18 Apr 2024
For St Albans publican David Worcester, top of his predictions for how last Monday would play out certainly did not include being at the centre of an international social media storm.
But a row erupted on X (formerly Twitter) after an influencer posted images of the sign outside The Lower Red Lion in Fishpool Street, catapulting the pub into the headlines on various global platforms.
The notice simply reads ‘Dog-friendly, child-free’, as parents are encouraged not to bring their youngsters to the 17th century former coaching inn, what with there being more than 50 other pubs in the city which cater for children.
The controversy began after X-user Kyle (@hifromkyle) posted a photo of himself with the sign and the comment “Found my new local” which suddenly went viral, reaching more than 73 million people worldwide.
Thousands of follow-up comments were posted – a large percentage seemingly from the United States – with people divided over the policy.
“I’m a parent and I think there needs to be more places like this. Kids are annoying and western parents don’t help. Social media has brainwashed people into believing any discipline is abuse.”
“Banning children is banning parents. This disproportionately affects women.”
“If you are more okay eating next to an animal than a human baby and family you’re an ugly person idc.”
“I may be humourless and overthinking this but banning small kids from public spaces is misogynistic because it also limits their mothers.”
“‘It takes a village to raise a child’ but instead we have single moms locked up in their apartment to satisfy the selfishness of dudebros and child free girl bosses.”
“What if a new mum wants to meet her friend for a drink or coffee?”
“People go out to the pub to have a quiet night and to socialise with friends they don’t get to see often; what I don’t want is their screaming children running around and throwing tantrums.”
“Why has it become socially acceptable to literally hate children?”
Don Sayers seemed to be the only poster to have actually visited the pub: “I used to teach in St Albans not far from that pub, the Lower Red Lion. I really didn’t want my pupils about where I drink and socialise.”
The story was picked up by media around the world, although New York based Independent reporter Amber Raiken used a Getty Images stock photo of an indeterminate drinking establishment to illustrate her story of the “London-based” pub.
Columnist Flic Everett wrote an opinion piece claiming no pub should be child-free, as they relied on mums buying coffee to keep them afloat (why no mention of fathers though?).
The Lower Red Lion doesn’t serve coffee. It doesn’t even broadcast sporting events to be honest.
In fact, the pub is well known in St Albans for its extensive charity fundraising work, including being part of the Sixer running event between various licensed establishments, and the Santa Paws festive doggy event for St Albans Action for Homeless.
David said he wanted to set the record straight in the St Albans Times rather than speaking to any other media,
“There have been lots of different accusations, most of which are about misogyny and hating children, neither of which is true. I just want to create something that’s slightly different.
“It only takes one kid to kick off and it spoils it for everyone else. I try not to allow bad behaviour from anyone, but it’s more difficult with parents and you end up tolerating it.
“It’s just a safe space where people can come who don’t want to be surrounded by children, especially those who might be having a night off from their own kids, they like to have some peace and adult time. It’s not a raucous drugs and strippers establishment, it’s a 17th century coaching inn where we do nice food and make everyone feel welcome.
“I like children, I just don’t want them in my pub. I like playing pool, but I don’t want a pool table in my pub either.
“It’s not any sort of prejudice, it’s just about providing something different for people in a market which is saturated with family-friendly venues.”
David has worked in various St Albans pubs over the years, including The Verulam, Bar 62, The White Hart Tap and The White Lion, before buying the freehold of The Lower Red Lion in 2013.
“There were still a couple of locals who thought they were entitled to keep bringing their kids in here, and one actually said to me ‘If my kids aren’t allowed in here then I’m guessing I’m not either’. I just said sorry to lose your business!”
Initially children were tolerated in the beer garden, but this came to an end with Covid social distancing restrictions, and was not reinstated after the pandemic.
David says their child-free policy is actually a unique quality of The Lower Red Lion which sets them apart from other establishments.
“If all pubs were the same it would be really boring. It’s the variety which makes them different otherwise they’d all be like Wetherspoons.
“I get told by my colleagues that a lot of the other pubs around here they wish they could ban children but they’re scared that they are going to lose a lot of trade.
“I’m in a fortunate position that I own the freehold, I’m not tied to a brewery and I can do what I want. Other pubs have to hit certain targets, they have to buy all their beers from the brewery and they are struggling.”
As is often the case with these sort of stories, there’s no such thing as bad publicity either: “There were two lads in earlier on who had come over from Radlett specifically after seeing the story on The Jeremy Vine Show!”
