A country pub which came under fire online for a sign banning children has been backed by locals who love the “quiet” drink while criticizing parents for “badly raising their children”.
The Lower Red Lion in St Albans, Hertfordshire, was criticized for its “kid-free” and “dog-friendly” policy after a social media user innocently posted a photo of himself holding the sign titled “I found my new local”.
Users of [of the human race] culture’.
Another asked: “Why has it become socially acceptable to hate children?” while others supported the drinkers’ stance and called for more child-free and dog-friendly places.
Despite the vitriol the post provoked, locals told MailOnline they support the “lovely” pub’s strategy.
And the bar, where a traditional fish and chips costs £14.50, appears to be sticking to its policy, which the sign has long illustrated.
After the sign attracted a huge amount of hate online on Sunday, it was still outside the pub on Tuesday.
The Lower Red Lion in St Albans, Hertfordshire, was criticized for its “child-free” and “dog-friendly” policy
Simon Cooper, 43, who has lived in St Albans all his life, said politics “doesn’t bother him”.
One resident, who lives just a few doors away from the pub and asked not to be named, said “a pub is not a place for children.”
‘I think it’s a great sign. I don’t see any problem with that. “I can’t think of another pub that is dog-friendly and child-free,” she said.
‘I have no problem with dogs in pubs. If dogs are a problem, it is easy to control them. A pub is not a place for children.’
And he added: ‘It is an adult environment. Because parents cannot find childcare arrangements, they usually bring their children to the pub.
‘Children don’t want to be in pubs and misbehave. And if they misbehave it is because they have been poorly educated anyway, that is why their parents have taken them to a pub.
‘There is absolutely no shortage of pubs in St Albans that people can go to with children. As far as I know, this is the only one that allows dogs and doesn’t allow children.’
Jacqui Hall, 60, who was visiting St Albans from Harpenden with her daughter Dani and granddaughter, asked if parents should take their children to pubs.
She said: “If it’s a pub, should parents bring the kids anyway?”
Dani said St Albans had a lot of young families and some cafes in the area were struggling for space because of all the strollers.
Jacqui said: ‘Some people want a child-free period. There is a minority of people who want their holidays to be moments of tranquility.’
Dani added that she would consider taking her son to a pub, but only if it had a garden where he could run around freely.
Students Samuel Mackinnon, 22, and his brother Oliver, 19, support the poster.
The couple grew up in St Albans with their parents, but have now moved away to attend university.
Oliver said: ‘There are enough places in St Albans where people can go for a drink.
“If that was the only place people could go for a drink, I would definitely understand.”
Samuel said: ‘I think dogs are easier to control than children. I think it is more acceptable for a dog that causes disturbances, barks and goes crazy to be taken outside by its owner than by a child.’
The sign has been outside the pub for a long time and went viral after a user of X, formerly Twitter, innocently posted a photo online.
Oliver added: “I work in a pub and I can say it’s much easier to clean dogs than children.” Children can leave a real mess everywhere once they’re gone.’
Tom Robertson, 74, and his wife Kathy, 68, are regular visitors to the pub and are in favor of the pub’s policy even though they love children.
Kathy said: ‘We like to go for a quiet lunch or dinner. It’s a lovely pub and the food is delicious.
‘We love children, but when we go on vacation we make sure to book an adults-only hotel. We have just returned from a holiday and it was great, very peaceful.
When asked if they thought dogs could sometimes behave as badly as children, Kathy responded, “I’ve never seen dogs be a problem.” Most of the dogs that people bring to the pub are well behaved.
Retired civil servant David Roberts, 63, traveled to St Albans to spend a day with his wife from Watford.
He said: ‘I think they should be allowed to do what they want. I think they also need to evaluate with their clients to see what they want.
‘The pub we go to allows dogs and they also allow children in. I thought pubs were a lot more family friendly these days.
Cyber security worker Jamie Constantinou, 46, who has lived in St Albans for 20 years, recognized the sign when it went viral online.
The father-of-one said: “I wonder why they did it. Is it a joke?” Or do your customers really like it?
‘I think if they are a pub they can do whatever they want. It doesn’t particularly bother me.
‘Personally I wasn’t offended, but I can understand why people did it. She just said it a little lightly.
She added, “I think if they’re going to have a no-kids policy, they have to explain why, like they can’t accommodate high chairs or they can’t accommodate some allergies.”
‘Are they really enforcing it? “I think they can do whatever they want, but that will upset a lot of people.”
Television producer Chrissie Bibby has lived in St Albans for 15 years and is quite familiar with the sign.
She supports dogs in pubs and said: “As long as the dogs are well behaved I think they should be able to stay.”
‘Sometimes I would pet a dog in a pub if it was cute. But if it was something scary like an XL Bully, I’d go to another pub, unless it had a tight track.’
Grandmother Jacqui Hall, 60, questioned whether parents should take their children to pubs.
Oliver Mackinnon, 19, also supported the sign and said there were enough places in St Albans for people to go for a drink.
Student Samuel Mackinnon, 22, supported the ban for children because he said dogs are easier to control than children.
However, retail workers James, 41, and Marisol, 36, said they believe the policy could be discriminatory.
Parents said they disagreed with the policy and believed people should have the option of taking their children to a pub.
James added: “I think it could be discriminatory. You have to keep the children under control.
‘It is up to the parents to control them. If they are causing problems, they must be controlled.”
St Albans locals Peter, 84, and his wife Pauline, 75, were shocked that the poster was displayed so blatantly.
Pauline said: ‘I think it’s appalling. I have no idea how they get away with this. I would think they would want all those clients.
“I don’t know how they can get away with writing a sign like that these days.”
The couple have two children who are now adults, but said they took them to the pub when they were little.
Pauline said: ‘If you live around here you don’t have anyone to leave them with.
‘Every time I walk past the sign, I point to it and say, “Look, it’s still there.” I think it’s discrimination against people with children.’
Peter added: ‘I’d rather sit next to a child than a dog, simply for hygiene reasons.
Carole, 81, and Colin Troote, 84, (pictured) said they were in favor of children going to pubs, as long as they behaved.
A traditional fish and chips costs £14.50 in the pub, which locals describe as “charming” and “quiet”.
Simon Cooper, 43, who has lived in St Albans all his life, said he has no problem with the sign he has seen for as long as he can remember.
The Sky Sports worker, who has a dog and a nine-year-old daughter, said: “I’m not offended at all.”
‘It’s just a different option for someone. I don’t pass and I think I can’t get in there.’
Cooper said he occasionally takes his three-year-old dog Cockapoo Hudson to the pub, but is quick to remove the dog from the pub if it misbehaves.
He said: “I give him a couple of shouts but then I take him out.” I find that if he misbehaves, I’m quicker to get Hudson out than I was with my daughter when she was younger.
‘I don’t care if a pub doesn’t have kids. I am not worried.’
Married couple Carole, 81, and Colin Troote, 84, who were visiting St Albans from Kent, said they disapproved of the sign.
Retired social worker Carole said: ‘I’m all for social eating with children. What I don’t agree with is taking children to eat and not setting limits for them.
‘Children are children, but I have seen many parents, mostly middle class, who let their children run wild.
‘We recently went out for Sunday lunch and we got upset, you see it all the time. Or parents put them in front of their screens.’
Retired prison officer Colin added: “I think dogs should be outside.”
The Lower Red Lion declined to comment when approached by MailOnline.