A popular pub in East London has officially shut its doors to children after its landlord hit out at “entitled” parents letting their kids run free.
The landlord of a popular London pub has completely banned children from the premises after claiming that “entitled parents” are using it as a creche.
The Kenton Arms in Hackney will now strictly only allow people over the age of 18 though its doors after owner Egil Johansen hit out at parents who he believes have taken advantage of their pervious open door policy to those of all ages.
The venue, which only serves drinks and no food, has recently been hit with a spate of complaints by punters online who have claimed that “unruly kids” and “crying babies” have disturbed their visit.
In an initial attempt to curb the so called problem, the Norwegian landlord imposed a reasonable 5pm curfew on children but soon after took it one step further, reports the Daily Star.
In a blunt statement, the pub claimed that it now would no longer be accepting children of any age at any time, citing a “lack of parental control” as the reason for its latest move – which was not, they were keen to add, an attack on children.
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The pub’s management said: “After careful consideration, we’ve made the decision that The Kenton will now be an over-18s pub at all times.
“We want to be clear that this isn’t about children themselves, it’s about the level of supervision needed in what can be a very crowded, busy space.”
They added: “Ultimately, we’re not able to take on responsibility of other people’s children. Despite clear signage and reminders from staff, the problem has persisted.”
Along with the firm notice, the bar also shared a snap of their “supervise your children” signs, no longer needed now that kids won’t be allowed through its doors.
This new move has sparked debate among locals and regulars, with many like Ross Kerslake praising the policy.
He said: “Perfect reasonable. Someone’s unsupervised kids almost put me in hospital when I was carrying a tray of drinks.”
Another regular, Martin Hughes, agreed, saying: “It’s sad that others have to suffer because of lazy parenting.”
However, other fans of the pub haven’t swallowed the announcement as easily, including Ross Stout who claims they are disappointed to hear they will no longer be able to attend the boozer with her “very well-behaved four year old”.
This is not the first time that landlord Johansen has hinted his frustration with the behaviour of children – and more notably their parents – at his pub.
A previous statement made by the pub said: “Lately, a few have mistaken The Kenton for a creche. We’ve had kids running around unsupervised, a couple of accidents, and parents blaming the pub instead of keeping an eye on their little ones.
“This is a pub, not a playground. Some parents even try to argue with us when we explain that we have a curfew for kids in the pub.”
While UK licensing laws generally allow children in pubs at the owners discretion, the Kenton Arms has now joined a number of establishments in the country who have opted for an adult-only, “relaxed atmosphere”.
