A Melbourne pub has divided patrons with its decision to remove a kids’ play area and replace with an iPad station.
The Sandringham Hotel made the change during recent renovations, with manager Erson Carbajosa telling The Herald Sun it was designed to “get new customers” who found play areas too noisy.
He said there had been complaints about the removal of the indoor playground, but the iPads were very popular.
“Look, we’ve got colouring sheets if they don’t want the kids to go to the iPad station, they’ve got options.”
Shelly Horton at 9Honey described the change as a “genius move”.
She wrote: “You know what is better than the sound of children laughing? Children quietly playing on their iPads while Mum and Dad have a well-deserved drink at the pub.”
However, other patrons weren’t so enthusiastic.
"Only disappointment was the kid's playground being replaced by 10 tablets/iPads on a long table - like come on guys this is the opposite what we should be teaching our kids," one diner wrote in a review of the pub.
Another said: “I am all about a renovation but unfortunately not a fan of this one, the kids play area (such a draw card for young families) has been railroaded in favour of an iPad corner for the kids. Actually a horrifying idea if you think about it.”
One mother added: “My first thought was ‘This is disgusting, is this how the next generation has become? That the kids can’t even sit for dinner?’ I’ve never taken my kids out and shoved an iPad in front of them, I’d rather hire a babysitter and leave them at home.”
While concerns were also expressed that it was dangerous allowing children open access on iPads, David Curry from parent company ALH Group told Yahoo News Australia the 10 devices were not connected to the internet.
“The iPads only have pre-loaded games - the children can’t access the internet or surf the web,” Curry said.
He added compliments received by the company about its renovations far outweighed the backlash about the installation of iPads.
Pub chain bans mobile devices
While The Sandy is encouraging the use of mobile devices, UK pub chain Samuel Smith’s has banned mobile phones, iPads and laptops from its 300 pubs.
A memo was sent out to managers stated that the brewery’s policy “is not to allow customers mobile phones, laptops or similar inside our pubs”.
It said: “If a customer receives a call then he or she should go outside to take it in the same way as it is required with smoking. Whether outside or inside, tablets and iPads must be prohibited.
“Customers must not be allowed to receive transmitted pictures of sport or download music apps on the brewery’s premises either inside or outside.
“The brewery’s policy is that our pubs are for social conversation person to person.”
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