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Primary education

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Original poster

PTA advice

26 replies

user1493928135 · 04/05/2017 21:09

Hi, I'm a member of a PTA and our governors have just decided we now can't sell alcohol at our events. Apparently this is in line with other schools in our LA area (seperately trying to find out more on this) and is because they think it sets a bad example to the children, but think it's such a shame as we always make a great profit on our bar at events and have never had a problem with anyone getting carried away.

Have any other PTAs had this issue? Or is our school being really draconian?

OP posts:
BackforGood · 04/05/2017 21:16

Do you mean an evening event just for adults, or an event when the dc will be there too.

If the former, I can't see the issue, if the latter, I think that's pretty standard.

TeenAndTween · 04/05/2017 21:20

I've seen this mentioned here on the boards before.
Your school certainly isn't the only one.

You may like to feedback the estimated 'lost profit' but if that's what they want, that's what you'll have to do.

BananaDaiquiri · 04/05/2017 21:24

Our school doesn't allow it either. I think it's a shame, but there is backstory of parents going overboard in the past and one or two incidents off the back of that so we can't really put up an argument!

Yayne · 04/05/2017 22:11

Same here, as previous posters said - ok for adult only events, but no alcohol sales when kids are there.

Astro55 · 04/05/2017 22:12

We couldn't sell alcohol - but we had a raffle ticket system where you 'won' a drink - 'Prize every time!'

Ways round it

umizoomi · 04/05/2017 22:35

I am a PTA chair. You shouldn't sell alcohol as you and school don't have tge correct license to do so presumably ?!?

umizoomi · 04/05/2017 22:36

I mean A license. Surely in the U.K. To sell alcohol you need a license to do so?

Original poster
user1493928135 · 04/05/2017 22:37

Yes we always get a license - seems this is more of a moral issue for the governors. I think it's very petty personally but just wanted to gauge what other PTAs do.

OP posts:
NoctisLucisCaelum · 04/05/2017 22:41

We sell very weak mulled wine at the Christmas fair and very weak pimms at the summer fair. Everyone is sensible. We wouldn't serve anyone who was getting silly but it's never been a problem. Nobody is bothered.

KingLooieCatz · 05/05/2017 07:50

Flat no from the HT at DS school. Previous school had adults-only, evening social off-site with a bar.

It is a bit about the message it sends, normalizing alcohol consumption.

PatriciaHolm · 05/05/2017 08:32

Oh dear - we sell alcohol at pretty much every event! We make £15k a year and it would be half that without the beer, pimms, prosecco...parents are quite capable of drinking in moderation.

houseisfallingdown · 05/05/2017 12:00

We sell mulled wine at Xmas and wine, beer and Pimms at the summer fair. Also have wine, beer etc at the adult only events.
We get the proper licences and it has never been mentioned that it may be inappropriate.
We make a lot of money from the bar and I think there would be an outcry from everyone if we stopped it. Never any problems except mild drunkenness at parent's quizzes etc.
Everyone knows everyone around here so things unlikely to get out of hand..

youngestisapsycho · 05/05/2017 12:04

We sell alcohol at all our school events... they stopped it once and half the usual amount of people attended... You need something to get through these things!

CB2009 · 05/05/2017 13:39

We did it with proper licence. Even at the school disco with children. Makes the school a lot of money. Surely most children see parents drinking in moderation at home. Seems a touch over protective/unrealistic to me. We are a church school. Pimms. Prosecco. Beers :-)

Bach2Bach · 05/05/2017 16:00

GB might quickly change its mind when they see the much needed profits from PTA events decline.
Wine tasting coming up at our school Grin

CandODad · 05/05/2017 21:06

What bugs me with this approach is that it normalises hiding drinking. Rather than showing that you can drink in moderation.

Wh0Kn0wsWhereTheTimeGoes · 05/05/2017 21:14

Ours do at selected evening events only (summer fair and parents social). I've been on the PTA for 7 years and don't recall anyone ever suggesting it for other events. We get good attendance and profits without it.

ImaginaryCat · 05/05/2017 21:18

Ours introduced the rule of no alcohol at child-oriented events such as concerts and school plays. Profits plunged. Ruling was reversed. How the hell else are we expected to sit through everyone else's child playing violin solos!

BerylStreep · 05/05/2017 21:21

I've only ever seen alcohol sold at parent only events held in licensed premises.

Whileweareonthesubject · 05/05/2017 21:29

Agree Candodad.

smellyboot · 05/05/2017 23:56

Lots of schools dont allow due to licensing. Round our way few have alcohol at any school /PTA events due to % of Muslim or other non drinking parents etc - jsut not the done thing

TeenAndTween · 06/05/2017 08:48

I don't think it 'normalises hiding drinking'.
I think it normalises that you don't need to drink at every occasion.

Wh0Kn0wsWhereTheTimeGoes · 06/05/2017 09:03

I agree Tween. Whereas needing alcohol to get through a school concert isn't a message I think my DCs need.

MrsPnut · 06/05/2017 09:09

The GB and Head can stipulate that no alcohol is sold on the school premises but they can't ban the PTA from selling alcohol if they hold events elsewhere

So if you want to keep the alcohol, then look for an alternative venue to the school.

Our PTA doesn't sell alcohol at all, we used to but we decided that we didn't actually make all that much profit from it on a regular basis and we often ended up with stock that needed to be given away. Once we had a couple of events without it, it became the norm to not have it. We also brought forward the time of lots of events so they are straight after school so not really the drinking hour either.

bojorojo · 06/05/2017 11:05

The best practice is to sell it at parents only events with a license. We sold it at Quiz night and the Art Fair. Otherwise it's teas and coffee and non alcoholic drinks. Everyone was ok with this.

As an aside, we joined some friends to make up a table at an evening do at our local private school. Our friends had a picnic style bottle bag with them. Although alcohol was sold at the event, they brought their own very expensive wine because they thought the wine at the event would be rubbish! I guess this is what may happen at alcohol free events!