My sister used to work in bars, the last place she worked full time a person brought their baby in pram into the bar at 8:50pm. The chain had a rule no kids after 9pm. They refused to serve her, she was not happy, an argument ensued, eventually she left under threat of the police being called.
I had lunch in another bar the other day and I saw one pregnant woman, and two women come in with babies. Lets not even get onto the subject of pregnant women drinking in bars and then getting offended when the bar staff refuse to serve them alcohol. Yeah I think babies in bars are pretty common over here in the UK. Nation of drunkards if you ask teetotal me.
I can't speak as a parent, because I'm not one, but I have to say I have mixed feelings about bringing babies to bars. Night time bars? Crowded late night bars? Definitely not. But there's a pretty healthy pub-type-culture in and around NYC where I live, and a whole lot of places that are considered bars are much closer to restaurant/bars than some sort of night club. And daytime or pre-happy hour at a lot of these places isn't any more raucous or dark than your average restaurant (and are a lot less boistrous than your average Applebees). Tons of them have lovely out door seating, and on a nice Sunday afternoon or early weekday evening, it seems to me like a perfectly decent place to bring a baby, socialize with friends and enjoy a beer before heading home
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I don't think the debate about restaurants that happen to turn into bars/party places at night - when I read the article I got a distinct impression that they meant bars in the traditional sense of the word. The former would be OK and the latter not so much - I have been to a wide variety of bars, from dives with questionable smears on the walls to an upscale everything-chocolate-flavored lounge but none of these bona fide bars were a fit place for a child, IMO (or a place where I'd want children inflicted on me).
*shrug* The line's not so clear at a lot of the bars I frequent, or used to. I'd classify many not as restaruants that turn into bars, but bars that happen to have a kitchen.
I think anyone trying to argue that it's okay to bring kids/babies into loud/dark/crowded/meet market bars at night is being dumb/selfish/disingenuous, but daytime at a pub that serves a little grub, and isn't full of creepy drunks at that point? Or the art gallery/bar up the street from me? And your kid isn't shrieking? Not sure I see the harm.
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I had lunch in another bar the other day and I saw one pregnant woman, and two women come in with babies. Lets not even get onto the subject of pregnant women drinking in bars and then getting offended when the bar staff refuse to serve them alcohol. Yeah I think babies in bars are pretty common over here in the UK. Nation of drunkards if you ask teetotal me.
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I think anyone trying to argue that it's okay to bring kids/babies into loud/dark/crowded/meet market bars at night is being dumb/selfish/disingenuous, but daytime at a pub that serves a little grub, and isn't full of creepy drunks at that point? Or the art gallery/bar up the street from me? And your kid isn't shrieking? Not sure I see the harm.
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I dunno, I guess I've never been in a place like that.
It just seems weird - why not get a baby sitter?
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:(
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Emma
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(The comment has been removed)
(I also have largely puritan views on exposing children to a lot of potentially bingey drinking that happens in bars but that's a separate topic).
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