Adults with children are only allowed two alcoholic drinks at JD Wetherspoon pubs in order to limit their stay, the chain has confirmed to the BBC.



A spokesman for the company said it was "uncomfortable" with children being on the premises for long periods because of a lack of play facilities.
And he said parents visiting its pubs could even be refused soft drinks or coffee to curtail their stay.



The drinks policy came to light when Stephen Gandy contacted the BBC after visiting a Wetherspoon pub in Wallasey on Merseyside for a meal with family and friends.

The group was told that they could not have more than two alcoholic drinks each because they were with a child, even though the child's mother was only drinking water.

The family say they were told that the aim of the restriction was to prevent "child cruelty".
When the BBC contacted JD Wetherspoon a spokesman confirmed the policy was in place, but denied it had anything to do with child cruelty.

 

Heard JDW PR guy on 5 live, a fantastic bit of spin. The reality is the money's made on selling food, hence to maximise the covers they want to move them on quick, forcing the people out under the guise of responsible drinking and child cruelty if they stay too long.....brilliant.

D

 

I think Witherspoons are a bunch of idiots!

This policy is the result of some stupid survey and probably has more to do with everything but what they are saying!

I would NEVER visit one of there pubs with or without my kids......

 

Personally anything that keeps kids out of the pubs is a good thing in my book.

 

wetherspoons are pile em high sell it cheap pubs,


i suspect this is to stop single fathers taking the kids to the pub and getting bladdered, and i have to say i think its agood idea as well.

 

Only people who go in wetherspoons pubs are long *** smokers. I'd rather drink in the bar in Star Wars.

 

Whatever JDW's motivation, it's a sad fact that this does happen. At my local there is a couple who take their 6 year old daughter to the pub on a regular basis, and have done for a number of years. On a Friday the poor mite is still in her school uniform. Mum and Dad get bladdered then drive her home

Unfortunately it's well known she was a mistake, her mother tells everyone when on occasion, she's 3 sheets to the wind.

They are reasonably well off, and in the past have employed a nanny so a babysitter would not compromise their lifestyle.

 

Good to see you're all looking after the interests of the kid letting them drive home

 

What can you do? I don't watch his alchohol intake, I can't say whether he has had 2 beers of 10. Occasionally they get a taxi so one would assume he has some threshold. He's 6' 7 so not the size of guy you could take the keys off of.

Loads of people DD, sad fact. I could name 10 people who do it regularly.

 

Just sounded like it was well known in your local that they would DD with their daughter in the car. You could always have a word with the landlord about it or report them anonymously to the cops.

 

Wetherspoons are a joke really... Like a day care centre for the financially / career challenged...
They claim to care for child welfare by limiting drinking times, but are happy to serve alcoholics as much of the cheapest rankest ale then can consume??
I have been in there before and see them serve a man 6pints in one hour...
I have seen grubby old men sitting in their lovely outlets from open to close, leaving only to smoke and do nothing but drink theakstons for 13 hours... But WOE BETIDE anyone who has a kid in their pub for more than an hour
They are a joke and I am glad that I never ever frequent their dirty ale fleapits

 

I think they do, but it's not blatant. So he'll probably have 4 pints, I'm sure he'd be over but i've seen people pass after 6 or 7 so who knows.

The landlord, hmm, there is no way he is going to grass up a customer who is spending. Sad fact of life these days.

Edited to say - Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending my position, I completely agree with your post, the reality is sometimes a little more difficult though.

 

Take them to a Brewers Fayre instead.

You can have your meal while the kids play(abliet a microwaved one ), a nice pint, then head home.

Sorted.

 

The only pubs I frequent is the one that I attend meets at ...... and then I am driving.

And no, they are not JDW's !

 

Agreed they shouldn't be allowed in pubs to start with.

 

Not such a bad idea if you ask me.

I used to work in a pub many years ago, and there was one chap who only saw his child on weekends. Every Saturday & Sunday without fail, he'd turn up at 11:30am (Child it toe) untill 2-2:20'ish when he'd go home to sleep the booze off. 7:30 he'd return with his kid untill say 10pm.

Every weekend this poor kid (about 10 years old) would be bored sh-tless while dad drank all day while talking to his mates.

Child cruelty in my eyes.

 

If its just people drinking, then I think it's a good idea.

Nothing worse than bored kids running amock in a pub. And being taken of care of(!?!?) by drunken parents.


However it should not have to cover people having meals there: So long as one person per two-three kids drinks responsibly.

Many of the weekends in my early years was wasted sat in a bored and peeved off in a pub all day. And then driven home by someone often well over the limit.

 

I personally think that a pub is not the right place for children.

Les

 

Kids in pubs ******* annoy me!
Why would i want someone elses snotty little terror running round screaming while im having a pint with my mates!!

And 9 times out of 10 if you say something, one of the parents wil kick off!!

Kids and pubs dont mix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

To be fair, if you spoke to me with that attitude I'd kick off too.

However, I agree that children shouldn't really be in pubs unless suitably catered for and suitably cared for.

 

Kids shouldn't allowed into pubs, full stop.

What a poor environment for them. Only good to learn more swear words and the bad side of people.

How can watching people get pissed be anything but bad? Booze and kids just don't mix.

I can't stand it when there are kids running about when I'm having a beer and will seek out anywhere other than places where kids are.

 

Sorry lads that might have come across the wrong way,

I have no problem with well behaved kids, even slightly cheeky ones!

Its the horrorbags that are uncontrollable that i despise, same goes for parents who let it happen!

In my local there are kids who sit and play with toys from home in front of the footy, which is out of order!!

And i would always be polite the first couple of times but you have to draw the line somewhere!!!!!!

 

I don't see any problem with well behaved kids in pubs at lunchtimes, but I would be happy to see children banned from pubs in the evenings.

 

The pub is adult environment not an extension of nursery or a creche. Thankfully smoking is possible still over here and when people turn up with unpleasant children I take that as my cue to re-discover my 'love' of cigars, purchase the biggest, smelliest one I can get and sit right next to them and light it. Doesn't take long for them to leave.
I despise tobacco but it sure works well at getting rid of parents and unwanted children.

 

I can think of many different types of pubs... Some are fine if adults want to bring their kids into for a quick drink or a lunch time snack... Others that don't serve food should not let kids in period.. infact i'm fairly sure quite a few of my local pubs do not let kids in.

 

I agree satan, I never frequent the sort of places people bring their children but you do get the odd sickening family coming in with their pushchairs and screaming brats that require smoking out.

 

As far as I know it is at the discretion of the landlord, there's no law against children in pubs, so if you don't like it, take it up with the landlord.

If the landlord is happy for children to be in his pub, then you should find a different pub.