Wetherspoons 'limit parents drinks'

Another pub near to me, not the one referred to in my earlier contribution, is one of those new-build pub-restaurants of the "scissors and microwave" cuisine movement. It has a fully-featured free play area which my six year old finds irresistible. My wife persuaded me to visit against my better judgement, and my first impression was the group of men loudly effing and blinding around the table by the only entrance, then another group using similarly colourful language around the bar [where children were not supposed to go, I grant you]. Grudgingly, I have to admit that on the three occasions I've been pressed to go there, the ale has been top-notch, but I have an issue with the food and the clientele.

My wife does not like alcohol, but she enjoys eating out. My son likes pubs and eating out, but he wouldn't want to spend all afternoon in a pub unless there was a playground. I could spend hours in pubs if I didn't have a life to lead, but even if I did, I'm choosy.

The issue of children in pubs is a complex one, and it involves views including all the above and more. I like taking my son to the pub. He has never seen me [or anyone else] inebriated, and I'd like to keep it that way for a while to come. There are many many pubs where I would never take him, of course, most of which I wouldn't want to visit even without him. Still, I hope that I don't run out of well-managed places where I'm happy to take him and he's happy to go. And if he gets tired of sitting round a table, or is in a stroppy mood, I'll take him out. So all things considered I am sympathetic to the Wetherspoons stance.

I feel the same way. However, I think that ill-behaved children in pubs are often a result of insensitive, ignorant or irresponsible parents who pay little or no attention to their children while they [the parents] enjoy themselves. Most pubs accept children without welcoming them. If the children are to remain well-behaved in a pub environment for over an hour, then of course they need some form of entertainment, even if it's only attention from the adults in their group.

This seems so obvious to most of us, it's hard to see how it can not be so to everyone. But sadly there are those who don't care. So refusing to serve adults who are responsible for children can be justified, even if it is likely to cause annoyance to some. If you pop into the pub for a drink while out with the family, why not? If you just want to spend an afternoon in a pub, then don't take the kids!

Both my kids (now 13 and 15) have been going into pubs with us for some time when the landlord allows it. We end up sitting talking -- sometimes drivel, obviously, especially after a few beers -- or playing cribbage

-- you know, the kind of thing that well-behaved adults used to do in pubs :-)

Oh holiday in Port Isaac in Devon last year we'd often spend a whole evening doing this, drinking quite a lot of decent beer, not getting vomitous or too legless, and enjoying ourselves (except when we lost to the kids at crib). Oh dear, what an example to set the children...

Of course, under the Spoons rule we wouldn't have been allowed to do any of this, but pissed "adults" would be...

Ian

In message M Platting wrote: Taken a stage further, how long

I regretfully see our country as being run piecemeal. Hence the little rules and regulations which pop-up all over the place.

If we were prepared to accept the judgement/rulings of others then I guess people would go and gravitate to places where they were comfortable, of like mind, and would therefore cause less offence.

Our nation is constantly portrayed to me, as one made-up of folk who are forever desperate to get-one-over someone else. It's as if bullying is a national characterisitic.

And the circle becomes complete when, in order to avoid being criticised, those who are, or may become, on the front line need to be provided with anonymously produced anecdotes which are supposed to protect them from abuse, and worse.

In the long-run it never works because the ad-hoc emergency rules conflict with the future at which point those charged with their implementation become frustrated and demoralised to the point where they become frightened, stressed and lose committment - which takes us back to the need for more rules for them to dispense thus destroying the last vestiges of the assertiveness needed to make judgements for the moment.

Who's round is it?

That use to be the case in pubs, except for those who had a children's certificate. These where abolished under the new legislation and children are now allowed anywhere in the pub as long as they are accompanied by an adult.

Alex

Well I will not set foot in a Wetherspoons again, especially if they are all as awful as the one in Truro.

Characterless, ersatz furnishing and a dire swirly carpet that makes you feel like you might throw up at any moment. Not to mention door minders and one arm bandits. Beer is alright but food is sub-motorway services. Avoid.

Contrast that with decent pubs - the Pandora at Restronguet or the Watering Hole on Perranporth beach (my local). Beautiful beer, chilled atmosphere, great food (well the Pandora at least) and very relaxed with kids.

Mind you (I like to think that) we are responsible parents who only have a couple of drinks and always take something for kids to do.

Wetherspoons - 0 points.

Adam

M Platt> Mixed feelings about this one:

They vary more than might be expected from a chain. Looking at my local pubs, the Spoons is hardly an Olde World horse brasses and hunting prints place, but it has real ale, unlike the paddy pub; no music, unlike the equally charaterless, twice the price place opposite; and no threatening-looking skinheads and warm vinegar served through the pumps, unlike the "traditional" pub.

Actually, Sainsbury's probably wins round here...