No kids in my cafe but dogs are welcome
THE owner of an ocean liner-themed coffee shop has caused waves by trying to exclude kids under 12.
But Bob Higginson, who opened the posh cafe a month ago, says dogs are welcome.
He has now faced calls for a boycott of his premises.
Mr Higginson, 61, a former head waiter on the QE2 liner, is unrepentant about the sign he put up, which says he doesn’t cater for children under 12.
He wants to attract “older, more mature people who want peace and quiet”. The dad-of-two, who insists he loves kids, went on: “I wanted people to be able to come and discuss the old days and have a nostalgic chat without children running around distracting them.” He cited breakages by youngsters as one reason for his policy and said dogs had never presented such problems. But angry resident Wendy Moore called for people to avoid the Chart Room cafe, in Brixham, Devon. She said: “Who on earth does Bob Higginson think he is? Would he ban disabled people from his premises? “Or people of a particular race or colour or religion? This is blatant discrimination.” But many people waded in to support the under-fire owner. Sharon Taylor said: “If parents would exert better control of their children it wouldn’t be necessary. His business... his rules!” A Torbay council spokesman said the policy is a matter for Mr Higginson.