Ixelles restaurant bans children under 12

A restaurant in Ixelles has banned children under the age of 12, saying staff are fed up with having to deal with disruptive behaviour.

“The place is cramped and not suitable for children,” manager Ayrton Marsani of Feta & Oregano told RTBF.

“The restaurant staff are not there to educate them, and some parents let their children behave as if they were on a playground.”

The restaurant is hardly alone. Belgium’s centre for equal opportunities Unia has received 38 reports of establishments refusing children since 2008, the majority of them on the coast.

While many find such bans controversial, Marsani said that since the decision, customers tell him they choose his restaurant specifically because of the ban “because they know they'll be safe”.

The reasons for bans are not always purely to create social harmony, however. Minors consume less than adults, and since children's menus are less expensive, they bring in less profit.

“I find that our customers spend more on bottles of wine if they don't have children with them,” Marsani acknowledged.

Elsewhere in the hospitality industry, child-free holidays and hotels are becoming increasingly popular, now accounting for 16% of Belgian travel agency Tui's offer.

“Whether it's couples without children or parents looking for a break away from their kids, the concept is appealing,” said Tui spokesperson Laurie Tomboy.

The bans are not inherently illegal, either. According to Unia, there is no discrimination on the grounds of age if the restaurant owner gives a legitimate reason.

The reason can be assessed by a judge, but to date, no complaint has been brought to court.