Can you still give shandy to kids?

[AndyAudi]

21TonyK said:

Stevenj214 said:

21TonyK said:

As already mentioned, you could buy a 16 or 17 year old a "pub" shandy with a meal. They still couldn't buy their own as a beer/lemonade shandy is still alcoholic and may well be over the .5% ABV threshold at which point a drink is classed as low alcohol or a soft drink. It's only when you get down to .05% ABV that drinks are classed as alcohol free.

I'm sure the law was 18+ for ordering at the bar

16+ for ordering yourself at a table with a sit down meal

5+ for a 'responsible adult' (parent or guardian) to buy and give to you with sit down meal

All at the License holder's discretion too, of course.

I know the law has changed a few times over the years. I vaguely remember something about 14 with a meal etc and I'm sure the 5+ is for a parent to give their own child alcohol in the home.

As it stands the law is you cannot sell alcohol to an under 18 under any circumstances whatsoever, but an accompanying adult can buy a 16+ wine, beer, cider with a meal.

As you say, all at the license holders discretion. If anyone feels so inclined...

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/17/part/7...

There certainly used to be a different licensing rules in Scotland, no Adult required for 16+, as believe it or not we were told about it at School (through Young Scot Info).

[bazking69]

The Russians idea of a light refreshing drink is putting a lemonade top on their pint of Vodka.

I've never been to Russia but I witnessed a group of Russian men enjoying a post dinner vodka in Egypt and they were drinking the stuff straight like water.

[Timberwolf]

escargot said:

If children grow up with it in small and sensible quantities, it invariably means that they won't go quite so silly the minute they're of a legal age.

I grew up with alcohol being a pretty normal part of family life; (weak) bitter shandy from about 10 or 11, then from about 13 a glass of wine with family meals, and the occasional small glass of beer on a weekend afternoon.

From about 14-15 I was allowed to help myself to drinks at Christmas, New Year's Eve and so on; I assume being older and wiser with some hindsight the parents probably were watching to check I was being sensible but the fact they never had to intervene shows that the lesson had already sunk in somewhere that drinking was something done socially and in moderation.

I had one massively OTT night at the typical open house, no holds barred sixth form party and that was about it, I think.

So in conclusion, don't give your kids shandy, it'll turn them into premature old farts and they'll end up going to University and being the sad git going over their pint of real ale while all their hallmates are bonding over drinking a 24-pack of Tesco Value lager and vomiting into a wheeliebin because it's the first time they've been allowed to drink.

Do you really want them to miss out on the experience of sitting in a lecture theatre and gradually coming to the blurry realisation that they are still really, really drunk from the night before? (Not that I ever spent an entire day drinking to celebrate someone's birthday. Because I was obviously sensible and exposed to alcohol from a young age and used to it and in no way likely to enjoy the delights of a cheap and cheerful indie club with a drinks promotion and all of that.)

Edited by Timberwolf on Tuesday 31st August 21:52

[Timberwolf]

chris.mapey said:

Guinness shandy is easy.

I'll never forget the introduction to serving at a bar I got when I took a pub job before going to University.

The lesson ended with how to pour a shandy.

"The lager, do it in any order you want. If you're doing bitter, pour the lemonade first and let it settle or it'll foam everywhere. And if someone asks you for a Guinness shandy... look them in the eye and tell 'em to fk off."

I miss that pub. It's all done up as a trendy bar with staff who couldn't keep a cask to save their lives now.

[Odie]

bazking69 said:

The Russians idea of a light refreshing drink is putting a lemonade top on their pint of Vodka.

I've never been to Russia but I witnessed a group of Russian men enjoying a post dinner vodka in Egypt and they were drinking the stuff straight like water.

Yep russians are mental for that, I stayed in a hotel some where not very exotic, (Coventry maybe, cant remember) doing a job and after going out for a meal with a mate came back to the hotel and got talking to 3 russian ballerinas and their 7 minders. Was up until 6am drinking with them, straight wodka, I had work at 9 lol. That was some evening.

[Mx_Stu]

Personally I think there is nothing wrong with children having a shandy. That being said I would'nt automatically pour one for other peoples children. There have a been a few times that my cousin and her husband have been over for a BBQ with their son (aged 13) and you can see him eyeing up the beers. I want to say do you want a shandy but think it would start all manner of trouble (i.e. him wanting it, cousin not allowing)

Personally my folks used to offer me wine with Sunday lunch from when I was 10/11. At that age it was gross and I'd much prefer coke. My dad isn't/ wasn't a big drinker but whenever he had a beer he'd pour a little bit into a glass and i'd have shandy. My grandad was the funniest, as far back as I can remember he'd offer me whiskey. I tried it once, thought it was gross and to this day (some 20 odd years later) still don't/ won't drink the stuff!