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VOTE: Mums slam Griffin Pub after baby bar ban (From Messenger Newspapers)
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VOTE: Mums slam Griffin Pub after baby bar ban
9:58am Thursday 5th November 2009
ANGRY mums claim a Bowdon pub has called time on their weekly ante-natal meetings.
The women, who’ve been meeting at the Griffin on Stamford Road for the past 10 weeks, say they were told they were no longer welcome in the bar area following complaints from customers.
“We were told that there had been a few complaints about us,” mum-of-two Di Boyer told SAM.
“We were told it was a ‘drinking man’s pub’, and that the men came in ‘to get away from all that noise’, which we felt was very sexist! Some of the women breastfeed but do it discreetly.
“If it’s a ‘drinking man’s pub’, why are there baby changing facilities as well as crayons for younger children freely available?”
She added: “While I’m sure we do not keep the Griffin in profit, we do contribute and sometimes have lunch and several drinks over the course of the two hours we meet. We feel very aggrieved.”
Griffin owners, Punch Pubs, said there had been complaints, but say it was because the women had changed nappies in the dining area and not in the facilities provided – although the women insist that wasn’t the case.
A spokesman said: “This behaviour clearly posed a serious health and safety risk, so our general manager discretely advised that baby changing facilities were available and that they should always be used. She also stressed that the guests would be more than welcome to continue visiting the Griffin, and offered to reserve an area specifically for them every week.”
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Your Say YourTrafford
Volster, Timperley says...
1:47pm Thu 5 Nov 09
rockinrocky_robin, Timperley says...
2:01pm Thu 5 Nov 09
I'm also surprised that in the difficult econmoic times and the demise of the traditional British pub, that the Griffin can afford to turn regular trade away.
It does seem ironic that the only people who appear to regularly frequent pubs these days are those who don't appear to work.For those that do,I'd bet the majority of pubs are "child free" at the time they finish work ready for a "sweat pint"
old_timer, says...
2:52pm Thu 5 Nov 09
oh the irony of going on about a modern world 'rockinrocky_robin' when your that far removed to actually realise that a lot of people work shift work and that includes weekends and that alos includes having days off during the week! are you that pigheaded to think that anyone in a pub during the day deosnt work.. does that mean that anyone walking down the road or indeed shopping alos doesnt work..!! plus some people have worked all their lives and now like to enjoy retirement without screaming kids in a pub! its about the last santuary left in a world of political correctness and the like, i for one am glad you have been banned, in fact i actually laughed!! may i kindly suggest that you get over it, stop having kids and either get back to work or you go round to one of your houses and cackle all you want and leave the pubs for good old fashioned drinking.
Volster, Timperley says...
4:22pm Thu 5 Nov 09
The Griffin seemed to hold itself out as a "family friendly" pub but it transpires it obviously is not - that is the point here. Also, not sure that anyone has been banned from my reading of the article. Whilst there are plenty of pubs that are family friendly, I agree with rockin Robbie that we are behind Europe in this regard.
At least we now know which camp the Griffin and its custmers fall in.
number8, says...
4:50pm Thu 5 Nov 09
Big G, says...
5:34pm Thu 5 Nov 09
talking sense wrote:A pint? you? "talking sense" you`ll be eating peanuts and playing dominoes next. Lock up your daughters "talkings" on the shandies!
Theres nothing worse than trying to have a quiet pint whilst having to listen to a group of screaming babies and a bunch of women comparing stretch marks!!
Urmston Bob, Urmston says...
11:23am Fri 6 Nov 09
Plenty of debate there: http://www.netmums.c
om/coffeehouse/gener
al-coffeehouse-chat-
514/news-current-aff
airs-topical-discuss
ion-12/346194-mums-b
anned-pub-i-cant-bel
eive-2.html
talking sense, manchester says...
1:32pm Fri 6 Nov 09
Big G wrote:does this berk write sitcoms for the BBC with jokes like that?.
talking sense wrote: Theres nothing worse than trying to have a quiet pint whilst having to listen to a group of screaming babies and a bunch of women comparing stretch marks!!A pint? you? "talking sense" you`ll be eating peanuts and playing dominoes next. Lock up your daughters "talkings" on the shandies!
Aghast Annie from Hale, Hale says...
10:23am Sat 7 Nov 09
Angry Anderson, Bowdon says...
10:37am Sat 7 Nov 09
Aghast Annie from Hale, Hale says...
10:45am Sat 7 Nov 09
Rev Roger Preece, bowdon says...
2:01pm Sat 7 Nov 09
number8, says...
12:36am Sun 8 Nov 09
If as you state, 'Pubs are for drinking in', why do they serve food, host functions and have toys for kids to play in? Seems to me like the Griffin want to have their cake and eat it?
Note to Griffin pub; if you run out of Chips one day, I suggest you contact Angry Anderson.... she's got plenty on her shoulder!
Angry Anderson, Bowdon says...
4:13pm Sun 8 Nov 09
number8 wrote:Dearest number8. Huge thanks for the laugh out loud moment. I can only imagine the sweat generated by the amount of thought it must have took you to come up with that quip. Whatever job it is you're lucky enough to be in, believe me it's the wrong one. The Daily Mail is missing a middle England voice of humour and wit, so I've heard. Might be an idea for you to drop them a line?
To Angry Anderson, Bowdon...
If as you state, 'Pubs are for drinking in', why do they serve food, host functions and have toys for kids to play in? Seems to me like the Griffin want to have their cake and eat it?
Note to Griffin pub; if you run out of Chips one day, I suggest you contact Angry Anderson.... she's got plenty on her shoulder!
Aghast Annie from Hale, Hale says...
4:36pm Sun 8 Nov 09
number8 wrote:Note to number 8; Don't give up your day job just yet! The comedy circuit isn't quite ready for you yet.
To Angry Anderson, Bowdon...
If as you state, 'Pubs are for drinking in', why do they serve food, host functions and have toys for kids to play in? Seems to me like the Griffin want to have their cake and eat it?
Note to Griffin pub; if you run out of Chips one day, I suggest you contact Angry Anderson.... she's got plenty on her shoulder!
Aghast Annie from Hale, Hale says...
6:16pm Sun 8 Nov 09
Angry Anderson wrote:You should write comedy for a living Angry Anderson.You'd win a Bafta! Leave it to the professionals Number8. The puréed fruit ante natal chats have addled your brains!
number8 wrote:Dearest number8. Huge thanks for the laugh out loud moment. I can only imagine the sweat generated by the amount of thought it must have took you to come up with that quip. Whatever job it is you're lucky enough to be in, believe me it's the wrong one. The Daily Mail is missing a middle England voice of humour and wit, so I've heard. Might be an idea for you to drop them a line?
To Angry Anderson, Bowdon...
If as you state, 'Pubs are for drinking in', why do they serve food, host functions and have toys for kids to play in? Seems to me like the Griffin want to have their cake and eat it?
Note to Griffin pub; if you run out of Chips one day, I suggest you contact Angry Anderson.... she's got plenty on her shoulder!
Big G, says...
7:37pm Sun 8 Nov 09
talking sense wrote:Unfortunately I`ve got loads more like that! See you down the pub "talking".
Big G wrote:does this berk write sitcoms for the BBC with jokes like that?.talking sense wrote: Theres nothing worse than trying to have a quiet pint whilst having to listen to a group of screaming babies and a bunch of women comparing stretch marks!!A pint? you? "talking sense" you`ll be eating peanuts and playing dominoes next. Lock up your daughters "talkings" on the shandies!
Gobsmacked Gary, Lymm says...
11:17am Mon 9 Nov 09
emgar, hale says...
11:25am Mon 9 Nov 09
and yes - I am a mother of two.
kris1970, altrincham says...
11:41am Mon 9 Nov 09
sleabo, says...
11:48am Mon 9 Nov 09
MattSleight, Altrincham says...
3:32pm Mon 9 Nov 09
1. There is nothing in the article to say that the babies were crying and more than if there had only been one.
2. The mothers were asked to leave because they were changing nappies on the tables.
3. The pub has baby changing facilities, crayons etc. and is family friendly.
There's no story here. 5 women were asked to leave a pub because they were changing nappies on the tables, which I can well understand.
Trying to turn it into a sexist argument is rather childish of you.
If you want an 'old man's' pub, go next door to the Stamford arms where it's a bit less posh looking, and cheaper. The griffin is basically a restaurant, it's not a proper pub any more.
006, says...
5:00pm Mon 9 Nov 09
What shocks me most is not the subject matter of the discussion (we'll all forget about it eventually), but the venom in people's comments and opinions. I think you should all learn to be more civil, instead of living in an ivory tower, thinking only your own way is the right way. Then maybe this fall out wouldn't have happened in the first place.
Lancastrian Steve, Bowdon says...
7:43pm Mon 9 Nov 09
te was exposed by the intrepid reporters of the Messenger last week?
Roger E, bowdon says...
9:11pm Mon 9 Nov 09
The venue for a post natal group should be a place other than a public house, not only to prevent litigation form the parent of a child who may become injured in an environment more suited
to adults than children, but because it is not welcomed by all pub goers regardless of the pub.
What have these people gained by making public an issue which they created through their lack of consideration to others? The pub business relies as ony other on trade.Times are hard, and what people ought not to have to listen to is the whingeing of fools who cannot think beyond their own existence.
These people sat in the least appropriate part of the pub, mostly used for dining, and upset some customers by making a racket and changing nappies as people tried to eat.
I have a child who has not been anything other than welcomed in the Griffin. They provide child orientated meals and entertainment for children.
On this occassion the pub Management acted correctly, and I hope that we don't miss the trouble causers too much.
Aghast Annie from Hale, Hale says...
9:18pm Mon 9 Nov 09
Lancastrian Steve wrote:Good...glad it is busier...hopefully minus the women who breastfed their kids and changed their dirty kid's nappies on the restaurant tables!! They need to learn how to be civil...NOT ME!
I live 50 metres down the road from The Griffin. Am I the only one to notice that the pub has been much busier since DirtyNappyOnTable-ga
te was exposed by the intrepid reporters of the Messenger last week?
No venom in my post.
Do it elsewhere please. Is that civil enough?????
huczynski, Altrincham says...
9:51pm Wed 11 Nov 09
If these women were in fact changing nappies in public well then the landlord was right to ask them to leave. However, I do wonder why there is such a storm brewing from this article. It certainly seems that 1 camp is quite upset!!However taking it out on women in general in this way is cheap and nasty.
Breastfeeding is natural and is to be encouraged. In fact I'm pretty sure it is illegal to ask people not to do it in public. Lets hope this isnt the real reason these women were asked to leave?
sleabo, says...
10:08pm Wed 11 Nov 09
Mums outside The Griffin pub
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talking sense, manchester says...
12:29pm Thu 5 Nov 09