The ambience of the British boozer is being ruined by screaming babies and children whose parents allow them to run riot, according to disgruntled licensees and customers.This is not just an issue that pubs face – ask anyone who has had a day’s shopping or museum visiting or trip on public transport ruined by unruly brats and their often mobile-phone-engrossed, oblivious parents.
The overturning of the pre-1995 ban on children under 14 being allowed in pubs in England and Wales has helped increase food takings, with the introduction of family dining, but the survey results suggest there may be an appetite for a return to a time before the rules were relaxed.The pubs chased ‘family dining’ because they needed customers to replace the smokers driven out by the brewery company’s acquiescence to the anti-smoking agenda.
Now their new customers are chasing out more of their old customers by refusing to control their brats.
One customer’s response to the survey said: “My peaceful lunch by the fire with a pint was totally ruined by a child running around whooping and tripping up staff – and when asked to quieten down by the landlord, the poor man faced abuse from over-protective parents, ridiculous!”Bet you’d prefer the smokers back instead, eh?
Perhaps pubs could bring back the "family room", to separate these small noisy horrors from the main area?
ReplyDeleteAeroplane journeys are now just as bad, with screaming infants & children who are not controlled by the complacent parent(s). I would willingly pay extra, if it were an option, for flights guaranteed free of such oafish humanoids.
It's got nothing to do with relaxing old regulations. Landlords can still choose to bar kids if the please, even though they are not forced to by law. Many of them need the unruly kids in the pub or else it would be too empty to make any money.
ReplyDeleteAs you say, the reason for that is the smoking ban.
The parents are getting worse also. The article says some chav parents took to Facebook and demanded a boycott of a pub that banned under fives. They think they can actually close a pub down because it won't let their idiot spawn inside. Muppets.
Bucko's said it for me. It's entirely up to the landlord. In the last couple of years I've heard several interviews with landlords of "over 18 pubs". If there is a market for them, they will appear. As with smoking in pubs, no need for laws.
ReplyDeleteEd, hint to the flight attendant that you have "urges". They might find you a different seat. These days, just being a single male is enough.
ReplyDeleteThere is a song for Ed P
ReplyDeleteWorst Seat On The Plane - Arrogant Worms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAlpEUeCrRo
Trouble is, it ain't just chavs. Of course they do let their Kylies and Karls run riot but ever been to a ZiZi or Pizza Express early evening in a prosperous High Street? These places become yummy mummy/middle class playgroups! Then there's the breast feeding militants in your local starbucks/costa, also near creches
ReplyDeleteJB - good suggestion! Next flight I'll leer creepily at the steward(ess) and say, "I'm sooo glad I'm seated near children". But when the whole plane's full of the little screamers, there's no escape!
ReplyDeleteWoaR - thanks for that link!
Ed P is correct in that there could be more family rooms in pubs. One of my local pubs has one bar which is OK for me and my wife to take Laughing Boy into and another where Laughing Boy is excluded. I've no problem with that, not everyone wants to coo over babies or take the risk of being hit by projectile vomiting or be assailed by the smell of nappy contents. As for crying, if Laughing Boy gets upset or needs feeding or a nappy change in a public place then we'll take him away out of earshot to sort the problem out. Luckily Laughing Boy really seems to like pubs and their customers and therefore more often than not is impeccably well behaved for an 8 month old.
ReplyDeleteParents do need to be a little bit more aware of their surroundings and what effects their sprogs may have on other customers. It's a case of the right thing for the right place. I'll chat away and sing to my little one in the supermarket to keep him engaged and happy but I wouldn't do the same in a pub.
Reproduction is often very easy for many people, it's the effective parenting bit that's difficult.
"Perhaps pubs could bring back the "family room", to separate these small noisy horrors from the main area?"
ReplyDeleteCapital idea!
"There is a song for Ed P
Worst Seat On The Plane - Arrogant Worms"
LOL!
"Parents do need to be a little bit more aware of their surroundings and what effects their sprogs may have on other customers."
I'd be quite happy to see them put down their smartphones to check what Junior's doing occasionally. Maybe they are all on FaceBook signing petitions?