Pub landlords in Kent are warning they may stop youngsters from their premises following a wave of complaints about unruly children wreaking havoc in outdoor drinking areas.
The Market Inn in Faversham could soon become an over-12s establishment after frustrated customers reported incidents of unsupervised children destroying plants, hurling stones and colliding with patrons while their parents failed to intervene.
Landlord Tim Stowell issued a stark warning on social media, stating he had reached breaking point over the recurring problem.
"Sorry to moan, however, it is becoming more and more frequent that parents are not watching or looking after their children while in the pub," he wrote.
The Shepherd Neame-owned venue, which Mr Stowell runs alongside his wife Lacey, has received widespread backing from drinkers who share his frustrations.
Mr Stowell outlined a variety of unacceptable behaviours from youngsters at his pub, making clear that staff should not be expected to act as childminders.
"If parents are not willing to look after their children, we will make it a 12-and-over pub at all times. It's not down to our team to supervise your children," he said in his Facebook post.
The landlord, who also operates the Bear Inn in Faversham, has declined to elaborate further on the matter.
His social media statement prompted dozens of responses, with the overwhelming majority expressing support for tougher measures against poorly behaved children and criticising modern parenting standards.
The couple's warning reflects growing frustration among publicans dealing with damage caused by youngsters whose parents appear distracted or indifferent.
A fellow Faversham establishment, The Anchor, has voiced comparable concerns about youngsters damaging its outdoor space.
Landlord Mark Revell was frustrated at having to address the issue, posting on Facebook: "We can't believe we're having to write this so early in the year."
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He revealed that children had been permitted to pick, snap and uproot plants in the pub's garden, including leaves torn from a Japanese acer planted as a memorial to his partner Paige's father.
"As you can imagine, this is very upsetting," Mr Revell said. "We kindly ask all parents and guardians to please supervise children at all times and respect our garden space."
Drew Cassell, the pub's manager, endorsed the owners' stance, stating: "We spend a lot of time and money on the garden to make it nice for customers and all we are asking is for a little bit of respect."
The social media posts from both pubs generated significant public debate, with most commenters backing the landlords' position.
"Parenting has deteriorated greatly over the past few years," wrote John Walker. "Quite often glued to their mobiles while their kids run riot."
Ally Andrews added: "Nothing worse than kids running around and being feral when you're trying to have a nice drink."
However, Stacey Ferguson offered a different view, describing The Market Inn's post as "quite unwelcoming" and noting the venue appeared to lack child-friendly facilities.
The controversy follows a precedent set in 2024 when the Wheel Inn at Westwell near Ashford introduced a ban on under-14s, with its hosts stating they wished to create an adult-only atmosphere.
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