What's it worth?

[tauzero]

We've just found out that the venue I'm gigging at on New Years Eve won't allow children anywhere in the building at all that night. That's any age of child - no-one under 18 allowed. So Minus Zero, at 13, can't attend, therefore Mrs Zero also can't attend, so I'll be seeing the New Year in without her. The minor consolation is getting about £250, but this is one NYE gig I don't want to do again. And I'll be packing up and f***ing off just as soon as I can after midnight.

The stupid thing is that it's a social club that we're playing at. Anti-social club might be a better name for it. The WMCs and social clubs round Brum really seem to have some sort of death wish, they're largely child-hostile, which means that they won't pull in anything like the numbers that they could. Blame the lack of numbers on the smoking ban, blame it on the credit crunch, don't blame it on the idiot decisions of a bunch of geriatric twats, aka The Committee.

[Adrenochrome]

For £250 I'd jump on it, 'cos I need the money.
My NYE dep gig has been cancelled.

[bremen]

[quote name='tauzero' post='361110' date='Dec 22 2008, 03:47 PM']We've just found out that the venue I'm gigging at on New Years Eve won't allow children anywhere in the building at all that night. That's any age of child - no-one under 18 allowed. So Minus Zero, at 13, can't attend, therefore Mrs Zero also can't attend, so I'll be seeing the New Year in without her. The minor consolation is getting about £250, but this is one NYE gig I don't want to do again. And I'll be packing up and f***ing off just as soon as I can after midnight.

The stupid thing is that it's a social club that we're playing at. Anti-social club might be a better name for it. The WMCs and social clubs round Brum really seem to have some sort of death wish, they're largely child-hostile, which means that they won't pull in anything like the numbers that they could. Blame the lack of numbers on the smoking ban, blame it on the credit crunch, don't blame it on the idiot decisions of a bunch of geriatric twats, aka The Committee.[/quote]

No-one hates/fears the young quite as much as the Brits do.

[bumnote]

[quote name='tauzero' post='361110' date='Dec 22 2008, 03:47 PM']The stupid thing is that it's a social club that we're playing at. Anti-social club might be a better name for it. The WMCs and social clubs round Brum really seem to have some sort of death wish, they're largely child-hostile, which means that they won't pull in anything like the numbers that they could. Blame the lack of numbers on the smoking ban, blame it on the credit crunch, don't blame it on the idiot decisions of a bunch of geriatric twats, aka The Committee.[/quote]

I have been playing in the social clubs round the south for years. I dont remember any clubs letting kids in on new years eve.

Its not just the comittee its often the members themselves. People often come out to a club to get away from the kids, and if they want to get up and have a dance, its no fun for them if there are loads of kids running around.

Where kids are allowed in, you often see the parents half pissed and the kids asleep on the benches.

Im not taking sides, and I have two kids who can only come and see dad play on rare occasions, but I do see both sides of the argument.

[bremen]

[quote name='bumnote' post='361149' date='Dec 22 2008, 04:17 PM']I have been playing in the social clubs round the south for years. I dont remember any clubs letting kids in on new years eve.

Its not just the comittee its often the members themselves. People often come out to a club to get away from the kids, and if they want to get up and have a dance, its no fun for them if there are loads of kids running around.

Where kids are allowed in, you often see the parents half pissed and the kids asleep on the benches.

Im not taking sides, and I have two kids who can only come and see dad play on rare occasions, but I do see both sides of the argument.[/quote]

Fair enough, ban young kids or those that behave badly, but Minus Zero is 13, not 8, so is old enough to know how to behave. And his/her dad won't be pissed; he's a professional, dammit!

[ironside1966]

[quote name='tauzero' post='361110' date='Dec 22 2008, 03:47 PM']We've just found out that the venue I'm gigging at on New Years Eve won't allow children anywhere in the building at all that night. That's any age of child - no-one under 18 allowed. So Minus Zero, at 13, can't attend, therefore Mrs Zero also can't attend, so I'll be seeing the New Year in without her. The minor consolation is getting about £250, but this is one NYE gig I don't want to do again. And I'll be packing up and f***ing off just as soon as I can after midnight.

The stupid thing is that it's a social club that we're playing at. Anti-social club might be a better name for it. The WMCs and social clubs round Brum really seem to have some sort of death wish, they're largely child-hostile, which means that they won't pull in anything like the numbers that they could. Blame the lack of numbers on the smoking ban, blame it on the credit crunch, don't blame it on the idiot decisions of a bunch of geriatric twats, aka The Committee.[/quote]


Maybe the venue is full so they need to save the space for Adults after all it maybe a club that relies on their members.


Maybe they need as many spending adults as they can to pay for the band of subsidies throughout the year,
or they could be a set of grumpy old sods

[lemmywinks]

The Working Men's Club i used to be a member of wouldn't even let women in the main bar!

To be fair there was a seperate family room. It's changed now, women can go up to a certain point in the main bit but no further, not near the snooker tables or the toilets (they have to use the ones on the other side of the building).
I remember being told at the induction meeting that any women i brought into the family room were MY responsibilty and any excess noise or disturbance would result in my membership being revoked.

Nice eh?

It could be to do with insurance though, parents tend to be lenient with buying the kids a few beers around christmas time and accidents do happen which could have repercussions

[Sarah5string]

Hmmm.. £250 earnt... vs £250 (or however much) spent drinking....
.....
....


...


Nope no idea what I'd do. Good luck with your choice though!

[Delberthot]

Its no wonder that social clubs are dying on their arses. They've been stuck in the 18th century since, eh, the 18th century

Most of the committees are made up of nobodies who want to be big men with power so make it their job to f*** up as much as they can.

Is there another free room at the club?

I don't think it would be too difficult to set up a makeshift creche for the youngsters and a party for the older kids so that they're out of the way. The parents could take turns looking after them. That way everyone gets to go.

Surely not everyone who is going doesn't have kids and therefore the same problem as you?


Personally, if I was playing hogmanay and my wife couldn't come, I'd tell them to shove it up their arses. Regardless of the money.

[Guest MoJo]

We played a NYE gig at a posh sports/fitness centre a few years ago where [i]partners[/i] weren't allowed . Of course all the mobile networks were jammed at midnight so we queued at the payphone to wish our other halves a happy new year. So it's not just Social Clubs

[acidbass]

The 2003 Licensing Act states that children are allowed on licensed premises at all times when accompanied by someone over 18 years of age. You can check it out [url="http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/ukpga_20030017_en_1"]HERE[/url] although I'm not sure of the section! Members clubs can enforce their own laws though, so unfortunately if they don't permit it then your best bet wouldn't be to quote the law, but to persuade the publican privately and see if he/she will see your side of the argument.

[casapete]

My NYE gig for the past 10 years has been very WAG friendly.
However, it is a job I'm going to do and therefore I regard it as a bonus to be allowed to take my girlfriend.
If I was a waiter/barman etc don't think this would be seen as okay, especially if they were taking the place of a paying punter.
We celebrate New year properly on the 1st anyway! Its my choice/decision, so no probs.

[bumnote]

[quote name='Delberthot' post='361334' date='Dec 22 2008, 07:41 PM']Its no wonder that social clubs are dying on their arses. They've been stuck in the 18th century since, eh, the 18th century

Most of the committees are made up of nobodies who want to be big men with power so make it their job to f*** up as much as they can.[/quote]

As the person in our band who has to deal with the various social secretarys to get our bookings there is a large part of me that agrees with you, and there are times when I have had to use every ounce of self control not to loose my rag, and then run the risk of loosing a regular gig.

Theres lots of little petty squabbles on the comittee, when the one person is voted off and replaced by a new one. One person I met cancelled all the dates so the new person had to do it all again, and another double booked loads of bands, and changed all the telephone numbers in the contact book so no one else knew who was playing when, and couldnt contact anyone to try and sort it out.

On the other hand, some comittee people work very hard, get very little thanks, while the other club members contribute nothing, just moan and groan.

WMC and the like are dying, and they dont seem to be able to attract the youngsters in. When I started in the 60s, i was playing the music of the day, to a mixed age group, and that continued through the 70s. Now the audience is generally a lot older, and they still want the same old stuff we were playing thirty years ago.

If I am getting paid, I believe I have to follow whatever the rules of the place I am playing at or not take the gig. I once played in a function band, dickie bows and dinner jackets, where the drummer often brought his wife. We arrived at a gig in bournemouth once, and the promoter said to her , you are not appropriately dressed, there is no room, you will have to wait in the van or go home.

Some places we play freely allow guests if they are signed in, some charge, others restrict to a maximum, some dont allow anyone other the band. This new years eve, we were offered tickets for wives etc, at the same price as club members, on a first come first served basis.

I take the view that I cant bring my wife and Kids to work, asnd much as I may not like it, sometimes that happens when I play.

Its up to me to make that decision.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='acidbass' post='361904' date='Dec 23 2008, 12:47 PM'][b]The 2003 Licensing Act states that children are allowed on licensed premises at all times when accompanied by someone over 18 years of age. [/b] You can check it out [url="http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/ukpga_20030017_en_1"]HERE[/url] although I'm not sure of the section! Members clubs can enforce their own laws though, so unfortunately if they don't permit it then your best bet wouldn't be to quote the law, but to persuade the publican privately and see if he/she will see your side of the argument.[/quote]

Does that mean children can be allowed to be present at the licensee's discretion and not that the licensee has to allow them?

[tauzero]

I do agree that it's a job of work and therefore I don't assume that I can bring the family along. This particular club, the rest of the year, allows children in to the downstairs room but not upstairs where the band plays. I expected them to be a little more liberal on NYE, rather than making it more strict. We've played at other places on NYE where they've gone completely child-friendly.

[bumnote]

[quote name='tauzero' post='362042' date='Dec 23 2008, 03:00 PM']I do agree that it's a job of work and therefore I don't assume that I can bring the family along. This particular club, the rest of the year, allows children in to the downstairs room but not upstairs where the band plays. I expected them to be a little more liberal on NYE, rather than making it more strict. We've played at other places on NYE where they've gone completely child-friendly.[/quote]

I think its always a tough balancing act between family and the band. Luckily my wife has got used to it.

I said when I first met her in 1974 'look luv, the band was here before you and it will probably be here after you, so get used to it. Wouldnt dare say it now.

Her take is 'Who do you bunch of old farts think you are trying to relive your youth, Ive heard those songs so many times I can recite them in my sleep. The kids drag her out sometimes but often she would just as soon stay at home.

[ironside1966]

[quote name='casapete' post='361997' date='Dec 23 2008, 02:11 PM']My NYE gig for the past 10 years has been very WAG friendly.
However, it is a job I'm going to do and therefore I regard it as a bonus to be allowed to take my girlfriend.
If I was a waiter/barman etc don't think this would be seen as okay, especially if they were taking the place of a paying punter.
We celebrate New year properly on the 1st anyway! Its my choice/decision, so no probs.[/quote]


Well said +1