A London pub has banned under-18s, blaming “entitled” parents who fail to control their children.
The Kenton, an upmarket boozer in Hackney, east London, will no longer admit anyone under the age of 18 at any time.
Owner Egil Johansen had already introduced a 5pm curfew for children before deciding to impose a full ban.
Announcing the decision, he fumed: “A few have mistaken The Kenton for a crèche”.
Customers had also complained in online reviews about “badly behaved kids”, “babies crying constantly” and “buggies blocking walkways”.
Mr Johansen criticised what he described as “entitled parents” with a “lack of understanding that when you are in a public space, like in a pub, you need to look after your children”.
He told Sky News: “We’ve had a couple of accidents, kids have been running into people carrying drinks, they’ve been approaching dogs, poking them, stroking them, and then dogs are barking because they are feeling stressed, which has then caused confrontations with parents.”
While most pubs across the country allow children when accompanied by adults, policies vary depending on the venue and its licence.
The Kenton will no longer admit anyone under the age of 18 at any time
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FACEBOOK / THE KENTON
Many pubs cater specifically to families, offering children’s menus and facilities.
“After careful consideration, we’ve made the decision that The Kenton will now be an over-18s pub at all times,” the pub said.
“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.”
The venue said it could not take responsibility for other people’s children, despite clear signage and staff reminders.
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Many pubs cater specifically to families, offering children’s menus and facilities (file photo)
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GETTY
“As a small, drinks-led pub, our focus is on serving good pints and maintaining a relaxed atmosphere for everyone,” the statement continued.
“This wasn’t a decision we took lightly, but it’s the most practical way for us to run the pub safely and support our staff.”
The move has sparked a mixed reaction online.
One social media user wrote: “Someone’s unsupervised kids almost put me in hospital when I was carrying a tray of drinks.”
Another added: “Totally agree with the decision, we never had an issue with our son because we always made sure he behaved.
“It’s sad that others have to suffer because of lazy parenting.”
Meanwhile, one disgruntled parent described the move as “a shame”.
He wrote: “We used to live on Queen Anne Road and come and visit friends often and would call in.
“We love your pub and have a very well-behaved four-year-old.”