Johannesburg - Had enough of moms sniffing babies’ bums in restaurants or screaming children turning the buffet table into the perfect spot for hide-and-seek?
A popular Joburg restaurant and country venue certainly has, and has taken the bold decision to implement a child ban.
Blandford Manor in Randburg, which bills itself as a “traditional Old English estate and manor house”, is popular for weddings and conferences, and also runs a spa and restaurant on its estate.
And now it’s off-limits to children under 15.
The establishment used its website to outline in detail why it had taken this decision. Under the heading “Why No Children at Blandford Manor”, venue owner Peter Chaldecott said that badly-behaved children, and parents who were unable to supervise their children properly, had led to this course of action.
Chaldecott said some parents “take advantage” of the establishment by staying for up to seven or eight hours, only ordering a few drinks, then asking for top-ups of water, lemon and ice while their children have the run of the property.
He added that naughty children interrupted other guests, damaged property and frightened the animals.
He listed some of the “major” factors leading to the ban as: parents changing “the very dirty and smelly” nappies of children “right next to tables where people are having a meal”; children emptying salt and pepper cellars and breaking all the sugar tubes; chasing ducks, rabbits and scaring the wild birds; peeping into the spa when clients were having treatments and generally being rude.
Saturday Star