Beer Drinking in the Goose Green Playground

[DearBBC]

Hi,

I've noticed a growing trend of parents taking beers and other booze into the playground. Has anyone else spotted it?

They're not tramps with cans of spesh, in fact one of them I saw reminded me of someone famous out of a film. But it occurs to me that this is quite a dangerous practice. Regardless of the dangers of broken glass, it's very difficult to look after a toddler when you have a bottle of IPA in one hand so I can't help but feel this is tantamount to irresponsible parenting. Has anyone noticed and should we put signs up to discourage this sort of thing?

[James Barber]

The playgroud is in the majority of Southwark where 'street drinking' is illegal under a Southwark bye law.

But is it causing a problem?

If you think it is then report it to the Police via 101 the no emergency phone number. I would counsel that it is unlikely to be a problem worth the police time.

[oimissus]

I don't see how looking after a child with a beer in one hand is any harder than looking after a toddler with a bottle of water, or a cup of tea, or another child, in one hand is? I don't know, on a nice sunny afternoon or evening why not take a beer to the park? Lots of children in the park won't need handholding anyway, parents are there to just keep an eye on things. Probably not a great idea with very small ones, but again, no different to getting a coffee from the coffee van that's often parked up by GG playground.

It's not something I've ever spotted myself in my 5+ years of going to the playground, but I really wouldn't care less if I did see it, in fact I'd probably be annoyed that I didn't think of it myself.

[Jeremy]

I don't necessarily agree that having a drink while looking after kids is irresponsible. One beer on a sunny day isn't going to kill anyone. I don't think that drinking alcohol is something that needs to be hidden away from children. However, I would probably agree with a glass ban.

[JohnL]

You're supposed to put it in a paper bag

Or buy one of those Coca Cola can covers (or is that more embarrassing than drinking now).

[robbin]

I agree that glass might be an issue, but otherwise I can't see how a beer is objectionable in those particular circumstances. It is certainly a lot less dangerous that hot coffee and it is a lot easier to juggle a kid with a cold can than with a hot cup of something.

[dimjim79]

Perhaps instead of seeing the beer as an issue the real issue lies with the children. Introducing a ban on drinking beer whilst looking after kids seems OTT, perhaps instead discouraging the culprits in bringing their children to the site would mean they could enjoy their beer more and pose less of a safety hazard. As an aside I hope it was Pale Ale and not Tenants Export.

[Jeremy]

Maybe just take the kids to the pub garden instead. Surely people wouldn't complain then.

Oh, hang on..

[Earl Aelfheah]

I've done this before. With Hops Burns and Black round the corner, it's temping on a sunny day to enjoy a beer whilst the kids are playing. I'm talking a small can of beer btw, not downing 2 litres of Strongbow. It probably is a bit wrong - rest assured, I feel suitably admonished.

[DearBBC]

I agree with most posts here. It's certainly not a matter for police attention and yes, scolding coffee is certainly more dangerous than a nice cool beer.

Maybe they could extend the softer tarmac stuff a bit so there's no danger of the bottles breaking if they're dropped.

[Earl Aelfheah]

dimjim79 Wrote:

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> As an aside I hope it was Pale Ale and not Tenants Export.

Beavertown Gamma Ray in my case.

[DulwichFox]

DearBBC Wrote:

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> I agree with most posts here. It's certainly not a

> matter for police attention and yes, scolding

> coffee is certainly more dangerous than a nice

> cool beer.

> Maybe they could extend the softer tarmac stuff a

> bit so there's no danger of the bottles breaking

> if they're dropped.

Scalding tea/ coffee dangerous ? Ok so lets not have babies and children in cafes.. ??

Tea and Coffee doesn't make you drunk.

I'm assuming parents are taking the children to the playground during the day.

It's a bit sad if they cannot survive half an hour in the park / playground without the need for a drink.

The drink / driving levels are being lowered because it has been said that even a single drink can impair

judgement and reactions.

..and it is illegal as James Barber has pointed out.

DulwichFox

[lofty23]

Nothing wrong with Tennents Export (although I don't think you can still get it) If it's Tennents Super you may have a point.

[JimH]

A few weeks ago I was walking past and a guy who was with a group of others asked me if I want to buy some weed. They were sitting on the climbing frame thingy in the playground and they had a few beers with them. I politely declined.

[Jeremy]

Fox, you are sounding pretty judgemental there. We're not (as far as I know) talking about Dads getting wasted while their children play.

[*Bob*]

Don't think I could face the playground without at least a few drinks inside me.

Preferably a hit from the bong as well.

[robbin]

We never used to worry about such stuff.

When I first lived in ED long before the GG playground was renovated with that 'fun' stuff - (like the new-fangled netting and high wire walk - and with soft tarmac, would you believe), there used to be 3 or 4 regular drinkers hanging out there for most of the day (Tennants Super, or equivalent thereof). They would pee against the wall by the entrance - that only added to their charm.

Of course, those were the good old days, before the blow-ins with their poncey ?1 coffees and their specialised micro-brewery beverages. It was sometimes a bit scary being shouted and spat at by a swearing hallucinating alkie, but we respected each other, and we understood the importance of 'community'. That was proper ED back then ; )

[bobbsy]

I can't take this post seriously. Please lets add some more nanny state governance.

[DulwichFox]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> Fox, you are sounding pretty judgemental there.

> We're not (as far as I know) talking about Dads

> getting wasted while their children play.

I'm not being judgemental. Whether it's dads or mums .. It's illegal..

Not a good example in front of your kids AND other peoples kids whose parents may not approve..

It's about respect for other people which you don't seem to think is important.

That's something gone from our New E.D. Respect.

..Or is Respect something only Sad Miserable Old Gits have ?

DulwichFox

[Cedges]

Oh Dear Me.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Jeez, I was feeling suitably admonished before, now I'm wondering whether I ought to hand myself in to the Police.

[*Bob*]

Personally I prefer the adventure playground in Peckham Rye. There's a little copse at the back (near the zipwire) where you can discard your needles - and you can have a game of table football afterwards.

[robbin]

Dulwich Fox wrote:

"That's something gone from our New E.D. Respect.

..Or is Respect something only Sad Miserable Old Gits have ? "

Answer: If it's the sort that starts with a capital R - yes.

Oh and by the way, I'm pretty sure my 7 year old (and probably every other child of that age) wouldn't even know that in Southwark, drinking in public is illegal, so you needn't worry too much about people setting an example of illegality to children of the age that use the GG playground!

[DulwichFox]

robbin Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> Oh and by the way, I'm pretty sure my 7 year old

> (and probably every other child of that age)

> wouldn't even know that in Southwark, drinking in

> public is illegal, so you needn't worry too much

> about people setting an example of illegality to

> children of the age that use the GG playground!

And with an attitude like that it's not difficult to see how they are likely to grow up.

Teenagers being stopped by the Police for illicit public drinking will just say. "My mum & Dad used to do it"

and no one said anything.

Yes it would be nice to have a picnic in the park with a bottle of wine or a few chilled beers,

but who dictates who can and who can't. As long as they are of drinking age there cannot be any discrimination.

So as it stands there is no public drinking..

DulwichFox

[oimissus]

sorry, is James saying that it's illegal to drink in a park? (not a playground specifically, but a park?) Really? I had no idea.

I take Miss Oi to the park in the early evening on occasion, as she's a bit of a night owl. I really don't see anything wrong with wandering down with a single bottle of Becks to enjoy in the evening sunshine in the park. And I very much doubt she takes the slightest notice of what I'm drinking.