I've only read the first post - but wanted to add that if that's the WORST customer care you have EVER experienced you might want to try ordering something from IKEA for delivery, or having Sky TV installed.

It might have been fun to say "Fine, I'll have a cup of tea - I'm just going to take her to the loo", then use the loo, come out, take the cup of tea, drop it on the floor and say "Oops, how clumsy of me", then stroll out, never to return. For the avoidance of doubt, I wouldn't have done this. I would have wanted to, but my wife would kill me.

not the cleverest of staff or manager.. they could have just replied politely -'My manager /policy only allows use of toilet by cafe customers, so would you please buy a croissant or a peace of cake to take with you - when you come out?
I'm sure out of desperation Mum would said YES!
there you go, problem sorted and some money for a cafe… Everybody happy.

I've got a feeling this thread is going to run longer than that Bryan Adams Robin Hood's theme song. Can we all pull up our pants now and adopt a little Christmas spirit girls?

Gails staff are a dream - I needed to do a speedy nappy change and was running late for work - I ran into Gails and they allowed me to use the WC - and even gave me a bun on the house with my coffee! They do get so packed out though, they need to expand!

Supergirl

I feel this post has become an interesting reflection of this community and how we all think differently. Some of the responses have really surprised me. And hooray for that!

I'm stunned that many posters claim that the OP feels entitled. The moment when her child said to her that she needed the loo and it had to be quick - it was probably more panic and fear than entitlement she felt, in my estimation

Yes, you're right when you say that Birdhouse wasn't obliged to let her use the loos. Afterall, she wasn't a customer. Would it have been nice to let her use the loo? A good-will gesture? Yes, I think we can (almost) all agree to that. Just like when people help me down the stairs with my pram. Isn't it nice when we as a society, and a small knit-community like Nappyvalley, look after each other a bit, especially when we are dealing with more vulnerable members, like children, the elderly etc? Just a thought, and you don't have to agree.

If I were a small business, i would most definitely put 'excellent customer experience' on the business objectives though. In Google, try searching for birdhouse cafe clapham. This thread is likely to be number 5 in your rankings, above the fold!

Indeed you are right that this is a free world and we are 'entitled' - to an opinion and to use this wonderful site to express it!

So there is something written somewhere that it is important to go with the general consensus? Thats make me laugh a lot!

I still believe the woman reaction was poor and entitled. And that everybody who makes such a fuss because a coffee shop refuse the access of its loo is also entitled (little girl or not).

When i woke up this morning i was still living on a free world.

So yes, can the thread be put up to bed now? Can we agree we will never agree? Can we live Birdhouse in peace now?

given it was your unpleasant posts that got the thread going supergirl, that's really quite rich.

Promised I am going to be the last one here: and no I have not read all the posts but I feel saying that I love the coffee at the Birdhouse but when I am with my children I choose somewhere different: my first child was' banned' from the shop as he could not sit still and sip his water quietly ( he is 2 years old) .

Could we please now agree to disagree?
And please everybody do as you please, but can we put a full stop on this (tiring) story?

In the meantime I'll have a chocolate croissant and dig out change from my purse while my child pees on the nice coffee shop's floor .
It wasn't an expectation; she wasn't a stranger there, as a regular she expected a friendly response and asked nicely as her daughter was desperate for a pee.
She quickly learned that going in there with a child as opposed to alone meant she was treated (in)differently.
I also find it strange that prior to having a customer toilet they were happy to send their customers to the Plough to use their toilet. I wonder how they would feel if the Plough did the same to them?
Maybe a short sign up outside to say the premises are not suitable for children would help clarify things for everyone.

Well as the thread's still alive and well... ellesmum makes a good point.

I was once "caught short" of a very different kind myself - went into Marius on Garratt Lane and ordered a pastry before realising I had no cash! Doh! The cashier told me not to worry about it and to pay next time - I felt awful as I explained to them that I didn't even live in Earlsfield! Anyway, next time I was in the area to visit a friend I popped in to repay my debt and bought some other treat or another. So you do remember these little kindnesses.

Sometimes it's not possible to be a customer at that precise moment. I had an "incident" when my little girl had just been potty trained, and the only place I could duck into to avoid a full on, number 2 accident was a pub. Thankfully they were wonderful and just pointed me in the right direction. I couldn't stay for a drink afterwards, not with a toddler in tow, but a few weeks later I went back with my husband and my dad for a meal. There were much closer places to go to, but as they had been so kind, I made a point of going back and bringing them more income than had I just bought a Coke at the time.
If Birdhouse, or any other cafe, allowed me to pop in with my bursting child to use the toilet, I would go back at a later date to give my custom. Custom doesn't have to be immediate.

Keep your hair on MrsCMum, I wouldn't. However, I would not expect a cafe to provide facilities if I were not a customer- ergo I would make a purchase. My world revolves around my child but I am not so blinkered that I expect everyone else to drop everything for him.

@daisydaisy - could you be more specific? Which parent has lost sense of reality?
Parents do not think their world revolves around their offspring but for a small child, their world revolves around their parent/ carer be it for feeding or peeing.
What sort of parent does it make you if you choose to ignore your small child that wants to pee?