Lunch-bar’s ban on children criticised

Press, 27 May 1981, Page 1

Lunch-bar’s ban on children criticised

“Sorry, no kids, .no prams, no pushchairs. Thank you.” That message, on the door of a new lunch-bar in Hereford Street, has resulted in more than 15 complaints to the Christchurch office of the Human Rights Commission. Two writers of letters to “The Press”, and, according to the manager of Scoffs lunchbar, Mr Barnes, several customers, have also complained about the ban on children. However, the local officer of the commission, Mr R. L. Caird, said that the notice was per-

fectly legal. “The proprietor has a right to refuse entry to whoever he wishes,” said Mr Caird.

Mr Barnes, who described himself as a loving uncle and godfather — “I’ve got nothing against kids—” is not being hardhearted, he says.

“I have been in the restaurant business for years, and their is nothing more annoying than kids screaming around or throwing food on the floor,” he said “And don’t tell me. that it doesn’t happen.”

He said that the message was put up for two

main reasons — the food that his business provided was not really suitable for children and the “type of person we wish to attract” would not want noisy or unruly children disturbing them. Scoffs has served, and will, continue to serve, children who do come in with their parents, but Mr Barnes said that he would ask them to leave if they became unruly. That had occurred already.

“Some people have been shocked by the sign,” he said. “We have had both good and bad comments. I think that other proprietors have been too frightened to do this sort of thing previously.”

Mr Caird said that most of the complaints he had received had come from men but he did not know why.

G. F. Ball said in a letter to “The Press” that “in these days of concern about human rights it came as a surprise to me to see a sign painted on the door of Scoffs lunchbar in Hereford Street. Not only are ‘kids’ excluded from the premises, but any parents who happen to take their children to town are also discriminated against.”

B. Marton wrote: “To scoff implies contempt. So does this eating house. Until this sign is removed, for me it is ‘no Scoffs.’ ”