Day 59: Seaside and prejudice

Today we met up with our god daughters and their Mum Trish for a visit to the seaside. In true British style we braved the wind and rain to walk along the promenade and twist our ankles on the stony beach. Oscar got to try out his Mamas and Papas rain cover, which meant he could watch me slowly getting wet through the 'splash proof' coat Mummy had picked out for me in our rush to the car. (We were 45mins late meeting them despite a concerted effort.)

The brass band was playing in the bandstand (ideal place for them) and we had fun using a digital camera too hyper zoom in on distant objects on the horizon. ("Is that an oil rig?")

After popping in to the seaside cafe that time forgot for a quick Oscar feed and change, we walked back in to town for some proper food. I don't subscribe to the idea that just because you have children you have to restrict yourselves to McDonalds or Harvester so we went looking for something a bit nicer. Our first choice was bursting full, with people waiting, so we walked a bit further and found an little Italian restaurant (Called, imaginatively, 'Little Italy').

An attentive waitress welcomed Trish in ahead of the group...

"Yes, yes we have tables, how many?...". Then the waitress spotted us coming behind with the pram and Oscar. I watched one of the staff look disapprovingly at the pram and actually shake her head. We walked past three empty tables to the back and began talking about who would sit where etc. Then the head shaker waitress appeared and said something to our waitress. Then our waitress said "sorry, we are fully booked". And ushered us all out again.

I was flabbergasted. And it takes a lot to flabber my gast I can tell you.

We had a 4 year old and an 8 year old with us (both very charming and well behaved), and I'm not one to make a scene in front of children so I left it at that.

As we walked out, a couple came in off the street and sat at one of the three empty booths we had walked past on our way in. There were no reserved signs on any tables. This was at 5.15pm.

Outside Trish told me that she and her husband had experienced this many times when her girls were in the pram. Apparently it's an epidemic! I can understand not wanting a screaming baby in the restaurant but Oscar was asleep! There's no way we would have sat there if he was making a noise. Perhaps they figure a baby takes up space but doesn't order?

I think it's a short sighted policy. I'm the kind of person to enthusiastically recommend a restaurant I like (Try Seeracha's in Seaside Road for the most excellent Thai). Guess whether I'll be recommending 'Little Italy' in Eastbourne?