Children not welcome!

I seem to recall that a cafe in Essex caused a public furore, in 2016, because they also banned the under 5's. It caused a huge outcry, with young mothers demonstrating in the streets and threatening to boycott it and force it to close from lack of custom. I've just checked the website of that cafe and, 9 months later, it looks to be doing very well and has 4 star positive reviews.

No publicity is bad publicity.

If they boycotted the place the problem would be solved
I like the owners thinking!

I think there is room for both kinds of places and some older people especially would welcome such a place. A lot of younger mother's (not all mind!) seem to think they are the first generation that's ever had children and that the world should revolve around their little darlings.

As I said before I like children, my house is actually next to a playing field and I love to sit and watch (and hear) the children playing, running around, shouting, laughing and having a lovely time.

However, if I am in a cafe I want to be able to enjoy my coffee or meal in relative peace - I don't want to have to stop children taking things off the table, or staring at me whilst I am eating. I was in a cafe once and a small child came and stood by my table, she said hello and I smiled and said hello back but didn't attempt to interact with her any more than that - after about 5 minutes her mother looked up from her phone, came charging over, gave me a look as if she thought I was about to abduct her child and dragged her back to her table!

I've given up popping into nearest local chain coffee shop (we have plenty more TBH!!) as it is always full of mums with buggies & toddlers sitting for hours & not taking any notice of the children who run around shrieking & knock things over & are generally a bloody nuisance. I speak as a Grandma of 6 who loves children.
The mums gossip away & ignore the children. I don't know why owners put up with it as they don't seem to buy much despite being in there for ages.
Down the road is a nice privately owned coffee shop where they have drawing things & easels with plenty of paper & crayons & a small toy area which would be much better for them but is mostly older people go n there. I don't understand it.
I take my DC out a lot & they behave themselves. I'm sure they would run amok too if allowed but they're NOT.
However I would love to take my DGC to this coffee shop as it is so interesting & they would enjoy it. I think a well worded notice saying well behaved children will be welcomed but not those who run around etc.would be the best approach. I don't think the young mums out for a gossip about reality TV & their latest boyfriends would want to go in there.

If this is legal then I think he's perfectly within his rights. It may cost him a lot in business but I would certainly welcome his facility on days when I am not with my grandchildren. I sometimes enjoy a bit of peace and quiet much as I equally like well behaved childrens' company.

I think he will do ok...I have 2 GS one 11 one almost 3 the 11 yr old I can take anywhere, the 3 yr old I would have to choose carefully so as not to disturb others.

We have Adult only hotels (think its Warn*r holidays) Adult only campsites etc so yes would agree with no children cafes. restaurants etc. I'm pretty sure people will be flocking to his cafe.

Yes, WITZEND, I agree that here in France even young children are generally well behaved in cafes/ restaurants. This appears to stem from the fact that the majority of families eat meals together sitting around a table and manners and etiquette are learned from an early age. Sadly, it is most noticeable in the holiday season when British families arrive how many ill-mannered, rowdy children appear (unchecked) in the supermarkets and cafes. Parents seem oblivious to their bad behaviour and allow them to treat the shop/ cafes as extended play areas.
Also, most French children eat school meals which are 3 course lunches and table manners are stressed. My 9 year old grandson describes his lunch in terms of having a balance of protein, vegetables and a calcium based dessert! Obviously the school teaches nutrition.
I believe there should be a choice and at times would welcome a child-free zone - and am in agreement with a previous post that, in many situations, we seem to have reached a point where children rule and everything has to be geared to their needs without respect for any other people.
It is sad that many children are growing up without learning basic social manners and that there is a time and place to shout and run around and a time to conform and sit quietly.
Call me an old grump but the cafe owner has my support!

If I was nearer I would use it, sounds perfect for a relaxing coffee n chat. I love children, ( I have 12 grandchildren) but there are child friendly places to take them. Sadly little ones are allowed to run around these days. It frightens me when I'm carrying a tray with hot food or drink on.
Looking through all these posts it seems to be a 3:1 in favour of this establishment. I think that says it all!

There are so many places that you can take children that it is nice to have the odd haven of peace, with a relaxing coffee and the paper. Sadly lots of people don't control their children and don't seem to care if it is ruining the event for others. We took my very elderly cousin and his wife to a local restaurant for lunch (had previously eaten there only in the evenings) and it was unmitigated hell; three children ran about, shouting and scraping chairs over the stone floor, and my cousin found that with his reduced hearing conversation was impossible. The parents made not a single attempt to get the children to sit down or be quieter, and we ate our main course and left - so did several other couples .

One would think it's a 'Disney' themed ice cream shop where children are not allowed! The last time I looked, coffee was an adult beverage. I love children but starting a boycott because someone's coffee shop has an 'adults only' policy, is a 'tantrum' in and of itself.

I am of the belief that one person's rights end where another person's rights begin. The mother is perfectly welcome to come in alone or with other adults. She's also free to take the children everywhere else. Why all the fuss? What about all the other adults who deserve to go for peace and quiet?

It sounds like this woman is just being vindictive because the policy doesn't suit her own personal needs.

There is a restaurant and cocktail near near me that has very subdued lighting, a very refined decor and an intimate ambiance. The background music is sort of 30's Jazz. It only opens in the evenings and does an Early Bird menu for pre theatre/cinema.
Although I'm sure children are not banned, it would not be somewhere that I would take my Grandchildren, it would not really suit them at all. They would have to be extremely well behaved or the atmosphere would be ruined for the other diners.
Horses for courses, if you ask me.

I would definitely support the owner. There are times when adults want to have a meal in a quiet place without children.

I agree with willa45 and am no the owner's side here.

I was in a local coffee shop the other day where people were quietly reading the paper, looking at their laptops (possibly for work reasons) and reading the newspaper when suddenly a baby who was obviously hungry started yelling and the mother couldn't calm her down unless she was fed.

The mother showed no sign of leaving and the noise was deafening and distracting.

Fortunately we only went in to buy hot drinks to take away so we didn't have to put up with it for long.

I wish there were more coffee places like this one in Brixham.

Would be happy to go there for a coffee. You can stay in child-free hotels, so why not a child-free luxury coffee shop.

I can see both sides of the argument, perhaps it's wrong to have an overall ban on children after all they are part of society and eating out can be a good experience for them. It's up to parents to ensure that they don't run riot possibly the care should have stressed that instead. I always tried to instill into mine that if they behaved badly then it would ruin other people's experience and we wouldn't bring them again, that usually worked. We tended to take them to Pizza Express type of places rather than coffee shops. In coffee shops I've seen perfectly behaved children and terrible behaviour, two experiences really stand out, one where two or so youngsters were actually having a race in a Marks and Spencer cafe, albeit it was fairly quiet at the time, but the couple of customers there weren't very happy. The other was in a well known coffee chain, quite busy, two siblings maybe 3 and 4 were running around, one fell over. Normally the staff aren't very pro active in dealing with this sort of thing but in the latter instance one did ask the parents to take the children out as their behaviour was endangering them and the other customers

I think it's all about the parents and those who maybe have an over inflated sense of entitlement. There was a thread over MN recently. Four or so friends were having a drink/meal in a pub and were using a vacant chair for coats etc. Family come in with a young child and take an adjacent table. One child has toy giraffe, places it on it's own chair, thus leaving the family with one chair short so mother approaches the friends and asks if she can have their "coats" chair, giraffe had to have it's own seat apparently. The party of four refused on the basis that the soft toy could be moved but pointed out if the chair had been required for an actual person they would have given it up. Mother went off huffing and puffing. Most of the posts were of the opinion the mother was bang out of order putting in such a request and I think it illustrated how entitled some parents' are regarding their child/ren.

*the cafe not the care

Totally support the idea there a plenty of other cafe's that accommodate children lets hope the idea catches on

Children shouldn't be running around in restaurants or coffee shops, parents can be so unfair sometimes. Whilst they are chatting some let them fool around and do just what they want, to the annoyance of other customers, likewise to take a child for a meal and expect them to sit at the table for too long is selfish. Don't know how you can sort it out though apart from excluding children. My friends and I avoid some places because they have become like crèches.

I tend to disagree with many of these comments. Having looked after young grandchildren for the past 6 years, they all enjoyed the opportunity to discuss their surroundings (usually as a game) together with a drink and treat in various cafes. In this particular coffee shop what an opportunity to look at objects from a bygone era! Not all children are allowed to run around eateries, behaving badly, making an unacceptable noise! Not all children should be tarred with the same brush! This venue looks a perfect opportunity to widen horizons and introduce some of our culture to young inquiring minds. How are children meant to learn if they are banned from areas where things are fragile? Personally, I object to our four legged friends sniffing around my ankles, which seems to be allowed on these premises, but that's another opening for debate. As we live in the area I am afraid I will give this cafe a miss, with or without the children.

I agree with you Summerj I don't want dogs near me when I am eating and drinking.

Agree about the dogs SummerJ and I like your idea about broadening children's minds.
I'd be terribly afraid of a reaction similar to that of a mother and son in the cafe in our local park. He was having a tantrum - shouting and kicking chairs and throwing the condiments because his choice of ice cream was not available. The manager asked her politely to take him outside till he'd calmed down. She took offence (language) but did eventually get up to take him out. On the way the child kicked out and threw the cutlery boxes and napkin holders on the floor as he passed because he didn't think he should go. Imagine that in a room with precious things in.

It sounds wonderful,I think this is a great idea, only sorry I don't live in Brixham,a place I have visited and really like, if I did I would certainly go to the Chart Room.
What about the holidays that are adult's only, I think they are great too. There should be more places where you can't take children

I just wish we had somewhere like that near me. What an unnecessary fuss some of the locals have made. I bet the call to boycott the place won't have any effect at all.

My friend and I decided to try out a new cafe for lunch. It has wooden floors and no soft furnishing so any sound echoed. Two ladies with young children came in and my friend and I were unable to chat to each other because of the noise the children made. They were running round shouting and banging cutlery on the table. It was awful.

We try to support small businesses but this is one that we will not try again.