Wetherspoon pubs limit parents to two drinks

[AB Asks]

Adults who come to the JD Wetherspoon pubs are allowed only two alcoholic drinks in a bid to limit their stay. A company spokesman has said that the idea behind this is that the chain is not happy with children being around for long periods of time as there are no play facilities for children. What do you think? Is this a good idea? Could it have benefits?

[cazzz1975]

yes, I think that is a good idea, there is enough places and opportunities to get plastered without bringing your kids to watch you get drunk in the process.

Its about time we brought back the old rules of not serving people if they appear drunk, not to mention how much of a bad role model you become by not being able to go out and have a drink without getting drunk anywhere.

[redcrx]

what about families who go to a nice (not a city centre boozer) weatherspoons for a sunday meal in the 'family area' and dont even drink alcohol. What do they intend to do to them?

[sp1814]

redcrx

If the specific pub has a family area and the parents aren't drinking then the rules won't affect them.

Actually, responsible parents wouldn't really be getting plastered when they're looking after their kids. Seems like a sensible idea to me.

[cazzz1975]

maybe they have their meal and leave? the kids dont need to be playing whilst they are eating surely?

[Ethel]

I have experienced very young children running absolutely riot in a Wetherspoons' whilst the parents were getting drunker and drunker.

This pub had absolutely nothing for children, and being city centre didn't have an outside area.

It has stopped me using that particular pub.

[Gromit]

It is an offense for any parent (or adult) to be drunk in charge of a child under 7, so Wetherspoon's are upholding an existing law.

Children should not be in pubs. There are plenty of places for families to go to eat and be entertained, and Licensed premises should not be one of them. The children are exposed to behaviour (excess drinking, bad language etc) which is impressionable and unsuitable. There is also nothing for children in pubs, so they are unstimulated and bored, leading to bad behaviour and irritation to other customers.

[Pippa68]

As long as it's ok for parents to drink themselves under the table then go home and abuse their kids, I am sure Wetherspoons are being very responsible ;o)

Fair play.

[Loosehead]

I find myself in the unusual and frankly terrifying position of agreeing with Gromit. Kids should not be in Boozers full stop. The 2 drink rule helps I suppose but what kind of parent takes their child to the pub? Nothing for them to do but play among the drinking paraphernalia etc. Ok ok before you start, if there's a specific play area fine. Also if it's like the bar at the local sports centre wher you might have a drink after some activity, Im talking about going to the Kings arms for a pint with the kids in tow, no no no!

[redcrx]

Id never take my child to the local boozer, we dont drink anyway so even we find it dull.

Sadly, around here, the language we hear in the local play centres can be a hundred times worse than in the beer garden / play area of a family pub chain like brewsters or a weatherspoons.

[Gromit]

Just found the link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7170939.stm

The short version is that Wetherspoon welcome children for the time it takes to stuff their fat little faces with burgers from their 'Kids Menu' and then want rid ASAP.

[Booldawg]

Surely Wetherspoons should 'not be happy' with baseball clad chavs sporting cheap jewellry and casual sports wear clutching onto their bottles of sickly sweet alcopops that tend to frequent this drinking establisment famous only for its short-date, cheap beer.

[chippy-john]

Who would want to drink in a weatherspoons anyway from my experience of weatherspoons in southend basildon and colchester. They attract the allday drinking **** heads in for the cheap and in my opinion nasty beer. Would advise anyone drinking there to drink bottled beer only.

[jordielaz]

Children shouldnt be in pubs full stop - plenty other places for them.

[isis4691]

In my experiance of 'Family Pubs' it normally means crap food, filthy toilets and dirty old (and young) men hanging around getting drunk and making it unsafe for your kids to even go to the toilet on their own.

[isis4691]

Well Legend as a mum of three I have had plenty of run ins with men grabbing my daughter or harrassing her as she passed and this was when she was about 11 or 12 so I do actually know what I'm talking about and I cannot understand how you think I would be lying.

Lots of my friends have said the same and some Landlords have also admitted that there can be a problem with dodgy men and children and by the way thanks for your aggressive outburst, we are all just saying about experiances and I don't think you need to be so arrogant.

[isis4691]

P.S Paedophiles hang around anywhere that children are, why should pubs that attract families be any different from arcades, parks or shopping centres?

[Pippa68]

If a pub serves from a childrens menu they should be welcoming families properly.

[redcrx]

isis, that may well be the case in the area you live, I wouldnt like to disagree with you at all.

Children can be preyed on by peadophiles in any place, recently there was a case locally here where a child was messed with by a guy in a bookshop. And who didnt see the report of the attack on a child in a supermarket.

Family restaurants that serve alcohol are different to the all day boozers. Some people dont see that difference.