Kicked out of Gloria Jeans

Re: Screaming Kids

Ditto. Sounds to me like a case of a trendy (over-priced) outlet cherry-picking the type of clientele they want associated with their store "image". High-spending young singletons, good, parents-with-smelly-little-kids bad. (not suggesting for a moment that your kids are smelly! )

As a parent of 5 (non-smelly and very well-behaved), this attitude really gives me a pain in my face. There are several establishments — including so-called "family restaurants" — that I've walked out of and will no longer give custom to because of experiences of walking in — usually while the place was three-quarters empty, I'm not perverse about this! — and having some young wan of a manageress or waitress roll their eyes and pass comments about "where would they fit us all, etc." They usually offer to hide us away down at the back, near the toilets or kitchen, out of the sight of more desirable customers.

But I always try to make time to explain myself calmly (but loudly enough to be heard) and subsequently to drop a line to their Head office detailing the incident and explaining why they've lost seven customers...

Dr. M.

Re: Screaming Kids

I see where a young man of short stature in Galway was refused entry to a Nightclub because he was not "cool" enough.

With regard to the main point I think that the issue is buggies in cafés and not specifically children in cafés. A few years ago I was in a cafe which had a "no buggies between 12 and 2" policy. We were told that the rock-a-tot was fine but the wheels would have to remain outside. This was fine by me.

ajapale

Re: Screaming Kids

Unlike me has anybody else been able to ascertain whether or not "no buggies/prams" policies/signs are legitimate or not? I suspect that they are but would be interested to know the letter of the law on this.

Re: Screaming Kids

I reckon they are as legimate as a "no motorcycle helmet" policy as I see in many places.

ajapale

Re: Screaming Kids

I reckon they are as legimate as a "no motorcycle helmet" policy as I see in many places.

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Have you ever tried placing a childs buggy under your seat in a cafe?

Re: Screaming Kids

I reckon they are as legimate as a "no motorcycle helmet" policy as I see in many places.

Sorry - I don't know what you mean. Are these "no motorcycle helmet" policies valid or not?

Re: Screaming Kids

I'm well aware that *most* parents try to stop their children from screaming the house down whilst in a shop/pub/cafe etc but sometimes it's necessary to ask people to keep their children queit as they are upsetting other patrons

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Piggy

We are talking here about children small enough to use a pram. Have you ever asked a baby or small child to stop crying? If not try it some time and see how much notice they pay to you!

Re: Screaming Kids

I don't think it is illegal for a retailer to decide who to let in to his premises *unless* it is in contravention of the relevant discrimination legislation.

I don't think discrimination legislation covers children specifically, so I don't think there is any problem (other than a commercial one) with a retailer implementing a policy like this.

z

Re: Screaming Kids

Piggy

We are talking here about children small enough to use a pram. Have you ever asked a baby or small child to stop crying? If not try it some time and see how much notice they pay to you!

Tommy,

No. I've never asked a baby to stop crying. I have had to (on one occasion) ask a lady nicely if she could move away from a customer as her baby was screaming its little guts out right in their ear. The mother was a little perturbed but got the message. As I asked her nicely she had no problem in moving away and doing her best to calm the child. It's rare that any shop-keeper would have to do this on any regular basis as most parents move away from other customers if their childs crying becomes unbearable.

Talk to any retailer and they'll tell you the same.

Re: Screaming Kids

"I reckon they are as legimate as a "no motorcycle helmet" policy as I see in many places.

Sorry - I don't know what you mean. Are these "no motorcycle helmet" policies valid or not? "

Why wouldn't they be valid ? If I own a premises and I decide that I don't like people with blue socks I can't see any legislative reason why I can't implement this policy. If I decide I don't want people wearing helmets then I can introduce and implement that policy. If I decide that buggies take up too much space or block fire exits then I can implement a policy that says I won't let buggies in to *my* premises. If I decide that I don't like catholics I *cannot* implement that policy because I am not allowed to discriminate on religious grounds.

z

no buggy policy

Sorry Clubman, I in my hurry to post I left out the middle bit of the reasoning.

Yes, I think a 'no buggy' policy is valid where as a 'no child ' policy is invalid. A 'no motorcycle helmet' is valid where as a 'no motorcyclysts' is not. A 'no dirty boots' policy is valid where as a 'no builders' policy is not. A 'no white socks' policy is valid whereas as ...........well you get the drift.

ajapale

Re: no buggy policy

Not sure exactly how anti discrimination law is phrased however it is my understanding that one can not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, colour, creed (??) and being a member of the traveling community. Does that mean it is legal to discriminate on other basis? I'm beginning to think so. Mention was made to GJ cherry picking its customers. Would this be like an insurance company only insuring over 25's or a night club only admitting over 23's.

What Dr. M calls cherry picking others may call market segregation. It must be obvious to anyone even the most self righteous among us that private business is not like the public service. In fact they make their living by identifying their market and pursuing it, by definition this means (at least) passively discouraging others. I know this sounds harsh but this is actually how the real world works.

I know where I'm not welcome and will usually not make myself, my family or indeed the proprietor uncomfortable by being in a place that does not welcome us.

Re: Screaming Kids

"Whilst I agree with oysermans main point (never darken their door again), I disagree with his insinuation that you need a life."

Casual,

Apologies if I conveyed the wrong impression.

My point was that you were badly treated so should never go back. Simple.

I was getting bemused by the subterfuges people were suggesting for obtaing e-mail addresses for the country manager of the parent company etc.. Maybe I'm just lazy, but most people wouldn't really go to this sort of trouble.....? Or are people prepared to give a free tutorial in customer relations to companies which so richly seem not to deserve such?

Re: Screaming Kids

Or are people prepared to give a free tutorial in customer relations to companies which so richly seem not to deserve such?

Click to expand...

I managed to find the email address of Brody Sweeney, CEO of O'Briens Sandwiches to bring to his attention some pretty shoddy service being dished out in his franchised outlet in Dundrum. I also managed to find Willy Walsh's email address to bring to his attention some great service offered by one of his cabin crew a few years back.

Re: Screaming Kids

Yes, I think a 'no buggy' policy is valid where as a 'no child ' policy is invalid. A 'no motorcycle helmet' is valid where as a 'no motorcyclysts' is not. A 'no dirty boots' policy is valid where as a 'no builders' policy is not. A 'no white socks' policy is valid whereas as ...........well you get the drift

Yes - I get your drift now. Going back to my earlier posts I was just curious if any body knew of any authoritative clarification on the sort of thing that's OK and what's not in this context in a statutory sense?

Why wouldn't they be valid ?

I don't know - that's why I asked...

Re: no buggy policy

What Dr. M calls cherry picking others may call market segregation. It must be obvious to anyone even the most self righteous among us that private business is not like the public service. In fact they make their living by identifying their market and pursuing it, by definition this means (at least) passively discouraging others. I know this sounds harsh but this is actually how the real world works.

Natchessmen,

That's a very interesting post.

I agree with the jist of what you're saying, but I think you have to differentiate between a core audience for a private business and what is essentially an eatery. It's true to say that businesses actively target segments of the public. In doing so they passively(?) discourage other segments at the same time.

But a cafe is a still only a cafe and so common sense (between cafe and the general public) has to come into play.

I know where I'm not welcome and will usually not make myself, my family or indeed the proprietor uncomfortable by being in a place that does not welcome us.

I wouldn't browse around a bridal wear shop, as I'm sure the staff would find that quite odd
Then again, if I were to sit down in any restaurant and find myself confronted by a member of staff who just asked me to leave because I had a buggy I'd tell him to p*ss off in no uncertain terms.
It might be legal to bar prams and buggies from premises, but that doesn't make it always right to do so. We should recognise that and fight this sort of treatment where we find it.
The original poster was not in the way. It would have made much better business sense to either, let them stay there, or ask them nicely to move to a spot where they wouldn't obstruct people (whilst apologising for the inconvenience).

If I owned a cafe which was small and where prams and buggys caused an obstruction, but passing business took in parents with said equipment, I'd put up a sign on my front door along the following lines...

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"Dear patron,
As our premises are small space is of utmost importance to us and to you. We value your custom every bit as much as the next persons. If you have on your person any item which might cause obstruction, such as a pram, buggy or large bag/case, please see if you can divulge yourself of the offending item before coming inside. If you cannot we will do everything we can to accomodate you but might ask you to be moved to another location if the need exists. Thank you for your patience and enjoy your food"
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Re: no buggy policy

Piggy,

I like your notice! Your not the Bewley's PR head by any chance are you?
see later posts here

ajapale

Re: no buggy policy

I'm afraid not ajapale, no

Re: no buggy policy

Hi Piggy - You know that the average customer will give up sometime around 'As our premises', don't you?

Re: no buggy policy

You might be right rainyday, but at least it's there and *some* people will read it.

Better than "No buggies", that's for sure.

Anyway, if you stick up a couple of signs inside people will read them while they're eating.

I just think some of these places need a serious dose of customer care.