A FAMILY have been left furious after having to leave a pub because they had their baby's pushchair with them.

A FAMILY have been left furious after having to leave a pub because they had their baby's pushchair with them.

Jane and David Bowden claim staff at the Ferry Boat Inn at Felixstowe Ferry told them they would have to leave because pushchairs were banned from the pub.

“We had gone to the pub to celebrate my husband's 40th birthday and were looking forward to a nice meal,” said Mrs Bowden, of Melford Way, Felixstowe.

“There were no signs saying we couldn't take the pushchair in, and the people at the bar didn't point it out when we went up to order drinks and ask if we could eat.

“We sat down with our drinks, the baby was not crying or making any noise, and we were feeding her with a bottle, when a member of staff came up and said, 'You cannot have that in here'.

“She said pushchairs were not allowed inside and it was blocking a door and would be a fire hazard.

“It was ridiculous because anyone could have easily walked past us to get to the door, and it the pushchair was no more of a fire hazard than the people smoking in the pub.

“She was very rude to us and made us feel like a piece of dirt on her shoe.

“There was no apology. No, 'I am really sorry but we don't allow pushchairs in here' and offering a solution to the problem - they just didn't give a damn.”

Mr and Mrs Bowden took their six month old daughter Ruby and left.

“I was very upset, very angry and tearful, and we just decided to leave our drinks and go,” said Mrs Bowden, whose other daughter Lois, four, was at school at the time.

Landlord of the Ferry Boat Inn, Rob Ward said pushchairs were banned from the pub.

“Our staff are always very polite in dealing with this matter and were on this occasion - we ask parents to take the pushchairs outside, but they are welcome to stay and still bring in their children, and we have a highchair for babies,” he said.

“The pub is small inside and trippers can easily block doorways and walkways and could be a problem if there was a fire.

“There are no signs, and I am loathe to put up signs for everything you can or cannot do.”

Is it right to ban pushchairs from pubs? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk