{http://www.guardian.co.uk/family/story/0,,1748634,00.html\ here}

a taste of the article

<

'There comes a time when you want to live without children'
............

"It's like Britain was 30 years ago, where you live among considerate and polite neighbours. If a stranger comes into the village, everyone will take notice," says Eden Guisley, the chair of the Firhall Residents Association.

Some residents have children and grandchildren of their own, but feel that they have done their bit and now want to be free of the problems that living among them can bring. "Everywhere you go today you are expected to pander to the needs of children," one home-owner, who has asked not to be named, tells me. "They are noisy, messy and destructive, but try and complain to the parents, and nine times out of 10 you will make yourself an enemy," she says. "I have to put up with badly behaved children in restaurants and parks. I want my neighbourhood to be free of that."

There have been legal challenges to child-free communities in the US. In 1977, a couple was forced out of their Florida condominium after having a baby. The unsuccessful age discrimination suit went as far as the supreme court. There have been other successful cases since then, but none that conclude that living without children should be seen as discrimination. In the UK there are those who believe no one has the right to exclude children from any neighbourhood.

Carolyn Hamilton, the director of the Children's Legal Centre, is adamant that such communities should be challengeable under the Human Rights Act. "If nothing else, it perpetuates the stereotype of children as nuisances and criminals.">

communities for special interest groups of all kinds could follow which is what is happening in the US

OP posts:
Caligula · 08/04/2006 07:19

It sounds like a nice place to go to die.

pooka · 08/04/2006 07:20

Sounds really spooky to me. Like any artificial community or gated community would. Sterile.:(
Really feel for Ann.

tigermoth · 08/04/2006 07:31

It was the other rules that stopped me in my tracks, to be honest. To quote:

..."there are other rules too - at least 20, in fact... no more than three adults to each house; no more than one cat and one dog; no starting car engines after 9pm or before 7am; no running businesses from the premises; no hanging washing outside, no commercial vehicles parked in the village".....
So restrictive!! I take it these people never want drive off or return for a night out in the evening or have guests leaving by car in the evening, never want their sheets and clothing to smell of fresh air and sunshine, never feel the need to call out a TV repair person? And if you brokd the rules, all those curtain twitchers ready to report you!

My first thought about the no children rule was 'this is a bad idea and smacks of discrimination' but then, what about sheltered housing schemes? AFAIK people with children are not allowed to live in sheltered housing schemes, but IMO sheltered housing is a good idea.

Original poster
zippitippitoes · 08/04/2006 07:34

but sheltered housing schemes are usually within a community and they are for support for the elderly. This type of gated community seems to me to go down the track of an intolerant society.

OP posts:
tigermoth · 08/04/2006 07:54

I don't know an awful lot about sheleterd housing generally. I know that council run ones in my borough encourage community involvement, with hobby and lunch cluibs open to non residents etc. One scheme lets the local cubs troop used their meeting hall and the residents directly support them for charity events.

However I hazard a guess that some of the private sheltered housing schemes, situated in secluded areas, may have rules more similar to firhall. And also what about some of those 'exclusive' holiday developments and places like Sandals that ban children?

Is it that firhall is more open in its no children policy, and is aimed at a younger group of people who don't need that extra support and don't consider themselves oldies?

Caligula · 08/04/2006 07:57

Anyone who is prepared to abide by the rule that you can't use your car after 9PM may not consider themselves old but boy are they dead. I thought I was bad.

Caligula · 08/04/2006 07:58

I'd also like to know if that means their friends with children can't visit, or their grandchildren.

I work for a charity which alleviates loneliness and isolation of elderly people. This sort of childless ghetto seems to me to be encouraging isolation and being cut off from the rest of society.

Original poster
zippitippitoes · 08/04/2006 08:04

It says they can visit but the impression seems to be that they would not be at all welcome.

Presumably if no one can live there until 45 then it includes grown up children too

OP posts:
tigermoth · 08/04/2006 08:10

It says they can have child visitors staying for up to 3 weeks. If it was my child and I was staying too, it would be three weeks of worry every time my child spoked louder than a whisper.

I simply can't understand the no car noise afer 9.00 pm rule.

I wonder firhall has been widely advertised in the educational press? all those teachers nearing retirement who never want to see another kid again Grin

misdee · 08/04/2006 08:17

sounds awful.

i live in a council run sheltered bungalow. we have a warden as well. its a real sense of community. I know more of the residents here than in any of my previous homes. Mags (the warden) runs loads of little events from table top sales to days out at southend. I have never been on one yet, but i do look at the list when it pops through the door to see if theres anything that will interest the children.

Original poster
zippitippitoes · 08/04/2006 08:24

I apologise misdee..I didn't really think of younger people in sheltered housing

OP posts:
pooka · 08/04/2006 08:25

I don't know why, but it just sounds.. well.. a little perverted. Like they're all getting up to goodness know what after 9pm when no one can leave or arrive. Possibly cultivating enormous quantities of cannabis or engaging in wife-swapping.

ItalianJob · 08/04/2006 08:31

how incredibly restrictive!

Caligula · 08/04/2006 20:05

Ha ha Pooka, what a vivid imagination you have! Grin

bran · 08/04/2006 20:17

I wouldn't be for me, but if people actually want to live like that then I don't see why they shouldn't be allowed to. If nothing else it means the rest of us don't have to listen to them whinging on about declining standards in the modern world.

threebob · 08/04/2006 21:00

Taking pre school children into retirement homes is a researched cheap therapy for cheering them up.

Hanging washing out to dry is a researched way of saving money, and valuable earth resources.

Keeping all these cynical, curtain twitching idiots in one place and out of civilised society - priceless.

Angeliz · 08/04/2006 21:16

I think (as i said on another thread) that they are all very very sad. Also they must be very bitter people.
Bloody wierd too.
Imagine not seeing little toddlers playing.
As others have said, the good thing is it keeps the miserable beggars away from happy peopleSmile

WestCountryLass · 08/04/2006 22:33

I think this is the best place for the miserable barstewards.

Rhubarb · 08/04/2006 22:38

This sounds cool! Could we get the kids adopted and go live there?

ItalianJob · 08/04/2006 22:39

would have thought your average city centre flat development would have the same results, without all the lifestyle restrictions.

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 08/04/2006 22:57

pmsl at caligula's comments. tbh I think it's hypocritical. We all need younger people than ourselves. It's a cliche but it's true - most of us will need someone to wipe our arse one day. And that someone has to come from somewhere. the logical conclusion of a community without children is a community that's doomed. I agree that the other rules are rather telling - the no hanging washing outside? sounds to me like stick it all in the tumble drier and bugger what it does to other people in the world, as long as I don;t have to look at Mrs. Munckleshaft's drawers I don't care. very community-spirited.

Moomin · 08/04/2006 23:04

I know of a place like this. The people in the town all live in a walled community, overseen by a fat baron. The children are banned and they live in a dungeon under the castle where the baron lives. The baron employs a type of 'warden' to ensure no children make an appearance in the town. He's a friendly chap, all dressed in black - sounds like he'd be very welcome in the place in the article.

"LOLLLLLLLLIPOPS!"

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 08/04/2006 23:05

Caligula - can I do a small hi-jack? this has been bugging me for ages and I need to get it off my chest! We spoke, very briefly at the big London get together, and I have to confess that I had you confused - not with anyone in particular but I just had a vague feeling that "caligula" was someone I wouldn't see eye-to eye with and I think I was a bit stand-offish. (but it was late, so maybe you didn;t notice!). Anyway, I have since realised my error and have periodically felt embarrassed by it. So now you know. many apologies (if you did even notice), and if we go to another meet up I'll be more sociable. hijack over.

Caligula · 09/04/2006 11:22

Hi Womanwhothoughtshewasahat, I'm obviously very thick skinned as I was blissfully oblivious - or perhaps it was all the wine Wink. Look forward to chatting with you at the next one!!

Re Moomin's comment - yes, Oscar Wilde's story of The Selfish Giant just popped into my head when I was reading your post.

Oblomov · 09/04/2006 11:33

Why not call the place a cemetry and be done with it - as good as dead - so boring !!!

But....
I can understand people not wanting to be surrounded by kids.
I mean I support the idea ... in principle.
Some children are so badly behaved, aren't they.
Some people are not child orientated.
That is not a crime as such.

There is a top class pub near us, that does not allow children.
No one complains. I actually want to go there, because I have heard it is so good.
The world should cater for people who don't want to be areound children , aswell as catering for us mums and people that do.