Keg, Cask & Bottle, a bar and bottle shop in Prestwich, has spoken out after customers with a newborn baby became aggressive over its policy banning under-18s after 8pm. The venue, located on Bury New Road, took to social media on June 21 to thank supporters following the incident, which led to negative reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.
Incident Details
According to the bar's statement, the incident occurred around 9pm on Saturday, June 20, when a party with a newborn objected to the 'no under 18s after 8pm' rule. Staff attempted to defuse the situation but the customers became aggressive. The bar said the party left multiple bad reviews, sent direct messages, commented on unrelated social media posts, and posted in Facebook groups to shame the business.
"We need to make it very clear that we do not tolerate aggressive behaviour towards staff or other customers," the bar wrote. They emphasized that hospitality is tough and they have put everything into their small business, which has been open for nearly seven years.
Bar's Policy and Background
Keg, Cask & Bottle was established in 2019 by husband-and-wife Sam and Kelly Parker at The Longfield Centre. It moved to a larger unit in 2023 due to demand, and later relocated to 424 Bury New Road, the former site of Gorge restaurant. The venue stocks over 300 curated beers from the UK and worldwide, available for takeaway or consumption in the tasting room with a small corkage fee.
The bar's website states: "As a family business, with most of the KCB team having young children of their own, we welcome supervised children in our bar until 8pm." The owners explained that while they try to be human and recognize babies are different from children, most customers come out on a Saturday night for adult time.
Community Support
The bar's social media post was met with widespread support. One customer with young children said: "You've got it right, we were in with our newborn twins a few weeks back in the afternoon and feel comfortable bringing them in but there gets to a time where the babies and children need to go!" Others questioned "who takes a newborn to a pub at 8pm" and encouraged the bar not to fret over the reviews.
Another commenter wrote: "So sorry to hear you have been dealing with this situation. It's your rule and I think it's a good rule." A fellow operator noted that their own license prohibits children after 8pm, adding: "There is never an excuse to abuse staff - hospitality is hard enough as it is."
Similar Incidents
In late May, The Cross Guns Inn in Bolton banned children from the main bar area on Fridays and Saturdays after 4pm due to concerns about unsupervised children. Families are still welcome in the dining and outdoor areas, with all under-16s asked to leave the bar area by 7pm daily.
